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Back Vintage Burgundy at Fantastic Prices
Profound 2017’s of Huet
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The best Grüner in Austria?
Schloss Gobelsburg Lamm Gruner Veltliner Reserve Erste OTW Lage, Kamptal 2016 750ML ($69.95) Was $59, Now $44 Clearance Price
James Suckling 96 points “This smells like being in a room full of drying herbs and flowers. Rich and creamy from the high ripeness but with a freshness that’s discrete yet ever present. At no point on this wine’s long glide across the palate does it seem the least bit fat or heavy. Drink now.”
The next best price is $58.99
The average price is $65
Wine Enthusiast 93 points “The first whiff of this wine, with its concentrated hit of pear peel and citrus pith, spells pleasure. The palate adds a softening, enriching touch of creamy yeast as a backdrop to the rich, fruit-driven flavors: pear, fern, sage and Meyer lemon. The finish is lasting and moreish.”
Terry Theise note “It’s always been the blue-eyed child in a family of brown eyes, a kind of neo-classical structure with Delphic columns and strong muscular lines. This vintage is also stern and serious and powerful, nettle-y and peppery, but right now it’s all yin, and I’m waiting to see if a sweet fruit develops.”
Weingut Hirsch Kammerner Renner Gruner Veltliner Erste OTW Lage, Kamptal 2015 750ML ($44.95) Was $36, Now $24 August Clearance Price
David Schildknecht–Vinous 92-93 points “Last tasted from tank, this smells esterously and sweetly of ripe quince, lychee, honeydew and caramelized parsnip, almost as if it were a blend incorporating Chenin Blanc and Gewürztraminer. A glossy and enveloping midpalate delivers a luscious reprise of the aforementioned elements, accompanied by seductive inner-mouth chamomile perfume, while alkaline and mossy notes lend intrigue to the soothingly sustained finish.”
Wine Enthusiast 92 points “The nose is rather shy and merely hints at green Conference pear. The palate is soft but very peppery, the ripeness of yellow-stone fruit bathes the flavors in a warm light. This slowly but irredeemably draws you to its delicious, fruit-driven core. Balance comes by way of lemon freshness and savory spice. Enjoy!”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Don’t worry about pronouncing it, buy it already!
Weingut Hirsch Ried Heiligenstein Riesling Erste Lage, Kamptal 2015 750ML ($69.95) Was $49, Now $36 August Clearance Price
Wine Enthusiast 94 points “The perfumed, otherworldly scent of blood orange works its charm on the nose of this lovely wine. The palate is remarkably fine acidity, great finesse and a very long and salty finish that is also pure and finely aromatic. The 13% alcohol comes along light and vital, and the tension in the finish is full of positive vibrations. A great dry Riesling from one of the world’s most spectacular vineyards for Riesling. Highly recommended!”
David Schildknecht–Vinous 93-94 points “Last tasted from tank, slightly ahead of its July bottling, this leads with effusive and alluring scents of buddleia and freesia. The palate impression is oily, rich, peachy and nutty, but remains transparent to crystalline nuances and incorporates inner-mouth echoes of heady floral perfume. Peach kernel piquancy and smoky, alkaline notes reminiscent of Loire Chenin Blanc add counterpoint to the lusciously lingering, at once soothing, shimmering and vibrantly stimulating finish. One could long for the brightness and mouthwatering scallop-like briny sweetness of the 2014, whose rating I would now upgrade by a point from last year’s assessment, but this gorgeous 2015 will provide years of self-indulgence and fascination, especially if followed in parallel with the evolving 2014 and 2013.”
The next best price is $44.99
The average price is $52
Schloss Gobelsburg Gaisberg Riesling Reserve Erste OTW Lage, Kamptal 2016 750ML ($44.95) Was $36, Now $28 Clearance Price
James Suckling 95 points “Great lemon, white peach and spice aromas are married to a medium body with a hint of creamy richness at the front. Then comes the austere finish with a ton of mineral power. Drink now and for some years to come.”
Wine Enthusiast 94 points “The nose of this wine is still subdued. Hints of wet earth and pure lemon notes can barely be discerned. With a few swirls of the glass, tender hints of blood orange zest pervade nose and palate, alongside spiky, bright lemon notes. The body is slender and taut but brims with gorgeous citrus aromas. Lovely now but sure to last. Drink 2018–2030.”
Now it’s even lower!
The average price is $40
James Suckling 93 points “The nose here heads into tropical fruit territory with mangoes and papaya but also apricots and blossom as well as pink grapefruit. The palate is really dense yet structured and refined with a full body, driven acidity and a long, tangy finish that keeps your mouth watering. Drink now.”
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 92 points “Hiedler’s 2016 Langenlois Ried Steinhaus 1ÖTW Riesling has a clear, precise and stony-mineral bouquet of bright but perfectly ripe white stone fruits. Pure and fresh on the palate, this is a tight, finessed and stimulating Riesling with concentrated and lingering fruit. The 2016 is straight, elegant, stimulatingly salty and piquant in the finish. In short: a true Riesling classic and at this price a real bargain. Don’t miss it!”
Now it’s even lower!
The next best price is $29.99
The average price is $31
Schloss Gobelsburg Zobing Riesling, Kamptal 2016 750ML ($37.95) Was $28, Now $21.90 Clearance Price
James Suckling 90 points “Cooked apple and lime aromas with hints of loam. Full body, layered and rich with lots of fruit. A big and fruity style. Lightly sweet. Medium finish. Drink now.”
Now it’s even lower!
The next best price is $29.97
Wine Enthusiast 94 points “Citrus foliage, conifer resin and pure lemon zest aromas create an enticing nose in this wine. On the linear palate, riper Mandarin and Meyer lemon notions take hold, creating an immensely juicy, zesty sensation. It’s refreshing now, but if you can resist drinking it right away, it will develop beautifully. Drink 2018–2028.”
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 92–93 points “The 2016 Kammern Ried Gaisberg 1ÖTW Riesling is very clear, precise, fresh and smoky on the nose, indicating crystalline aromas of white and concentrated white stone and fresh citrus fruits intermixed with crushed stone flavors. Round, lush, pure and piquant on the palate, this is a full-bodied, gorgeously juicy, finessed and elegant Gaisberg with complexity, good concentration, fine tannins, tension and lingering salinity. Tasted as a sample in July 2017.”
Terry Theise note “This Gaisberg is a riot of white flowers and honeysuckle, leading into a juicy minty palate, replete with mineral as a side-note in a stream of lavish yet focused fruit; Asian pear, mirabelle, strawberry. You can call it exquisite; I won’t argue.”
The average price is $36
Weingut Hirsch Lamm Gruner Veltliner Erste Lage OTW Reserve Trocken, Kamptal 2015 750ML ($69.95) Was $49, Now $39 August Clearance Price
Grapelive 94+ points “Johannes Hirsch’s Lamm Gruner is truly majestic. It’s a dense, dry and powerful Gruner Veltliner that is comparable to a Grosses Gewächs; it’s a gorgeous single Grand Cru trocken white with tremendous class and pedigree. Lamm has to be considered one of the greatest vineyards in Austria, and this wine shows why! This 2015 Lamm is richly and heavenly textured with silky finesse and vital energy, hiding its powerful engine under a velvet cushion with stunning concentration and the purest minerality with layers of lemon/lime, minty almond oil, white anise, white plum and crushed stones. The vineyard Lamm is set on a core of loess and mica with a sandy/brown rocky top soil which in years like 2015 give weight and depth, without sweetness or high alcohols, meaning you can have a masterpiece like this one is. This wine when open, transmits joyous harmony, pleasure throughout and subtly sprinkles in earth, spice and even a sweet/meatiness. It’s beautiful detailed and nervy or cat-like in a smooth leopard kind of way. This is greatness in the glass. Drink this Gruner Cru over the next 5 to 10 years, and be sure to check out all of the Hirsch 2015’s!”
The average price is $50
The best Sancerre rosé? We don’t know any better.
Lucien Crochet Sancerre Pinot Rose, Loire 2017 750ML ($34.95) $29 special
Lucien Crochet Sancerre Pinot Rose, Loire 2017 1.5L ($79.95) $61.90 special
Importer note “Always among our most coveted rosés (and for very good reason), Gilles Crochet’s 2017 Sancerre Rosé (100% direct-press Pinot Noir) is wonderfully classic in character, with tangy strawberries and punchy chalk on the nose, and a soft, mellow, pale pink color in the glass. The fruit is very cool and pure this vintage, with great drive and persistence on the acid-driven yet scrumptious palate. While Sancerre overall experienced around 15% losses due to frost in 2017, Crochet was thankfully spared completely.”
A fantastic deal, even better by the case.
Chateau de Manissy ‘La Belle Etoile’ Rose, Rhone 2017 750ML ($14.95) $11.90 special
Case-12 Chateau de Manissy ‘La Belle Etoile’ Rose, Rhone 2017 750ML ($159.95) $119 special (that’s only $9.92/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 90 points ” The 2017 Vin de France Rose La Belle Etoile—a blend of 50% Cinsault, 25% Grenache and 25% Syrah—is a screaming bargain. With its scents of crushed stone, pressed flowers and white cherries, its quality belies its modest price. Medium-bodied, with a silky mouthfeel and a long finish, it’s a no-brainer purchase for summertime drinking.”
Importer Note “50% Cinsault, 25% Syrah, %25 Grenache. Covering an area of 1.5ha, this site is bathed by the sun and swept by the mistral on a flat plain that rich in limestone with a clay subsoil. Entirely hand-harvested organic grapes that have a cold maceration before being pressed. Low temperature fermentation with indigenous yeasts, which allow the yeast to develop its fruit flavors. Aged in stainless steel tank. Given the name “beautiful star” by the Manissy Brotherhood’s missionary preist, the grapes originate from organically certified vineyards owned by wine-maker Florian André’s mother.”
Tenuta delle Terre Nere Rosato Etna, Sicily 2017 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special
Ian D’agata-Vinous 91 points “Pale onion-peel pink. Delicately fruity and floral aromas of jasmine, honyesuckle, redcurrant, gooseberry and minerals. Bright and crisp, this is a paragon of balance and delicacy. Lovely stuff. 100% Nerello Mascalese.”
Cave Yves Cuilleron ‘Sybel’ Syrah Rose, IGP Collines Rhodaniennes 2017 750ML ($17.95) $14 special
VinopolNote “Cuilleron is a master in the Northern Rhone and he brings all of his white winemaking skill to bear on this bright, crisp rose. Made from Syrah, this nevertheless displays none of the grapes potential heaviness–it’s bright, fresh and slightly peppery on the finish. If you’re looking for a delicious dry rose for summer drinking, this would be perfect.”
Allocated and delicious, less than three cases left.
Bernard Baudry Chinon Rose, Loire 2017 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 90 points “Very pale orange-pink. Mineral-tinged red berry and floral scents, along with an herbal flourish that emerges with aeration. Dry and sharply focused on the palate, offering juicy strawberry, rose pastille and orange zest flavors that deepen and become spicier on the back half. Finishes on a repeating mineral note, with displaying very good clarity and floral-driven persistence.”
Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2016 750ML ($31.95) Was $26, Now $21.90 Clearance Price
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 92 points “Opening with nice reduction but precise and ripe fruit as well as crunchy slate aromas on the nose, the 2016 Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Kabinett is pure and flinty, well-structured and quite aristocratic (though a frivolous aristocrat), with a firm structure, lush fruit and a lovely lightness and buoyancy. Very stimulating and mouthwatering, but it’s far too young to appreciate the full complexity it will deliver in a couple of years. Salty, grippy and fruity—just a perfect Kabinett.”
Stuart Pigott 91 points– JamesSuckling.com “Super-fresh and vibrant with a cool, mineral-herbal personality and a very clean, long finish. You could drink it any time during the next decade, but why wait?”
Mosel Fine Wines 90+ points “The 2016er Zeltinger Schlossberg Kabinett was harvested at 86-87° Oechsle. It develops a slightly ripe nose of pear puree, herbs and spices. The wine is nicely playful and delicately infused with herbs on the palate and leaves a juicy feel in the direct and elegant finish. This is still reduced and will need some time to develop its full potential. 2026-2041.”
Now it’s even lower!
Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2012 750ML ($89.95) $55 special
Case-6 Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2012 ($519.95) $299 special (that’s only $49.83/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 95+ points “Il Poggione is a Brunello superstar and a vintage like this reveals every reason why that affirmation is true. From the second the 2012 Brunello di Montalcino pours into the glass, you know you are in for something special. The wine is darkly saturated and rich in appearance. Absent are those slightly amber or browning hues you often get with Sangiovese in a hot vintage. Nor does the wine show flat or tired characteristics. Instead, the quality of fruit is vibrant and rich. This is a healthy, generous and exuberant Brunello with dark density and succulent fruit flavors that are followed by integrated spice and tobacco. The balance is impressive and one thing you get here is fresh acidity. This is not to be underestimated, because the acidity quota in the 2012 vintage across the appellation is not as high or evident as usual. This is one of the year’s best Brunellos.”
The average price nationally is $76
La Fortuna Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2013 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Case-6 La Fortuna Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2013 750ML ($319.95) $259 special (that’s only $43.17/bottle!)
James Suckling 93 points “Aromas of blackberry and cherry with flowers. Smoky. Hot stone. Medium to full body, firm and fresh tannins and a delicious finish. Beautiful now but needs a year or two to soften.”
Joseph Phelps Vineyards Insignia, Napa Valley 2014 750ML ($249.95) $189 special
Wine Advocate 97+ points “Composed of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc coming from six vineyards and reared for 24 months in 100% new French oak, the 2014 Insignia Proprietary Red Wine has a deep garnet-purple color and nose of crushed blackberries and fresh blackcurrants with touches of cigar box, sandalwood, dried lavender, beef drippings and mocha plus a waft of wild thyme. Medium to full-bodied and incredibly elegant and fine in the mouth, the lively fruit is well structured by grainy tannins and seamless acid, finishing long and earthy. 14,500 cases were made.”
James Suckling 97 points “The blackberry, dark-chocolate and walnut aromas are persuasive. Full body, a dense and fruity center palate and beautiful depth and intensity. The tannin texture is exceptional. Great wine. Drink in 2020 and onwards.”
Josh Raynolds 92 points “Pale orange. A highly aromatic bouquet displays fresh red berry and citrus zest scents, along with suave mineral and floral flourishes. Dry and focused on the palate, offering bitter pomegranate, redcurrant and blood orange flavors that take a deeper and sweeter turn with air. Finishes with intense mineral cut and excellent clarity, leaving persistent red berry and floral notes behind.”
At Fantastic Pricing
2008 was a successful year in Burgundy that, while not up to 09/10, produced a number of fantastic wines. Good producers made classical wines in 2008 that were often a bit stern on release but have blossomed in bottle and still have a long life ahead of them. We’re offering you a selection from a who’s-who of great producers and top vineyards. Each of these wines is a highlight in and of itself and unfortunately quantities are limited to a six pack of each, so these will disappear quickly (especially trophies like that Vogüe Musigny VV!). They arrive in the middle of next month. Happy hunting!
Arriving ETA Mid-September:
Domaine Fourrier Les Cherbaudes Vieilles Vignes, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru 2008 750ML ($199.95) $169 pre-arrival special
Burghound 89-92 points “An elegant, complex and relatively refined nose speaks of red and blue pinot fruit, plum and plenty of Gevrey style earth notes that are also reflected by the rich yet beautifully detailed flavors that also possess a lovely mouth feel on the firm finish that is supported by dense but fine tannins. A sophisticated 1er.”
Stephen Tanzer – Vinous 90+ points “Good medium red. Raspberry, cherry, crushed stone, smoked meat, orange peel, mint and wild herbs on the highly complex, very ripe nose. Then quite closed in the mouth, less sweet and more peppery than the nose suggests. Densely packed but in need of aging. Fourrier told me he waited at least two months between the end of the malolactic fermentations and the bottling, and this wine was one of the latest to finish its malolactic fermentation.”
Domaine Michel Lafarge Clos des Chenes, Volnay Premier Cru 2008 750ML ($219.95) $199 pre-arrival special
Burghound 94 points “This too serves up a remarkably layered if extremely reserved nose that displays plenty of earth and spice as well as very fresh and cool aromas of red and blue pinot, floral notes and an obvious mineral influence that continues onto the tautly muscular and overtly powerful big-bodied flavors that are long, serious and focused on the presently austere finish. It’s interesting to compare the quality of the tannins between this and the Caillerets – here they are denser but less fine and as a consequence, this will need a few extra years of cellar time.”
Stephen Tanzer – Vinous 93+ points “Good deep red. High-pitched aromas of black cherry, violet, licorice and crushed stone. Like liquid silk on entry, then concentrated, primary and penetrating in the mid-palate, with beautifully integrated acidity accentuating the wine’s dark, medicinal aspect. At once broad and lively on the finish, with rich dark fruit flavors building slowly and staining the palate. I might have picked this blend as a Cote de Nuits wine.”
Domaine Jacques-Frederic Mugnier Clos de la Marechale, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2008 750ML ($149.95) $119 pre-arrival special
Antionio Galloni 92 points “The 2008 Nuits St. Georges Clos de la Maréchale offers up black cherries, sweet spices, flowers and licorice, all of which meld together beautifully in a weightless, impeccably elegant style. Floral, minty notes add complexity and nuance on the refined finish.”
Burghound 91 points “In much the same fashion as the 2011 there is an herbal tea element to the super-fresh and beautifully elegant nose that strikes me as being right at an inflection point where the aromas are just beginning to turn toward the secondary. There is a really lovely underlying tension to the dense and much more mineral-driven medium weight flavors that also possess a sophisticated texture, all wrapped in an admirably long and balanced if ever-so-slightly lean finish that belies a trace of austerity. While this is nearing its apogee I would still be inclined to allow it just a few more years of cellaring first.”
Domaine Comte Georges de Vogue Musigny Grand Cru ‘Cuvee Vieilles Vignes’, Cote de Nuits 2008 750ML ($799.95) $699 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 97 points “The 2008 Musigny Vieilles Vignes is a wine I could smell all day. The explosive bouquet literally jumps from the glass, followed by deep, beautifully delineated layers of fruit. This shows terrific concentration and depth, dazzling finesse, and a nicely pointed, direct finish. It is an eternal wine.”
Burghound 96 points “This is also quite reserved at present with an elegant, airy, cool and pure nose that is kaleidoscopically complex as it offers red currant, plum, black cherry and a panoply of floral and spice notes, in particular violet and anise, before marrying seamlessly into mineral-driven and alluring big-bodied flavors that explode on the powerful and almost painfully intense finish that delivers genuinely stunning length. I love the way Musigny can so effortlessly combine a silky palate impression with serious muscle. This should be quite impressive in time though note that it will need a minimum of 18 to 25 years of cellar time.”
Of Domaine Huet
These are wines we stock year in and out and we’re excited to feature the exciting 2017 vintage (you can view the ’15 and ’16’s in stock on our website). 2017 looks to be an exciting year for the estate (as it is across France) with bright, mineral driven wines that showcase the prime terroirs Huet is known for.
If you’re new to the estate, know that they make wines from three vineyards (Le Haut Lieu, Le Mont and Clos de Bourg) at varying levels of sweetness. To that last point, don’t make the mistake of skipping anything past Sec—the Demi-Secs are especially useful at the table and long lived, with the sugar adding fruit and body but not much in the way of perceptible sweetness. Moelleux is a specialty of the Loire and is a beautiful wine that is a perfect partner for cheese and contemplation.
Of the three vineyards, Le Haut Lieu produces wines with the most fruit and the softest texture, accessible young. Le Mont is the most mineral and often requires the most time to find itself as a wine and the Clos de Bourg is a bit of a combination of the two. Gaston Huet thought it the best terroir in Vouvray, but a bottle of well-aged Le Mont Demi is an effective counter argument. Whichever combination you go for, stock up—there have been three short harvests in a row in Vouvray and many producers’ reserves are running low.
Arriving Friday, September 14th:
Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Haut Lieu Sec, Loire 2017 750ML ($34.95) $28 pre-arrival special
Importer note “The original Huët vineyard is nearly 9 hA. It has the richest soils of the domaine’s three crus—a deep limestone-clay—and the wines are generally the estate’s most approachable. In some vintages, small quantities from nearby estate parcels may be added to Le Haut-Lieu.”
The average price is $36
Importer note “For many insiders, the argument over Vouvray’s greatest vineyard comes down to two sites: Le Mont and Clos du Bourg. Undisputably a grand cru vineyard, Le Mont enjoys a choice site on the Première Côte. With less clay and more stone than Le Haut-Lieu, Le Mont yields young wines of intense minerality. With age, the wines develop great length and finesse.”
The average price is $40
Importer note “Gaston Huët believed this to be the greatest of all Vouvray vineyards. With the Première Côte’s shallowest, stoniest soils, its wines often synthesize Le Mont’s intense minerality with Le Haut-Lieu’s generous texture.”
The average price is $40
Wine Spectator 93 points “Plump and lively, with a core of bold ginger, McIntosh apple and almond notes followed by quince and persimmon flavors. Shows buried minerality, but also an ever-so-slightly off-dry wink on the finish, making this especially fun to drink. Drink now through 2032.”
Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Mont Demi-Sec, Loire 2017 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 94 points “Delightfully ripe and lively, with a mix of white peach, ginger, yellow apple and quince flavors that are carried by bright minerality and mouthwatering acidity. Light floral hints gild the finish, while the fruit drives through. Thoroughly delicious, and built to age well. Drink now through 2033.”
Domaine Huet Vouvray Clos du Bourg Demi-Sec, Loire 2017 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 93 points “This glistens, with glazed pear, warm persimmon, green plum and quince flavors, all carried by elegant white ginger and verbena notes. A light gilding of piecrust adds to the flattering feel, though there’s ample acidity here for balance and drive. Drink now through 2032.”
Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Mont Moelleux, Loire 2017 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 96 points “A beauty, with an inviting display of succulent yellow apple, green plum, pear, persimmon and quince flavors that ripples lengthily through the finish, while light verbena, ginger and honeysuckle notes dart around. A long green tea echo runs through the finish. Shows terrific range and purity, with the sweetness easily harnessed for balance. Best from 2019 through 2040.”
Also Arriving in September:
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Cuvee Constance’ Moelleux, Loire 2015 500ML ($249.95) $199 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 99 points “Stunning from the start, with a silky and refined feel despite the panoply of dried quince, fig, pear and apricot flavors that are exotic in nature. Lovely green tea, orange blossom and persimmon notes fill in the background. Obviously sweet, but with persistent dry almond and orange extract details that lend latent tension through the seamless and nearly endless finish. The first Cuvee Constance bottling since the 2009 vintage. Drink now through 2060.”
Wine Advocate 96 points “Rarely produced and selected from the vineyards Le Haut-Lieu, Le Mont and Clos du Bourg, Huet’s 2015 Vouvray “Cuvée Constance” offers a deep, clear, intense and concentrated nose of ripe stone fruits, peanut butter cookie, spicy, earthy-mineral and some volatile aromas. Sweet, salty, piquant and mineral with a firm structure and very elegant, concentrated, refined fruit, this is a sweet wine with great purity and mineral finesse on the very long, promising finish. The 2016 is still pretty sweet (142 grams of residual sugar) and should be cellared for at least two or three decades. Total production: 2,800 500-milliliter bottles. Tasted February 2018.”
John Gilman 98 points “I have been looking forward to the release of Domaine Huët’s 2015 Cuvée Constance ever since I tasted a year ago the rest of the stunning range of wines produced here in the vintage. It is a great vintage for Domaine Huët and the Cuvée Constance is everything one could hope for from the confluence of this great estate and a legendary vintage. The wine is still very youthful, but its ultimate brilliance is very easy to see, as the wine wafts from the glass in a celestial constellation of orange, fresh apricot, incipient tea leaves, a nice touch of soil, hints of lanolin, orange peel, barley sugar and a hint of upper register smokiness. On the palate the wine is pure, full and nascently complex, with laser-like focus, a bottomless core, great acids and marvelous balance on the very, very long, zesty and energetic finish. This is still a very young wine and will need years to start to show its secondary and tertiary layers of complexity, but they are lurking here and in the fullness of time, this will be breathtaking in its beauty. (Drink between 2025-2100)
Remelluri’s San Vicente
Arriving in February:
Remelluri ‘Lindes de Remelluri Vinedos de San Vicente’, Rioja DOCa 2014 750ML ($27.95) $24 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Remelluri ‘Lindes de Remelluri Vinedos de San Vicente’, Rioja DOCa 2014 750ML ($179.95) $128 pre-arrival special (that’s only $21.33/bottle!)
James Suckling 96 points “Some richer, darker and deeper fruit character with plums, blackberries and a dark, earthy streak. The tannins are more upright, more elevated, and the fruit is richer and darker than in the Labastida. This has real presence, grip and energy. Try from 2021.”
