Burgundy Sale; The End of Magnum Madness; Roumier’s Bonnes Mares; JJ Prum Arrival; A 96 point 2011 Oreno; Aged Bordeaux and Sauternes; Von #Winning; Northern Rhone Treasures; Ill Poggione and Chateau Retout; Rare French Trio; Thanisch’s 2015 Bernkastelters
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Subscriber-Only Special
We’ll take 10% off on all in-stock Burgundy wines
Red, white & pink / 375ML -> 1.5L
(Discount will not appear in online shopping cart
We will apply it here before charging)
Sale Ends Friday, March 31st at 11:59 PM!
We offer 419 (!!) Burgundy wines in-stock and available here now to choose from including:
Domaine des Lambrays Clos du Cailleret, Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru750ML ($149.95) Displayed price :$119, Your Cost: $107.10, 10 bottles available
93 points Wine Advocate “The 2014 Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Clos du Caillerets, from vines planted in 1947, has a very different nose to the Folatières with apple blossom, white peach and apricot scents. The palate is underpinned by a keen salinity, very structured with more mineral/limestone towards the finish. This is another superb white from Thierry, perhaps even more bewitching than the Folatières.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Faiveley Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune 2011 750ML ($249.95) Displayed price: $199, Your Cost $179.10, 12 bottles available
Burghound 92-94 points “Here too the wood treatment is quite deft which allows the cool Granny Smith apples, pear, wet stone and spice scents to shine. There is also a seductive mouth feel to the broad-shouldered, supple and round flavors that brim with dry extract before displaying plenty of power and punch on the seriously long finish. This is easily the most backward wine in the range at present yet the impression is unusually fine, both in the context of the appellation but also in the context of this wine in general as it’s usually more robust. Be all of that as it may, this is very, very promising.”BH
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Armand Rousseau Pere et Fils Clos Saint-Jacques, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru 750ML ($999.95) Displayed price: $749, Your Cost: $674.10, 6 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 93+ points “Good full red. Spicy red berries, cherry, licorice and a hint of horseradish on the nose. Juicy, brisk and taut; not hugely fleshy but energetic and penetrating. Conveys an impression of density without weight in the manner of the best 2011s. Tightly wound and very backward, finishing with terrific spicy persistence. Eric Rousseau bottled his 2011s in April of 2013; his bottles now have the domain name embossed on the bottom of the glass.” ST
Domaine de la Vougeraie Les Damodes, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($119.95) Displayed price: $69, Your Cost: $62.10, 22 bottles available
Burghound 90-93 points “Here the wood treatment is more obvious though still relatively modest as it allows the ripe, earth and appealingly spicy red currant, plum, violet and rose petal aromas to shine. I very much like the mouth feel of the distinctly mineral-tinged medium-bodied flavors that possess outstanding complexity while concluding in a tension-filled and impressively persistent finish. The balance of structural elements is perfect and this should age effortlessly for up to a decade.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Jean-Noel Gagnard Chassagne-Montrachet Rouge Cuvee l’Estimee, Cote de Beaune 2011 750ML ($37.95) Displayed price: $29, Your Cost: $26.10, 36+ bottles available
Burghound 88 points “A very fresh and expressive nose of red and blue pinot fruit with pepper and earth hints leads to rich, delicious and nicely complex middle weight flavors that offer good persistence and only a mild touch of rusticity on the sappy finish. This should be approachable, and enjoyable, young if desired”BH
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine de Montille Les Pezerolles, Pommard Premier Cru 2009 750ML ($179.95) Displayed Price: $149, Your Cost: $134.10, 18 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2009 Pommard Les Pezerolles is rich, round and seductive. Layers of fruit caress the palate in this enveloping, textured Burgundy. There is plenty of intensity in the glass. Hints of hard candy and licorice wrap around the finish. The Pezerolles was made with 100% destemmed fruit. Although I like the wine’s frank immediacy, I also think it will age gracefully.”
Serafin Pere & Fils Les Baudes, Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($199.95) Displayed Price: $119, Your Cost: $107.10, 15 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer-Vinous 92 points “Healthy dark red. Superripe black cherry, blueberry and menthol on the nose. Rich, creamy and sweet, in a rather powerful style for this cuvée, but with a medicinal minerality energizing the mid-plate. Finishes with substantial but suave tannins that will require patience.”ST
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Henri Gouges Les Chaignots, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2010 750ML ($99.95) Displayed Price: $89, Your Cost: $80.10, 13 bottles available
John Gilman 92 points “I did not have a chance to really taste the 2010 Chaignots out of barrel in November of 2011, as the wine was quite reduced and in need of a racking at the time of my visit. A year later, I was very happy to revisit the wine out of bottle and see that it was very promising, offering up a youthful and classy bouquet of black cherries, gamebirds, woodsmoke, a beautiful base of soil and a fine topnote of fresh herbs. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and very pure, with laser-like focus, a sappy core of fruit, tangy acids and a very long, suavely tannic and still very closed finish. This will want most of the decade to blossom in bottle, but it is destined to be a great vintage of Chaignots from the Gouges family. 2020-2070.”
Stephen Tanzer 91+ points “Palish red. Redcurrant, cherry, spices, minerals and a whiff of game on the nose. Sweet, silky and fairly deep, offering a fine-grained texture and very good energy and intensity to its red fruit flavors. This juicy, bright premier cru relies as much on its acids as on its tannins for balance and structure. Finishes subtle and long. Half of these vines were replanted in 1986 following the 1985 frost, and so this wine has been getting better and better in recent vintages, noted Gregory Gouges.” ST
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Want to see them all?
For full reviews and descriptions, visit our web store at www.vinopoliswineshop.com!
Use the category search tool on the left side of the shopping page to see all of our Burgundy
Does not apply to pre-arrival offers
Discount will not appear in online shopping cart
Sale ends midnight of the 31st!
We will apply it here before charging
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Don’t Forget, Magnum Madness Ends Tonight!
Subscriber-Only Special
We’ll take 10% off on all in-stock Magnums
Red, white & pink!
French, German, Italian, USA & more!
Whether $28 or $1,799 our price, we’re offering all magnums at 10% off!
(Discount will not appear in online shopping cart
We will apply it here before charging)
Valid until midnight (Pacific Time) 3-29-17!
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Laurent Roumier’s Hyper-Rare Bonnes Mares
Just arrived:
Laurent may not be the most famous name in the Roumier family, but his domaine has been an insiders play in Burgundy for years. Like most French landowners, the Roumier family has seen its holdings fractured and distributed throughout the family over the course of several geneartions. Much of that land still belongs to Cristophe, of course, but Laurent, his cousin, holds significant portions of it and makes incredible use of it.
The Roumier name has become synonymous with quality, due in part to very old vine holdings, and this is especially true for Laurent Roumier, who has fantastic holdings in Bonnes Mares (and in Clos de Vougeot, a rarity for the family). The farming is as you’d expect from a top Burgundy producer—no chemicals are used in the vineyard and yields are kept low. Use of new oak is considered and the resulting wines speak of the vineyard in loud voices that are tempered with the finesse of the overall end product. We don’t get a lot of these wines (and only one bottle remains after pre-arrival sales) so if you’re tempted, don’t hesitate (it’s also 10% off until the end of the month).
Domaine Laurent Roumier Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2013 750ML ($1199.95) Displayed Price: $999, Your Cost: $899.10, 1 bottle remaining
VinopolNote: “From extremely old vines, this wine is as wonderful as you’d hope it would be, given the Roumier name. Rich and textured with great density, it nevertheless displays a striking finesse. Vinified in concrete and then aged in 50% new wood, this wine should be left alone for a decade or two but will reward cellaring impressively.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
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JJ Prum: Just Arrived
Final Chance at Pre-Arrival Pricing
JJ Prum needs no introduction. They’re one of the top few producers of Riesling in the Mosel and the wines stand toe to toe with any wines in the world. In case you haven’t been paying attention to some of the critical press, 2015 is the best vintage to come out of Germany since 2001 and for a winemakers like the Prums, this holds especially true. The wines are everything you like about Mosel Riesling, with loads of flavor packed into a lithe frame.
We’ve offered the 2015’s on pre-arrival a few times before, and so many of the wines have sold out already, however we wanted to give you one last shot to get in on the action at pre-arrival pricing. These prices will be in effect until Friday or until the wines sell out.
Just Arrived:
Joh. Jos. Prum Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2015 750ML ($29.95) $26 pre-arrival special
Mosel Fine Wines 93 points “This offers a gorgeous nose of white peach, cassis, grapefruit, smoke and herbs. The wine is very dynamic on the palate thanks to most zesty flavors of citrusy fruits as well as plenty herbal scents. The finish is off-dry in taste, very long and offers a great feel of freshness. This is a superb Kabinett to drink by the bottle. What a beauty! 2023-2035”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2015 750ML ($119.95) $89 pre-arrival special
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2015 1.5L ($219.95) $199 pre-arrival special
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2015 375ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Mosel Fine Wines 95 points: “This offers a gorgeous nose of melon, grapefruit, spices, herbs and honey. The wine develops a superbly clean feel of aniseed fruits, pear and a hint of apricot and honey on the palate, which gives way to a delicately creamy sense of fruits and herbs in the delicately honeyed finish. This is a beautifully elegant and superbly balanced wine in the making. 2030-2055”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2015 750ML ($39.95) $33 pre-arrival special
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2015 1.5L ($99.95) $79 pre-arrival special
Mosel Fine Wines 92+ points: “This is still quite reduced at first but already offers a gorgeous nose of dried herbs, spices, melon, almond (from reduction) and cassis. The wine reveals quite a playful side on the palate as its juicy fruits are wrapped into a mineral and smoky core of smoke. The wine is delicately ripe yet vibrant acidity brings freshness and liveliness to the long and mouth-watering finish. This is a superb Spätlese with even some upside potential. 2025-2045”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Other Vintages in Stock from JJ Prum:
Joh. Jos. Prum Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2008 750ML ($49.95) $33 special, 12 bottles available
Wine Advocate 92 points “Lime, mint, and dark cherry village-typically dominate the Prum 2008 Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spatlese, with impingements of orange zest, fresh ginger, and wet stone adding further interest on a palate that manages in 2008-specific fashion to both sooth and invigorate. This finishes with an intensity that goes beyond that of the corresponding Kabinett, yet preserves the same sense of uncanny buoyancy. Look for three decades of satisfying evolution here.” WA
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2008 750ML ($44.95) $38 special, 6 bottles available
Wine Advocate 92 points “The Prums’ 2008 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spatlese is less obviously rich but even more remarkably delicate than the corresponding Zeltinger Sonnenuhr. Here too, we have creaminess of texture allied to refreshing brightness. Iris, buddleia, apple, and pineapple are tinged with enticing salinity, and one is drawn back infectiously for the next sip, as this wine’s intrigue and understated charm work their magic. Over the next three decades, I predict that this will remain the most intimate and delicate of the vintage’s Prum Spatlesen.” WA
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Joh. Jos. Prum Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2012 750ML ($44.95) $31.90 special, 7 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 91 points “($49) Pale golden yellow. Rich, musky aromas of yellow plum and sweet herbs. Possesses good depth of rich tropical fruit, but is more noteworthy for its velvety texture and supple, pleasing style. Finishes with salty minerality and excellent persistence.” ST
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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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!
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Back Vintage Oreno
High Points, Low Price
Sette Ponti’s Oreno is one of the most recognizable names in the Super-Tuscan field. Year after year, Oreno delivers rich, dense wines which are delicious on release but evolve into really spectacular drinks with a few years of age on them. We managed to get our hands on a small set of 2011 Oreno, which is from a really good vintage and is drinking well right now. It’s got points to back it up and at this price won’t be around for long.
Tenuta Sette Ponti Oreno Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2011 750ML ($69.95) $49 special
James Suckling 96 points “There is a purity of fruit in this young Tuscan red with flowers, citrus fruit and currants. Full body, with firm and silky tannins that are ultra-fine and wonderfully polished. The structure builds to a racy finish. This is a Bordeaux blend that is all in harmony. Give it time as the tannins and fruit melt together. Try in 2016.”
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2011 Oreno wraps around the palate with gorgeous resonance and silkiness. Mocha, cloves, leather and dark spices all add nuance to a core of voluptuous, racy fruit. This is a typical 2011 long on texture, resonance and early appeal. Readers will have a hard time keeping their hands off the 2011, as it is already striking. The style is ripe, intense and full-bodied, yet all the elements fall into place effortlessly.”
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A Small Cache of Aged Bordeaux and Sauternes
Just Arrived:
Without a doubt, finding reasonably priced Bordeaux that has a little age on it is one of the things which is most rewarding for us. In terms of both sales and verbal feedback, there’s tons of demand for classic wines that you can drink tonight at prices that won’t break the bank. We have a small set of wines that fit that description, both red and dessert, arriving at the end of the month and wanted to feature them here:
Chateau Gloria, Saint-Julien 2009 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Robert Parker 93 points “Gloria has long been one of the most popular wines in America, but I do not believe they have ever made better wines than they have over the last decade, and the 2009 is one of their finest. While this estate is not a classified growth, it certainly performs like one in 2009. A dense ruby/purple color is accompanied by an expressive, flamboyant bouquet of black fruits, Christmas spices, licorice and roasted Provencal herbs. Fuller-bodied, more concentrated and extracted than most vintages with soft tannins, its low acidity and a sumptuous, plump style remind me of a modern day version of the 1982 (which is fully mature but still in great shape). The 2009 Gloria is a very smart purchase for those looking to maximize their buying power. In fact, this may be the value of the vintage.”
Chateau Bel-Air, Pomerol 2010 750ML ($37.95) $29 special
Case-12 Chateau Bel-Air, Pomerol 2010 750ML ($419.95) $299 special (that’s only $24.92/bottle!)
92 points Grapelive “The vintage shows through here without question, a great year makes this lovely Pomerol a terrific value and wonderfully textured wine from Chateau Bel-Air. This dark and full bodied Pomerol hits all the right notes and does so with class, vitality and verve. It shows beautiful detail and complexity in a forceful, but elegantly pure Merlot. This is really seductive stuff in the glass, holding its own against far more expensive labels with ease and poise. The rich layers of fruit, mineral tones and sweet tannin give decadence and refined structure, highlighting Merlot’s promise in a world that sometimes lacks the respect of this often maligned varietal. Chateau Bel-Air has captured in the bottle the right bank’s charm and beauty in this 2010, it shows terroir, with subtle loamy/earth, plummy dense mouth feel and stylish silken length with a wine that has the potential to age another 10 to 15 years, but is pretty darn good right now too. The lead off here is dark floral tones a hint of smoky cedar and black cherry fruit with blackberry, plum, dark kirsch liqueur along with a touch of mint, dried clay, a touch of cigar wrapper and vanilla. This fine Bordeaux delivers well beyond its price and is wonderful with food choices that range from duck breast, lamb, roast pork, wild mushroom dishes to prime rib, and or any comforting winter fare really, and it can also be enjoyed with cheeses or on its own. This is the kind of wine that brings you back to Bordeaux, and certainly makes you wonder why you don’t drink more Merlot. Drink this Chateau Bel-Air Pomerol from 2016 to 2028.”
Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey, Sauternes 2003 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Wine Spectator 97 points “Very, very intense aromas of dried apricot and lemon. Honey, syrup and Golden Delicious. Full-bodied, viscous and very sweet. Pour it on pancakes. Love it. And drink it. Who can wait? Best after 2010.”
Chateau d’Arche, Sauternes 2005 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Wine Spectator 92 points “Apple pie and lemon tart aromas follow through to a full body, with medium sweetness and a lively, bright finish of citrusy acidity and spiciness. Very young. Powerful. Best after 2012. ”
Chateau d’Yquem, Sauternes 1995 750ML ($349.95) $299 special
Wine Advocate 95 points “Served from an ex-chateau bottle. The 1995 Chateau d’Yquem is moving into its secondary aroma phase. A deep golden color, it has a dense and almost Barsac-like bouquet with tangerine, apricot, acacia and melted candle wax. It displays good intensity, unfolding beautifully in the glass. The palate has a strident opening, with a slight bitter edge that lends this Yquem great tension. One can discern layers of marmalade infused with honey fruit, with a powerful, spicy finish that lingers long in the mouth. This is drinking perfectly now, but will surely age with style over many years. Tasted March 2014.”
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Von #Winning
The Pfalz’s Top Producer of Riesling
Von Winning holds the title of greatest wine producer in the Pfalz, if you ask us. Sure, there are some other producers whose wines are slightly more expensive, but if you ignore cost as a “prestige” rating, the wines of Von Winning speak to us in a voice that is clearer and more interesting than anything else we’ve tried from the region. This shouldn’t be a surprise–the wines are from the best sites in the region and made with a hands-off attitude.
The wines speak volumes and they speak in mineral tones. These wines are dry, as the top producers of the Pfalz are wont to focus on, and unlike some of their neighbors, powerful fruit isn’t the goal here. No, the Von Winning wines speak the language of the floral and mineral flavors that are both intense and furtive and also seemingly unable to be coaxed out of these vineyards by anyone else. They demand your attention, even when they speak under their breath.
We have a few 2015’s left, but we really wanted to highlight some of the wines we have in stock from the 2013 and 2014 vintages. They may lack the power and majesty of the best of ’15, but they also lack the ‘great vintage pricing.’ That, combined with the fact that these wines are stunning–right now–in a way that the 2015’s aren’t make them a perfect set of wines to buy and drink while the other wines age into their full potential.
Von Winning Deidesheimer Kalkofen Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Pfalz 2013 750ML ($99.95) $79 special, 10 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94 points “Bright and pale green in color, the 2013 Deidesheim Kalkofen Riesling trocken GG from predominantly old vines on limestone/marl soils offers noble upfront fruit aromas of nectarines and yellow plums. Medium to full-bodied it is the mixture of purity, piquancy, juiciness of ripe fruit and the lovely salty texture that makes the tightly woven Kalkofen one of the finest Rieslings of the 2013 vintage in Germany. Fermented in 500-liter barrels, it can age for ten or more years.” WA
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Von Winning Deidesheimer Kalkofen Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Pfalz 2014 750ML ($79.95) $59 special, 6 bottles available
David Schildknecht-Vinous 93 points “Surprisingly floral for a Kalkofen Riesling, this leads with head-turning freesia and lavender perfume, behind which are intimations of white peach and passion fruit that then saturate a polished, almost plush palate. Sweet suggestions of almond paste enhance the mid-palate sense of richness, but brightly juicy white peach and grapefruit serve for consummate refreshment and floral-herbal impingements for invigoration in a seductively sustained finish. The chalk that is part of this site’s namesake may be implicated in its energetic finish, but there is no overt impression of chalkiness let alone austerity to be found here; on the contrary, this is the richest and most winsome of the youthful Von Winning single-vineyard 2014s.”
Wine Advocate 92+ points “The 2014 Deidesheim Kalkofen Riesling trocken GG comes from a plateau above the Grainhübel where the grapes ripen a few days later. The soil is chalky and marly, and delivers a rather discreet but very potent wine that needs more time to develop its talents. The 2014 shows a chalky, powdered nose with fresh lemon flavors and rather white fruit aromas. Full-bodied, very round and elegant on the palate, this is a well balanced Riesling with a Burgundian touch thanks to the stimulating, finesse-full salinity and the okay kiss that also gives this Riesling a very delicate tannin structure. I recommend to store this well structured and juicy wine for another three years.” SR
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Von Winning Kirchenstuck Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Pfalz 2014 750ML ($149.95) $106 special, 15 bottles available
Wine Advocate 96 points “Crushed stones with a dash of lemon juice on the clear, precise, fresh and concentrated nose of the 2014 Forster Kirchenstück Riesling trocken GG lead to a full-bodied, intense, pure, very clear and salty wine with discreet power but great length and finesse. This is purity in its most complex and elegant expression. There is no richness of fruit and no alcohol that tries to impress you; everything here is terroir and subtle winemaking. The wine is cool and almost delicate, and much fresher and stimulating than a Kirchenstück used to be. This von Winning was bottled with less than 12% alcohol and one can surely discuss if a great Kirchenstück needs to have 13% or more of alcohol. The proud price of 140 United States dollars is even more than you have to pay for the prestigious Kirchenstück from Bürklin-Wolf.” SR
Von Winning Deidesheimer Langenmorgen Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Pfalz 2012 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 9 bottles available
Terry Theise “It’s the manly side of Pfalz Riesling, and we debate whether this is a Grand or just a Premier Cru; yet the wine is articulate, herbal and peppery, cedary and woodsy, long, studious and spicy, with an almost urgestein minerality, suave even while it’s rural, and gentle even as it prods with its leafy message.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Von Winning Deidesheimer Paradiesgarten Riesling Trocken, Pfalz 2013 750ML ($34.95) $27 special, 22 bottles available
Terry Theise “Tasty, barley and cask-y notes behind a grainy delineated Riesling; less creamy than the ’12 and showing some of ’13’s more pointed edge, but it delivers length, clarity and some ineffable Pfalz-ness, and they tell me it will be smoother by the time its bottled.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Von Winning Pechstein Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Pfalz 2014 750ML ($119.95) $86 special, 6 bottles available
Wine Advocate 95 points “Very complex but also subtle and fresh in its purity and intensity, the 2014 Forster Pechstein Riesling trocken GG intertwines ripe but discreet fruit aromas with the stony basalt flavors form this prestigious vineyard. Full-bodied, pure, round and juicy, this is a nobly textured, piquant and very long Riesling; it has great power, tension and a very long and aromatic finish that displays ripe peach, as well as also some passion fruit aromas. The lingering and stimulating salinity is really characterizing this wine that will get even finer with age. ”
David Schildknecht-Vinous 95 points “An even more riotous diversity of aromatics is on display here than in the corresponding Ungeheuer: pungent but cooling sage, wintergreen and peppermint; zesty orange, grapefruit and lime; resinous oak. Except that instead of turning into a riot, these all seem to collect themselves as they strikingly inflect luscious pear and white peach on a seamlessly polished, expansive, faintly buttery palate. Suggestions of nut oils enhance a sense of enveloping richness rare in youthful Pechstein Riesling, while chalky, stony undertones serve as sounding board and salinity for helpless salivation in a vibrant, sensationally sustained finish.”
Terry Theise notes “Though it is clear that Kirchenstück is the greater and more profound wine, it’s also apparent that many Pfalz amateurs’ favorite wine is Pechstein. It scratches an itch almost no other wine can reach, that lysergic blend of riotous flowers and primordial salts is close to unique among wines. This has a sublime aroma, all sweet lilacs and wisteria and wintergreen; the palate is an apex of salt and mineral with notes of orchids; what a Cru this is! It makes a compelling case that Riesling is—vastly—in its own class.”
Von Winning Ungeheuer Riesling Grosses Gewachs Trocken, Pfalz 2013 750ML ($79.95) $59 special, 7 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94 points “At this early stage, the citrus colored 2013 Forster Ungeheuer Riesling trocken GG (with lime green reflections) seems to be von Winning’s most impressive Riesling of the vintage. Intense, ripe and piquant fruit aromas of limes and grapefruit on the nose lead to a very juicy and salty palate where an almost perfect amalgam of minerals and fruit juice gives a very elegantly structured, medium to full-bodied wine. Then comes a delicious finish followed by a persistent and piquant length. This is a great, bright and energetic wine, whereas the Pechstein and Kirchenstück are still very closed at the moment.” WA
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Three Treasures of the Northern Rhone
Arriving Next Month
The Northern Rhone has been heating up, as people realize how sensational the wines are and how reasonably they are priced for the quality. We have three wines coming in next month that are prime examples of this—two from Jean-Luc Jamet and one back vintage wine from Domaine Clape. If you’re looking for Cornas or Côte Rôtie (or just an everyday drinker), look no further, we’ve got you covered.
Arriving in April
Domaine Auguste Clape Cornas, Rhone 2011 750ML ($149.95) $119 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 95 points “Starting with his 2011 Cornas, it’s a rocking wine in the vintage that’s still showing every bit as well as it did on release. Massive minerality, violets, bloody meat and sweet blackcurrant and black raspberry-like fruit all emerge here, and it’s fabulously textured and silky on the palate. It will be interesting to see if this ever shuts down, but right now, it’s a great drink. If you have multiple bottles, give one a try.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Like marriages, sometimes partnerships don’t always work out in the end. In 2013, Jean-Paul and Jean-Luc Jamet split, with Jean-Luc leaving the famous family domain. It wasn’t one sided, however, as Jean-Luc took some of the best vineyard holdings in Cote-Rotie with him when he left. The details about exactly which vineyards went with him have been hard to figure out from the notoriously secretive brothers, but the 2013 (his inaugural release) indicates that the wines will be as exciting as you’d hope the last name would indicate.
Jean-Luc Jamet Cote Rotie “Terrasses”, Rhone 2013 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
VinopolNote: “Made from vineyards originally belonging to Domaine Jamet (and kept in his split from the domaine). The 2013 is the first vintage for Jean-Luc Jamet and a promising start that shows the class of the terroir he’s working with.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Jean Luc Jamet Syrah Vdp “Valine”, Rhone 2014 750ML ($39.95) $28 pre-arrival special
VinopolNote: “From younger vines in Cote Rotie and in the surrounding region. A delightful Syrah that shows excellent Northern Rhone typicity and should age well, though it drinks really well today.”
Also arriving in April:
France – Bordeaux
Chateau du Retout has always been a boundary pushing estate, which is why we love it. Not content to be a “mere” Haut-Medoc wine, the estate continues to make changes to viticulture and winemaking to ensure the highest possible quality wine. Part of that has been raising the percentage of Petit Verdot, a grape that excels in the warm vintages that France has had over the last decade. The resulting wine is everything we could ask of a sub $30 Bordeaux, and the fact that it’s almost half that in price makes it even better.
Chateau du Retout, Haut-Medoc 2014 750ML ($21.95) $17 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 90 points “Delightfully ripe, with an inviting core of plum and blackberry preserves, picking up an anise edge on the finish. A solid alder spine runs throughout, adding length and definition. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Merlot.”
Wine Enthusiast 90 points “With an unusually high proportion (nearly 17%) of Petit Verdot in the blend, this is both darkly structured and dark in color. It is weight, intense youthful acidity and black-currant fruits. It’s also rich, full of tannins and in need of several years.”
James Suckling 90 points “A leafy cabernet nose leads into quite a poweful and tannic palate with the sleek body of a marathon runner. Better in 2018.”
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From Italy:
Il Poggione remains one of our favorite wines in Brunello—it’s tough to beat the combination of quality and price. The wines are probably the least expensive, collectible quality Brunello out there (made in a traditional style). We were lucky enough to source a little from the exceptional 2004 vintage and are excited to offer this back-vintage beauty for you today!
Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2004 750ML ($99.95) $89 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2004 Brunello di Montalcino is awesome. This finessed, regal Brunello flows onto the palate with seamless layers of perfumed fruit framed by silky, finessed tannins. The wine remains extremely primary at this stage, and its full range of aromas and flavors have yet to emerge, but the sheer pedigree of this Brunello is unmistakable. The elegant, refined finish lasts an eternity, and subtle notes of menthol, spices, licorice and leather add final notes of complexity. The estate’s 2004 Brunello is a wine to buy and bury in the deepest corner of the cellar. Brunello is never inexpensive, but this is the real deal, and in relative terms, it is one of the world’s great values in fine, cellar worthy wine. Incredibly, there are 18,000+ cases of the 2004 Brunello, so it should be fairly easy to source in various markets. The Brunello is made from four vineyards ranging from 250 to 400 meters in altitude, all in Sant’Angelo in Colle. The wines from the various vineyards were aged separately in French oak casks prior to being assembled and bottled.”
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Three Hard to Find Gems From France
We love the rare and interesting here at Vinopolis. Between back vintages (hello 2009/10 Burgundy!) and magnums of wines that only the devoted have heard about, we want to bring you things that make you sit up and declare “oh man! I’ve got to get some of those!” We think we’ve delivered with this next set of three wines, arriving in a few months:
Arriving in May:
Maison Dujac Fils & Pere Gevrey-Chambertin 2009 750ML ($99.95) $89 pre-arrival special
Burghound 88-91 points “A cool, airy, pure and restrained nose that is very Gevrey in character offers up attractively fresh aromas of red and dark berry fruit plus a hint of the sauvage that precede the rich and complex middle weight flavors that culminate in a mildly austere but long finish. This is really quite good and worth a look.”
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Domaine Perrot-Minot Les Beaux Monts Vieilles Vignes, Vosne-Romanee Premier Cru 2010 750ML ($199.95) $179 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 91-93 points “The 2010 Vosne-Romanée Les Beaux Monts is deep, dark and sensual. It currently comes across as young, but there is gorgeous fleshiness and mid-palate pliancy that makes the Beaux Monts totally irresistible.”
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Henri Bonneau Les Rouliers, Rhone, Vin de France 1.5L ($159.95) $139 pre-arrival special
VinopolNote: Made from a vineyard worked by Henri Bonneau’s son in the Gard ( west of Chateauneuf on the western side of the Rhone River) and so sometimes contains declassified Chateauneuf from his own vineyards. Has all the hallmareks of a great Chateauneuf with astonishing freshness, depth and complexity with a floral spice lift that belies its age. this is a wine that most Chateauneuf producers would be happy to their ‘regular’ Chateauneuf, however this is anything but ‘regular’.
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Thanisch’s 2015’s
Or: This is Why Bernkastel is a Famous Village
It can be easy to forget why the vineyards around the town of Bernkastel are so famous—there are very few producers today whose wines are “relevant” that make wines from Doctor or Lay. Historically, though, the Bernkasteler Doctor is one of the two or three most important vineyards in the Mosel, named for its supposed life-giving properties to a 13th century Archbishop. The vineyard is only 8.1 acres (a little less than 1/10th the size of Beaux Freres, to put that into local perspective) and the wines from these vines are exceptionally prized in Germany, so it’s always tough for us to acquire many.
That said, we’ve secured a small parcel of 2015’s from Thanisch that should arrive this Fall and wanted to give you first shot at them now. The hype for the 2015 vintage is deserved and Thanisch is as classic a producer as you can find. The wines are rich and dense, loaded with fruit and minerals and far less expensive than they ought to be (check out the prices for Thanisch’s Badstube vs Prum, for example). Don’t overlook this historically great vineyard anymore and grab some 2015’s while you can.
Arriving in September
Dr. H. Thanisch Muller-Burggraef Bernkasteller Badstube Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2015 750ML ($24.95) $19 pre-arrival special
John Gilman 92+ points “The 2015 straight Badstube Kabinett is also excellent, but I have to give a very slight nod to the version above in this vintage. The nose is pure and classy, offering up scents of pear, white cherry, slate, white flowers and a gentle touch of petrol in the upper register. On the palate the wine is medium-full, pure and filigreed, with fine focus and grip, bright acids and a long, nascently complex finish. The Feinherb version seems to have just a touch more complexity out of the blocks, but this wine may catch up to it with a bit of bottle age. Another very classy Kabinett.”
Wwe Dr. H. Thanisch Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2015 750ML ($31.95) $28 pre-arrival special
John Gilman 93 points “The 2015 Badstube Spätlese from Weingut Dr. Thanisch is a lovely wine, wafting from the glass in a complex and vibrant aromatic blend of white cherries, delicious apple,. slate, lime blossoms and a topnote of bee pollen. On the palate the wine is pure, medium-full and very elegant, with lovely filigree, racy acids and outstanding length and grip on the complex, vibrant and bouncy finish. I really love the structural tension of this wine.”
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Dr. H. Thanisch Muller-Burggraef Bernkasteler Doctor Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2015 750ML ($39.95) $36 pre-arrival special
John Gilman 95 points “Given the penchant for the great terroir of the Doctor vineyard to not show all of its layers of complexity until it has spent several years in bottle, the glorious early expressiveness of the 2015 Kabinett (and Spätlese as well) from the Thanisch family this year fully underscores just how special this vintage will be seen as the decades flow away. The 2015 Doctor Kabinett is a brilliant wine in the making, delivering a superb bouquet of apple, a touch of white cherry, a very complex base of soil, bee pollen, incipient notes of laurel and a topnote of lime zest. On the palate the wine is deep, pure and shows the broader shoulders of the Doctor vineyard, but with great filigree and classic Kabinett sensibilities at the same time. The wine is rock solid at the core, pure and transparent, with outstanding cut and grip on the laser-like and racy finish. This will be a very, very long-lived and stunning vintage of Doctor Kabinett!”
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Dr. H. Thanisch Muller-Burggraef Bernkasteler Doctor Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2015 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
John Gilman 96 points “If I have ever tasted a young vintage of Doctor Spätlese from Sofia Thanisch that is better than the 2015, I cannot recall it and have to imagine that this is as magical a synthesis of this great terroir and Spätlese as has been fashioned here in forty years! The bouquet is young, primary and utterly stunning in its promise, as it delivers scents of pear, white cherry, laurel, salty soil tones, orange blossoms and the vintage’s signature esthery topnote of bee pollen. On the palate the wine is pure, fullish, crisp and very complex, with a great core, laser-like focus and grip and absolutely stunning backend mineral drive and cut on the very long finish. This will be a
legend in the fullness of time. I cannot wait to see what the vineyard has done in 2015 at the higher Prädikat levels!”