In Today’s Newsletter:
Jump Start Sale
Light Up Your Life With ’08 Dom Luminous
First Offer
Domaine Forey’s Excellent 2017’s
10% Off Select Saint Cosme
The Subscriber Special Ends Tomorrow Evening
Collector’s Corner
A Vertical of Just-Arrived Hudelot-Noellat Suchots
Staff Pick: Bistro Chinon
C.V.N.E. Stands for Excellent Rioja
Trending Wines
Jump Start Sale
Light Up Your Life With ’08 Dom Luminous
First Offer
Domaine Forey’s Excellent 2017’s
Jump Start Sale
Light Up Your Life With ’08 Dom Luminous
First Offer
Domaine Forey’s Excellent 2017’s
10% Off Select Saint Cosme
The Subscriber Special Ends Tomorrow Evening
Collector’s Corner
A Vertical of Just-Arrived Hudelot-Noellat Suchots
Staff Pick: Bistro Chinon
C.V.N.E. Stands for Excellent Rioja
Trending Wines
Jump Start Sale
Light Up Your Life With ’08 Dom Luminous
2008 Dom Perignon has quickly established a reputation as the best iteration in a decade and today we’re excited to offer a (limited quantity) of the Luminous Label edition of this excellent Champagne at the best price in the country. Orders will be processed first come, first served, so the online store is the best and most effective way to get your wine secured.
Arriving Friday:
Only nine bottles available
Dom Perignon Luminous Collection Brut Millesime, Champagne 2008 750ML ($249.95) $199 pre-arrival special
#5 Wine of the Year – Wine Spectator Top 100 in 2018
Antonio Galloni 98+ points “The 2008 Dom Pérignon is fabulous, but quite remarkably, it was even more open when I tasted it a year ago. Bright, focused and crystalline in its precision, the 2008 is going to need a number of years before it is at its best. Lemon peel, white flowers, mint and white pepper give the 2008 its chiseled, bright profile. Several recent bottles have all been magnificent. What I admire most about the 2008 is the way it shows all the focus, translucence and energy that is such a signature of the year, and yet it is also remarkably deep and vertical. In other words, the 2008 is a Champagne that plays in three dimensions.”
John Gilman 98 points “The 2008 vintage of Dom Pérignon is an absolute classic in the making and this is destined to be one of the great recent years for this iconic cuvée. It is far more classically structured out of the blocks than the relatively generous 2009 version, offering up a deep, complex and very youthful bouquet of menthol, green apple, a touch of tangerine, a very complex base of minerality and notes of dried flowers in the upper register. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and rock solid at the core, with precise mousse, brisk acids and stunning length and grip on the primary and laser-like finish. This will demand some cellaring to start to really stir and should prove to be an extremely long-lived vintage of DP. Stellar juice.”
James Suckling 98 points “The best Dom since 2002. A vintage with very restrained, powerful style that has been released non-sequentially after the 2009. This has a lighter stamp of highly curated, autolytic, toasty aromas than many recent releases. Instead, this delivers super fresh and intense aromas of lemons, grapefruit and blood-orange peel. Incredible freshness here. The palate has a very smoothly delivered, berry-pastry thread with light, sweet spices, stone fruit and fine citrus fruit. This really delivers. Drink now or hold.”
Decanter 96 points “Departing chef de caves Richard Geoffroy says that 2008 is his best DP vintage since 1990. The first half of the growing season was dull and sunless, but good weather returned in mid-September and led to one of the longest harvests, running into October. The summer provided ideal conditions for a classic, cool, maritime vintage of exceptional, subtle aromas with minerality and freshness. This has a vibrant but controlled acidity, and is above all a memorable symbiosis of mature fruit and salinity derived from top terroirs. The poised mouthfeel makes this a perfect gastronomic wine, strong enough for spicy Asian cuisine from the Pacific rim, but still compatible with classics such as roast turbot and lobster.””
Wine Spectator 96 points “There’s power to this graceful Champagne, with the vivid acidity swathed in a fine, creamy mousse and flavors of toasted brioche, kumquat, pastry cream, candied ginger and poached plum that dance across the palate. An underpinning of smoky mineral gains momentum on the lasting finish. Drink now through 2033.”
Arriving Friday:
Only nine bottles available
Dom Perignon Luminous Collection Brut Millesime, Champagne 2008 750ML ($249.95) $199 pre-arrival special
#5 Wine of the Year – Wine Spectator Top 100 in 2018
Antonio Galloni 98+ points “The 2008 Dom Pérignon is fabulous, but quite remarkably, it was even more open when I tasted it a year ago. Bright, focused and crystalline in its precision, the 2008 is going to need a number of years before it is at its best. Lemon peel, white flowers, mint and white pepper give the 2008 its chiseled, bright profile. Several recent bottles have all been magnificent. What I admire most about the 2008 is the way it shows all the focus, translucence and energy that is such a signature of the year, and yet it is also remarkably deep and vertical. In other words, the 2008 is a Champagne that plays in three dimensions.”
John Gilman 98 points “The 2008 vintage of Dom Pérignon is an absolute classic in the making and this is destined to be one of the great recent years for this iconic cuvée. It is far more classically structured out of the blocks than the relatively generous 2009 version, offering up a deep, complex and very youthful bouquet of menthol, green apple, a touch of tangerine, a very complex base of minerality and notes of dried flowers in the upper register. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and rock solid at the core, with precise mousse, brisk acids and stunning length and grip on the primary and laser-like finish. This will demand some cellaring to start to really stir and should prove to be an extremely long-lived vintage of DP. Stellar juice.”
James Suckling 98 points “The best Dom since 2002. A vintage with very restrained, powerful style that has been released non-sequentially after the 2009. This has a lighter stamp of highly curated, autolytic, toasty aromas than many recent releases. Instead, this delivers super fresh and intense aromas of lemons, grapefruit and blood-orange peel. Incredible freshness here. The palate has a very smoothly delivered, berry-pastry thread with light, sweet spices, stone fruit and fine citrus fruit. This really delivers. Drink now or hold.”
Decanter 96 points “Departing chef de caves Richard Geoffroy says that 2008 is his best DP vintage since 1990. The first half of the growing season was dull and sunless, but good weather returned in mid-September and led to one of the longest harvests, running into October. The summer provided ideal conditions for a classic, cool, maritime vintage of exceptional, subtle aromas with minerality and freshness. This has a vibrant but controlled acidity, and is above all a memorable symbiosis of mature fruit and salinity derived from top terroirs. The poised mouthfeel makes this a perfect gastronomic wine, strong enough for spicy Asian cuisine from the Pacific rim, but still compatible with classics such as roast turbot and lobster.””
Wine Spectator 96 points “There’s power to this graceful Champagne, with the vivid acidity swathed in a fine, creamy mousse and flavors of toasted brioche, kumquat, pastry cream, candied ginger and poached plum that dance across the palate. An underpinning of smoky mineral gains momentum on the lasting finish. Drink now through 2033.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average listed price is $293
The average listed price is $293
First Offer
Domaine Forey’s Excellent 2017’s
The wines from Domaine Forey exist in a (blessed) medium place of collectibility—quantities are extremely scarce because of the size of the domaine (and demand on the east coast) but somehow they aren’t quite a “name” in the sense of a Coche or Roumier. The result is that we actually get to offer the wines to you, however briefly.
We’re expecting the wines (especially the Premier and Grand Cru wines) to disappear quickly, but it’s remarkable for wines of this quality and rarity to even be offered on the newsletter like this. The 2017 vintage is, of course, a great year and more importantly it’s a year that plays into the style of the house. These look to be monumental wines with more freshness and liveliness allied to Forey’s usual power.
“the finished 2017s display a gorgeously silken, fresh character, with fine tannins, vibrant red fruit, and a sense of harmonious digestibility which belies their inherent complexity. Regis’s lighter touch suits the vintage particularly well, allowing its innate energy to emerge without obfuscation, and Forey fans both historic and recent will find much to celebrate in this inspired collection of 2017s.” –Neal Rosenthal
“Régis Forey describes the 2017 growing season as ‘easy sailing relative to 2016… Unlike several other recent vintages where it seemed as though the maturities arrived all of sudden, in 2017 they increased progressively so there was no rush to begin picking or to finish.… I used an even higher percentage of whole clusters than the 40% I used in 2016, which is to say between 50 and 70%. As to the style of the 2017s, they’re pretty, fresh and transparent and should drink well on the younger side but there is no reason that those who prefer the aromas and flavors of mature wines couldn’t age them over the medium-term.’ ” –Burghound
Arriving ETA Late March
Only six bottles available
Domaine Forey Pere et Fils Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2017 750ML ($219.95) $179 pre-arrival special
Burghound 92 points “An attractively fresh nose is comprised by notes of essence of various red berries, a plethora of splice elements and even a hint of the sauvage. There is fine intensity and a bit more volume if less minerality to the medium weight plus flavors that are more structured still on the serious, austere and even more backward finish. Patience definitely advised.”
We’re expecting the wines (especially the Premier and Grand Cru wines) to disappear quickly, but it’s remarkable for wines of this quality and rarity to even be offered on the newsletter like this. The 2017 vintage is, of course, a great year and more importantly it’s a year that plays into the style of the house. These look to be monumental wines with more freshness and liveliness allied to Forey’s usual power.
“the finished 2017s display a gorgeously silken, fresh character, with fine tannins, vibrant red fruit, and a sense of harmonious digestibility which belies their inherent complexity. Regis’s lighter touch suits the vintage particularly well, allowing its innate energy to emerge without obfuscation, and Forey fans both historic and recent will find much to celebrate in this inspired collection of 2017s.” –Neal Rosenthal
“Régis Forey describes the 2017 growing season as ‘easy sailing relative to 2016… Unlike several other recent vintages where it seemed as though the maturities arrived all of sudden, in 2017 they increased progressively so there was no rush to begin picking or to finish.… I used an even higher percentage of whole clusters than the 40% I used in 2016, which is to say between 50 and 70%. As to the style of the 2017s, they’re pretty, fresh and transparent and should drink well on the younger side but there is no reason that those who prefer the aromas and flavors of mature wines couldn’t age them over the medium-term.’ ” –Burghound
Arriving ETA Late March
Only six bottles available
Domaine Forey Pere et Fils Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2017 750ML ($219.95) $179 pre-arrival special
Burghound 92 points “An attractively fresh nose is comprised by notes of essence of various red berries, a plethora of splice elements and even a hint of the sauvage. There is fine intensity and a bit more volume if less minerality to the medium weight plus flavors that are more structured still on the serious, austere and even more backward finish. Patience definitely advised.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Only three bottles available
Domaine Forey Pere et Fils Echezeaux Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2017 750ML ($219.95) $189 pre-arrival special
Burghound 93 points “An overtly spicy nose is comprised by notes of dark berries, cassis, plum and a whiff of violet. The suave and super-rich larger-scaled flavors retain a lovely sense of energy that can also be found on the sleek, focused and sneaky long finale that isn’t quite as structured as that of the Echézeaux but there is a bit more overall depth.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Only one bottle available
Domaine Forey Pere et Fils Forey Les Gaudichots, Vosne-Romanee Premier Cru 2017 750ML ($399.95) $349 pre-arrival special
Burghound 92 points – Outstanding “This is spicier still with its broad-ranging nose of red and dark pinot fruit, violet, Asian tea and dried orange peel hints, all of which is again trimmed by soft wood influence. There is a bit more minerality present on the vibrant and intense medium weight flavors that possess excellent delineation that carries over to the firm pure and tautly muscular finish. This youthfully austere effort is going to require at least moderate patience as it’s on the compact side today.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Only three bottles available
Domaine Forey Pere et Fils Forey Les Saint Georges, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2017 750ML ($149.95) $125 pre-arrival special
Burghound 91 points – Outstanding “The wood influence is more subtle if not invisible as it easily allows the elegant and airy floral and spice-inflected red pinot, cherry and soft earth-suffused aromas to shine. There is once again good detail to the bigger, richer and more obviously muscular flavors that manage to remain refined on the youthfully austere, refreshing and lightly stony flavors. This is a bit less structured than it usually is though it should still reward extended keeping.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Only six bottles available
Domaine Forey Pere et Fils Les Perrieres, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2017 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Burghound 89-92 points “Here too there is noticeable but not intrusive wood interwoven into the slightly earthier nose that displays both spice and floral elements on the fruit profile that derives more from the red side of the spectrum. There is excellent punch and delineation to the lightly mineral-inflected medium-bodied flavors that exhibit focused power on the lingering finish. This is an interesting wine in that the mid-palate is an exercise in finesse while the finish is muscular and almost robust.”
Neal Rosenthal “Regis works a 0.42-hectare parcel of 75-to-80-year-old vines in this vaunted cru, and this 2017—vinified with 30% whole clusters—is an immediate leap forward in complexity from the previous wines. All its elements present with greater force: juicier fruit, firmer yet more fully enrobed tannins, and a more intense earth-mineral interplay. 2017’s inherent silkiness emerges in the wine’s caressing and lengthy finish.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Forey Pere et Fils Vosne-Romanee, Cote de Nuits 2017 750ML ($89.95) $75 pre-arrival special
Neal Rosenthal “As one would expect from the appellation, this 2017 Vosne-Romanée is notably silkier and more elegant than its village-level cousins above. Produced from fourteen small parcels planted between 1942 and 1974, mostly in the northern sector of the appellation, it was aged in a combination of demi-muids and smaller barrels. What it lacks in flesh it more than compensates for in its mineral drive, and its tight-grained tannins counterbalance the fruit’s suaveness with an appealing hint of austerity. 40% whole clusters.”
Burghound “A riper nose offers up notes of poached plum, dark currant, sandalwood and whiffs of menthol and oak toast. The supple and very forward medium-bodied flavors possess a velvety and seductive mouthfeel, all wrapped in a sappy finish that progressively tightens up as it sits on the palate. This mildly austere and grippy effort will need at least 2 to 3 years of cellaring first and reward up to a decade.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Forey Pere et Fils Morey-Saint-Denis, Cote de Nuits 2017 750ML ($79.95) $69 pre-arrival special
Neal Rosenthal “Forey’s village-level Morey-Saint-Denis consists of two minuscule holdings of vines between 30 and 50 years of age (one in Clos Solon and one in Les Crais.). Fermented with 70% whole clusters and aged in demi-muids like the Bourgogne above, the 2017 displays impressive density on its otherwise lithe and energetic frame.”
Burghound “An expressive nose of red currant, pomegranate and a floral whiff possesses good freshness. There is once again good verve to the caressing and round middle weight flavors that also culminate in a refreshingly delicious and lingering finish if not especially complex finale. This too should be approachable on the younger side.”
Neal Rosenthal “Forey’s village-level Morey-Saint-Denis consists of two minuscule holdings of vines between 30 and 50 years of age (one in Clos Solon and one in Les Crais.). Fermented with 70% whole clusters and aged in demi-muids like the Bourgogne above, the 2017 displays impressive density on its otherwise lithe and energetic frame.”
Burghound “An expressive nose of red currant, pomegranate and a floral whiff possesses good freshness. There is once again good verve to the caressing and round middle weight flavors that also culminate in a refreshingly delicious and lingering finish if not especially complex finale. This too should be approachable on the younger side.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Forey Pere et Fils Nuits-Saint-Georges, Cote de Nuits 2017 750ML ($84.95) $69 pre-arrival special
Neal Rosenthal “A villages-level wine of considerable depth, Forey’s Nuits-Saint-Georges comprises a hectare’s worth of 60-year-old vines in the lieux-dits of Charbonnières and Plantes Aux Barons. Despite its relative wildness and a glimmer of that classic Nuits-Saint-Georges rambunctiousness, it offers a similarly alert freshness to the Morey above and displays terrific poise. Regis employed 30% whole clusters during the vinification here.”
Burghound “A markedly earthy yet still nicely elegant nose of mostly red berries and soft oak is cut with plenty of sauvage character. There is a touch of leather to the bigger, richer and slightly more concentrated flavors that are at once caressing but serious while offering acceptable depth and persistence on the slightly lean finish. This will likely be approachable young but also reward up to a decade of cellaring.”
Neal Rosenthal “A villages-level wine of considerable depth, Forey’s Nuits-Saint-Georges comprises a hectare’s worth of 60-year-old vines in the lieux-dits of Charbonnières and Plantes Aux Barons. Despite its relative wildness and a glimmer of that classic Nuits-Saint-Georges rambunctiousness, it offers a similarly alert freshness to the Morey above and displays terrific poise. Regis employed 30% whole clusters during the vinification here.”
Burghound “A markedly earthy yet still nicely elegant nose of mostly red berries and soft oak is cut with plenty of sauvage character. There is a touch of leather to the bigger, richer and slightly more concentrated flavors that are at once caressing but serious while offering acceptable depth and persistence on the slightly lean finish. This will likely be approachable young but also reward up to a decade of cellaring.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Forey Pere et Fils Bourgogne Pinot Noir, Burgundy 2017 750ML ($34.95) $29 pre-arrival special
Neal Rosenthal “The 40-to-60-year-old vines of Forey’s Bourgogne Rouge—produced from various parcels in Nuits and Vosne—typically yield a wine of impressive depth for its category. Vinified with 50% whole clusters and aged in 10% new 500-liter demi-muids, this 2017 is a vibrant, lip-smacking example of pure Pinot Noir pleasure, offering beaming red fruits and an attractive dusting of spices in its juicy and easygoing personality.”
Burghound “An attractively fresh and softly oaked nose reflects notes of a variety of red berries and a healthy dose of earth that can also be found on the nicely detailed and vibrant flavors that are refreshing, persistent and reasonably complex on the crunchy finish. This delicious effort should drink well early on.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
We also have limited stock available of a number of different wines from 2015 and ’16. Want to see them all? Check out the full list in our online store!
10% Off Select Saint Cosme
Subscriber Special Ends Tomorrow Evening
Subscriber Special Ends Tomorrow Evening
There is perhaps no producer who offers more in terms of value and sheer pleasure in the Rhone today than Saint Cosme. Case in point: their Côte-Rôtie. In a region that most wine enthusiasts have been priced out of, Saint Cosme produces delicious, cellar-worthy examples that we’re offering for under $60. This is old-school Côte-Rôtie at close to old-school pricing. And for everyday drinking, their Saint Joseph is a wine that drinks far above its sub-$30 price tag.
A familiar name to our long-time subscribers, we’ve been banging the drum about Saint Cosme for some time, and for good reason. This is a historic estate crafting some of the region’s best wines. They are terroir driven, but not rustic. They offer ample fruit, but are exceptionally well-balanced. And they are delicious young, yet age gracefully. Who says you can’t have it all?
So take this opportunity to reacquaint yourself with the grandeur of the Northern Rhone. And to make the invitation even more enticing we’re offering 10% off select Saint Cosme until Friday at 6PM.
A familiar name to our long-time subscribers, we’ve been banging the drum about Saint Cosme for some time, and for good reason. This is a historic estate crafting some of the region’s best wines. They are terroir driven, but not rustic. They offer ample fruit, but are exceptionally well-balanced. And they are delicious young, yet age gracefully. Who says you can’t have it all?
So take this opportunity to reacquaint yourself with the grandeur of the Northern Rhone. And to make the invitation even more enticing we’re offering 10% off select Saint Cosme until Friday at 6PM.
Subscriber-Only Special:
10% Off Select In Stock Saint Cosme Wines
Subscriber-Only Special pricing will not display online or in your cart.
We will manually adjust pricing before finalizing your order.
Sale valid until Friday, February 21st at 6PM
10% Off Select In Stock Saint Cosme Wines
Subscriber-Only Special pricing will not display online or in your cart.
We will manually adjust pricing before finalizing your order.
Sale valid until Friday, February 21st at 6PM
Subscriber Special Wines, In Stock Now:
Chateau de Saint Cosme Cote Rotie, Rhone 2017 750ML ($79.95) $59 Displayed Price, $53.10 Subscriber Special
Jeb Dunnuck 94 points “The 2017 Côte Rôtie is another satisfying, character-filled wine. Complex notes of blackberries, ground herbs, new leather, and violets flow to a medium to full-bodied, layered, complete, balanced Côte Rotie that’s going to shine for 10-15 years. It has some feral, wild notes as well as plenty of old-school character.”
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 93-94 points “Deep, bright-rimmed magenta. Expressive dark berry, cherry, olive, peony and smoky bacon aromas are sharpened by cracked pepper and smoky mineral flourishes. Juicy blackberry, cassis, cherry preserve and floral pastille flavors show very real energy and becomes sweeter with air. Rich, but energetic in style, showing solid finishing thrust and building tannins that add shape and youthful grip.”
Chateau de Saint Cosme Cote Rotie, Rhone 2017 750ML ($79.95) $59 Displayed Price, $53.10 Subscriber Special
Jeb Dunnuck 94 points “The 2017 Côte Rôtie is another satisfying, character-filled wine. Complex notes of blackberries, ground herbs, new leather, and violets flow to a medium to full-bodied, layered, complete, balanced Côte Rotie that’s going to shine for 10-15 years. It has some feral, wild notes as well as plenty of old-school character.”
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 93-94 points “Deep, bright-rimmed magenta. Expressive dark berry, cherry, olive, peony and smoky bacon aromas are sharpened by cracked pepper and smoky mineral flourishes. Juicy blackberry, cassis, cherry preserve and floral pastille flavors show very real energy and becomes sweeter with air. Rich, but energetic in style, showing solid finishing thrust and building tannins that add shape and youthful grip.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Only 11 bottles available!
Chateau de Saint Cosme Cote Rotie, Rhone 2016 750ML ($64.95) $52.50 Displayed Price, $47.25 Subscriber Special
Jeb Dunnuck 95 points “The 2016 Côte-Rôtie comes all from the Côte Brune side of the appellation, which is all schist soils. Fermented with no destemming and aged mostly in older barrels, it’s a rock star Côte-Rôtie and offers loads of blackberry fruits, spice, tapenade, cured meats, and pepper. With medium to full body, a deep, layered mid-palate, present tannins, and a huge finish, it needs short-term cellaring but is an undeniably gorgeous Syrah that will have two decades of longevity.”
Chateau de Saint Cosme Cote Rotie, Rhone 2016 750ML ($64.95) $52.50 Displayed Price, $47.25 Subscriber Special
Jeb Dunnuck 95 points “The 2016 Côte-Rôtie comes all from the Côte Brune side of the appellation, which is all schist soils. Fermented with no destemming and aged mostly in older barrels, it’s a rock star Côte-Rôtie and offers loads of blackberry fruits, spice, tapenade, cured meats, and pepper. With medium to full body, a deep, layered mid-palate, present tannins, and a huge finish, it needs short-term cellaring but is an undeniably gorgeous Syrah that will have two decades of longevity.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Chateau de Saint Cosme Saint-Joseph, Rhone 2017 750ML ($37.95) $29 Displayed Price, $26.10 Subscriber Special
Jeb Dunnuck 93 points “A step up, the 2017 Saint Joseph offers another level of class and purity. Beautiful blackberry, black raspberries, cured meats, and pepper notes give way to a medium to full-bodied Saint Joseph that has subtle oak, a seamless texture, and fine tannins. It’s going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age.”
Jeb Dunnuck 93 points “A step up, the 2017 Saint Joseph offers another level of class and purity. Beautiful blackberry, black raspberries, cured meats, and pepper notes give way to a medium to full-bodied Saint Joseph that has subtle oak, a seamless texture, and fine tannins. It’s going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Subscriber-Only Special:
10% Off Select In Stock Saint Cosme Wines
Subscriber-Only Special pricing will not display online or in your cart.
We will manually adjust pricing before finalizing your order.
Sale valid until Friday, February 21st at 6PM
10% Off Select In Stock Saint Cosme Wines
Subscriber-Only Special pricing will not display online or in your cart.
We will manually adjust pricing before finalizing your order.
Sale valid until Friday, February 21st at 6PM
Collector’s Corner
A Vertical of Just Arrived Hudelot-Noellat Suchots
The Vosne Premier Cru “Suchots” is one of the last remaining pricing inefficiencies in Burgundy. The vineyard is surrounded on one side by the Grand Crus of Romanée-St. Vivant and Richebourg and on the other by Echezeaux. Any reasonable student of wine would assume that this terroir should also be Grand Cru—and much of it is very much on the level of its neighbors. The top examples offer true Grand Cru quality at pricing that remains below Echezeaux, RSV, or Richebourg.
Our favorite example might be Hudelot-Noëllat, whose vines were planted in the 1910′s—making them some of the oldest in Burgundy, much less in Vosne/Suchots. These are stunning wines and shining examples of why Vosne-Romanée is described as the “Pearl of the Cote.” We’ve acquired a vertical of this exceptional wine with perfect provenance and are excited to offer it to you today.
Hudelot-Noëllat has remained a true insider’s secret in Burgundy—a venerable domaine with great holdings whose pricing has yet to catch up with the quality and rarity of their wines. The current winemaking team has pushed Hudelot-Noëllat to new heights and the wines are still values in their tier.
Just Arrived, In Stock Now:
Hudelot-Noellat Les Suchots, Vosne-Romanee Premier Cru 2005 750ML ($499.95) $399 special, 1 bottle in stock now
Stephen Tanzer 92-94 points “(from vines ranging from 30 to 50 years of age) Vibrant red-ruby color. Highly perfumed aromas of berries, cherry, spices and flowers. Dense and tangy, with a wonderful light touch and uncommon detail to the sappy red cherry and floral flavors. Racy acids frame the flavors and give the very long finish a captivating lingering perfume. Wonderfully delicate, stylish wine.”
Our favorite example might be Hudelot-Noëllat, whose vines were planted in the 1910′s—making them some of the oldest in Burgundy, much less in Vosne/Suchots. These are stunning wines and shining examples of why Vosne-Romanée is described as the “Pearl of the Cote.” We’ve acquired a vertical of this exceptional wine with perfect provenance and are excited to offer it to you today.
Hudelot-Noëllat has remained a true insider’s secret in Burgundy—a venerable domaine with great holdings whose pricing has yet to catch up with the quality and rarity of their wines. The current winemaking team has pushed Hudelot-Noëllat to new heights and the wines are still values in their tier.
Just Arrived, In Stock Now:
Hudelot-Noellat Les Suchots, Vosne-Romanee Premier Cru 2005 750ML ($499.95) $399 special, 1 bottle in stock now
Stephen Tanzer 92-94 points “(from vines ranging from 30 to 50 years of age) Vibrant red-ruby color. Highly perfumed aromas of berries, cherry, spices and flowers. Dense and tangy, with a wonderful light touch and uncommon detail to the sappy red cherry and floral flavors. Racy acids frame the flavors and give the very long finish a captivating lingering perfume. Wonderfully delicate, stylish wine.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Hudelot-Noellat Les Suchots, Vosne-Romanee Premier Cru 2009 750ML ($399.95) $319 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Burghound 93 points “A highly complex and very Vosne nose features mild wood influence along with abundant spice notes on the red currant, plum and black cherry fruit and violet suffused aromas that are very much in keeping with the rich, seductive and velvet-textured flavors that evidence controlled power. This is quite suave but there is fine definition, focus and excellent length. In a word, terrific.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Hudelot-Noellat Les Suchots, Vosne-Romanee Premier Cru 2010 750ML ($469.95) $349 special, 1 bottle in stock now
Stephen Tanzer-Vinous 93+ points “Good bright, full red. Knockout musky nose offers raspberry, minerals, resin, smoke and underbrush; pure liquid pheromones for this Burgundy lover. Then spicy, surprisingly dry and distinctly adult in style, with superb precision and lift to the gripping raspberry, cherry and truffle flavors. Finishes with outstanding subtle, palate-staining persistence and great sex appeal.”
Antonio Galloni 91-93 points “The 2010 Vosne-Romanee Les Suchots is laced with expressive red berries, flowers and mint, all of which come together in a high-toned expression of this site. The Suchots doesn’t quite have the minerality or verve of the Beaux Monts, but in exchange it should drink well earlier. Bright floral notes reappear to add lift on the finish. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Alain Hudelot-Noellat Les Suchots, Vosne-Romanee Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($249.95) $219 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Stephen Tanzer-Vinous 93-95 points “Good bright, full red. Sexy, high-pitched aromas of crushed raspberry, Oriental spices and rose petal. Silky, penetrating and deep, displaying outstanding concentration and verve, and a magically light touch, to its brilliantly pure dark fruit and spice flavors. Wonderfully elegant, supple, dense wine with a superb building finish that leaves the mouth awash in perfume. These very old vines always have a high percentage of millerande berries and never produce more than 35 hectoliters per hectare, according to Charles van Canneyt.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Alain Hudelot-Noellat Les Suchots, Vosne-Romanee Premier Cru 2007 750ML ($199.95) $149 special, 1 bottle in stock now
Burghound 92 points “A still very primary sexy black fruit nose with lovely hints of soy, hoisin and clove introduce seductive but entirely serious intense, mouth coating and relatively powerful flavors that are still very firmly structured yet culminate in a velvety finish as the ample dry extract completely buffers the tannins. This is a classic Suchots in every respect and should prove to be a wonderful example in time.”
Wine Spectator 91 points “A firm, sinewy red, with a core of berry and spice locked in a grip of tannins and lively acidity. This has tension and persistence, so give it some time. Everything seems in the right proportion. Best from 2012 through 2022. 20 cases imported.”
Stephen Tanzer 91 points “Medium red. Slightly reduced aromas of strawberry, raspberry, minerals and smoke, lifted by an ineffable whiff of blood orange. Suave and silky on the palate, with red fruit and spice flavors enlivened by a piercing minerality. Very precise and light on its feet. Finishes long and aromatic.”
Burghound 92 points “A still very primary sexy black fruit nose with lovely hints of soy, hoisin and clove introduce seductive but entirely serious intense, mouth coating and relatively powerful flavors that are still very firmly structured yet culminate in a velvety finish as the ample dry extract completely buffers the tannins. This is a classic Suchots in every respect and should prove to be a wonderful example in time.”
Wine Spectator 91 points “A firm, sinewy red, with a core of berry and spice locked in a grip of tannins and lively acidity. This has tension and persistence, so give it some time. Everything seems in the right proportion. Best from 2012 through 2022. 20 cases imported.”
Stephen Tanzer 91 points “Medium red. Slightly reduced aromas of strawberry, raspberry, minerals and smoke, lifted by an ineffable whiff of blood orange. Suave and silky on the palate, with red fruit and spice flavors enlivened by a piercing minerality. Very precise and light on its feet. Finishes long and aromatic.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Alain Hudelot-Noellat Les Suchots, Vosne-Romanee Premier Cru 2008 750ML ($219.95) $199 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Stephen Tanzer 91+? points “Medium red. Complex nose melds minerals, pepper, flowers, coffee, spices and caraway seed, with maraschino cherry and licorice scents emerging with aeration. Dense but light on its feet, displaying good tangy energy to its dark fruit, spice, pepper and mineral flavors. In a rather masculine style and youthfully tight today, showing little in the way of easy sweetness. Finishes with a saline element and an impression of solid dry extract.”
Burghound 91 points “A spicy and ultra-pure nose features notes of mostly red berries, sandalwood and soft Asian-style tea hints. There is excellent freshness and verve to the well-detailed and attractively textured flavors that possess a dusty and mildly austere finish that delivers very fine depth and length. This velvety effort is not so far away as to be unapproachable but even so I would advise holding this for another 4 to 6 years or so first. In a word, lovely.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Alain Hudelot-Noellat Les Suchots, Vosne-Romanee Premier Cru 2014 750ML ($219.95) $199 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Neal Martin-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2014 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots has a really quite lovely bouquet with bright red berry fruit, a touch of violet and a hint of wet gravel. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, quite saline in the mouth with a subtle marine influence, a touch of spice with a long, slightly earthy finish. It delivers on the promise that it demonstrated from barrel and will be drinking beautifully for 15-20 years.”
Stephen Tanzer 92+ points “Bright medium red. Sexy, inviting aromas of sweet raspberry, cocoa powder and soil. Plush, broad and seamless but with good medicinal reserve to its dark fruit, licorice, spice and earth flavors. Most impressive today on the very long, spicy, rising finish, where the ripe tannins saturate the entire mouth. Conveys an impression of density without weight, like the better examples of the vintage.”
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Staff Pick
Bistro Chinon
Saul:
Like many wine lovers, I adore Kermit Lynch’s classic Adventures on the Wine Route. It’s responsible for my interest in a lot of wine regions, but none more so than Chinon. Lynch’s description of the magnetic Charles Joguet captivated me and is certainly part of the reason I love the wines of the Loire. The dirty secret, though, was that for a period of time in the late 90’s/very early 00’s, the wines from Joguet weren’t particularly great. Charles had retired and the new winemaking team wasn’t quite up to his exacting standards.
Thankfully, Kevin Fontaine, the current winemaker, is a talented individual who has fully restored the Charles Joguet to the very top tier of producers in Chinon—recent releases have made me a believer again. The wines have more polish than in the past, but they do so without sacrificing the character of the place or the ageability of the wines. He’s really doing justice to one of the best collections of vineyards in the Loire—and being Chinon, prices are still reasonable.
On the lower end of their lineup, I really enjoy the Petites Roches bottling. It’s a perfect bistro Cabernet Franc, showing off the elegance and charm of gravelly terroirs in Chinon. This is a step up from their entry-level bottling (the Cuvee Terroir) that we’re able to offer for entry level pricing (less than $20/btl by the case!). Whether I’m looking for a wine to drink with a roast chicken, steak or kale and bean soup, this is a perfect weeknight warrior.
In Stock Now:
Domaine Charles Joguet Chinon Les Petites Roches, Loire 2016 750ML ($29.95) $21.90 special
Case-12 Domaine Charles Joguet Chinon Les Petites Roches, Loire 2016 750ML ($359.95) $219 special (that’s only $18.25/bottle —the lowest listed price in the country!)
Domaine Charles Joguet Chinon Les Petites Roches, Loire 2016 1.5L ($59.95) $49 special
Importer Note “When Charles Joguet took over the family vineyards in 1957, he set out to do something that was unheard of in the Loire Valley. Rather than blending all the fruit from his varied parcels, he opted for a more Burgundian approach and began vinifying each individually, highlighting Chinon’s diversity of soils and exposures and playing with the nuances of vine age to propose a gamut of different wines of unique character. It is in this spirit that the domaine’s current vigneron, Kevin Fontaine, crafts the cuvée Les Petites Roches, named for the estate’s gravelly terroirs. Given light treatment in the cellar, this wine shows off Cabernet in its most delicate, charming form, rife with aromas of roses, damp earth, and little red berries, along with a gentle tannin holding it all together. This classic representation of Cabernet Franc from Chinon can be enjoyed over the next five or so years with roast chicken, pork chops, or game.”
Like many wine lovers, I adore Kermit Lynch’s classic Adventures on the Wine Route. It’s responsible for my interest in a lot of wine regions, but none more so than Chinon. Lynch’s description of the magnetic Charles Joguet captivated me and is certainly part of the reason I love the wines of the Loire. The dirty secret, though, was that for a period of time in the late 90’s/very early 00’s, the wines from Joguet weren’t particularly great. Charles had retired and the new winemaking team wasn’t quite up to his exacting standards.
Thankfully, Kevin Fontaine, the current winemaker, is a talented individual who has fully restored the Charles Joguet to the very top tier of producers in Chinon—recent releases have made me a believer again. The wines have more polish than in the past, but they do so without sacrificing the character of the place or the ageability of the wines. He’s really doing justice to one of the best collections of vineyards in the Loire—and being Chinon, prices are still reasonable.
On the lower end of their lineup, I really enjoy the Petites Roches bottling. It’s a perfect bistro Cabernet Franc, showing off the elegance and charm of gravelly terroirs in Chinon. This is a step up from their entry-level bottling (the Cuvee Terroir) that we’re able to offer for entry level pricing (less than $20/btl by the case!). Whether I’m looking for a wine to drink with a roast chicken, steak or kale and bean soup, this is a perfect weeknight warrior.
In Stock Now:
Domaine Charles Joguet Chinon Les Petites Roches, Loire 2016 750ML ($29.95) $21.90 special
Case-12 Domaine Charles Joguet Chinon Les Petites Roches, Loire 2016 750ML ($359.95) $219 special (that’s only $18.25/bottle —the lowest listed price in the country!)
Domaine Charles Joguet Chinon Les Petites Roches, Loire 2016 1.5L ($59.95) $49 special
Importer Note “When Charles Joguet took over the family vineyards in 1957, he set out to do something that was unheard of in the Loire Valley. Rather than blending all the fruit from his varied parcels, he opted for a more Burgundian approach and began vinifying each individually, highlighting Chinon’s diversity of soils and exposures and playing with the nuances of vine age to propose a gamut of different wines of unique character. It is in this spirit that the domaine’s current vigneron, Kevin Fontaine, crafts the cuvée Les Petites Roches, named for the estate’s gravelly terroirs. Given light treatment in the cellar, this wine shows off Cabernet in its most delicate, charming form, rife with aromas of roses, damp earth, and little red berries, along with a gentle tannin holding it all together. This classic representation of Cabernet Franc from Chinon can be enjoyed over the next five or so years with roast chicken, pork chops, or game.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
This is the lowest listed price for a magnum in the USA today!
This is the lowest listed price for a magnum in the USA today!
C.V.N.E. Stands for Excellent Rioja
Looking for absolutely classical Rioja (white and red) at outstanding pricing? Look for four letters: CVNE. CVNE (or Cune) was founded in 1879 by brothers Eusebio and Raimundo Real de Asúa after Raimundo moved to the town of Haro (also of Lopez de Heredia fame) for his health. They set up the winery partially as a negociant, much like Bordeaux. Fast forward to today and the family (down the female line) is on its fifth generation of owning and operating the house—still making excellent, classical wines at more than fair prices.
The ‘Monopole’ blanco was the first registered white wine brand in Spain and though it once was made with the addition of sherry, today it is all stainless steel aged white wine made from the Viura grape. The Monopole “Classico,” recently introduced, is a return to that old-school, mixed white style.
The two reds have quite the following and deliver not only in flavor but also in value. We’re featuring two reds today, the 2013 Reserva and the 2015 Imperial. Both wines are beautiful bottles to drink now, but the Imperial will age gracefully for a decade or so if you have the patience. We’ve got great pricing on these wines and look forward to putting them in your hands and glasses.
In Stock Now:
CVNE ‘Cune’ Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2013 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special
Case-12 CVNE ‘Cune’ Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2013 750ML ($279.95) $219 special (that’s only $18.25/bottle—the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 90 points “Brilliant ruby. Energetic, mineral-accented raspberry and cherry aromas reveal hints of rose, vanilla and woodsmoke. Silky and expansive on entry, offering nicely concentrated red fruit flavors that gain energy and a smoky mineral quality with air. Floral pastille and cracked pepper notes linger on the juicy, focused finish, which shows very good clarity and sneaky, fine-grained tannins. Much of the juice that would normally go into the high-end Imperial bottlings wound up in here this vintage.”
The ‘Monopole’ blanco was the first registered white wine brand in Spain and though it once was made with the addition of sherry, today it is all stainless steel aged white wine made from the Viura grape. The Monopole “Classico,” recently introduced, is a return to that old-school, mixed white style.
The two reds have quite the following and deliver not only in flavor but also in value. We’re featuring two reds today, the 2013 Reserva and the 2015 Imperial. Both wines are beautiful bottles to drink now, but the Imperial will age gracefully for a decade or so if you have the patience. We’ve got great pricing on these wines and look forward to putting them in your hands and glasses.
In Stock Now:
CVNE ‘Cune’ Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2013 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special
Case-12 CVNE ‘Cune’ Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2013 750ML ($279.95) $219 special (that’s only $18.25/bottle—the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 90 points “Brilliant ruby. Energetic, mineral-accented raspberry and cherry aromas reveal hints of rose, vanilla and woodsmoke. Silky and expansive on entry, offering nicely concentrated red fruit flavors that gain energy and a smoky mineral quality with air. Floral pastille and cracked pepper notes linger on the juicy, focused finish, which shows very good clarity and sneaky, fine-grained tannins. Much of the juice that would normally go into the high-end Imperial bottlings wound up in here this vintage.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
CVNE ‘Imperial’ Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2015 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
James Suckling 95 points “A tight and linear red now with very long and direct palate that is driven and intense. Medium to full body, bright blackberry and mineral character. Just a baby now. Give it three to four years to soften. A beauty. Try in 2021.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 94 points “Saturated, brilliant ruby. Explosive, seductively perfumed aromas of dark berry preserves, cherry-cola, incense, floral oils and vanilla, along with suggestions of mocha, licorice and woodsmoke. Sweet and seamless in the mouth, offering intense blackberry, cherry preserve and violet pastille flavors and allspice, coconut and star anise flourishes. Distinctly rich yet energetic as well, finishing with resonating floral and spice character, well-integrated tannins and superb mineral-driven persistence.”
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 93 points “The analysis of the 2015 Imperial Reserva is almost identical to those of the Viña Real Reserva from the same vintage, but the profile is quite different. This is the more serious Haro-style red, and it has slightly darker fruit and a medium to full-bodied palate with very good grip, powerful but with great balance. The blend is also similar—85% Tempranillo and the rest split between Graciano, Mazuelo and Garnacha—but these are grapes from Rioja Alta fermented with yeasts selected from their own vineyards. The wine matured in French and American oak barrels for two years. The wines are different, but the quality level is similar. 150,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in June 2018.”
Wine Spectator 93 points “This balanced red shows muscle without losing grace. Black cherry, leafy, forest floor and toasty notes mingle over well-integrated tannins in a silky texture, with fresh acidity giving way to a floral, minerally finish. Not showy, but harmonious. Drink now through 2030. 12,500 cases made, 1,500 cases imported.”
CVNE ‘Monopole’ Blanco, Rioja DOCa 2018 750ML ($17.95) $14 special
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 89 points “There are two versions of the dry white, the young, fresh and fruit-driven 2018 Monopole and another one they call “clásico,” which is released later and has some Manzanilla de Sanlúcar added to it. This fruity white is also floral and light and was produced with Viura (a.k.a. Macabeo) grapes that fermented in stainless steel at low temperature with dry yeasts to keep the primary aromas. It’s from a fresh year with less ripeness and alcohol (perhaps more noticeable in the reds), and this continues with the profile of previous years. The source of the grapes is quite stable, so variations are due to the climate of the year. 400,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in December 2018.”
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CVNE ‘Monopole Clasico’ Blanco, Rioja DOCa 2015 750ML ($29.95) $24 special
James Suckling 93 points “This wine is so unique. A rich and vivid white with sliced apple, pear and dried pineapple character. Hints of salt. Full body, very flavorful. Lovely finish. 15% Manzanilla in blend. Drink now.”
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 92 points “The second vintage of the recovered traditional white, the 2015 Monopole Clásico is Viura with a good dollop of Manzanilla Sherry from Sanlúcar that adds biological notes and hints of nuts and spices. 2015 is the best vintage in recent years, with good quality and quantity, quite homogeneous wines from an early harvest. This wine matured in well-seasoned, neutral 300-, 400- and 500-liter oak barrels for eight months and was then blended with the Manzanilla. This is the way Monopole was always produced decades ago. CVNE’s classical winemaker, Ezequiel García “El Brujo,” died in August 2017, and they added a black band on a corner of the label as an homage to him. It’s quite lean and at first you don’t notice the biological aromas much; in wines like this that character tends to grow with time in bottle, and it does appear with time in the glass as the wine breathes. It’s subtle and with some sharpness and chalky sensations on the palate, very tasty and long. This should develop nicely in bottle. 30,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2017.”
Trending Wines
Powerful, rich and seductive, this is all the Malbec you’d want.
Luca Malbec, Uco Valley 2016 750ML ($39.95) $24 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
#42 – Top Cellar Selections in 2018 – Wine Enthusiast
Wine Enthusiast 94 points “Cellar Selection. Pure berry and cassis aromas are concentrated and show no holes. This Uco Valley Malbec feels pure, direct and linear, albeit with slightly scratchy tannins that should dissipate in due time. Blackberry and dry spice flavors finish full and grabby, with muscularity. Drink through 2028.”
Luca Malbec, Uco Valley 2016 750ML ($39.95) $24 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
#42 – Top Cellar Selections in 2018 – Wine Enthusiast
Wine Enthusiast 94 points “Cellar Selection. Pure berry and cassis aromas are concentrated and show no holes. This Uco Valley Malbec feels pure, direct and linear, albeit with slightly scratchy tannins that should dissipate in due time. Blackberry and dry spice flavors finish full and grabby, with muscularity. Drink through 2028.”
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From a rising Champagne star, this offers powerful aromatics over a salty, savory oxidative hint. Delightfully impactful with no added sulfur.
Pierre Gerbais L’Audace Brut Nature, Champagne NV (2013) 750ML ($69.95) $57 special, 8 bottles in stock now
No reviews for the 2013-base. Reviews are for reference.
Antonio Galloni 92 points “The 2014 Brut Nature L’Audace is 100% Pinot Noir from vines planted mostly in 1960. Rich, ample and creamy, L’Audace captures plenty of old-vine intensity in its textural resonance and overall feel. Dried flowers, mint and spice notes add character to a core of Pinot fruit in this super-expressive, inviting Champagne. Disgorged: May, 2018.”
Wine Enthusiast 93 points “With no dosage and no added sulfur dioxide, this wine is bright and tightly crisp, but the ripe Pinot Noir from this southern region of Champagne gives richness. With this good balance, the wine is fresh and generous at the same time. Because it is so dry, a few more months bottle age will make it even better, so wait to drink until 2017.”
Stephen Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points “[Review is for prior disgorgement] The NV L’Audace Brut Nature is 100% unsulfured Pinot Noir from 75- to 80-year-old vines that are always the last to be picked at Pierre Gerbais. It opens pure, deep, fresh and mineral on the nose, and indicates a remarkable complexity of flavors. Full-bodied, very pure and salty on the palate, this is a refreshing and very persistent Pinot Champagne with a great purity and tension. It’s ready to be drunk, but can also age for several years. It is salty and complex in the finish. This wine was disgorged in July 2015. This is only the second vintage of this wine.”
Importer note “2013 base. Disgorged November 2017. Zero dosage. 100% Pinot Noir. Vine Age: Majority planted in 1960. Terroir: Majority from lieu-dit Sainte-Marie, facing north, Kimmeridgian bedrock. Viticulture: Certified sustainable (Ampelos) since 1996. Vinification: Indigenous yeast fermentation in stainless steel tanks, aged on fine lees. 30 months sur lattes with organic yeast. No dosage or added sulfur (about 8 mg/L total sulfur produced naturally).”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
The average price nationally is $66
The average price nationally is $66
“This is a great classical Rioja for the long haul”
Marques Murrieta Ygay Gran Reserva, Rioja 2009 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 16 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 96 points “Marqués de Murrieta didn’t produce their top red in 2008, so I tasted the 2009 Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial. In 2009, the final blend was Tempranillo with 19% Mazuelo (or Cariñena), one of the highest percentages of Mazuelo ever. The grapes are now sourced from the La Plana vineyard within the Ygay estate, one of the higher-altitude plots at 485 meters. The grapes fermented and aged separately, the Tempranillo in American oak barrels and the Mazuelo in French barriques for 26 months, given its power. It has that seriousness, character and somehow rusticity of the Mazuelo, austere, harmonious and still young. It has good depth and concentration, still young and lively with fine tannins and a backbone of freshness that lifts it up. It will develop for a very long time in bottle. This is a great classical Rioja for the long haul. 109,000 bottles and some larger formats were produced. It was bottled in October 2014. The prices are increasing but so is the quality. The following vintages will be 2010, 2011 and possibly 2012. I cannot wait to taste them…”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 94 points “(aged in new American and French oak barrels for 28 months) Vivid ruby-red. A highly perfumed, expansive bouquet evokes ripe red and dark berries, cherry liqueur, coconut and cigar box, along with a sexy floral nuance that emerges slowly. Plush and seamless on the palate, offering sweet, deeply concentrated blackberry, cherry-vanilla and mocha flavors that are given spine and lift by a core of juicy acidity. Rich yet energetic in style, displaying superb finishing clarity, even tannins and a lingering spicecake note. The Tempranillo saw only American oak while the Mazuelo component saw only French.”
Marques Murrieta Ygay Gran Reserva, Rioja 2009 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 16 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 96 points “Marqués de Murrieta didn’t produce their top red in 2008, so I tasted the 2009 Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial. In 2009, the final blend was Tempranillo with 19% Mazuelo (or Cariñena), one of the highest percentages of Mazuelo ever. The grapes are now sourced from the La Plana vineyard within the Ygay estate, one of the higher-altitude plots at 485 meters. The grapes fermented and aged separately, the Tempranillo in American oak barrels and the Mazuelo in French barriques for 26 months, given its power. It has that seriousness, character and somehow rusticity of the Mazuelo, austere, harmonious and still young. It has good depth and concentration, still young and lively with fine tannins and a backbone of freshness that lifts it up. It will develop for a very long time in bottle. This is a great classical Rioja for the long haul. 109,000 bottles and some larger formats were produced. It was bottled in October 2014. The prices are increasing but so is the quality. The following vintages will be 2010, 2011 and possibly 2012. I cannot wait to taste them…”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 94 points “(aged in new American and French oak barrels for 28 months) Vivid ruby-red. A highly perfumed, expansive bouquet evokes ripe red and dark berries, cherry liqueur, coconut and cigar box, along with a sexy floral nuance that emerges slowly. Plush and seamless on the palate, offering sweet, deeply concentrated blackberry, cherry-vanilla and mocha flavors that are given spine and lift by a core of juicy acidity. Rich yet energetic in style, displaying superb finishing clarity, even tannins and a lingering spicecake note. The Tempranillo saw only American oak while the Mazuelo component saw only French.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $122.99
The next best price is $122.99
Powerfully built Barolo from a great vintage/historic vineyard for the price of village level Burgundy.
Francesco Rinaldi & Figli Cannubbio, Barolo DOCG 2015 750ML ($79.95) $66 special, 25 bottles in stock now
Decanter 93 points “The source of this very traditional wine is Rinaldi’s 2.2ha holding in Cannubi Boschis. It can be a very structured wine, but in 2015 there’s greater opulence than usual. Tasted from cask, it displays heady juicy raspberry aromas, discreet but perfumed. It’s concentrated on the palate but also fresh and silky, combining lush textures with tension and drive thanks to welcome acidity on the persistent finish. Drinking Window 2021 – 2038.”
Importer Note “The other single vineyard bottling is the Cannubi, which is made from the single greatest vineyard in the village of Barolo, as well as one of the most famous individual crus in the entire region. Cannubi was the first vineyard name to be famous in the Barolo region, and to this day a bottle of 1752 Cannubi is still treasured by the wine-producing family of Manzone, and is considered the oldest, extant bottle of Barolo still in existence. The vineyard is most famous for the fabulously perfumed wines that it produces, for Cannubi is not the most powerful cru in Barolo, and much like Romanée-Conti in Burgundy, it is cherished for the fabulously complex aromatics and round, suave palate impression that it provides when fully mature. This is not to say that Luciano and Paula Rinaldi’s Cannubi is a delicate wine, for it is a deep, intensely-flavored and concentrated Barolo of great pedigree and elegance- once it is fully mature. Like the Rinaldi Brunate bottling, eight to ten years is required in top vintages, and the wine is really at its blazing best at age fifteen to twenty.”
Its (always) Chablis season, and Billaud remains one of the stars of the region.
Samuel Billaud Les Vaillons Vieilles Vignes, Chablis Premier Cru 2016 750ML ($49.95) $41.90 special, 30 bottles in stock now
Neal Martin – Wine Advocate 91-93 points “The 2016 Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons Vieilles Vignes comes from 70-year-old vines raised only in stainless steel. I like the aromatics here…this has a sense of purpose with vivid scents of orange zest and a touch of lychee. The palate is tensile right from the start thanks to that killer line of acidity. There is great depth here and the harmonious finish feels assured and elegant. Great potential and for me this is a serious step up from the Chablis Village and certainly worth the few extra dollars.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Thanks for reading!