Big Sellabration – Thursday Vinopolpick

Champagne

L. Aubry Champagne Brut Premier Cru NV ($44.95) $33 special
Case-12: L. Aubry Champagne Brut Premier Cru NV $369 special (That’s just under $30 / bottle)
Josh Raynolds 91 points “(45% pinot meunier, 25% pinot noir and 25% chardonnay, with the rest arbanne, petit meslier and fromenteau; disgorged in April, 2013):  Bright straw.  Pungent aromas of Meyer lemon, pear and fig, with a gingery accent adding lift.  Sappy, penetrating citrus fruit and floral flavors are given a refreshingly bitter character by notes of pear skin and peach pit, with a waxy note coming up on the back half.  A smoky nuance lingers on the finish, which shows very good clarity and length.  Fifty-five percent of this blend is from 2010 and the rest is reserve wines, mostly from a solera that was begun in 1998.”

A.Margaine Champagne Premier Cuvee Le Brut  NV ($49.95) $36 special
Josh Raynolds 90 points “(90% chardonnay and 10% pinot noir; bottled in July, 2013 after 26 months on its lees):  Bright straw.  Fresh melon and peach on the nose, with a dusty mineral quality adding complexity and lift.  Juicy honeydew and pit fruit flavors are concentrated and energetic, picking up bitter quinine and toasty lees notes with air.  Finishes with good focus and lingering floral and spice qualities.”

Demarne-Frison Goustan Champagne Brut Nature NV 1.5L ($149.95) $99 special
“50% pinot noir from Les Clos de la Cote, 50% Chardonnay from Les Cotannes. Citrus nose, and a great balance between robust body and snappy acidity. Fresh, smooth, and easy to like.”

Anderson Valley
Roederer Estate Brut l’Ermitage 2004 ($49.95) $38.50 Special
Wine Enthusiast 97 points WINE OF THE YEAR-2013 “This is an exquisite sparkling wine made from 52% Chardonnay and 48% Pinot Noir, concocted into a special blend and aged for almost six years in oak cask. After disgorgement it was given another five months to sit in bottle before release. It has such freshness on the palate, such enviable acidity, that it’s hard to believe the grapes were picked so long ago. Crisp apple dominates, with just a trace of yeastiness on the nose and palate. This is a delicious wine”
John Gilman 93+ points “The 2004 Roederer Estate ‘l’Hermitage’ Vintage Brut is truly a superb bottle of bubbly and certainly the equal of a great many well-made bottlings from Champagne proper. The 2004 vintage includes four percent reserve wine that had been aged for five and half years sur lies prior to inclusion to this cuvée, with the cépages this year fifty-two percent chardonnay and forty-eight percent pinot noir. I could not find any information on the amount of time this wine spent on the lees or what its dosage was this year, but it has clearly been aged for quite some time in the cellars prior to release. The bouquet is deep, complex and very sophisticated in its aromatic presentation of apple, pear, a touch of pastry cream, a lovely base of alluvial soil tones, brioche, gentle smokiness and a topnote of spring flowers. On the palate the wine is deep, complex and very refined, with an excellent core, elegant mousse, crisp, beautifully integrated acids and stunning length and grip on the focused and classy finish. A paradigm of California sparkling wine. 2013-2025+. (Jul/Aug 2013)”

NAPA
Signorello Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 ($99.95) $71.90 special
Robert Parker 93 points “Signorello’s 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate (93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Cabernet Franc) exhibits a dense ruby/purple color as well as sweet notes of cedar, black currants and spice box, medium to full body, and good acidity and purity. Accessible now, it is capable of evolving for 15+ years.”

Signorello Estate Padrone Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 ($169.95) $119 special
Robert Parker 95 points “Signorello’s 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate (93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Cabernet Franc) exhibits a dense ruby/purple color as well as sweet notes of cedar, black currants and spice box, medium to full body, and good acidity and purity. Accessible now, it is capable of evolving for 15+ years.” “The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Padrone (100% Cabernet Sauvignon) boasts a blockbuster nose of blackberries, blueberries, camphor and acacia flowers. Sweet tannins and a wonderful sucrosity and ripeness on the palate conceal some serious structure. This pure, long, full, rich wine possesses lots of black fruits as well as an impressive finish that lasts nearly 45 seconds. It should be consumed over the next 15-20 years.”

Dunn Cabernet Sauvignon Napa 2005 1.5L ($169.95) $119 special
Robert Parker 92 points “The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley is gorgeous. It is a soft, caressing wine laced with expressive dark fruit, blackberries, spices, leather and flowers, all of which come together beautifully in the glass. This is a surprisingly soft, open young wine with lovely inner perfume and a mid-weight structure that makes it approachable, even today. It is a great starting point for readers who are new to the Dunn wines. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2025”

Dunn Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain 2006 1.5L ($219.95) $149 special
Robert Parker 95 points “The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is big, dark and juicy. There is an element of wildness that runs through the wine. Graphite, licorice, tar and smoke are just some of the nuances that add complexity. The 2006 boasts superb purity from start to finish. Elements of fleshiness give the impression the 2006 might drink well relatively early, until the massive tannins set in. Floral notes add freshness on the finish. This is another fabulous wine from Randy Dunn. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2036.”

AUSTRALIA
Penfolds RWT Shiraz Barossa Valley 2007 ($149.95) $99 special
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2007 RWT Shiraz is 100% Barossa Valley Shiraz matured 13 months in French hogsheads, 71% new. Very deep garnet-purple colored, it presents youthfully mute aromas of warm blackberries, stewed plums, kirsch, cedar and cloves with an array of Indian spices opening out with air. In the full-bodied mouth it gives very firm, coarsely grained tannins, very crisp acid and good concentration, finishing long and chewy. It should be more open and approachable after a year or two in bottle, drinking to 2022+.” Wine Spectator 93 points “Dense, fleshy and generous with its cherry and red berry flavors, which are wrapped in notes of pepper and licorice and persist impressively on the broad finish. Best from 2012 through 2017. 215 cases imported”

Penfolds RWT Shiraz Barossa Valley 2008 ($149.95) $89 special
Stephen Tanzer 93 points “Deep violet.  Complex bouquet of red and dark berries is complemented by smoky minerals, potpourri, anise and black pepper.  Rich but focused on the palate, offering sweet black raspberry and cassis flavors, a velvety texture and strong mineral snap.  This elegant,precise wine boasts impressive finishing sweetness.  For such a rich wine, this is very graceful and surprisingly approachable, although it’s built to age. “ Wine Advocate 93+ points “Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2008 RWT Shiraz presents quite a lot of cedar over notes of pure blackberry and black cherry fruit with hints of cinnamon stick, toast and underbrush. Medium bodied, concentrated and taut in the mouth, it has firm, grainy tannins and crisp acidity, finishing long. A little disjointed at this stage, it needs time to marry and should drink best 2014 to 2023+”

Penfolds RWT Shiraz Barossa Valley 2009 ($149.95) $79 special
Stephen Tanzer 94 points “Opaque violet color.  Potent, spice-accented aromas of dark berry compote, cola, and potpourri, with a vanilla nuance gaining strength with air.  Fleshy, palate-staining dark berry flavors show excellent depth and definition, with spicecake and candied violet notes adding complexity.  Weighty, sweet and powerful on a finish that features floral and star anise elements.”

BURGUNDY
Faiveley Chablis 1er Cru Fourchaume 2010 ($44.95) $33 special only 18 bottles
Stephen Tanzer 91 points “(from Vaulorent):  Good bright pale-medium yellow.  Musky aromas of wet stone and honey, with a cyanic hint of apricot pit.  Fat, broad and seamless, with a ripe peach flavor lifted by strong minerality.  Fine-grained and quite long, more about minerals than primary fruit.”

Faiveley Chablis Grand Cru  Preuses 2010 ($69.95) $49 special only 24 bottles
Stephen Tanzer 93 points “Bright green-tinged yellow.  Sexy, precise aromas of orange marmalade and flowers.  Broad and minerally on the palate, with orange and peach fruit flavors complicated by a creamy quality and a menthol element.  Finishes fine-grained, high-toned and very long, at once sweet and dry.  I picked up a note of botrytis here.”

Faiveley Nuits St Georges 1er Cru Aux Vignerondes 2009 ($79.95) $59 special only 24 bottles
Burghound 90-93 points “Here the fruit runs towards the blue side of the spectrum with aromas of blue berry, plum and violets that is in keeping with the extremely rich and mouth coating medium weight flavors that possess a seductive mouth feel even though the tannins that surface on the balanced, long and serious finish are rather firm.” Stephen Tanzer 89-92 points “Good full, deep red with ruby highlights. Aromas of blackberry, licorice, violet and minerals; very much a Vosne-side style of Nuits. Sweet and dense but tangy, with black fruit flavors energized by harmonious acidity. Finishes with nicely integrated tannins and very good length.”

Faiveley Beaune 1er Cru Clos l’Ecu 2010 ($59.95) $39 special only 24 bottles
Wine Spectator 93 points, Stephen Tanzer 89-92 points “Good bright red.  Reticent aromas of dark cherry and crushed stone show a building spice character with air; less exuberant than the Champs Fulliot.  Lovely definition and lift to the youthfully closed flavors of pomegranate, cherry and orange zest.  Finishes firmly tannic and closed, but with excellent energy and subtle lingering perfume.  These south-facing vines were picked at the beginning of the harvest.”

PIEDMONT
Vietti Barbera D’Asti Tre Vigne 2011 ($19.95) $14 special
Stephen Tanzer 91 points “Deep ruby-red.  Distinctly blacker on the nose, offering rather powerful scents of black cherry and crushed blackberry sweetened by caramel oak.  Plush, strong and deep, with black fruit and licorice flavors…”

SOUTH AFRICA
Boekenhoutskloof Porcupine Ridge Syrah 2012 ($12.95) $7.50 special
Case 12: Boekenhoutskloof Porcupine Ridge Syrah 2012 $79 special (That’s $6.583 / bottle)
Wine Spectator 88 points “Offers a lightly roasted feel, with an espresso frame and notes of ganache, steeped plum and blackberry fruit hanging through the finish, where white pepper flickers”

SPAIN 
Dominio Pingus Flor de Pingus Ribera del Duero 2011 ($99.95) $69 Special
Wine Advocate 93-95 points “The 2011 Flor de Pingus demonstrates wonderful purity on the nose, perhaps more feminine and wily than the 2010 with luscious raspberry, blackberry and forest floor notes. The palate is full-bodied with filigree tannins and a little more volume than the 2010. It seems generous and very supple at this early juncture with a caressing, peppery finish that is extremely well focused. There 2011 has awesome potential and I cannot wait to taste this after two or three years in bottle.”

WA/ID Flat rate shipping- $20 any size single order,
Oregon Flat rate shipping- $17 any size single order,
www.vinopoliswineshop.com

Domaine Jean-Marc Boillot Montagny Premier Cru 2011($29.95) $21.90 special
Antonio Galloni 89 points “Pears, white peaches and flowers all emerge with grace from this impeccable, gracious white Burgundy. High-toned floral and spice notes add texture on an inviting finish endowed with lovely breadth and volume. This is one of the great values in Burgundy.”

Faiveley Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru 2010 ($189.95) $119 special only 8 bottles
Burghound 92-95 points “This is unusually elegant in 2010 with its refined nose of raspberry and earth though there are background notes of grilled meat and smoke. The supple, mouth coating and utterly delicious broad-shouldered flavors possess a silky texture yet there is plenty of power and punch to the very firmly structured finish. While there is a certain delicacy present, this will still need all of 15 years to realize its full potential.”

Chateau de Roquefort Grele Rose VDP Mediterranee 2012 ($17.95) $11.90 special  
Josh Raynolds 90 points “(a blend of carignan, cinsault, grenache, mourvedre, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, syrah and rolle):  Pale orange.  High-pitched aromas of orange zest, strawberry and white flowers, with a chalky mineral overtone.  Delicate and precise on the palate, offering tangy citrus and red fruit flavors that put on weight with air.  Shows impressive cut and lift on the spicy finish, with the mineral and floral notes echoing.

Fratelli Monchiero Rocche di Castiglione Falletto Barolo Riserva ($49.95) $30.90 special
Wine Spectator 93 points “Distinctive and alluring aromas and flavors of flowers, dried cherry, leather and licorice are matched to an elegant profile. There’s a firm, underlying structure, and this lingers with dried berry, leather and tobacco notes. Best from 2014 through 2028. 275 cases made.”

CALIFORNIA

Taz Chardonnay Santa Barbera 2008 ($17.95) $6.60 special
Wine Enthusiast 90 points  “With this 2008, Taz brings to the table a wonderful Chardonnay at a great price. It’s dry and crisply acidic, with bright, perky flavors of oranges, peaches, Meyer lemons and smoky vanilla. Really nice and clean, a lovely wine and a good restaurant by-the-glass selection.”

Amuse Bouche Proprietary Red Napa 2009 ($299.95) $149 jump start special
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2009 Amuse Bouche is laced with freshly cut flowers, sweet spices and expressive red berries. Today, I find the 2009 beautifully expressive, with gorgeous aromatics, layers of fruit and lovely overall balance. This is a decidedly feminine, refined style, but it all works nicely. Layers of fruit continue to blossom through to the structured, powerful finish. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2019.”

Au Sommet Cabernet Sauvignon Atlas Peak Napa 2009 ($299.95) $149 jump start special
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2009 Au Sommet is a bit lighter on its feet than the 2008. Sweet, silky tannins frame the fruit. Unlike the 2008, the 2009 is not particularly wild or exotic. Instead, it is a wine that stands out for its textural finesse and understated personality. This mid-weight, gracious Cabernet Sauvignon should be cellared for another year or two and enjoyed over the following decade. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024”

Palazzo Cabernet Franc Napa 2008 375ml ($39.95) $21.90 special
Palazzo Cabernet Franc Napa 2008 ($79.95) $44 special
Robert Parker 92 points  “The 2008 Cabernet Franc, a wine Palazzo seems to have a Midas’ touch with, has a deep bluish/ruby/purple color. Notes of cedar wood, spice box, bay leaf, black currant and black cherry fruit jump from the glass of this medium to full-bodied, elegant, ethereal wine. It displays good ripeness and moderately sweet tannin. It should be better in 2-3 years and evolve for 12-15+.”

AUSTRALIA
Terlato-Chapoutier Shiraz Malakoff 2008 ($39.95) $19 special
Wine Spectator 91 points “Lean and lithe, tangy on balance, with roasted tomato overtones to the blackberry and pepper flavors, lingering on the polished finish. Tannins slide in on the finish. Best from 2014 through 2019”

Two Hands ‘Angels Share’ Shiraz 2011 ($39.95) $16 special
Case-12: Two Hands ‘Angels Share’ Shiraz 2010 $168 flash special (that’s $14 / bottle)
Wine Spectator 90 points  “Fresh and vibrant, tight and juicy, with blackberry and floral flavors, persisting onto a jazzy finish. Shows presence and intensity. Drink now through 2018”

AUSTRIA
Leo Alzinger Gruner Veltliner Steinertal Smargd 2011 ($69.95) $49 flash sale special
Falstaff report 96 points “(translated) Bright Green Yellow. Fine yellow peach fruit, delicate orange flavor, mineral touch, multi-faceted bouquet, succulent, very elegant texture, fine stone fruit touch, balanced, underlaid with a finesse acid structure remains very good stick, mineral finish, very good from an inspiring transparency, aging potential”

FRANCE

R de la Grange Muscadet S&M Sur Lie 2007 ($17.95) $7.70 special
From Remy Luneau, of the notable Luneau family behind the top class Luneau-Papin Muscadet wines. This too is a very good Muscadet, at an interesting age. Well made Muscadet matures very well, and our 2007 is at the beginning of that path. The greenness disappears, replaced by yellow fruits and an accentuation of Muscadet’s inherent brine character.
We just wanted to make room for new wines- and make, for you, a great deal. If you have ever tossed shellfish on the top of your grill, unbeatable. Or most cheeses, or whatever that swims.

Domaine Didier Dagueneau Fume de Pouilly Silex 2009 ($139.95) $99 flash sale special
Wine Advocate- David Schildknecht 93-94 points “From an enclave just outside the cuverie in Saint Andelain, the Dagueneau 2009 Blanc Fume de Pouilly Silex delivers an almost inordinate diversity of floral, herbal, citrus (predominately grapefruit), and pit-fruit (predominately nectarine) elements, with the bitterness of fruit pits, smoky pungency of red currant and crushed stone, as well as notes of shrimp shell reduction and iodine inflecting a long, bittersweet, yet at the same time vibrant, buoyant finish. This silken textured seducer should gain with time in bottle and be worth following for ten or a dozen years.”

Jadot Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Baudes 2010 ($119.95) $69 special
Stephen Tanzer 91-94 points “Bright medium red.  Captivating scents of red cherry, rose petal, coffee, menthol, crushed stone and wild herbs.  Silky, suave and concentrated; like a red fruit cocktail in the mouth, complicated by minerals and wild herbs.  Showy and vibrant today.  Finishes bright and very long, with terrific energy and grip.”

GERMANY 
Selbach-Oster Riesling Auslese* Zeltinger Sonnenuhr 2010 ($69.95) $44 flash special
Wine Advocate 95 points “Honeysuckle, lily and heliotrope; apple and white peach essences ravishingly scent the Selbach-Oster “one-star” 2010 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese*, then reconvene on a creamily-textured yet insistently juicy palate that conveys an irresistible sense of tenderness, delicacy, caress, yet at the same time vibrancy. The savor of browned butter, salt, and deep nut oils here are like catnip to the salivary glands. This glorious epitome of its great site finishes with extraordinary, multi-layered, and in the end almost ethereal persistence. The berries here were still largely green-gold, freckled, but only delicately (“perhaps 20-25%”) botrytized, relates Johannes Selbach, and this seems to me entirely recognizable in the glass. I would hope to follow and be spoiled by some of the 2,000 liters of this for the next quarter century.”

Selbach-Oster Riesling Beerenauslese Zeltinger Sonnenuhr 2005 375ml ($149.95) $99 flash sale special
Wine Advocate 98 points “The 2005 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Beerenauslese smells intensely honeyed, with nut paste, apple jelly, citrus oils, and a hint of molasses as well. In the mouth, this offers a most amazing combination of jellied viscosity and caramelization of fruit, a nut-brittle character of almond and hazelnut, and along with all this, the clarity and purity of a stream of fresh fruit. An intensely esterous, billowing finish carries apple, white raisin, and toasted nuts on waves of caramel, fruit jelly, and a persistently refreshing core of fresh fruit that only Riesling can deliver under circumstances this ripe and nobly rotten. It’s hard not to get carried away on these waves and with this wine.”

ITALY
Produttori  del  Barbaresco Muncagota Riserva 2008 ($59.95) $41.90 special
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2008 Barbaresco Riserva Muncagota is arguably the most open and expressive of the 2008 Riservas. It presents a gorgeous soft core of fruit to match an open personality. Although I wouldn’t suggest opening any of the 2008 Riservas for pleasure anytime soon, readers who want to get an early look at the wines should start with the Muncagota. Sweet rose petals add nuance to the vibrant fruit on the structured finish. This is a great showing from the Muncagota. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2038.” Wine Enthusiast 94 points “*A Top 100 Cellar Selection of 2013* This single-vineyard Barbaresco Riserva shows lovely floral and fruit scents of violet, iris, ripe berry and pressed powder. The palate is delicious, with black cherry, plum and spice uplifted by freshness and energizing mineral notes. It has ample depth and balance, and while it’s drinking well now, it will also age for years”

Bruna Grimaldi Barolo Camilla 2009 ($39.95) $28 special
Wine Advocate 93 points “The lovely 2009 Barolo Camilla opens to characteristic Nebbiolo aromas of wild berry, dried mint, licorice tar and pressed rose. The wine is elegant and feminine overall with fine, silky tannins at the rear. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025”

Solaria Brunello di Montalcino 2004 ($59.95) $30.90 flash sale special
Wine Spectator 94 points “Plum, cedar and leather aromas follow through to a full-bodied palate, with a lovely density of ripe fruit and a soft, velvety textured finish. Ripe and beautiful. An opulent wine that opens on the palate. This is the best ever from this estate. Best after 2011”

Riecine Chianti Classico Riserva 2006 ($49.95) $24 flash sale special
Stephen Tanzer 93 points “Good medium, bright red. Pure mineral-driven aromas of sour red cherry, raspberry and sweet spices, with a hint of licorice. Nicely delineated and sweet, with a strong red cherry quality complicated by nuances of blackcurrant and flint. Finishes long and smooth, with a captivating violet lift. Readers may also want to look for the 2005 Riserva, which is similarly excellent.”

Gulfi Sicilia Nero d’Avala Nerobaronj 2008 ($49.95) $31.90 special
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The highlight among these new releases is the 2008 Nerobaronj. An exotic melange of juicy dark cherries, freshly cut flowers, licorice and tobacco takes shape as this huge, racy wine shows off its irrepressible personality. The integrity of the fruit and the wine’s sheer balance are both marvelous to behold. Layers of fruit fill out the broad-shouldered finish beautifully. In 2008, the Nerobaronj is striking in every way. I loved it.”

Gulfi Sicilia Nero d’Avala Neromaccarj 2008 ($49.95) $37 special
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2008 Neromaccarj is one of the firmer, darker wines in this range. There is also an element of inner reserve that is utterly beguiling. Dark black cherries, plums, licorice and minerals sit on a firm backbone of tannins that give the wine its energy. Notable for its intensity and power, the 2008 brings together ripeness and structure in a complete wine that is an absolute joy to taste. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2020.”

SPAIN 
Vina Zorzal Garnacha Vina Vieja Navarra 2010 ($14.95) $8.80 special
Josh Raynolds 88 points “Bright purple.  Jammy black and blue fruits on the nose and in the mouth.  Open-knit and juicy, with good clarity and lift.  Not the last word in complexity but extremely easy to like.  Finishes with good clarity and subtle spiciness.”

Artazuri Garnacha Navarra 2011 ($11.95) $7.70 special
Jamie Goode – Wine Anorak 90 points “Lovely fresh raspberry fruit nose. Crunchy, lively and pure. The palate is ripe, supple and elegant with bright cherry and raspberry fruit, finishing with some grippiness. Vibrant and juicy, and quite lovely”