In This Newsletter:
California Pinot Noir Sale
Champagne Featurette: Tarlant
California Pinot Noir Sale
Champagne Featurette: Tarlant
Stock Up & Save On
California Pinot Noir
California Pinot Noir
Our neighbor to the south has been crafting world class Pinot Noir for quite some time. We adore California Pinot Noirs for their class and texture. With prestigious names in stock like Rhys, Merry Edwards, and Racines, you’re certain to fall in love with these magnificent wonders.
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.
Sale ends Friday, April 4th at 9 am Pacific.
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.
Sale ends Friday, April 4th at 9 am Pacific.
We offer thirty in-stock California Pinot Noir options on sale now, including:
Rhys Vineyards Horseshoe Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains 2018 1.5L Displayed Price: $279, that’s $265.05 at 5% off and $251.10 at 10% off, 2 magnums in stock now
Matthew Luczy-Wine Advocate 96+ points “As is consistent at this site, the 2018 Pinot Noir Horseshoe Vineyard is aromatically slow to open but unstoppable once it starts. After coaxing, the nose combines captivating aromas of cured meat, brown sugar, spice box and truffle. The palate is svelte and generous, coating the palate with a core of polished fruit flavors, silky texture and mouthwatering acidity. The finish features precise, powerful tannins and a refined frame, concluding this beautifully complex wine and urging the taster to start again. While I found this surprisingly accessible at this stage, it will undoubtedly continue to pay dividends to those who avoid the temptation to pull corks.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today for the magnum!
Rhys Vineyards Horseshoe Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $99, that’s $94.05 at 5% off and $89.10 at 10% off, 3 bottles in stock now
Matthew Luczy-Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2019 Pinot Noir Horseshoe Vineyard is unusually wide open from the first pour, offering an immediately dazzling nose of perfectly ripe red fruits, cherry blossoms, cured meat, river rocks and petrichor. The palate is silky, suave and precise with less weight than usual, seemingly sacrificing none of the power, complexity and refreshing momentum generated with aeration. Echoing the palate, the finish is initially more subtle than explosive, nevertheless ending up at the same amazingly complex, expansive destination. As always, this does nothing but morph and gain dimension with time, as I have no doubt it will do over the next two decades.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Rhys Vineyards Family Farm Vineyard Pinot Noir, San Mateo County 2018 750ml Displayed Price: $79, that’s $75.05 at 5% off and $71.10 at 10% off, 2 bottles in stock now
Matthew Luczy-Wine Advocate 93 points “Within the impressively structured Rhys lineup, the 2018 Pinot Noir Family Farm Vineyard is relatively accessible in its youth. It is dark, meaty and savory on the nose, with aromas of black fruit, mortadella, plums and cardamom. The palate is rich and forward, with a velvety texture and deft concentration, leading to a fresh and floral finish that rounds the wine out beautifully.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Rhys Vineyards Home Vineyard Pinot Noir, San Mateo County 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $89, that’s $84.55 at 5% off and $80.10 at 10% off, 1 bottle in stock now
Matthew Luczy-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2019 Pinot Noir Home Vineyard is lifted and aromatically expressive from the outset, with fresh aromas of cherry blossom, wild strawberry and underbrush. Seamless and svelte on the palate, this finishes on a lively, spry note with mouthwatering acidity and subtle, pleasing tannins. This is ready to enjoy now, but I look forward to following it over the next decade.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Rhys Vineyards Mt. Pajaro Vineyard Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $87, that’s $82.65 at 5% off and $78.30 at 10% off, 4 bottles in stock now
Matthew Luczy-Wine Advocate 94 points “Lovely and coniferous on the nose, the 2019 Pinot Noir Mt. Pajaro Vineyard opens with black cherry, blueberry, redwood duff and evergreen aromas. The palate perfectly summarizes the Corralitos region’s medium-bodied, seamless red-fruited profile and lifted saline energy. The elegant finish is already beginning to integrate, showing a solid tannic grip but emphasizing refreshing acidity. The Rhys team is confident that this site will produce Pinot Noir on par with its flagship Horseshoe and Alpine sites with time, and this vintage provides some foreshadowing of that future.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Rhys Vineyards Skyline Vineyard Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $279, that’s $265.05 at 5% off and $251.10 at 10% off, 1 bottle in stock now
Matthew Luczy-Wine Advocate 98 points “If the Rhys Horseshoe and Alpine bottlings are in perpetual friendly competition, the Skyline bottling watches from the sidelines and doesn’t bother to get involved. The trifecta of extreme-density plantings, the highest-elevation site and 100% whole-cluster fermentation take this wine to another aromatic and textural dimension, even for Rhys. The 2019 Pinot Noir Skyline Vineyard enters with a kaleidoscopic yet organized nose, as if neatly compartmentalizing its dark fruited, floral, mossy, exotic aromas. The palate follows with similar delineation and focus, with lavish density and precision, exploding into a finish that completely envelopes the palate with quenching acidity and pleasantly chewy tannins. It is a superb and sublime showing from Rhys that should effortlessly age for over two decades.”
Beau Marchais Clos Pepe Vineyard Est Pinot Noir, Sta Rita Hills 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $85, that’s $80.75 at 5% off and $76.50 at 10% off, 10 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 94-96 points “While there won’t be any releases from Santa Lucia due to smoke, they were able to release their Clos Pepe Pinot Noirs. The 2020 Pinot Noir Clos Pepe Est Vineyard saw 25% stems, 48 days on stems, and aging all in new barrels. Lots of mulberry, chocolate covered strawberries, and plum fruits as well as notes of orange blossom and spice emerge from the glass, and it’s a rich, full-bodied, textured beauty that packs one heck of a mid-palate. With ripe tannins and an expansive, supple texture, drink this hedonistic, sexy Pinot Noir on release and over the following 7-8 years.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Hirsch Vineyards Block 8 Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $79, that’s $75.05 at 5% off and $71.10 at 10% off, 3 bottles in stock now
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 93 points “At this stage, the 2020 Pinot Noir Block 8 seems to have escaped impact from the season’s devastating heat and wildfires. It has complex aromas of strawberry jam, rhubarb, hibiscus, black tea, mushroom and mossy bark. The medium-bodied palate is silky and refreshing and boasts highly concentrated flavors and a very long, perfumed finish.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Kutch Bohan Vineyard Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $49, that’s $46.55 at 5% off and $44.10 at 10% off, 2 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 92 points “The 2019 Pinot Noir Bohan Vineyard impresses for its translucent, mid-weight personality. This is an especially fragrant, savory style. Dried cherry, mint, sweet spice and new leather are all finely woven together in an understated, classy Pinot that is all nuance. Bright, saline notes linger on the finish that is a bit fleeting. I would drink the 2019 on the earlier side.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Merry Edwards Meredith Estate Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley 2018 750ml Displayed Price: $79, that’s $75.05 at 5% off and $71.10 at 10% off, 7 bottles in stock now
Wine Enthusiast 95 points “This wine is exuberantly layered in bright tones of pomegranate and strawberry, while textured with integrated tannins and oak. Complementary elements of forest floor, black tea and clove play well with the fruitiness and enduring lushness on the palate.”
Morlet Family Vineyards En Famille Pinot Noir, Fort Ross-Seaview 2018 750ml Displayed Price: $124, that’s $117.80 at 5% off and $111.60 at 10% off, 2 bottles in stock now
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate 96 points “The En Famille Pinot Noir comes from a vineyard planted in 1990 to Goldridge soils, right next door to the “Coteaux Nobles” vineyard in Fort Ross-Seaview. Medium ruby-purple colored, the 2018 Pinot Noir En Famille sashays out of the glass with gorgeous scents of cranberry jelly, pomegranate and raspberry preserves, leading to suggestions of underbrush, dried lavender and orange peel. The full-bodied palate is densely laden with red fruit preserves and earthy layers, supported by very finely grained tannins and tons of freshness, finishing with a refreshing lift. 360 cases were made.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Racines Sanford & Benedict Vineyard Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $115, that’s $109.25 at 5% off and $103.50 at 10% off, 8 bottles in stock now
Decanter 94 points “From organic vineyards along the Santa Rosa Road corridor, this Pinot Noir from Racines is a straightforward cooler site Pinot Noir from Sta Rita Hills. Aromas of strawberry fruit leather give way to notes of turned earth and crushed black basalt. The palate is savoury, with underlying dried fruit flavours. Montmorency cherries, garden soil and clove, evolve into notes of savoury herbs and streaks of graphite minerality.”
Racines Sta. Rita Hills Cuvée Pinot Noir 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $54.50, that’s $51.78 at 5% off and $49.05 at 10% off, 19 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 93 points “The 2020 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills Cuvée is a terrific introduction to the range. Crushed red berry fruit, mint, spice, rose petal and a touch of whole cluster savoriness are all beautifully delineated. This is suh a gorgeous and expressive Pinot.”
Racines ‘Sainte Rose’ Pinot Noir, Sta Rita Hills 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $79, that’s $75.05 at 5% off and $71.10 at 10% off, 8 bottles in stock now
Decanter 94 points “From organic vineyards along the Santa Rosa Road corridor, this Pinot Noir from Racines is a straightforward cooler site Pinot Noir from Sta Rita Hills. Aromas of strawberry fruit leather give way to notes of turned earth and crushed black basalt. The palate is savoury, with underlying dried fruit flavours. Montmorency cherries, garden soil and clove, evolve into notes of savoury herbs and streaks of graphite minerality.”
Sanford Winery Pinot Noir, Sta Rita Hills 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $33, that’s $31.35 at 5% off and $29.70 at 10% off, 12 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 94 points “The entry level 2020 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills comes from a mix of the Rinconada and Sanford & Benedict vineyards and spent 11 months in 27% new French oak. This ruby-hued effort gives up a gorgeous perfume of ripe raspberry and strawberry fruits as well as white flowers, spice, and a touch of chalky, mineral-like nuances. Medium-bodied, seamless, and balanced on the palate, it’s just a flat-out beautiful expression of Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir. Drink bottles over the coming 7-8 years.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Shop our thirty California Pinot Noir selections now!
Champagne Featurette:
Tarlant
Founded in 1687 and passed down from generation to generation ever since, Tarlant is a household name in Epernay. The family grows 35 acres (with four crus in their portfolio) of the usual-suspect Champagne varieties, plus such grapes as Arbanne and Petit Meslier. After the crush in a traditional-style, round wooden press, each vineyard plot is vinified separately, in oak or stainless steel, and then raised in barrel. The Tarlant family does the blending, and likes its Champagne bone dry. This is classically pure Champagne, of deep-rooted descent that stood out in a recent tasting as one of the finest examples of Brut Nature Champagne.
In Stock Now:
Tarlant Zero Brut Nature, Champagne NV (2015) 750ml $69 special, 10 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 94 points “Already in the nose this Brut Nature makes a bold statement with full aromas of quince and spice. Powerful and seriously structured with stacks of candied citrus and dried pear character on the ample palate. Complex autumnal finish. From vineyards in the villages of Oeuilly, Boursault, Celles-les-Conde and Saint-Agnan, a blend of 2015 and reserve wines matured in oak. Bottled in April 2016 and disgorged on June 27th 2022. Drink or hold.”
Wine Spectator 92 points “An opulent range of grilled nut, plumped white cherry, crystallized honey and mandarin orange peel flavors are reined-in and well-meshed with a spine of crackling acidity in this bold and distinctive Champagne. An iodine-laced overtone of oyster shell and brine imparts a minerality that carries through and lingers on the fine and creamy finish. Disgorged July 2019. Drink now through 2024.”
Tarlant ‘Le Triumvirat’ Brut Nature Millesime, Champagne 2009 750ml $119 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Importer Note “58% Chardonnay/42% Pinot Noir. Most vintages, the Tarlants make a unique, usually multi-parcel wine as a snapshot of that particular vintage’s personality. This blend came from three plots–L’Enclume, Crayons and Sablés–hence the “Triumvirat” moniker. 2009 was according to Benoît Tarlant “a very solar year, of richness and power”. All of the vines are organically farmed and harvested by hand, with the clusters very slowly and gently pressed. The juice ferments spontaneously with native yeasts in Burgundy barrels; the wine does not go through malolactic fermentation. Triumvirat was bottled in 2010, disgorged in 2023 and received zero dosage.”
Tarlant Zero Brut Nature Rosé, Champagne NV (2017) 750ml $79 special, 8 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 92 points “The NV Brut Nature Rosé Zero is another terric wine from Tarlant. Rose petal, chalk, mint, white flowers and crushed rocks all grace this deep yet wonderfully Champagne translucent Rosé. The blend is 50% Chardonnay, 44% Pinot Noir and 6% Meunier, based on 2017 with added reserve wines. Disgorged: January 2023.”
Tarlant ‘Saignee des Tempetées’ Rosé Brut Nature, Champagne 2015 750ml $119 special, 8 bottles in stock now
Audrey Frick-Jeb Dunnuck 93+ points “The first release of this cuvée, the 2015 Champagne Saignée Des Tempetée Brut Nature Rosé is 100% Pinot Noir, macerated on the skins for 16 hours and disgorged in March 2021. A deep salmon/garnet hue, it offers a very expressive, savory profile, with notes of blood orange, candied roses, and crushed rocks. Full-bodied with a pillowy mousse, it opens to notes of fleshy ripe apricot, which is followed by a long-lasting finish. It’s ripe with generous fruit and has no harsh edges to it. It is a very attractive wine to add to the range. Drink 2024-2034. Only 888 bottles were produced. (Drink between 2024-2034).”
In Stock Now:
Tarlant Zero Brut Nature, Champagne NV (2015) 750ml $69 special, 10 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 94 points “Already in the nose this Brut Nature makes a bold statement with full aromas of quince and spice. Powerful and seriously structured with stacks of candied citrus and dried pear character on the ample palate. Complex autumnal finish. From vineyards in the villages of Oeuilly, Boursault, Celles-les-Conde and Saint-Agnan, a blend of 2015 and reserve wines matured in oak. Bottled in April 2016 and disgorged on June 27th 2022. Drink or hold.”
Wine Spectator 92 points “An opulent range of grilled nut, plumped white cherry, crystallized honey and mandarin orange peel flavors are reined-in and well-meshed with a spine of crackling acidity in this bold and distinctive Champagne. An iodine-laced overtone of oyster shell and brine imparts a minerality that carries through and lingers on the fine and creamy finish. Disgorged July 2019. Drink now through 2024.”
Tarlant ‘Le Triumvirat’ Brut Nature Millesime, Champagne 2009 750ml $119 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Importer Note “58% Chardonnay/42% Pinot Noir. Most vintages, the Tarlants make a unique, usually multi-parcel wine as a snapshot of that particular vintage’s personality. This blend came from three plots–L’Enclume, Crayons and Sablés–hence the “Triumvirat” moniker. 2009 was according to Benoît Tarlant “a very solar year, of richness and power”. All of the vines are organically farmed and harvested by hand, with the clusters very slowly and gently pressed. The juice ferments spontaneously with native yeasts in Burgundy barrels; the wine does not go through malolactic fermentation. Triumvirat was bottled in 2010, disgorged in 2023 and received zero dosage.”
Tarlant Zero Brut Nature Rosé, Champagne NV (2017) 750ml $79 special, 8 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 92 points “The NV Brut Nature Rosé Zero is another terric wine from Tarlant. Rose petal, chalk, mint, white flowers and crushed rocks all grace this deep yet wonderfully Champagne translucent Rosé. The blend is 50% Chardonnay, 44% Pinot Noir and 6% Meunier, based on 2017 with added reserve wines. Disgorged: January 2023.”
Tarlant ‘Saignee des Tempetées’ Rosé Brut Nature, Champagne 2015 750ml $119 special, 8 bottles in stock now
Audrey Frick-Jeb Dunnuck 93+ points “The first release of this cuvée, the 2015 Champagne Saignée Des Tempetée Brut Nature Rosé is 100% Pinot Noir, macerated on the skins for 16 hours and disgorged in March 2021. A deep salmon/garnet hue, it offers a very expressive, savory profile, with notes of blood orange, candied roses, and crushed rocks. Full-bodied with a pillowy mousse, it opens to notes of fleshy ripe apricot, which is followed by a long-lasting finish. It’s ripe with generous fruit and has no harsh edges to it. It is a very attractive wine to add to the range. Drink 2024-2034. Only 888 bottles were produced. (Drink between 2024-2034).”
Shop all 148 of our in-stock Champagne selections here!
Don’t miss our additional sales going on now:
Cavallotto
5% off any 3-5 in-stock bottles of Cavallotto
10% off any 6 or more in-stock bottles of Cavallotto
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
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Cavallotto sale ends Wednesday, April 2nd at 9 am Pacific. Muller-Catoir sale ends Thursday, April 3rd at 9 am Pacific.