In This Newsletter:
Fontodi Sale
Close-Out Featurette: Duclaux Cote Rotie
Champagne of the Day
Fontodi Sale
Close-Out Featurette: Duclaux Cote Rotie
Champagne of the Day
“Among the many excellent estates located in Panzano is Fontodi, one of the finest wine estates in the world…” -Monica Larner, Wine Advocate
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Fontodi
Fontodi is one of Tuscany’s most respected estates and produces some of the finest wines in the world. The wines are effortlessly delicious and harmonious, the gift of such high-quality base material.
The estate’s vineyards are planted along a high elevation hill of Conca d’Oro (“the golden shell,” named for its shape) and its south-facing amphitheater. Here, the high elevation and shape of the land offer long and warm summer days and a wild diurnal temperature swing. The calcareous clay and schist soils are optimal for producing ripe yet balanced Sangiovese.
The Manetti family purchased their property in the village of Panzano in 1968. (Before that, they crafted terracotta tiles from the soil, so you could say they know the land intimately.) Their wines quickly brought international attention to this tiny village, home to other famous estates such as Molino di Grace and Rampolla. Today, Giovanni Manetti helms the estate and is president of the Consorzio Chianti Classico, the regional winegrower association.
Fontodi’s flagship bottling, the Flaccianello della Pieve, is one of Tuscany’s most sought-after Sangiovese wines. Its class seems inevitable when you consider that each year it is made with only the finest vineyard blocks from their exquisite holdings. Built for the long haul, this is an ideal Sangiovese for a long-term cellaring and a rival to Soldera, Biondi-Santi Riserva, Pergole Torte, Valdicava’s Madonna… you name it—though the Flaccianello tends to cost less than its peers. Heck, this would be a cult wine selling for thousands if the vineyard was in Napa or Bordeaux.
Fontodi is certified organic with 70 hectares of vines across their 130 hectares of land. The family is strongly committed to organic agriculture, writing that they believe that by “respecting the environment means wines that are better, purer, and a truer expression of the grape and the territory.” The sentiment extends into the winery where the aim is to preserve the “natural integrity of the grape, in order to exalt the character and elegance of the wines.”
These are gorgeous wines to wow lovers of bold, terroir-driven reds, now on our three-day sale.
“Giovanni Manetti and Fontodi represent the pinnacle of quality that can be achieved in this part of Tuscany. That he has become a symbolic head of the region only brings more prestige and pedigree to an appellation that demands our highest respect and admiration.” -Monica Larner, Wine Advocate
5% off any 3-5 in-stock bottles from Fontodi
10% off any 6 or more in-stock bottles from Fontodi
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Sale ends Friday, December 20th at 9 am Pacific.
10% off any 6 or more in-stock bottles from Fontodi
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Sale ends Friday, December 20th at 9 am Pacific.
We offer four Fontodi options on sale now, including:
Fontodi Dino Amphora Sangiovese Colli della Toscana Centrale IGT 2018 750ml Displayed Price: $75, that’s $71.25 at 5% off and $67.50 at 10% off, 5 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 93 points “The 2018 Dino, Fontodi’s 100% Sangiovese done in amphora, is so intriguing. The purity of the Sangiovese fruit is just remarkable, as is the wine’s energy. Readers will have to look past a bit of spritziness (that dissipates with air) but there is so much to like in the 2018, starting with its exceptional balance and poise. With a bit of air, the 2018 is a drop-dead gorgeous beauty. I am really intrigued to see how the 2018 ages, as that is one of the biggest question marks for wines made in this style. Bright acids add a good deal of supporting structure that suggest the 2018 has at least another decade of fine drinking ahead of it.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Fontodi Vigna del Sorbo, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG 2017 750ml Displayed Price: $119, that’s $113.05 at 5% off and $107.10 at 10% off, 20 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 96+ points “The 2017 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo is a dense, packed wine. It is also surprisingly, almost shockingly backward. That is probably a good thing for its long-term aging prospects. Readers hoping to get an early glimpse into the 2017 before it shuts down may have a hard time doing that, as today acids and tannin dominate. I expect the 2017 will be stellar in another 4-5 years and drink well to age 25-30 if not longer. Proprietor Giovanni Manetti gave the 2017 18 months in barrique followed by 6 months in cask.”
Fontodi Flaccianello della Pieve Colli della Toscana Centrale IGT 2009 750ml Displayed Price: $149, that’s $141.55 at 5% off and $134.10 at 10% off, 1 bottle in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2009 Flaccianello della Pieve is now hitting that very specific point in a wine’s evolution in which you still identity some of the fruit, but you also get a supporting chorus of evolved aromas that enhance the overall finesse and depth of the bouquet. This wine is coming along beautifully and seems right on point in terms of its forward moving aging trajectory. Dried blackberry, cherry confit and plum are rounded out by spice, toast and bitter chocolate. The bouquet fires out on multiple sides, thus increasing the perceived complexity on hand. This vintage is very open and frank, and this is another endearing quality to admire. Interestingly, this vintage saw naturally high yields. Giovanni Manetti tells me they had to work very carefully in terms of green harvest and fruit selection in order to achieve this impeccable level of balance.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Fontodi Flaccianello della Pieve Colli della Toscana Centrale IGT 2017 750ml Displayed Price: $159, that’s $151.05 at 5% off and $143.10 at 10% off, 36 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 97 points “The 2017 Flaccianello della Pieve is fabulous. Dark, sensual and enveloping, the 2017 captures the essence of the house style in its textural richness and baritone inflections. Black cherry, plum, spice, new leather, licorice and chocolate infuse the 2017 with tremendous richness. The 2017 spent 18 months in barrique followed by 6 months in cask, the same aging regime as the Vigna del Sorbo, but with a bit more new oak. That approach worked very well, as the Flaccianello stands out for its exceptional textural elegance and finesse. It is a positively stellar wine.”
Vinopolis Close-Out Sale Featurette:
Domaine Benjamin et David Duclaux
This flagship Cote Rotie from the Declaux brothers hails from a single plot of terraces vines in Cote Blonde, tended and harvested by the brothers themselves. These are some of the oldest vines of the estate, averaging fifty years old. Just a few hundred cases are produced each year, and we are one of the few shops in the USA to stock their wines. We have just six bottles remaining from this vintage, which offers a long life in the cellar or power and impact tonight.
In Stock & On Sale Now:
Domaine Benjamin et David Duclaux Cote Rotie Maison Rouge, Rhone 2018 750ml Was $79, Now $69, 6 bottles in stock now
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 96 points “From arguably the most famous lieu-dit in the southern portion of the appellation, the Duclaux brothers’ 2018 Cote Rotie Maison Rouge is a showstopper. Scents of violets, stone fruit, anise-like spice and mixed berries combine to create a complex nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate is concentrated yet supremely silky, smooth and charming, ending long and elegant. It’s a superb example of the generally softer, more elegant style found around Tupin et Semons.”
Jeb Dunnuck 96 points “The flagship is the 2018 Côte Rôtie Maison Rouge, which comes from the southern end of the appellation, where the soils are finer and lighter in color. This cuvée is all Syrah and was brought up in 40% new oak. The 2018 is a rich, powerful wine by this cuvée’s standards and has a deeper ruby hue as well as a ripe, powerful nose of darker red and black fruits, bouquet garni, dried flowers, graphite, and lots of obvious minerality. Beautifully balanced, medium to full-bodied, and as seamless as they come, this is a classy, serious Côte Rôtie that needs 2-4 years of bottle age and will evolve gracefully for 20 years or more.”
In Stock & On Sale Now:
Domaine Benjamin et David Duclaux Cote Rotie Maison Rouge, Rhone 2018 750ml Was $79, Now $69, 6 bottles in stock now
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 96 points “From arguably the most famous lieu-dit in the southern portion of the appellation, the Duclaux brothers’ 2018 Cote Rotie Maison Rouge is a showstopper. Scents of violets, stone fruit, anise-like spice and mixed berries combine to create a complex nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate is concentrated yet supremely silky, smooth and charming, ending long and elegant. It’s a superb example of the generally softer, more elegant style found around Tupin et Semons.”
Jeb Dunnuck 96 points “The flagship is the 2018 Côte Rôtie Maison Rouge, which comes from the southern end of the appellation, where the soils are finer and lighter in color. This cuvée is all Syrah and was brought up in 40% new oak. The 2018 is a rich, powerful wine by this cuvée’s standards and has a deeper ruby hue as well as a ripe, powerful nose of darker red and black fruits, bouquet garni, dried flowers, graphite, and lots of obvious minerality. Beautifully balanced, medium to full-bodied, and as seamless as they come, this is a classy, serious Côte Rôtie that needs 2-4 years of bottle age and will evolve gracefully for 20 years or more.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
We offer 210 wines on our Close-Out Sale in stock now.
Shop the sale on our webstore now!
Champagne of the Day:
2013 Cristal Rosé
Shop the sale on our webstore now!
Champagne of the Day:
2013 Cristal Rosé
2013 was an epic vintage in Champagne. What contributed to the profundity of the vintage? It was a combination of factors, heavily influenced by the uncharacteristically long and cool growing season. Long and cool, that is, by modern standards. The late harvest in October was once a standard for the region. Not so much anymore thanks to climate change.
By many metrics, 2013 reads as a classic vintage, harkening back to the glory days of the 70s and before. Perhaps even better, as the region embraces more sustainable farming methods.
One of the finest Champagnes of the vintage is the Cristal Rosé. Described by William Kelley of the Wine Advocate as “the reigning champion of the region’s tête de cuvée bottlings” and by Antonio Galloni of Vinous as “ravishing,” this is a wine to cherish. We have one bottle in stock of this work of art. Bring it home to your cellar for a long slumber. Future you, your perhaps your kids, will thank you.
In Stock Now:
Louis Roederer Cristal Brut Rosé 2013 750ml $619 special, 1 bottle in stock now
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 99 points “A candidate for wine-of-the-vintage honors in Champagne, Roederer’s 2013 Cristal Rosé is showing brilliantly, unfurling in the glass with notes of crisp orchard fruit, white flowers, red berries, stone fruit, freshly baked bread and tangerine oil. Full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, the vintage’s bright girdling acids are amply cloaked in exuberant, expressive and notably concentrated fruit; so while this Cristal is as tensile and age-worthy as one would expect, it’s also impressively fleshy and generous given the year. Concluding with an intensely sapid finish, the 2013 isn’t as overtly structured as the muscular, tightly wound 2012: rather, it’s the 2013’s alliance of cut and flesh, precision and charm that’s so compelling this year. This is another banner vintage for what I consider the reigning champion of the region’s tête de cuvée bottlings, and it will be worth an effort to acquire.”
By many metrics, 2013 reads as a classic vintage, harkening back to the glory days of the 70s and before. Perhaps even better, as the region embraces more sustainable farming methods.
One of the finest Champagnes of the vintage is the Cristal Rosé. Described by William Kelley of the Wine Advocate as “the reigning champion of the region’s tête de cuvée bottlings” and by Antonio Galloni of Vinous as “ravishing,” this is a wine to cherish. We have one bottle in stock of this work of art. Bring it home to your cellar for a long slumber. Future you, your perhaps your kids, will thank you.
In Stock Now:
Louis Roederer Cristal Brut Rosé 2013 750ml $619 special, 1 bottle in stock now
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 99 points “A candidate for wine-of-the-vintage honors in Champagne, Roederer’s 2013 Cristal Rosé is showing brilliantly, unfurling in the glass with notes of crisp orchard fruit, white flowers, red berries, stone fruit, freshly baked bread and tangerine oil. Full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, the vintage’s bright girdling acids are amply cloaked in exuberant, expressive and notably concentrated fruit; so while this Cristal is as tensile and age-worthy as one would expect, it’s also impressively fleshy and generous given the year. Concluding with an intensely sapid finish, the 2013 isn’t as overtly structured as the muscular, tightly wound 2012: rather, it’s the 2013’s alliance of cut and flesh, precision and charm that’s so compelling this year. This is another banner vintage for what I consider the reigning champion of the region’s tête de cuvée bottlings, and it will be worth an effort to acquire.”
Tis the season of bubbles!
Share joyously & shop our selection of 136 Champagnes on our webstore now!
Don’t miss our additional sales going on now:
Remelluri
5% off any 3-5 in-stock bottles from Remelluri
10% off any 6 or more in-stock bottles from Remelluri
German & French 375mls
5% off any 4-8 in-stock bottles from German & French 375mls
10% off any 9 or more in-stock bottles from German & French 375mls
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Remelluri sale ends Wednesday, December 18th at 9 am Pacific. German & French 375mls sale ends Thursday, December 19th at 9 am Pacific.