Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Flash Sale; Great Grenache from Around the World; Cameron Winery Cellared Selections; New Arrivals; Rosé Colored Highlights; The Tuscan Secret; A Little L’Ecuyer – 2010 Bordeaux
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Mid-West, East & South
Summer Shipping Saver
Whisk your wine through warmer weather!
Beginning now, for the summer season we are offering UPS Three Day Select Service for the price of UPS Ground for shipments normally travelling 4 or more business days.
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Flash Sale
Arriving Friday, May 29th
Nickel & Nickel Rock Cairn Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville 2010 750ML ($89.95) $59 pre-arrival special
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $85
Nickel & Nickel Quarry Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford 2010 750ML ($89.95) $59 pre-arrival special
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $70
The average price is $87
Nickel & Nickel Tench Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville 2010 750ML ($89.95) $59 pre-arrival special
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $69.99
The average price is $85
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Great Grenache – Arriving Tomorrow
Vignobles Brunier Chateauneuf-du-Pape Telegramme 2012 750ML ($49.95) $36 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Vignobles Brunier Chateauneuf-du-Pape Telegramme 2012 750ML ($479.95) $399 pre-arrival special
Vignobles Brunier Chateauneuf-du-Pape Telegramme 2012 375ML ($29.95) $24 pre-arrival special
Vignobles Brunier Chateauneuf-du-Pape Telegramme 2012 1.5L ($99.95) $79 pre-arrival special
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 92 points “Deep ruby. Aromas of ripe red berries, cherry skin, lavender and smoky minerals, with a sexy spicecake nuance building in the glass. Juicy and seamless on the palate, with sweet raspberry and floral pastille flavors showing very good depth and energy. Clings nicely on the long, spice-tinged finish, which features supple tannins and an echo of raspberry liqueur.” JR
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $45.99
The average price is $48
Gramercy Cellars Southern Blend Lower East, Columbia Valley 2011 750ML ($31.95) $19 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Gramercy Cellars Southern Blend Lower East, Columbia Valley 2011 750ML ($219.95) $199 pre-arrival special (that’s only $16.58/bottle!)
VinopolNote: 59% Grenache, 34% Syrah, 7% Cinsault. 13.7% alcohol.
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $30
The average price is $34
Celler Pasanau Ceps Nous, Priorat DOCa 2012 750ML ($27.95) $18 pre-arrival special
82% Garnacha and 18% Syrah
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $23
Bodegas Breca ‘Breca’ Garnacha Old Vines, Calatayud 2012 750ML ($17.95) $14 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Bodegas Breca ‘Breca’ Garnacha Old Vines, Calatayud 2012 750ML ($179.95) $149 pre-arrival special
Robert Parker 91 points “The 2012 Breca from Calatayud is 100% old-vine Garnacha (from vines planted between 1925 and 1945) made from yields of less than one ton of fruit per acre. Fermented in stainless steel tanks and then transferred to new to 3-year-old French oak casks for 21 months, this outstanding red is the poor man’s Priorat. Mineral notes of wet slate and gun flint are intermixed with blackcurrant, black cherry and cassis fruit in this dense, full-bodied, pure, lavishly rich, intense Spanish red. It is hard to believe what one can get at this price point if the importer and wine producer are committed to high quality.” RP
Bodegas Breca Garnacha de Fuego Old Vines, Calatayud 2013 750ML ($11.95) $8.80 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Bodegas Breca Garnacha de Fuego Old Vines, Calatayud 2013 750ML ($119.95) $89 pre-arrival special
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 89 points “(all stainless steel): Bright purple. Dark berries, cherry and a touch of smokiness on the nose and in the mouth. Spicy and juicy, showing good focus and back-end cut. The red fruit and smoke qualities carry through a sweet, gently tannic finish that shows surprising power for the vintage. Offers excellent bang for the buck.” JR
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Cameron Winery
The Cameron Winery is hidden away in Dundee, Oregon above the estate vineyard, Clos Electrique. Winemaker John Paul founded the winery in 1984 in McMinnville before moving to the estate he planted with multiple clones of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, much in the Burgundian style. He farms the vineyard sustainably and is a founding member of the Deep Roots Coalition – a Willamette Valley organization of growers that produce grapes without irrigation (dry-farming). Today the four acre vineyard also includes Nebbiolo and a field blend of white varietals. He also works closely with the Abbey Ridge vineyard, one of the oldest vineyards in the state. Producing 3,000-4,000 cases a year, it is a small operation that has garnered a loyal following. The wines are loved for their old-world style, character and class.
Newly Arrived Cameron Winery Cellar Selections
Cameron Winery ‘Abbey Ridge’ Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2008 750ML ($99.95) $79 special, 6 bottles available
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2008 Pinot Noir Abbey Ridge comes from the estate’s oldest vines. Medium cherry red, it displays a fragrant bouquet of Asian spices, incense, floral notes, cherry, and raspberry. Incipiently complex on the palate, it will benefit from 2-3 years of additional cellaring to fully unwind and will provide enjoyment through 2020, perhaps longer.” WA
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Cameron Winery ‘Abbey Ridge’ Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2010 750ML ($99.95) $79 special, 9 bottles available
Wine Advocate 91-92+ points “Based on the oldest blocks at that site, Cameron’s 2010 Pinot Noir Abbey Ridge – which represented a single fermentation lot tasted from multiple barrels, and will total around 200 cases – smells pungently of cherry, purple plum, and holly berry, all shadowed by their distilled counterparts; incense; sage; citrus oils; and brown spices. These manifold features go on to inform a sappy, bright, buoyant palate, finishing with grip and verve. Expect a good 15 or more year run.” WA
Cameron Winery Clos Electrique Rouge Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2008 750ML ($99.95) $79 special, 6 bottles available
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2008 Clos Electrique Rouge displays a similar elegant personality. Medium ruby red with aromas of spice box, wild berries, incense, and smoke, on the palate it has excellent concentration, intense flavors, and several years of aging potential. It will offer a drinking window extending from 2013 to 2023.” WA
Cameron Winery Clos Electrique Rouge Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2010 750ML ($99.95) $79 special, 3 bottles available
Wine Advocate 91-92+ points “From four barrels of Cameron 2010 Pinot Noir Clos Electrique, only three were selected for separate bottling. Tart-edged cherry and cranberry strongly marked by toasted nut and piquant fruit pit inform the nose; then make for a brashly intense palate impression. Yet this is also the most seductively-, silken-textured of the Cameron 2010 Pinots. Herbal and smoky notes add further complexity to a gripping finish. This promises to keep you actively engaged as tasters for a long time – perhaps even two decades.” WA
Additional Cameron Wines Available Here Now
Cameron Winery ‘Cameroni Giovanni’ Pinot Bianco, Willamette Valley 2014 750ML ($17.95) $14 special, 21 bottles available
Winery note “Our latest release of Giovanni Pinot blanc is decidedly more complex than previous renditions due a bit of Pinot gris and Chardonnay in the blend. The nose screams “spiced pears” supported by a great herbal lineup of lemon verbena, tarragon and pineapple mint and a melange of mirabelle plums and white peach. Its vibrant acidity and notes of lemon on the palate will motivate you to pair it with oysters on the half shell or spaghetti vongole. To top it off, it is 100% Abbey Ridge fruit. An amazing value for our first release from the fabulous 2014 vintage.”
Cameron Winery Saignee of Pinot Noir 2013 750ML ($29.95) $24 special, 11 bottles available
Winery note “Hints of orange rind, strawberry parfait, cream, tarragon, Chinese 5 spice, frumetto (you are going to have to look that one up), and yes, Funyuns. Just plain delicious. And it’s pink.”
Cameron Wines Arriving Here Early June
Cameron Winery “Dazzle” Pink Wine 2014 750ML ($21.95) $18 pre-arrival special
VinopolNote: This Rose was produced from Pinot Noir grapes from the Yohan vineyard that underwent a two day maceration before being fermented in new barrels. Pinot Blanc was added to the blend to increase aromatics and lighten the final color.
Cameron Winery Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2013 750ML ($31.95) $27 pre-arrival special
VinopolNote: A blend of younger vines from the Clos Electrique Vineyard and a block of 35 year old vines from the Abbey Ridge Vineyard.
Cameron Winery Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2013 750ML ($27.95) $24 pre-arrival special
VinopolNote: For the first time in 15 years Cameron Winery is releasing a Ribbon Ridge Pinot Noir. Sourced from seven year old vines.
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Mid-Week New Arrivals
FRANCE-BORDEAUX
Chateau Coutet, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2010 750ML ($39.95) $29 special
Wine Spectator 89 points “Supple, with alluring ripe raspberry and steeped red currant fruit that evolves into red licorice and sweet toasted spice through the finish. Honest grip runs underneath. Drink now through 2015. 1,000 cases imported.”JM
FRANCE-RHONE
Gerard & Pierre Morin Sancerre Chene Marchand, Loire 2011 750ML ($29.95) $21.90 special
Wine Advocate 91-92 points “From tank, Morin’s 2011 Sancerre Chene Marchand adds to juicy, fruitful abundance such as exhibited by the corresponding Vieilles Vignes a more active and differentiated impression of mineral impingement and a yet more tactile dimension to its zesty, vibrant finish. There is the same sense of buoyancy and refreshment here as well, while a streak of salinity engenders welcome salivation, complementing the wine’s luscious honeydew melon and tart apple-rhubarb melange.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
ITALY-PIEDMONT
Giacomo Borgogno & Figli No Name 2010 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Antonio Galloni 91-93 points “Proprietor Oscar Farinetti continues to bottle one cask of Barolo designated juice as Langhe Nebbiolo No Name in protest to the declassification of one of his wines a few years back. Consumers are the beneficiaries, as the No Name is one of the best wines in the market in its price range. The 2010 bursts from the glass with freshly cut flowers, sweet red berries and spices. A totally seductive wine, the 2010 impresses for its purity, raciness and sheer beauty. Sweet perfumed notes add lift on the finish. Winemaker Andrea Farinetti gave the 2010 18 days on the skins, less than his other Nebbiolos, but that just makes the wine more accessible young. Readers who can find the 2010 No Name should not hesitate. It is a brilliant effort.” AG
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Le Piane Boca 2008 750ML ($69.95) $39 special
Antonio Galloni 96 points “The 2008 Le Piane is more than a worthy follow-up to the gorgeous 2007. In this vintage, the wine is much more classic in style. The sweetest of black cherries, grilled herbs, menthol, spices and licorice all meld together in this beautiful, delineated, totally vibrant wine. The balance of focus and power is simply stunning. This is a dazzling effort from a small estate that seems to be ratcheting up quality with each passing vintage. One of the attributes of Nebbiolo-based wines from northern Piedmont is that they are often easy to drink when young, yet also age effortlessly for years, sometimes decades. That certainly appears to be the case here. This is magnificent effort from proprietor Christoph Kunzli.” AG
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $54.99
GERMANY
Weingut Pfeffingen Ungsteiner Weilberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Pfalz 2013 750ML ($49.95) $33 special
Wine Advocate 90 points “Rather discreet and loaded with green aromas of limes and apples on the nose that are followed by a medium-bodied, pure and aromatic wine with an animating minerality, this 2013 Ungsteiner Weilberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs is very well balanced and quite accessible already.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Weingut Pfeffingen Scheurebe Trocken, Pfalz 2013 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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Just a reminder about our current shipping specials during this season:
For the Mid-West, East, and South during the summer season we are offering UPS Three Day Select Service for the price of UPS Ground for shipments that would normally travel four or more business days to their destination.
We offer flat rate shipping on any size single order / single shipment
-to Oregon for $17,
-Washington & Idaho for $20,
-and California for $25
These rates do not apply to orders held in storage here for any reason. Multiple orders consolidated into one shipment do not qualify for flat rate shipping.
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Rosé Colored Highlights
Arriving in June
Bodegas Muga Rosado, Rioja DOCa 2014 750ML ($14.95) $11.90 pre-arrival special
From the winery “60% Garnacha, 30% Viura and 10% Tempranillo. After about twelve hours macerating with the grape skins, the wine ferments for 25 days in small, 1000 litre wooden vats, which is where it is kept for 2 months before being bottled. Very light in colour, mainly pale salmon with orange glints and a bright sheen. On the nose the wine proves more mature than you might expect for the vintage. The acid fruit is less citrus in character and, in this vintage, ripe peach and pineapple aromas come through more strongly. Full, supple mouth-feel thanks to the time spent on fine lees, adding hints of baker’s shop aromas. The typical acidity of this wine is perfectly balanced to give an overall smooth taste. The aftertaste and retronasal phases are dominated by velvety smooth, yet fresh, sharp peach leaving a lovely final sensation which makes you want to try more.”
Re-Arriving Friday, May 29th
Ameztoi Rubentis Rosado, Getariako Txakolina 2014 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special
Case-12 Ameztoi Rubentis Rosado, Getariako Txakolina 2014 750ML ($249.95) $219 special (that’s only $18.25/bottle!)
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 91 points “Pale, very bright pink. Vibrant, high-pitched strawberry and orange zest aromas show a subtle floral overtone. Dry, racy and sharply focused in the mouth, offering tangy red berry and blood orange flavors and a suggestion of white pepper. Closes spicy, dry and long, with the floral note repeating.”JR
Importer note “The pink sibling of Ameztoi’s flagship white, this vibrant rosé is made from a mix of red and white indigenous grapes and is bottled with a little residual carbon to give it a light spritz. Candied red fruits combine with a lime infused edge makes this a wildly intriguing rosé. Made from 50% Hondarribi Beltza and 50% Hondarribi Zuri; vines range from 5 to over 150 years old.”
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The Tuscan Secret
Castell’in Villa
Nestled on the Castelnuovo Barardenga hill in the southern-most part of the Chianti Classico zone is the estate of Castell’in Villa, a historic hamlet dating to the 13th century. The estate is owned and operated by Princess Coralia Pignatelli della Leonessa. She and her husband purchased the estate in 1968; they updated the 13th century farmhouse and began to expand vineyard plantings. She found herself the sole owner less than a decade later when her husband passed away, and she dedicated herself to renovating the estate. She expanded the vineyard plantings to 54 hectares and replanted white grapevines with Sangiovese. Using clonal selections from estate’s vineyards, she planted the Poggio delle Rose vineyard, the estate’s top site. The soil is composed of the alluvial sand and pebbly soil seen throughout the estate with the addition of clay and limestone.
The wines are produced from handpicked estate grapes from vines planted among the olive groves and forest. They are aged in French oak barrels and held back for two additional years to ensure greater maturity upon release. The IGT is a blend of Sangiovese and of Cabernet Sauvignon that was grafted over existing vines in 1983. The wines show elegance and balance with a classic nose of dried fruits, minerals and flowers.
Castell’in Villa Wines Arriving August 2015
Castell’in Villa Chianti Classico DOCG 2010 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 pre-arrival special
Ian D’Agata–Vinous 91 points “Bright red. Flinty red cherry and smoky underbrush on the refined nose. Classically dry and firm, this midweight Chianti delivers plenty of pure sangiovese flavor (licorice, flint, red cherry) and seems slightly more accessible to me than past versions of this wine, which usually started out life tough as nails but evolved beautifully and showed rare ageworthiness. Chianti Classico does not get any better or any more traditional than this.” ID
Castell’in Villa Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2009 750ML ($59.95) $47 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 92 points “Rich, enveloping and beautifully layered, the 2009 Chianti Classico Riserva is a rare Riserva that will drink nicely with minimal cellaring. Sweet tobacco, licorice, leather, cedar and underbrush meld together as this radiant, supple Riserva opens up in the glass. More classic elements of structure emerge on the finish.” AG
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Castell’in Villa Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2008 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Ian D’Agata—Vinous 92+ points “Good bright red. Nose began closed and brooding, but showed vibrant notes of redcurrant, mint and dried flowers with aeration, complicated by a strong mineral quality. Sweet and nicely lush in the mouth, with suave flavors of redcurrant, herbs and tobacco joined on the back end by a very strong element of gunflint. The long finish features a firm acid spine and youthfully chewy but noble tannins.” ID
Castell’in Villa Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2006 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2006 Chianti Classico Riserva hits all the high notes. Ripe and structured, yet also wonderfully contained, the 2006 boasts stunning depth, power and richness. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2006 is also likely to require a considerable amount of time to come around. All the elements are in the right place for the 2006 Riserva to develop into a splendid wine. The mid-weight, firm style is classic Castell’in Villa.” AG
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $60
Castell’in Villa ‘Poggio delle Rose’, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2009 750ML ($79.95) $69 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 93+ points “Castell’in Villa’s 2009 Chianti Classico Riserva Poggio delle Rose captures the generosity of the vintage while retaining a gorgeous sense of freshness and energy. Red stone fruit, tobacco, menthol, sage and leather nuances are bright and nicely focused, but with the additional breadth provided by the warm vintage. A long, silky finish rounds things out in style.” AG
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Castell’in Villa Santacroce Toscana IGT 2007 750ML ($79.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2007 Santacroce is a huge wine endowed with tons of richness and sheer textural depth. Dark cherries, plums, graphite, incense and tobacco burst from the glass in this intense, powerful wine. I very much like the way the 2007 fleshes out with time in the glass. It is a young, young wine that needs time to shed some baby fat and develop its bouquet. In 2007 Santacroce is more than 50% Cabernet Sauvignon for the first time, signaling the direction the wine will take as it gradually becomes a pure Cabernet Sauvignon.” AG
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ETA Mid-June
Chateau L’Ecuyer
Château L’Ecuyer is a tiny estate of only 3 hectares located in the small prestigious Pomerol appellation. It was originally known as Château de Bourgueneuf, but was re-baptized L’Ecuyer (squire) when the Petit and Cambier families took over in 2004. L’Ecuyer benefits from an exceptional terroir. 1 hectare is located on the summit of the famous Pomerol plateau next to Clos L’Eglise, Château Clinet and Château Rouget. The other 2 hectares are located in the heart of Pomerol.
Chateau L’Ecuyer, Pomerol 2010 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Chateau L’Ecuyer, Pomerol 2010 750ML ($549.95) $419 pre-arrival special (that’s only $34.92/bottle!)
Wine Spectator 92 points “Creamy and inviting, with dark raspberry, blackberry coulis and steeped plum fruit gliding along, carried by licorice snap, Lapsang souchong tea and singed apple wood notes. Fleshy but well-defined, driven to the finish by embedded structure. Best from 2015 through 2025. Tasted twice, with consistent notes.” WS
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $47