Valentine’s Sparklers; Sauternes/Barsac; Auslese for V-Day; Felsina: A Tuscan Benchmark; Languedoc Vanguard; Trending Wines; Post-Super Bowl Super Sales
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Valentine’s Day: Romance is in the Bottle
Valentine’s Day is can be a bit of a challenge, wine-wise. You’re trying to drink things that make your better half happy. The goal is to drink things that are both delicious and refreshing—no one wants to feel too out of it after dinner. For this, we like to drink bubbly during the meal (it’s festive!) and then go with a dessert wine instead of making one from scratch, so we figured that’s what we’d highlight today.
Arriving Friday:
El Cep Marques de Gelida Gran Reserva Brut Cava, Catalonia 2012 750ML ($21.95) $16.60 special, 36+ bottles available
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 90 points “(aged on its lees for 40 months prior to disgorgement) Limpid yellow. Aromas of ripe pear, peach and honeydew melon on the nose; a subtle ginger nuance emerges with air. Supple and broad on entry, then more taut in the midpalate, offering juicy orchard and pit fruit flavors and a refreshing hint of bitter quinine. Finishes dry and spicy, delivering a touch of bitterness, strong mineral cut and very good cling.”
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Llopart Reserva Brut Rose Cava, Penedes 2013 750ML ($24.95) $18.80 special, 36+ bottles available
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 90 points “Vivid pink. Spicy and focused on the nose, displaying intense red berry, orange zest scents and a suave floral overtone. Raspberry and redcurrant flavors show a refreshingly bitter edge and flesh out nicely in the mid-palate. Smoothly intertwines power with elegance, finishing sappy and long, with building spiciness and lingering tangerine and rose pastille qualities.”
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In Stock Now:
R. Dumont & Fils Solera Reserve Blanc de Blancs, Champagne NV 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 36+ bottles available
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 92 points “(made from a blend of 20 vintages, with 1991 as its base; roughly 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay; 6 g/l dosage): Pale yellow. A wild, assertively perfumed bouquet displays scents of mineral-accented poached pear, honey, toasted nuts and smoky lees, with a suave floral element building in the glass. Stains the palate with ripe orchard and pit fruit flavors, along with suggestions of buttered toast, marzipan and bitter lemon pith. Shows excellent clarity and power on the finish, which clings with strong fruity persistence. This complex, concentrated Champagne would be fantastic with aged or blue cheeses.”
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Perseval-Farge C. de Pinots Premier Cru Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($49.95) $37 special, 36+bottles available
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 90 points “(55% Pinot Noir and 45% Pinot Meunier; 7 g/l dosage): Light yellow. Ripe pear and nectarine on the musky, floral nose and palate. In a fleshy, ample style, showing a sweet touch of vanilla on the back half. Closes smooth and broad, with building spiciness and a hint of smokiness.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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Sweet Wines for Your Sweetie: Part I
Sauternes and Similar
The sweet wines of Sauternes and Barsac are usually an eye-opener when tried for the first time, leading to fits of blushing, giggling and the occasional dabbing of this aromatic, honeyed wine behind the ears. The real surprise is not in the sugar, but the electric acidity which makes these wines so drinkable, ageable, and all around pleasurable. Orange blossoms and tangerine citrus, toasty brioche, tropical notes… too many adjectives to list for what can be expected to jump out of the glass.
The wines start off with a gorgeous light straw color in its youth, but within a decade they can take on a shade closer to light honey with golden highlights. Allowed to continue aging and the shade comes closer to a wild buckwheat honey, dark and delicious.
The classic pairing is Fois Gras, letting the bright acidity play around with the fatty, salty liver. A young Chateau Coutet, with all of its bright acidity and beautiful honeyed fruit, paired with fois and fig jam on toast makes for a decadent valentine’s treat.
Choose from our selection of Bordeaux sweets below:
Chateau Coutet, Barsac 2003 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 11 bottles available
Wine Spectator 95 points “Honey, apple tart and lemon rind. Full-bodied, medium-sweet and very spicy with intense flavors of mace, apple and honey. Long finish. Thick and powerful. Best after 2010.”
Chateau de Myrat, Barsac 2007 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 10 bottles available
Wine Spectator 96 points “Darker in color than most 2007 Sauternes, showing intense aromas of dried apricot, with toffee notes and an almost smoky character. Full-bodied and very sweet, with a full-blown dried fruit and raisin flavor. Long and superbly rich. Best after 2014.”
Chateau Tirecul-la-Graviere Cuvee Madame, Monbazillac 1998 500ML ($79.95) $69 special, 34 bottles available
Jancis Robinson 18/20 “Orange gold. Rich and tangy. Much purer than the 1999. Unctuous and pure with lots of undertow. Wonderfully smooth.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Chateau Guiraud, Sauternes 2009 375ML ($59.95) $39 special, 37 half-bottles available
Chateau Guiraud, Sauternes 2009 750ML ($99.95) $69 special, 1 bottle available
Wine Spectator 96 points ‘Highly Recommended’ “This is a bird of a different feather, with an exotic, vibrant aroma of toasted coconut, followed by an almond cream note that gives way to the core of green fig, papaya, Cavaillon melon and honey. There’s stunning richness and mouthfeel, with the power to be one of the longer-lived wines of the vintage. Very impressive. Best from 2015 through 2040.”WS
Chateau Rieussec, Sauternes 2011 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 3 bottles available
James Suckling 96-97 points “This shows incredible freshness and power, with dried pineapples, mangoes and papayas. Full body, medium-sweet with electrifying acidity. Vibrates your palate. Barrel sample, still..”
Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2011 Rieussec, a blend of 95% Semillon, 2% Sauvignon Blanc and 3% Muscadelle is an absolute dream. There is wonderful precision and mineralité on the nose, the new oak more integrated than a few months ago. The palate is beautifully balanced with clear honey, brioche and pralines, a sensual Rieussec that is utterly charming, hints of nougat and almond lingering on the long finish. Gorgeous! Tasted April 2016.”
Chateau d’Yquem, Sauternes 2011 375ML ($319.95) $289 special, 1 half-bottle available
Wine Spectator 99 points “A lovely, creamy, tropical style, with mango, papaya and guava notes lending a caressing feel, while singed almond and warm piecrust accents blossom through the lush finish. Just when you think that’s all there is, toasted coconut, fig, orange blossom and persimmon details kick in, lending length and dimension. The finish is ridiculously long. Best from 2020 through 2060
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Sweet Wines for Your Sweetie: Part II
The Auslesen
Germany’s Auslese wines are among the most romantic things we know of—rich, tender, sweet and a perfect beginning or end to a meal that you want to show off with. Amusingly, we find that even people who “don’t like sweet wines” often like dessert, and on Valentine’s Day (or anytime) a liquid dessert can be a bit more refreshing and energizing than something heavy and butter-drenched.
Refreshing, really, is what Auslese Riesling does best—tropical, rich and luscious, with fantastic complexity and unending amounts of sheer deliciousness. Best yet, they have fresh, bright acidity to keep your palate refreshed and keep those sweet flavors from becoming cloying—think about fresh peaches or plums and their ability to be both sweet and more-ish.
We have 90 Auslesen in stock now at www.vinopoliswineshop.com but we wanted to highlight a few special wines we think would be perfect for Valentine’s Day!
Weingut Clemens Busch Pundericher Marienburg Fahrlay Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2014 375ML ($59.95) $46 special, 12 half-bottles available
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2014 Riesling Auslese Fahrlay is a very juicy and fruity, piquant and delicate Riesling with fine acidity and sensual sweetness. The wine is extremely sappy and its sweetness is countered by the piquant and racy acidity. This is a gorgeous Auslese with great aging potential.”
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Weingut Eugen Muller Forster Kirchenstuck Riesling Auslese, Pfalz 2012 500ML ($34.95) $29 special, 36+ bottles available
Terry Theise: “Every year for the last fifteen or more, this wine has been a masterpiece, and I can think of few if any parallels in the wine world- or in my wine world- of such sustained stellar performance year after year. 2011 is and remains a masterpiece of the exotic flowery style, “a city made of cherry blossom” as I wrote last year. Bearing in mind that these wines are never very sweet, this one is more typical for the “Auslese” idiom. The 2012, though, is a swollen subterranean wave of mineral. You start at OMG and end with WTF, because even in the context of so many great years this is singular and amazing. Fantastically salty and cherry-blossomy, with obdurate length and deeply embedded mineral.”
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J.J. Christoffel Erdener Treppchen Riesling Auslese** “Herzlay”, Mosel 2012 750ML ($69.95) $49 special, 12 bottles available
Terry Theise: “That suffix “Lay” is local dialect for slate. This is from an old ungrafted parcel among the cliffs, and the wine has its usual swollen mass, firm richness and length. I’m glad of the relatively moderate sweetness; it thins the hugeness of fruit and makes it tinkle down the palate in snaky rivulets of salty terroir and tart apple. Also a sponti.”
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Weingut Karthauserhof Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2014 750ML ($59.95) $39 special, 12 bottles available
Weingut Karthauserhof Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2014 375ML ($39.95) $24 special, 22 half-bottles available
Weingut Karthauserhof Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2014 1.5L ($119.95) $79 special, 6 magnums available
John Gilman 94 points “I did not have a chance to taste the 2014 Auslese AP #12 on my trip last March and was very happy to have a chance to visit it prior to launching into the excellent vertical of Grosses Gewächs generously prepared by the estate. This is an absolutely superb bottle of young Auslese, wafting from the glass in a gently glazed blend of pear, white cherry, honeycomb, salty slate, orange zest and a pungent floral topnote redolent of cherry blossoms. On the palate the wine is fullish, racy and very long, with excellent focus and cut, excellent complexity and a long, vibrant and very poised finish. Classy juice. 2018-2050. 94.
Jean Fisch & David Rayer, Mosel Fine Wines #28: “Vineyard selections of botrytis-affected grapes only delivered 500 liters of Auslese harvested with a comparatively low 94° Oechsle. This Auslese starts off with a beautifully complex nose of fresh fruits, with pineapple, star anise and spices providing depth to the experience. The wine is superbly playful on the palate, where mouth-watering acidity adds to the aromatic precision. A riper side comes through in the finish tough, with almond, saffron and honey giving the wine a definitive Auslese GK style. 2024-2044”
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Weingut Markus Molitor Bernkasteler Lay Riesling Auslese*** GK, Mosel 2013 750ML ($99.95) $79 special, 31 bottles available
Wine Advocate 98 points “Stunningly clear and pure on the citric-perfumed nose, the sweet 2013 Bernkasteler Lay Riesling Auslese *** is characterized by its laser-like precision and elegance, which is perfectly paired with its vibrant acidity and piquant minerality that lingers and makes this Auslese a memorable one.”
Weingut Markus Molitor Kinheimer Hubertuslay Riesling Auslese*** GK, Mosel ’13 375ML ($59.95) $39 special, 31 half-bottles available
Wine Advocate 97 points “The 2013 Kinheimer Hubertuslay Auslese *** needs a little but of time to open up and show its finest, intense raisin aromas indicating grapefruit/lemon and pineapples on a piquant background. Rich, oily textured and extremely elegant on the palate, the wine offers a lavish tropical juiciness quoting pineapples, but is stunningly pure and piquant. The finish is beautifully balanced and highly elegant. This is perfectly made.”
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Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese**, Mosel 2013 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 34 bottles available
Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese**, Mosel 2013 375ML ($39.95) $33 special, 32 half-bottles available
Wine Advocate 94 points “Bright in color the two-starred 7.5% alcohol 2013 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese ** is an intensely (noble) sweet and creamy-textured selection, which was picked on November 1 and is made for future generations. Very sweet and dense on the palate it still has to become more wine-y but the wine has definitely talent.” WA
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Felsina Rancia and Fontalloro:
The best value in Tuscan Wine
“May I make a suggestion? Readers would do well to buy a case of [Felsina] Rancia upon release every year and put it away. Few wines deliver so much pleasure and pedigree at maturity for what remains a very fair price.” –Antonio Galloni
We know that Tuscan wine is super popular, both from the requests we get and the sales we see here at the shop. While Brunello is still the undisputed star of the show, we think more people should be buying higher-end Chianti. Unlike Brunello, there seems to be a bit of an artificial price ceiling for Chianti and so the wines, no matter their absolute quality, cost less than comparable examples from the other famous neighborhood in Tuscany.
Felsina’s Rancia Riserva is a prime example. It costs half of what a comparable Brunello would and ages for at least as long. The wines are powerful, elegant and nuanced and wonderful at the table and we have some of the sharpest pricing in the country on the 2011 and 2012—two vintages that display all of the qualities we love in different ways. The 2012 being lighter and more nuanced and the 2011 with a bit more power and fruit. You’re going to want some cases.
The Fontalloro is the flagship wine for Felsina. Made from 100% Sangiovese (like a Brunello, yes), it’s generally considered to be the best wine that they make in any given vintage. We’ve been lucky enough to acquire several vintages so that you can have your pick (or perhaps drink a small vertical every year for a while).
In-Stock Now!
Felsina Berardenga Fontalloro Toscana IGT 2009 750ML ($69.95) $49 special, 23 bottles available
Case-12 Felsina Berardenga Fontalloro Toscana IGT 2009 750ML ($579.95) $519 special, 1 case available
(That’s only $43.25/bottle!) That’s the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Antonio Galloni 94 points “There is a lot to like in the 2009 Fontalloro (Sangiovese). For starters, the wine is rich, broad and ample on the palate. Hints of tobacco, savory herbs, licorice and menthol all add complexity over time. The over juiciness of the fruit is nicely balanced by clean veins of underlying acidity that give the 2009 much of its freshness. This is another wine endowed with superb balance and class.” AG
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Felsina Berardenga Fontalloro Toscana IGT 2010 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 8 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 94+ points “The 2010 Fontalloro (Sangiovese) is impeccable. A sweet, open bouquet melds into expressive red fruits. Compared to the 2010 Rancia, Fontalloro is a decidedly more delicate, feminine wine. All the elements are very nicely balanced. I expect the 2010 will enjoy a fairly broad window of drinkability. Today I give the 2010 a very slight nod over the 2009, only because I think the 2010 will age a little longer, but both are striking.” AG
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Felsina Berardenga Fontalloro Toscana IGT 2012 750ML ($59.95) $46 special, 25 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2012 Fontalloro (100% Sangiovese) is a stunning expression and delivers the high quality we have come to expect of this celebrated IGT Toscana wine in a less important vintage. Careful work has been done here to ensure the high quality of fruit. The Fontalloro vineyard is located on the border of the Chianti Classico and the Chianti Colli Senesi appellations. Many have called upon Fèlsina to change the wine’s status to Chianti Classico Gran Selezione, but technically it can’t be because of much of the vineyard is located outside the denomination limits. The bouquet is soft and rich with dark fruit and spice. In the mouth, Fontalloro reveals integrated tannins and acidity.”
Antonio Galloni 94 points “Dark red cherry, plum, cinnamon and crushed rock nuances flesh out in the 2012 Fontalloro. Next to most of the other wines in the lineup, the 2012 Fontalloro is floral, perfumed, fresh and vibrant, with gorgeous aromatic lift, silky tannins and lovely overall balance. Fontalloro often opens up before Rancia, as is the case today, but the 2012 also possesses more than enough depth to drink well for a number of years. Still, the sexy, radiant finish makes me think most bottles won’t be around to make old bones. Put simply, the 2012 Fontalloro is an arrestingly beautiful, showy wine built to please. And please it does.”
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Felsina Berardenga Rancia, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($59.95) $41.90 special, 20+ bottles available
Case-12 Felsina Berardenga Rancia, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($499.95) $469 special, 2 cases available (That’s only $38.08/bottle!)
Antonio Galloni 94+ points “A wine of incredible density, the 2011 Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia is virtually impenetrable, but dazzling just the same. Rose petal, mint, sage, rosemary, leather and smoke hit the palate in a voluptuous, racy Rancia. The 2011 should drink well earlier than many other recent vintages, but it should also age nicely. The fine, silky tannins are a bit uncharacteristic for a young Rancia. Over the last few years, the 2011 has really started to come together. It will be interesting to see where things go from here.”
Wine Advocate 94 points “From the 6.25-hectare Rancia vineyard, the 2011 Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia shows a more elaborate and stylized personality with ripe fruit tones, bursting cherry, perfumed violets and rose petal. Those floral notes add a feminine touch to what is in fact a wine of power and determination. It shows a beautiful evolution in the glass as well, with dusty mineral notes that add to the overall elegance of the dry, polished finish. This is one of the best Riservas of 2011.” ML
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Felsina Berardenga Rancia, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2012 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 36+ bottles available
Antonio Galloni 94+ points “A ripe, powerful wine, the 2012 Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia offers a level of finesse that balances some of the more overt intensity of the year. Dark cherry, plum, spice, tobacco, menthol and licorice add shades of nuance as this beautifully delineated Rancia opens up in the glass. Because of its mid-weight structure, I expect the 2012 will give up its charms relatively early by Rancia standards, which means around age 15-20. The 2012 is not an obvious or explosive Rancia, rather is a wine built on compelling overall harmony.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Speaking of the great wines of Chianti, we also have Felsina’s new Gran Selezione in stock now…’
Felsina Berardenga ‘Colonia’, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG 2010 750ML ($199.95) $119 special, 22 bottles available
Wine Advocate 95+ points “When you hear the story of the effort that went into making the Colonia vineyard, you have to wonder if the fine folks at Fèlsina are absolutely mad. It took them two years of dynamite blasting to clear the imposing rock that had forced previous generations of the Poggiali family to virtually abandon this site. But an ambitious Giovanni Poggiali takes credit for making this spectacular vineyard what it is today. The wine produced here is quickly becoming the second flagship product after Fontalloro. The 2010 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Colonia is a wine of enormous beauty and depth. This is Sangiovese at its highest expression and any doubt I had about the previous vintage (which was the first time this wine appeared as a Gran Selezione) have been washed away by this current release. What really stands out are the wine’s precise mineral and graphite aromas that lend an incredible sense of focus and balance. The oak element is also beautifully integrated.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
And don’t forget to visit www.vinopoliswineshop.com to see all 116 Tuscan wines we have in stock right now!
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France’s New California:
The Vanguard of the Languedoc-Roussilon
On a superficial level, the comparisons between the Languedoc and California are easy: warm temperate weather, olive trees and big rich wines. Both areas are also the source of most of the bulk wine produced in their respective nations as a result of this extreme fertility. But look a little closer and another, more interesting, comparison jumps out.
Both California and the Languedoc-Roussillon have a lot of old vines that are inexpensive to acquire. This is a really great combination if you’re a young winemaker with something to prove, as it allows you to access old vine material at costs that don’t require you to be decended from royalty to acquire it. \
Just as with California, we’re seeing a range of styles emerge in this ‘new’ Languedoc from rich and powerful (Domaine de l’Edre, like Bedrock in Cali) to lighter and more elegant (Le Loup Blanc like, well, lots of new-Cali producers). We’ve highlighted a few here that we think are worth seeking out and trying and we hope you’ll share in our enthusiasm!
In Stock Now!
Domaine de L’Edre Cotes du Roussillon Villages 2013 750ML ($49.95) $41.90 special, 36+ bottles available
Case-6 Domaine de L’Edre Cotes du Roussillon Villages 2013 750ML ($299.95) $239 special, 4 six-packs available (that’s only $39.83/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 95 points “One of the wines of the vintage is the 2013 Cotes du Roussillon Villages Domaine de l’Edre. While this cuvee had a rustic edge in the past, today it’s incredibly polished and pure, with brilliant aromatics of cassis, black raspberries, licorice, crushed flowers and chalky minerality. Medium to full-bodied, ripe, yet elegant and balanced, it’s a classic Roussillon that can be enjoyed today or cellared for a decade.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Mas Cal Demoura Terrasses du Larzac L’Infidele, Languedoc-Roussillon 2010 750ML ($31.95) $27 special, 36+ bottles available
Wine Advocate: “Meaning “One must remain” in Occitan, Mas Cal Demoura was created by Jean-Pierre Jullien in 1970. At the time, there was a mass exodus of vignerons away from their own estates, and the region in general, due to an inability to make a living producing wine. Jean-Pierre followed this trend, but in 1985, his son Olivier set off on his own, creating the now benchmark estate Mas Jullien (which is also reviewed in this report). Following his son’s example, Jean-Pierre left the coop in 1993, sold a number of his vineyards, but kept the best 5 hectares for his own estate. Jean-Pierre retired in 2004, selling the estate (after working with them for a year during the transition) to the current owners, Isabelle and Vincent Goumard, who both studied winemaking in Dijon. The estate now covers roughly 11 hectares located outside the village of Jonquieres, in the heart of the Terrasses du Larzac region. The wines are all noteworthy, with medium to full-bodied richness that’s always balanced by classy, elegant overall profiles that remain a joy to drink. They’re all highly recommended.” JD
Importer Notes: “The historic cuvée of Jean-Pierre Jullien, L’Infidèle is a blend of all the regional grapes – Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Carignan. The Goumards make choices in the vineyard and in the cellar that will emphasize finesse and freshness in this bottling, allowing for full expression of the fruit. The grapes are partially destemmed. Temperature is rigorously controlled. The cuvaison can extend for as long as six weeks with frequent remontage. Aging takes place mostly in older demi-muids and each grape variety undergoes the primary stages of the elevage separately. Based upon a series of ongoing tastings, the Goumards determine the final blend and then the five varieties are assembled in cuve and aged for an additional six to eight months prior to bottling. The wine is bottled without filtration.”
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Maxime Magnon Corbieres Campagnes, Languedoc-Roussillon 2014 750ML ($39.95) $31.90 special, 36 bottles available
Wine Advocate 93 points “Leading off the reds, the 2014 Corbieres Campagnes is terrific, and the greatest wine I’ve tasted from the estate in some time. It’s inky purple color is followed by textbook Carignan (it’s 100% Carignan) notes of black and blue fruits, liquid violets, plums, iodine and freshly crushed rock. This medium to full-bodied, elegant, seamless effort shows the potential of the variety and will benefit from 1-2 years of bottle age and keep through 2024.”
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Vignobles Prissette Villa Symposia Coteaux du Languedoc l’Origine 2013 750ML ($39.95) $33 special, 36+ bottles available
Wine Advocate 93 points “The terrific 2013 Pézenas l’Origine shows the hallmark spice-laced perfume of this appellation. Lots of red fruits, crushed flowers, spice and violet nuances give way to a medium-bodied, elegant and sweetly fruited 2013 that has fine tannin and a seamless, sexy texture. Drink this beauty anytime over the coming 5-6 years.”
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Vignoble du Loup Blanc Minervois ‘Le Regal du Loup’, Languedoc-Roussillon 2012 750ML ($17.95) $14 special, 13 bottles available
VinopolNote: Grenache 50%, Carignan 40%, Syrah 10%. Soil: Clay and limestone. Age of vines: 25 to 50 years. Ageing: 12 months in concrete tank
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Domaine le Clos du Serres l’Humeur Vagabonde, IGP Pays de l’Herault 2011 750ML ($39.95) $33 special, 10 bottles available
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2011 Coteaux du Languedoc Terrasses du Larzac l’Humeur Vagabonde highlights the old-vines Carignan of the estate. Comprised of 50% Carignan (100-year-old vines) and 25% each of Grenache and Syrah, it gives up a brilliant array of blackcurrants, licorice, old leather, damp earth and liquefied herbs to go with a medium to full-bodied, layered and seamless profile on the palate. Gaining additional structure with time in the glass, this beauty has solid mid-palate depth, ample underlying structure and a big finish. Give it another year and enjoy bottles through 2021. ” WA
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Don’t forget you can see all 35 wines in stock from the Languedoc-Roussion on our website, www.vinopoliswineshop.com !
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Trending:
Hot Wines That Should Be On Your Radar
Ulysses Vineyard, Napa Valley 750ML ($189.95) $169 special, 6 bottles available
James Suckling 97 points “Subtle aromas of crushed berries and tile. Mushrooms. Almost dusty. Full to medium body, powdery tannins and mouthfeel. Bright acidity that gives the wine beautiful and enticing freshness. Gentle and ethereal red. The first vintage of the new wine from the owners of Dominus. The vineyard is located in Oakville near Vine Hill. Drink or hold. (16-Jan-2016)”
Poe Manchester Ridge Vineyard Pinot Noir, Mendocino 2014 750ML ($57.95) $49 special, 22 bottles available
Grapelive 93 points “The talented Samantha Sheehan’s POE wines are beautifully and artfully crafted wines from expressive cool climate sites, most in and around Anderson Valley and Mendocino County, except for her powerful Van der Camp Vineyard from Sonoma Mountain, her focus is classic Burgundy style Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Her 2014 wines offer everything that is lovely and graceful about these varietals, they are richly flavored, layered with poise, silky tannins and vibrant acidity, these pure and mineral driven wines make it hard to pick a favorite in the lineup, but I decided to highlight this gorgeous Manchester Ridge Vineyard Pinot from Mendocino Ridge, just because, honestly all of them are great, this is a label to get into! The nose has flinty spices, wonderful rose petal florals and red fruit, it shows a pure ruby and garnet hue in the glass and the satiny medium body gives the mouth a sublime textural feel without heaviness, while still being alive and full of energy, this is a top drawer effort from Sheehan. Black cherry, tangy plum and a hint of blueberry flow across the palate with dusty/chalky stones, rose hip tea spice, hints of cedar and a touch of cinnamon and smoky vanilla linger with wild raspberry and tart currant on the lengthy finish. This pretty Pinot Noir is a real charmer and seduces completely with stylish and classic detail, it should prove a winner in the cellar too, and while I think the firmer Van der Camp might go longer in distance, this beauty will gain with age, drink from, well, now until 2029 at least!”
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Domaine Collet Pere et Fils Cremant de Bourgogne Brut, Burgundy NV 750ML ($26.95) $21.90 special, 28 bottles available
Case-12 Domaine Collet Pere et Fils Cremant de Bourgogne Brut, Burgundy NV 750ML ($279.95) $219 special, 2 cases available (That’s only 18.25/bottle!)
100% Chardonnay from Collet’s Grand Cru & Premier Cru Pargues Vineyards
Importer note “Romain vinifies his base wines completely in steel before bottling and the addition of liqueur de tirage, and allows the wine to sit on its lees for fifteen months before disgorgement and a minute dosage, allowing the fruit of his pedigreed family vineyards to express itself. The wine is as precise as a bell and as refreshing as spring water; on the nose there is orange blossom, copper minerals and gardenia. The palate is as vinous and minerally as his superb still Chablis. The finish is dry, almost saline with caressing, gentle mousse and flavors of oyster shells, apricot and key lime. Disgorged July 2015. Enjoy this beauty as an aperitif, or with Dungeness crab, salt cod gratin or pasta carbonara.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Fronholz, Alsace 2012 750ML ($59.95) $44 special, 8 bottles available
Ian D’agata 90 points “Good medium red. Musky soil tones and raspberry on the nose. Supple, spicy and sweet, with sound underlying acidity contributing to much-needed lift to the somewhat syrupy red berry and red cherry flavors. Finishes bright and long. This is a really outstanding Alsace Pinot Noir, fresh and crisp despite its obvious ripeness of fruit. The yield was just 30 hectoliters per hectare, according to Ostertag.” ID
This is the only listing in the USA today!
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Post Super Bowl Super Sales
Whether you’re celebrating a victory or drowning a defeat, we’ve got some incredible wines from all over the world on sale (even deeper than usual!) to help out. Check out these highlights!
California:
Kapcsandy Family Winery State Lane Vineyard Grand-Vin Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2014 750ML ($499.95) Was $399, Now $369 special, 3 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 98 points “A powerful, tightly-wound wine, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vin is likely to require the better part of the next decade to come into its own. The most backward and brooding of these wines, the Grand Vin is also quite primary and closed in on itself. Still, the energy, drive and focus of the best vintages is very much in evidence. Today, the 2014 is dense, seamless and utterly impeccable, with no hard edges, beautifully integrated oak (100% new) and exceptional balance.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Burgundy:
Domaine Robert Chevillon Les Bousselots, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($99.95) Was $69, Now $59 special, 14 bottles available
Burghound 89-91 points “The well-layered mélange of red currant, blue berry and wet stone nuances marries seamlessly into slightly earthy, precise and energetic flavors that possess a firm but not hard tannic spine, all wrapped in a delicious and saline-infused finish. This is also quite understated yet stylish and I very much like the purity of expression.” BH
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Robert Chevillon Les Cailles, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru750ML ($139.95) Was $99, Now $89 special, 21 bottles available
Burghound 92-94 points “As complex as the Pruliers is, the Les Cailles ratchets it up yet another notch with its spicy and pure blend of cassis, plum, violet and distinct iron-infused earth. There is excellent richness to the cool and equally pure medium-bodied flavors that possess excellent focus on the explosively long finish. The tannins are dense but quite fine and this offers outstanding upside development potential.” BH
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine de Montille Les Pezerolles, Pommard Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($149.95) Was $119, Now $99 special, 8 bottles available
Burghound 88-91 points “This is the first wine to this point to exhibit any appreciable wood influence though it’s not so much as to mask the otherwise fresh, spicy and layered plum and black currant aromas. There is a really lovely mouth feel to the tension and mineral-inflected medium weight flavors that also display just a touch of backend dryness. Still, my sense is that this should mature nicely even if the balance is unlikely to be ideal.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Italy:
Marcarini Brunate, Barolo DOCG 2011 750ML ($69.95) Was $49, Now $44.10 special, 31 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 91 points “Marcarini’s 2011 Barolo Brunate comes across as a bit light in this vintage. Site specific nuance is pushed to the background in this decidedly mid-weight Barolo. Dark red cherry, tobacco, mint and crushed flowers flesh out in a relatively pliant, open Brunate that uncharacteristically appears to be built for near and medium-term drinking.”
Marcarini La Serra, Barolo DOCG 2011 750ML ($59.95) Was $41.90, Now $37.71 special, 31 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 90 points “The 2011 Barolo La Serra is classy and polished to the core. Sweet floral notes meld into kirsch, red cherry and raspberry. This is one of the more floral, lifted Barolos of the vintage, while the structure tends towards the lighter end of the spectrum. Crushed flowers, mint and spices are all laced into the super-expressive finish framed by classically austere La Serra tannins.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Spain:
Familia Nin-Ortiz ‘Nit de Nin’, Priorat DOCa 2013 750ML ($119.95) Was $99, Now $79.10 special, 27 bottles available
Wine Advocate 96+ points “The 2013 Nit de Nin matured in 3,200-liter oak foudres for some 16 months, and wants to be an old-style blend of grapes from slope vineyards showcasing the typicity of Priorat. The full clusters from ancient vineyards fermented with indigenous yeasts and produced some 4,000 bottles that were filled in March 2015. I previously had the opportunity of tasting the wine just after being bottled and was somehow reduced and dizzy. Now it’s a completely different story. The 16 months in bottle have polished the wine and the reductive character is completely gone. However, everything is subtler, it’s not as explosive as when it is really young and shows its exuberance, there is a calmed beauty. The palate is always very refined with fantastic freshness and subtle minerality, pure and fresh, even if it’s also very powerful.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
