Jump Start Subscriber-Only Sale: Colgin – 100 Point; Break Out the Magnums; New November Sales: Remoissenet; F.X. Pichler: Power & Wonder from Wachau; John Gilman Comes to Portland – New Reviews for Oregon Winemakers; Veyder-Malberg: Genius and Insanity; Bonus November Sales; 2015 Muller-Catoir; Magnum Madness; November Sales Recap
Jump Start Subscriber-Only Sale!
For Them $579 / For You $549
Wine Arrives Mid-November
Colgin Cellars IX Estate Red, Napa Valley 2013 750ML ($699.95) Was $619, Now $549 subscriber-only sale!
Robert Parker 100 points “Another perfect wine from Ann Colgin and her winemaking team is the 2013 IX Proprietary Red Estate, a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 8% Petit Verdot. An absolutely compelling wine, with notes of lead pencil shavings, spring flowers, blueberry, blackberry and cassis, it has the full smorgasbord of black and blue fruits, wonderfully integrated, toasty oak, acidity and tannin, a floral note that is unmistakable, and great richness, density and purity. It is an utterly exceptional wine and a tribute to not only a great vineyard, but impeccable winemaking and upbringing. It should drink well for 30+ years as well.”
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The average price is $604
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Break out the magnums – it’s holiday season!
We offer 103 wines in magnum that are in stock and available here now.
Vouette et Sorbee Cuvee Fidele Extra Brut, Champagne 2010 1.5L ($199.95) $149 special, 11 magnums available
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The Extra Brut Fidèle bursts from the glass with an exciting melange of aromas and flavors. The Pinot is very much alive in the glass in a rich, textured Champagne loaded with class and elegance. Dried pears, marzipan, dried flowers and licorice flesh beautifully. This striking wine from Vouette et Sorbée is oozing with personality”
Domenico Clerico Arte Rosso Langhe, Piedmont 2011 1.5L ($89.95) $66 special, 24+ magnums available
Stephen Tanzer 91 points “(90% nebbiolo and 10% barbera; aged for 18 months in new French oak): Good medium red. Perfumed aromas and flavors of plum, redcurrant, tobacco and spices. Intense and vibrant, with lovely inner-mouth aromatic lift. Very classy, delineated wine.” ST
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Guy Breton Morgon, Beaujolais 2014 1.5L ($69.95) $59 special, 9 magnums available
Josh Raynolds 93 points “Vivid ruby. Urgent aromas of fresh dark berries, licorice and incense are accompanied by a suggestion of smoked meat in the background. Sappy and broad on entry, then more taut in the midpalate, offering concentrated boysenberry, bitter cherry and violet pastille flavors and a hint of spicecake. A vibrant mineral flourish adds lift and cut to the finish, which lingers with excellent floral-tinged persistence.”
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Gulfi Nerosanlore Sicilia IGT, Sicily 2010 1.5L ($119.95) $99 special, 5 magnums available
(Nero d’Avola)
Ian D’Agata–Vinous 95 points “Fully saturated ruby. Pure, very deep aromas of black cherry, red plum, medicinal herbs and minerals. Rich, dense and suave, with complex flavors of saline red berries and dark plum complicated by repeating botanical herb and balsamic nuances. Finishes seamless an long. A wine of noteworthy purity, with an excellent balance of sweetness, acidity and tannins. This is Gulfi’s closest vineyard to the sea and almost always gives the estate’s most elegant, refined wine.”
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Familie Saahs Nikolaihof im Weingebirge Gruner Veltliner Federspiel, Wachau 2013 1.5L ($89.95) $79 special, 3 magnums available
David Schildknecht–Vinous 93 points “Bittersweet floral notes waft from the glass and continue to play across the palate. Roasted root vegetables mingled with dark leafy greens, smoky nut oils, moss, iodine-tinged shellfish reduction and tangy fresh lime make for an expression of Grüner Veltliner that is deep and dark but at the same time refreshingly juicy and stimulatingly crunchy. Finishing lift and utterly intriguing length further encourage the next sip.” DS
Wine Advocate 91 points “The 2013 Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Im Weingebirge opens clear and slightly flinty, though very discreet in its bright aromatic pip fruit and lemon flavors on the nose. However, its depth, freshness and mineral complexity is already indicated. On the palate this straight, crisp, light to medium-bodied Gruner is driven more by its origin than it is by the variety that gives a limey freshness to the wine which is pure, mineral and zesty. The finish of this authentic character is clear, straight and tension-filled. The aging potential excellent.”
This is the only listing in the USA for the magnum!
Need to really make a splash? Impress with a 3L or 6L from Bordeaux’s dream vintage – one of the “three greatest Bordeaux vintages I have tasted in my career” –Robert Parker
Ronan by Clinet, Grand Vin de Bordeaux, Bordeaux Superieur 2010 3L ($149.95) $119 special, 2 jeroboams available
Ronan by Clinet, Grand Vin de Bordeaux, Bordeaux Superieur 2010 6L ($299.95) $268 special, 3 imperials available
James Suckling 91 points “Attractive nose with milk chocolate, caramel and blackberries. Some floral notes and vanilla. Full and nicely focused on the palate with dark fruit and fine tannins. Elegant medium-long finish with a touch of licorice. Drink from 2016.”
These are the only listings in the USA for the jeroboam and imperial!
Need more ideas? Check out addition magnum features at the bottom of the newsletter!
New November Sales
Special Focus: Remoissenet
A French Renaissance
In Burgundy, there are negociants (wineries that buy fruit or wine rather than owning vineyards), and there are really good negociants. Put Remoissenet in the latter category. Founded in 1877, Remoissenet was acquired in 2005 by investors including some American businessmen and negociant-par-excellence Louis Jadot. New equipment and a renewed focus followed, and the impressive results reside in bottle. At Remoissenet, for example, grapes are purchased according to quality rather than quantity. If only all negociants operated this way! Such a fruit-buying strategy paid off in the 2011 vintage, which resulted in a small crop of thick-skinned grapes. Accordingly, the wines have structure, yet do not need eons to reveal their fine Cote d’Or perfume and finesse. Enjoy these wines today, especially at the village and Premier Cru level, or keep them another handful of years. Remoissenet just keeps getting better and better, and these 2011s are proof.
Remoissenet Wines On Sale & Available Here Now
These are all the only listings in the USA today!
Remoissenet Pere & Fils Beaune Greves Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($79.95) Was $49, Now $39, 6 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 91 points “The 2011 Beaune Les Grèves is the most powerful and structured of these Beaune 1er Crus from Remoissenet. Graphite, violets, cloves, menthol and licorice are some of the many notes that emerge from the glass. Savory herbs, smoke and wild flowers add complexity and intrigue as the wine continues to open up. Readers will need to give the 2011 at least a few years in bottle, as today the tannins remain imposing.” AG
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Remoissenet Pere & Fils Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 2011 750ML ($299.95) Was $219, Now $199, 1 bottle available
VinopolNote: Remoissenet has been making fine Burgundy in both colors since 1877. Based out of Beaune, Remoissenet owns a few vines but mainly acts as a negociant, producing a range of wines that includes some of the top Grands Crus. They are known for keeping a long time in cellar.
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Remoissenet Pere & Fils Chambolle-Musigny Les Echanges 2011 750ML ($119.95) Was $79, Now $69, 8 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 92 points “The 2011 Chambolle Musigny Les Echanges is juicy, open and expressive. Bright red/black fruit, freshly cut flowers, mint and sweet spices are all layered in the glass in a wine that captures the essence of the pure seduction of Chambolle. The Echanges is once again one of the most flat-out delicious wines in the Remoissenet range.” AG
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Remoissenet Pere & Fils Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru 2011 750ML ($279.95) Was $189, Now $169, 11 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 93+ points “The 2011 Chapelle-Chambertin is not lacking in personality, that much is obvious. A savory, almost wild Burgundy, the 2011 Chapelle is laced with dried herbs, tobacco, black cherries and cured meats are some of the notes that blossom in the glass. It will be interesting to see where the 2011 goes; will it always remain a bit gamy, or will it find a bit more finesse in bottle?” AG
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Remoissenet Pere & Fils Chambertin Clos-de-Beze 2011 750ML ($349.95) Was $199, Now $179, 12 bottles available
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2011 Chambertin Clos-de-Beze Grand Cru is less flamboyant than the Charmes-Chambertin ‘11 tasted alongside. The fruit here is darker, a touch more tertiary but still very well-defined. The palate is medium-bodied with fine definition, a masculine Clos-de-Beze that will need two or three more years in the cellar. Personally, I prefer the harmony and plushness of the Charmes-Chambertin, although this will repay bottle age thanks to its substance and structure. Drink 2018-2030.” WA
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2011 Chambertin Clos de Bèze isn’t ready to show all its cards just yet. This is a relatively delicate style for Bèze, with expressive floral notes that convey more finesse than power. The 2011 isn’t fully formed yet, but today my impression is that it will remain quite restrained in style.” AG
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Remoissenet Pere & Fils Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru 2011 750ML ($279.95) Was $169, Now $159, 13 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2011 Clos de Vougeot is dense, compact and structured. Firm, chalky tannins support a core of bright red berries, mint, wild flowers and minerals. The 2011 possesses gorgeous clarity and focus, with more than enough underlying minerality to drink well for a number if years.” AG
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Remoissenet Pere & Fils Le Trio, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($119.95) Was $79, Now $69, 25 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2011 Gevrey-Chambertin Le Trio is one of the most direct and focused of the 2011s here. Crushed rocks, graphite, mint and dark red berries are all laced together in a wine that impresses for its sense of harmony. Sweet floral notes add the final layers of nuance.” AG
Detecting a trend?
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Remoissenet Pere & Fils Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru 2011 750ML ($279.95) Was $199, Now $179, 22 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2011 Ruchottes-Chambertin presents a classical expression of lifted, fragrant fruit to match its weightless personality. Today, the 2011 is incredibly expressive, with impeccable balance and a total sense of harmony that is hugely appealing.” AG
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Remoissenet Pere & Fils Vosne-Romanee 2011 750ML ($79.95) Was $49, Now $39, 28 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 89 points “Sweet tobacco, orange peel, red cherries and mint are some of the many notes that emerge from the 2011 Vosne Romanée. Lifted aromatics and a total sense of finesse are the hallmarks in this undeniably attractive, mid-weight Burgundy.” AG
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For more November sales, read on!
Special F.X.:
A Probably Already-Used Pichler Pun
Sommelier and Riesling Legend Paul Greico once said, “If F.X. was a guitarist, Jimmy Page would stand aside” and no truer hyperbole has ever been uttered in the world of wine. F.X. Pichler stands as one of the two or three most important Austrian producers and hands down the winery crafting the most powerful, complex and bombastic dry Riesling and Gruner Veltliner on the planet.
The wines of F.X. Pichler are unique, in that no one else seems to wrangle both power and complexity into a single package quite like this wizard of the Wachau. With a combination of intensive viticulture, native fermentations and great terroir, the wines are unlike anything else in the world. Broad and powerful, with a cut and minerality that are unique to the vineyards in the Wachau.
Also of note is the 2013 vintage, which looks to be one of the best vintages of the last 10-15 years in Austria (Terry Theise calls it the best since 1999). The combination of the two, then, is something worth noting. We’ve acquired all we can (including some very rare magnums) and are excited to present the highlights to you today (we offer 21 F.X. Pichler wines, too many to list here, so please see the website for complete stock).
F.X. Pichler Durnsteiner Kellerberg Gruner Veltliner Smaragd, Wachau 2013 750ML ($99.95) $89 special, 5 bottles available
F.X. Pichler Durnsteiner Kellerberg Gruner Veltliner Smaragd, Wachau 2013 1.5L ($219.95) $189 special, 5 magnums available
Wine Advocate 95 points “The tremendously deep bouquet of Pichler’s 2013 Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Kellerberg is precise, vegetal and flinty/cool. The wine is a noble, rich, highly elegant and terroir-driven Wachauer signature wine, which reveals its overwhelming power and great expression only in its finish and long, persistent aftertaste. This is, again, an icon wine of the Wachau and the 2013 vintage. A must buy, if you can afford it.”
David Schildknecht–Vinous 94 points “This impressive offering reflects the same vines on a rocky extension of the Kellerberg that until this vintage were labeled more specifically as “Wunderburg.” But Pichler and Krutzler decided that “Kellerberg” was, after all, the?? name to conjure–and to market–with. A lush combination of pineapple, pear and Mirabelle is laced with sweet/smoky Szechuan pepper and Latakia tobacco, further tinged with mocha on a palpably high-extract, voluminous, creamy palate, yet a lovely sense of clarity is preserved to herbal, mineral and kelp-like notes in a downright reverberating finish. Raised largely in cask but with a small tank-rendered portion (and last tasted as an immediate pre-bottling assemblage), this displays the ripe effects of the season’s tiny, sparse Grüner Veltliner berries, yet without its roughly 14% alcohol engendering any heat. It became more impressive over the course of its first year in bottle.”
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F.X. Pichler Durnsteiner Liebenberg Gruner Veltliner Smaragd, Wachau 2013 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 20 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94 points “Cool, concentrated and precise on the slightly flinty nose, the 2013 Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Dürnsteiner Liebenberg is a full-bodied, rich and almost smooth but elegant Veltliner with licorice flavors on the densely woven and silky textured palate. The finish reveals freshness, and rounds up a very well-balanced and already accessible wine.”
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F.X. Pichler M Gruner Veltliner Smaragd, Wachau 2013 750ML ($99.95) $79 special, 24 bottles available
F.X. Pichler M Gruner Veltliner Smaragd, Wachau 2013 1.5L ($219.95) $169 special, 5 magnums available
Wine Advocate 94 points “Lucas Pichler’s monumental 2013 Grüner Veltliner Smaragd M opens with an ultra-ripe, concentrated and slightly speck-y yet still precise and even mineral-scented bouquet on the nose. Very rich and intense on the palate, this elegant, full-bodied, densely textured and powerful Veltliner from late-harvested grapes reveals an aromatic and juicy fruit core along with a stunningly vibrant acidity that gives structure, length and a lifting as well as lingering salinity and piquancy. Maracuya and other tropical fruit flavors dominate the aromatic aftertaste. Although I have no experience with matured samples of this Austrian icon Veltliner, I suspect it has an aging potential of 5-10 years and should be cellared at least for another 2 or 3 years.”
David Schildknecht–Vinous 93 points “Made with fruit from Loibenberg (a 50% share), Kellerberg, Liebenberg, with a small bit of Kollmütz, this installment of “M” enjoyed the longest pre-fermentation skin contact of any Pichler 2013, and was raised in a new large oval, then moved to tank shortly before bottling, which is when I last tasted it. Its impressive features include imposing richness of peach, melon and pineapple; an expansive and flatteringly creamy palate; high-toned inner-mouth allusions to almond extract; peach kernel piquancy; and pronounced smokiness and stoniness that suggest a mingling of Szechuan peppercorn, black tea and ash. The bright, Riesling-like juiciness characteristic of so many Grüner Veltliners from this vintage is absent here. But the finish of this static, statuesque wine (recall that “M,” after all, stands here for “monumental”) glows persistently in its evocation of peach kernel and pepper.”
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F.X. Pichler Loibner Steinertal Gruner Veltliner Smaragd, Wachau 2013 750ML ($69.95) $56 special, 11 bottles available
Wine Advocate 92 points “Clear, deep and dense, but multilayered on the nose, the 2013 Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Loibner Steinertal displays herbal-scented notes of legumes and super-ripe as well as concentrated Veltliner berries. Full-bodied, powerful and rich, but also very elegant and fresh with finesse on the palate, this well-structured, mineral wine is already accessible but should gain even more finesse with further bottle age.”
David Schildknecht–Vinous 92 points “Site-typical sweet/smoky pungency of Szechuan pepper mingles in the nose with high-toned almond extract and intimations of muskmelon, apple and papaya that go on to inform an expansive palate. Cooling green herb inflections lend lovely counterpoint to the impression of tropical fruits, resulting in a soothingly sustained though also subtly peppery finish.”
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F.X. Pichler Durnsteiner Kellerberg Riesling Smaragd, Wachau 2013 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 9 bottles available
F.X. Pichler Durnsteiner Kellerberg Riesling Smaragd, Wachau 2013 1.5L ($249.95) $219 special, 6 magnums available
David Schildknecht–Vinous 97 points “Succulent white peach and Persian melon are tinged more subtly than usual for this bottling with Madagascar and Szechuan peppercorns, black tea and crushed stone. There is hauntingly bittersweet floral perfume wafting through this entire performance, almost as though some Achleiten or Heiligenstein got loose in the fermenter. A high-toned suggestion of almond extract adds to the sweet impression of fruitiness (despite analytical dryness); and a mandarin orange note adds aromatic as well as brightly juicy allure in perfect harmony with a seductively creamy texture. Piquancy of peach kernel lends stimulating counterpoint and engenders a glowingly persistent finish. The combination of pit fruit, citrus and floral aromatics with complex peppery notes left in the empty glass is head-turning. This is as refined a Kellerberg Riesling as it has been my pleasure to experience. What’s more, it represents the first time I can recall using the word “buoyant” to describe one–and that for a wine picked in the last week of November!”
Wine Advocate 95 points “From the estate’s parade vineyard, the 2013 Riesling Smaragd Dürnsteiner Kellerberg displays a very rich and intense aroma of super-ripe and concentrated Riesling berries. Rich and powerful, but also precise, impressively concentrated and piquant on the palate, this well-balanced and highly elegant Riesling with its lemon and orange aftertaste is another signature wine of both the Wachau and the 2013 vintage. It’s aging potential should be terrific. A serious, tension-filled Riesling of great expression, which I highly recommend.”
F.X. Pichler Loibner Berg Riesling Smaragd, Wachau 2013 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 19 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94 points “Beautifully concenrated with apricot perfume, the 2013 Riesling Smaragd Loibner Loibenberg is a rich, full-bodied and enervating fresh and salty Smaragd of remarkable elegance and purity. Very well-balanced and long on the palate, this tension-filled Riesling elixir has a persistent salinity and steely acidity that gives it excellent aging potential.”
David Schildknecht–Vinous 94 points “Ravishingly sweet floral perfume is mingled on the nose with hints of smoky Latakia tobacco and lemon oil, and a suggestion of ripe white peach that then takes on luscious palate presence. While the feel is polished and subtly creamy, juicy fresh lemon and grapefruit serve for zesty verve and refreshment, leading to a vibrantly sustained and nearly head-spinningly kaleidoscopic finish.”
F.X. Pichler Loibner Steinertal Riesling Smaragd, Wachau 2013 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 36+ bottles available
David Schildknecht–Vinous 95 points “Salt, white pepper and Szechuan peppercorn mouthwateringly and invigoratingly inflect luscious, juicy white peach, pineapple and lime. A sleek and refined texture contributes to this bottling’s overall sense of elegance. With a similar ringing clarity to that of the Oberhäuser, but with greater depth and complexity as befits its steep and stony origins, this projects liquid perfume of a bittersweet, iris-like sort; smoky black tea; crushed stone; and diverse peppercorns, finishing with phenomenal persistence. Interestingly and perhaps not coincidentally, at just 13% it is one of the alcoholically lightest wines of the present collection.”
F.X. Pichler ‘Unendlich’ Riesling Smaragd, Wachau 2013 750ML ($219.95) $199 special, 1 bottle available
F.X. Pichler ‘Unendlich’ Riesling Smaragd 2013 1.5L ($499.95) $419 special, 2 magnums available
David Schildknecht–Vinous 96 points “From 60% Kellerberg and 40% Loibenberg fruit, this installment of the periodically rendered Pichler Riesling essence leads with high-toned scents of lemon oil and lemon blossom as well as intimations of the white peach and pink grapefruit that then lusciously inform a glycerol-rich, subtly creamy, enveloping palate. Billowing inner-mouth perfume of gentian and iris add bittersweet allure, and there is smoky, peppery counterpoint, especially in the finish, such as one usually expects to encounter in Pichler Riesling primarily with Steinertal- and Kellerberg-dedicated bottlings. A dark, deeply savory, resonant finish certainly makes a serious effort at living up to the name “Endless,” adding a welcome touch of saliva-stimulating salinity. Incidentally, this finished at 13.9% alcohol, modest by historical standards set by “Unendlich” bottlings, and amazing considering that, as Lucas Pichler explained, this installment derived from pickings done just ahead of the main harvest of certain parcels where subtly desiccated berries could be found, the latest of which was in mid-November. I’ve often referred to installments of Unendlich as “liqueurs of Riesling,” but that would almost be to do a disservice to the clarity and dynamic complexity of this one.”
Wine Advocate 95+ points “Pichler’s late harvested 2013 Riesling Smaragd Unendlich (German for unending, infinite, endless) opens with a clear, pure, precise and cool, mineral-fresh and aromatic white peach and fully ripe Riesling bouquet of great, yet not exaggerated, concentration. The wine is full-bodied, thrillingly mineral, tension-filled and elegant on the palate. This powerful, intense, highly complex and concentrated yet still fresh, precise and long-finishing Riesling elixir has a remarkable yet variety-typical racy acidity that structures and inspires. This is a great and potent Austrian Riesling tycoon. The wine is still extremely young and needs time to open up (better years than hours). However, its aging potential should be terrific.”
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Our Current
Shipping Promos:
Welcome to the club, Colorado!
Along with Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and California,
we now offer flat rate shipping to Colorado! Here’s the scoop:
Single orders of any quantity of wines qualify for the flat rate;
this does not apply to orders held in storage for any reason
or multiple orders consolidated into one shipment.
The flat reach for each state is, as follows:
-to Oregon for $17,
-Washington & Idaho for $20,
-and California & Colorado for $25.
Take Advantage of the Flat Rate!
John Gilman Comes to Portland
(And these wines arrive Friday!)
Johan Vineyards Estate Gruner Veltliner, Willamette Valley 2014 750ML ($29.95) $26 pre-arrival special
John Gilman 93 points “The 2014 Grüner Veltliner from Johan Vineyards is barrel-fermented and comes in at a very civilized 11.8 percent alcohol in this vintage. The wine offers up a really lovely nose of apple, pink grapefruit, a nice touch of the varietal’s herbal complications (mostly fresh rosemary), really lovely soil tones, citrus peel and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, focused and complex, with excellent acids, an impressive core of fruit and lovely transparency on the long, poised and perfectly balanced finish. This is an utterly complete and compelling wine at a very low and enjoyable alcohol level. It is one of the most impressive examples of Grüner Veltliner I have tasted in several years, with the palate impact of a wine a couple of points higher in octane. This is eye-opening juice! 2016-2020+.”
Johan Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2014 750ML ($31.95) $27 pre-arrival special
John Gilman 92+ points “The 2014 Johan Vineyard bottling of pinot from Franny Beck is a bit lighter in color than their Willamette Valley version, but equally pure and classy. The bouquet is vibrant and impressively transparent, offering up a lovely blend of cherries, strawberries, allspice, nutmeg, complex soil tones, woodsmoke, a dollop of fresh herbs and cedary wood. On the palate the wine is pure, medium-full and very soil-driven, with fine focus and grip, outstanding intensity of flavor without undue weight, impressive nascent complexity and a very long, moderately tannic and tangy finish. The backend shows a nice touch of whole clusters that augurs very well for its long-term evolution. This is a very cool vineyard and the wine exudes all of the inherent complexity found in pinot grapes that take their time reaching full ripeness. High class juice. 2018-2040+.”
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Analemma Rose Atavus Vineyard, Columbia Gorge 2015 750ML ($31.95) $27 pre-arrival special
John Gilman 91 points “The 2015 ‘Atavus Vineyard’ Rose from Analemma is comprised entirely of point noir and is a very delicate, pale salmon color. The wine wafts from the glass in a fine nose of melon, dried roses, a touch of tangerine, gentle spice tones and a very nice dollop of soil. On the palate the wine is medium-full, crisp and savory, with a lovely core, bright acids, fine focus and grip and a fairly complex, very long and classy finish. This is a serious bottle of Rose that cries out for food (particularly salmon), rather than being served as an aperitif. 2016-2019.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Analemma Gewurztraminer Atavus Vineyard, Columbia Gorge 2014 750ML ($29.95) $24 pre-arrival special
John Gilman 90+ points “The 2014 Gewurztraminer ‘Atavus Vineyard’ from Analemma is a beautiful and utterly classic rendition of this varietal, recalling examples of the finest of Alsace in its lovely bouquet of lychee nut, apple, rosewater, lovely spice tones and a nice touch of loamy soil. On the palate, the wine is pure, full-bodied and very elegant in profile, with a fine core, bright acids and lovely complexity and grip on the long and nicely understated finish. Atavus Vineyard sits at an elevation of between 1600 and 1800 feet above sea level, and this cool climate vineyard has allowed the Gewurztraminer to really retain a feline shape, even in the riper vintage of 2014, where the wine reached 13.6 percent octane, which is a touch higher than customary for this bottling. A very impressive wine. 2016-2023.”
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Omero Cellars Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2014 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 pre-arrival special
John Gilman 92 points “The 2014 Pinot Noir “Willamette Valley” from Omero Cellars is excellent, coming in at a very civilized thirteen percent octane and reveling in its purity of fruit and soil expression. Tis bottling includes some purchased grapes, to go along with fruit from the estate vineyard on Ribbon Ridge. The bouquet wafts from the glass in a classy blend of black cherries, pomegranate, raw cocoa, a lovely base of soil tones, hints of the cola to come, a touch of cedar and a fine topnote of fresh thyme. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and sappy at the core, with marvelous transparency, fine-grained tannins, good acids and great backend focus and grip on the pure and nascently complex finish. This wine is so beautifully balanced that it is all too easy to drink it out of the blocks, but there are some great constituent components here and I really want to see what it is going to do with a bit of bottle age!”
Omero Cellars Chardonnay, Willamette Valley 2014 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 pre-arrival special
John Gilman 92 points “The 2014 Willamette Valley bottling of chardonnay from Omero Cellars is outstanding on both the nose and palate. The bouquet jumps from the glass in a superb blend of pear, white peach, gentle leesy tones, hazelnut, lovely soil nuances, a touch of vanillin oak and a bit of acacia blossom in the upper register. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, focused and nicely light on its feet on the backend, with a good core, impeccable balance and lovely length and grip on the vibrant finish. This wine comes in at an even thirteen percent alcohol and is really lovely juice out of the blocks, but this will age gracefully as well.”
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Omero Cellars Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2014 750ML ($37.95) $31.90 pre-arrival special
John Gilman 93 points “The 2014 Ribbon Ridge bottling of pinot noir from Omero Cellars is outstanding, with the fruit from this hailing from the estate vineyard that David Moore put in here in 2009. The wine is an even thirteen percent octane and offers up a black fruity aromatic constellation of black cherries, a touch of blueberry, cola, dark soil tones, a touch of allspice, a deft framing of new wood and gentle smokiness in the upper register. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and very soil-driven in personality, with lovely sappiness in the mid-palate, impeccable focus and balance, suave tannins and a long, tangy and nascently complex finish. This is a touch more structured than the above wine, as well as a bit more depth at the core, but it is equally poised and accessible. Like the 2014 Willamette Valley bottling, this wine is very approachable today, but will age very well indeed and I cannot wait to see what it tastes like with some evolution in the bottle! Fine, fine juice.”
Ovum Gewurztraminer ‘Love Me or Leave Me’ Gerber Vineyard, Rogue Valley 2015 750ML ($29.95) $24 pre-arrival special
John Gilman 93 points “This 2015 Gewürztraminer from Ovum Wines hails from the Gerber Vineyard and these vines were planted in 1976. The wine comes in at 12.8 percent octane and was finished with seven grams per liter of residual sugar. The bouquet wafts from the glass in lovely and utterly classic blend of lychee nut, rosewater, a touch of spices meats, a nice dollop of soil and a touch of white flowers in the upper register. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, crisp and nascently complex, with an excellent core of fruit, bright acids, lovely focus and grip and a very long, still quite primary finish. The seven grams of residual sugar simply buffer the acidity here seamlessly and the overall impression is of a bone dry wine. This reminds me a lot of a top young vintage of Trimbach Seigneurs de Ribeaupierre, which is about as high praise as I can offer for young gewürztraminer! Excellent juice.”
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Ovum Off the Grid Vineyard Riesling 2015 750ML ($29.95) $24 pre-arrival special
John Gilman 92 points “The isolated Off the Grid Vineyard lies close to the Oregon-California border in the remote southern reaches of Oregon, just twenty-five miles inland from the Pacific. The vineyard sits at an elevation of fifteen hundred feet and is planted on a dried riverbed, so that the vines struggle in the rock strewn soils and very cool microclimate. The 2015 Off the Grid Riesling from Ovum comes in at 12.5 percent octane and offers up a classic bouquet of apple, white cherry, citrus peel, stony minerality, petrol and dried flowers. On the palate the wine is medium- full, focused and tightly-knit, with fine balance and grip and a long, quite dry and nascently complex finish. This is tasty today, but really could do with at least a few years’ worth of bottle age to start to really blossom.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Ovum Riesling ‘Toro Y Scorpio’ 2015 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 pre-arrival special
John Gilman 90+ points “The 2015 Riesling “Toro y Scorpio”- Ovum Wines is fairly dry in style, coming in at 12.2 percent alcohol and having a Spätlese-like residual sugar level of twenty-two grams per liter that gives the wine just a touch of sweetness on the palate. The bouquet is very pretty, offering up scents of apple, peach, gentle woodsy tones, spring flowers, a nice dollop of soil and an esthery topnote of bee pollen. On the palate the wine is fullish, crisp and very nicely balanced, with a nice tug between residual sweetness and acidity, fine focus and grip and a long, complex finish. This is weightier than a German Spätlese, with about the same level of sweetness and would be an ideal choice for Asian cuisine. Very tasty.”
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Ovum Riesling ‘Whale Memorista’ 2015 750ML ($29.95) $24 pre-arrival special
John Gilman 93 points “The 2015 Riesling “Whale Memorista” from Ovum Wines is absolutely superb on both the nose and palate, soaring from the glass in a classic aromatic blend of tangerine, pink grapefruit, gentle notes of petrol, beautiful minerality (the soils are basalt in this vineyard) and citrus blossoms. On the palate the wine is pure, medium-full, crisp and beautifully balanced, with a fine core, lovely transparency and a very long, nascently complex and vibrant finish. This is 12.5 percent alcohol and essentially dry in style, with just a touch of residual sweetness on the attack. It is an absolutely beautiful wine!”
Teutonic Wine Company Riesling David Hill Vineyard 2015 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 pre-arrival special
John Gilman 91 points “The 2015 Riesling from the Teutonic Wine Company is a very pretty wine, coming in at 12.6 percent alcohol and finished off in a Spatlese style. The bouquet wafts from the glass in a blend of apple, white cherry, bee pollen, nice soil tones and citrus blossoms in the upper register. On the palate the wine is medium-full, crisp and complex, with nice transparency down to its soil, just a touch of sweetness, bright acids and lovely bounce on the long and complex finish. This does not have the same overt minerality one finds in a German Spatlese form the Mosel of the Nahe, as it is grown on different soils, but the spirit here is very much the same and I really like this wine! 2016-2023.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Teutonic Wine Company Borgo Pass Vineyard Pinot Meunier, Willamette Valley 2015 750ML ($31.95) $27 pre-arrival special
John Gilman 90+ points “The 2015 Pinot Meunier from the Borgo Pass Vineyard hails from thirty year-old vines that are planted in this cool parcel. Owner Barnaby Tuttle ferments the wine with indigenous yeasts in old casks, with the 2015 coming in at 13.33 percent octane. The wine is nicely light in color and light on its feet. The bouquet offers up scents of cherries, cranberries, gentle smokiness, a fine base of soil and a topnote of dried herbs. On the palate the wine is medium-full, tangy and soil-driven, with a good core, bright acids and a bit of backend tannin adding chewiness and grip on the long and intensely flavored finish. This is a low fat wine that is high on personality, with the fruit playing a supporting role to the soil and smoky herb flavors here. This is really good with food, albeit a bit idiosyncratic in style and I really lie its verve and outstanding length on the backend. 2016-2030+.”
Veyder-Malberg
The Fringe of Genius and Insanity
Beyond organic and biodynamic live the pioneers on the borders of sanity and genius. Here dwells Peter Veyder-Malberg, friend of mushrooms and microorganisms alike, at home in his vineyards along the Danube River.
Arriving Friday from Veyder-Malberg
Veyder-Malberg Liebedich Gruner Veltliner, Wachau, Austria 2014 ($41.95) $33 pre-arrival special, ETA Friday
David Schildknecht notes: “Beginning this vintage, Malberg’s “Loveyou”cuvée features not just pre-harvest cullings from the Hochrain and bits of Grüner Veltliner from Bruck, Schön, and Buschenberg, but also his entire harvest from Kreutles (formerly subjected to site-specific bottling), which constitutes the wine’s majority share. Delicate and infectiously juicy, polished and persistent, this features apple, green bean and turnip for a fruity and intriguingly earthy showing. Palpable extract is strikingly allied (at just 11.6%) to alcoholic levity in a way you will seldom experience from any Austrian Grüner Veltliner outside of this vintage and address.” (Not rated)
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $39.99
Special Mid-Week Bonus
More November Sales!
Halloween might be over, but we’re still slashing prices!
These deals expire November 30th at midnight.
Meyer Fonne Vignoble de Katzenthal Riesling, Alsace 2012 750ML ($29.95) Was $21.90, Now $18, 23 bottles available
Wine Spectator 90 points “Minerally, with mouthwatering acidity and expressive flavors of star fruit, dried papaya, lemon curd and smoke. Lightly floral and vibrant. Drink now through 2020. 25 cases imported.” WS
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Agathe Bursin Sylvaner Eminence Zinnkoepfle, Alsace Grand Cru 2013 750ML ($31.95) Was $28, Now $24, 36+ bottles available
Ian D’Agata–Vinous 92 points “Gold-tinged straw. Delicate aromas of peach, apricot and poached apple. Rich and dense on the palate, with lively acidity lifting the sweet flavors of orchard and tropical fruits. Finishes very long, with impeccable balance. These Sylvaner vines grow in the grand cru Zinnkoepflé, the soils of which are marked by calcaires à entroques. Planted in 1930 with a southeast exposure, these vines give the description vieilles vignes real meaning, but Bursin doesn’t care to use this wording on the label since she believes the term has been reduced to mainly marketing purposes. “In France, vieille vigne wines are made with vines ranging anywhere from as little as 20 years to as much as 100 years of age, so what‘s the point?” she asks.”
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Domaine Marcel Deiss Altenberg de Bergheim, Alsace Grand Cru 2010 750ML ($119.95) Was $99, Now $79, 3 bottles available
Wine Advocate & Stephen Tanzer 95 points “Like its 2011 counterpart, the Deiss 2010 Altenberg de Bergheim is strikingly floral, but tends toward bitter-sweet and elusive perfume of iris and lily-of-the-valley. The influence of quinine and black tea as well as a welcome suggestion of fresh peach and citrus juiciness serve as more effective counterpoint and push-back to the wine’s prominent sweetness than is the case with the 2011. A gorgeous sense of openness and levity prevails here, with quince and nut pastes subtly complimenting the prominent impression of liquid floral perfume on a silken and expansive palate, leading to a prodigious finish at once caressing as well as stimulating in its dynamic interaction of flower, fruit, and mouthwatering mineral salts…” WA
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Domaine Marcel Deiss Burlenberg, Alsace 2009 750ML ($49.95) Was $36, Now $33, 1 bottle available
Stephen Tanzer 92+ points “Bright ruby-red. Red cherry, raspberry syrup and fresh herbs on the perfumed nose. Creamy and tactile in the mouth, with pure, rich flavors of ripe red berries and cherry supported by fine-grained tannins. Turns slightly tighter, even a bit austere, on the very long finish, which features lingering smoke and iron notes. (Deiss told me he finds a taste of blood in this wine.) All this very impressive, mostly pinot noir red wine needs is a little time.” ID
This was the lowest listed price in the USA today,
Now it’s even lower!
The average price is $38
Domaine Marcel Deiss Grasberg, Alsace 2010 750ML ($59.95) Was $49, Now $39, 4 bottles available
Wine Advocate 93 points “Striking, high-toned aromas of maraschino, pistachio and mirabelle distillate in the Deiss 2010 Grasberg put me in mind of previous renditions from this site and field-blend that favors Riesling, Pinot Gris and Traminer variants. Tingling pineapple informs its firm yet lusciously juicy palate, leading to a long, supportively sweet finish featuring the invigorating interaction of chalk, white pepper, orange and lemon zests, and nut extracts with peach and pineapple. Look for this beauty to perform impressively through at least 2025.” WA
Domaine Marcel Deiss Huebuhl, Alsace 2008 750ML ($59.95) Was $41.90, Now $39, 15 bottles available
Wine Advocate & Stephen Tanzer 92 points “(pinot gris and muscat) Full orange-gold. Pungent, high-toned aromas of orange, spices and medicinal herbs; conveys a strong botrytis character. A very sweet, energetic fruit bomb in the mouth, with brisk acidity giving grip to the rather exotic flavors of tangerine, apricot, yellow peach, botanical herbs and spices. Big and broad but not heavy. Finishes long, tactile and slightly phenolic, showing its pinot gris side today.” ST
This was the lowest listed price in the USA today,
Now it’s even lower!
The average price is $49
Domaine Marcel Deiss Riesling, Alsace 2012 750ML ($29.95) Was $24, Now $21.90, 11 bottles available
Ian D’Agata — Vinous 89 points “Bright straw with a gold tinge. Peach, tea and spice on the forward nose. Rich, ripe and suave, with lovely tropical fruit flavors that persist nicely at the back, with a touch of alcoholic heat becoming apparent with aeration. The grapes for this wine are sourced from three main areas: Saint Hippolyte (on soils rich in granite and clay that yield wines with less acidity), Bergheim (slightly bigger, richer wines), and a few small plots between Riquewihr and Béblenheim. Mathieu Deiss told me that “when I first came to work at the estate, I thought why not join these grapes together rather than make single bottlings of each? It’s not as if we don’t have enough single-site wines, and besides, I didn’t think our clients were die-hard fans of the Saint Hippolyte or Bergheim wines themselves.”
This was the lowest listed price in the USA today,
Now it’s even lower!
The next best price is $30
Domaine Marcel Deiss Schoenenbourg, Alsace Grand Cru 2010 750ML ($119.95) Was $99, Now $89, 5 bottles available
Wine Advocate & Stephen Tanzer 94 points “Fresh peach and citrus lusciously inform the Deiss 2010 Schoenenbourg, whose creamy texture and honeyed richness, are matched by vivacious juiciness. White pepper, chalk, quinine, and shimmering mineral matter offer invigoration and counterpoint in a sustained and dynamically complex finish. The sweetness here is supportive without remotely getting the upper hand, so that I can well imagine over the 20-25 years during which this beauty will deserve to be admired, its versatility at table will vary inversely with a diminishing sense of sweetness.” WA
This was the lowest listed price in the USA today,
Now it’s even lower!
The next best price is $109.98
For a complete recap of November sale wines, see the bottom of this newsletter!
Muller-Catoir
New 2015 Offers
Arriving February 2017
Muller-Catoir Haardter Riesling Trocken, Pfalz 2015 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2015 Pfalz Riesling Trocken Haardt has a deep and intense Riesling flavors that reflects the deeper soils of the vineyards in the Haardt slopes. The nose is discreet in its white stone fruit aromas, but deep, intense, really clear and fresh. On the palate, this is a very straight, firm and pure Riesling with a lot of grip and tension. However, it needs more time to develop its charm. The mineral length and compact structure is already impressive though.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $28
Muller-Catoir Haardter Weissburgunder Trocken Pfalz 2015 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2015 Weissburgunder Haardt is very clear and elegant on the nose, offering ripe golden delicious apple, along with some smoky and lemony flavors. Full-bodied, pretty intense and juicy, this is an aromatic and highly elegant Pinot Blanc with great purity and perfect ripeness of fruit. There are very discreet toasty notes with some speck flavors (no oak though, no malolactic fermentation), but this makes it an excellent food wine. It would go especially well with smoked characteristics, predominantly fish.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Muller-Catoir Haardter Burgergarten Riesling Trocken Pfalz 2015 750ML ($39.95) $29 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2015 Pfalz Riesling Trocken Haardter Bürgergarten VDP Erste Lage is pure, deep, rich, ripe and intense on the nose; it shows grapefruit and herbal flavors intertwined with excitingly flinty/stony or mineral aromas, due to the stony Buntsandstein subsoils, but also the organic farming. Highly elegant and very intense, this is a gorgeous Riesling with great intensity of both minerals and fruits. This is a super well-structured and transparent, dry Riesling of great elegance and expression. Its power comes only in the finish and is mixed with lots of stone salts. This is an extremely stimulating and great Riesling. Yield is 40 hectoliters per hectare.”
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Muller-Catoir Haardter Herrenletten Trocken Pfalz 2015 750ML ($41.95) $33 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2015 Riesling Trocken Haardter Herrenletten VDP Erste Lage has a lovely bouquet that reflects the small chalk stripe in the vineyard, which gives a wet and smoky stone fruit flavor, along with some lemon and herbal aromas. The wine is round and elegant on the palate, almost mouth-fillingly fruity and reveals a seductive concentration and intensity; it also has a refined acidity structure on the palate. It is richer and more generous than the Bürgergarten, but with concentrated fruit. This is very long and intensely mineral Riesling. It is one of the best Herrenletten I have ever tasted at this domaine. Spectacular!”
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Müller-Catoir Riesling Trocken Haardter Bürgergarten Im Breumel VDP Grosse Lage Pfalz 2015 3L ($219.95) $189 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2015 Riesling Trocken Haardter Bürgergarten Im Breumel VDP Grosse Lage offers a beautifully pure and stony bouquet of bright yellow fruits and lemon aromas, and comes along almost like a perfume. On the palate, this is a highly elegant and well-balanced Riesling cru with a compact and mineral structure, great finesse and a very persistent salinity in the finish. The wine reveals a well-dosed power and concentration, as well as a great elegance and harmony. It should be aged for at least five years.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Müller-Catoir Weissburgunder Haardter Herzog Trocken Pfalz 2015 750ML ($39.95) $29 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 94 points “From a shallow, gravelly Buntsandstein soil the 2015 Weissburgunder Haardter Herzog is very clear, deep and fresh on the nose, but also reveals a great intensity and ripeness of fruit with lemon and herbal flavors. This Pinot Blanc is full-bodied, intense and concentrated, with great elegance and juicy minerals. This is a stunning Pinot Blanc with power, great tension and aromatic length. It is creamy textured, perfectly structured and indicates a great ageing potential. Fermented in stainless steel, no malolactic fermentation.”
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Muller-Catoir Gimmeldinger Mandelgarten Riesling Auslese Pfalz 2015 375ML ($39.95) $33 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2015 Riesling Auslese Gimmeldinger Mandelgarten is super pure and fine on the nobly concentrated, stony nose with its honey and bright fruit aromas. Rich, sweet, lush and piquant on the palate, this is an excellent Auslese with great finesse and a lingering piquancy. Despite its sweetness, this is a very stimulating and pure Auslese with great ageing potential.”
Muller-Catoir Haardter Burgergarten Im Breumel Riesling Auslese Pfalz 2015 375ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2015 Riesling Auslese Haardter Bürgergarten Im Breumel is very clear and concentrated on the nose, but also shows the brown seed aromas of ripe Riesling. Great class and precision here, with some minty flavors. The wine is very concentrated, lush and round on the palate; it reveals a super sweet raisin flavor, as well as great finesse and vitality. This is a gorgeous Auslese with salinity and grip.
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Magnums
We offer 103 wines in magnum that are in stock. Below is a selection of 22 options steller picks from around the world. For a complete list, browse our shop!
November Sales Recap
Read reviews and browse the full selection of sale wines by searching for “November Sale” on our web store – we’re also happy to talk you through the offerings if you email us at info at vinopoliswineshop.com or call 503-223-6002.
