Wednesday, April 15th, 2015
Repricement!
Hall Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2012 750ML ($59.95) Was $49, Now $39, 36+ bottles available
Antonio Galloni 88-90 points “Hall’s 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon is laced with attractive plum, mocha, licorice, spices and menthol notes. This juicy, highly expressive Cabernet Sauvignon is shaping up beautifully. It should drink well pretty much upon release.” AG
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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Bandol
Along the southern coast of France and within the wine region of Provence is the prestigious appellation of Bandol. Although the AOC was created in 1941, winemaking in this area dates back to Roman times. Red, white and rose wines are made, with an emphasis on Mourvèdre, a spicy, rich grape originally from Spain. It is a slow-to-mature grape that thrives in the hot, dry climate and produces long-aging wines with complex notes of dark berries, earth, leather and spice. Machine harvesting is forbidden by the AOC. Red wines must be aged in cask for 18 months.
Bandol Wines – Available Now
Chateau Pradeaux Bandol Rose 2013 ($39.95) $33 special, 11 bottles available
Importer note “The Bandol Rosé from Pradeaux is perhaps the most serious wine in this category. Robust, rich, and complex with an ability to age gracefully, this wine is based on Cinsault (50%) and Mourvèdre (50%), taking its slight orange tint from the latter cépage. The younger vines of the domaine (average age: 25 years) are utilized to produce a rare rosé with staying power and exceptional complexity. The Rosé is vinified by a direct pressing for 24 hours followed by fermentation in cement tanks at a controlled temperature of 18 degrees Celsius for about 15 days; the malo-lactic fermentation is blocked and the wine is usually bottled in mid-April of the following year. We import approximately 600 cases (7200 bottles) annually of this exceptional wine.”
Domaine de la Tour du Bon Bandol, Provence 2010 750ML ($34.95) $27 special, 36+ bottles available
Case-12 Domaine de la Tour du Bon Bandol, Provence 2010 750ML ($359.95) $279 special (that’s only $23.25/bottle!), 3 cases available
Wine Spectator 92 points “Brooding and intense, with notes of raw meat, singed alder and dried bay leaf out front, followed by steeped black currant and plum fruit. Accents of iron, mesquite and wine-soaked rosemary line the finish. Still has some serious grip to shed. Mourvèdre, Grenache, Cinsault and Carignan. Best from 2017 through 2026.” WS
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $29
The average price is $31/bottle
Chateau de Pibarnon Bandol Rouge 2010 ($59.95) $44 special, 9 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94 points “Moving to the classic cuvee and even more impressive (it was one of the top wines I was able to taste for this report), the 2010 Bandol, which is over 90% Mourvedre, sees partial destemming and aging in oak casks, offers both gorgeous aromatic complexity and superb richness and depth on the palate. Giving up notions of pepper, Provencal herbs, underbrush and leather, with a solid core of dark fruit, this medium to full-bodied, pure, layered and beautifully balanced effort needs another 2-3 years of bottle age, and will easily keep for a decade or more past that.”
Domaine Tempier Bandol Rouge 2010 750ML ($39.95) $36 special, 9 bottles available
Wine Spectator 90 points “Notes of sanguine and rosemary line the core of taut cherry preserves and red currant paste. A singed alder hint flitters through the finish, showing good persistence. Mourvèdre, Grenache, Cinsault and Carignan. Drink now through 2020.” WS
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $44.99
The average price is $46/bottle
Domaine Tempier Bandol Rouge 2012 750ML ($49.95) $38 special, 29 bottles available
Importer note: “75% Mourvèdre, 14% Grenache, 9% Cinsault, 2% Carignan; 40+ year old vines.”
Winery note: “This fruity, well balanced wine can be enjoyed after 3 or 4 years, but develops extremely pleasant tertiary aromas (leather, animal and undergrowth) with further ageing. The wine’s balance gives it an ageing potential of 15 years or more. The Cuvée Classique blend combines grapes from the estate’s different terroirs. In the area known as ‘Le Petit Moulin de la Cadière’, named after its windmill, the vines grow on south-facing terraces stretching out over hilly terrain. The soil in this part of the vineyard is characterised by the presence of fossilised seashells (85 million year old bivalve molluscs). Clay is found to varying depths throughout the estate’s soil and, although the clay is quite dense, alluvial layers comprised of silt-sand sediment deposits are also present. One might think these looser layers in the soil would have little influence on the wine, but in fact they provide excellent drainage which helps to produce very refined wines.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $49/bottle
Domaine Tempier Bandol Cuvee Speciale La Migoua 2012 750ML ($79.95) $69 special, 12 bottles available
Importer note: “50% Mourvèdre, 20% Grenache, 26% Cinsault, 4% Syrah; 40+ year old vines. La Migoua is made up of heterogeneous clay that varies in color between red, ochre, and blue. At 270 meters, it sits at the highest altitude of all the vineyards. The parcel’s complex sedimentation is largely due to the subduction of a tectonic plate which has surfaced the oldest rock outcroppings in the whole of the appellation. Surrounded by garrigue and pine forest, the grapes translate to earthy, gamey wines. La Migoua has the smallest amount of Mourvèdre in the blend, with the highest percentage of Grenache of the three cuvées.”
Domaine Tempier Bandol Rouge Cuvee La Tourtine 2011 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 16 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94 points “Larger scaled and more textured and ripe, the 2011 Bandol La Tourtine is always a rough blend of 80% Mourvedre, 10% Grenache and 10% Cinsault. Possibly the wine of the vintage, it offers up blockbuster notes of black raspberry, currants, licorice and ground Provencal herbs to go with a medium to full-bodied, layered feel on the palate. Made in a forward, delicious (if not hedonistic) style, with loads of texture and a big finish, it too can be enjoyed anytime over the coming 15 years or more.” WA
Domaine Tempier Bandol Rouge Cuvee La Tourtine 2012 750ML ($79.95) $69 special, 12 bottles available
Importer note: “80% Mourvèdre, 10% Grenache, 10% Cinsault; 40+ year old vines. La Tourtine sits just above Cabassaou. The soil here is more homogeneous, with rich clay. La Tourtine produces powerful, tannic wines with gorgeous fruit character.”
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Just a reminder about our current shipping specials during this season:
We offer flat rate shipping on any size single order / single shipment
-to Oregon for $17,
-Washington & Idaho for $20,
-and California for $25
These rates do not apply to orders held in storage here for any reason. Multiple orders consolidated into one shipment do not qualify for flat rate shipping.
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Maison Olivier Leflaive
Arriving Friday, April 17th
Olivier Leflaive Chablis Les Deux Rives 2011 750ML ($24.95) $18 pre-arrival special
Wine & Spirits 90 points
Wine Spectator 89 points “A ripe style, boasting melon, peach and pineapple flavors. This stays grounded, presenting a vein of mineral and a chalky finish. Drink now through 2020. 926 cases imported.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $23.71
The average price is $27
Olivier Leflaive Meursault 2011 750ML ($59.95) $36 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 90 points “This is clean and focused, with a hint of seashore gracing the apple, grapefruit and baking spice flavors. Shows fine length and intensity. Drink now through 2020. 435 cases imported.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $44.99
The average price is $52
Olivier Leflaive Chassagne-Montrachet 2011 750ML ($59.95) $36 pre-arrival special
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $55
Domaine Olivier Leflaive
Arriving Friday, April 17th
Domaine Olivier Leflaive Clos Saint Marc, Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($89.95) $56 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 91 points “This is rich, boasting peach, pastry and grapefruit flavors matched to a lively structure. Tilts toward the opulent side, presenting a long, spicy, mouthwatering finish. Drink now through 2020. 33 cases imported.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $60.94
The average price is $75
Domaine Olivier Leflaive Abbaye de Morgeot, Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($89.95) $56 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 91 points “An iron note graces the apple, lemon and buttered pastry flavors in this vibrant white. Taut and steely, with a lingering stony finish. A bit sharp, but will appeal to fans of acidity. Best from 2016 through 2024. 36 cases imported.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $60.94
The average price is $73
Domaine Olivier Leflaive Les Folatieres, Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($119.95) $89 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 92 points “Toasty, with a lively structure and lime, apple and melon flavors. Good zip keeps this focused through the finish. The fine lime and spice aftertaste lingers. Drink now through 2020. 21 cases imported.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $99
Domaine Olivier Leflaive Charmes, Meursault Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 94 points “Starts out rich and smooth, with peach, apple, vanilla and clove notes, turning tight and compact on the finish. A vivid acidity underpins this white, leading to a lingering aftertaste. Best from 2016 through 2025. 37 cases imported.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $76.99
The average price is $86
Domaine Olivier Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet Pucelles 2011 750ML ($149.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 93 points “A lean, unadorned style, offering apple, lemon and mineral flavors. Racy, with a kiss of oak and refined, savory length. This seems reticent, with the components holding something in reserve. Best from 2016 through 2024. 60 cases imported.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $144
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New Releases of Very Old Wines
Toro Albala – Vintage PX
Toro Albala is the world’s only source of aged vintage Pedro Ximenez. High-density PX is subjected to a decades-long reduction process, in which casks are topped exclusively with wine of the same vintage while suffering an annual 3% volume loss. Toro Albala’s youngest aged vintage, Don PX Gran Reserva, is released after a minimum of 25 years in cask. Amontillado is released with a minimum of 35 years’ age.
New releases arriving in June:
Bodegas Toro Albala Marques de Poley Amontillado Seleccion 1951 750ML ($279.95) $219 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 95 points “My favorite of the two Amontillados is the 1951 Amontillado Selección a rare, single-vintage Amontillado produced with Pedro Ximénez grapes as is the norm in Montilla-Moriles. It’s a bright mahogany color with an amber-green tint that reveals pharmaceutical notes and balsamic, with roasted, charred aromas and a sweetish palate that retains the sharpness expected in this kind of wine. It is lacking a bit in the mid-palate before ending with a slightly bitter, tarry finish. This is completely different to an Amontillado from Jerez.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $234.99
Bodegas Toro Albala Don PX Reserva Especial 1965 750ML ($299.95) $249 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 97 points “Small lots of old vintages are released following no apparent logic, like this 1965 Don PX Selección, which is produced with white Pedro Ximénez grapes but it’s black rather than white, bottled in June 2014 with 290 grams of residual sugar. It has a nose of pure curry, aromas of an Indian restaurant, very balanced, not as sweet as others, in fact it’s more bittersweet than sweet, combining the spices with bitter chocolate and with very good acidity that makes it relatively easy to drink.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Bodegas Toro Albala Don PX Convento 1955 750ML ($379.95) $299 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 98 points “One more single-harvest, old sweet wine, the 1955 Don PX Convento Selección was bottled in September 2014 and it had been aged slowly in very old American oak barrels and getting thick and concentrated through evaporation. Its 320 grams of sugar are (partially) compensated by 6.5 grams of acidity. It has a nose and palate of chocolate-covered candied orange, spices, molasses. I’d say the dominant aromas in the nose are dark chocolate. It’s very dense, developing notes of very concentrated licorice and balsamic, mint, camphor and evolving notes of petrol with time. Complex, rare and unique.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Bodegas Toro Albala Don PX Convento 1929 750ML ($459.95) $359 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 95 points “The extreme 1929 Don PX Convento Selección is a thick, dense and unusual, rare sweet beast. It is very dark with a green border, dense, oily and serious full-bodied palate with the profile of a PX from Jerez. With 500 grams of residual sugar per liter, it is a little monolithic, a little heavy and not so easy to drink. Still it is an impressive, very sweet wine that is really unique”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Toro Albala Available Here Now
Bodegas Toro Albala Don PX Reserva Especial 1949 750ML ($249.95) $219 special, 2 bottles available
Wine Advocate 97 points “The 1949 Don PX Reserva Especial differs from the other old wines from the winery as it is less dark, it even has a (very dark) translucent tone compared with the others, maybe because it has 2% more alcohol. It feels incredibly elegant and balanced, fresher in comparison than the beasts from 1962 and 1946, medicinal, full of spicy notes of cinnamon, cloves, a touch of ash, and the smell of an antique shop. The palate is fluid, sweet and fresh. Putting a drinking window to these wines feels a bit silly. You should drink it whenever you have the occasion. Drink 2013-2040.” WA
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“Best of” Chablis Arriving Late-April
Vincent Dauvissat and Domaine Francois Raveneau
Vincent Dauvissat La Forest, Chablis Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($119.95) $99 special
Antonio Galloni 95+ points “The 2012 Chablis La Forest is one of the most reticent wines in this range. Here it is the wine’s phenolic weight and vertical sense of structure that stand out. Lemon oil, ash, smoke and petrol are some of the many nuances that inform a tightly-wound finish that never really opens up. The 2012 Forest is a wine for the patient, but it is shaping up to be a gem.” AG
Vincent Dauvissat Les Clos, Chablis Grand Cru 2010 750ML ($399.95) $319 special
Stephen Tanzer 97+ points “Bright pale yellow. Precise, high-pitched nose offers lemon peel, crushed stone, white pepper and metallic minerality; more expressive today than the Preuses. Wonderfully pure, silky and incisive but youthfully closed on the palate, showing great concentration of bracing grapefruit and lemon fruit (tonic youth!). Not an overly powerful style but the spectacularly long finish leaves the retronasal passage quivering with juniper, floral and resin nuances.” ST
Vincent Dauvissat Les Preuses, Chablis Grand Cru 2010 750ML ($299.95) $279 special
Antonio Galloni 96 points “The 2010 Chablis Preuses is a dense, structured wine bursting with fruit. The typical Preuses bouquet is very much present, but today the wine is young and needs time to settle down. This is a decidedly bold, ripe Preuses that captures the weight and richness of the year. Although insanely vivid and beautiful in the glass, it needs time to fully come together. Today, the minerality appears nearly buried by the sheer weight of the fruit.” AG
Stephen Tanzer 96 points “Bright pale yellow. Reticent, mineral-driven aromas of liquid rock, ginger, medicinal herbs and white flowers. Almost painfully intense today, with captivating floral lift to the crushed stone and saline mineral flavors. Utterly backward on the middle palate but the rising, palate-staining, remarkably long finish leaves the mouth vibrating with flavors of lavender, violet, anise and hot rocks. This brilliantly precise grand cru may well go on in bottle for 25 years.”ST
Domaine Francois Raveneau Vaillons, Chablis Premier Cru 2005 750ML ($249.95) $219 special
Stephen Tanzer 93 points “Bright, pale yellow. Highly aromatic nose combines citrus peel, toast and hazelnut; more pristine than the Foret and Montmain. Fat, ripe, rich and dry, with superb breadth and chewiness to the white peach, citrus and mineral flavors. This really saturates the entire palate with flavor. Finishes quite full, long and strong, with exhilarating acidity giving it a light touch. Like the Montmain, this is even more impressive than it showed from barrel a year ago.” ST
Domaine Francois Raveneau Butteaux, Chablis Premier Cru 2010 750ML ($249.95) $219 special
Antonio Galloni 95 points “Raveneau’s 2010 Chablis Butteaux is beautifully expressive on the bouquet, where layers of petrol, smoke and melted rocks fuse together with notable elegance. The Butteaux is a wine of all dimensions; it is at once vertical and horizontal, with fabulous purity and exceptional overall balance. This is one of the larger-scaled 2010s here. In many ways it encapsulates the personality of the vintage.” AG
Domaine Francois Raveneau Montee de Tonnerre, Chablis Premier Cru 2010 750ML ($279.95) $249 special
Antonio Galloni 95+ points “Readers will have to be patient with the 2010 Chablis Montée de Tonnerre. Some of the other 2010s are showing much more today, but the Montée de Tonnerre is all understatement and class. Still, it is impossible to miss the wine’s textural finesse and exceptional overall harmony. Everything is simply in the right place in this majestic, compelling Chablis. A gentle hint of spice frames the finish.” AG
Domaine Francois Raveneau Butteaux, Chablis Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($199.95) $179 special
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2011 Chablis Butteaux is subtle, gracious and utterly impeccable in its elegance. All the elements are simply in the right place. Articulate, energetic and nuanced, the 2011 captures all the qualities of this 1er Cru site, in miniature. This is another of the more approachable 2011s from Raveneau.” AG
Domaine Francois Raveneau Foret, Chablis Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($179.95) $149 special
Antonio Galloni 90 points “The 2011 Chablis Foret bursts from the glass with heady, tropical-inflected fruit, which is so unusual here. Tangerine, honey, wild flowers, herbs and nectarines are all woven into the textured, voluptuous finish. The 2011 will drink well pretty much right out of the gate, so there is no reason to delay gratification.” AG
Domaine Francois Raveneau Montee de Tonnerre, Chablis Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($249.95) $219 special
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2011 Chablis Montee de Tonnerre is all about grace. A gentle hint of spice leads to dried pears, crushed flowers, red berries and licorice. Constantly changing in the glass, the 2011 is a marvel to behold. Suggestions of smoke, graphite and licorice add layers of nuance in a magical wine loaded with class and personality. Best of all, the 2011 is relatively approachable by Raveneau standards, which means reader won’t have to wait long at all to experience the magic of one of the great sites in Chablis.” AG
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Arriving Today
Chateau Latour, Pauillac 2010 1.5L ($3,999.95) $3,599 special, 5 magnums available
Robert Parker 100 points “One of the perfect wines of the vintage, Frederic Engerer challenged me when I tasted the 2010 Latour at the estate, asking, “If you rate the 2009 one hundred, then how can this not be higher?” Well, the scoring system stops at 100, (and has for 34 years,) and will continue for as long as I continue to write about wine. Nevertheless, this blend of 90.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9.5% Merlot, and .5% Petit Verdot hit 14.4% natural alcohol and represents a tiny 36% of their entire production. The pH is about 3.6, which is normal compared to the 3.8 pH of the 2009, that wine being slightly lower in alcohol, hence the combination that makes it more flamboyant and accessible. The 2010 is a liquid skyscraper in the mouth, building layers upon layers of extravagant, if not over-the-top richness with its hints of subtle charcoal, truffle, blackberry, cassis, espresso and notes of toast and graphite. Full-bodied, with wonderfully sweet tannin, it is a mind-boggling, prodigious achievement that should hit its prime in about 15 years, and last for 50 to 100.” RP
Arriving Tomorrow, April 16th
Domaines Barons de Rothschild Chateau Duhart-Milon, Pauillac 2009 1.5L ($349.95) $299 pre-arrival special
Robert Parker 97 points “A blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon and 37% Merlot, it displays an inky/blue/purple color as well as a big, sweet nose of creme de cassis, forest floor, licorice, lead pencil, cedar and subtle barrique smells. Viscous and full-bodied, it is the most concentrated and broadest example of this cuvee I have tasted in over three decades. It will be ready to drink in 5-7 years and should last for three decades or more. Consumers looking to maximize value should be checking out Duhart Milon, as this may be the single smartest purchase in this great and historic vintage!”RP
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