Subscriber-Only Magnum Special; Donnhoff Re-Arrivals; K Vintners: New Big Score; New Wine Advocate Reviews for Recent Masi Arrivals; Domaine Gramenon: Kermit Lynch’s Cult Cote du Rhone; Monteraponi: A Name to Watch in Chianti Classico; Nicolas Chemarin: Beaujolais Special Highlight; White Rhone Wines: New Arrivals & New Scores; Cayuse Pre-Arrivals: Arriving This Month!; Valdespino’s Very Old Rare Sherries
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Subscriber-Only Two Day Sale
Ends Friday at Midnight
Your special discount: 10% off listed price on all in-stock Magnums
Discount does not apply to pre-arrival offers
Discount will not appear in online shopping cart
We will apply it here before charging
Sale Ends Friday, June 2nd at 11:59 PM!
We offer 103 different wines in magnum in-stock and available here now – averaging about 5-10 magnums of each different wine! – including such names as Sine Qua Non & Cayuse, Salon & Vouette e Sorbee, Nikolaihof & Donnhoff to Chateau Pavie you’re certain to find treasures! Top picks include:Domaine Bitouzet-Prieur Pitures, Volnay Premier Cru 2012 1.5L ($149.95) Displayed price: $119, Your price: $107.10, 10 magnums available
Antonio Galloni 91-93 points “The estate’s 2012 Volnay Pitures is the most massively tannic of these wines. Dark, rich and powerful, the 2012 is laced with black cherries, new leather, cloves and menthol, all supported by huge, incisive tannins. I would give the tannins a few years to soften, but the Pitures is likely to remain intense and even a bit rustic, especially in comparison to the other 2012s here.”
This was the lowest listed price in the USA today,
Now it’s even lower!
Lucien Crochet Sancerre Pinot Rose, Loire 2016 1.5L ($79.95) Displayed price: $69, Your price: $62.10, 6 magnums available
“Made exclusively of Pinot Noir harvested from several parcels … a mix of Oxfordian “caillottes” and Kimmeridgian “marne”. This Rosé is made using the direct press method with the whole berries entering the pressoir. The musts ferment in temperature-controlled cuves (85%) as well as a small percentage in older barrels (15%). The fermentation occurs over three weeks. The wines is bottled in the spring of the following year.”–Importer Notes
Falletto di Bruno Giacosa ‘Falletto’, Barolo DOCG 2008 1.5L ($419.95) Displayed price: $319, Your price: $287.10, 6 magnums available
Wine Spectator 96 points “Warm and chewy, this red exhibits cedar, sandalwood, tobacco and leather accents enhancing the core of cherry and raspberry. As this plays out on the palate, the wine turns more supple and vibrant, building to the long, expansive finish. Best from 2016 through 2035.”WS
This was the lowest listed price in the USA today,
Now it’s even lower!
The next best price is $425
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2015 1.5L ($219.95) Displayed price: $199, Your price: $179.10, 6 magnums available
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2015 Graacher Himmelreich Auslese Gold Capsule (AP 18) displays a very intense and perfectly ripe, but healthy stone fruit aroma intermixed with delicate flinty/slate-like flavors. On the plate, this Gold Capsule is as lush as it is pure, piquant and salty; it is provided with remarkable precision and concentration, with a still stimulatingly fresh and vibrant finish. This is a great Auslese, indeed.”
Mosel Fine Wines 95 points “This offers a gorgeous nose of melon, grapefruit, spices, herbs and honey. The wine develops a superbly clean feel of aniseed fruits, pear and a hint of apricot and honey on the palate, which gives way to a delicately creamy sense of fruits and herbs in the delicately honeyed finish. This is a beautifully elegant and superbly balanced wine in the making. 2030-2055”
Does not apply to pre-arrival offers
Sale ends midnight of the 3rd!
Discount will not appear in online shopping cart
We will apply it here before charging
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Donnhoff Re-Arrivals
Robert Parker calls Helmut Donnhoff “unquestionably one of the stars” in the world of German Rieslings. Situated between the villages of Niederhausen and Schlossbockelheim in the middle Nahe, the Dönnhoff family has been making wine since 1750, with Helmut Dönnhoff in charge of winemaking at the estate since 1971.In 1999 Helmut was awarded Gault Millau and Feinschmecker Winemaker of the Year, and in 2005 was named Wine Personality of the Year by Wine Advocate.
The dry and sweet wines alike have garnered praise and adoration around the world. We consider ourselves lucky to have sourced a few more cases of 2015 wines. This vintage in particular has brought this top-quality estate to even more exalted heights. If this is your first foray with the estate, try one of these not-quite entry level wines to get a sense of the incredible quality and value. If you’re old hand with Donnhoff, take note – these didn’t last long the first time around.
Weingut Donnhoff Kreuznacher Krotenpfuhl Riesling Kabinett, Nahe 2015 750ML ($27.95) $20.90 special
“The 2015 Kreuznacher Krötenpfuhl Riesling Kabinett has a “cooler acidity” than the Kahlenberg, says Helmut Dönnhoff, so he considers it as the better vineyard to produce a fruity Riesling with more residual sugar. The wine has a clear and open nose of ripe apples along with some flinty aromas. On the palate, the wine is very clear and piquant, but also generous in its precise, elegant fruit. The finish has a certain intensity and minerality, and this will come out even clearer in two or more years.” Wine Advocate
Terry Theise note “Savory, caroby, not so much “long” as unending; brown bread and smoke and salts.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Weingut Donnhoff Oberhauser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett, Nahe 2015 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special
Wine Advocate 91 points “Coming from argillaceous shale soils, the 2015 Oberhäuser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett opens with a very clear and coolish, slightly flinty bouquet with white Riesling and some refreshing lemon flavors. Full-flavored and intense on the palate, this is a lovely, light-hearted, piquant and racy Riesling with intensity and persistency. The 40+ grams of residual sugar are almost fully eaten by the minerality and piquancy of this picture book Kabinett.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Weingut Donnhoff Roxheimer Hollenpfad Riesling Trocken, Nahe 2015 750ML ($39.95) $33 special
Wine Advocate 93 points “From a steep, south-facing vineyard on red sandstone soils, the 2015 (Roxheimer) Höllenpfad Riesling Trocken opens with warm and generous yellow apple fruit, but also a coolish and piquant sand stone expression with spicy and even peppery lemon flavors. “The grapes are always smaller here than in the Kahlenberg and the berries [are] very intense in their fine fruit aromas,” says Helmut Dönnhoff. The roots can go through the sandstone, which is not the case in the volcanic soils of Niederhausen and Oberhausen. As a result, drought stress is very rare and that makes the Höllenpfad a perfect origin for dry Rieslings. On the palate, this is a generously fruity, but also pure, piquant and finely racy Riesling with lingering salinity and lemony freshness. The wine is dense and generous, but precise, fresh and rather cool instead of warm. It is a gorgeous Riesling that combines the warmth of the northern Nahe, closer to the Rhine river, with the purity and salinity of the Niederhausen/Oberhausen. The finish is pretty, long and aromatic, and the ripe apples remain on the palate as do the stony flavors.”
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K Vintners
Scores Big and So Can You!
Charles Smith knows a thing or two about rockstars, and he ought to—he used to manage them. Then, one day, on a motorcycle trip, he rode through Walla Wall and was struck by the majesty of the terrain and the vineyards. Within a few years, he had returned to open a winery.
His first vintage was 1999 and he produced a mere 300 cases of Syrah under his label ‘K Vintners’ and the winery has grown by leaps and bounds since then. By our count, K makes more than 15 wines, most of them single vineyard Syrah, and that doesn’t count the several side projects he’s involved in.
At this point, K Vintners is one of the defining wineries for what might be the modern Washington style. The wines are big, rich, and ripe but polished. They show distinct differences between the vineyards and always have a hint of that savory, bacony quality that Syrah can bring to the table like nothing else. The only thing we can complain about is that we can’t carry them more often.
Wine Spectator – Hot Wine
Charles Smith K Vintners Powerline Estate Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2014 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 18 bottles available
Wine Spectator 95 points “A knockout Syrah, precise and impeccably built but explosive with personality. Smoky roasted meat and floral blackberry aromas combine with bold, supple flavors of dark plum, pepper and licorice. The tannins are big but polished. Drink now through 2024.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $54.98
We offer 15 different wines from Charles Smith/K Vintners – that’s 168 bottles – all in stock now!
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New Wine Advocate Reviews
for Recent Masi Arrivals
Masi Brolo di Campofiorin Oro Rosso Veronese IGT, Veneto 2013 750ML ($29.95) $19 special, 36+ bottles available
Case-6 Masi Brolo di Campofiorin Oro Rosso Veronese IGT, Veneto 2013 750ML ($149.95) $99 special, 10 six-packs available (that’s only $16.50/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 91 points “A good value wine, the 2013 Brolo Campofiorin Oro opens to a velvety dark appearance and shows thick layers of dried fruit, prune, spice and leather. The intensity is strong, yet it remains a clear step below Amarone in terms of power and muscle. This vintage offers good structure at the back with light touches of sweet and sun-dried fruit. This is a great wine to pair with barbecued meat.”
Importer note “‘Brolo’ is equivalent to the French ‘clos,’ a walled vineyard. This special selection of Campofiorin expresses the individual style of local Veronese varieties (particularly Corvina) and the original methods of appasimento and Masi’s double fermentation. This dry, rich, velvety, complex and elegant wine is aged in small oak barrels. Brolo di Campofiorin vineyards are located in Valgatara di Marano, in the heart of Valpolicella Classico, where grapes for the original Campofiorin are grown, with very deep alluvial soil on eocenic limestone.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Masi Costasera Riserva, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2009 750ML ($79.95) $59 special, 10 bottles available
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2009 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Riserva Costasera opens to a bright ruby color and dark aromas of dried fruit, raisin, tar, grilled herb and licorice. It imparts a texture that is soft, soothing and rich. It is drinking young right now and could use another three to five years of bottle aging for more evolution and complexity.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $67.20
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Domaine Gramenon
Kermit Lynch’s Cult Cote du Rhone
What happens when a mother and son collaborate to make southern Rhone reds and whites from their young- and old-vine estate? Organic and biodynamic viticulture combine with family dedication, and the esprit of youth, to create beautifully fragrant and pure Rhone wines, without over-use of sulphur. A lot of heart goes into Gramenon’s wines and we’re proud to carry them in our shop. We have a pair of really fantastic wines to look at and both are perfect for summer cookouts.
In-Stock Now
Domaine Gramenon Cotes du Rhone La Sagesse, Rhone 2014 750ML ($37.95) $27 special, 30 bottles available
Josh Raynolds 91 points “Vivid ruby-red. Potent, mineral-laced red berry liqueur and cherry aromas are complicated by suggestions of peppery spices and garrigue. Lively and alluringly sweet, offering juicy black raspberry and lavender pastille flavors that become deeper with air while maintaining vivacity. Fine-grained tannins build slowly on an impressively long, penetrating finish, which leaves behind suave spicecake and kirsch notes.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $35
Domaine Gramenon Cotes du Rhone Sierra du Sud, Rhone 2014 750ML ($34.95) $24.40 special, 36+ bottles available
Josh Raynolds 91 points “Deep ruby. A complex bouquet evokes musky red and dark berries, cherry pit, olive, dried flowers and pungent herbs. Chewy and focused on the palate, offering gently sweet raspberry, boysenberry, violet pastille and spicecake flavors that become livelier as the wine opens up. Pliant tannins give shape to a very long, spicy finish that features a lingering blue fruit note.”
Wine Advocate 91 points “A smokin’ southern Rhone is the 2014 Côtes du Rhône la Sierra du Sud, which is 100% Syrah, from 15- to 35-year-old vines, that was destemmed and aged in a combination of tank and barrels. Ground pepper, wild herbs, black cherries and the essence of blackberry fruit all emerge from this medium to full-bodied, ripe, layered and beautifully textured 2014. It has more depth and richness than most in the vintage and will keep for upwards of a decade.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $28.95
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Monteraponi:
A Name to Watch in Chianti Classico
We’re always up for good, classically made Chianti, so when we first heard about the wines of the wines of Monteraponi, we were intrigued. They’re based in the town of Radda, where Montevertine is located, and these wines are likewise classically made. No Cabernet, no Merlot, no micro-ox, these wines see long, native fermentations and are minimally processed in the cellar.
Antonio Galloni is also a fan, saying “Monteraponi is a terrific source for readers who appreciate the more classic side of Chianti Classico. Native fermentations, long macerations and long aging are some of the signatures of these wines, which see minimal handling in the cellar and no fining or filtration. At times the Monteraponi wines can be a bit rustic, but it is a beautiful and sincere approach that most clearly defines these handmade Chianti Classicos.” We couldn’t agree more and are excited to present these wines to you for the first time.
Available Here Now from Monteraponi:
Monteraponi Il Campitello Riserva, Chianti Classico DOCG 2012 750ML ($49.95) $41.90 special
Antonio Galloni 92 points “The 2012 Chianti Classico Riserva Il Campitello is a very pretty wine, especially for the vintage. Mid-weight and translucent in style, the 2012 captures the essence of Radda, with sweet, floral aromatics, chiseled fruit and lovely energy. Red berry, spice, tobacco, cedar and rose petal all open up in the glass. A hint of oak comes through on the finish, but otherwise this is a classic-feeling Riserva that will appeal to readers with more traditionally leaning palates. The Campitello emerges from the estate’s oldest vineyard.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Monteraponi Il Campitello Riserva, Chianti Classico DOCG 2013 750ML ($49.95) $41.90 special
Antonio Galloni 92 points “The 2013 Chianti Classico Riserva Il Campitello is a very beautiful and expressive wine that will appeal to readers who appreciate the more traditional side of Chianti Classico. Sweet tobacco, sage, mint, dried cherry and crushed leaves give the 2013 its lifted aromatics while bright Sangiovese acidity adds the vibrancy. Aging in cask produces a style of Chianti Classico that emphasizes aromatics and savoriness, while fruit is more in the background. There is a purity and frankness to the Campitello that I find hugely appealing.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $44.89
Monteraponi Chianti Classico DOCG, Tuscany 2014 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special
Case-12 Monteraponi Chianti Classico DOCG, Tuscany 2014 750ML ($269.95) $219 special
“Fermented without selected yeasts or temperature control, this bright, savory blend of 95% Sangiovese and 5% Canaiolo opens with classic varietal aromas of red berry, fragrant blue flower and a whiff of new leather. The fresh, easy drinking palate doles out juicy wild cherry, chopped herb and a hint cinnamon offset by vibrant acidity and supple tannins.”–Wine Enthusiast
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $28
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Beaujolais:
The Best Buy Region of France
Special Highlight:
Nicolas Chemarin
The best wine buying opportunities are, in our minds, at less-than-famous wineries just after a generational changeover. The younger generation is often highly motivated to make a name for themselves and begins to transform the wines. The prices, though, often lag behind the new quality of the wines, which is possibly the best part. Not to mention the back to back outstanding vintages from the very region in question!
The wines of Nicolas Chemarin are one such example, which we’re happy to highlight today. Born into a family with holdings in Beaujolais-Villages, Regnie and Morgon, his father ran the winery (that was started by Nicolas’ grandfather) and made wine in a commercial style that wasn’t focused on extreme quality. In the last few years since Nicolas took over, he’s started plowing to avoid herbicide usage and moved to natural yeast fermentation with minimal sulfur useage.
The Regnie is what we want to highlight today. Made from 40+ year old vines in what has been called “The Prince of the Crus,” this is everything we love about Beaujolais in the 2014 vintage. Snappy, bright and classical, it’s extremely aromatic and energetic—to drink some is to want to immediately drink more. Best yet, unlike wines that we feel are comparable (eg Breton or his friend Coquelet), this Regnie is still under $20. Back up the truck.
Nicolas Chemarin Regnie Les Haute Ronze, Beaujolais 2014 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 36+ bottles available
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 92 points “Vivid ruby-red. Sexy, mineral-laced aromas of ripe red and dark berries, violet and licorice. Sappy and penetrating, offering bitter cherry and black raspberry flavors that become sweeter as the wine opens up. Concentrated yet lithe, delivering excellent finishing clarity and strong, mineral-driven persistence.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
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White Rhone Wines
A New Arrival & A New Score
Every year we taste the new vintage of white Rhone, and every year we think that this will be the year that these wines get the recognition they deserve. Every year we are wrong. Prices remain low, stock is readily available, and the wines keep flying just below the radar.
Just like Rhone red wines, the North and South are dominated by different grapes. In the North, you’re welcomed with Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne. These wines can be a candy store of aromatics, and a whole range of textures. The blossomy scents are full of peaches, beeswax, tea, wet crushed stone, honey, and purple flowers. The lightness and downright frivolity of the scents can deceive; this can be a white with intensity and weight behind the nose. In Condrieu, the Viognier is delicious in its youth, but develops stunning orange peel and honey notes with age. The Marsanne and Roussanne blends are weighty and waxy, rich with nuttiness and mineral notes; they’re powerful and lovely wines. These are the white wines of Saint-Joseph and Hermitage that age beautifully and carry their weight and power with grace.
The Southern Rhone gets a little looser with the varietals. Roussanne, Clairette, Grenache Gris, Bourboulenc, Picpoul – all grapes that can be found throughout the region. The blends can vary, but not so wildly that you lose a clear picture of the region. The flavors get livelier than in the North, and most wines are geared more towards being ready to drink. The bright stone fruit and floral aromas dominate, and the acidity and mineral notes keep them so refreshing. Mediterranean food especially seems to love these wines; a little spice plays nicely against the vibrant flavors. Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc is a notable exception to the quaffer rule. With time, they develop into layered floral gems, rich with honey and citrus peel, such as this newly arrived gem from Chateau Beaucastel:
New Arrival from Chateau Beaucastel
Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, Rhone 2015 750ML ($119.95) $79 special
Wine Advocate 92-94 points “The 2015 Châteauneuf du Pape Blanc offers classic, gorgeous notes of buttered citrus, honeycomb, stone fruits and hints of pineapple. It’s a fresh, medium to full-bodied, elegant white that will put on a touch of weight by the time it’s bottled; it will have to ability to drink well for 3-4 years and keep for decades.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
E. Guigal
Arriving In June
E. Guigal Condrieu, Rhone 2015 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 95 points “Guigal’s 2015 Condrieu is a blockbuster that, if not for its big brother, would be one of the wines of the vintage. Aged in one-third new barrels and two-thirds in tank, it’s a rich, unctuous, thrillingly textured beauty that has plenty of orange blossom, flower oil, tangerine and peach. Fruit-loaded, with just a touch of minerality, it should be drunk over the coming 2-4 years.”
James Suckling 94 points “Peach and apricot-pie character that’s very showy and very much within the sweet-pastry spectrum. There’s also some spicy appeal to complement notes of cumquat rind. Pithy and focused. The palate has an exotic, tropical thread of mangoes, peaches and cantaloupe melon. Very hedonistic and regal — full of fat and very convincing viognier. A great vintage. Drink young whilst exuberant!”
E. Guigal New Wine Spectator Review
Arriving in September
E. Guigal Condrieu La Doriane, Rhone 2015 750ML ($119.95) $89 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 95 points “Lush, with papaya, mango and ginger notes layered seamlessly, while hints of heather honey, anise and piecrust hang in the background. The long and rich finish has no choice but to let the fruit power on. All hedonism and thoroughly delicious. Drink now through 2022.”
Wine Advocate 99 points “Easily one of the greatest Condrieu I’ve ever tasted is the 2015 Condrieu La Doriane. A wine that needs to be tasted to be believed, it possesses a huge nose of toasted brioche, liquid rocks, apricot, flower oil and salty minerality. Unctuous, full-bodied, massively rich, yet also elegant and graceful, with beautiful freshness, enjoy this tour de force over the coming 5-6 years.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Can’t wait? We have 16 white wines to choose from in stock now from the Rhone, including our six top picks below:
Andre Perret Condrieu Coteau du Chery, Rhone 2012 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 3 bottles available
Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2012 Condrieu Coteaux du Chery, which comes from one of the most heralded sites in the appellation, is also brilliant (as is his 2011!). The most rich and textured of the lineup, it offers thrilling notes of white peach, crushed rock, buttered grapefruit, flowers and tangerine to go with a medium to full-bodied, layered, yet brilliantly fresh and detailed texture that keeps you coming back to the glass. It too will drink nicely for 4-5 years.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Meal Blanc, Rhone 2011 750ML ($219.95) $159 special, 11 bottles available
Wine Advocate 99 points “Surprisingly, I preferred the 2011 Ermitage le Meal Blanc over the 2012 on this occasion and it showed a more flamboyant, sexy style in its caramelized pineapple, tropical, honeyed and floral personality. Big, rich and decadent, with fabulous fruit intensity and length, this rock star flirts with perfection and will keep for another 3-4 decades.”
M. Chapoutier Saint-Joseph Blanc ‘Les Granits’, Rhone 2011 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 6 bottles available
Robert Parker 96 points “The brilliant 2011 St.-Joseph Les Granits Blanc offers up scents of caramelized citrus, orange blossoms and honeysuckle. It is full-bodied with loads of fruit, and as of now, the telltale minerality has not yet penetrated the lavish fruit notes.” RP
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $78
Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc, Rhone 2012 750ML ($249.95) $199 special, 12 bottles available
Wine Spectator 97 points “A stunner from the start, with distinct depth to the creamed mango, white peach and heather flavors, this maintains superior precision and definition as the singed almond, chamomile, salted butter and ginger notes fill in. Glazed pear, elderflower honey and beeswax details chime in on the extremely long finish. Enjoyable now, but needs serious cellaring to show its full potential. Best from 2016 through 2037. 500 cases made.” JM
Wine Advocate 96 points “Much more open, fleshy and sexy, the 2012 Hermitage Blanc was just bottled a month prior to this tasting. Coming from l’Ermite, Les Rocoules, Maison Blanche and Peleat lieux-dits, it’s always a rough blend of 80% Marsanne and 20% Roussanne that’s aged in barrel. Loaded with notions of honeysuckle, orange marmalade, powered rock, buttered citrus and green almond, it’s full-bodied, rich, upfront and fruit loaded. While I think it will be a relatively accessible early in its life, it has the concentration to hold for two decades.” WA
Saint Cosme Condrieu, Rhone 2014 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 25 bottles available
Wine Spectator 95 points “Gorgeous, with papaya, white peach, mango, persimmon and Cavaillon melon notes seamlessly stitched together, lined with light honeysuckle and jasmine accents and backed by a twinge of bitter citrus oil and well-buried minerality. A exemplary display of large-scale fruit and precision. Drink now through 2019. 416 cases made”
Domaine de Saint-Siffrein Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, Rhone 2014 750ML ($39.95) $33 special, 14 bottles available
Wine Advocate 91 points “A classic white from the region that’s made from mostly from Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Roussanne and Bourboulenc, the 2014 Châteauneuf du Pape Blanc smells of citrus, freshly picked apple and mint. Very fresh and crisp aromatically (this is the mark of the vintage), it’s more rich than you’d think on the palate and is medium-bodied, nicely textured and finishes with outstanding length. It’s very well done and if you’re looking for a classic white from the region, here you go. I’d drink it over the coming 3-4 years, but it will evolve for longer.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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Cayuse Pre-Arrivals
Arriving This Month!
Cayuse Vineyards En Chamberlin Vineyard Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2014 750ML ($149.95) $119 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 96-98 points “Always the most exotic in the lineup, the meaty, iron, black olive and floral-scented 2014 Syrah en Chamberlin Vineyard has a big core of ripe tannin and sweet fruit in its full-bodied, exuberant style. Given the polish to its tannin, it should drink nicely in its youth, but I suspect it will be at its best from 2020-2034.”
Cayuse Vineyards En Cerise Vineyard Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2014 750ML ($149.95) $119 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 94-96 points “The 2014 Syrah En Cerise was a touch more streamlined and reticent on this occasion, yet still offers beautiful black cherry and cassis fruits, underbrush and a hint of espresso roast in a full-bodied, silky, elegant style. Like all of Christophe’s wines, it will benefit from short-term cellaring.”
Horsepower Vineyards ‘The Tribe Vineyard’ Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2014 750ML ($189.95) $169 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 94-96 points “In the same ballpark as the Sur Echalas Vineyard release, the 2014 Syrah The Tribe Vineyard gives up lots of minerality and gunpowder-like characteristics, as well as red fruits, pepper, and violets aromas and flavors. On the fuller side of medium to full-bodied, it has juicy acidity, fine tannin and impeccable balance. It will have two decades of longevity.”
Wine Spectator 93 points “Balances power and finesse, with distinctive plum, bacon fat and black olive aromas and dense yet polished blackberry and stony mineral flavors that lead to big but refined tannins on the finish. Drink now through 2024.”
With 44 bottles of Cayuse in stock – you’re certain to find your high-scoring winner! Visit our web store for the complete list…
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End with some fine sherry…
Valdespino’s Very Old Rare Sherries Are Simply Sublime
Valdespino is probably the best sherry bodega, for our money. They focus on the farming of their vineyards in a way that most houses don’t and the wines are absolutely stellar from their entry level Fino, Innocente, all the way on up. The most incredible wines they make, though, are their “VORS” series, which stands for Very Old Rare Sherry. By rule, VORS wines must be at least 30 years old, though Valdespino often doubles that age for their wines—these wines are 50-60+ years old when they get bottled. Aside from Madeira, there’s no other way that you can enjoy a wine this old (and this good) for this kind of money.
On an absolute basis, sure, they’re a little pricey—they’re over fifty year old sherry from the best producer in Jerez! Compare that to any other region and you’ll never see value like that. We also should remind you that the wines are very, very good. Stock up while you can, we don’t always have these in.
A.R. Valdespino Coliseo Amontillado VORS Sherry, Andalucia NV 375ML ($249.95) $179 special, 9 half-bottles available
Wine Advocate 99 points “The NV Amontillado Coliseo VORS, is an extremely old (much older than the 30 years certified by the VORS classification) and concentrated wine. It is unique, as its origin is from Sanlucar de Barrameda, mainly from the Pago Miraflores, which produced very sharp wines. Dark mahogany colored, with a bright green border, is very aromatic, balsamic and complex, with wild herbs, candied orange rind, spices and dates. The palate is extremely concentrated, dry, and intense but it has no edges, with lively acidity and an eternal finish. It’s an extreme wine, some might find it too much, but it’s certainly unique and among the greatest wines in the world, to be sipped slowly and in tiny quantities. One of the greatest Amontillados in existence today. Drink 2013-2025.” WA
Peter Liem–“A complex demanding wine averaging over 60 years of age. This actually originates as a manzanilla, spending 15 to 20 years in Sanlucar before being blended and aged in Jerez. The result is an amontillado of tremendous finesse, balancing its vivid concentration with a stelly, racy structure”
A.R. Valdespino Cardenal Palo Cortado VORS Sherry, Andalucia NV 750ML ($299.95) $279 special, 1 bottle available
A.R. Valdespino Cardenal Palo Cortado VORS Sherry, Andalucia NV 375ML ($199.95) $133 special, 7 half-bottles available
Wine Advocate 99 points “The NV Palo Cortado Cardenal VORS, like the whole VORS collection from Valdespino is outstanding. It is fed from the solera of the Palo Cortado C.P. where the Palomino grapes come from the Macharnudo Alto vineyard, fermented in American oak botas. It’s 22% alcohol and has nine grams of (undetectable) residual sugar which makes it very drinkable. It’s a monumental wine of dark mahogany color with a green edge, a complex, ever-changing, concentrated, clean and delineated nose of spices, dark chocolate, Cuban cigar and balsamic notes of incense, and a sharp, saline palate. It is highly concentrated, powerful and clean, with an eternal, lingering aftertaste. Deciding between Coliseo and Cardenal might be splitting hairs, and as much as I love Coliseo, I felt Cardenal was just one notch above. At the quality helm of Palo Cortado. Drink 2013-2025.” WA
Peter Liem– “Its palo cortado counterpart is the Cardenal, a wine of similar age and equally multi-faceted complexity, although, with its richer girth and more velvety texture on the palate, it comes off as less forbidding. It essentially represents the ultimate conclusion of Valdespino’s expression of the Marcharnudo vineyard.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today for the 750ML!
A.R. Valdespino Ninos Pedro Ximenez VORS Sherry, Andalucia NV 375ML ($219.95) $179 special, 3 half-bottles available
Wine Advocate 98 points “The NV Ninos Pedro Ximenez 30 Anos VORS is again a monumental wine, redolent of its sibling, Moscatel Toneles, as often the extremely old wines have so many similarities that even the grape and the origin is diminished. This beast of a wine has 470 grams of sugar. It’s believed to average 50 years of age, and shows a dark mahogany, almost black color. Being extremely concentrated, is not just power, it has finesses and balance. Curry, spices, coconut, balsamic notes (eucalyptus), tar, Cuban cigar, and nutmeg can be identified in its nose. The palate is velvety, dense, thick, long, and intense, with pungent acidity but at the same time it feels smooth. Again, choosing between Ninos and Toneles might be purely academic. Drink 2013-2035.” WA
22 Sherries to choose from in-stock now from $19 to $359! See the full list on our web store!
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