In This Newsletter:
French Magnum Sale
&
Vinopolis Close-Out Featurette: Selbach-Oster
Vinopolis French Magnum Sale:
Unlock Your Savings Now
French Magnum Sale
&
Vinopolis Close-Out Featurette: Selbach-Oster
Vinopolis French Magnum Sale:
Unlock Your Savings Now
We’re placing all sixty-three of our in-stock French magnum and large format bottles on our Three-Day Sale. That’s 277 options ready to go home with you tonight from Bordeaux, the Rhone, Champagne, Burgundy, and more!
5% off any 3-5 in-stock French magnums / large formats
10% off any 6 or more in-stock French magnums / large formats
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Sale ends Tuesday, November 26th at 9 am Pacific.
10% off any 6 or more in-stock French magnums / large formats
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Sale ends Tuesday, November 26th at 9 am Pacific.
We offer sixty-seven French magnums options on sale now, including:
Champagne
Aubry Premier Cru Brut, Champagne NV 1.5L Displayed Price: $119, that’s $113.05 at 5% off and $107.10 at 10% off, 2 magnums in stock now
Audrey Frick-Jeb Dunnuck 89 points “[Reviewed 2023] The NV Champagne Brut pours a copper-straw color and is the classic blend for this cuvée of 40% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir, 20% Meunier with a small amount of Arbanne, Petit Meslier, and Fromenteau, with 60% from 2020 and the remainder reserve wines back to 1998. Ripe with aromas of tropical fruit, it opens to notes of ripe mango, candied orange, fresh bread, and ginger. Medium-bodied, it is focused, with a delicate mousse and a clean, chalky texture. Versatile and charming, it’s ready for drinking now or over the coming 6-8 years.”Marie Courtin Efflorescence Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut, Champagne 2018 1.5L Displayed Price: $199, that’s $189.05 at 5% off and $179.10 at 10% off, 1 magnum in stock now
Marie Courtin Efflorescence Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut, Champagne 2018 3L Displayed Price: $449, that’s $426.55 at 5% off and $404.10 at 10% off, 1 double-magnum in stock now
Importer Note “This barrel fermented vintage cuvee is made from grapes from the bottom of the hill, which Dominique belives results in greater power and aging potential. Zero dosage.”
Rosé
Peyrassol ‘Chateau Peyrassol’ Rosé, Cotes de Provence 2022 1.5L Was $99, Displayed Price: $89, that’s $84.55 at 5% off and $80.10 at 10% off, 2 magnums in stock now
Eric Guido-Vinous 92 points “The 2022 Rosé opens with a savory bouquet, blending dusty dried flowers with ginger, cardamom and a touch of dried peaches. This washes across the palate with opulent textures while remaining remarkably fresh and light on its feet. Sweet spices and ripe orchard fruit swirl throughout. The Château Peyrassol cleans up beautiful, pure, fresh and perfumed. It ends on a salty flourish.”
Bordeaux
Chateau Angelus, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2016 1.5L Displayed Price: $899, that’s $854.05 at 5% off and $809.10 at 10% off, 14 magnums in stock now
Wine Enthusiast 100 points “Top 100 Cellar Selection in 2019. This is a rich, perfumed wine, with dense tannins and intense layers of black plum and spice. The palate is firmly built yet broadened out by plump dark-fruit tones and honed by a solid, dry core. Drink from 2025. -Roger Voss”Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate 98+ points “Sporting a deep garnet-purple color, the 2016 Angélus erupts from the glass with powerful notes of blackberry pie, ripe black cherries and juicy black plums with an undercurrent of star anise, rose petals, chocolate mint, pencil shavings and woodsmoke plus a waft of allspice. The palate is pure decadence. Medium to full-bodied, rich and generously fruited, this wine is by no means heavy—it positively glimmers with freshness and vivacity, lending an ethereal nature to all that richness and power, beautifully framed by velvety tannins and finishing with epic length. The generosity, layers and plushness make for an absolutely DELICIOUS drink right now, but I’d suggest waiting 3-5 more years for the fireworks to really begin.”
Chateau Léoville-Poyferré, Saint-Julien 2015 1.5L Displayed Price: $249, that’s $236.55 at 5% off and $224.10 at 10% off, 4 magnums in stock now
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 97 points “The 2015 Léoville-Poyferré is spectacular. Inky, dense and explosive, the 2015 possesses off the chart richness, with soft contours, no hard edges and exceptional balance. All the elements are simply fused together. inky blue/purplish fruit, chocolate, new leather, blueberry jam, exotic spice and violet notes are all beautifully delineated throughout. Fresh, vibrant and totally sexy, Léoville-Poyferré is one of the wines of the vintage. Don’t miss it! Tasted two times.”
Burgundy & Beaujolais
Domaine Hubert Lamy Les Frionnes, Saint-Aubin Premier Cru 2017 3L Displayed Price: $599, that’s $569.05 at 5% off and $539.10 at 10% off, 1 double-magnum in stock now
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 93 points “Wafting from the glass with scents of citrus oil, crisp green orchard fruit, white flowers and iodine, Lamy’s 2017 Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Les Frionnes is medium to full-bodied, enveloping and incisive, with a crisp core of fruit, lively acids and a precise, mineral finish. Seamless and complete, this has come together beautifully in bottle.”
Domaine Faiveley Les Saint-Georges, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2019 1.5L Displayed Price: $419, that’s $398.05 at 5% off and $377.10 at 10% off, 2 magnums in stock now
Neal Martin-Vinous 93-95 points “The 2019 Nuits Saint-Georges Les Saint-Georges 1er Cru is an equal blend from Faiveley’s own vines and contract growers, plus a barrel from the Hospices de Nuits. It has a very perfumed and floral bouquet of red berry fruit complemented by wilted violets and potpourri. The medium-bodied palate offers crunchy red berry fruit laced with balsamic. Quite energetic and well defined toward the harmonious finish, which leaves a tang of white pepper on the aftertaste. This is a superb Les Saint-Georges.”
Jean-Louis Dutraive Domaine de la Grand’Cour Fleurie ‘Clos de la Grand’Cour’, Beaujolais 2021 1.5L Displayed Price: $99, that’s $94.05 at 5% off and $89.10 at 10% off, 1 magnum in stock now
Neal Martin-Vinous 91 points “The 2021 Fleurie Clos de la Grand Cour includes the fruit usually bottled as the Vieilles Vignes due to frost and vineyards stress. It has a little more concentration on the nose, wild strawberry and briary scents unfurling in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins and gentle grip. It is very transparent in style with a slightly tertiary finish. Very fine and complex. Drink: 2024-2034.”
Rhone & Southern France
Delas Freres Cote-Rotie La Landonne 2019 1.5L Displayed Price: $549, that’s $521.55 at 5% off and $494.10 at 10% off, 2 magnums in stock now
Decanter 97 points “Immediately this has the darkness and aromatic austerity of La Landonne. Very full-bodied, expansive on the palate with mouthcoating flavour and tannin but not heavy. This is seriously tannic, but it’s not tough. Great character, great power and perfect balance. Alcohol is just a little raised, but this is a blockbuster. Around 3,000 bottles made. Fermented in open-top concrete tanks for 20 days, then matured in new and one-year-old barrels for 14 months. Drinking Window 2026 – 2035.”
Domaine Eric et Joel Durand Cornas Empreintes 2019 1.5L Displayed Price: $99, that’s $94.05 at 5% off and $89.10 at 10% off, 6 magnums in stock now
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 95 points “Sure, the 2019 Cornas Empreintes is lightly cedary up front, but those notes are more than balanced by crushed stone, salted licorice, and bold cassis and blueberry flavors. Full-bodied and concentrated, this is a rock-solid Cornas with a long, dusty finish, capable of aging and improving up to two decades. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.”
Domaine Garon Cote Rotie Les Triotes 2016 1.5L Displayed Price: $119, that’s $113.05 at 5% off and $107.10 at 10% off, 1 magnum in stock now
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 92 points “(40% new oak) Opaque ruby. Smoky, mineral-accented cherry and blueberry scents are complicated by hints of vanilla, Indian spices and licorice. Supple and broad on the palate, offering pliant blackberry and bitter cherry flavors that become sweeter as the wine opens up. A sexy floral pastille note emerges on the clinging finish, which shows excellent clarity and gentle, slow-building tannins.”
Jerome Bressy Domaine Gourt de Mautens, IGP Vaucluse 2015 1.5L Displayed Price: $199, that’s $189.05 at 5% off and $179.10 at 10% off, 1 magnum in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 97 points “The Chambolle-Musigny of the Rhône, the 2015 IGP Vaucluse from Jerome Bressy is a totally sensational blend of 50% Grenache and the balance a mix of Mourvèdre, Carignan, Counoise, Vaccarèse, Cinsault, Syrah, and Terret Noir (we’re getting close to all the varieties). Aged in a mix of concrete tanks, foudre, demi-muids, and barrels, bottled unfined and unfiltered, this naked beauty has just about everything you could want from a bottle of wine. Notes of rose petals, kirsch, blackberries, garrigue, and spice all emerge from this pure, elegant and gorgeous red that offers full-bodied richness, no hard edges and a killer finish. It got more than a few Wows in my notes and is an ethereally textured southern Rhône that needs to be tasted to be believed. Anticipated maturity: 2017 – 2030.”
Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas 2019 1.5L Displayed Price: $99, that’s $94.05 at 5% off and $89.10 at 10% off, 6 magnums in stock now
Grapelive 95+ points “This deeply saturated 2019 Gigondas opens with a mix of dark berry fruit, spice, heady aromas and savory elements with boysenberry, black plum, pomegranate and wild strawberry fruits flowing across the full bodied palate along with lavender, pepper, anise and subtle earthy tones, gaining impact and presence in the glass with every sip, while providing immediate pleasure. This is another sensational effort from Saint Cosme with fine grained tannins, raw transparency and a lingering creme de cassis finish. [It’s]well worth aging. For those that have patience there will be tremendous rewards even though the youthful fruit intensity makes for a hedonistic experience that is hard to resist even in such a youthful wine. Best to have this wine with simple but hearty cuisine and I would, as always, suggest a 30 minute to an hour decanting here, which will bring additional joy and a more chocolatey mouth feel… This is a modern classic, very similar to the wildly good 2016, that should not be missed!”
Loire
Gerard Boulay Sancerre Les Monts Damnes 2022 1.5L Displayed Price: $119, that’s $189.05 at 5% off and $179.10 at 10% off, 3 magnums in stock now
Importer Note “Boulay began farming the steeply sloped Mont Damnés vineyard in 1982. His plot has an average vine age of 45 years. Mont Damnés’ reflective soils and south-facing exposition make it one of Chavi¬gnol’s warmest sites. Overall, Gerard Boulay’s “terre blanche” vineyards produce some of the most distinctive and soil-inflected Sauvignon Blancs in the Loire, with a delineation and minerality often reminiscent of a top Chablis. Boulay is certainly among the top examples of the appellation, including Boulay’s neighbors (Cotat Bros., Vatan). These are gorgeous, highly complex wines that are a clear step above “regular” Sancerre, and can age easily for 10-20 years or more. In fact, we have had them all the way back to the 1959 which was magnificent! They confirm Boulay’s place in the top ranks of Loire Valley vignerons.”Thibaud Boudignon Anjou Blanc ‘a Francoise..’ 2020 1.5L Displayed Price: $145, that’s $137.75 at 5% off and $130.50 at 10% off, 2 magnums in stock now
Yohan Castaing-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2020 Anjou Blanc à François(e)… is showing well today, with a gourmand, fruity bouquet with aromas of ripe orchard fruits, exotic fruits, lemon oil and iodine. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and layered, it’s dense and a bit phenolic with a long, penetrating finish. Naturally dense and powerful, this cuvée is also energetic and saline.”
Vinopolis Close-Out Sale Featurette:
Selbach-Oster
If you’re an American that drinks German Riesling, thank Johannes Selbach. As the winemaker and owner of Selbach-Oster, Selbach makes profound and affordable German Rieslings. Because they aren’t opulent or extreme, the wines are overlooked by reviewers that prefer a more bombastic style. Instead, his wines are like sitting down to dinner with a good friend. You can drink his delicate and soulful Spätlesen and Auslesen wines with your main course, not just dessert or spicy dishes, and you’d be shocked at how flexible the bone-dry GGs and ethereal Kabinetts are across cuisine types.
But Johannes Selbach’s food-friendly style of Rieslings is not why he could be considered the ambassador of modern German wines. In fact, Johannes is the modest tastemaker behind US importer Terry Theise, one of the most important American figures in the modern revitalization of interest in German Rieslings.
Selbach connected Theise to multiple estates as Theise built his portfolio, such as A.J. Adams and Vols. He even took over production at Merkelbach when the elderly brothers retired without heirs. Selbach-Oster was one of the first estates Theise imported, and, as evidenced in the legendary Terry Theise catalogues produced while he worked with Skurnik, Johannes Selbach was an essential advisor and a dear friend.
Chez Vinopolis, we have worked directly with Johannes Selbach for many years. The selections have varied with the vintage: we’ve picked up a pallet or two of Selbach-Oster wines, we’ve carried wines he personally tasted and selected at the Bernkasteler Ring auction (more a showcase of estates’ top wines than an American-style bidding war), and sometimes we’ve loaded up on underrepresented producers he admires such as Prinz, Karlsmuhle, and Kees-Kieren.
The wide array of Selbach-Oster wines we have in stock were hand-picked for our shop by Johannes Selbach himself. These are his treasures, what he wants to share with you. We’re proud to offer them and excited to present them to you on our three-day sale.
“There are no wines along the Mosel more honorable than those of Selbach-Oster. They are grounded, honest, intelligent and meaningful – like the family who produce them. Where wine is concerned I trust Johannes as I trust very few other people. He’s not only highly intelligent, he’s also smart and judicious. He has found his path. His wines have identity and purpose.” –Terry Theise, 2009 German Catalogue (emphasis in original)
“I recommend buying what’s available from Selbach-Oster now” –Stephan Reinhardt, writing on the 2019 vintage
“If you had to sum up Selbach’s wines in just a few words they would be ‘brilliant, complex, classic, and balanced.’” –Skurnik Wines
In Stock & On Sale Now:
Selbach-Oster Schlossberg Riesling GG 2019 750ml Was $44.50, Now $37.50, 15 bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott (Suckling) 94 points “This has the mandarin and yeasty aromas from long fermentation, but with some aeration, mirabelle and quince notes develop. A powerful dry wine that retains the classic Mosel vitality and crispness. Long, intense mineral finish. Better from 2021.”
Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Kabinett 2019 750ml Was $29, Now $22.50, 20 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2019 Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Kabinett is pure and flinty on the pure, elegant, terroir-driven nose. Piquant and crystalline on the palate, this is a crunchy and crispy, well-concentrated and nicely phenolic Schlossberg with juicy fruit but a crystalline and refined finish. Very long and stimulatingly salty. Tasted at the domain in September 2020.”
Selbach-Oster Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spätlese 2019 750ml Was $33, Now $28, 16 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2019 Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spätlese is very clear, pure and flinty on the intense, elegant, crunchy and slatey nose. Salty, piquant and lush on the palate, this is a crystalline, pure and salty Badstube that is juicier and rounder than the 2018. Tasted at the domain in September 2020.”
Selbach-Oster ‘Schmitt’ Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Auslese 2021 750ml Was $69, Now $59, 2 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 95-96 points “The 2021 Zeltinger Schlossberg Auslese Schmitt exhibits a very clear, coolish and piquant bouquet with concentrated white (stone) fruit and crushed stone aromas with some hints of caramel. Very delicate and finessed on the palate, this is a piquant and saline, crystalline and playful Auslese in a digestible sweet style. The finish is crunchy, crystalline and slatey, which gives iodine flavors and lots of tension that uplifts the richness of this promising beauty. Tasted as a sample ready to be bottled in July 2022.”
Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenhuhr Riesling Beerenauslese 2018 375ml Was $79, Now $69, 11 half-bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 97 points “The 2018 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Beerenauslese displays an intense but very clear and radiant citrus color in the glass. The nose is concentrated and fresh, with lemon chutney and broken stone aromas. Pure and fresh on the palate, this is a dense, concentrated, rich yet very precise, fresh and elegant BA with a long, crunchy, terroir-driven finish that represents the delicate slate structure of the Sonnenuhr. Still young but not really sweet due to the crystalline acidity structure. Tasted at the domain in September 2020.”
But Johannes Selbach’s food-friendly style of Rieslings is not why he could be considered the ambassador of modern German wines. In fact, Johannes is the modest tastemaker behind US importer Terry Theise, one of the most important American figures in the modern revitalization of interest in German Rieslings.
Selbach connected Theise to multiple estates as Theise built his portfolio, such as A.J. Adams and Vols. He even took over production at Merkelbach when the elderly brothers retired without heirs. Selbach-Oster was one of the first estates Theise imported, and, as evidenced in the legendary Terry Theise catalogues produced while he worked with Skurnik, Johannes Selbach was an essential advisor and a dear friend.
Chez Vinopolis, we have worked directly with Johannes Selbach for many years. The selections have varied with the vintage: we’ve picked up a pallet or two of Selbach-Oster wines, we’ve carried wines he personally tasted and selected at the Bernkasteler Ring auction (more a showcase of estates’ top wines than an American-style bidding war), and sometimes we’ve loaded up on underrepresented producers he admires such as Prinz, Karlsmuhle, and Kees-Kieren.
The wide array of Selbach-Oster wines we have in stock were hand-picked for our shop by Johannes Selbach himself. These are his treasures, what he wants to share with you. We’re proud to offer them and excited to present them to you on our three-day sale.
“There are no wines along the Mosel more honorable than those of Selbach-Oster. They are grounded, honest, intelligent and meaningful – like the family who produce them. Where wine is concerned I trust Johannes as I trust very few other people. He’s not only highly intelligent, he’s also smart and judicious. He has found his path. His wines have identity and purpose.” –Terry Theise, 2009 German Catalogue (emphasis in original)
“I recommend buying what’s available from Selbach-Oster now” –Stephan Reinhardt, writing on the 2019 vintage
“If you had to sum up Selbach’s wines in just a few words they would be ‘brilliant, complex, classic, and balanced.’” –Skurnik Wines
In Stock & On Sale Now:
Selbach-Oster Schlossberg Riesling GG 2019 750ml Was $44.50, Now $37.50, 15 bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott (Suckling) 94 points “This has the mandarin and yeasty aromas from long fermentation, but with some aeration, mirabelle and quince notes develop. A powerful dry wine that retains the classic Mosel vitality and crispness. Long, intense mineral finish. Better from 2021.”
Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Kabinett 2019 750ml Was $29, Now $22.50, 20 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2019 Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Kabinett is pure and flinty on the pure, elegant, terroir-driven nose. Piquant and crystalline on the palate, this is a crunchy and crispy, well-concentrated and nicely phenolic Schlossberg with juicy fruit but a crystalline and refined finish. Very long and stimulatingly salty. Tasted at the domain in September 2020.”
Selbach-Oster Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spätlese 2019 750ml Was $33, Now $28, 16 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2019 Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spätlese is very clear, pure and flinty on the intense, elegant, crunchy and slatey nose. Salty, piquant and lush on the palate, this is a crystalline, pure and salty Badstube that is juicier and rounder than the 2018. Tasted at the domain in September 2020.”
Selbach-Oster ‘Schmitt’ Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Auslese 2021 750ml Was $69, Now $59, 2 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 95-96 points “The 2021 Zeltinger Schlossberg Auslese Schmitt exhibits a very clear, coolish and piquant bouquet with concentrated white (stone) fruit and crushed stone aromas with some hints of caramel. Very delicate and finessed on the palate, this is a piquant and saline, crystalline and playful Auslese in a digestible sweet style. The finish is crunchy, crystalline and slatey, which gives iodine flavors and lots of tension that uplifts the richness of this promising beauty. Tasted as a sample ready to be bottled in July 2022.”
Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenhuhr Riesling Beerenauslese 2018 375ml Was $79, Now $69, 11 half-bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 97 points “The 2018 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Beerenauslese displays an intense but very clear and radiant citrus color in the glass. The nose is concentrated and fresh, with lemon chutney and broken stone aromas. Pure and fresh on the palate, this is a dense, concentrated, rich yet very precise, fresh and elegant BA with a long, crunchy, terroir-driven finish that represents the delicate slate structure of the Sonnenuhr. Still young but not really sweet due to the crystalline acidity structure. Tasted at the domain in September 2020.”
We offer 230 wines on our Close-Out Sale in stock now.
Shop the sale on our webstore now!
Don’t miss our additional sale going on now:
Thanksgiving Champagne Pairings
5% off any 3-5 bottles of in-stock wines from our Thanksgiving Pairings selections
10% off any 6 or more bottles of in-stock from our Thanksgiving Pairings selections
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Sale ends Sunday, November 24th at 9 am Pacific