2012 Brunello Arriving This Week; Spotlight: Fevre Chablis; Better by the Dozen; Staff Picks; Piedmonte’s Exceptional Values; Vertical Like the Urziger Wurzgarten; Torii Mor
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Summer Shipping Special:
Midwest, East, & South
For the summer season we are offering UPS Three Day Select Service for the price of UPS Ground for shipments normally traveling 4 or more business days by ground.
Free service upgrade only applies on single orders purchased and shipped during the promotional period. Additional fees will apply to orders held for any reason until after the promotional period and shipped by Three Day Select. Offer not valid on items purchased before the promotional period or on pre-arrival items that arrive after the promotional period ends.
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Arriving Friday
Highlights of 2012 Brunello
“Every once in a while, when visiting a specific wine region, I taste so many good bottles that I find myself thinking I might just turn in my author’s pen and start making wine… Most recently, this happened during my tastings of the 2012 Brunellos, when I tried one delicious example after another. Even more impressive, the 2012 vintage for Brunello stands out for its consistently high quality. I found more good to outstanding examples than in any past vintage” –Ian D’Agata
We have some of the biggest names in Brunello arriving this Friday, all from the acclaimed 2012 vintage. Demand has been high, but we still have some to go around. This looks to be an all-time great Brunello year.
Arriving Friday:
Altesino Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2012 750ML ($59.95) $46 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 96 points– Highly Recommended “Cherry, leather and iron notes mark this suave, elegant red. A bit reticent now, but the fruit is fresh and long on the finish. The dense tannins leave a mouthcoating impression, but this opens up beautifully over a few hours. Best from 2021 through 2035.”
Wine Enthusiast 94 points– Top 20 Brunello “Marking the winery’s 40th harvest, this vintage offers classic Sangiovese fragrance: wild berry, blue flower, baking spice and a whiff of new leather. The palate is sleek and elegant, doling out juicy red cherry, crushed raspberry, cinnamon and star anise, framed by lithe, polished tannins and fresh acidity. It’s loaded with finesse and tempting now but will be even better with a few more years in bottle. Drink 2019–2026.”
Castiglion del Bosco Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012 750ML ($54.95) $44 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 96 points “This shows pure and fresh fruit that many others don’t have. Also, there are plenty of linear tannins. Precise and beautiful. Medium to full body. Persistent finish. Better in 2019.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2012 750ML ($39.95) $33 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2012 750ML ($229.95) $179 pre-arrival special (that’s only $29.83/bottle—the lowest price in the country!)
Wine Spectator 92 points “This is round and laced with cherry, currant, tobacco and iron flavors. Firms up quickly, with a fine matrix of tannins for support. Balanced overall, with a long finish of tobacco and iron. Best from 2020 through 2033.”
Wine Advocate 91+ points “Caparzo’s 2012 Brunello di Montalcino is a mid-weight expression with bright berry aromas and a traditional approach stylistically speaking. This Brunello aged in large oak casks made from Slavonian and French oak. In fact, it shows a streamlined and compact texture with buoyant aromatic intensity. The focus is on raspberry, cherry and plum with distinct shadings of spice, licorice, tar and blue flower at the back. The overall effect is inviting and genuine. The mouthfeel is thin, but the wine offers nice freshness instead.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
In Stock Now:
La Gerla Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2012 750ML ($47.95) $36 special
La Gerla Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012 1.5L ($99.95) $79 special
Ian D’agata–Vinous 92+ points “Deep red. Spicy aromas of redcurrant, cherry, mocha and licorice. Chewy and firmly tannic, offering spicy red cherry and milk chocolate flavors sexed up by a strongly flinty, almost smoky element. The noble tannins gain strength on the finish, which feature outstanding length and insidious sweetness.”
Wine Advocate 92+ points “The La Gerla 2012 Brunello di Montalcino reminds me of the vintage that precedes it (although I like this edition better). Like with the 2011 vintage, this estate has done a great job in capturing as much of the primary fruit as possible, given the warm vintage conditions. Dark fruit with black currant and wild blueberry come into focus. Those fruit tones are aged and evolved for sure, but they don’t show tired or flat characteristics at this point. Delicate notes of cola, licorice and blue flower add complexity. The tannic presence is reduced and the mouthfeel delivers silkiness and softness instead. La Gerla puts its Brunello annata into large oak casks for three years. This Brunello is ready to drink now.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price for the magnum is $139.98
Siro Pacenti PS Pelagrilli, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012 750ML ($49.95) $38 special
Ian D’agata–Vinous 92 points “Deep red with ruby tinges. Delicately flinty and herbal notes complicate sour red cherry, redcurrant and underbrush aromas. Fresh and juicy but with an almost austere quality to the crisp red berry and minty plum flavors. Finishes long and clean with a mineral nuance. The herbal note disapperars with aeration, so it’s of paramount importance to give this wine plenty of air. Pacenti makes 20,000 bottles a year of this Brunello from 25 to 35 year old vines with roughly 75-80% of the grapes grown in the northern Pellagrilli estate vineyards and the rest from the Piancornello vineyards in the southern reaches Montalcino.”
Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012 750ML ($79.95) $59 special
Case-6 Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012 750ML ($449.95) $333 special (that’s only $55.50/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 95+ points “Il Poggione is a Brunello superstar and a vintage like this reveals every reason why that affirmation is true. From the second the 2012 Brunello di Montalcino pours into the glass, you know you are in for something special. The wine is darkly saturated and rich in appearance. Absent are those slightly amber or browning hues you often get with Sangiovese in a hot vintage. Nor does the wine show flat or tired characteristics. Instead, the quality of fruit is vibrant and rich. This is a healthy, generous and exuberant Brunello with dark density and succulent fruit flavors that are followed by integrated spice and tobacco. The balance is impressive and one thing you get here is fresh acidity. This is not to be underestimated, because the acidity quota in the 2012 vintage across the appellation is not as high or evident as usual. This is one of the year’s best Brunellos.”
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Fevre
Changing Tastes, Changing Chablis
The Domaine William Fevre seems to have sprung from the side of Athena in 1959, when William declared his first vintage; this, in a region where winemaking families stretch for centuries, not just decades. The purchase of land seemed to be first and foremost in their mission, acquiring a whopping 78 hectares over 90 separate parcels. The access to this much fruit, in one of the priciest AOC in France, gives Fevre a leg up in making some of the most iconic Chablis available today.
The wines, from Petit Chablis up to Grand Cru, are marked by their chalky, smoky intensity. A character branded into the vineyards by Kimmeridgian soil, clay and sea floor sediment; a strata that reaches from Chablis, through Champagne and out to the Loire. The acidity is preserved by a growing zone at the edge of being too cool, yet this has been challenged with warmer vintages creeping in more recently. How does a winery who rests their very brand upon a hallmark style change with the climate? Diversify and reinvent Chablis, bien sur. Play with ripeness and judiciously incorporate more oak regime into the mix, but make certain that the heart of Chablis is preserved. Some purists cry foul; Fevre just keeps on their course.
Fortunately for us, 2014 was a vintage to turn back the clocks, ever so slightly. 2014 was cooler than 13 and 15 to follow; much more of that gunflint character comes out in every bottling. Even, the Vaudesir, which has had the most wood influence over the recent past, seems resplendent with tight, white fruit just falling into ripeness. All of these share the potential to age beautifully, developing a balance and integration to the minerality. They’re not shy now, but your patience will be rewarded.
In Stock Now from William Fevre:
William Fevre Les Clos, Chablis Grand Cru 2004 750ML ($179.95) $149 special, 14 bottles available
Burghound 95 points “Stylistically, this closely resembles the Valmur with its ultra elegant and pure aromas featuring white flowers, oyster shell and subtle spice notes that perfectly complement the round, powerful, rich and full-bodied flavors that coating the mouth and culminate in a saliva-inducing, incredibly intense finish that reminded me more than a little of a great Corton-Charlemagne. This just oozes minerality and the texture is minerally to the point of this resembling a block of stone. A great Les Clos” BH
William Fevre Les Lys, Chablis Premier Cru 2014 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 7 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 93 points “Very pale lemon-yellow. Alsace Riesling-like aromas of lime zest and powdered stone complicated by a touch of olive tapenade reduction. Wonderfully dense and energetic but not hard, conveying terrific breadth and a refined texture to its tactile, saline lime and pineapple flavors. This outstanding, classy wine finishes with subtle rising length and terrific grip. Didier Séguier predicts that this bottling will be at its apogee in five to ten years.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
William Fevre Vaillons, Chablis Premier Cru 2014 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 20 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 93 points “Pale, green-tinged yellow. Smells riper than the Montmains but also displays pungently fresh iodiney minerality. Densely packed and sweet, with youthful grapefruit and pineapple flavors dominated on the back end by the strong iodiney minerality. Very firm but not austere, this superb premier cru saturates the mouth without leaving any impression of excess weight. Built to age.”
William Fevre Vaudesir, Chablis Grand Cru 2014 750ML ($119.95) $89 special, 7 bottles available
Burghound 95 points “Here the wood is so subtle as to be all but invisible as it easily allows the riper and denser mix of both white and yellow orchard fruit, petrol, spice and sea breeze scents to shine. The ripeness exhibited by the nose continues onto the juicy, even succulent yet beautifully focused flavors that deliver superb complexity on the impressively lingering finale. This should age effortlessly and I would expect the minerality to develop even more with age. A ‘wow’ wine.”
William Fevre Vaulorent, Chablis Premier Cru 2014 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 2 bottles available
Burghound 93 points “Yet again the ultra-fresh and strikingly layered white flower nose is packed with typical Chablis aromas that include cool mineral reduction, citrus and oyster shell nuances. The medium weight flavors are almost painfully intense while brimming with minerality on the chiseled and moderately austere finish that is tight to the point of being linear. This terrific effort will require at least 5 to 7 years of cellaring to reveal its full, and considerable, potential. In a word, impressive.”
William Fevre Vaillons, Chablis Premier Cru 2007 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 1 bottle available
Burghound 89-92 points –Outstanding–“This is almost as ripe as the Mont de Milieu with a fruit compote nose that displays a hint of exoticism that merges into extremely rich, full, frank and overtly powerful flavors that possess excellent volume, punch and vivacity on the exceptionally pure and driving finish. The acid backbone is firm and despite the ripeness of the fruit, this finishes quite dry and with a seductive texture.” BH
This is the only listing in the USA today!
William Fevre Vaudesir, Chablis Grand Cru 2009 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 1 bottle available
Burghound 94 points “A mildly exotic and atypically reticent nose that is ripe yet airy showcases aromas of orange peel, peach and hints of roasted nut and iodine, before leading to rich, even opulent medium plus weight flavors that are delicious, round and strikingly persistent on the mouth coating and moderately austere finish. This has really come together since I last saw it and like the Bougros, this is quite a bit more refined than I’m used to seeing. An excellent example.” BH
This is the only listing in the USA today!
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Cheaper by the Dozen
While it’s always nice to have a case of wine on hand for the right moment, spring and summer entertaining means that there’s often a sudden and acute need for a lot of good wine at once. We’ve highlighted a several wines, with great case specials, that we think would be perfect to have on hand for anything from a casual barbecue to something a little more formal.
Case-12 Coto de Gomariz Blanco, Ribeiro 2014 750ML ($299.95) $199 special, 2 cases available (that’s only $16.58/bottle!)
Coto de Gomariz Blanco, Ribeiro 2014 750ML ($24.95) $18 special, 24+ bottles available
Wine Advocate 93 points “They have changed the label and image for the white 2014 Coto de Gomariz, which is mainly Treixadura with some 30% between Godello, Albariño and Loureira grown on different soils, granite, schist and clay in the village of Gomariz. This is an unoaked cuvée matured in stainless steel until the following spring when it’s bottled. The wine is very clean and expressive, serious, full of white flowers and with the fuller palate of the Treixadura, which gives it a great textured mouthfeel. Treixadura takes longer to ripen as it’s almost a tannic white variety, with a faint bitter aftertaste. This is a structured, complex white (despite being young), able to age and able to stand to powerful food, including white meat. Great showing for this wine in 2014.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $23!
Case-12 Isaac Cantalapiedra ‘Cantayano’ Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y Leon 2015 750ML ($259.95) $219 special, 1 case available (that’s only $18.25/bottle! – This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Isaac Cantalapiedra ‘Cantayano’ Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y Leon 750ML ($24.95) $20.90 special, 14+ bottles available
John Gilman 93+ points “Isaac Cantalapiedra and his son, winemaker Maule, cultivate twenty hectares of vines in and just outside of the borders of Rueda- hence the Castilla y León DO on this bottle, despite the fact that seven hectares of their Verdejo vineyards are in the heart of Rueda. This wine is crafted with natural yeast fermentation, with ninety percent fermented in stainless steel and ten percent in older French casks, with the wine spending eight months nurturing on its fine lees prior to bottling. The 2015 Cantayano delivers a deep, complex bouquet loaded with personality, reveling in scents of pear, peach stone, wild fennel, incipient notes of beeswax, salty soil tones and a nice herbal touch of lemongrass in the upper register. On the palate the wine is pure, focused and very full-bodied for Verdejo, with a rock solid core, excellent soil signature, bright acids and outstanding length and grip on the vibrant and still quite youthful finish. This is a dynamite bottle of Verdejo that should continue to improve over the next five to seven years in the bottle and may well last longer than that! 2017-2025+.”
Case-6 Vouette et Sorbee Cuvee Blanc d’Argile Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, Champagne NV (2012) 750ML ($599.95) $438 special, 2 six-packs available (that’s only $73/bottle!)
Vouette et Sorbee Cuvee Blanc d’Argile Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, Champagne NV (2012) 750ML ($109.95) $79 special, 13+ bottles available
Antonio Galloni 94 points “Vouette & Sorbée NV (2012) Extra-Brut Blanc d’Argile is superb. Deep, rich and powerful, the 2012 shows just how compelling Champagnes can be. A Champagne of baritone depth and intensity, the 2012 flows effortlessly throughout the mid-palate as the flavors and textures crescendo on the expressive finish. Readers who enjoy rich, vinous Champagnes will adore the 2012.”
Case-12 Bodegas Roda Sela, Rioja DOCa 2012 750ML ($399.95) $269 special, 2 cases available (that’s only $22.42/bottle!)
Bodegas Roda Sela, Rioja DOCa 2012 750ML ($34.95) $26 special, 18+ bottles available
Wine Advocate 90 points “The 2012 Sela will be released in March 2015, and it’s a great example of Sela. It opens to bright red fruit, more shiny than 2011, and is still pretty young showing faint lactic notes and more traces of the barrel that should be absorbed with time. 2012 could be fresher and more accessible. It’s an elegant and balanced wine, with some fine-grained tannins that will be polished with bottle age. The palate is very tasty and has almost salty flavors that are quite gentle and velvety. In 2012 Sela was a blend of Tempranillo with 3% Graciano and 1% Garnacha.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Case-12 Matello ‘Souris’ Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2012 750ML ($449.95) $299 special, 5 cases available (that’s only $24.92/bottle!)
Case-6 Matello ‘Souris’ Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2012 750ML ($249.95) $166 special, 2 six-packs available (that’s only $27.67/bottle!)
Matello ‘Souris’ Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2012 750ML ($41.95) $29 special, 36+ bottles available
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 93 points “Vivid ruby-red. Heady, complex scents of fresh red and dark berries, incense and Asian spices, with a bright mineral overtone. Intense black raspberry and spicecake flavors convey a shapely, seamless quality. Fleshes out and deepens with aeration and finishes sweet and extremely long, with lingering smokiness and harmonious tannins.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Case-6 Claire Naudin Domaine Henri Naudin-Ferrand Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Nuits, Burgundy 2013 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 6 six-packs available (that’s only $16.50/bottle)
Claire Naudin Domaine Henri Naudin-Ferrand Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Nuits, Burgundy 2013 750ML ($27.95) $18 special, 36+ bottles available
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Case-12 Allegrini Palazzo della Torre Veronese IGT, Veneto 2012 750ML ($249.95) $189 special, 1 case available (that’s only $15.75/bottle! –This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Allegrini Palazzo della Torre Veronese IGT, Veneto 2012 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 18+ bottles available
James Suckling 92 points “Aromas of dried earth, dried raspberry and blueberry. Full body, chewy tannins and a fresh, bright finish. Lively and delicious. This is always a delicious blend of corvina and rondinella. Drink now.”
Case-6 Podere Poggio Scalette Chianti Classico DOCG, Tuscany 2013 750ML ($149.95) $108 special, 7 six-packs available (that’s only $18/bottle!)
Podere Poggio Scalette Chianti Classico DOCG, Tuscany 2013 750ML ($24.95) $20.90 special, 36+ bottles available
James Suckling 92 points “Dried flowers and dark berries come through on the nose. Full body, silky tannins and a bright and fruity finish. Crisp and very, very clean. Almost steely. Very well done this year. Drink now.”
Wine Advocate 91 points “The 2013 Chianti Classico is a delicious wine with a very clean entry to the palate. The wine makes its mark thanks to shapely aromas of dark fruit, dried cherry and plum. The quality of the fruit is evident in the classic 2013 vintage. Clean acidity and bright berry flavors move towards the palate where they are both refreshing and invigorating. This is a great wine to pair with grilled meat or flatbread with smoked bacon or sausage.”
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Staff Picks
Andy:
An old friend of mine makes a homemade shwarma that has forever ruined me for anything that comes from a restaurant. In the quest for a red wine that compliments and doesn’t muddle the flavors of meat, citrus and spice I finally tried the Corimbo from Bodegas la Horra. The 2012 is a unique balance of ripeness and lift, not weighty or overwhelming despite the drought conditions. Rain and cool nights in September prevented the Corimbo from being as concentrated as the 2011, and it benefits clearly and greatly. The wine shows definite dark fruit on the nose, but the elegance of the spiciness and brightness of the lighter body provides refreshment. Its structure is still impressive, just not overwhelming. I don’t often call Spanish wines “refreshing”, but the manner in which this wine complimented our Lebanese cuisine makes it a clear candidate for accompanying most meats off the grill. Served at cellar temperature, the Corimbo is a delicious summer red for any setting.
Bodegas La Horra Corimbo, Ribera del Duero 2012 750ML ($31.95) $27 special, 26 bottles available
Wine Advocate 92+ points “The 2012 Corimbo is pure Tempranillo from the Burgos part of Ribera del Duero (La Horra, Roa, Sotillo, Gumiel); it was fermented in stainless steel tanks, went through malo in French oak vats and matured in some 10-20% new oak barrels, mostly French but with some 20% American. After some 14 months, the wines are transferred from barriques to oak vats where they stay for a further six months. The color is bright ruby with a nose that shows red fruit and nicely integrated oak, with a spiciness that shows not only the usual vanilla and cinnamon, but also some more exotic aromas reminiscent of curry, plus plenty of wild flowers and Mediterranean herbs. 2012 was extremely dry, but there was around 20 liters of rain in each of the months of July, August and September, which clearly provided the much needed water to balance the grapes and provide fresher wines. This Corimbo clearly shows the profile of the growing season, and the wine is more floral and a little lighter with good freshness; it’s a more approachable wine. The oak is very nicely integrated and the wine is balanced, fresh and with medium body. A lighter, approachable style of Ribera del Duero.”
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 92 points “(aged for a year in new and used French and American oak) Deep ruby. A complex, highly perfumed bouquet evokes ripe dark berries, incense and vanilla, with a sexy floral overtone. Sweet, seamless and penetrating on the palate, offering intense blackberry and cherry-vanilla flavors that are given spine and sharpened by juicy acidity. Rich yet vibrant, with excellent closing thrust and harmonious tannins building slowly and lending structure.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Saul:
This time of year, I really crave red wines that can be served cool—things that will refresh and invigorate, but still have enough dark fruit to pair like a red wine. This little gem from Chile is exactly that. It’s been a while since I’ve tasted something that is so gulpable and so capable of going with seemingly every kind of food you could cook on the grill from veggies to fish to steak. This might not win any prizes for contemplative depth, but there’s no way you’re only going to open one bottle.
Maitia ‘Aupa Pipeno’, Maule Valley 2016 750ML ($14.95) $11.90 special, 36+ bottles available
Case-12 Maitia ‘Aupa Pipeno’, Maule Valley 2016 750ML ($149.95) $128 special, 4 cases available (that’s only $10.67/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 92 points “The super-tasty and gulpable 2016 Aupa Pipeño is a blend of País with some 30% Carignan (and whatever is found in the old vineyards) from a slightly cooler year. It keeps the style of previous vintages with the bright red fruit and the freshness of short macerations. In the dry-farming part of Maule they only saw 30 to 50 millimeters of rain when in the central valley they got 200! These grapes were harvested before the rain anyway, but the wine retains the freshness of a cooler year, fresher than 2015, more in line with the 2014 and 2013.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
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Best Value in the Piedmont
The List Keeps Growing
The number of excellent wines coming from the Piedmonte for ludicrously low prices is phenomenal. We were trying to figure out what our “best value” Italian wine was and kept throwing out different wines from Barbaresco, Barolo and the surrounding region. The number of outstanding wines under $30 was incredible. All of them will drink now, but a majority of the list will also age spectacularly—don’t be afraid to age these for 5-10 years and see what deals they really are!
Adriano Marco e Vittorio Sanadaive, Barbaresco DOCG 2013 750ML ($27.95) $24 special, 22 bottles available
Wine Enthusiast 94 points “Enticing scents of fragrant blue flower, ripe red berry, baking spice, menthol and new leather lead the way. Fresh and elegant, the palate delivers juicy red cherry, raspberry, cinnamon, white pepper and licorice while firm, polished tannins lend structure and a smooth mouthfeel. Drink 2018–2023.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Cantina del Glicine Vignesparse, Barbaresco DOCG 2011 750ML ($34.95) $24 special, 11 bottles available
Winery note “Color: brillant ruby red with a tendency towards orange. Bouquet: ethereal and composite (liquorice, wild rose, violet). Flavor: dry, caressing, mellow, elegant. Our Barbaresco “Vignesparse” comes exclusively from vineyards located in Neive belonging to different Crus. It ages in Slavonian oak wood casks.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $32
Paitin di Pasquero-Elia ‘Serra’, Barbaresco DOCG 2011 750ML ($41.95) $31.90 special, 28+ bottles available
Case-12 Paitin di Pasquero-Elia ‘Serra’, Barbaresco DOCG 2011 750ML ($419.95) $359 special, 2 case available (that’s only $29.92/bottle!)
Wine Spectator 94 points “Rich and velvety, yet also vibrant and complex, this red boasts floral, berry, anise, leather and mineral flavors. Harmonious, this turns slightly chewy in texture on the lingering finish. Best from 2017 through 2027. 1,000 cases made.” WS
Antonio Galloni 93 points “Crushed flowers, sweet red berries, spices and mint race across the palate in the 2011 Barbaresco Serra. This is one of the most intense, tannic 2011 Barbarescos readers will come across. Far from an easygoing wine, the 2011 is going to need considerable patience. Hints of sweet tobacco, mint and anise add nuance on the layered, super-expressive finish. The 2011 Serra spent two years in 50-hectoliter casks.” AG
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Marco Porello ‘Mommiano’ Barbera d’Alba, Piedmont 2015 750ML ($17.95) $14 special, 36+ bottles available
Winery note “Ageing: the wine is kept for 8 months in oak barrels before bottling. Nose: fruity with hints of ripe cherry and red fruit. Taste: full bodied, round, hints of red fruit and brilliant acidity”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Produttori del Barbaresco ‘Barbaresco DOCG’, Piedmont 2013 750ML ($37.95) $29 special, 30 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 90 points “The 2013 is a tasty, easygoing Barbaresco to drink over the next decade or more. There is good depth in the glass, with pretty notes of tobacco, licorice, herb and worn-in leather that add nuance. Sweet red cherry, pomegranate and a closing burst of acidity meld into the finish. The tannins are present, but they are also pretty much buried by the creaminess of the fruit. A lovely impeccably balanced, understated wine that offers considerable regional and varietal expression. In other words: textbook. The Produttori’s Barbaresco has a track record of aging well, but the 2013 is also surprisingly accessible. It should drink well with minimal cellaring.”
Socre Barbaresco DOCG, Piedmont 2012 750ML ($39.95) $33 special, 36+ bottles available
Antonio Galloni 92 points “The 2012 Barbaresco is dark, plummy and absolutely delicious, with plenty of up-front fruit and pure appeal. Sweet tobacco, rose petal, mint, cherries and licorice open up in the glass. The tannins retain a touch of firmness, but otherwise, this is a hugely appealing Barbaresco, especially considering it is the estate’s entry-level wine.”
Cordero di Montezemolo Barbera d’Alba, Piedmont 2015 750ML ($24.95) $20.90 special, 24 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 90 points “The 2015 Barbera d’Alba is gorgeous. Rich, radiant and expressive, the Barbera captures all the personality and radiance of the vintage. Black cherry, plum, smoke, licorice, new leather and spices flesh out in a supple, radiant Barbera to enjoy on the young side. The Barbera spent six months in oak.”
Wine Spectator 90 points “This rich, dark red exudes violet, blackberry, plum and leafy flavors, with light tannins and vivid acidity. Finishes with freshness and spice. Drink now through 2020.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Cascina delle Rose Barbera d’Alba, Piedmont 2014 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special, 36+ bottles available
Winery note “Aged in large Slavonian oak barrels for approximately 15 months. Deep ruby red with slight garnet reflections. Show a freshness typical of Barbera with hints of cherry, blackberry, raspberry and cassis. A touch of balsamic gives finesse to the slightly spicy bouquet. Good tannins and persistence. It’s elegant and balanced. It pairs well with red meat, medium cheeses and fish.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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Christoffel Jr Wondrous Spice-Garden
A Vertical of Auslese!
Like as in Burgundy, the estates of the Mosel are often interrelated through marriage and succession, leading to a number of wineries that have similar names. Sometimes, as a result, wineries slip through the cracks and aren’t as well-known as they should be.
That’s the case with the Jos. Cristoffel Jr. winery, related by marriage to the Prum family. They are a wonderful middle Mosel estate, run by Karl Josef Christoffel, that makes very traditional wines and sells them for incredibly reasonable prices. All the wines here are fermented with natural yeasts and aged in the traditional 1000L Fuder casks. The resulting wines are complex and incredibly age-worthy, but like most Mosel Riesling, delicious today.
The best part about the winery, however, is that they have an extensive library of wines that they release with some bottle age, giving wine lovers a chance to see what these wines can do as they become mature.
We wanted to highlight a vertical of Auslese*** bottlings from the legendary Urziger Wurzgarten vineyard. These nobly sweet wines show the richness and spice of the legendary vineyard every year, but the chance to follow the wines from year to year, like we’re offering today, doesn’t happen often. This is a great opportunity to taste a top producer through a serious of excellent vintages which all have very distinct personalities. The 2003 is rich and over the top, but the 2004 shows the snappier side of the vineyard, and so on. No matter what combo of years you go with, you’ll have some interesting contrasts!
All of these wines are directly from the winery cellar. Below are 10 of the 26 different wines in-stock now from Jos. Christoffel Jr. We offer 246 different German Rieslings in-stock now. To see the complete list, visit our web store!
Weingut Jos. Christoffel Jr. Christoffel-Prum Erdener Treppchen Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2014 750ML ($27.95) $18 special, 36+ bottles available
Case-12 Weingut Jos. Christoffel Jr. Christoffel-Prum Erdener Treppchen Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2014 750ML ($219.95) $199 special, 4 cases available (that’s only $16.58/bottle!)
“Kajo Christoffel’s 2014 Erdener Treppchen Riesling Kabinett is clearly characterized by honey-sweet botrytis flavors along with dried fruit and overripe Riesling flavors on the nose. Light in alcohol (7.5%), round and racy on the palate, this is a lush and juicy, very aromatic Riesling with a delicate acidity and a lingering minerality in the finish. Should be cellared for six or ten years.” –Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate
VinopolNote: Erdener Treppchen slops southward, allowing long stretches of exposure. The soil comprises of deep layers of iron-infused slate, steeply terraced from the river’s banks up to the rough and rocky summit of nearby hills. The vineyard’s terrain inspired the name, based off of ‘treppe’, or ‘staircase’, in German.
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $21.99
Weingut Jos. Christoffel Jr. Christoffel-Prum Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2014 750ML ($34.95) $21.90 special, 36+ bottles available
Case-12 Weingut Jos. Christoffel Jr. Christoffel-Prum Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2014 750ML ($299.95) $239 special, 2 cases available (that’s only $19.92/bottle!)
VinopolNote on Urziger Wurzgarten: The Urziger Wurzgarten, or ‘spice garden’ is an intensely steep, iron-rich red slate vineyard. Though it’s located right next to the Erdener vineyards, the Ürziger wines are vastly different: the volcanic soils and favorable drainage lead to an earthy, spice-laden, tropical fruit-tinged wine.
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Weingut Jos. Christoffel Jr. Christoffel-Prum Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Auslese*** 2003 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 12 bottles available
2003 Vintage: Wine Spectator 94 points “Ripe, opulent wines; best in Mosel, Nahe and Rheingau. Terrific BA and TBA, though not much botrytis.”
Weingut Jos. Christoffel Jr. Christoffel-Prum Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Auslese*** 2005 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 11 bottles available
Joel B Payne–Vinous 90 points “Pale golden yellow. Smoky aromas of peach pit, honeysuckle and nut oil waft over a hint of brown-spice botrytis. The delicately creamy palate is marked by apricot and exotic spices.Crisp, clean finish balances sweetness with a refreshing citrus acidity.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Weingut Jos. Christoffel Jr. Christoffel-Prum Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Auslese*** 2007 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 10 bottles available
Joel B Payne–Vinous 93 points “Pale golden yellow. Rich aromas of pear nectar, mint and sassafras waft over a hint of honeyed botrytis. The decidedly creamy yet delicate palate is marked by apricot, brown spices and mineral salts. Nut oils join the slate on the long finish.”
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Weingut Jos. Christoffel Jr. Christoffel-Prum Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Auslese*** 2009 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 12 bottles available
Joel B Payne–Vinous 92 points “Pale golden yellow. Exalted aromas of papaya, passion fruit and clove. The rich, creamy papaya fruit is laced with a fine saline minerality. Elegant in spite of its depth. But this wine is still quite closed, even austere.”
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Weingut Jos. Christoffel Jr. Christoffel-Prum Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Auslese*** 2014 750ML ($59.95) $33 special, 36+ bottles available
Importer note: The Christoffel family in Ürzig, is related by marriage to the Prüm family in Wehlen. The estate is run by Karl Josef Christoffel (KaJo) has an extensive library of well-aged wines. All wines are fermented in the traditional 1000 Liter barrels with the natural yeast. This gives the wines a great aging potential.
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Weingut Jos. Christoffel Jr. Christoffel-Prum Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Auslese*** Goldkapsel, Mosel 2015 750ML ($79.95) $59 special, 28 bottles available
Mosel Fine Wines 94 points “This proves very delicate and rather restrained on the nose as scents of anise, yellow peach, smoke (bacon) and bergamot emerge from the glass. The wine only really reveals its intensity and complexity on the palate after some airing. Yet the finish is airy, light and pure. This terrify effort should develop into a great subtle Auslese in a decade or two. 2025-2050.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Weingut Jos. Christoffel Jr. Christoffel-Prum Graacher Domprost Beerenauslese 1976 700ML ($219.95) $179 special, 11 bottles available
1976 Vintage: Wine Spectator 96 points “Ripe, powerful; plenty of botrytis.”
Weingut Jos. Christoffel Jr. Christoffel-Prum Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Beerenauslese, Mosel 1976 700ML ($219.95) $179 special, 9 bottles available
1976 Vintage: Wine Spectator 96 points “Ripe, powerful; plenty of botrytis.”
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Torii Mor:
Look out for hot deals with both “I’s”
Torii Mor is one of the established names in high quality Oregon Pinot Noir, making a splash ever since they made their first vintage in 1993. Starting off with a mere 1,000 cases that first year, they’ve grown steadily since but have always managed to make impressively high quality wines. The style here is for richer, more powerful Pinot Noir, though they make wines which are still lively and energetic. These wines today are from the acclaimed 2014 vintage, so we’re very excited to offer them to you with the lowest pricing in the country!
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Torii Mor Wines Available Here Now
Torii Mor ‘Dundee Hills Select’ Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2014 750ML ($49.95) $33 special, 28 bottles available
Wine Advocate 90+ points “The 2014 Pinot Noir Dundee Hills Select comes from four vineyards fermented separately and matured in 20% new oak. It has quite a lively bouquet with small red cherries, redcurrant and cranberry, although I would have liked more complexity to show through given the vintage. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp tannin. This is well balanced though toward the finish it tends to clam up a little and feel somewhat “rigid.” Give this another 12-18 months to loosen its tie.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $38.98
Torii Mor ‘Olson Estate Vineyard’ Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2014 750ML ($59.95) $38 special, 30 bottles available
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 91 points “Brilliant violet. Dark berries, cola, musky herbs and a subtle floral nuance on the fragrant nose. Fleshy and expansive on the palate, offering gently sweet blackberry and spicecake flavors that tighten up steadily with air. Shows an appealing blend of power and vivacity and finishes very long and spicy, displaying repeating florality and smooth tannins.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $42.98
The average price is $44
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