Fourth of July Spectacular 7-4-18

In Today’s Newsletter:

Fourth of July Spectacular
Featuring Myriad Holiday Additions to our July Sale!
Magnum Madness: Big Bottles with Big Discounts
End of Bin Clearance Blow Outs!
Agathe Bursin – Rising Star of Alsace Heads to the July Sale!

Arriving Friday:
Collections From Three Benchmarks
Vietti, Aldo Conterno and Orin Swift

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Vinopolis Wine Shop

Will Be Closed on July 4th

We will re-open on Thursday, July 5th
for our regularly scheduled hours

10 am – 6 pm

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Fourth of July Spectacular

Featuring Myriad Holiday
Additions to our July Sale!

New Arrival 
Grand Deal on a Grand Marque Champagne

It’s $145/btl less expensive than the average listed price!  Wow!
Perrier-Jouet Belle Epoque – Fleur de Champagne Brut Millesime Rose 2005 750ML ($319.95) $159 Clearance Price
Wine Enthusiast 95 points “The palest of rosés, this crisp, bright and fruity wine is full of tight acidity, freshly picked raspberries and steely acidity. It could age a few more years to bring out a toastier character.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $304

Other Great Fourth Additions:

Domaine de Saint-Siffrein Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Rhone 2012 750ML ($49.95) Was $39, Now $29 Clearance Price, 15 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 90 points
“Kicking off the 2012s, Saint Siffrein’s straight Châteauneuf du Pape offers loads of kirsch, mulled spice, blackberry and garrigue in its classic, medium to full-bodied, ripe and textured style. Made from 65% Grenache, 15% each of Mourvedre and Syrah and the rest Cinsault, aged 12 moths in stainless steel and foudre, it’s an outstanding, Provencal effort to drink over the coming 8-10 years.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Paitin di Pasquero-Elia ‘Sori Paitin Vecchie Vigne’, Barbaresco DOCG 2010 750ML ($89.95) Was $69, Now $59 Clearance Price, 16 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 95+ points
“The 2010 Barbaresco Sorì Paitin Vigne Vecchie hits the palate with fabulous depth and intensity. Savory herbs, smoke, tobacco, incense, menthol and licorice race out of the glass in an intense, structured Barbaresco loaded with class, energy and pure power. There is plenty to look forward to, once the tannins soften a bit. The 2010 has closed down pretty dramatically since the last time I tasted it, about a year ago. Readers will have to be patient. The 2010 spent a total of 30 months in cask.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Avignonesi Riserva Grandi Annate, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG 2012 750ML ($99.95) Was $77, Now $69 Clearance Price, 18 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 93 points
“You’ll notice that this wine is no longer labeled “Riserva.” Avignonesi wanted to reduce the time it spends in oak and made the name adjustment accordingly. This seems like a good idea to me. The 2012 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Grandi Annate gives new life to one of Tuscany’s most historic wines. There is more elegance and finesse here. I must say that past vintages have been a disappointment, but this expression seems to break all ties with the past. Fruit is sourced primarily from the Banditella vineyard that tends to produce more austere and concentrated Sangiovese. Indeed, this wine is highly redolent of black fruit, tar, licorice and even a touch of white mushroom. Everyone loves a comeback story and that’s what you get here.”
James Suckling 93 points “A chewy and silky wine with just ripe fruit, chocolate and hazelnut character. Fresh earth undertone too. Medium body, fresh finish. Drink now or hold.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Avignonesi Vin Santo di Montepulciano, Tuscany 2001 375ML ($219.95) Was $179, Now $159 Clearance Price, 29 half-bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 98 points
“The 2001 Vin Santo di Montepulciano (375 milliliters) is a divine and superbly delicious sweet blend of Trebbiano, Malvasia and Grechetto. The results are super concentrated and simmered down to a virtual reduction sauce of deliciousness. There are so many aromas to name, but some of the most evident highlights include candied orange peel, almond marzipan, caramel, toasted coffee bean, vanilla stick, mocha, dark honey and fragrant yellow rose. The mouthfeel is creamy, rich and deeply layered. I’m suggesting a slightly shorter drinking window here compared to the Occhio di Pernice. But, the truth is: I have no idea. I’m pretty sure these wines will outlive anyone of legal drinking age.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Heymann-Lowenstein Winninger Uhlen ‘R’ Roth Lay Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2010 750ML ($199.95) Was $119, Now $99 Clearance Price, 36 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 93 points
“Lowenstein’s 2010 Winninger Uhlen Riesling Auslese Gold Capsule Roth Lay – destined for auction – displays an almost sweaty aromatic alliance of salinity and musky pungency, along with nose-prickling lemon rind such as one might expect from an Eiswein. Suggestions of marigold and narcissus add to the exotic, pungent muskiness on display here. Fig and peach preserves; pear drops; marzipan and salted caramel intensely mark the palate, while zesty, musky, and saline mineral impingement serve for strikingly persistent stimulation. Despite its lower (7.5%) alcohol, though, this comes off not only as more viscous but also less buoyant (let alone “uncannily” so) than its Rottgen counterpart. That wine is an example of botrytis performing its magic and leaving nary a fingerprint behind, whereas here, prints are quite evident, even if fascinatingly smudge-free. This compellingly complex concentrate will not be everybody’s cup of nobly rotten Riesling, but ought to merit at least the better part of two decades attention.”
This was the lowest listed price in the USA today,
Now it’s even lower!
Brovia Barolo DOCG, Piedmont 2012 750ML ($51.95) Was $46, Now $39 Clearance Price, 18 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni
“Brovia’s 2012 Barolo is classy, polished and absolutely delicious. With a little bit of air, the 2012 can be enjoyed now, but it also has enough freshness and balance to drink well for at least a handful of years. I have seen Brovia’s straight Barolo age well, so I won’t be surprised if that turns out to be the case here as well. Floral and red stone fruit notes give the 2012 much of its freshness and mid-weight feel. This is an especially lifted, gracious Barolo for the vintage.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Adriano Marco e Vittorio Basarin, Barbaresco DOCG 2014 750ML ($34.95) Was $29, Now $24 Clearance Price, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 94 points
“Elegant, leading off with perfumed aromas of rose, cherry, strawberry and white pepper. The profile is sleek, with a solid base of acidity and tannins. Shows terrific length, evoking fruit and mineral on the aftertaste. Best from 2019 through 2033.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Montevertine Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2014 750ML ($59.95) Was $49, Now $39 Clearance Price, 25 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 93 points
“The gracious, perfumed 2014 Montevertine is a wine of pure finesse. Silky, slender and exceptionally beautiful, it is not the most obvious or powerful Montevertine, but it impresses with its balance, poise and class. Floral notes add nuance to the bright, sculpted finish.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Arrowood Winery Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, California 2014 750ML ($34.95) Was $27, Now $24 Clearance Price, 14 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 92 points
“Very deep garnet-purple in color, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, composed of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot and 4% Malbec, is scented of red currants, blackberries and wild blueberries with touches of olives and underbrush. Medium-bodied, tightly wound and packed with tense red and black fruits, it has a fine-grained texture and savory finish. 9,600 cases were produced.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

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Fourth of July Spectacular

Magnum Madness

Big Bottles with Big Discounts

Weingut A.J. Adam Dhroner Hofberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Mosel 2013 1.5L ($149.95) Was $127, Now $119 Clearance Price, only 1 magnum in stock now
Robert Parker 93+ points
“Selected twice (in the vineyard and at the winery to process only healthy grapes), 100% fuder-fermented and bottled in May 2014, the 2013 Dhroner Hofberg Riesling trocken has a very clear and precise nose displaying ripe peach and nectarine aromas intertwined with slate flavors. This leads to an impressively intense, filigreed and pure wine which develops power and finesse and does not have a single gram of fat. Sourced from 60-year-old and partly ungrafted vines this 12.4% natural alcohol cru is a full-bodied, elegant, precise and crystalline Riesling with an impressive purity and terroir expression. It has just begun its flight and could be even finer in half a year. “RP
Terry Theise notes: “This is the quasi-GG and of all these obstreperous ’13s it was the best behaved. In fact a lovely dry Riesling, herbal, juicy, malic and salty; long and clinging finish; amazing equipoise of ethereal delicacy and heavy density and grip. 94º Oechsle, rather little botrytis, cask-fermented and aged on the fine lees, and finely smoky; only 8.5g/l RS but extract concentration confers a kind of facsimile of “’sweetness.'”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Bitouzet-Prieur Les Caillerets, Volnay Premier Cru 2012 1.5L ($179.95) Was $149, Now $128 Clearance Price, 3 magnums in stock now
Antonio Galloni 92-94 points
“The 2012 Volnay Caillerets is the most impressive of these 2012s from Francois Bitouzet. Here the flavors are deep, layered and beautifully resonant from start to finish. Plum, smoke, black cherry, licorice and spices wrap around the palate as this fleshy, deep Volnay shows off its pure class and pedigree. The finish is long, generous and inviting, but the 2012 is a wine for the cellar. Patience will be rewarded. In 2012 there is just one barrel of the Caillerets instead of the customary three.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $150
Domaine Bitouzet-Prieur Taillepieds, Volnay Premier Cru 2012 1.5L ($149.950 Was $119, Now $99 Clearance Price, 6 magnums in stock now
Antonio Galloni 91-93+ points
“A layered, totally exquisite wine, the 2012 Volnay Taillepieds impresses for its balance above all else. The aromas and flavors are beautifully detailed and nuanced in a Taillepieds that is all about crystalline purity. This tasting catches the 2012 in a slightly raw, unpolished state, but nothing a little time in bottle won’t take care of.”

This is the only listing in the USA today for the magnum!

Antichi Vigneti di Cantalupo ‘Cantalupo Anno Primo’ Colline Novaresi, Piedmont 2008 1.5L ($89.95) Was $79, Now $69 Clearance Price, 2 magnums in stock now
Antonio Galloni 90 points
“The 2008 Cantalupo Anno Primo is built on a serious spine of tannin and energy, both of which give it considerable power. Dark red cherry, tobacco, smoke, herbs and leather are all expressed with quite a bit of intensity. The 2008 offers solid balance in a virile style that is probably best enjoyed at the dinner table.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Antichi Vigneti di Cantalupo ‘Cantalupo Anno Primo’ Colline Novaresi, Piedmont 2010 1.5L ($89.95) Was $77, Now $69 Clearance Price, 6 magnums in stock now
Antonio Galloni 93 points
“The 2010 Cantalupo Anno Primo is a deep, powerful wine. Black cherry, plum, lavender, spice, menthol and licorice meld together. Deep, pliant and full of character, the 2010 has so much to offer. The Cantalupo is dark and brooding, yet retains its mid-weight personality and overall feel. It is without question a very serious wine. I loved it.”
This is the only listing in the USA today for the magnum!
Clos du Val Hirondelle Vineyard Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap District 2014 1.5L ($299.95) Was $239, Now $219 Clearance Price, 1 magnum in stock now
Antonio Galloni 94 points
“Deep, inky and enveloping, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Hirondelle Estate Vineyard captures all the elements that make Stags Leaps Cabernets so compelling. A host of lavender, mint, sage, graphite and crème de cassis notes flesh out in an effortless, noble Cabernet Sauvignon endowed with notable depth and intensity.”
This is the only listing in the USA today for the magnum!
Tenuta Col d’Orcia Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2010 1.5L ($149.95) Was $99, Now $89 Clearance Price, 9 magnums in stock now
Wine Spectator 93 points
“This smells like beef bouillon, picking up pure cherry and plum fruit on the palate, along with savory elements. Lean, with well-integrated tannins and a long, meaty finish of tobacco and earth. Best from 2018 through 2030.”
Antonio Galloni 92 points “Col d’Orcia’s 2010 Brunello di Montalcino Vendemmia is all finesse. Sweet floral and spiced notes open up in the glass, followed by veins of bright red stone fruits. Hints of orange peel and white pepper add an attractive, beguiling upper register of aromatics. The 2010 is still a bit raw and much less expressive than it was from barrel, but it is promising.”

This is the only listing in the USA today for the magnum!

Weingut Donnhoff Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Auslese, Nahe 2015 1.5L ($199.95) Was $149, Now $133 Clearance Price “The 2015 Oberhäuser Brücke Riesling Auslese was selected shortly before the Spätlese and is a selection of super ripe and the rarely botrytis grapes. The wine has a super ripe and warm fruit bouquet with some spicy and flinty aromas. On the palate, this is a piquant and generous Riesling with clear definition and lingering complexity and salinity. It has very good grip. (The wine is also available in 375 milliliter bottles for $45 and 1500 milliliter bottles for $180.)”

This is the only listing in the USA today for the magnum!
F.X. Pichler Durnsteiner Kellerberg Gruner Veltliner Smaragd, Wachau 2013 1.5L ($219.95) Was $189, Now $136 Clearance Price, 5 magnums in stock now
Wine Advocate 95 points
“The tremendously deep bouquet of Pichler’s 2013 Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Kellerberg is precise, vegetal and flinty/cool. The wine is a noble, rich, highly elegant and terroir-driven Wachauer signature wine, which reveals its overwhelming power and great expression only in its finish and long, persistent aftertaste. This is, again, an icon wine of the Wachau and the 2013 vintage. A must buy, if you can afford it.”
David Schildknecht–Vinous 94 points “Smoky Szechuan and Madagascar peppers pungently announce site typicity in the nose, along with high-toned intimations of pit-inflected white peach and Mirabelle that subsequently flood the glycerol-rich, almost plush palate. The richness of fruit here, also incorporating very ripe muskmelon, is contrasted and cut with citrus rind piquancy allied to stony and peppery inflections that follow into a forcefully sustained but in no way rough or warm finish, the alcohol here having ended up at just under 14%”
This is the only listing in the USA today for the magnum!
F.X. Pichler M Gruner Veltliner Smaragd, Wachau 2013 1.5L ($219.95) Was $149, Now $128 Clearance Price, 5 magnums in stock now
Wine Advocate 94 points
“Lucas Pichler’s monumental 2013 Grüner Veltliner Smaragd M opens with an ultra-ripe, concentrated and slightly speck-y yet still precise and even mineral-scented bouquet on the nose. Very rich and intense on the palate, this elegant, full-bodied, densely textured and powerful Veltliner from late-harvested grapes reveals an aromatic and juicy fruit core along with a stunningly vibrant acidity that gives structure, length and a lifting as well as lingering salinity and piquancy. Maracuya and other tropical fruit flavors dominate the aromatic aftertaste. Although I have no experience with matured samples of this Austrian icon Veltliner, I suspect it has an aging potential of 5-10 years and should be cellared at least for another 2 or 3 years.”
This is the only listing in the USA today for the magnum!
Domaine Jean Francois Ganevat Cotes du Jura Le Montceau 2014 1.5L ($149.95) Was $119, Now $99 Clearance Price, 1 magnum in stock now
This is the lowest listed price for a magnum in the USA today!
Anne et Jean-Francois Ganevat Le Zaune a Dedee NV 1.5L ($179.95) Was $149, Now $119, 3 magnums in stock now
This is the lowest listed price for a magnum in the USA today!
Weingut Hirsch Kammerner Grub Gruner Veltliner, Kamptal 2013 1.5L ($119.95) Was $89, Now $79 Clearance Price, 1 magnum in stock now
David Schildknecht–Vinous 91 points
“After following this pithy, piquant, tightly coiled and firm yet lees-inflected bottling for a year, it seems to clearly be the Hirsch 2013 that has the farthest to travel before it reveals its full potential. Burly tobacco and black tea convey a smoky aura that intriguingly complements flavors of roasted beet root, apple and kohlrabi. The finish is impressively gripping and stony if as yet slightly undifferentiated.”
This is the lowest listed price for a magnum in the USA today!
Weingut Hirsch Kammerner Renner Gruner Veltliner, Kamptal 2013 1.5L ($99.95) Was $79, Now $69 Clearance Price, 2 magnums in stock now
David Schildknecht–Vinous 93 points
“With a diversity of mineral nuances more familiar from Riesling, this Grüner Veltliner projects an infectiously juicy and crunchily invigorating alliance of fresh lime, orange, pea tendrils, corn shoots and ginseng, with beet root earthiness joining wet stone on the bass line. A penetrating, almost severely but downright mouth-shakingly intense finish perpetuates the full range of diversity displayed on the firm palate, accompanied by hints of iodine, black tea smokiness plus saliva-inducing salinity and animality akin to oyster liquor. This weighs in at just 12.7% alcohol, permitting a lovely sense of levity to boot. A new parcel in Renner was added this year and Hirsch’s already owned vines had reached what he judged to be proper maturity for producing a wine dedicated to and worthy of this site. He was certainly right! (For further indications of this vineyard’s potential check out my accompanying review of Schloss Gobelsburg’s 2013 rendition.)”
This is the lowest listed price for a magnum in the USA today!
Weingut Hirsch Zobinger Gaisberg Riesling, Kamptal 2013 1.5L ($149.95) Was $109, Now $99 Clearance Price, 2 magnums in stock now
David Schildknecht–Vinous 92 points
“Ocean spray-like alkalinity and salinity are signaled in the nose, along with faint struck flint and intriguingly sweaty, musky hints. Palate stoniness along with citrus pip and peach kernel piquancy make for pithiness and slight austerity to this firmly textured and impressively persistent bottling. An intriguing wafting floral element suggestive of iris and narcissus is also bitterly shaded in comparison with the effusive perfume of the corresponding Heiligenstein. There is a dynamic sense of finishing interaction between the aforementioned elements and a bright citric juiciness, with coiled energy emerging as faintly electric tingling. I hope that bottling in screwcap doesn’t lock in the bit of reduction here.”
This is the lowest listed price for a magnum in the USA today!
Isole e Olena Cepparello Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2014 1.5L ($179.95) Was $149, Now $133 Clearance Price, 6 magnums in stock now
Antonio Galloni 97 points
“The 2014 Cepparello is one of the truly great wines of the vintage. Vivid and intense in all of its dimensions, it exudes purity from start to finish. Silky tannins, expressive aromatics and beautifully delineated, bright, layered Sangiovese fruit are some of the signatures. In 2014, Paolo De Marchi produced an epic Cepparello for the ages. Don’t miss it.”
This is the lowest listed price for a magnum in the USA today!
The next best price is $179
Domaine Philippe Charlopin-Parizot Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2012 1.5L ($479.95) Was $399, Now $349 Clearance Price, 2 magnums in stock now
Antonio Galloni 93-95 points
“The 2012 Clos de Vougeot is alive and vibrant in the glass. Powerful yet also beautifully delineated, the 2012 impresses for its balance and poise. Mint, anise, smoke and a host of blue/black fruits flow through to the finish. This is an intense Clos Vougeot that captures both the concentration and energy of the vintage.” AG
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Roulot Meursault Les Luchets, Cote de Beaune 2009 1.5L ($799.95) Was $699, Now $599 Clearance Price, 1 magnum in stock now
Antonio Galloni – Vinous 92 points
“The 2009 Meursault Luchets is rich, round and supple. It is one of the more open, accessible wines from Roulot in 2009. Layers of warm, radiant fruit caress the palate in stunning style. Mineral notes appear on the finish, but the Luchets is essentially about fruit, within the context of Meursault, of course.”
This is the lowest listed price for a magnum in the USA today!
The next best price is $696
Domaine de Saint-Siffrein Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Rhone 2015 1.5L ($99.95) Was $89, Now $79 Clearance Price, 5 magnums in stock now
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 91-93 points
“Bright ruby-red. Aromas and flavors of ripe red and blue fruits take on floral and peppery spice notes as the wine opens up. Silky and expansive on the palate, showing very good depth as well as energy and back-end lift. Leaves notes of candied flowers and allspice behind on the gently gripping, subtly tannic, very persistent finish.”
This is the lowest listed price for a magnum in the USA today!
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Arriving FridayCollections From Three Benchmarks

Aldo Conterno’s Immaculate 2010’s

Poderi Aldo Conterno has been producing remarkable wines ever since it was created in 1969 by the man whose name is on the label.  Sick of fighting with his brother over the winemaking style to be used at the family’s estate, the venerable Giacomo Conterno, Aldo left and never looked back. Over the course of the next several decades he established the winery as one of the most important in Italy.

Based in the Bussia hamlet in Monforte, the estate’s wines have always been powerful yet polished, with dark rich fruit.  These wines are bold Barolos, with great density and power—though they still have nuance and complexity.  We have a small assortment of wines in from 2010—a vintage that’s already attained classic status (up there with 2001, etc).  Quantities are as limited as you’d expect.

Only 8 bottles available!
Poderi Aldo Conterno Bussia Cicala, Barolo DOCG 2010 750ML ($189.95) $133 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 98 points “A gorgeous red, scented with rose, mint, menthol, cherry and leather notes, with intense flavors matching the aromas. Dense with tannins, finely wrought and dovetailing on the long, detailed finish, this is very harmonious, yet will need time to fully express itself. Best from 2018 through 2038. 200 cases imported.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 97 points “The 2010 Barolo Bussia Cicala opens to a dark ruby color and a richly concentrated appearance. This wine will appeal to those who appreciate added texture and heft in their Barolo. A special nod also goes to the aging potential of the wine that promises to be long and steady especially given the high quality of the 2010 fruit. Bussia Cicala imparts deep textural richness with lovely finesse and structural integrity. Hold this wine for ten years or more. Its profound beauty is already evident, but the wine has barely started its evolutionary course. Drink: 2018-2035.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $165.33
The average price is $181

Only 23 bottles available!
Poderi Aldo Conterno Colonnello, Barolo DOCG 2010 750ML ($179.95) $125 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 98 points “A beautifully crafted Barolo, with ripe cherry, plum, leather, spice, mineral and smoke elements. Starts off supple and approachable, but the gripping tannins soon move in, securing the lengthy, spice-filled finish. An underlying mineral vein adds depth. Best from 2018 through 2036. 200 cases imported.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $159.99
The average price is $162

Only 6 bottles available!
Poderi Aldo Conterno Romirasco Bussia, Barolo DOCG 2010 750ML ($289.95) $199 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 99 points
“This is a big and powerful wine with incredible depth and power. Full body, with fabulous texture. It lasts for minutes on the finish. It shows dark fruits, hazelnut, chocolate and minerals. This is a monopole vineyard of 3.8 hectares. One of the wines of the vintage. So energetic and tangy. All in the finish. Better in 2018.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 98 points “Last but not least in this spectacular flight, the 2010 Barolo Bussia Romirasco is an absolute stunner that shows a level of excellence that is not easy to forget. This is one of the top five wines of the widely celebrated 2010 vintage. At this young stage, the bouquet is fresh and fruit-driven with evident tones of black currant and dried cranberry. Beyond those primary aromas, are a slew of interesting secondary tones that include tar, white truffle, forest floor, leather, cola and balsam herb. Most significant, however, is the superior performance this Barolo gives in the mouth. The structure is firm and unyielding, yet the wine’s texture is supple and silky. That’s a difficult balance to achieve. Put this bottle aside for more years of aging. Drink: 2018-2042.”
Wine Spectator 97 points “A touch of oak in the aroma leads off, masking the cherry, leather, tar and tobacco flavors for now. A solidly structured mineral element emerges at the end. Should come around nicely, given the overall balance and fine length on the finish. Best from 2018 through 2036. 150 cases imported.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $223.20

Vietti’s Stunning 2014 Crus

Grand in Scope

Limited in Quantity

“This is an absolutely phenomenal set of wines from Vietti. The 2014s are every bit as magnificent as they have always been from barrel. The dual flagships Rocche di Castiglione and Ravera are superb, while the entry-level Barolo Castiglione does a great job of conveying the personality of the year. Sadly, Brunate sustained 60% hail damage. As a result, Luca Currado opted not to bottle his Barolo Brunate. Yields are down about 25% across the board, so readers will want to snap up these Barolos before they disappear.”-Antonio Galloni

Arriving July 6th:

Only 7 bottles available!
Vietti Ravera, Barolo DOCG 2014 750ML ($179.95) $159 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 97 points “Another highlight in this range, the 2014 Barolo Ravera opens with the most exquisite, captivating aromatics imaginable. It will be interesting to see if it develops a bit more midpalate depth and pliancy. Today, the 2014 is a bit austere, even within the context of the year and this site, where the wines are a bit on the nervous side to start. I have seen Vietti Raveras blossom into spectacular wines and imagine that will be the case here as well. Readers should not plan on opening a bottle anytime soon.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Only 10 bottles available!
Vietti Rocche di Castiglione, Barolo DOCG 2014 750ML ($199.95) $179 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 98 points “Vietti’s 2014 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione is shaping up to be a modern-day classic. Piercing, intense and austere in the best sense of the word, the Rocche is a wine of laser-like focus that will leave Barolo lovers weak in the knees. Candied cherry, pomegranate, kirsch, rose petal and violet overtones give the 2014 its inner sweetness and captivating perfume. In a word: stunning. Don’t miss it.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Only 4 bottles available!
Vietti Lazzarito, Barolo DOCG 2014 750ML ($179.95) $149 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 96 points “In many ways, the gorgeous 2014 Barolo Lazzarito is the most surprising wine in the range. Once a stylistic outlier with a considerable French oak influence, today it is much closer to the other Barolos in terms of feel. Deep, dark and intense, with all of the energy of the year very much on display, the Lazzarito is super-expressive and shows a more red-toned profile than is the norm. Kirsch, mint, rose petal and chalk all develop in the glass, while beams of tannin and salinity give the wine shape and persistence. The weight and depth of Serralunga come through on the midpalate and into the finish. Even so, this is in a decidedly laid-back style for Serralunga. In 2014, I especially like the wine’s aromatic presence.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Orin Swift

You keep asking for them, so here they are—the irreplaceable wines of Orin Swift. Big bold and intense, these wines pack a lot of wine into the bottle, so to speak.

Orin Swift Abstract Red, California 2015 750ML ($37.95) $24 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Orin Swift Abstract Red, California 2015 750ML ($419.95) $259 pre-arrival special (that’s only $21.58/bottle!)
Wine Spectator 90 points
“Moderately complex, though loaded with zesty, supple fruit and offering appealing notes of black raspberry, smoky beef and cracked pepper. Grenache, Syrah and Petite Sirah. Drink now through 2022.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Orin Swift Mannequin, California 2015 750ML ($34.95) $21.90 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Orin Swift Mannequin, California 2015 750ML ($359.95) $229 pre-arrival special (that’s only $19.09/bottle!)

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

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Fourth of July SpectacularA Selection of Agathe Bursin

The Rising Star of Alsace Heads to the July Sale!

Agathe Bursin Riesling Zinnkoepfle Vendanges Tardives, Alsace Grand Cru 2015 750ML ($79.95) Was $69, Now $59 Clearance Price, 12 bottles in stock now
Ian D’agata – Vinous 92 points
“Golden-tinged straw. The deep, rich nose boasts captivating aromas of honey, crystallized ginger and mango. Then light and refined and not at all weighty on the palate, offering precise flavors of tropical fruits and sweet spices. No noble rot hit these grapes, but there was plenty of passerillage (8.1 g/L total acidity and 65 g/L total [sugar]). Lovely VT.”
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Agathe Bursin Pinot Noir Strangenberg, Alsace 2015 750ML ($44.95) Was $36, Now $29 Clearance Price, 17 bottles in stock now
Ian D’agata – Vinous 91+ points
“Dark ruby. Aromas and flavors of flinty red cherry, violet, Asian spices and potpourri. Deeper, richer and sweeter than Bursin’s 2015 Pinot Noir Lutzental but with an austere bent on the long, stony finish. These Pinot Noir plots grow on a slope right over the village of Westhalten, on mostly clay-calcareous soil. Bursin macerates and ferments the wine as she does the Lutzental, but this strikes me as being noticeably more tannic than that wine (and of the 2014 Strangenberg, for that matter). I know this is a more important wine than the Lutzental, but right now they are just about equally enjoyable.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Agathe Bursin Pinot Gris Zinnkoepfle Vendanges Tardives, Alsace Grand Cru 2015 750ML ($69.95) Was $59, Now $49 Clearance Price, 11 bottles in stock now
Ian D’agata – Vinous 94 points
“Vivid golden-tinged dark yellow. Apple pie, caramel, truffle and passion fruit nectar on the nose and palate, complicated by a hint of lemony botrytis. Very pure, precise and rich, displaying delightful acid-fruit balance. Closes long and luscious but with lively acidity keeping this sneakily concentrated beauty light on its feet. Clocks in at 5.3 g/L total acidity and 101 g/L residual sugar. About 20% of the grapes were hit by noble rot, which helps add a measure of complexity to this really lovely late harvest wine.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Agathe Bursin Pinot Gris Zinnkoepfle Selection de Grains Nobles, Alsace Grand Cru 2015 750ML ($89.95) Was $79, Now $69 Clearance Price, 12 bottles in stock now
Ian D’agata – Vinous 96 points
“Deep golden-tinged yellow. The perfumed nose combines ripe pear, lime blossom and powdered stone, plus hints of spicy botrytis. Sweet but taut, conveying a lovely light-on-its-feet quality and displaying noticeable tang to the citrus and floral flavors; the presence of noble rot adds personality. Closes minerally and very long. This very refined SGN offers noteworthy fragrance and vibrant acidity; in fact, it’s so stony that it’s almost Riesling-like. About 30% of the grapes were hit by noble rot, and this adds complexity to what is a memorable wine (check out these numbers: 5.7 g/L total acidity and 130 g/L total [sugar]).”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Agathe Bursin Gewurztraminer Zinnkoepfle Vendanges Tardives, Alsace Grand Cru 2015 750ML ($69.95) Was $59, Now $49 Clearance Price, 19 bottles in stock now
Ian D’agata – Vinous 93 points
“Luminous straw-yellow. Truly lovely floral lift complements grapefruit and kumquat notes on the perfumed nose. Boasts a strong mineral underpinning to its white stone and tropical fruit flavors, complicated by hints of sweet spices. Another very beautiful wine from Agathe Bursin in 2016. All the grapes at VT and SGN levels of sweetness were picked on November 9, 10, and 12. This boasts 4 g/L total acidity and 73 g/L, so though certainly a sweet wine, it is not a thick, super-sticky wine.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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The Grand July Clearance Sale

We’ve got a great set of wines in our July Clearance Sale!  Check out the list below and click here if you want to view all of them in our web store!

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Thanks for reading!