In Today’s Newsletter:
Spotlight on the Nahe
Three Great Producers, Scores of Great Wines:
Dönnhoff, Kruger-Rumpf, and Diel
95-Point Beaujolais Star, Restocked
Trending Wines
Daniel Bouland’s High Scoring ’19 Beaujolais
The Chambolle of Barbaresco:
The Wines of Cascina delle Rose
Spotlight on the Nahe
Three Great Producers, Scores of Great Wines
The Nahe sits between the Mosel and the Rhine and occupies a middle-ground stylistically, as well. With bright acidities common in the Mosel plus the power and grandeur of the best wines of the Rhine, there’s a completeness to these wines that’s impossible to resist. We’re highlighting three top growers below, but you can check out our full collection of German Riesling on our webstore.
Donnhoff is perhaps our favorite German producer. The estate excels at both dry and off-dry wines, producing some of the top dozen Rieslings in nearly every vintage. Part of that is a privileged location— Helmut and Cornelius Dönnhoff own some of the best vineyards in the Nahe, one of the most geologically diverse parts of Germany. The other part is the exceptional drive and focus of father and son, who will stop at nothing to produce the best wines in Germany.
In Stock Now:
Weingut Donnhoff Hollenpfad Im Muhlenberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs 2018 750ML ($89.95) $66 special
John Gilman 93+ points “The Grosses Gewächs bottling from the filet section of the Höllenpfad im Mühlenberg is also very promising and again, shows the beautifully elegant refinement of all the dry Rieslings from the Dönnhoff family this year. Helmut estimates that this is thirteen percent octane or just under in this vintage. The bouquet wafts from the glass in a very refined and expressive blend of tangerine, blood orange, salty minerality, citrus peel, smoky overtones and a topnote of dried flowers. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and really packed at the core, with racy acids, great soil signature, laser-like focus and a very long, youthfully complex and very promising finish. 2028-2060+. 93+.”
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2018 Roxheimer Höllenpfad Im Mühlenberg Riesling trocken –GG– is super clear and flinty on the crystalline and herbal nose. On the palate, this is a medium-bodied, round and piquant dry Riesling that has been bottled with less than two grams of residual sugar, which underlines the crystalline purity and refreshing mineral character. The wine reveals a long and intense, quite powerful and textured as well as salty and piquant finish. This is the first release of the Im Mühlenberg, and it is an impressive wine that has been aged on the lees until the end of June. Tasted in July 2019.”
Weingut Donnhoff Kreuznacher Kahlenberg Riesling Trocken 2018 750ML ($41.95) $33 special
David Schildknecht-Vinous 92 points “Pear and fresh lime deliver crunch and piquancy in an interpretation of Kahlenberg that is unusually fruit-oriented but still preserves site-typical stoniness. The satiny texture is also unusually flattering, and the finish features abundant refreshment with a shimmering exchange of fruit and stone. “It took a decade before we really understood this site,” averred Dönnhoff, “but 2020 I think we have it nailed.” He’ll get no argument on that score from me.”
Terry Theise note “A site on gravelly loam downstream in Bad Kreuznach, it’s usually gentler and more forthrightly fruit-driven, but this ’18 has more mineral than usual, wet cereal and coconut milk; a stern backdrop to the drowse of fruit, with some of the ’18 phenols—which may have vanished by the next time we taste it.”
Weingut Donnhoff Kreuznacher Krotenpfuhl Riesling Grosses Gewachs 2017 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Stuart Pigott-jamessuckling .com 95 points “This might have happened by accident, due to the high level of ripeness that resulted from the frost damage and very low yield, but it works really well. Ripe citrus and peach aromas, but there’s great freshness and very lively acidity that animates the medium-full body and lifts the long finish. From organically grown grapes. Fair’n Green certification. Drink or hold.”
Wine Spectator 93 points “Multilayered, featuring well-sculpted and concentrated flavors of baked apple, gooseberry, roasted pineapple and vanilla bean. Acidity cuts through, delivering freshness midpalate and presenting ripe melon and quinine notes on the finish. Best from 2022 through 2030.”
Weingut Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Spatlese 2017 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Stuart Pigott-jamessuckling .com 99 points “Most people who drink wine know what a ripe peach tastes like. However, this wine gives you a completely new appreciation of the meaning of the word “peach”. Beyond that, it possesses subtlety that is extremely rare anywhere in the world of food and wine. From organically grown grapes. Fair’n Green certification. Absolutely delicious now, but could be held for decades.”
David Schildknecht – Vinous 95 points “Lily perfume on the nose of this Hermannshöhle reminds me both of the corresponding 2016 and of this year’s Kirschheck. That is accompanied by ripe, fresh and high-toned, distillate-like notes of pear and quince. The glossy palate is lusciously fruited, billowingly perfumed, as well as seductively glossy and creamy in texture. Piquancy of pear pip and hints of anise add counterpoint, while fresh grapefruit and white peach contribute welcomed bright juiciness en route to a ravishingly-sustained, impeccably-balanced finish. The covering term “mineral” will for now have to serve the strikingly transparent finish, which becomes more intriguing the longer the wine takes on air.”
Weingut Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Spatlese 2018 750ML ($69.95) $49 special
Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2018 Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Spätlese is deep and flinty as well as complex on the stony nose with its ripe and even stewed peach aromas. Silky, lush and refined on the palate, this is a concentrated yet pure, crystalline and delicate Riesling Spätlese with a long and complex, very mineral and filigreed, lingering salty finish. Highly stimulating and fresh. A gorgeous Spätlese from the famous Hermannshöhle. Tasted in July 2019.”
David Schildknecht-Vinous 95 points “Fresh quince and lime announced on the nose take on a delightfully sorbet-like character on the palate, at once caressingly creamy and brightly juicy. Bittersweet nut extracts and lightly smoldering, ore-like smokiness harken to the character of this year’s Hermannshöhle Grosses Gewächs. The resonant, subtly spicy and mouthwateringly salt-tinged finish opens up a shimmering vista of crystalline stone.”
John Gilman 95 points “The 2018 Hermannshöhle Spätlese from the estate has no intention of being upstaged by the Brücke this year, as this too is a brilliant wine. The nose jumps from the glass in a complex blaze of fresh pineapple, pungent citrus zest, apple, a beautiful base of slate, wild yeasts and a topnote of white flowers. On the palate the wine is pure, complex, medium-full and beautifully suave on the attack, with superb mineral undertow and a laser-like and electric finish. Equally stunning juice. 2025-2075.”
Weingut Donnhoff Norheimer Kirschheck Riesling Spatlese 2018 750ML ($39.95) $33 special
John Gilman 92+ points “The 2018 Kirschheck Spätlese from Weingut Dönnhoff is another excellent example of the vintage. The wine is pure, very floral in personality and quite expressive out of the blocks, offering up scents of white cherries, pears, bee pollen, slate and a topnote of spring flowers. On the palate the wine is pure, fullish, vibrant and beautifully detailed, with racy acids, good mineral undertow and a long, refined and complex finish. 2019-2050+. 92+.”
David Schildknecht-Vinous 92 points “Ripe pear is garlanded in buddleia and mint on a fetching nose that also features a whiff of wet stone. The palate impression is succulently fruity and caressingly polished. Liquid florality seductively enhances a lusciously lingering finish that is enlivened by a squeeze of fresh lime.”
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2018 Norheimer Kirschheck Riesling Spätlese is clear, fresh and flinty on the deep nose, where ripe stone fruit (vineyard peach), raspberry and crushed stone aromas are displayed. Round and salty-piquant on the palate, this is a racy, terribly fresh and stimulating Spätlese whose acidity is really kicking and racy enough to balance this ripe and almost voluptuous wine with ease and joy. A classic. Tasted in July 2019.”
Weingut Donnhoff Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Spatlese 2018 750ML ($59.95) $41.90 special
Decanter 95 points “The 1.1ha vineyard of Brücke is a monopole of the estate. The vines are planted in loess loam soils over a slate bedrock, and its sheltered location down by the river is perfect for producing spätlese. The 2018 has a ripe green apple character on the nose, joined by notes of white flowers and a touch of honey. The palate is incredibly intense and limey, sweet yet elegant and balanced. It almost appears to be drier than the Leistenberg Kabinett at this early stage, such is its impeccable harmony, absorbing its 85g/l of residual sugar effortlessly. Snap this up when you can, but don’t touch it for a good six years or more. Barrel sample.”
John Gilman 95 points “Long-time fans of the two flagship Spätlesen from the Dönnhoff family are going to have a lot of fun over the coming decades debating the relative merits of these two brilliant wines from 2018! The Brücke Spätlese offers up a brilliant bouquet of apple, passion fruit, tangerine, fruit blossoms, salty slate minerality and a topnote of bee pollen. On the palate the wine is medium-full, very pure and precise, with a great core, dancing acids and a very long, complex and filigreed finish. This has bottomless depth and is extremely light on its feet. 2023-2075.”
Looking for even more Dönnhoff?
Head to our webstore, where we have 55 different bottlings available—yes, you read that right—including the lauded 2019’s, which arrive soon.
Kruger-Rumpf sits close to the Rhine, geographically, than some of the other big names in the area and their wines have more intrinsic power to them as a result. These are some seriously good Rieslings, at prices considerably lower than what you’d pay from other name producers.
The estate dates back to the 1700s and includes some of the greatest terroirs in the area. The wines are well-crafted from the vineyard, which is in transition to certified organic and managed with an eye toward biodiversity, to the modern winery where ferments are mostly spontaneous and where terroir expression is the main goal of winemaking.
The top off-dry wines from the estate comes from the awkwardly named “Dautenpflanzer” from near the town of Munster, which means that the label reads “Munsterer Dautenpflanzer”—a stereotype of a German name if we ever saw one. In house, we often call it the “MD” if you aren’t feeling up to testing your pronunciation skills. The Dautenpflanzer is a premier Grand Cru site of the lower Nahe, a place that yields wine s of power and resonance, and Kruger-Rumpf is the primary (and best) landholder.
Their top dry wine comes from the Abtei , Im Pitterberg, and Burgberg vineyards, which are more suited to the production of bright, dry bottlings than the Dautenpflantzer. Their “1937” is a single-block bottling of the Abtei vineyard’s oldest and steepest section. Despite the vine age and fantastic quality, it’s just half the price of similar unicorn wines (think Carl Loewen’s “1896”). Furthermore, the Burgberg is one of the top GG sites in the upper Nahe, tiny and impossibly steep, and the Kruger-Rumpf version show off the classicism and elegance of the site.
In Stock Now:
Kruger-Rumpf Abtei ‘1937 Reserv’ Riesling Trocken 2018 750ML ($41.95) $36 special
Grapelive 94-96 points “The 2018 barrel sample of Kruger-Rumpf’s Abtei 1937 was stunningly gorgeous with brilliant details, ripe extract density, vivid mineral tones and vibrant acidity showing a purity and vitality of youth, but with the complexity and length of its old vine material. Georg Rumpf has crafted a Trocken beauty here with layers of delicacy and substance. This juice is on par with almost any GG, making it an incredible value already. Be sure to book your allocation of this ultra-limited bottling from Terry These and importer Skurnik Wines. You will not be disappointed, I know I will be hustling to get some myself. The regular Abtei offering is one of my new favorite Nahe Rieslings and while I love all the latest Kruger-Rumpf wines, especially from the Grosse Lage: Münsterer Dautenpflänzer, Münsterer im Pitterberg and Dorsheimer Burgberg, as well as exotic Rumpf’s Scheurebe plus their off dry Kabinett, Feinherb and wonderfully balanced Spatlese(s) I have become obsessed with the Bingerbrücker Abtei im Ruppertsberg vineyard and wines. This ’18 starts with subtle aromatic charm with orange blossom, rosewater, flinty stones, salt lick and quinces before thrilling the palate with energy and white peach, tangerine, lime intensity, verbena, mint tea and tart green apple. This light/medium dry Riesling is brisk and racy, at first but gains depth and builds with air in the glass adding some leesy texture, it is totally thrilling and will only get better with bottle age. Terry Theise adds that, Kuger-Rumpf’s vineyards are farmed sustainably; bees are kept nearby to facilitate pollination and aid in overall bio-diversity. Periodically sheep are allowed to roam the vines helping to control underbrush. All vineyards are hand harvested to ensure that only optimally ripe grapes are selected. Stefan believed that “you can’t improve wine in the cellar, only make it worse…” and Georg has continued his cellar work with this philosophy in mind, which to me shows in wines like this fantastic Abtei.
Kruger-Rumpf Dorsheimer Burgberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs 2018 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Grapelive 94+ points “Coming from a tiny incredibly steep Grand Cru site, the Burgberg Vineyard, that is set on volcanic and quartz soils near Munster in the village of Dorsheim. The Kruger Rumpf Burgberg GG is one of the most exciting wines of vintage at this small winery… It is fantastically mineral-driven dry Riesling. This latest set of wines, especially the Rieslings, from Georg Rumpf and his family are some of the best yet from this estate. The GG’s and the Premier Cru Trockens are gorgeous wines. No one is going to want to miss these 2018 Nahe offerings, especially the Pitterberg GG, the Abtei Erste Lage 1937 old vine, one of my secret favorites and this beautifully detailed Burgberg GG. Rumpf has turned to mostly all organic practices, and the Burgberg parcel is farmed organic. [He] prefers to do natural fermentations, or Sponti, with his Cru wines with the GG’s getting less aging in large cask, Stuckfass, to allow less reduction and enhance generosity, while retraining freshness and vitality in the wines. [It] shows here in this barrel sample of Burgberg… These Kruger-Rumpf GG’s are some of the best values out there, they really deserve much more attention, as do the lesser bottlings and their wildly tasty Scheurebe, which is one of the best examples in Germany. The Kruger-Rumpf winery, which dates back to the 1790’s, is focused on purity and the expression of the distinctive terroirs in the family’s holdings, but only began making estate labeled wines in 1984 when Georg’s dad Stefan began crafting small production bottlings. Now, mostly retired Stefan has turned things over to his sons Georg and Philipp, who are continuing the traditions here with a renewed energy and technical skill. [Their work] impresses Terry Theise, their importer, who considers Kruger-Rumpf one of best under the radar estates in the region. [Theise] notes that Kruger-Rumpf is innovative and is always striving to reach new levels of quality. I visited Kruger-Rumpf in the fall of 2016 at harvest time and was thrilled with the stylish wines I found and was blown away with the individual vineyards they farm and the hard work they have been putting in the restore the Abtei site. The iron rich volcanic and quartz influenced 2018 Burgberg GG starts with white flowers, stone fruits and vibrant citrus before expansion on the medium full palate with layers of lime/tangerine, apricot, green apple, papaya, bitter pit white peach and white cherry fruits along with steely form, spearmint, verbena, mouthwatering saline, exotic spices and subtle leesy elements. This is going to be a legendary wine and is already showing Georg’s signature finesse and vinous personality. It has masses of potential and its delicacy is utterly delicious! There’s a lot to admire at Kruger-Rumpf these days and this crisp 2018 Burgberg is a stunning effort that gains with air in the glass and will more so with a few years in bottle.”
Wine Advocate 93+ points “From low-yielding vines planted in the 1950’s and 1960’s, the 2018 Burgberg Riesling GG is absolutely great on the pure, clear and refreshing, super flinty and mineral nose. On the palate, this is an intense, highly complex and elegant dry Riesling with crystalline acidity and a long and refreshing, crystalline and salty finish. Bottled and tasted in July 2019.”
Kruger-Rumpf Im Pitterberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs 2018 750ML ($51.95) $46 special
Wine Advocate 93+ points “The 2018 Im Pitterberg Riesling GG is bright and floral on the fragrant and elegant, spicy-mineral nose. Full-bodied and intense on the palate, with rich and concentrated fruit that is balanced by a tight and mineral structure and lingering salinity, this is an elegant, very complex and sustainable dry Riesling with crunchy stone flavors and a gripping finish. This is a great Nahe wine from the 2018 vintage. Tasted in July 2019.”
David Schildknecht-Vinous 92 points “Scents of white peach anticipate the cool juiciness as well as the peach fuzz invigoration and peach kernel piquancy that emerge on a firm palate. A bright influx of fresh lime lends animation and enhances refreshment on a finish that also features mouthwatering veal stock savor and vivid wet stone. (For background on the naming of this site and the origin of its fruit, consult my review of the corresponding 2015.)”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Kruger-Rumpf Munsterer Dautenpflanzer Riesling Spatlese 2018 750ML ($29.95) $24 special
David Schildknecht-Vinous 92 points “An effusively fruity nose anticipates the generously juicy peach and nectarine that feature on a glossy palate, with a hint of almond paste as well as pronounced sweetness tugging things in a confectionary direction. Happily, an influx of limey brightness and tangy fresh-fruitedness serve for welcome pushback as well as animation and refreshment on a long-lasting finish. As with others of the best Kruger-Rumpf 2018s, this manages to combine richness and high ripeness with brightness and transparency to stony inflections. That juxtaposition may have been underscored in the case of this Spätlese by its having been raised partly in cask and partly in tank.”
Kruger-Rumpf Munsterer Pittersberg Riesling Spatlese Goldkapsel 2018 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
David Schildknecht-Vinous 95 points “Picked at the end of October but with minimal botrytis, this certainly stands in magnificent contradiction to my vintage generalization that picking past the middle of that month was not advantageous. Unlike its counterpart form the Dautenpflänzer, this was raised in cask, and was allowed to ferment to a lower level of residual sugar. It comes off as a riper, richer sibling of the corresponding Im Pitterberg Riesling Kabinett, its gloss merging with creaminess, yet with fresh white peach and lime juiciness complementing ripe quince and serving for animation and refreshment. The finish is unexpectedly electrifying in its vibrancy and mouthwateringly saline, and gains stimulating counterpoint from peach kernel piquancy, peach fuzz prickle and a crystalline sense of stone-showering mineral impingement. (If there is a second, “regular” Im Pitterberg Spätlese from this vintage, I am not aware of it.)”
Kruger-Rumpf Munsterer Pittersberg Riesling Kabinett 2018 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special
David Schildknecht-Vinous 93 points “While marginally lower in alcohol – at 9% – than its Rheinberg counterpart, this was picked early at a significantly lower 82 Oechsle, so its sense of sweetness is nicely restrained. Luscious and invigoratingly tart-edged white peach, apple and lime are wreathed in honeysuckle, while a billowing sense of levity and inner-mouth perfume perfectly complements a subtly creamy texture that owes something to lees exposure in cask. (In fact, Georg Rumpf performed a bit of lees stirring and an extra racking, yet the wine retains an invigorating hint of CO2 spritz.) The sustained finish delivers a superb sense of vibrancy, clarity and focus, its intense fruitiness matched by a salinity that tugs at the salivary glands. (For background on the origination and style of this Kabinett, consult my reviews of its vintage 2015 and vintage 2016 predecessors.)”
Wine Advocate 91 points “Picked early around September 10th and vinified in large oak until April this year, the 2018 Im Pitterberg Riesling Kabinett offers a clear, ripe and spicy, beautifully elegant bouquet of bright fruits and crushed nuts. Very clear and fresh on the palate, this is a filigreed, elegant and persistently light, salty-piquant and crystalline Riesling with mineral tension and stimulating grip. This is a picture-book Kabinett that is a great pleasure to drink even today and certainly with food. 9% alcohol. Tasted from AP 21 19 in August 2019.”
Kruger-Rumpf Munsterer Rheinberg Riesling Kabinett 2018 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
Wine Advocate 89 points “From a southeast-facing vineyard, picked at 83/84° Oechsle around the 20th of September and vinified in stainless steel and large oak in equal parts, the 2018 Münster Rheinberg Riesling Kabinett is beautifully clear, fresh and stony/piquant on the precise, stimulating, slightly nutty and coffee-bean nose. Round, lush and sweet on the first palate, this is a fresh, salty-piquant and elegant Kabinett with stimulating grip on the finish. This is a beautifully lean, light and digestible Kabinett in the good old style. Tasted in July 2019.”
Armin Diel is one of the pre-eminent wine writers in Germany and also one of the most acclaimed winemakers, and it’s hard to know which brings him more respect (imagine if Antonio Galloni also owned a winery like Schrader or Spottswoode). As a result, the wines are snapped up inside Germany and very little makes it to our shores. We have a little to offer you today and if you’re even casually interested in German wines, sweet or dry, you should try these beauties from the Nahe.
The style of the wines is a little different than the other two top estates in the Nahe (Donnhoff and Schaefer-Frolich). They’re less overt than the wines that Donnhoff makes and a little less austere than the wines of S-F, which to our palate is a nice middle ground to be in. Nevertheless, when you drink them, there’s something that always stirs us—these wines have soul.
In Stock Now:
Schlossgut Diel Dorsheimer Goldloch Riesling Grosses Gewachs 2018 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Wine Advocate 92-93 points “Provided with gooseberry and curated stone aromas at this stage, the 2018 Goldloch Riesling “GG” is clear and open on the nose. Rich and generous on the palate, this is a full-bodied, dense and powerful, firmly structured and crystalline dry Riesling with stable tannins and a still-somewhat austere character. Promising. Tasted as a sample in July 2019.”
Terry Theise note “Obviously it’s premature to note such an embryonic wine, but it was striking in all its carrot elements, carrot greens plus chervil plus yellow beets, with little of the usual apricot. I can only say the wine seemed savory and food-like, and we’ll see what happens.”
Only four bottles available
Schlossgut Diel Dorsheimer Burgberg Riesling Spatlese 2004 750ML ($69.95) $54.50 special
Stephen Tanzer 92 points “Resplendent aromas of papaya, pineapple and oyster shell. Dense but juicy, with a finely spiced acidity that seizes one’s palate. Finishes with impressive concentration and length. One of the finest spatleses of the vintage.” ST
Schlossgut Diel Dorsheimer Pittermannchen Riesling Spatlese 2015 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2015 Pittermännchen Riesling Spätlese opens clear and slatey on the nose, with flinty, dusty flavors and lovely purity. On the palate, this is a very piquant and refined Riesling with lots of juice, finesse and elegance. It’s a light-hearted wine with white fruit flavors and good salinity. You can enjoy the 2015 for more than 20 years yet I’d keep it under cork for another 4-5 years.”
95 Point Beaujolais Star, Restocked
Grapelive Adores Dubois’ Labourons
Äy is one of the best villages in Champagne to grow Pinot, and Gatinois shows off why.
Gatinois Ay Grand Cru Tradition Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($54.95) $44 special
70% 2016 vintage
Antonio Galloni 91 points “The NV Brut Grand Cru Tradition is gorgeous, but it really needs another 6-12 months on the cork, as it is very reticent today. Dried flowers, red plum, mint and chalky notes add aromatic intrigue to play off the natural richness of the Pinot fruit, which is also evident in the wine’s copper-toned color. A Champagne of power and resonance, the Gatinois Brut Tradition has so much to offer. Best of all, it is a superb value. The blend is 90% Pinot Noir and 10% Chardonnay, all from estate holdings in Aÿ. Dosage: 7 gr/L. Disgorged: July, 2019.” [Disgorgement date may differ from review]
John Gilman 90 points “The new release of Brut Tradition from Louis Gatinois is from the base year of 2016 and was disgorged in September of 2019. It is its customary blend of eighty percent pinot noir from Aÿ and twenty percent chardonnay. The vins clairs all go through full malo and the blend includes thirty percent reserve wines. The bouquet is deep, youthful and classic Aÿ in personality, offering up scents of peach, apple, hazelnut, chalky soil tones, bread dough and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, broad-shouldered, bright and zesty, with a fine core of fruit, frothy mousse, very good depth and complexity and a long, well-balanced finish. The thirty percent reserve wines give this wine a nice patina of age on both the nose and palate. Good juice. 2020-2035.”
Winery note “Predominantly Pinot Noir (80%) which brings richness, structure and a delicious character. The 20% of Chardonnay adds a feminine touch to the blend. There is also a significant proportion of reserve wines in the blend (30%). The champagne is aged “sur lattes” (horizontally on racks) in our cellars for 2 years before the yeasts are disgorged.”
A powerful red from one of Sonoma’s great vineyards.
Bucklin Old Hill Ranch Ancient Field Blend, Sonoma Valley 2016 750ML ($39.95) $36 special
Wine Spectator 94 points “Loaded with personality and appealingly exotic, this offers a structured core, wrapped in wild berry, cracked pepper, forest floor and black licorice flavors, building richness toward refined tannins. Zinfandel, Grenache, Alicante Bouschet, Petite Sirah, Mourvèdre, Grand Noir, Syrah and Carignane. Drink now through 2030. 456 cases made.”
“Don’t Miss It!” – Antonio Galloni
Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco DOCG 2017 750ML ($49.95) $41.90 special
Case-12 Produttori del Barbaresco ‘Barbaresco DOCG ‘2017 2017 750ML ($599.95) $459 special (that’s only $38.25/bottle!)
Case-6 Produttori del Barbaresco ‘Barbaresco DOCG ‘2017 2017 750ML ($299.95) $239 special (that’s only $39.83/bottle!)
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2017 Barbaresco shows just how appealing this vintage can be. In 2017, the warm, dry growing season gave the Barbaresco an extra kick of richness that fills out its frame and adds so much immediacy. Sweet red berry fruit, cinnamon, rose petal and mint are open in the glass, but it is the wine’s seductive radiance that wins the day. Pora, Ovello, Montestefano, Muncagota and Rio Sordo are the main vineyards used for the straight Barbaresco. The 2017 is such an inviting and expressive wine. Don’t miss it!”
Day describes their Momtazi bottling as their “our flagship Pinot Noir from one of Willamette Valley’s most prized biodynamic vineyards and our most age-worthy wine.” It‘s normally the most expensive Pinot in the Day Wines lineup at $54, but we’re able to offer it for just $33 per bottle and $28.75 per bottle on case purchases.
Day Wines Momtazi Vineyard Pinot Noir, McMinnville 2016 750ML ($53.95) $33 special
Case-6 Day Wines Momtazi Vineyard Pinot Noir, McMinnville 2016 750ML ($299.95) $189 special (that’s only $31.50/bottle!)
Case-12 Day Wines Momtazi Vineyard Pinot Noir, McMinnville 2016 750ML ($599.95) $345 special (that’s only $28.75/bottle!)
John Gilman 93 points “The 2016 Momtazi Vineyard bottling of Pinot Noir from Day Wines is the ripest of these 2016s, as it comes in at fourteen percent octane. It is beautifully black fruity on the nose (as all the examples from Momtazi have been that I have been fortunate enough to taste), offering up scents of black plum, sweet dark berry, black tea, balsam bough, a beautiful base of soil tones, chicory, gentle spice tones and a bit of cedar. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and beautifully balanced, with a fine core of fruit, great mineral drive and grip, ripe, well-integrated tannins and a long, tangy and promising finish. While this is the ripest of the 2016 pinots from Brianne Day, it is no less pure or precise and is a great bottle in the making. 2024-2055.”
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 92 points “Limpid red. A highly aromatic bouquet evokes fresh dark berries and baking spices, along with smoky mineral and musky earth overtones. Juicy and broad on the palate, offering alluringly sweet black raspberry, cherry, rose pastille and spicecake flavors that deepen steadily with air. Delivers a suave blend of power and energy and finishes with finely woven tannins and strong, floral-driven persistence.”
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Daniel Bouland’s High Scoring ’19 Beaujolais
Spotlight on the Nahe
Three Great Producers, Scores of Great Wines:
Dönnhoff, Kruger-Rumpf, and Diel
95-Point Beaujolais Star, Restocked
Trending Wines
Daniel Bouland’s High Scoring ’19 Beaujolais
The Chambolle of Barbaresco:
The Wines of Cascina delle Rose
Spotlight on the Nahe
Three Great Producers, Scores of Great Wines
The Nahe sits between the Mosel and the Rhine and occupies a middle-ground stylistically, as well. With bright acidities common in the Mosel plus the power and grandeur of the best wines of the Rhine, there’s a completeness to these wines that’s impossible to resist. We’re highlighting three top growers below, but you can check out our full collection of German Riesling on our webstore.
Dönnhoff
Donnhoff is perhaps our favorite German producer. The estate excels at both dry and off-dry wines, producing some of the top dozen Rieslings in nearly every vintage. Part of that is a privileged location— Helmut and Cornelius Dönnhoff own some of the best vineyards in the Nahe, one of the most geologically diverse parts of Germany. The other part is the exceptional drive and focus of father and son, who will stop at nothing to produce the best wines in Germany.
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Weingut Donnhoff Hollenpfad Im Muhlenberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs 2018 750ML ($89.95) $66 special
John Gilman 93+ points “The Grosses Gewächs bottling from the filet section of the Höllenpfad im Mühlenberg is also very promising and again, shows the beautifully elegant refinement of all the dry Rieslings from the Dönnhoff family this year. Helmut estimates that this is thirteen percent octane or just under in this vintage. The bouquet wafts from the glass in a very refined and expressive blend of tangerine, blood orange, salty minerality, citrus peel, smoky overtones and a topnote of dried flowers. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and really packed at the core, with racy acids, great soil signature, laser-like focus and a very long, youthfully complex and very promising finish. 2028-2060+. 93+.”
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2018 Roxheimer Höllenpfad Im Mühlenberg Riesling trocken –GG– is super clear and flinty on the crystalline and herbal nose. On the palate, this is a medium-bodied, round and piquant dry Riesling that has been bottled with less than two grams of residual sugar, which underlines the crystalline purity and refreshing mineral character. The wine reveals a long and intense, quite powerful and textured as well as salty and piquant finish. This is the first release of the Im Mühlenberg, and it is an impressive wine that has been aged on the lees until the end of June. Tasted in July 2019.”
Weingut Donnhoff Kreuznacher Kahlenberg Riesling Trocken 2018 750ML ($41.95) $33 special
David Schildknecht-Vinous 92 points “Pear and fresh lime deliver crunch and piquancy in an interpretation of Kahlenberg that is unusually fruit-oriented but still preserves site-typical stoniness. The satiny texture is also unusually flattering, and the finish features abundant refreshment with a shimmering exchange of fruit and stone. “It took a decade before we really understood this site,” averred Dönnhoff, “but 2020 I think we have it nailed.” He’ll get no argument on that score from me.”
Terry Theise note “A site on gravelly loam downstream in Bad Kreuznach, it’s usually gentler and more forthrightly fruit-driven, but this ’18 has more mineral than usual, wet cereal and coconut milk; a stern backdrop to the drowse of fruit, with some of the ’18 phenols—which may have vanished by the next time we taste it.”
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Weingut Donnhoff Kreuznacher Krotenpfuhl Riesling Grosses Gewachs 2017 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Stuart Pigott-jamessuckling .com 95 points “This might have happened by accident, due to the high level of ripeness that resulted from the frost damage and very low yield, but it works really well. Ripe citrus and peach aromas, but there’s great freshness and very lively acidity that animates the medium-full body and lifts the long finish. From organically grown grapes. Fair’n Green certification. Drink or hold.”
Wine Spectator 93 points “Multilayered, featuring well-sculpted and concentrated flavors of baked apple, gooseberry, roasted pineapple and vanilla bean. Acidity cuts through, delivering freshness midpalate and presenting ripe melon and quinine notes on the finish. Best from 2022 through 2030.”
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Weingut Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Spatlese 2017 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Stuart Pigott-jamessuckling .com 99 points “Most people who drink wine know what a ripe peach tastes like. However, this wine gives you a completely new appreciation of the meaning of the word “peach”. Beyond that, it possesses subtlety that is extremely rare anywhere in the world of food and wine. From organically grown grapes. Fair’n Green certification. Absolutely delicious now, but could be held for decades.”
David Schildknecht – Vinous 95 points “Lily perfume on the nose of this Hermannshöhle reminds me both of the corresponding 2016 and of this year’s Kirschheck. That is accompanied by ripe, fresh and high-toned, distillate-like notes of pear and quince. The glossy palate is lusciously fruited, billowingly perfumed, as well as seductively glossy and creamy in texture. Piquancy of pear pip and hints of anise add counterpoint, while fresh grapefruit and white peach contribute welcomed bright juiciness en route to a ravishingly-sustained, impeccably-balanced finish. The covering term “mineral” will for now have to serve the strikingly transparent finish, which becomes more intriguing the longer the wine takes on air.”
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Weingut Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Spatlese 2018 750ML ($69.95) $49 special
Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2018 Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Spätlese is deep and flinty as well as complex on the stony nose with its ripe and even stewed peach aromas. Silky, lush and refined on the palate, this is a concentrated yet pure, crystalline and delicate Riesling Spätlese with a long and complex, very mineral and filigreed, lingering salty finish. Highly stimulating and fresh. A gorgeous Spätlese from the famous Hermannshöhle. Tasted in July 2019.”
David Schildknecht-Vinous 95 points “Fresh quince and lime announced on the nose take on a delightfully sorbet-like character on the palate, at once caressingly creamy and brightly juicy. Bittersweet nut extracts and lightly smoldering, ore-like smokiness harken to the character of this year’s Hermannshöhle Grosses Gewächs. The resonant, subtly spicy and mouthwateringly salt-tinged finish opens up a shimmering vista of crystalline stone.”
John Gilman 95 points “The 2018 Hermannshöhle Spätlese from the estate has no intention of being upstaged by the Brücke this year, as this too is a brilliant wine. The nose jumps from the glass in a complex blaze of fresh pineapple, pungent citrus zest, apple, a beautiful base of slate, wild yeasts and a topnote of white flowers. On the palate the wine is pure, complex, medium-full and beautifully suave on the attack, with superb mineral undertow and a laser-like and electric finish. Equally stunning juice. 2025-2075.”
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Weingut Donnhoff Norheimer Kirschheck Riesling Spatlese 2018 750ML ($39.95) $33 special
John Gilman 92+ points “The 2018 Kirschheck Spätlese from Weingut Dönnhoff is another excellent example of the vintage. The wine is pure, very floral in personality and quite expressive out of the blocks, offering up scents of white cherries, pears, bee pollen, slate and a topnote of spring flowers. On the palate the wine is pure, fullish, vibrant and beautifully detailed, with racy acids, good mineral undertow and a long, refined and complex finish. 2019-2050+. 92+.”
David Schildknecht-Vinous 92 points “Ripe pear is garlanded in buddleia and mint on a fetching nose that also features a whiff of wet stone. The palate impression is succulently fruity and caressingly polished. Liquid florality seductively enhances a lusciously lingering finish that is enlivened by a squeeze of fresh lime.”
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2018 Norheimer Kirschheck Riesling Spätlese is clear, fresh and flinty on the deep nose, where ripe stone fruit (vineyard peach), raspberry and crushed stone aromas are displayed. Round and salty-piquant on the palate, this is a racy, terribly fresh and stimulating Spätlese whose acidity is really kicking and racy enough to balance this ripe and almost voluptuous wine with ease and joy. A classic. Tasted in July 2019.”
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Weingut Donnhoff Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Spatlese 2018 750ML ($59.95) $41.90 special
Decanter 95 points “The 1.1ha vineyard of Brücke is a monopole of the estate. The vines are planted in loess loam soils over a slate bedrock, and its sheltered location down by the river is perfect for producing spätlese. The 2018 has a ripe green apple character on the nose, joined by notes of white flowers and a touch of honey. The palate is incredibly intense and limey, sweet yet elegant and balanced. It almost appears to be drier than the Leistenberg Kabinett at this early stage, such is its impeccable harmony, absorbing its 85g/l of residual sugar effortlessly. Snap this up when you can, but don’t touch it for a good six years or more. Barrel sample.”
John Gilman 95 points “Long-time fans of the two flagship Spätlesen from the Dönnhoff family are going to have a lot of fun over the coming decades debating the relative merits of these two brilliant wines from 2018! The Brücke Spätlese offers up a brilliant bouquet of apple, passion fruit, tangerine, fruit blossoms, salty slate minerality and a topnote of bee pollen. On the palate the wine is medium-full, very pure and precise, with a great core, dancing acids and a very long, complex and filigreed finish. This has bottomless depth and is extremely light on its feet. 2023-2075.”
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Looking for even more Dönnhoff?
Head to our webstore, where we have 55 different bottlings available—yes, you read that right—including the lauded 2019’s, which arrive soon.
Kruger-Rumpf
Kruger-Rumpf sits close to the Rhine, geographically, than some of the other big names in the area and their wines have more intrinsic power to them as a result. These are some seriously good Rieslings, at prices considerably lower than what you’d pay from other name producers.
The estate dates back to the 1700s and includes some of the greatest terroirs in the area. The wines are well-crafted from the vineyard, which is in transition to certified organic and managed with an eye toward biodiversity, to the modern winery where ferments are mostly spontaneous and where terroir expression is the main goal of winemaking.
The top off-dry wines from the estate comes from the awkwardly named “Dautenpflanzer” from near the town of Munster, which means that the label reads “Munsterer Dautenpflanzer”—a stereotype of a German name if we ever saw one. In house, we often call it the “MD” if you aren’t feeling up to testing your pronunciation skills. The Dautenpflanzer is a premier Grand Cru site of the lower Nahe, a place that yields wine s of power and resonance, and Kruger-Rumpf is the primary (and best) landholder.
Their top dry wine comes from the Abtei , Im Pitterberg, and Burgberg vineyards, which are more suited to the production of bright, dry bottlings than the Dautenpflantzer. Their “1937” is a single-block bottling of the Abtei vineyard’s oldest and steepest section. Despite the vine age and fantastic quality, it’s just half the price of similar unicorn wines (think Carl Loewen’s “1896”). Furthermore, the Burgberg is one of the top GG sites in the upper Nahe, tiny and impossibly steep, and the Kruger-Rumpf version show off the classicism and elegance of the site.
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Kruger-Rumpf Abtei ‘1937 Reserv’ Riesling Trocken 2018 750ML ($41.95) $36 special
Grapelive 94-96 points “The 2018 barrel sample of Kruger-Rumpf’s Abtei 1937 was stunningly gorgeous with brilliant details, ripe extract density, vivid mineral tones and vibrant acidity showing a purity and vitality of youth, but with the complexity and length of its old vine material. Georg Rumpf has crafted a Trocken beauty here with layers of delicacy and substance. This juice is on par with almost any GG, making it an incredible value already. Be sure to book your allocation of this ultra-limited bottling from Terry These and importer Skurnik Wines. You will not be disappointed, I know I will be hustling to get some myself. The regular Abtei offering is one of my new favorite Nahe Rieslings and while I love all the latest Kruger-Rumpf wines, especially from the Grosse Lage: Münsterer Dautenpflänzer, Münsterer im Pitterberg and Dorsheimer Burgberg, as well as exotic Rumpf’s Scheurebe plus their off dry Kabinett, Feinherb and wonderfully balanced Spatlese(s) I have become obsessed with the Bingerbrücker Abtei im Ruppertsberg vineyard and wines. This ’18 starts with subtle aromatic charm with orange blossom, rosewater, flinty stones, salt lick and quinces before thrilling the palate with energy and white peach, tangerine, lime intensity, verbena, mint tea and tart green apple. This light/medium dry Riesling is brisk and racy, at first but gains depth and builds with air in the glass adding some leesy texture, it is totally thrilling and will only get better with bottle age. Terry Theise adds that, Kuger-Rumpf’s vineyards are farmed sustainably; bees are kept nearby to facilitate pollination and aid in overall bio-diversity. Periodically sheep are allowed to roam the vines helping to control underbrush. All vineyards are hand harvested to ensure that only optimally ripe grapes are selected. Stefan believed that “you can’t improve wine in the cellar, only make it worse…” and Georg has continued his cellar work with this philosophy in mind, which to me shows in wines like this fantastic Abtei.
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Kruger-Rumpf Dorsheimer Burgberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs 2018 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Grapelive 94+ points “Coming from a tiny incredibly steep Grand Cru site, the Burgberg Vineyard, that is set on volcanic and quartz soils near Munster in the village of Dorsheim. The Kruger Rumpf Burgberg GG is one of the most exciting wines of vintage at this small winery… It is fantastically mineral-driven dry Riesling. This latest set of wines, especially the Rieslings, from Georg Rumpf and his family are some of the best yet from this estate. The GG’s and the Premier Cru Trockens are gorgeous wines. No one is going to want to miss these 2018 Nahe offerings, especially the Pitterberg GG, the Abtei Erste Lage 1937 old vine, one of my secret favorites and this beautifully detailed Burgberg GG. Rumpf has turned to mostly all organic practices, and the Burgberg parcel is farmed organic. [He] prefers to do natural fermentations, or Sponti, with his Cru wines with the GG’s getting less aging in large cask, Stuckfass, to allow less reduction and enhance generosity, while retraining freshness and vitality in the wines. [It] shows here in this barrel sample of Burgberg… These Kruger-Rumpf GG’s are some of the best values out there, they really deserve much more attention, as do the lesser bottlings and their wildly tasty Scheurebe, which is one of the best examples in Germany. The Kruger-Rumpf winery, which dates back to the 1790’s, is focused on purity and the expression of the distinctive terroirs in the family’s holdings, but only began making estate labeled wines in 1984 when Georg’s dad Stefan began crafting small production bottlings. Now, mostly retired Stefan has turned things over to his sons Georg and Philipp, who are continuing the traditions here with a renewed energy and technical skill. [Their work] impresses Terry Theise, their importer, who considers Kruger-Rumpf one of best under the radar estates in the region. [Theise] notes that Kruger-Rumpf is innovative and is always striving to reach new levels of quality. I visited Kruger-Rumpf in the fall of 2016 at harvest time and was thrilled with the stylish wines I found and was blown away with the individual vineyards they farm and the hard work they have been putting in the restore the Abtei site. The iron rich volcanic and quartz influenced 2018 Burgberg GG starts with white flowers, stone fruits and vibrant citrus before expansion on the medium full palate with layers of lime/tangerine, apricot, green apple, papaya, bitter pit white peach and white cherry fruits along with steely form, spearmint, verbena, mouthwatering saline, exotic spices and subtle leesy elements. This is going to be a legendary wine and is already showing Georg’s signature finesse and vinous personality. It has masses of potential and its delicacy is utterly delicious! There’s a lot to admire at Kruger-Rumpf these days and this crisp 2018 Burgberg is a stunning effort that gains with air in the glass and will more so with a few years in bottle.”
Wine Advocate 93+ points “From low-yielding vines planted in the 1950’s and 1960’s, the 2018 Burgberg Riesling GG is absolutely great on the pure, clear and refreshing, super flinty and mineral nose. On the palate, this is an intense, highly complex and elegant dry Riesling with crystalline acidity and a long and refreshing, crystalline and salty finish. Bottled and tasted in July 2019.”
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Kruger-Rumpf Im Pitterberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs 2018 750ML ($51.95) $46 special
Wine Advocate 93+ points “The 2018 Im Pitterberg Riesling GG is bright and floral on the fragrant and elegant, spicy-mineral nose. Full-bodied and intense on the palate, with rich and concentrated fruit that is balanced by a tight and mineral structure and lingering salinity, this is an elegant, very complex and sustainable dry Riesling with crunchy stone flavors and a gripping finish. This is a great Nahe wine from the 2018 vintage. Tasted in July 2019.”
David Schildknecht-Vinous 92 points “Scents of white peach anticipate the cool juiciness as well as the peach fuzz invigoration and peach kernel piquancy that emerge on a firm palate. A bright influx of fresh lime lends animation and enhances refreshment on a finish that also features mouthwatering veal stock savor and vivid wet stone. (For background on the naming of this site and the origin of its fruit, consult my review of the corresponding 2015.)”
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Kruger-Rumpf Munsterer Dautenpflanzer Riesling Spatlese 2018 750ML ($29.95) $24 special
David Schildknecht-Vinous 92 points “An effusively fruity nose anticipates the generously juicy peach and nectarine that feature on a glossy palate, with a hint of almond paste as well as pronounced sweetness tugging things in a confectionary direction. Happily, an influx of limey brightness and tangy fresh-fruitedness serve for welcome pushback as well as animation and refreshment on a long-lasting finish. As with others of the best Kruger-Rumpf 2018s, this manages to combine richness and high ripeness with brightness and transparency to stony inflections. That juxtaposition may have been underscored in the case of this Spätlese by its having been raised partly in cask and partly in tank.”
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Kruger-Rumpf Munsterer Pittersberg Riesling Spatlese Goldkapsel 2018 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
David Schildknecht-Vinous 95 points “Picked at the end of October but with minimal botrytis, this certainly stands in magnificent contradiction to my vintage generalization that picking past the middle of that month was not advantageous. Unlike its counterpart form the Dautenpflänzer, this was raised in cask, and was allowed to ferment to a lower level of residual sugar. It comes off as a riper, richer sibling of the corresponding Im Pitterberg Riesling Kabinett, its gloss merging with creaminess, yet with fresh white peach and lime juiciness complementing ripe quince and serving for animation and refreshment. The finish is unexpectedly electrifying in its vibrancy and mouthwateringly saline, and gains stimulating counterpoint from peach kernel piquancy, peach fuzz prickle and a crystalline sense of stone-showering mineral impingement. (If there is a second, “regular” Im Pitterberg Spätlese from this vintage, I am not aware of it.)”
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Kruger-Rumpf Munsterer Pittersberg Riesling Kabinett 2018 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special
David Schildknecht-Vinous 93 points “While marginally lower in alcohol – at 9% – than its Rheinberg counterpart, this was picked early at a significantly lower 82 Oechsle, so its sense of sweetness is nicely restrained. Luscious and invigoratingly tart-edged white peach, apple and lime are wreathed in honeysuckle, while a billowing sense of levity and inner-mouth perfume perfectly complements a subtly creamy texture that owes something to lees exposure in cask. (In fact, Georg Rumpf performed a bit of lees stirring and an extra racking, yet the wine retains an invigorating hint of CO2 spritz.) The sustained finish delivers a superb sense of vibrancy, clarity and focus, its intense fruitiness matched by a salinity that tugs at the salivary glands. (For background on the origination and style of this Kabinett, consult my reviews of its vintage 2015 and vintage 2016 predecessors.)”
Wine Advocate 91 points “Picked early around September 10th and vinified in large oak until April this year, the 2018 Im Pitterberg Riesling Kabinett offers a clear, ripe and spicy, beautifully elegant bouquet of bright fruits and crushed nuts. Very clear and fresh on the palate, this is a filigreed, elegant and persistently light, salty-piquant and crystalline Riesling with mineral tension and stimulating grip. This is a picture-book Kabinett that is a great pleasure to drink even today and certainly with food. 9% alcohol. Tasted from AP 21 19 in August 2019.”
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Kruger-Rumpf Munsterer Rheinberg Riesling Kabinett 2018 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
Wine Advocate 89 points “From a southeast-facing vineyard, picked at 83/84° Oechsle around the 20th of September and vinified in stainless steel and large oak in equal parts, the 2018 Münster Rheinberg Riesling Kabinett is beautifully clear, fresh and stony/piquant on the precise, stimulating, slightly nutty and coffee-bean nose. Round, lush and sweet on the first palate, this is a fresh, salty-piquant and elegant Kabinett with stimulating grip on the finish. This is a beautifully lean, light and digestible Kabinett in the good old style. Tasted in July 2019.”
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We’ve got more!
Head to our webstore to see all 15 different Kruger-Rumpf wines available.
Head to our webstore to see all 15 different Kruger-Rumpf wines available.
Schlossgut Diel
Armin Diel is one of the pre-eminent wine writers in Germany and also one of the most acclaimed winemakers, and it’s hard to know which brings him more respect (imagine if Antonio Galloni also owned a winery like Schrader or Spottswoode). As a result, the wines are snapped up inside Germany and very little makes it to our shores. We have a little to offer you today and if you’re even casually interested in German wines, sweet or dry, you should try these beauties from the Nahe.
The style of the wines is a little different than the other two top estates in the Nahe (Donnhoff and Schaefer-Frolich). They’re less overt than the wines that Donnhoff makes and a little less austere than the wines of S-F, which to our palate is a nice middle ground to be in. Nevertheless, when you drink them, there’s something that always stirs us—these wines have soul.
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Schlossgut Diel Dorsheimer Goldloch Riesling Grosses Gewachs 2018 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Wine Advocate 92-93 points “Provided with gooseberry and curated stone aromas at this stage, the 2018 Goldloch Riesling “GG” is clear and open on the nose. Rich and generous on the palate, this is a full-bodied, dense and powerful, firmly structured and crystalline dry Riesling with stable tannins and a still-somewhat austere character. Promising. Tasted as a sample in July 2019.”
Terry Theise note “Obviously it’s premature to note such an embryonic wine, but it was striking in all its carrot elements, carrot greens plus chervil plus yellow beets, with little of the usual apricot. I can only say the wine seemed savory and food-like, and we’ll see what happens.”
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Schlossgut Diel Eierfels Riesling Trocken 2018 750ML ($41.95) $33 special
Wine Advocate 90-91 points “The 2018 Riesling Eierfels is deep, intense and flinty on the ripe and lemon-scented nose. Intense and lush on the palate, this is a medium to full-bodied, well-structured and concentrated dry Riesling whose grapes are sourced in the Burgberg and Goldloch. Elegant and yeasty, this has a refined and elegant texture with lingering crystallinity, power and mineral tension. Tasted as a sample in July 2019.”
Terry Theise note “This is like “Der Ott,” the top dry wine below the GGs, using (mostly) the material deemed insufficient for those lofty boys, but this vintage is ideal; more generous now, and with a toasted scree and conifer profile, a minerally German Riesling in a more yielding matrix; it’s still a most-particular kind of wine, but it’s welcoming rather than forbidding.”
Wine Advocate 90-91 points “The 2018 Riesling Eierfels is deep, intense and flinty on the ripe and lemon-scented nose. Intense and lush on the palate, this is a medium to full-bodied, well-structured and concentrated dry Riesling whose grapes are sourced in the Burgberg and Goldloch. Elegant and yeasty, this has a refined and elegant texture with lingering crystallinity, power and mineral tension. Tasted as a sample in July 2019.”
Terry Theise note “This is like “Der Ott,” the top dry wine below the GGs, using (mostly) the material deemed insufficient for those lofty boys, but this vintage is ideal; more generous now, and with a toasted scree and conifer profile, a minerally German Riesling in a more yielding matrix; it’s still a most-particular kind of wine, but it’s welcoming rather than forbidding.”
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Schlossgut Diel Dorsheimer Burgberg Riesling Spatlese 2004 750ML ($69.95) $54.50 special
Stephen Tanzer 92 points “Resplendent aromas of papaya, pineapple and oyster shell. Dense but juicy, with a finely spiced acidity that seizes one’s palate. Finishes with impressive concentration and length. One of the finest spatleses of the vintage.” ST
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Schlossgut Diel Dorsheimer Pittermannchen Riesling Spatlese 2015 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2015 Pittermännchen Riesling Spätlese opens clear and slatey on the nose, with flinty, dusty flavors and lovely purity. On the palate, this is a very piquant and refined Riesling with lots of juice, finesse and elegance. It’s a light-hearted wine with white fruit flavors and good salinity. You can enjoy the 2015 for more than 20 years yet I’d keep it under cork for another 4-5 years.”
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95 Point Beaujolais Star, Restocked
Grapelive Adores Dubois’ Labourons
Anne-Sophie Dubois Fleurie Les Labourons 2018 750ML ($39.95) $36 special
Anne-Sophie Dubois Fleurie Les Labourons 2018 1.5L ($99.95) $79 pre-arrival special, ETA January 22nd
Grapelive 95 points “The top or signature wine from the talented Anne-Sophie Dubois is her awesome Les Labourons Fleurie Cru Beaujolais that comes from a high elevation, with a warm Southwest exposure, parcel of Gamay vines that are set on the classic pink granite soils of this appellation, all of which give this gorgeous wine its intensity, distinction, heightened aromatics and elegance with a crisp detailing of pure flavors. This 2018 is impeccable with a clarity of terroir and focus showing a racy edginess and a slight hint of reduction to start before everything comes alive on the medium bodied palate with precise layers of dark vine picked berries, tart currant, strawberry, ripe cherries and earthy blueberry fruits along with delicate spices, mineral tones and crushed violets. While lovely and youthful, this deeply garnet/ruby Gamay beauty takes to another level with a fine structure, complexity and exceptional length in a quaffable package that just gets better and better as it fully opens in the glass, it is a Fleurie that has the style and grace of a Chambolle-Musigny, but at a much more reasonable price. There is no question that Anne-Sophie Dubois is one of young superstars of Beaujolais region and part of a new generation of vignerons that are bringing this area to world wide attention, and as her importer says, as well as redefining the identity of Beaujolais…. [She] has mostly shied away from the use of carbonic fermentation, preferring a more traditional Burgundian regime with mostly de-stemmed grapes, while employing a natural or indigenous yeast fermentation with a gentle handling of the wine from vineyard to bottle.… The 2018 Les Labourons came from the oldest vines and the best selections of grapes, which, as mentioned, were 100% de-stemmed and saw a cool maceration with the wine, after primary was complete, seeing an elevage of just over a year in all well used or what you’d call neutral French oak barrels.”
Anne-Sophie Dubois Fleurie Les Labourons 2018 1.5L ($99.95) $79 pre-arrival special, ETA January 22nd
Grapelive 95 points “The top or signature wine from the talented Anne-Sophie Dubois is her awesome Les Labourons Fleurie Cru Beaujolais that comes from a high elevation, with a warm Southwest exposure, parcel of Gamay vines that are set on the classic pink granite soils of this appellation, all of which give this gorgeous wine its intensity, distinction, heightened aromatics and elegance with a crisp detailing of pure flavors. This 2018 is impeccable with a clarity of terroir and focus showing a racy edginess and a slight hint of reduction to start before everything comes alive on the medium bodied palate with precise layers of dark vine picked berries, tart currant, strawberry, ripe cherries and earthy blueberry fruits along with delicate spices, mineral tones and crushed violets. While lovely and youthful, this deeply garnet/ruby Gamay beauty takes to another level with a fine structure, complexity and exceptional length in a quaffable package that just gets better and better as it fully opens in the glass, it is a Fleurie that has the style and grace of a Chambolle-Musigny, but at a much more reasonable price. There is no question that Anne-Sophie Dubois is one of young superstars of Beaujolais region and part of a new generation of vignerons that are bringing this area to world wide attention, and as her importer says, as well as redefining the identity of Beaujolais…. [She] has mostly shied away from the use of carbonic fermentation, preferring a more traditional Burgundian regime with mostly de-stemmed grapes, while employing a natural or indigenous yeast fermentation with a gentle handling of the wine from vineyard to bottle.… The 2018 Les Labourons came from the oldest vines and the best selections of grapes, which, as mentioned, were 100% de-stemmed and saw a cool maceration with the wine, after primary was complete, seeing an elevage of just over a year in all well used or what you’d call neutral French oak barrels.”
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Do you have wines on hold waiting for wine shipping weather?
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A perfect wine for all your pizza, pasta, and bistecca needs.
Tenuta Fanti Rosso di Montalcino, Tuscany 2018 750ML ($24.95) $19 special
Eric Guido-Vinous 89 points “The extroverted 2018 Fanti Rosso di Montalcino is showing masses of ripe strawberry, sweet spices and exotic florals with grounding notes of worn leather and hints of undergrowth. Silky textures meld into tart red berries with a peppery-herbal twist, in a soft and easygoing effort that’s energized by bright acids that only come forward toward the finale. A mix of red fruits resonate on the finish, along with wild herbs and florals, punctuating the experience on a Rosso that is very easy to like.”
One of the best vineyards in Volnay, from a grower on the rise.
Thierry Glantenay Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chenes 2017 750ML ($114.95) $89 special
Neal Martin-Vinous 92-94 points “The 2017 Volnay Clos des Chênes 1er Cru, which contains around 30% whole bunch fruit from the older vines in Glantenay’s parcel, has a very perfumed bouquet with wilted iris and violet petals permeating the dark cherry and boysenberry fruit. The Clos des Chênes has a hint of fig with further aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin, a gentle grip in the mouth but very good substance and a silky smooth finish that is real class on the finish. There is actually less Clos des Chênes in 2017 than in 2016 due to the sheer concentration – try to grab a bottle if you can because this is very impressive.”
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 92-94 points “The 2017 Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chênes wafts from the glass with aromas of raspberries, cherries, citrus peel, rich soil and warm spices, subtly framed by creamy new oak. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, with the most depth, dimension and amplitude of any wine in the cellar, its juicy core of fruit entirely cloaking is fine structuring tannins. One of the best renditions of this vineyard I tasted in 2017, it’s a very impressive wine.”
Tenuta Fanti Rosso di Montalcino, Tuscany 2018 750ML ($24.95) $19 special
Eric Guido-Vinous 89 points “The extroverted 2018 Fanti Rosso di Montalcino is showing masses of ripe strawberry, sweet spices and exotic florals with grounding notes of worn leather and hints of undergrowth. Silky textures meld into tart red berries with a peppery-herbal twist, in a soft and easygoing effort that’s energized by bright acids that only come forward toward the finale. A mix of red fruits resonate on the finish, along with wild herbs and florals, punctuating the experience on a Rosso that is very easy to like.”
One of the best vineyards in Volnay, from a grower on the rise.
Thierry Glantenay Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chenes 2017 750ML ($114.95) $89 special
Neal Martin-Vinous 92-94 points “The 2017 Volnay Clos des Chênes 1er Cru, which contains around 30% whole bunch fruit from the older vines in Glantenay’s parcel, has a very perfumed bouquet with wilted iris and violet petals permeating the dark cherry and boysenberry fruit. The Clos des Chênes has a hint of fig with further aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin, a gentle grip in the mouth but very good substance and a silky smooth finish that is real class on the finish. There is actually less Clos des Chênes in 2017 than in 2016 due to the sheer concentration – try to grab a bottle if you can because this is very impressive.”
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 92-94 points “The 2017 Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chênes wafts from the glass with aromas of raspberries, cherries, citrus peel, rich soil and warm spices, subtly framed by creamy new oak. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, with the most depth, dimension and amplitude of any wine in the cellar, its juicy core of fruit entirely cloaking is fine structuring tannins. One of the best renditions of this vineyard I tasted in 2017, it’s a very impressive wine.”
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Äy is one of the best villages in Champagne to grow Pinot, and Gatinois shows off why.
Gatinois Ay Grand Cru Tradition Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($54.95) $44 special
70% 2016 vintage
Antonio Galloni 91 points “The NV Brut Grand Cru Tradition is gorgeous, but it really needs another 6-12 months on the cork, as it is very reticent today. Dried flowers, red plum, mint and chalky notes add aromatic intrigue to play off the natural richness of the Pinot fruit, which is also evident in the wine’s copper-toned color. A Champagne of power and resonance, the Gatinois Brut Tradition has so much to offer. Best of all, it is a superb value. The blend is 90% Pinot Noir and 10% Chardonnay, all from estate holdings in Aÿ. Dosage: 7 gr/L. Disgorged: July, 2019.” [Disgorgement date may differ from review]
John Gilman 90 points “The new release of Brut Tradition from Louis Gatinois is from the base year of 2016 and was disgorged in September of 2019. It is its customary blend of eighty percent pinot noir from Aÿ and twenty percent chardonnay. The vins clairs all go through full malo and the blend includes thirty percent reserve wines. The bouquet is deep, youthful and classic Aÿ in personality, offering up scents of peach, apple, hazelnut, chalky soil tones, bread dough and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, broad-shouldered, bright and zesty, with a fine core of fruit, frothy mousse, very good depth and complexity and a long, well-balanced finish. The thirty percent reserve wines give this wine a nice patina of age on both the nose and palate. Good juice. 2020-2035.”
Winery note “Predominantly Pinot Noir (80%) which brings richness, structure and a delicious character. The 20% of Chardonnay adds a feminine touch to the blend. There is also a significant proportion of reserve wines in the blend (30%). The champagne is aged “sur lattes” (horizontally on racks) in our cellars for 2 years before the yeasts are disgorged.”
A powerful red from one of Sonoma’s great vineyards.
Bucklin Old Hill Ranch Ancient Field Blend, Sonoma Valley 2016 750ML ($39.95) $36 special
Wine Spectator 94 points “Loaded with personality and appealingly exotic, this offers a structured core, wrapped in wild berry, cracked pepper, forest floor and black licorice flavors, building richness toward refined tannins. Zinfandel, Grenache, Alicante Bouschet, Petite Sirah, Mourvèdre, Grand Noir, Syrah and Carignane. Drink now through 2030. 456 cases made.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $39
The average price is $39
“Don’t Miss It!” – Antonio Galloni
Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco DOCG 2017 750ML ($49.95) $41.90 special
Case-12 Produttori del Barbaresco ‘Barbaresco DOCG ‘2017 2017 750ML ($599.95) $459 special (that’s only $38.25/bottle!)
Case-6 Produttori del Barbaresco ‘Barbaresco DOCG ‘2017 2017 750ML ($299.95) $239 special (that’s only $39.83/bottle!)
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2017 Barbaresco shows just how appealing this vintage can be. In 2017, the warm, dry growing season gave the Barbaresco an extra kick of richness that fills out its frame and adds so much immediacy. Sweet red berry fruit, cinnamon, rose petal and mint are open in the glass, but it is the wine’s seductive radiance that wins the day. Pora, Ovello, Montestefano, Muncagota and Rio Sordo are the main vineyards used for the straight Barbaresco. The 2017 is such an inviting and expressive wine. Don’t miss it!”
Day describes their Momtazi bottling as their “our flagship Pinot Noir from one of Willamette Valley’s most prized biodynamic vineyards and our most age-worthy wine.” It‘s normally the most expensive Pinot in the Day Wines lineup at $54, but we’re able to offer it for just $33 per bottle and $28.75 per bottle on case purchases.
Day Wines Momtazi Vineyard Pinot Noir, McMinnville 2016 750ML ($53.95) $33 special
Case-6 Day Wines Momtazi Vineyard Pinot Noir, McMinnville 2016 750ML ($299.95) $189 special (that’s only $31.50/bottle!)
Case-12 Day Wines Momtazi Vineyard Pinot Noir, McMinnville 2016 750ML ($599.95) $345 special (that’s only $28.75/bottle!)
John Gilman 93 points “The 2016 Momtazi Vineyard bottling of Pinot Noir from Day Wines is the ripest of these 2016s, as it comes in at fourteen percent octane. It is beautifully black fruity on the nose (as all the examples from Momtazi have been that I have been fortunate enough to taste), offering up scents of black plum, sweet dark berry, black tea, balsam bough, a beautiful base of soil tones, chicory, gentle spice tones and a bit of cedar. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and beautifully balanced, with a fine core of fruit, great mineral drive and grip, ripe, well-integrated tannins and a long, tangy and promising finish. While this is the ripest of the 2016 pinots from Brianne Day, it is no less pure or precise and is a great bottle in the making. 2024-2055.”
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 92 points “Limpid red. A highly aromatic bouquet evokes fresh dark berries and baking spices, along with smoky mineral and musky earth overtones. Juicy and broad on the palate, offering alluringly sweet black raspberry, cherry, rose pastille and spicecake flavors that deepen steadily with air. Delivers a suave blend of power and energy and finishes with finely woven tannins and strong, floral-driven persistence.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
The average price nationally is $38
The average price nationally is $38
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Daniel Bouland’s High Scoring ’19 Beaujolais
Daniel Bouland makes gutsy wines from old vines in the heart of Beaujolais premier appellations. You often hear that they’re traditionally made and, although that’s true, it doesn’t begin to describe what makes the wines unique. These are wines that recall what Beaujolais would have been like before industrial farming and certainly before industrial winemaking. They’re special, powerful and age-worthy.
From a winemaking perspective, the closest comparison to what Daniel Bouland is doing is probably Domaine Dujac. The cross-regional comparison probably violates some sort of law of wine-writing, but when you look at what Bouland does with his grapes, it makes sense. There’s almost exclusively whole cluster fermentation at both houses and Bouland’s wine show as muscular and robust—capable of very long aging and transformation into profound wines.
The difference, of course, is that working with Gamay, Bouland’s wines are more immediately drinkable than anything from Dujac (Bouland also doesn’t use new oak on his wines). And the prices are far below what top Burgundy can command. Young, the Bouland bottles show both intense fruit and structure—you wouldn’t necessarily think to drink Beaujolais with steak, but these are incredible pairings with even very hearty foods -especially since Gamay has a zesty freshness to it that can lighten, nay elevate, any meal. The 2019s just landed and we’re thrilled to feature them here today at national best prices.
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Daniel Bouland Chiroubles Châtenay, Beaujolais 2019 750ML ($37.95) $28.80 special
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 92 points “Exuberant aromas of raspberries, blackberries and cherries introduce the 2019 Chiroubles Châtenay, a medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy wine that’s round and enveloping, with a charming core of fruit and melting, delicately powdery tannins. It will drink well young.”
From a winemaking perspective, the closest comparison to what Daniel Bouland is doing is probably Domaine Dujac. The cross-regional comparison probably violates some sort of law of wine-writing, but when you look at what Bouland does with his grapes, it makes sense. There’s almost exclusively whole cluster fermentation at both houses and Bouland’s wine show as muscular and robust—capable of very long aging and transformation into profound wines.
The difference, of course, is that working with Gamay, Bouland’s wines are more immediately drinkable than anything from Dujac (Bouland also doesn’t use new oak on his wines). And the prices are far below what top Burgundy can command. Young, the Bouland bottles show both intense fruit and structure—you wouldn’t necessarily think to drink Beaujolais with steak, but these are incredible pairings with even very hearty foods -especially since Gamay has a zesty freshness to it that can lighten, nay elevate, any meal. The 2019s just landed and we’re thrilled to feature them here today at national best prices.
In Stock Now:
Daniel Bouland Chiroubles Châtenay, Beaujolais 2019 750ML ($37.95) $28.80 special
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 92 points “Exuberant aromas of raspberries, blackberries and cherries introduce the 2019 Chiroubles Châtenay, a medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy wine that’s round and enveloping, with a charming core of fruit and melting, delicately powdery tannins. It will drink well young.”
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Daniel Bouland Morgon Corcelette Vieilles Vignes Cailloux, Beaujolais 2019 750ML ($41.95) $31.90 special
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2019 Morgon Corcelette Vieilles Vignes Cailloux is once again quite structured this year, though it’s not as brooding and muscular as its 2018 counterpart. Revealing aromas of raspberries, cherries, burning embers and sweet soil tones, it’s medium to full-bodied, with a deep core of fruit, lively acids and a chassis of fine but abundant tannins.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Daniel Bouland Corcelette Vieilles Vignes Sable, Beaujolais 2019 750ML ($41.95) $31.90 special
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2019 Morgon Corcelette Vieilles Vignes Sable is excellent, unfurling in the glass with aromas of cherries, plums, violets and orange rind. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and muscular, built around succulent acids and powdery tannins, it’s elegantly structured and built to age, even if it’s charming enough to be enjoyed young—the 2011 vintage from my own cellar is drinking brilliantly.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Daniel Bouland Côte de Brouilly Cuvée Mélanie, Beaujolais 2019 750ML ($37.95) $29.90 special
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 92 points “Offering up aromas of red plums, berries, raw cocoa and spices, the 2019 Côte de Brouilly Cuvée Melanie is medium to full-bodied, supple and velvety, with a fleshy core of fruit, melting tannins and lively acids. Bright and charming, it’s produced from a south-facing site near Château Thivin.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Daniel Bouland Morgon Bellevue Cailloux, Beaujolais 2019 750ML ($41.95) $33 special
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 94 points “Derived from older vines in rockier soils, the 2019 Morgon Bellevue Cailloux is even more sensuous and textural than its Sable counterpart. Mingling notions of raspberries and plums with hints of rose petals and spices, it’s medium to full-bodied, velvety and enveloping, its powdery tannins almost entirely cloaked in succulent, perfumed fruit.”
Daniel Bouland Morgon Les Delys, Beaujolais 2019 750ML ($49.95) $34.50 special
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2019 Morgon Les Delys Vignes plantées en 1926 has turned out brilliantly, wafting from the glass with aromas of ripe cherries, blackberries, strawberries, sweet soil tones and spices. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, it’s seamless and multidimensional, and with striking concentration, succulent acids and powdery tannins, it’s long and penetrating. While this is carrying less puppy fat than the 2018 at the same age, it’s still quite a demonstrative, fruit-driven vintage of Les Delys, and while it will be long-lived, it can also be approached young.”
Daniel Bouland Morgon Bellevue Sable, Beaujolais 2019 750ML ($41.95) $29.90 special
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2019 Morgon Bellevue Sable is showing beautifully, wafting from the glass with aromas of raspberries, cherries, orange rind and plums. Medium to full-bodied, supple and succulent, it’s bright and fleshy, with powdery tannins and a generous core of fruit, girdled by lively acids. Bottled only a week before I tasted it, I suspect it will perform even better with six months’ bottle age. As readers will remember, this cuvée comes from younger vines, planted on Viala rootstock in sandy soils—as the “Sable” newly added to its label makes clear.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Love Beaujolais? We have 35 Beaujolais wines in stock now. Shop our entire selection, including staff favorites like Anne-Sophie Dubois, Château Thivin, Clos de la Roilette and more on our web store!
The Chambolle of Barbaresco
The Wines of Cascina delle Rose
“Cascina delle Rose is without question one of the emerging estates in Barbaresco. Readers who have not tasted these wines should make a point of doing so, as they encapsulate everything that makes Barbaresco so alluring.”– Antonio Galloni
When coming up with a list of the “most beloved” Piemontese estates, Cascina delle Rose would definitely be on it—to the surprise of many who aren’t familiar with the estate. Cascina delle Rose does fly under the radar—that’s for sure, but those who know the wines love them and buy them year in and out. The love for the wines is easy to understand once you taste them—they’re soulful and elegant. The grace the wines display is hard to come across in a region increasingly warming and concerned with critical appeal—they’re wines for a set, not for the masses.
These are wines with soaring aromatics and beautiful textures—and they’re surprisingly age-worthy for such ethereal bottlings. The winemaking here is extremely traditional, verging on natural and the vineyard management fully organic. As with most of the Piemonte, Cascina delle Rose has excelled in recent vintages, producing some of the best wines in the history of the winery. Lovers of small Piedmontese producers take note—this is a true family estate doing all the right things.
In Stock Now:
Cascina delle Rose Barbera d’Alba, Piedmont 2018 750ML ($29.95) $24 special
“Here is a comparably food-friendly red wine to pair with simple roast meats or risotto with wild mushrooms. The Cascina delle Rose 2018 Barbera d’Alba is an easier wine when contrasted with the Barbera d’Alba Superiore Donna Elena from 2017 that I also tasted in this report. Yet this wine does not show that jammy ripeness that you get in the Superiore and ultimately shows more balance as a result. There is some softness with dried blackberry and Morello cherry, but the cooler 2018 vintage manages those aromas with more precision and a softer touch. Some 4,500 bottles were released.” –Monica Larner, Wine Advocate
When coming up with a list of the “most beloved” Piemontese estates, Cascina delle Rose would definitely be on it—to the surprise of many who aren’t familiar with the estate. Cascina delle Rose does fly under the radar—that’s for sure, but those who know the wines love them and buy them year in and out. The love for the wines is easy to understand once you taste them—they’re soulful and elegant. The grace the wines display is hard to come across in a region increasingly warming and concerned with critical appeal—they’re wines for a set, not for the masses.
These are wines with soaring aromatics and beautiful textures—and they’re surprisingly age-worthy for such ethereal bottlings. The winemaking here is extremely traditional, verging on natural and the vineyard management fully organic. As with most of the Piemonte, Cascina delle Rose has excelled in recent vintages, producing some of the best wines in the history of the winery. Lovers of small Piedmontese producers take note—this is a true family estate doing all the right things.
In Stock Now:
Cascina delle Rose Barbera d’Alba, Piedmont 2018 750ML ($29.95) $24 special
“Here is a comparably food-friendly red wine to pair with simple roast meats or risotto with wild mushrooms. The Cascina delle Rose 2018 Barbera d’Alba is an easier wine when contrasted with the Barbera d’Alba Superiore Donna Elena from 2017 that I also tasted in this report. Yet this wine does not show that jammy ripeness that you get in the Superiore and ultimately shows more balance as a result. There is some softness with dried blackberry and Morello cherry, but the cooler 2018 vintage manages those aromas with more precision and a softer touch. Some 4,500 bottles were released.” –Monica Larner, Wine Advocate
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Cascina delle Rose A Elizabeth Dolcetto d’Alba, Piedmont 2019 750ML ($24.95) $19 special
Winery note ” Dolcetto grapes 100% from old vineyards in Tre Stelle and Rio Sordo. Fermentation and vinification in still for to exalt his crispness and purity. Its colour is bright ruby red with violet hues, crisp on the palate, delicate scent of wild rose and violet, cherry, red fruits and gooseberry, pleasant wine, which is the fruit pulp. Elegant notes ethereal, sensation of spices: cinnamon and cloves of carnation. Good structure acid, silky tannins and lovely aromatic persistence. It combines well with appetizers, pasta dishes with light sauces, fresh cheeses.”
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Cascina delle Rose Langhe Nebbiolo, Piedmont 2018 750ML ($37.95) $29 special, 15 bottles in stock now
Winery note “Bright garnet red. Floral and elegant notes of roses and violet (which is classic of the Tre Stelle); a direct, deep, and clear expression of the vineyard. Notes of fruit (maraschino cherries, berries), vanilla, leather, and tobacco. Dry, balanced and enduring, with dense texture of fine and silky tannins, great elegance and persistence. It goes well with salami, cured ham, red and white meat, and medium-aged cheeses.”
“Cascina delle Rose is without question one of the emerging estates in Barbaresco. Readers who have not tasted these wines should make a point of doing so, as they encapsulate everything that makes Barbaresco so alluring.”– Antonio Galloni, Vinous
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Cascina delle Rose Barbaresco Rio Sordo, Barbaresco DOCG 2015 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Kerin O’keefe-Wine Enthusiast 95 points “Cellar Selection. This fragrant and structured red opens with alluring scents of crushed rose, baking spice, wild berry and a whiff of menthol. Full bodied and elegant, the focused palate delivers succulent red cherry, crushed strawberry, orange zest, licorice and white pepper framed in taut refined tannins. Fresh acidity lends tension and keeps it balanced. Give it time to fully develop. Drink 2023–2035.”
Monica Larner – Wine Advocate 92 points “Cascina delle Rose is a winery that deserves your attention. It is specialized in very classic, elegant and fine expressions of Nebbiolo executed according to local tradition. The 2015 Barbaresco Rio Sordo walks with delicate footsteps. In a vintage that shows many overripe wines from this appellation, Cascina delle Rose gets it right. You do, however, feel the 14.5% alcohol on the finish.”
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Cascina delle Rose Tre Stelle, Barbaresco DOCG 2015 750ML ($79.95) $66 special
Monica Larner – Wine Advocate 91 points “The 2015 Barbaresco Tre Stelle is a balanced and well-tempered expression of Nebbiolo. This pretty wine opens to bright aromas of blue violets, rose hip and forest berry. The main theme here is finesse, and it is fully explored from start to finish, from nose to palate. This is a lean-bodied wine with silky, long intensity.”
“The Barbaresco Tre Stelle is the result of better exposure of this geographical appellation, 100% Nebbiolo grapes. Great character, undoubted delicacy and femininity together for a long-lived wine and amazing pleasure even from young , thanks to the weave of tannins, sleek and silky. Bright garnet red with orange highlights, live and balanced tannins, notes of roses and violets, ripe plum, licorice, tobacco and chocolate. Finally spicy with elegant ethereal notes. Remarkable persistence.”–Winery Notes
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Cascina delle Rose Tre Stelle, Barbaresco DOCG 2016 750ML ($79.95) $59 special
Kerin O’keefe-Wine Enthusiast 96 points “Editor’s Choice. Enticing scents of rose, violet, menthol and nutmeg float above the glass on this fragrant, radiant red. Elegantly structured, the focused palate delivers raspberry compote, juicy cherry, star anise and cinnamon. Taut, ultrarefined tannins and bright acidity lend precision and balance. Drink 2022–2034.”
Monica Larner – Wine Advocate 92-94 points “The 2016 Barbaresco Tre Stelle, tasted from barrel, is a darkly concentrated and rich expression of Nebbiolo with lots of black fruit packed tight at its core. The wine was technically unfinished when I tasted it; however, reading between the lines, you get a sense of the deep and profound nature of the fruit in 2016. I see this vintage turning out very nicely. Some 4,900 bottles were produced.”
Antonio Galloni 92 points The 2016 Barbaresco Tre Stelle is dark, dense and quite powerful, with real textural resonance and tons of nuance. A rich, potent wine, this is also the best Tre Stelle Barbaresco I have tasted from Cascina delle Rose since the debut of this wine, with the 2006 vintage. Deep, creamy and ample, the 2016 will drink well with just a few years in bottle. I expect it will always remain virile in feel.
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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