In This Newsletter:
Austria Sale
Champagne Featurette: Suenen
Austria Sale
Champagne Featurette: Suenen
The World’s Greatest Whites
Stock Up & Save On
Austrian Wines
Stock Up & Save On
Austrian Wines
What region stops somms in their tracks? Austria. It’s an oddly shocking statement to point out that Austrian winemakers produce some of the greatest wines made anywhere in the world. They count among their ranks such luminaries as FX Pichler, Gobelsburg, and Nikolaihof, and such illustrious vineyards as Heiligenstein and im Weingebirge, the oldest named vineyard in the world.
Despite the love of diehard fans, the wines don’t always get the attention they deserve. If these wines came from France, those biodynamic, single-vineyard, Grand Cru, food-friendly, and ridiculously underpriced gems from thousand-year-old wineries, they would be three times as expensive. These are the source of the best value high end whites in the world.
In a world where the market (outside of sommeliers) realized how good these were, the prices would be triple and we still would have sold out ages ago. The reality is that they’re somehow on our shelves, so we’ll nudge you their way with our three-day sale.
Despite the love of diehard fans, the wines don’t always get the attention they deserve. If these wines came from France, those biodynamic, single-vineyard, Grand Cru, food-friendly, and ridiculously underpriced gems from thousand-year-old wineries, they would be three times as expensive. These are the source of the best value high end whites in the world.
In a world where the market (outside of sommeliers) realized how good these were, the prices would be triple and we still would have sold out ages ago. The reality is that they’re somehow on our shelves, so we’ll nudge you their way with our three-day sale.
5% off any 3-5 in-stock bottles of Austrian wine
10% off any 6 or more in-stock bottles of Austrian wine
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Sale ends Saturday, April 5th at 9 am Pacific.
10% off any 6 or more in-stock bottles of Austrian wine
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Sale ends Saturday, April 5th at 9 am Pacific.
We offer seventy-five in-stock Austrian wine options on sale now, including:
Christian Madl’s wines are a true delight for the senses, offering a refreshingly unique take on sparkling wine. Crafted with meticulous attention in the traditional method, these wines are vintage-dated and bottle-aged, utilizing grapes typical of champagne production as well as Austrian varietals.
Sektkellerei Madl Cuvee Special Brut, Niederosterreich 2015 750ml Was $59, Displayed Price: $49, that’s $46.55 at 5% off and $44.10 at 10% off, 5 bottles in stock now
Falstaff Magazine 93 points “Pale green yellow, silver reflections, lively, fine mousse. Yellow tropical fruit, zest, some baked goods, nuances of red berries, a hint of currants, a multi-faceted bouquet. Juicy, good complexity and mineral nuances, delicately fruity, saline nuances, balanced, delicate sweetness on the finish, has length and development, certain ageing potential.“
Winery Note “White bread and brioche, rich and corpulent with depth, fine mousseux, creamy with a straight substance. Méthode Traditionnelle. Chardonnay 53 % & Pinot Noir 47 % on lees since 2016.”
Sektkellerei Madl Onothek ‘Von den Weissen’ Sekt Brut, Niederosterreich 2014 750ml Was $69, Displayed Price: $59, that’s $56.05 at 5% off and $53.10 at 10% off, 6 bottles in stock now
A blend of Welschriesling, Grüner Veltliner, Riesling with over 60 months en tirage.
Review is for the early release version of this wine, not the extended tirage:
Falstaff Magazine 93 points “Light yellow green, silver reflections. Lively, fine mousse, delicate yeasty note, white fruit nuances of peach and fresh apple, some blossom, and backed by lime zest. Taut, tightly meshed, fine sweet fruit, integrated acidity, finely radiant and very youthful, with a mineral finish. It is a stimulating aperitif.”
Alzinger farms some of the steepest Wachau vineyards in Austria and crafts some of the most powerful expressions of Riesling in the country. Leo Alzinger took over his family’s estate after apprenticing in Marlborough, New Zealand and the Pfalz in Germany. This technical knowledge is evident in his wines, which he vinifies whole cluster with a touch of skin contact and extended lees aging.
Weingut Leo Alzinger Durnstein Grüner Veltliner Federspiel, Wachau 2023 750ml Displayed Price: $36, that’s $34.20 at 5% off and $32.40 at 10% off, 16 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 92 points “Bright and fruity gruner showing aromas of pineapples, papayas and peaches. Medium-bodied, juicy and vibrant. Excellent length, too, with citrus zest and nutmeg notes at the end. Drink now. Screw cap.”
Weingut Leo Alzinger Mühlpoint Grüner Veltliner Federspiel, Wachau 2023 750ml Displayed Price: $36, that’s $34.20 at 5% off and $32.40 at 10% off, 18 bottles in stock now
Anne Krebiehl MW-Vinous 90 points “The 2023 Grüner Veltliner Mühlpoint Federspiel, a site just underneath Steinertal, in the lower reaches where there’s more loess in the gneiss deposits. It’s gently savory on the nose and delivers yeast and pepper. The palate has a lovely stoniness and a slender aspect, with the pepperiness shimmering on the yeasty mid-palate. Lemon, stone and pepper make for a juicy, light-footed Federspiel. (Bone-dry)”
Weingut Leo Alzinger Loibner Loibenberg Grüner Veltliner Smaragd, Wachau 2023 750ml Displayed Price: $61.90, that’s $58.81 at 5% off and $55.71 at 10% off, 6 bottles in stock now
Anne Krebiehl MW-Vinous 96-98 points “The 2023 Grüner Veltliner Loibenberg Smaragd is picked in a lens of loess in this site known for its warmth, affording some water retention. Smooth, almost balm-like yeast has gentle pepper and promises richness. The palate is just as smooth and flowing, channeling its ripeness and fill into that cooling, smooth yeastiness that subsumes pepper and fruit and fills the mouth. Power and freshness become apparent in the aftertaste, which is still savory with fern and white miso. (Bone-dry).”
Bründlmayer’s wines are somewhere in the middle between the fruit-forward style of Hirsch and the heft and contemplative nature of Gobelsburg. These are probably the most subtle when young, but blossom with age. The wines reward attention and aging in spectacular ways.
Weingut Brundlmayer Ried Steinmassl Riesling Erste Lage, Kamptal 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $37, that’s $35.15 at 5% off and $33.30 at 10% off, 19 bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott (Suckling) 95 points “At once intense and mellow, which is a weird thing to write, but this is a special wine. Delicate white-fruit aromas. Excellent structure and racy minerality make this really exciting. Very long, crystalline finish that promises a very long life. Drink or hold.”
Weingut Brundlmayer Ried Heiligenstein Riesling Erste Lage, Kamptal DAC 2016 750ml Displayed Price: $99, that’s $94.05 at 5% off and $89.10 at 10% off, 12 bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott (Suckling) 94 points “Although this is still very young it begins dramatically with an intensely herbal and white fruits nose. Mineral power kicks in on the palate and drives it forward at a brisk clip. A slightly austere finish, but one that’s full of stony character and is very long and bright. Drink now.”
Weingut Brundlmayer Chardonnay Ried Steinberg, Kamptal 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $69, that’s $65.55 at 5% off and $62.10 at 10% off, 11 bottles in stock now
Falstaff Magazine 95 points “Light golden yellow, silver reflections. Fine wood spice, a touch of caramel, blossom honey and orange peel, vanilla echo as well as some papaya and spicy nuances. Juicy, elegant, salty, white tropical fruit, tobacco finish, mineral echo, very good persistency, reductive finish, will benefit from bottle age.”
FX Pichler’s legendary wines combine richness and electric minerality. In high demand in Austria and the rest of Europe, we’re lucky to source as much as we do. No one else seems to wrangle power, freshness and complexity into a single package quite like this wizard of the Wachau. With a combination of intensive viticulture, native fermentations and great terroir, the wines are unlike anything else in the world. Broad and powerful, with a cut and minerality that’s unique, these are wines to drink now and to age, as well.
F.X. Pichler Durnsteiner Liebenberg Grüner Veltliner Smaragd, Wachau 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $69, that’s $65.55 at 5% off and $62.10 at 10% off, 6 bottles in stock now
Falstaff Magazine 94-96 points “Medium yellow-green, silver reflections. Mineral, fine herbal spice, nuances of yellow fruit, hints of apricot and mango, with fine honey blossom. Complex, substantial, fine white pear, fine acidity, salty touch on the finish, already well developed, a multi-faceted food wine, good maturity and with definite ageing potential.”
F.X. Pichler Loibner Burgstall Riesling Federspiel, Wachau 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $31.90, that’s $30.31 at 5% off and $28.71 at 10% off, 25 bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott (Suckling) 92 points “Super crisp and crunchy with a slightly tart peach character that is so invigorating. Great mineral freshness at the finish. Drink or hold.”
Nothing can compare to the work, mission, or wines of Michael Moosbrugger of Schloss Gobelsburg. To paraphrase Stephan Reinhardt of the Wine Advocate, they are unlike any other. Yet these are not funky or inscrutable. These are simply in a class above and apart from all others, as striking in their elegance and complexity as they are in their ability to move both your mind and soul.
Schloss Gobelsburg Ried Gaisberg Riesling Reserve Erste OTW Lage, Kamptal DAC 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $49, that’s $46.55 at 5% off and $44.10 at 10% off, 12 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2020 Ried Gaisberg offers a clear, precise and spicy apricot nose with spicy notes of black rock splinters. Lush and savory as well as saline on the palate, with crystalline acidity and almost tropical fruit (passion fruit), this is a very elegant and aromatic, tightly structured yet perfectly balanced and sustainable Gaisberg Riesling with stimulating purity and crystallinity.”
Schloss Gobelsburg Ried Heiligenstein Riesling Reserve Erste OTW Lage, Kamptal DAC 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $69, that’s $65.55 at 5% off and $62.10 at 10% off, 22 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 96 points “Gobelsburg’s 2020 Ried Heiligenstein opens with a clear, bright and savory bouquet of sandstone, salt, ripe stone fruits and tea. Lush and round on the palate, this is a textured, very elegant and balanced Heiligenstein Riesling with a lingering, fine salinity on the highly elegant and aromatic finish. This is again an excellent, quiet and perfectly balanced Riesling from one of the greatest Riesling sites along the Danube River. The 2020 already drinks beautifully but can be aged for two or three decades.”
Schloss Gobelsburg Tradition Heritage Cuvée 10 Year, Niederosterreich NV 750ml Displayed Price: $179, that’s $170.05 at 5% off and $161.10 at 10% off, 5 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 98 points “Based on 2010 Renner Grüner Veltliner, with a 5% part of Gaisberg Riesling, the intensely yellow-colored NV Tradition Heritage Cuvée 10 Years Edition 850 offers a deep, pure, intense, concentrated, beautifully aromatic, spicy-floral and Traminer-like bouquet of white and yellow stone fruits, yellow rose petals as well as cloves, wax and refreshing flinty aromas. Rich, intense and highly elegant on the beautifully balanced and aromatic palate, this is a pure, vital, finessed and salty-mineral as well as tensioned and sustainable cuvée with a young, still tannic texture and remarkable oak and nougat flavors. This finely tannic 10 Years cuvée seems to be much younger and bottled from smaller barrels than the “3 years edition” sibling. There is no wine on this planet that is similar in style. The fruit is Austrian, very charming and irresistible, but the structure and texture builds the bridge to France—or more precisely Alsace and Burgundy, regions that Michael Moosbrugger adores but never would try to copy. Tasted at the domain in June and again at home in July and August 2021.”
Schloss Gobelsburg Tradition Heritage Cuvée 3 Year Edition 851, Niederosterreich 750ml Displayed Price: $61.90, that’s $58.81 at 5% off and $55.71 at 10% off, 4 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points “Based on Gaisberg Riesling and Renner Grüner Veltliner, the NV Tradition Heritage Cuvée 3 Years Edition 851 combines the vintages 2019 and 2017. Deep, intense and very elegant on the nose, with ripe but fine fruit aromas, this is a full-bodied, textured, very elegant and balanced white wine with lots of Veltliner features. The wine has ripe and elegant acidity but reveals fine and grippy tannins on the intensely aromatic finish. 13.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork.”
Franz Hirtzberger senior studied the vineyards in the Wachau region, identifying some of the greatest terraced terroir, and co-founded the Vinea Wachau just two years before the 1985 crisis that devastated Austrian wine sales. The organization’s timely foundation helped the Wachau region reestablish itself by enacting strict grape-growing and winemaking standards for its members, much like the VDP in Germany.
His son, Franz Hirtzberger junior, took over the family winery in 1983, continuing the legacy of crafting elevated and profound whites from some of the greatest terroirs in the Wachau. Their vineyards offer a level of mineral expression paired with phenolic ripeness in a way that is wholly unique. The wines are delicately balanced and extraordinarily complex, rivaling some of the greatest releases from Gobelsburg and Nikolaihof domestically, but could easily hold their own against far more famous (and far more expensive) French whites.
Weingut Franz Hirtzberger Ried Steinporz Riesling Smaragd, Wachau 2018 750ml Displayed Price: $59, that’s $56.05 at 5% off and $53.10 at 10% off, 12 bottles in stock now
Wine Enthusiast 96 points “Tangerine and peach unite on the nose in a quite disarming fashion. The palate comes in with more peachy juiciness and adds overtones of ripe passion fruit with both its tartness and tropicality. A lovely seam of vivid, zesty freshness cuts through the generous, abundant and juicy fruit, always with exotic highlights, always with zesty aromas. This has life and drive, energy and brio. Enjoy 2025–2045. -Anne Krebiehl MW”
Weingut Franz Hirtzberger Steinterrassen Riesling Federspiel, Wachau 2018 750ml Displayed Price: $36, that’s $34.20 at 5% off and $32.40 at 10% off, 10 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 91 points “From the fruit grown in terraced single vineyards and predominantly from younger vines, the 2018 Riesling Federspiel Steinterrassen is still somewhat untamed and reductive but very clear on the nose that reminds me of the Rieslings from Tim Fröhlich (Weingt Schäfer-Fröhlich, Nahe). Flinty, fresh, very precise and refined, this is a remarkably fine and elegant Riesling with intense and elegant, really refined and piquant apricot fruit. Excellent! Tasted at the domain in September 2019.”
The wines of Knoll are marked with beautiful textural qualities and layered aromatics. They represent some of Austria’s finest and one of the best values in the world for distinguished whites. Rieslings are planted mostly on granite bedrock, while Grüner plantings tend to be found higher up the banks of the Danube on granite and loess. The focus here is on rigorous quality control in the vineyard and winery to emphasize individual expressions of their famed parcels lining the Danube River.
Weingut Emmerich Knoll Loibner Ried Kreutles Grüner Veltliner Federspiel, Wachau 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $49, that’s $46.55 at 5% off and $44.10 at 10% off, 11 bottles in stock now
Anne Krebiehl MW-Vinous 90 points “The 2022 Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Kreutles is harvested at the foot of the Loibenberg, looking southeast, on eroded deposits of weathered gneiss mixed with loam and sand. Gentle notes of sage crushed with white miso and salt are imbued with yeastiness. More air brings notes that hint at wild carrot greens. The slender body rounds out on the mid-palate, presenting a yeasty, savory, herbal richness laced with lemon and backed with lemon pith. This is slender, structured, savory and svelte. (Bone-dry) (Drink between 2023-2035).”
Weingut Emmerich Knoll Loibner Ried Trum Grüner Veltliner Federspiel, Wachau 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $59, that’s $56.05 at 5% off and $53.10 at 10% off, 11 bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott (Suckling) 93 points “Plenty of mirabelle and bergamot fruit fill out the ripe and structured palate that’s at the upper end of medium-bodied. Long, quite firm finish for this category with a ton of dried herb and tobacco leaf character. Drink or hold.”
Weingut Emmerich Knoll Loibner Riesling Federspiel, Wachau 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $44.50, that’s $42.28 at 5% off and $40.05 at 10% off, 12 bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott (Suckling) 92 points “Full stone fruit aromas and a touch of ripe melon for a dry riesling that’s so sleek and racy. Wonderful balance in spite of the high acidity, giving this barely medium-bodied wine so much energy. Very long, samurai sword-like finish. Drinkable now, but best from 2025.”
Weingut Nigl Senftenberger Pellingen Privat Riesling Erste OTW Lage, Niederosterreich 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $99, that’s $94.05 at 5% off and $89.10 at 10% off, 12 bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott (Suckling) 96 points “Very cool and delicate on the still rather closed nose. White peach, Amalfi lemon and wild herbs. As concentrated as it is elegant on the medium-bodied palate. Terrific minerality wrapped around the racy acidity that drives the very long, stony finish. Part picked in late October, the rest well into November. Vegan. Sustainable. Screw cap.”
Nikolaihof is a giant of Austrian wine—a producer whose history and quality are unrivaled even in a country full of esteemed producers. As Austria’s oldest operating winery, that history dates back to Roman times. Much like how estates operated in previous centuries, Nikolaihof is farmed under polyculture and was the first winery in the world to fully convert to farming biodynamically.
The wines are bright, precise and mineral-drenched with the power and density of the Wachau. The family produces wines of deep resonant flavors with a core of vinosity, especially from their top vineyards, Im Weingebirge (the first named vineyard in Europe), Vom Stein, and Steiner Hund. To taste a wine from Nikolaihof is to taste the history of wine. These wines transcend vintages and varieties to offer a rare glimpse of time itself. These are the heights of Austrian wine from a producer that will outlive us all.
Familie Saahs Nikolaihof Steinriesler Riesling, Wachau 2004 750ml Displayed Price: $99, that’s $94.05 at 5% off and $89.10 at 10% off, 12 bottles in stock now
Wine Enthusiast 98 points “Swirl this awake to reveal a world of dried hayflower, lemon peel and tart, baked apple. Its lifted, elixir-like chamomile scent goes straight to the pleasure center of the brain, signaling a celebration of maturing Riesling. Dry, taut and fresh, it shimmers with lemon zest and lemon-scented incense. Although immensely concentrated, it’s also quite lithe. Treasure this, with its deep, lingering flavors. Lovely now, it will continue to develop. Drink now–2040.”
Familie Saahs Nikolaihof Gelber Muskateller, Wachau 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $44.50, that’s $42.28 at 5% off and $40.05 at 10% off, 12 bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott (Suckling) 89 points “This Austrian dry muscat has restrained aromas and is on the lean and tart side. Very straight and clean, but lacks a bit of the expressiveness we associate with this grape and producer. Might improve with a bit more bottle age. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drink or hold. Screw cap.”
Familie Saahs Nikolaihof im Weingebirge Smaragd Grüner Veltliner, Wachau 2017 750ml Displayed Price: $69, that’s $65.55 at 5% off and $62.10 at 10% off, 6 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 95+ points “Bottled in April this year, the 2017 Im Weingebirge Grüner Veltliner Smaragd is fascinatingly deep and refined on the complex, fresh, elegant and remarkably complex nose with its crystalline stone notes. On the palate, the wine reveals great finesse and elegance combined with substance, grip and sustainability. It is a full-bodied, powerful, rich and almost sweet, concentrated and tensioned terroir wine that is still young and ready to go a long distance. 13% alcohol. Tasted at the domaine in June 2021.”
Familie Saahs Nikolaihof Vinothek Riesling, Wachau 2002 750ml Displayed Price: $199, that’s $189.05 at 5% off and $179.10 at 10% off, 11 bottles in stock now
Wine Enthusiast 97 points “A teasing, flinty whiff of reduction beckons from the glass before the taut, fresh, poised but juicy palate hits you. The flavor is reminiscent both of baked and fresh apple, with a smooth lanolin tone. This is not only and elixir but a whole fountain of youth, a full-flavored jewel of a wine. Still slender, still vivid and like balm for the soul. If only we could age so gracefully.”
Familie Saahs Nikolaihof Riesling vom Stein Smaragd, Wachau 2017 750ml Displayed Price: $79, that’s $75.05 at 5% off and $71.10 at 10% off, 12 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 94 points “The Mautern 2017 Riesling Ried Vom Stein Smaragd offers a pure, refined and finely oxidative bouquet of bright, ripe fruits intermingled with smoky and saline terroir notes as well as some delicate oak. Round and intense on the palate, with fine, playful and persistently saline acidity, this is a full-bodied, dense and very elegant Riesling with striking intensity and finesse. 12.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted in October 2022.”
In Austria, Bernhard Ott’s nickname is “Mr. Veltliner”—high praise considering it’s the national grape. The standout, high-flying producer in the Wagram region, with its deep loess soils, he’s made a name for himself by producing what many in his native land consider to be the set of GV that stands above the rest. They’re made in a savory, spicy style that marries weight and power to a crystalline acidity.
Weingut Bernhard Ott Spiegel Grüner Veltliner, Wagram 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $79, that’s $75.05 at 5% off and $71.10 at 10% off, 12 bottles in stock now
Anne Krebiehl MW-Vinous 94 points “The 2021 Grüner Veltliner Spiegel was picked on well-ventilated terraces of loess on top of calcareous, iron-rich Danubian gravels. On the nose, yeast blends into the gentle woodland scent of moss, edged with just a little pepper. The palate is rounded, with a heightened sense of pepper on a very airy, smooth, almost ethereal body. Soaring towards the sky, this is fresh and bright, all reaching upwards. At once light-footed and sprightly yet profound, the entire wine is vivid with white pepper. (Bone-dry).”
Weingut Bernhard Ott Rosenberg Grüner Veltliner, Wagram 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $94.50, that’s $89.78 at 5% off and $85.05 at 10% off, 13 bottles in stock now
Anne Krebiehl MW-Vinous 96 points “The 2021 Grüner Veltliner Rosenberg is harvested from 1956-planted vines that root in deep loess. The wine stays on gross lees for two winters. The second winter, so Ott, is crucial, as the yeasts pull back some of the richness they initially lent to the wine. This is immediately creamy on the nose, while the palate comes in with immense concentration. Zestiness and stoniness meet on the linear, precise frame. Lemon follows on this trail with urgency and insistence. This wine is a contradiction of everything you may think of loess. The finish is long and shows off a subtle but very becoming astringency, lending both structure and beauty. (Bone-dry).”
Elisabeth Pichler-Krutzler, daughter of Franz Xaver (F.X.) Pichler, married the highly-regarded Austrian winemaker Erich Krutzler. The pair prefer brighter, fresher wines than the style classically produced at F.X. (which itself is increasingly tending towards lower ripeness and higher acidity). These wines tend to have a little less power and a lot more versatility at the table. They’re breathtakingly complex, soulful wines that, like the remarkable wines of Selbach-Oster, are designed to be enjoyed with food.
Pichler-Krutzler Ried Kellerberg Riesling, Wachau 2021 750ml Was $69, Displayed Price: $59, that’s $56.05 at 5% off and $53.10 at 10% off, 19 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2021 Dürnsteiner Riesling Ried Kellerberg is extremely concentrated and deep on the finely flinty and substantial nose. On the palate, this is a full-bodied, rich and savory, finely tannic and grippy Kellerberg with ripe and concentrated fruit but also a firm and saline finish. The acidity is enormous here (9.4 grams per liter), and the piquancy is well interwoven here with the extract. This is a wine to be cellared for at least 3-4 years. 13.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in September 2022.”
Weingut Tement Grassnitzberg Sauvignon Blanc, Steiermark 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $47, that’s $44.65 at 5% off and $42.30 at 10% off, 17 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2019 Ried Grassnitzberg Sauvignon Blanc is sometimes quite reductive and needs a lot of air, but it is precise, deep and clear. A second bottle was far better and a clearer Grassnitzberg representative, with a deep, cool and intensely fruity nose with mango notes and fine, smoky spice. Complex, elegant and fine on the palate, this is a full-bodied, juicy, ripe, savory, salty and grippy Sauvignon from Grassnitzberg that is tartly bitter on the finish and needs plenty of time to shine. The 2019 is not at all for young-wine or brand drinkers, but for collectors and connoisseurs of demanding wines. This is a tightly knit, taut, big wine that needs around 10 years before its journey really begins. 13% stated alcohol. Glass stopper. Tasted in Grafenegg in September 2021.”
“One of the most notable rising stars in the Cote des Blancs is Aurelien Suenen, who took charge of his family’s Cramant estate in 2009. He farms 7.4 acres (3 hectares) of chardonnay vines in Chouilly, Cramant, and Oiry, as well as nearly 5 acres (2 hectares) of pinot noir and meunier in the Massif de Saint-Thierry, north of Reims. Inspired by his friend Pascal Agrapart, he has been committed to studying his terroirs and expressing their individual characters through conscientious work in both the vineyards and the cellar.” – Peter Liem
In Stock Now:
Suenen ‘C+C’ Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, Champagne NV (2020) 750ml $125 special, 20 bottles in stock now
Audrey Frick-Jeb Dunnuck 93 points “Coming from the two villages of Cremant and Chouilly, the NV Champagne Grand Cru Blanc De Blancs C+C Extra Brut pours a bright straw color and is pretty, floral, and fresh on the nose, with notes of crushed chalky earth, lemon blossom, fresh apples. The palate is medium-framed and focused, with a fine, pinpoint mousse, a clean feel throughout, notes of fresh savory broth and saline, and a clean, stony finish. Drink it over the next 6-8 years.”
Suenen ‘La Cocluette’ Oiry Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, Champagne 2016 750ml $219 special, 1 bottle in stock now
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 95 points “Aromas of peach, orange zest, white flowers and freshly baked bread introduce the brilliant 2016 Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Oiry La Cocluette, a medium to full-bodied, satiny and seamless Champagne that’s pure, racy and saline, with chalky structure and a long, resonant finish. This north-facing plot, planted in 1925, always delivers one of the more electric wines in the range, and that’s certainly the case this year.”
Suenen ‘Le Mont-Aigu’ Chouilly Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, Champagne 2016 750ml $249 special, 3 bottles in stock now
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 95+ points “Disgorged in June 2022, Suenen’s 2016 Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Chouilly Le Mont-Aigu is showing beautifully, unwinding in the glass with aromas of sweet citrus fruit, pear and peach mingled with hazelnuts and freshly baked bread. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and seamless, it’s bright and racy, with a deep core of fruit and a long, penetrating finish. As readers will remember, this bottling derives from a south-facing calcareous outcropping where yields are limited by vine age and leaf roll virus.”
Suenen ‘Les Robarts’ Grand Cru Cramant Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, Champagne 2017 750ml $249 special, 5 bottles in stock now
Decanter 95 points “This sought-after cuvée may be the most refined and energetic of Aurélien Suenen’s wines from the northern Côte, focusing on a single plot of Chardonnay planted on fine vermiculite clay over belemnite chalk situated on the border between Avize and Cramant. With a stunningly bright, fluid energy running through roasted citrus and groundnut richness derived from subtle oak fermentation, this is a tremendously elegant Chardonnay-driven Champagne full of chalky crunch and delicate, dancing detail. (Drink between 2024-2030).”
In Stock Now:
Suenen ‘C+C’ Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, Champagne NV (2020) 750ml $125 special, 20 bottles in stock now
Audrey Frick-Jeb Dunnuck 93 points “Coming from the two villages of Cremant and Chouilly, the NV Champagne Grand Cru Blanc De Blancs C+C Extra Brut pours a bright straw color and is pretty, floral, and fresh on the nose, with notes of crushed chalky earth, lemon blossom, fresh apples. The palate is medium-framed and focused, with a fine, pinpoint mousse, a clean feel throughout, notes of fresh savory broth and saline, and a clean, stony finish. Drink it over the next 6-8 years.”
Suenen ‘La Cocluette’ Oiry Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, Champagne 2016 750ml $219 special, 1 bottle in stock now
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 95 points “Aromas of peach, orange zest, white flowers and freshly baked bread introduce the brilliant 2016 Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Oiry La Cocluette, a medium to full-bodied, satiny and seamless Champagne that’s pure, racy and saline, with chalky structure and a long, resonant finish. This north-facing plot, planted in 1925, always delivers one of the more electric wines in the range, and that’s certainly the case this year.”
Suenen ‘Le Mont-Aigu’ Chouilly Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, Champagne 2016 750ml $249 special, 3 bottles in stock now
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 95+ points “Disgorged in June 2022, Suenen’s 2016 Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Chouilly Le Mont-Aigu is showing beautifully, unwinding in the glass with aromas of sweet citrus fruit, pear and peach mingled with hazelnuts and freshly baked bread. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and seamless, it’s bright and racy, with a deep core of fruit and a long, penetrating finish. As readers will remember, this bottling derives from a south-facing calcareous outcropping where yields are limited by vine age and leaf roll virus.”
Suenen ‘Les Robarts’ Grand Cru Cramant Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, Champagne 2017 750ml $249 special, 5 bottles in stock now
Decanter 95 points “This sought-after cuvée may be the most refined and energetic of Aurélien Suenen’s wines from the northern Côte, focusing on a single plot of Chardonnay planted on fine vermiculite clay over belemnite chalk situated on the border between Avize and Cramant. With a stunningly bright, fluid energy running through roasted citrus and groundnut richness derived from subtle oak fermentation, this is a tremendously elegant Chardonnay-driven Champagne full of chalky crunch and delicate, dancing detail. (Drink between 2024-2030).”
Shop all 148 of our in-stock Champagne selections here!
Don’t miss our additional sales going on now:
Muller-Catoir
5% off any 6-11 in-stock bottles of Muller-Catoir
10% off any 12 or more in-stock bottles of Muller-Catoir
California Pinot Noir
5% off any 3-5 in-stock bottles of California Pinot Noir
10% off any 6 or more in-stock bottles of California Pinot Noir
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Muller-Catoir sale ends Thursday, April 3rd at 9 am Pacific. California Pinot Noir sale ends Friday, April 4th at 9 am Pacific.