June 3rd, 2015
Flash Sale; New Arrivals; La Gerla 2010 Brunello Release; Giacomo Borgogno; Paitin and 2011 Barbaresco; Domaine Vissoux Beaujolais; 100 Point Cerbaiona
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Mid-West, East & South
Summer Shipping Saver
Whisk your wine through warmer weather!
Beginning now, for the summer season we are offering UPS Three Day Select Service for the price of UPS Ground for shipments normally travelling 4 or more business days.
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Flash Sale
My Cerbaiona!
Cerbaiona di Diego Molinari Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2008 750ML ($199.95) $149 special, 7 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 93+ points “Succulent red cherries, dried roses, violets, tar and spices are some of the many notes that are woven together in the 2008 Brunello di Montalcino. Intensely perfumed, the 2008 shows many of the classic Cerbaiona signatures, even if it is a touch less polished than some of the recent vintages. At the same time, the 2008 has come together nicely over the last few years, so it will be interesting to watch what happens with further time in bottle. Dried rose petals and spices add complexity to the subtle, layered flavors. This is one of the stronger wines of the year.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $154.94
The average price is $181
Discover a 100 point Cerbaiona down below!
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Mid-Week New Arrivals
FRANCE-RHONE
Vignobles Brunier Chateauneuf-du-Pape Telegramme 2012 750ML ($49.95) $36 special
Case-12 Vignobles Brunier Chateauneuf-du-Pape Telegramme 2012 750ML ($479.95) $399 special
Vignobles Brunier Chateauneuf-du-Pape Telegramme 2012 375ML ($29.95) $24 special
Vignobles Brunier Chateauneuf-du-Pape Telegramme 2012 1.5L ($99.95) $79 special
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 92 points “Deep ruby. Aromas of ripe red berries, cherry skin, lavender and smoky minerals, with a sexy spicecake nuance building in the glass. Juicy and seamless on the palate, with sweet raspberry and floral pastille flavors showing very good depth and energy. Clings nicely on the long, spice-tinged finish, which features supple tannins and an echo of raspberry liqueur.” JR
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $45.99 for the 750ML
ITALY-PIEDMONT
Vietti Lazzarito, Barolo DOCG 2011 750ML ($149.95) $125 special
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2011 Barolo Lazzarito is fabulous in this vintage. Rich, ample and structured, the 2011 is both opulent and savory in style. Iron, plums, dark red cherries, smoke, licorice and tobacco meld together in a remarkably harmonious young Serralunga Barolo. This is the first year the Vietti Lazzarito includes a second recently acquired parcel, which may be one of the factors that influences quality, but at the same time, the Lazzarito has been the most improved Barolo in the range. All the elements come together in the 2011, a wine that has it all. This is a great showing from the Lazzarito. Best of all, readers won’t have to wait forever to enjoy this beautiful, pedigreed Barolo.”AG
Vietti Brunate, Barolo DOCG 2011 750ML ($149.95) $125 special
Antonio Galloni 93+ points “A dark, exotic Barolo, the 2011 Brunate boasts tons of density and volume. Black cherry, plum, spice, licorice, new leather and menthol are some of the many nuances that flesh out in the glass. Ultimately, though, the 2011 is largely defined by the texture and amplitude of the year. Brunate is often slow out of the gate, so I will not be surprised if that is the case here as well. Ideally, readers should plan on giving the 2011 at least a few years in bottle to fully come together.”AG
Vietti Ravera, Barolo DOCG 2011 750ML ($149.95) $129 special
Antonio Galloni 96 points “The 2011 Barolo Ravera is once again the most vibrant and nuanced of the Vietti Barolos. Freshly cut flowers, crushed rocks, mint and bright red stone fruits are all shaped by a very classic sense of mineral-inflected drive that is such a Ravera signature. The 2011 is a more than worthy follow up to the epic 2010. It’s great to see this high-altitude district in Novello finally getting its due.”AG
These are all offered at the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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Just a reminder about our current shipping specials during this season:
For a limited time, we are offering UPS Three Day Select for the price of UPS Ground for shipments that would normally travel four or more business days to their destination. This offer applies to orders shipped during the promo period.
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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Arriving Friday
La Gerla 2010 Brunello
La Gerla Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2010 750ML ($59.95) $47 pre-arrival special
La Gerla Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2010 375ML ($31.95) $28 pre-arrival special
La Gerla Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2010 1.5L ($149.95) $119 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 95 points “La Gerla’s 2010 Brunello di Montalcino is absolutely delicious. Dark red cherries, plums, mint, smoke, tobacco and licorice flesh out in a wine that offers notable depth, structure and power. The 2010 is medium in body and also quite polished, yet there is a level of inner sweetness and perfume that makes the wine incredibly appealing, even today. Ideally, though, readers should give the 2010 at least a few years in the cellar. The precise, delicate finish is a thing of beauty.”AG
James Suckling 94 points “Aromas of dried chili and salt with hints of oyster shell. Dried berry and cherry. Sweet cherry. Full body, chewy and very intense, very dried fruit character. Opens to a beautifully silky textured finish. Better in 2017.”
Wine Advocate 94+ points “Dark spice and dried cherry aromas open the bouquet of the 2010 Brunello di Montalcino. This may be the best base Brunello I have tasted from La Gerla. The wine is distinguished by a heightened sense of uniformity, especially where the bouquet is concerned. You can easily identify tones of cherry, spice, leather cola and licorice that are typical of the Sangiovese grape. Wait a few minutes, and the wine begins to shows finely etched tones of grilled Mediterranean herb, ash and dried ginger. The nose is penetrating and deep with etched mineral tones at the back. This lovely wine also exhibits silky, long tannins on the smooth finish.”ML
Wine Spectator 94 points “Cherry and raspberry fruit meets wild herb, eucalyptus and underbrush aromas and flavors in this dense, muscular red. All the elements are there, but this needs time to integrate. The fresh finish is long, echoing woodsy tobacco notes. Best from 2019 through 2036. 2,500 cases made.”BS
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Oh No, Borgogno!
With a library collection that predates WW2 and the oldest wine cellar in Piedmont, the words history and tradition aptly apply to the Borgogno estate. Founded in 1761 by Bartolomeo Borgogno, the estate came into its own when Cesare Borgogno took the helm in 1920. Cesare established many of the still-practiced traditions at the winery, such as holding back over a thousand cases of wine in the best vintages to cellar for 10 years. He also refurbished the cellars and renamed the company. The Farinetti family purchased the estate in 2008, with Andrea Farinetti at the helm since 2012.
The estate’s 16 hectares of vineyards include portions of the Cannubi, Liste, Fossati and San Pietro vineyards. Cannubi has a long established reputation for producing premium, long-lived wines from its clay- limestone marl soils. Fossati is a sandy and sedimentary site yielding wines often described as fruit and floral-dominant. The wines undergo long and slow fermentation and are aged for extended periods in large Slavonian oak barrels.
The declassified No Name is easily the best value of their offerings. It was aged for three years in 33hl oak barrels. The wine was first made from a cask that the DOCG commission rejected in 2005 as a Barolo (not for any technical flaw but for stylistic irregularity). In protest, Andrea continues the tradition of bottling some of his best wine and offering it at an outrageous value as a “quiet protest against the bureaucracy that afflicts Italian agriculture and the wine world.”
Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Available Here Now
Giacomo Borgogno & Figli No Name, Piedmont 2010 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 27 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 91-93 points “Proprietor Oscar Farinetti continues to bottle one cask of Barolo designated juice as Langhe Nebbiolo No Name in protest to the declassification of one of his wines a few years back. Consumers are the beneficiaries, as the No Name is one of the best wines in the market in its price range. The 2010 bursts from the glass with freshly cut flowers, sweet red berries and spices. A totally seductive wine, the 2010 impresses for its purity, raciness and sheer beauty. Sweet perfumed notes add lift on the finish. Winemaker Andrea Farinetti gave the 2010 18 days on the skins, less than his other Nebbiolos, but that just makes the wine more accessible young. Readers who can find the 2010 No Name should not hesitate. It is a brilliant effort.” AG
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barolo Vigna Liste, Barolo DOCG 2008 750ML ($119.95) Was $89, Now $79, 36+ bottles available
James Suckling 94 points, Antonio Galloni 93+ points “Cool veins of bracing minerality form the backbone in Borgogno’s 2008 Barolo Liste. Today, the 2008 is virtually impenetrable, as the vintage and the site have combined to produce a big, powerful Barolo that will require considerable cellaring before it is ready to show all its cards. Still, there is a lot to like here, especially for those who can be patient. Tar, smoke, incense and scorched earth all add gravitas on the close, but with more time in the glass some of the sweeter notes begin to emerge. The 2008 Liste is shaping up to be magnificent.” AG
Stephen Tanzer – Vinous 92+ points “Medium red. Lovely lift to the aromas of redcurrant, marzipan and rose petal. Sappy, sweet and concentrated; a step up in tangy, saline intensity and inner-mouth tension from the Fossati. Wonderfully silky and lush in texture but a bit youthfully unforthcoming today. Delivers terrific verve and energy to its red berry and floral flavors. Finishes with sweeter tannins than the Fossati, an enticing light touch and excellent length and life. This should evolve gracefully in bottle for 20 years or more.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $97.24
Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barolo DOCG 2006 1.5L ($219.95) Was $179, Now $149, 5 magnums available
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2006 Barolo is the finest young, straight Barolo I have tasted from Borgogno in a long time, maybe ever. It embodies everything that Barolo is, from the mysterious bouquet to the mid-weight expression of fruit to the firm yet regal tannins. This is simply gorgeous juice. A sensual me´lange of sweet dark cherries and leather lead to freshly cut roses, tar and licorice in this deceptively medium- bodied wine. It reminds me of the Baroli I tasted as a young person, the wines that taught me the breadth that only Nebbiolo is capable of. The powerful finish suggests the wine will age for a number of years, but with some air, the 2006 is striking even today.” AG
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $176.64
Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barolo DOCG 2007 1.5L ($219.95) Was $169, Now $149, 6 magnums available
Antonio Galloni 92 points “The 2007 Barolo is gorgeous. In keeping with the style of the house, it boasts a considerably firm core of tannin that supports the fruit. There is plenty of 2007 intensity and richness in the glass, but those elements are balanced by the wine’s pure structure and inner tension. The 2007 can be enjoyed young if given some air, and it should drink nicely for a dozen years, if not longer. Even with all the tannin, I don’t see this being an especially long-lived Barolo.” AG
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $169.94
Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barolo DOCG 2008 1.5L ($219.95) Was $179, Now $149, 6 magnums available
Antonio Galloni & James Suckling 92 points “Borgogno’s 2008 Barolo shows what a beautiful vintage this is. Dark red cherries, plums, tobacco, wild flowers, savory herbs and tobacco are some of the many notes that emerge from the glass. Over the last two years, the 2008 has blossomed beautifully in bottle. This is the best bottle I have tasted so far. The 2008 is a blend of fruit from San Pietro, Bricco delle Viole and Cannubi/San Lorenzo, all in the village of Barolo.” AG
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $171.74
Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Cannubi, Barolo DOCG 2008 750ML ($179.95) Was $149, Now $119, 22 bottles available
James Suckling 96 points “A dense, chewy wine with plum and dried fruit character. Lots of mineral, sandy and balsamic character. Full body, ripe tannins and a flavourful finish. Structured and rich. Serious Cannubi. Needs at least three or four years of bottle age.” JS
Antonio Galloni 94 points “Violets, tar, smoke, rose petals, spices and dark fruit are some of the many notes that emerge from the 2008 Barolo Cannubi. An intense, dramatic wine for the year, the 2008 boasts layered fruit and equally thrilling structure, even if at times it is a bit rustic. This is a decidedly burly wine from Cannubi, a vineyard mostly associated with finesse. It will be interesting to see how things come together in bottle. Today, it is the wine’s striking inner perfume that makes me most hopeful for the future.” AG
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $135.94
Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Fossati, Barolo DOCG 2008 750ML ($119.95) Was $89, Now $66, 23 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 93 points “A mesmerizing wine, the 2008 Barolo Fossati opens with hints of plum, black cherry, menthol, violets and licorice. There is an elusiveness to the Fossati that is marvelous to behold, as the wine seems to constantly change in the glass. Now that it is in bottle, the wine has shut down a bit, but its inner sweetness and perfume are still very much in evidence.” AG
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $81
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What A Different a Town Makes
Paitin 2011 Barbaresco
“Overall, the 2011 Barbarescos are racy and seductive. The richness and intensity of the year are perceptible, but the wines retain plenty of site-specific signatures, albeit with softer edges than is typically the case. My impression is that the 2011s will drink well pretty much out of the gate, which should be welcomed by readers cellaring wines from more structured Barbaresco and Barolo vintages.” -Antonio Galloni – Vinous Media
Sweeping vintage generalizations can be confusing – such as the 2010 versus 2011 vintage in Piedmont. While 2010 was fantastic in Barolo, the harvest in Barbaresco coincided with rains in some areas. Aldo Vacca, the director of Produttori del Barbaresco explained that 2010 “does not have the body or the structure we are used to in recent vintages.”
In 2011, by comparison, Barbaresco is leaving Barolo in the dust. What does a few miles difference really make for these two wines? Barbaresco’s grapes are typically harvested 1-2 weeks before Barolo. When vintages such as 2011 roll around, with their longer, drier, warmer season, it can lead to dehydrated vines and heavier wines to the longer-hanging grapes in Barolo. On average, Barbaresco wines weighed in around 0.5-1.0% lower in alcohol, while some Barolos crept up above the 14.5% that is already standard.
One of Barbaresco’s highly claimed family estates is Paitin. In its 8th generation, the family passionately works with the fruit, dependent upon the soil patterns of the slopes, the microclimates of each parcel and the differentiations between the multiple layers of schist soils throughout the vineyards. This is an incredible value for this Barbaresco, in which you rarely see price tags under the $40-$50 range for such high quality, and is certainly nowhere near Barolo prices.
The estate dates back to 1796, when Benedetto Elia (Paitin) purchased a vineyard of about 5 acres in the Neive region of Piedmonte before expanding some 30 years later to purchase roughly 5 more acres of Nebbiolo and Barbera vineyards with a house and cellar. The family’s first Barbaresco wine was bottled in 1893. Following historic tradition, Paitin estate has remained within the family. Secondo Pasquero Elia took over in 1965 and now runs the estate with his sons, Silvano and Giovanni. Paitin’s Serra tends to have notes of both dark and tart bing cherry fruit, beautiful peppery spice, followed by soft, fine-grained tannins.
2011 Paitin – Available Here Now
Paitin di Pasquero-Elia ‘Serra’, Barbaresco DOCG 2011 750ML ($41.95) $36 special, 32 bottles available
Case-12 Paitin di Pasquero-Elia ‘Serra’, Barbaresco DOCG 2011 750ML ($419.95) $399 special, 4 cases available (that’s only $33.25/bottle!)
Wine Spectator 94 points “Rich and velvety, yet also vibrant and complex, this red boasts floral, berry, anise, leather and mineral flavors. Harmonious, this turns slightly chewy in texture on the lingering finish. Best from 2017 through 2027. 1,000 cases made.” WS
Antonio Galloni 93 points “Crushed flowers, sweet red berries, spices and mint race across the palate in the 2011 Barbaresco Serra. This is one of the most intense, tannic 2011 Barbarescos readers will come across. Far from an easygoing wine, the 2011 is going to need considerable patience. Hints of sweet tobacco, mint and anise add nuance on the layered, super-expressive finish. The 2011 Serra spent two years in 50-hectoliter casks.” AG
2011 Barbarescos Available Here Now
Ca’ del Baio Asili, Barbaresco DOCG 2011 750ML ($59.95) $36.60 special, 30 bottles available
Case-12 Ca’ del Baio Asili, Barbaresco DOCG 2011 750ML ($599.95) $399 special, 2 cases available (that’s only $33.25/bottle!)
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2011 Barbaresco Asili captures the pedigree of this great site. Freshly cut flowers, sweet red berries, mint and cinnamon all resonate in an impeccable, silky Barbaresco loaded with class. A translucent, crystalline wine, the 2011 impresses for its balance and overall harmony. What a gorgeous wine this is.” AG
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $51.99
De Forville Vigneto Loreto, Barbaresco DOCG 2011 750ML ($41.95) $38 special, 6 bottles available
Winery note “COLOR: ruby red with bright garnet reflections that prevail with the ageing. PERFUME: typical, ethereal, pleasant. Hints of violet. TASTE: dry and round, thanks to its powerful structure and balanced tannins.”
Luigi Giordano Cavana, Barbaresco DOCG 2011 750ML ($39.95) $33 special, 12 bottles available
“Brilliant garnet red colour with orange highlights developing with age; ample and intense perfume with fruity, jammy and spicy notes; dry, full and aristocratic flavour.”–Winery Notes
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Sottimano Cotta, Barbaresco DOCG2011 750ML ($69.95) $49 special, 22 bottles available
Wine Spectator 92 points “Rich and fleshy, exhibiting flavors of plum and black cherry, buoyed by vivid acidity and beefy tannins. Exhibits a sweet character and plenty of tannins on the finish, so be patient. Best from 2017 through 2027.” WS
Sottimano Fausoni, Barbaresco DOCG 2011 750ML ($69.95) $49 special, 24 bottles available
Wine Enthusiast 93 points “Crushed raspberry, blue flower, tilled soil and graphite aromas lead the nose on this firmly structured wine. It’s still very young and needs to open up fully, but the palate already displays breeding and class. It offers ripe black cherry, ground black pepper, licorice and grilled sage alongside tightly wound but fine tannins. Drink 2018–2026.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $55.99
Sottimano Pajore, Barbaresco DOCG 2011 750ML ($69.95) $49 special, 21 bottles available
Wine Enthusiast 93 points “Ripe and delicious, this starts off with aromas of fresh violet, rose, perfumed berry, exotic spice and tilled earth. It’s still young but the palate already delivers a great depth of flavors including juicy black cherry, crushed raspberry, clove and black pepper alongside chewy tannins. Drink 2016 to 2021.” WE
2011 Barbaresco Arriving This Month
Produttori del Barbaresco ‘Barbaresco DOCG’ 2011 750ML ($37.95) $29 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 93 points “Marked by ripe cherry, strawberry, floral and tar flavors, this red is graceful and detailed, with the fruit intensity persisting on the finish. This is well-integrated, and just needs time for the tannins to soften. Excellent length. Best from 2018 through 2030.”
2011 Barbarescos Arriving in August
Produttori del Barbaresco Asili, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($59.95) $47 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Produttori del Barbaresco Asili, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($599.95) $519 pre-arrival special
VinopolNote: In Asili, the grapes are from calcium-rich limestone vineyard land. The vineyard produces exceptionally rich and age-worthy wines.
Produttori del Barbaresco Montefico, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($59.95) $44 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Produttori del Barbaresco Montefico, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($519.95) $459 pre-arrival special
VinopolNote: The Montefico vineyard produces intensely mineral wines with spicy fruit and exceptional ageing potential from the calcareous limestone.
Produttori del Barbaresco Montestefano, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($59.95) $44 pre-arrival special
Produttori del Barbaresco Montestefano, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 1.5L ($119.95) $89 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Produttori del Barbaresco Montestefano, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($519.95) $459 pre-arrival special
VinopolNote: The Montestefano vineyard produces a dark, ripe and rich wine with thick texture.
Produttori del Barbaresco Muncagota, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Produttori del Barbaresco Muncagota, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($469.95) $419 pre-arrival special
VinopolNote: Muncagota has a South-Eastern exposure and produces elegant and floral wines with lingering tannins.
Produttori del Barbaresco Ovello, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($59.95) $44 pre-arrival special
Produttori del Barbaresco Ovello, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 1.5 ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Produttori del Barbaresco Ovello, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($519.95) $459 pre-arrival special
VinopolNote: Expect the Ovello wines to be full with rich red fruit.
Produttori del Barbaresco Paje, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Produttori del Barbaresco Paje, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($469.95) $419 pre-arrival special
VinopolNote: With its South-Western and Western exposure, the Paje vineyard produces complex wines with bright fruit aromas.
Produttori del Barbaresco Pora, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($59.95) $44 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Produttori del Barbaresco Pora, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($519.95) $459 pre-arrival special
VinopolNote: Pora vineyard wines are lighter, with rich fruit and earthy notes, and integrates tannin more quickly.
Produttori del Barbaresco Rabaja, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Produttori del Barbaresco Rabaja, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($599.95) $519 pre-arrival special
VinopolNote: Wines from the Rabaja vineyard are complex with silky tannins and dark fruit aromas.
Produttori del Barbaresco Rio Sordo, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Produttori del Barbaresco Rio Sordo, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($469.95) $419 pre-arrival special
VinopolNote: The Rio Sordo vineyard produces elegant, lingering wines with silky tannins and medium body.
These are all the only listings in the USA today for Produttori Cru!
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A Bit About Beaujolais
Pierre Chermette of Domaine du Vissoux produces some of the most authentically old-school Beaujolais on the market. His wines are crafted together with his wife Martine through their minimalist philosophy of intervention and their focus on producing the best possible grapes from their vineyards.
Pierre Chermette was just 22 when he took over Domaine Vissoux from his parents in 1982. Since beginning, Pierre was one of few in the region making a Cuvée Traditionnelle in pure Beaujolais tradition. Pierre has long held the motto “quality before quantity”, opting for lower yields and handpicking in the vineyard. The vineyard yields are so low and produce grapes with natural ripeness that they are never chaptalized. The vineyard soils at the domaine are granite as opposed to the limestone-clay more commonly found in the southern Beaujolais. This imparts a measure of structure to the wines.
Fermentation is by indigenous yeast during the long and slow fermentation. In the vaulted cellar built by Pierre’s great-grandfather, Pierre ages his wines in oak foudres. The wines are bottled unfiltered with little or no sulfites.
Pierre was interested in the Crus of Beaujolais and bought vines in Fleurie and Moulin à Vent in 1994 and 1996. Their Moulin a Vent bottling, Les Trois Roches, is the Chermette’s top cuvee. It is named for the three parcels it is sourced from in the famed Moulin à Vent cru. Rochegrès is said to give the finesse, Roche Noire the liveliness of fruit, and Rochelle the power. The sum of the whole gives the intense yet beautifully balanced Gamay that Moulin a Vent is known for. The Fleurie plot of Les Garants is southwest facing. Vines average 35 years and grow in mica- and quartz-rich granite soils. The Poncié plot in Fleurie rests above the Les Garants plot and overlooks Fleurie. It is a steep terrain, necessitating manual work. The soil is weathered pink granite.
Domaine du Vissoux Wines Available Here Now
Pierre-Marie Chermette Domaine du Vissoux Les Griottes Rose 2014 750ML ($19.95) $16 special, 36+ bottles available
Winery note “For the summer months, a rich and really rounded rosé. Pale pink in colour. Nose – light floral and fruity aromas. Palate – lip-smacking and round, notes of wild strawberry, blackberry, tart cherry, ending on a touch of star anise or pomegranate seed.”
Pierre-Marie Chermette Domaine du Vissoux Fleurie les Garants 2012 750ML ($29.95) $24 special, 20 bottles available
Josh Raynolds- Vinous 91 points “Bright ruby. High-pitched, mineral-laced red and dark berry scents are complicated by notes of white pepper and anise. Silky and open-knit, offering sappy black raspberry and lavender pastille flavors that tighten up with air and pick up an exotic blood orange note. Shows very good clarity and lift on the finish, which is framed by silky, even tannins.”JR
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $26.99
Pierre-Marie Chermette Domaine du Vissoux Fleurie Poncie 2012 750ML ($29.95) $24 special, 36+ bottles available
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 90 points “Vivid ruby-red. High-pitched black raspberry, cherry and lavender scents, along with hints of smoky minerals and blood orange. Fresh, sappy and light on its feet, offering tangy red and dark berry flavors that open up and deepen with air. Quite approachable already, showing no obvious tannins and finishing spicy and long.”JR
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $26
Pierre-Marie Chermette Domaine du Vissoux Moulin-a-Vent Les Trois Roches 2012 750ML ($29.95) $21.90 special, 20 bottles available
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 91 points “Bright violet. Pungent dark berry, cherry pit, rose oil and licorice scents, with hints of cracked pepper and woodsmoke in the background. Shows very good clarity and lift on the palate, offering juicy blackcurrant, bitter cherry and floral pastille flavors that flesh out and gain sweetness with air. Sappy and focused on the finish, which features fine-grained tannins and a whiplash of vibrant dark fruit and floral pastille qualities.”JR
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $28
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My Cerbaiona, Continued
Cerbaiona di Diego Molinari Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2010 750ML ($319.95) $269 pre-arrival special, arriving tomorrow, only 10 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 100 points “The 2010 Brunello di Montalcino is every bit as thrilling as it was on the many occasions I tasted it from barrel. Black cherry, hard candy, plum, rose petal, menthol and lavender saturate the palate in a sumptuous, racy Brunello endowed with magnificent depth and pedigree. An utterly stunning, sensual wine, the 2010 constantly changes in the glass as it conquers all the senses with an exotic kaleidoscope of aromas, flavors and textures. I remember tasting the 2010 from cask a few years ago when Diego Molinari was too unwell to go down to the cellar. Nora Molinari tasked me with essentially serving myself as we went from vintage to vintage and cask to cask. For days after, I was mortified that I might not have closed some of the spigots tightly enough. Fortunately, that was not the case. In all of my years tasting the wines of Montalcino, I have only come across two wines with this level of textural unctuosity and sweetness; Gianfranco Soldera’s 1983 Brunello and 1990 Riserva. Cerbaiona’s 2010 Brunello di Montalcino will leave readers weak at the knees. It is every bit that profound.”AG
Monica Larner – Wine Advocate 98 points “The 2010 Brunello di Montalcino is an absolutely distinctive wine and one unlike this producer has ever released. It feels radically different in terms of concentration, intensity and complexity. I was blown away by the beautiful and profound sense of inner harmony on display here. The wine puts on an epic showing of aromas that span from the simple ripe cherry and blackcurrant to the most ethereal tones of balsam herb, root beer and licorice. In between, are hearty aromas of cured tobacco and smoked meat. It really has it all along the entire Sangiovese spectrum. In the mouth, the wine offers similar complexity with thick extraction backed by sweet and sour layers of fruit and tannic structure. If you are looking for outstanding Brunello, look no further. This is one of the top three wines of the vintage.”ML
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The average price is $308
Cerbaiona di Diego Molinari Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2009 750ML ($219.95) $159 pre-arrival special, arriving tomorrow, only 6 bottles available
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2009 Brunello di Montalcino shows the signature sophistication this iconic estate is celebrated for. Sadly, Diego and Nora Molinari have announced their intention to sell Cerbaiona and we may soon be looking at new ownership. A dark appearance segues to brooding aromas of licorice, tar, cherry and spice that wrap around the long, polished finish.”
Antonio Galloni 92 points “Dark cherries, plums, mocha, dark spices and leather flesh out in the 2009 Brunello di Montalcino. Layered and voluptuous in the glass, the 2009 is one of the best early drinking Brunellos I have ever tasted from Cerbaiona. Clean veins of minerality and graphite wrap around the fruit on the expressive finish. This is a strong showing from one of Montalcino’s great artisan estates.” AG
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $179.98
The average price is $193