Vinopolis Tuesday Newsletter 1-19-2021

In Today’s Newsletter:


Taste Latour for Under $100

Staff Recommended, Attractively Priced
Oregon Pinot Noir


Volpaia’s Perennial Tuscan Favorites

Staff Pick
The Other Side of Sauvignon


Selbach-Oster: Grand, Yet Affordable

The King of Wines
Oddero’s Majestic Barolo


Valdeorras: Spain’s Lost Great Region

Spring into Spring Subscriber Special
Mirabeau’s 2019 Côtes de Provence Rosé



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Taste Latour for Under $100


Château Latour is one of the storied properties of the wine world—with prices to match. What’s a wine lover to do if they want to taste some of the fabled wine but don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars? Look to the second and third wines of the estate. 

We have national best prices on two vintages of “Le Pauillac de Château Latour,” the declassified bottling from the famed producer. This is made with the same style and care as the flagship wine, but is crafted for earlier drinking. In other words, this is the perfect Latour for less-than-momentous occasions.

In Stock Now:

Château Latour Le Pauillac de Latour, Pauillac 2013 750ML ($99.95) $69 special, 35 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 90 points
“A firm and silky red with currant, plum and berry character. Medium body, fresh finish. Stone and dark fruit. Drink now.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!


Château Latour Le Pauillac de Latour, Pauillac 2015 750ML ($119.95) $89 special, 17 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 94 points
“A firm and linear red with currant, blackberry and stone aromas and flavors. Full yet closed and tight. Acidity drives this one. Third wine of Paulliac. Serious. Needs two or three years to come together.”
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate 91 points “The 2015 Le Pauillac de Château Latour is a blend of 54.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41.7% Merlot and 4.1% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it sails out of the glass at a fantastic clip, delivering wonderfully fragrant notes of baked blackberries, blueberry compote and redcurrant jelly with hints of licorice, red roses and cigar box. Medium-bodied, generously fruited, open-knit and tantalizingly drinkable right now, the palate is chock-full of expressive red and black fruits, featuring approachable, ripe, soft tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with compelling purity. Very impressive showing!”
Neal Martin-Vinous 90 points “The 2015 Le Pauillac de Château Latour has gone up in my estimation since I tasted it from barrel. It has a fleshy, ripe, raspberry, blackberry and boysenberry scented nose, a little smudged with subtle hints of marmalade in the background. It is open and inviting. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and well judged acidity. As a Troisième Vin, even for a First Growth, it only achieves moderate complexity, but there is something winsome about this wine with an attractive pencil lead finish that is impressively well defined. Crack this open now and over the next 3-5 years.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!


Shop the entire selection of red Bordeaux, including famous names like Château Canon, Mouton Rothschild, Rauzan Segla and more, on our web store now.

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Staff Recommended, Attractively Priced

Oregon Pinot Noir


A cellar pick
Colene Clemens Vineyards ‘Dopp Creek’ Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2018 750ML ($33.95) $27 special, 10 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 94 points
“Defined by a brisk and refreshing minerality that brings focus to refined and expressive raspberry, rose petal and toasty spice flavors and builds intensity toward fine-grain tannins. Drink now through 2029. 3,241 cases made. — TF”
Winery note “Dopp Creek represents the broadest combined expression of our Estate, and embodies our most approachable and versatile wine. Engaging from the moment you pop the cork, rich red fruit and savory herbs lead to a mouthwatering palate of dark fruit and baking spice, with juicy, supple structure supporting it through a clean finish. This wine drinks impressively now, but having a few bottles in the cellar for four to six years won’t hurt!”


Energetic & vibrant
Crowley Entre Nous Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2017 750ML ($39.95) $28 special, 22 bottles in stock now
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!


“One of the best hand crafted and small lot Pinots from the vintage”
Evesham Wood Dundee Hills Pinot Noir 2018 750ML ($29.95) $24 special, 8 bottles in stock now
Grapelive 92 points
“The special nine barrel Evesham Wood Dundee Hills Pinot Noir from Winemaker and owner Erin Nuccio is one of the best hand crafted and small lot Pinots from the vintage, especially for the price, in Oregon, with its beautiful details and texture it is a class act and joins Evesham’s stellar and value priced lineup. For the last twelve years I’ve been following this label after my first visit to the Willamette Valley wine country and the Portland wine scene when a friend up there clued me in on some underwear the radar wineries, if you are into Oregon Pinot and looking for bargains, Nuccio’s wines are a must try collection, especially the Evesham Wood’s basic Willamette Valley cuvee and this one if you can still find it. With classic Dundee Hills, Jory soil (volcanic and iron rich) influence showing, the Evesham Wood Dundee Hills Pinot delivers layers of dusty red spiced black cherry, plum and strawberry fruits along with a touch of earthy reduction, rose petals, snappy herbs, moro orange tea and delicate wood accents, all of which caresses the medium bodied palate. With air the ruby/garnet 2018 Dundee Hills Pinot gains a darker almost blue fruit tone and becomes wonderfully expressive and pure in a performance that you’d expect from a wine two or three times the cost, I knew I should have bought a few more bottles.  Nuccio says his Dundee Hills Cuvée, which came from a very famous single vineyard, is most likely one-time only wine for Evesham Wood and came about when a friend who is the winemaker this well known, but can’t be named, winery in the Dundee Hills asked if Erin was interested in some Dundee Hills fruit and as she adds, after initially saying he had enough grapes booked, he came back with a price that was too good to pass up. The plan was to have it go into the regular Willamette Valley blend, but when Nuccio started seriously tasting the barrels it became apparent he had some special barrels, so made the choice to do this bottling from those 9 barrels, which in hindsight was an awesome decision.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!


A massale selection of over a half dozen clones
Goodfellow Family Cellars Ribbon Ridge Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2017 750ML ($29.95) $26 special, 7 bottles in stock now
Winery Note
“The Ribbon Ridge Pinot Noir is made up entirely of fruit from Whistling Ridge Vineyard. Vines sit ridge-top and catch the daily winds that blow in, slowing ripening , evaporating moisture, and thickening skins. Shallow soils are formed from uplifted marine sedimentary rock, and dry out quickly in the growing season. Richard and Patricia Alvord planted and have farmed the 14 acre plot for the past two and a half decades. Patricia does all of her own grafting , and Pinot Noir plantings are a selection massale of over half a dozen clones. ¬e wines are red-fruited, perfumed, structured and elegant.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!


Complex & nuanced
Left Coast Cellars Truffle Hill Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2015 750ML ($39.95) $29 special, 16 bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds 92 points
“Deep brilliant red. Ripe, spice-tinged raspberry and cherry scents are complicated by hints of musky sassafras and floral and allspice nuances. Sweet and fleshy on the palate, offering juicy red and dark berry flavors, along with suggestions of cola and licorice. Closes with solid punch, rounded tannins and strong, spicy tenacity.”
Wine Enthusiast 90 points “This wine is aromatic in tones of red and black berries, cedar and tobacco. The palate brings plum and black cherry flavors, with drying tannins that leave a lingering taste of black tea.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!


Minimalist winemaking at its best
Loop de Loop Four Winds Vineyard Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2018 750ML ($34.95) $27 special, 4 bottles in stock now
Winery note
“This vineyard is nestled into the far Western edge of the Willamette Valley – where it rises up into the coast range. At 800 ft in elevation, it was planted in 1991 and is sustainably farm; 100% Pommard Clone of Pinot Noir – this wine was minimally touched in the cellar. 100% destemmed this year, with a 10-day cold soak/spontaneous fermentation, no additions were made except a 20ppm SO2 four months prior to bottling. It was aged in neutral oak, on the lees for 1 year.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!


“Taut and intense”
Twill Cellars Pinot Noir, Northern Willamette Valley 2018 750ML ($24.95) $19.80 special, 5 bottles in stock now
Winery note
“Brooding, savory aromatics of dried rose, bitter cherry, earth, blood orange, soy, toasted grain and ripe raspberries. Flavors of blood orange, dark chocolate, warm spices, espresso, and ripe raspberry. Both taut and intense.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!


Perfect interplay between ripe and bitter notes
Vincent Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2018 750ML ($24.95) $19 special, 6 bottles in stock now
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.”


Love Oregon Pinot Noir? We have 118 Oregon Pinots in stock now. Shop the entire selection, including local legends like Cameron, Sequitur, White Rose Estate and more, on our web store now.

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Volpaia’s Perennial Tuscan Favorites


We love the great wines of Tuscany—there’s something about the heart of Italy that’s utterly captivating. Perhaps no producer stands out more than Volpaia, whose high-altitude Chiantis have become perhaps our best-selling Chianti, year in and out. Volpaia first came to our attention when they placed multiple wines on the Wine Spectator Top 100 list over several years. Since then, their Chianti Classico and Riserva have become customer favorites thanks to their big, bold personalities.

In Stock Now:

Castello di Volpaia Chianti Classico DOCG, Tuscany 2018 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Castello di Volpaia Chianti Classico DOCG, Tuscany 2018 750ML ($299.95) $239 special (that’s only $19.92/bottle!)
Antonio Galloni 92 points
“The 2018 Chianti Classico is a gorgeous, mid-weight wine that captures the essence of the estate’s high-altitude vineyards. Freshly cut flowers, sweet red berries, licorice, mint, pine and cedar are some of the many aromas and flavors that are woven throughout. The 2018 is gracious, inviting and impeccable in its balance.”


Castello di Volpaia Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG, Tuscany 2017 750ML ($41.95) $33 special, 36+ bottles available
Case-12 Castello di Volpaia Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG, Tuscany 2017 750ML ($499.95) $385 special (that’s only $32.08/bottle!)
Antonio Galloni 93 points
“The 2017 Chianti Classico Riserva Castello di Volpaia is an immensely rewarding, inviting wine. Juicy and racy, with no hard edges, the Riserva captures the allure of this warm, dry year. There is plenty to like in the 2017, starting with its depth and volume, I won’t be surprised if the Riserva turns out to be even better than this note suggests. Sweet red fruit, cedar and blood orange give the 2017 striking aromatic intensity and lift.”


Castello di Volpaia Citto Rosso Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2017 750ML ($19.95) $14 special, 36+ bottles available
Antonio Galloni 93 points
“The 2017 Chianti Classico Riserva Castello di Volpaia is an immensely rewarding, inviting wine. Juicy and racy, with no hard edges, the Riserva captures the allure of this warm, dry year. There is plenty to like in the 2017, starting with its depth and volume, I won’t be surprised if the Riserva turns out to be even better than this note suggests. Sweet red fruit, cedar and blood orange give the 2017 striking aromatic intensity and lift.”
Importer Note “The Chianti Classico Riserva has a ruby-red hue with a trace of garnet. The nose is elegant, displaying hints of spice and fruit. This a well-structured wine with smooth tannins and a long finish. Barrel Aging: 24 months in oak casks (combination of Slovenian and French) and minimum 3 months in bottle. Varietal Composition: 100% Sangiovese. A record year for heat and drought throughout the growing season. This condition presented extremes which began early bud break in the vineyard, followed by a spring frost over late April. The frost affected the lower portions of the Volpaia estate. Spring and summer months were dry with higher than average temperatures. Rainfall in mid-September helped the grapes achieve complete ripeness of tannins and other phenolic compounds despite low yields.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!


Love Tuscany? We have over 150 Tuscan wines in stock now. Shop the entire selection, including famous names like Casanova di Neri, Castell’in Villa, Montevertine and more, on our web store now.
 
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Staff Pick

The Other Side of Sauvignon


Saul:
Sauvignon Blanc is one of the most misunderstood grapes out there, which is a shame. In the right hands, the grape can deliver complexity, nuance and a strong sense of place. Granted, those wines seem to be the exception and most bottlings out there are monochromatically grape-fruity, herbal or worse. That’s all the more reason to love the Sauvignons from Francois Plouzeau—these are quite exceptional wines.

Plouzeau harvests his Sauvignon Blanc on the riper side, meaning that they display richer textures and fruit that moves beyond citrus, all while retaining minerality and levity that you’d expect from a naturally high-acid grape. We carry two cuvees from the star winemaker. The first is his “Blanc de la Mariee” which is made entirely in concrete tanks and displays a taut structure and palpable energy. It’s really good (especially for the price) but his “Cendrillon” is even better. Raised mostly in larger, older barrels, the wine takes on a texture and profile that’s beguiling, with some exotic fruit notes mingling with the classic Sancerre-type Sauvignon flavors. This is a wine that makes a lot of industrial $30 Sancerre taste positively boring. Both are in stock now, but wouldn’t be for too much longer if they got the attention they merit.

In Stock Now:

Domaine de la Garrelière Touraine ‘Le Blanc de la Mariée’, Loire 2019 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special, 35 bottles in stock now

100% Sauvignon blanc

This is the only listing in the USA today!


Domaine de la Garrelière Touraine Cendrillon, Loire 2018 750ML ($29.95) $24 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Importer note
“This takes the domain’s best Sauvignon from tank and pairs it with 10-15% Chardonnay from barrel along with some 5% of Sauvignon from barrel. The wood is a minimum of three years old. Cendrillon is French for Cinderella, the folk tale of the oppressed girl who rose from ashes (cinders) to become a figure of beauty and grace in glass slippers. The label for this cuvée comes from a painting done by a friend of the Plouzeau family. Note that the label for this wine indicates the domain as ‘Domaine de la Garrelière’.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!


Looking for more wines from the Loire? We have 88 Loire wines in stock now. Shop the entire selection, including famous names like Clos Rougeard, Dagueneau, Huet and more, on our web store now.
 
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Vinopolis Wine Shop Curbside Pick Up

Order Online / By Phone / By Email

When you’re ready to pick up, just park in our lot,
give us a call, & we’ll bring your order to your car.


(If another adult is picking up for you,
please let us know their name when placing your order.)

www.vinopoliswineshop.com

info@vinopoliswineshop.com

503-223-6002

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Selbach-Oster: Grand, Yet Affordable


Let’s cut to the chase: Selbach-Oster makes wine every bit as good as the ‘name’ producers like Prüm or Molitor, but because they aren’t quite as famous (and because Johannes Selbach isn’t a grand self-promoter) the wines are much less expensive than their peers. They represent some of the best buying opportunities for German wine lovers in the Mosel today.

What makes the Selbach wines so special, and perhaps what makes them as underrated, is that they aren’t showy or extreme. This is especially true when it comes to levels of residual sugar and, in the drier wines, with acidity as well. This makes them incredibly useful at the table. Sure they could leave more RS and they’d be more “opulent” and score higher points—but they don’t. As a result, you can drink the Spätlesen and Auslesen with your main course -not just cheese or lightly sweet desserts.

The wines are from great vineyards and made by an incredibly talented winemaker. They are delicious, age-worthy, and very reasonably priced. What more could you ask for?

A Selection of Selbach Wines, In Stock Now:

Selbach-Oster ‘Anrecht’ Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese, Mosel 2014 750ML ($49.95) $33 special, 7 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 93 points
“Bottled with 8% alcohol, the 2014 Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese Anrecht (erroneously designated as Spätlese instead of Auslese) opens with a super ripe and intense, stunningly bright and clear bouquet of very fine Riesling flavors; there are apple and pip aromas due to a higher proportion of golden and green grapes, and a lesser proportion of botrytis, due to the higher altitude of the Anrecht plot. There is so much finesse and piquancy in this juicy, elegant and well concentrated Riesling, which reveals a long and complex finish, as well as great finesse.”
David Schildknecht–Vinous 93 points “This product of block-picking (as opposed to selective picking) conveys a sense of ripeness and botrytization that could as easily have been captured in the word “Auslese.” Candied lemon, mint and anise mingle in the nose with suggestions of the quince, apple and Persian melon that come to dominate on a lush and expansive yet animatedly juicy palate. A hint of white raisin testifies delectably to the share of shriveled berries. Sweaty salinity lends mouthwatering intrigue while the fruit retains an invigoratingly tangy edge in a finish that readily stimulates the desire to take the next seductive, by no means overly sweet sip.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!


Selbach-Oster Pinot Blanc Dry, Mosel 2016 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special, 22 bottles in stock now
Terry Theise note
“This is being used by a restaurant group (with impeccable taste!) and for a while Johannes was worried we’d gobble up the supply and leave the group gasping and flopping on the beach. Nah, I’m only a little greedy. The ’16 is a beauty, toasty and mineral, a super vintage for a wine with some qui behind it. It’s steep-slope grown and made in discreet wood, so you get “recognizable” PB flavor but with the mineral energy of slate. There’s a long finish of really clean shrimp-stock, and the salty mid palate suggests just-caught monkfish.”


Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr “Rotlay” Riesling, Mosel 2011 750ML ($59.95) $33 special, 30 bottles in stock now
Mosel Fine Wines 93 points
“The Rotlay is a great wine in this vintage, and offers very complex and fine flavors of spices, salt, mineral, bakery products and apricot flower. The zesty, pure and delineated structure is impressive. This is superb. 2021-2031.”
Wine Advocate 91+ points “Carob and toasted nuts inflect baked apple and vanilla on the nose of Selbachs’ block-picked 2011 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Rotlay, which comes to the palate expansive, creamy, and buoyant (at 8.5% alcohol), its apple joined by almost overripe Persian melon. Hints of pip and botrytis bitterness add interest, but there is not the subtle interaction of flavors or the layer of primary juiciness that rendered the corresponding Anrecht bottling so memorable, but instead a more dominantly honeyed, soothingly rich personality. This long-finishing beauty may well – as its author suggests – just need some time to reveal its multiple layers.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!


Selbach-Oster ‘Schmitt’ Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling, Mosel 2014 750ML ($59.95) $41.90 special, 14 bottles in stock now
Grapelive 95+ points
“The brilliant and exotic Schmitt comes from the steep slate hill above the church, set back from the Mosel. There is great southern exposure here and it less affected by noble rot, a big plus in 2014.  It allowed this rich and lush wine to remain crystalline and focused. This is one of the great wines of the vintage! Johannes Selbach’s top wines are not Trocken/Grosses Gewachs, but are single block wines from Cru sites. They are also heavy weighted, dense and medium sweet, but it is not about the sugar: it is all about the terroir and overall balance. These are wines of hedonism, power, textural pleasure and vitality, especially the Schmitt in 2014. It explores the boundaries of perfection in a fantastically difficult vintage. The was a savage thinning of the crop and a tiny window to get the grapes in to make this masterpiece from the old vines at Zeltinger Schlossberg. It is truly amazing with all the problems and heartbreak endured here that a wine of this quality and gorgeous detail managed to happen at all. Somehow this block come through and made one of the most glorious Riesling wines of the year. The 2014 Schmitt by Selbach-Oster starts with a sweet perfume. This wine shows white roses, dripping jasmine, hints of gardenia and tropical essences that lead to a full bodied, Auslese weight palate with apricot, green apple, lime and mango fruits leading the way along with a mix of spicy mineral and flinty stones, briny sea shore notes, soft honey decadence, creamy verbena and sweet peach flesh. The finish carries over the core of fruit and richness, but there is a burst of dynamic acidity and vibrancy. This is not a flabby wine and you are left with a dreamy/haunting impression with lingering tangerine sorbet, crushed stone and wet steeliness. This is fabulous Riesling and one you’ll want in the cellar. This has 100 Point potential and it will also drink well young. It already has poise and elegance, but should last two or three decades! Don’t be afraid of its sugar levels, it drinks like a lavish Grand Cru Corton-Charlemagne and is a spectacular wine from Selbach-Oster!”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!


Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2016 750ML ($31.95) $24 special, 26 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 92 points
“Opening with nice reduction but precise and ripe fruit as well as crunchy slate aromas on the nose, the 2016 Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Kabinett is pure and flinty, well-structured and quite aristocratic (though a frivolous aristocrat), with a firm structure, lush fruit and a lovely lightness and buoyancy. Very stimulating and mouthwatering, but it’s far too young to appreciate the full complexity it will deliver in a couple of years. Salty, grippy and fruity—just a perfect Kabinett.”
Stuart Pigott – jamessuckling.com 91 points “Super-fresh and vibrant with a cool, mineral-herbal personality and a very clean, long finish. You could drink it any time during the next decade, but why wait?”

This is the only listing in the USA today!


Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese**, Mosel 2013 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 35 bottles in stock now
Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese**, Mosel 2013 375ML ($39.95) $24 special, 23 half-bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 94 points
“Bright in color the two-starred 7.5% alcohol 2013 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese ** is an intensely (noble) sweet and creamy-textured selection, which was picked on November 1 and is made for future generations. Very sweet and dense on the palate it still has to become more wine-y but the wine has definitely talent.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!


We have 16 different bottlings from Selbach-Oster in stock now. Shop the entire selection on our web store now!
 
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The King of Wines

Oddero’s Majestic Barolo


We love hyper-traditional Barolo—there’s something about it that seems aristocratic, truly the wine of Kings and the King of wines. The combination of power and delicacy, the youthful austerity that blooms into glorious aromatics and texture with age is magic. While it doesn’t always lead to high scores from reviewers, it does lead to absolutely stunning wines down the road.

Oddero’s wines represent some of the best, most traditional Barolo on the market today. All of the Nebbiolo vineyards of the estate are farmed organically and fermentation of the Barolos takes place in stainless steel before maturation in large casks—no barrique here. The top two wines at Oddero are their Brunate and their Vigna Rionda Riserva, released only after ten years of aging. 

We’re offering some exceptional pricing on Oddero’s Brunate and two bottlings of their Vigna Rionda. This set would be quite a fun collection for any lover of Piemontese wines. All were cellared at the winery before being imported in 2019. These are special wines at excellent prices.

In Stock Now:

Poderi Oddero Brunate, Barolo DOCG 2012 750ML ($149.95) $99 special, 10 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 92 points
“Enticing aromas of cherry, rose and spice lead off, while the flavors pick up tar and tobacco, echoing the spice. This is rich and balanced, with oak tannins adding another layer on the long sweet-fruit finish. Best from 2018 through 2032. 180 cases made.”
 
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $118.99


Poderi Oddero Brunate, Barolo DOCG 2013 750ML ($149.95) $99 special, 11 bottles in stock now
Wine Enthusiast 93 points
“This opens with alluring red berry, menthol, new leather, star anise and crushed herb scents. It’s elegantly structured, offering sour cherry, cranberry, licorice and sage flavors set against firm, fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity. A hint of orange zest closes the finish. Drink 2023–2033.”
 
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!


Poderi Oddero Vigna Rionda, Barolo Riserva DOCG 2007 1.5L ($499.95) $369 special, 3 magnums in stock now
James Suckling 96 points
“This is drinking wonderfully now with so much depth of fruit and lots of juicy character. Full body, layered and intense. Plenty of dark berry and chocolate. Fantastic. Drink or hold.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95 points “This wine is released ten years after the harvest, giving consumers the opportunity to buy an older vintage of Barolo that has been stored carefully back at the winery. Older-release wines like this are becoming ever more popular in the Langhe. The 2007 Barolo Riserva Vignarionda is a powerful and exuberant expression that shows the density and the inner energy of Serralunga d’Alba. Blackberry and dark cherry lift from the bouquet to reveal pretty undertones of spice, leather and savory tobacco. Only 2,763 750-milliliter bottles, 200 magnums and 20 jeroboams were produced. This wine offers a very special taste of Nebbiolo.”
Wine Spectator 95 points “After 10 years, this is ready to enjoy. However, despite the sweet cherry fruit, leather, woodsy and mineral flavors, there are still dense tannins. This is moving in the right direction, mellowing gracefully and lingering with a long, fresh, tobacco- and mineral-tinged aftertaste. Best from 2020 through 2034. 150 cases made.”
 
This is the lowest listed magnum price on the West Coast today!


Poderi Oddero Vigna Rionda, Barolo Riserva DOCG 2008 750ML ($219.95) $139 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 94 points
“The 2008 Barolo Riserva Vignarionda was held back at the winery to be released commercially ten years after the harvest. The fruit is sourced from 50-year-old vines that benefit from organic farming. You feel the robust nature of the Serralunga d’Alba village, with heat, structure and power at the back. It is a classic but powerful Nebbiolo, with earthy tones, sweet spice and dark chocolate. This wine is moving beautifully along its aging trajectory. Bravi. Only 2,000 bottles are available.”
Wine Spectator 94 points “Now a decade old, this Barolo reveals hints of truffle, carob and burnished leather in the bouquet, with fading cherry and berry fruit and licorice and spice accents. Displays the tightly knit, Serralunga structure, along with a chalky, minerally sensation on the lingering finish. Drink now through 2036.”
Importer note “The name Vigna Rionda, meaning “round vineyard”, comes from the plot of land, a depression filled with rows of vines, with the whole slope in full sun. Bought by the Oddero family in 1985, the Vigna Rionda, like all the land around Serralunga, Castiglione Falletto and Monforte, is part of an unusual tertiary Langhian-Miocene geological formation, rich in calcareous deposits, marl, fine sand and sandstone, alternating with mineral residues from plant and animal organisms. Additionally the Vigna Rionda is sheltered by the Castelletto hill from northeast winds and the winter cold, and it has an excellent microclimate for vine cultivation. The prizewinning Oddero Barolo Vigna Rionda is a great, tenacious wine with a long life, with an intense, spiced bouquet, structured and complex on tasting, and very exciting.”
 
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $170
 

Love Barolo? We have over 80 Barolos in stock now. Shop the entire selection, including famous names like Brovia, Cappellano, Paolo Scavino on our web store now!

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Valdeorras: Spain’s Lost Great Region


Valdeorras is the lost great region in Spain. Nestled in the eastern edge of Galicia, with its cool Atlantic climate, the region has been planted since at least the Roman occupation. The Sil (Xil) river is the dominant feature, just as it is in neighboring Ribeira Sacra, and that’s what Ladeiras do Xil is named for. Valdeorras is a hidden gem in the Spanish wine scene, with great old terraced terroirs and old plantings that have been abandoned for decades before their recent rediscovery this century. The reds are a true mélange of grapes—these are wines that recall Burgundy in their elegance and perfume, but with a flavor profile all their own, and that’s what we love about them.

Ladeiras do Xil makes the defining wines of the appellation, focusing on restoring these historic vineyards on impossibly steep, often terraced, sites. Founded by two giants of Spanish wine, Pablo Eguzkiza and Telmo Rodríguez, the winery is now helmed by the young, driven Jorge Saa, who has been working to restore the vineyards to prestige and condition of their ancient roots. The work is very hard and the production levels tiny (less than 250 cases are made of each red we’re offering today), but the results speak for themselves—this is an estate producing wines that are unique and compelling.

“Ladeiras do Xil takes its name from the hillsides of the Sil River, which is the lifeblood of the region. The pioneering duo of Pablo Eguzkiza (who gained his winemaking chops at Château Pétrus) and his partner Telmo Rodríguez (of Remelluri fame, among many others) started working here in 2002. Recognizing the potential to make world-class wines in this incredibly important valley, they began a project that would take decades to come to fruition. The philosophy of their company has always been vineyard first, winery second. The most crucial piece of the puzzle is the vineyard, and we are now just beginning to see the unfolding of the grandeur of their vision. They have been quietly doing heroic work in the face of incredible obstacles, as the climate in Galicia is unforgiving.” –  De Maison Selections

In Stock Now:

Ladeiras Do Xil “As Caborcas”, Valdeorras 2016 750ML ($99.95) $89 special, 10 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 96 points
“The 2.5 hectares of north- and west-facing terraces planted with old vines produced the 2016 As Caborcas, a wine of unusual intensity, elegance and balance in 2016. The cooler year seems to have worked wonders for the reds here, and the wine is expressive and open, floral and aromatic, developing nuances of moss and fern, with a textured palate where the tannins have the granite mark of stony austerity that is then coated by the glycerin and the fruit, making a wine that is both elegant and powerful, with a very Galician feeling to it. 2,619 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2017.”
Importer note “As Caborcas is a unique vineyard, full of different varieties, of different ages, from different strains, growing at different altitudes and exposures. Among the native grapes planted are mencía, merenzao, sousón, godello, and brancellao. Indigenous yeasts cause spontaneous fermentation in small wooden barrels of various sizes, with light foudre aging for 12 months to preserve the “Atlantic” delicacy of this wine of inland Galicia. True to the origins, As Caborcas could be made nowhere else. As Caborcas is extremely limited, with less than 3,000 bottles produced in a good year.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!


Ladeiras Do Xil “Falcoeira a Capilla”, Valdeorras 2016 750ML ($79.95) $69 special, 9 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 94 points
“Falcoeira was the first of their Valdeorras vineyards to be harvested in 2016, starting on September 16th. The 2.75 hectares of this young south-facing vineyard produced 2,635 bottles of the 2016 Falcoeira A Capilla, always a richer wine compared with its siblings. It’s a historical vineyard that was abandoned, but its almost 100 ancient terraces were replanted with a field blend of Mencía, Merenzao, Sousón, Godello, Garnacha…and other grapes that would have been there in the past. Winemaking is simple, the grapes fermented in small wooden and stainless steel tanks, and the wine aged in French oak foudres. 2016 seems like a great vintage for the reds here, and Falcoeira kept the freshness and poise within its riper character. The palate is delineated and with a marked stony feeling to it. With time in the glass, the wine became finer and more elegant, and that extra touch of ripeness seemed to disappear. A great year for this wine.”
Importer note “The soils here are coarsely-textured, decomposed granites. It is an intense and profound wine, like the place it comes from. Indigenous yeasts begin a spontaneous fermentation in small wooden barrels of various sizes, the wine is then aged in foudres for 12 months. Falcoeira keeps freshness and poise within its riper character; with a delineated palate and a wild, stony feeling echoing the granitic slopes. With time in the glass, Falcoeira unfolds and displays the power, finesse, and elegance, which makes it one of the most exciting wines in the world. Falcoeira is extremely limited, with less than 3,000 bottles produced in a good year.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!


Love Spanish reds? We have 116 red wines from Spain in stock now. Shop the entire selection, including staff favorites like Daniel Landi, Daterra Lorenzo, Raúl Pérez and more, on our web store now.

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Spring into Spring Subscriber Special

Mirabeau’s 2019 Côtes de Provence Rosé


“Mirabeau rosé wines represent the fruition of a long-held winemaking dream and a shared loved of Provence rosé for British couple Stephen and Jeany Cronk. With no previous experience of making wine, the couple took the plunge in 2009 by moving with their children from London life to the picturesque rolling hills and blue skies of southern France. ‘We were absolute devotees to Provence rosé,’ says Jeany Cronk. ‘It was one of the things we always agreed on, we just loved it and it wasn’t even particularly fashionable in those days.’ Stephen Cronk describes Classic as ‘a really good representation of a Provence rosé’. It’s made from a non-prescriptive blend of Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault and is dominated by red fruits…. [Their vineyard management is] inspired by Oregon winemaker, botanist and ecologist Mimi Casteel. Stephen aims to ‘take organic to the next level’ and to ‘see whether we can move away from a mono-culture to a biodiverse vineyard and still make good wine’.” –Georgia Hindle, Decanter

In Stock Now:

Mirabeau ‘Classic’ Côtes de Provence Rosé 2019 750ML ($27.95) Was $18 Now $14.40, 36+ bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 90 points
“Light, brilliant orange. Raspberry, white peach and succulent flowers on the mineral-tinged nose. Sappy red berry, pit fruit and citrus zest flavors deepen slowly and take on a spicy aspect with air. Hangs on with very good tenacity, leaving pit fruit and red berry notes behind.”
Decanter 90 points “An expressive nose of berry notes that, on the palate, transforms into succulent and juicy red cherries, raspberries and strawberries. The palate offers a light creaminess and silky texture with a round, crisp finish. Made from 60% Grenache, 25% Syrah and 15% Cinsault, it has complexity and drive, delivering great quality and value.”

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


Looking for rosé? We have over 50 rosés in stock now. Shop the entire selection, including staff favorites from France, Spain, Oregon and beyond, on our web store now.

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Thanks for reading!