In Today’s Newsletter:
Subscriber Special
10% Off In Stock German Magnums
Staff Pick: A Pinot Alternative to Please a Native Oregonian
Marietta’s Bold, Exemplary Value Bottles
A Grab Bag of Great Deals
Standout Wines (Young and Old) From Domaine Gouges
Trending Wines
Collector’s Corner
Subscriber Special
10% Off In Stock German Magnums
Weingut Donnhoff Dellchen Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Nahe 2017 1.5L ($219.95) Displayed Price: $189, $170.10 Subscriber Special, 2 magnums in stock now
#3 Wine of the Year – James Suckling Top 100 in 2018
Stuart Pigott-jamessuckling .com 100 points “An enormous spectrum of fruit aromas, from peaches through grapefruit to wild strawberries and pineapple. However, that doesn’t prepare you for the mind-blowing concentration and brilliance on the palate. Extremely filigree finish, in spite of the profound minerality. From organically grown grapes. Fair’n Green certification. Drink or hold. Limited production.”
Mosel Fine Wines 95 points “The 2017er Norheimer Dellchen GG exhibits a superbly aromatic and fruit-driven nose of pineapple, grapefruit, apple, grape juice and lime, all wrapped into smoke and anise. The nose gains even in finesse and presence with further airing. The wine has great presence and focus on the palate, w here spices and delicately herbal notes give a great refreshing side to this playful dry Riesling. The finish is pure, gorgeously long and driven by lime. This is a classic in the making. 2025-2042.”
David Schildknecht – Vinous 94 points “Iris and ginseng, sea breeze and ripe white peach combine for a site-typical aromatic performance and correspondingly alluring presence on a silken palate. Cool and laid-back in personality, yet possessed of an intricate as well as active impression of mineral matter – stone, alkali above all salts – and with its pit-piquancy deftly-integrated and harnessed entirely in the service of invigoration, this remarkable elixir takes control of the salivary glands as it glides off into a lingering finish that preserves haunting, billowing florality, and whose sense of buoyancy is rare among Grosse Gewächse. For intriguing and subtle complexity, this easily surpasses the three wines of that genre to have preceded it in Dönnhoff’s tasting line-up. If you follow my frequent comments concerning the taste preferences that prevail among his countrymen and many German critics, it won’t surprise you that Dönnhoff says many tasters – most of whom, granted, assess this wine at a much earlier stage than I do – aren’t excited by Dellchen and “find its aromas and sense of buoyancy almost a bit frivolous.””
Weingut Korrell Johanneshof Kreuznacher Paradies Riesling Trocken, Nahe 2017 1.5L ($99.95) Displayed Price: $79, $71.10 Subscriber Special, 8 magnums in stock now
Grapelive 94 points “The radiant and graceful Korrell Paradies Trocken leads with expressive pure apple tones. [It] impresses for its elegance and subtle character. It’s a wine of great poise and delicacy, especially admirable for such a young Riesling. The monopole estate vineyard, Paradies, is the oldest single site Korrell has and is the flagship wine from winemaker Martin Korrell. It comes from his family’s vines that are set on limestone and clay soils in Bad Kreuznach area of the Nahe region. The Paradies Riesling Trocken is a gorgeous white of depth and precise winemaking that takes advantage of this unique site in the Nahe. This wine is the heart and soul of Korrell and it is product of its unique climat,or terroir. It sees more sunshine and the limestone allows for serious concentration, while retaining acidity, though there is always great attention paid to pick dates to finely tune this signature bottling to place and vintage. Korrell mixes some traditional stainless fermentations with some native yeast and barrel ferments to craft his wines. The Paradies shows a beautiful leesy finesse that reminds me a bit of the Von Winning GG’s, with a long time on the lees adding a beautiful glycerin density to this gorgeous dry Riesling. Coming off Korrel’s incredible Riesling Cup win for his Von den Grossen Lagen (Grand Crus) Riesling Trocken, I was absolutely thrilled to be able to try this wine, and found this particular wine just as intriguing. Martin focuses on preserving heightened aromatics and crisp mineral tones, while allowing the mouth feel and depth to shine through. It is an amazing accomplishment to get it all right, and Korrell deserves his time in the limelight. This is complex and glorious stuff. Layers of green apple, peach, mixed fresh citrus and melon fruits are lifted by liquid rock, steely mineral and faint perfume of white flowers along with a silkiness of mouth feel. While still delightfully crisp, [this delivers] an exciting energy filled performance. This is a winery that about to break out and join some elite company, in fact they are riding high after winning, as mentioned, the famous Riesling Cup award with their unique multi (Grand) cru Von den Grossen Lagen Trocken Riesling. This wine is just extra proof there is real quality here! The lightly golden hued and generously textured Paradies will age well. It’s full of charm, class and potential. Best to let this one have another 3 to 5 years, though it certainly is delicious right now.”
Stuart Pigott-jamessuckling .com 94 points “Very clean and fresh, but behind the effusive, fruit-salad character that makes this so seductive, there is a lot of structure and the finish keeps pumping out the fruit and chalky minerality. Drink or hold.”
Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt Scharzhofberger Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2015 1.5L ($179.95) Displayed Price: $149, $134.10 Subscriber Special, 5 magnums in stock now
Mosel Fine Wines 94 points “This Auslese harvested at 102° Oechsle is still marked by some residual notes from spontaneous fermentation at first. However, these quickly give way to exotic scents of mango and papaya as well as mint, candied grapefruit and pineapple. The wine proves juicy and creamy even if still on the sweet side on the palate at this early stage. However, the finish already hints at greatness to come as grapefruit zest brings freshness in the long finish of this superb Auslese from the Scharzhofberg.”
Browse all 28 German magnums on our web store, including wines from JJ Prum, Donnhoff, Willi Schaefer, Korrell and more!
Love our subscriber-only deals? Don’t miss our 10% deal on the Domaine Collotte Burgundies—ending tomorrow night at midnight.
A vintage like 2015 isn’t just a great year in Burgundy—it’s a great buying opportunity if you know where to look. A perfect example? Domaine Collotte’s wines from Marsannay and Fixin. We’ve carried these wines for a few years and are always excited to source them, but there’s a marked step up in quality for the 2015’s. The best part of the equation is the pricing—and we’re making that even better, offering you an additional 10% off these excellent values until midnight Friday night.
Staff Pick
A Pinot Alternative to Please a Native Oregonian
Subscriber Special
10% Off In Stock German Magnums
Staff Pick: A Pinot Alternative to Please a Native Oregonian
Marietta’s Bold, Exemplary Value Bottles
A Grab Bag of Great Deals
Standout Wines (Young and Old) From Domaine Gouges
Trending Wines
Collector’s Corner
Subscriber Special
10% Off In Stock German Magnums
Magnums of German Riesling are objectively the best large formats out there. This is a fact, not open to dispute—we refuse to hear any counter-arguments.
Somehow need convincing? Consider the “pouring wingspan” of a German magnum. From a seated position, a host can easily pour into any glass at a dinner party of eight people—that extra three feet of bottle makes it happen. Unless you’re Mrs. Incredible, you’d have to walk around to pour a magnum of Burgundy, but with that 1.5L of Riesling, anything’s possible.
Furthermore, while it’s on the table, the tall, thin profile of these large formats offers a smaller visual impediment than a comparable bottle from Bordeaux or Burgundy. It’s easier to see around the German bottle, so you can maintain conversation with everyone at the table that much easier. You don’t want your dinner guests to feel like they’re in the obstructed-view seats, do you?
Finally, they’re filled with German Riesling! These are some of the most delicious, joyous wines on the planet! Light, fresh and pairing with seemingly everything, there’s a bottle of Riesling for every palate and a magnum in stock at Vinopolis.
To put more mags on more tables, we’re offering our email subscribers (that’s you) an extra 10% off all in stock German magnums until we open for business on Sunday. Whether luscious Auslese or powerful and dry GG wines, if it’s in magnum and German (and here) it’s 10% off.
Somehow need convincing? Consider the “pouring wingspan” of a German magnum. From a seated position, a host can easily pour into any glass at a dinner party of eight people—that extra three feet of bottle makes it happen. Unless you’re Mrs. Incredible, you’d have to walk around to pour a magnum of Burgundy, but with that 1.5L of Riesling, anything’s possible.
Furthermore, while it’s on the table, the tall, thin profile of these large formats offers a smaller visual impediment than a comparable bottle from Bordeaux or Burgundy. It’s easier to see around the German bottle, so you can maintain conversation with everyone at the table that much easier. You don’t want your dinner guests to feel like they’re in the obstructed-view seats, do you?
Finally, they’re filled with German Riesling! These are some of the most delicious, joyous wines on the planet! Light, fresh and pairing with seemingly everything, there’s a bottle of Riesling for every palate and a magnum in stock at Vinopolis.
To put more mags on more tables, we’re offering our email subscribers (that’s you) an extra 10% off all in stock German magnums until we open for business on Sunday. Whether luscious Auslese or powerful and dry GG wines, if it’s in magnum and German (and here) it’s 10% off.
Subscriber Special: 10% Off All In Stock German Magnums
Subscriber Special pricing will not display online or in your cart.
We will manually adjust pricing before finalizing your order.
Subscriber Special valid until Sunday, February 9th at 10 AM Pacific
Subscriber Special pricing will not display online or in your cart.
We will manually adjust pricing before finalizing your order.
Subscriber Special valid until Sunday, February 9th at 10 AM Pacific
In Stock Now:
Maximin Grunhauser Abtsberg Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2017 1.5L ($79.95) Displayed Price: $69, $62.10 Subscriber Special, 8 magnums in stock now
Stuart Pigott-jamessuckling .com 94 points “Quite funky from the wild ferment, but behind that, there is a very expressive wine with great fruit. The very racy acidity makes the finish really uplifting. Drink or hold.”
Maximin Grunhauser Abtsberg Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2017 1.5L ($79.95) Displayed Price: $69, $62.10 Subscriber Special, 8 magnums in stock now
Stuart Pigott-jamessuckling .com 94 points “Quite funky from the wild ferment, but behind that, there is a very expressive wine with great fruit. The very racy acidity makes the finish really uplifting. Drink or hold.”
This was the lowest listed price for a magnum in the USA today,
Now it’s even lower!
Now it’s even lower!
Weingut Donnhoff Dellchen Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Nahe 2017 1.5L ($219.95) Displayed Price: $189, $170.10 Subscriber Special, 2 magnums in stock now
#3 Wine of the Year – James Suckling Top 100 in 2018
Stuart Pigott-jamessuckling .com 100 points “An enormous spectrum of fruit aromas, from peaches through grapefruit to wild strawberries and pineapple. However, that doesn’t prepare you for the mind-blowing concentration and brilliance on the palate. Extremely filigree finish, in spite of the profound minerality. From organically grown grapes. Fair’n Green certification. Drink or hold. Limited production.”
Mosel Fine Wines 95 points “The 2017er Norheimer Dellchen GG exhibits a superbly aromatic and fruit-driven nose of pineapple, grapefruit, apple, grape juice and lime, all wrapped into smoke and anise. The nose gains even in finesse and presence with further airing. The wine has great presence and focus on the palate, w here spices and delicately herbal notes give a great refreshing side to this playful dry Riesling. The finish is pure, gorgeously long and driven by lime. This is a classic in the making. 2025-2042.”
David Schildknecht – Vinous 94 points “Iris and ginseng, sea breeze and ripe white peach combine for a site-typical aromatic performance and correspondingly alluring presence on a silken palate. Cool and laid-back in personality, yet possessed of an intricate as well as active impression of mineral matter – stone, alkali above all salts – and with its pit-piquancy deftly-integrated and harnessed entirely in the service of invigoration, this remarkable elixir takes control of the salivary glands as it glides off into a lingering finish that preserves haunting, billowing florality, and whose sense of buoyancy is rare among Grosse Gewächse. For intriguing and subtle complexity, this easily surpasses the three wines of that genre to have preceded it in Dönnhoff’s tasting line-up. If you follow my frequent comments concerning the taste preferences that prevail among his countrymen and many German critics, it won’t surprise you that Dönnhoff says many tasters – most of whom, granted, assess this wine at a much earlier stage than I do – aren’t excited by Dellchen and “find its aromas and sense of buoyancy almost a bit frivolous.””
This is the only listing for a magnum in the USA today!
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2017 1.5L ($99.95) Displayed Price: $89, $80.10 Subscriber Special, 4 magnums in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 94 points ” The 2017 Graacher Himmelreich Spätlese is deep, clear and flinty on the fascinating, elegant and complex nose. It is lush, precise, piquant and refined on the palate, with more transparency, freshness and crunchy slate minerality compared to the Bernkastel and Zeltingen. The wine is highly stimulating and salty, with concentrated grapefruit aromas. This wine is really enchanting. Open the bottle and glou-glou… Tasted in March 2019.”
David Schildknecht – Vinous 92 points “An effusive nose of pineapple, pink grapefruit and cassis wreathed in honeysuckle prepares one for the tang, brightness and inner-mouth perfume delivered on a glossy, subtly creamy, buoyant palate. The stimulatingly sustained finish is at once luscious, bright and transparent to stony underpinnings.”
Mosel Fine Wines 92 points “This 2017er Graacher Himmelreich Spätlese is driven by reductive notes of smoke and f ire stone at first. It develops more complex elements driven by notes of spices, lime, herbs and dill after some airing. The wine proves delicate smooth, juicy and light on the palate and leaves one with a smooth and round sensation in the finish. The after-taste is all about smoke, kiwi and white peach wrapped into some sweetness which still needs integrate. This smooth version of Graacher Himmelreich will need a few years to absorb its sweeter side and develop its inner balance. 2027-2042.”
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 94 points ” The 2017 Graacher Himmelreich Spätlese is deep, clear and flinty on the fascinating, elegant and complex nose. It is lush, precise, piquant and refined on the palate, with more transparency, freshness and crunchy slate minerality compared to the Bernkastel and Zeltingen. The wine is highly stimulating and salty, with concentrated grapefruit aromas. This wine is really enchanting. Open the bottle and glou-glou… Tasted in March 2019.”
David Schildknecht – Vinous 92 points “An effusive nose of pineapple, pink grapefruit and cassis wreathed in honeysuckle prepares one for the tang, brightness and inner-mouth perfume delivered on a glossy, subtly creamy, buoyant palate. The stimulatingly sustained finish is at once luscious, bright and transparent to stony underpinnings.”
Mosel Fine Wines 92 points “This 2017er Graacher Himmelreich Spätlese is driven by reductive notes of smoke and f ire stone at first. It develops more complex elements driven by notes of spices, lime, herbs and dill after some airing. The wine proves delicate smooth, juicy and light on the palate and leaves one with a smooth and round sensation in the finish. The after-taste is all about smoke, kiwi and white peach wrapped into some sweetness which still needs integrate. This smooth version of Graacher Himmelreich will need a few years to absorb its sweeter side and develop its inner balance. 2027-2042.”
This was the lowest listed price for a magnum in the USA today,
Now it’s even lower!
Now it’s even lower!
Weingut Korrell Johanneshof Kreuznacher Paradies Riesling Trocken, Nahe 2017 1.5L ($99.95) Displayed Price: $79, $71.10 Subscriber Special, 8 magnums in stock now
Grapelive 94 points “The radiant and graceful Korrell Paradies Trocken leads with expressive pure apple tones. [It] impresses for its elegance and subtle character. It’s a wine of great poise and delicacy, especially admirable for such a young Riesling. The monopole estate vineyard, Paradies, is the oldest single site Korrell has and is the flagship wine from winemaker Martin Korrell. It comes from his family’s vines that are set on limestone and clay soils in Bad Kreuznach area of the Nahe region. The Paradies Riesling Trocken is a gorgeous white of depth and precise winemaking that takes advantage of this unique site in the Nahe. This wine is the heart and soul of Korrell and it is product of its unique climat,or terroir. It sees more sunshine and the limestone allows for serious concentration, while retaining acidity, though there is always great attention paid to pick dates to finely tune this signature bottling to place and vintage. Korrell mixes some traditional stainless fermentations with some native yeast and barrel ferments to craft his wines. The Paradies shows a beautiful leesy finesse that reminds me a bit of the Von Winning GG’s, with a long time on the lees adding a beautiful glycerin density to this gorgeous dry Riesling. Coming off Korrel’s incredible Riesling Cup win for his Von den Grossen Lagen (Grand Crus) Riesling Trocken, I was absolutely thrilled to be able to try this wine, and found this particular wine just as intriguing. Martin focuses on preserving heightened aromatics and crisp mineral tones, while allowing the mouth feel and depth to shine through. It is an amazing accomplishment to get it all right, and Korrell deserves his time in the limelight. This is complex and glorious stuff. Layers of green apple, peach, mixed fresh citrus and melon fruits are lifted by liquid rock, steely mineral and faint perfume of white flowers along with a silkiness of mouth feel. While still delightfully crisp, [this delivers] an exciting energy filled performance. This is a winery that about to break out and join some elite company, in fact they are riding high after winning, as mentioned, the famous Riesling Cup award with their unique multi (Grand) cru Von den Grossen Lagen Trocken Riesling. This wine is just extra proof there is real quality here! The lightly golden hued and generously textured Paradies will age well. It’s full of charm, class and potential. Best to let this one have another 3 to 5 years, though it certainly is delicious right now.”
Stuart Pigott-jamessuckling .com 94 points “Very clean and fresh, but behind the effusive, fruit-salad character that makes this so seductive, there is a lot of structure and the finish keeps pumping out the fruit and chalky minerality. Drink or hold.”
This was the lowest listed price for a magnum in the USA today,
Now it’s even lower!
Now it’s even lower!
Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt Scharzhofberger Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2015 1.5L ($179.95) Displayed Price: $149, $134.10 Subscriber Special, 5 magnums in stock now
Mosel Fine Wines 94 points “This Auslese harvested at 102° Oechsle is still marked by some residual notes from spontaneous fermentation at first. However, these quickly give way to exotic scents of mango and papaya as well as mint, candied grapefruit and pineapple. The wine proves juicy and creamy even if still on the sweet side on the palate at this early stage. However, the finish already hints at greatness to come as grapefruit zest brings freshness in the long finish of this superb Auslese from the Scharzhofberg.”
This was the lowest listed price for a magnum in the USA today,
Now it’s even lower!
Now it’s even lower!
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2017 1.5L ($149.95) Displayed Price: $119, $107.10 Subscriber Special, 6 magnums in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 97 points “The 2017 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese is intense and concentrated on the nose, with raisin, grapefruit and even vegetable aromas at the moment. This is highly attractive and noble on both the nose and palate. The wine is lush and dense on the palate but highly elegant, crystalline and fine, revealing a highly stimulating, salty-piquant and intensely aromatic and complex finish. This is an outstanding wine, and it’s highly digestible. Tasted in March 2019.”
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 97 points “The 2017 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese is intense and concentrated on the nose, with raisin, grapefruit and even vegetable aromas at the moment. This is highly attractive and noble on both the nose and palate. The wine is lush and dense on the palate but highly elegant, crystalline and fine, revealing a highly stimulating, salty-piquant and intensely aromatic and complex finish. This is an outstanding wine, and it’s highly digestible. Tasted in March 2019.”
This was the lowest listed price for a magnum in the USA today,
Now it’s even lower!
Now it’s even lower!
Subscriber Special: 10% Off All In Stock German Magnums
Subscriber Special pricing will not display online or in your cart.
We will manually adjust pricing before finalizing your order.
Subscriber Special valid until Sunday, February 9th at 10 AM Pacific
Subscriber Special pricing will not display online or in your cart.
We will manually adjust pricing before finalizing your order.
Subscriber Special valid until Sunday, February 9th at 10 AM Pacific
Browse all 28 German magnums on our web store, including wines from JJ Prum, Donnhoff, Willi Schaefer, Korrell and more!
Love our subscriber-only deals? Don’t miss our 10% deal on the Domaine Collotte Burgundies—ending tomorrow night at midnight.
A vintage like 2015 isn’t just a great year in Burgundy—it’s a great buying opportunity if you know where to look. A perfect example? Domaine Collotte’s wines from Marsannay and Fixin. We’ve carried these wines for a few years and are always excited to source them, but there’s a marked step up in quality for the 2015’s. The best part of the equation is the pricing—and we’re making that even better, offering you an additional 10% off these excellent values until midnight Friday night.
Subscriber Special: 10% Off all In Stock Wines from Domaine Collotte
Subscriber Special pricing will not display online or in your cart.
We will manually adjust pricing before finalizing your order.
Subscriber Special valid until 11:59 PM Pacific on Friday, February 7th
Subscriber Special pricing will not display online or in your cart.
We will manually adjust pricing before finalizing your order.
Subscriber Special valid until 11:59 PM Pacific on Friday, February 7th
Shop Domaine Collotte in our online store now!
Staff Pick
A Pinot Alternative to Please a Native Oregonian
Matt:
As an Oregonian who generally prefers brighter, fresher reds for everyday drinking, it’s easy for Pinot Noir to become something of a crutch. Its comfortable, and rarely disappoints. But unfortunately, the law of diminishing returns doesn’t spare the enjoyment of wine, and from time to time its important to mix things up. Enter Foradori’s 2017 Sgarzon Teroldego.
Deeply colored, the wine doesn’t look like an alternative to Pinot Noir in the glass. But it’s much livelier on the palate than the color hints, reminiscent of Cru Beaujolais. And like Pinot Noir (and the best Gamays for that matter), lightness on the palate doesn’t mean lightness of flavor. The wine bursts with red and black fruits, red flowers, and just the right amount of bitterness on the finish to keep things interesting. Fermented and aged in clay amphorae, the wine also offers a texture wholly different than the barrel-aged Pinot Noir my palate is so accustomed to. Simply put, I couldn’t put this wine down, and suspect that other Pinot Noir lovers will find it to be as refreshing a change as I did.
In Stock Now:
Foradori Vigneto Sgarzon Teroldego Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT, Trentino-Alto Adige 2017 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 93 points “Tasted at the winery just a few weeks after its release, the 2017 Teroldego Sgarzon is a step above the 2016 vintage. You feel that extra heat and flavor intensity that seems to radiate off the primary fruit. This was a warm growing season, and the quality of aromas is more open, generous and immediate as a result. This wine is fermented on the skins in clay amphorae for six months. Aromas of dark fruit are followed by cigar smoke, scorched earth and wet clay. In the mouth, this vintage offers noticeable density and richness.”
Importer Note “100% Teroldego. Sgarzon is a cooler, sandier 2.5-hectare vineyard averaging 25 years old on the Campo Rotaliano plateau, a broad, flat, sunny and well-drained expanse of vines in the shadow of the Dolomites. As for all Foradori wines, the farming is certified-biodynamic and the harvest is by hand. Sgarzon is very close to the Morei site and made identically: destemmed whole berries are put in clay amphorae for spontaneous fermentation and aging for 8 months. There is no sulfur used until racking and bottling. Both Sgarzon and Morei develop more quickly, being raised in clay, compared to the traditional foudre-aged Foradori red, and are therefore released earlier. Interestingly, both were originally bottled in 1987 through 1999, then discontinued until the 2009 vintage–at this point, Elisabetta had converted the vineyards and gotten them certified biodynamic and was ready to embark again on expressing these two particular terroirs. The name Sgarzon comes from sgarzo, local dialect for “vine shoot”.”
Arriving Tomorrow
Marietta’s Bold, Exemplary Value Bottles
Marietta’s Bold, Exemplary Value Bottles
Chris Bilbro was one of California wine’s unsung heroes. He founded and grew Marietta Cellars into one of the preeminent producers of excellent value, honestly made California wine. Although his son Scot now runs the winery (Chris sadly passed away last year), the wines are as good as they’ve ever been—delicious, gutsy wines that deliver exceptional value at all prices. These are fantastic wines from their sub-$20 Zinfandel and Cabernet bottlings all the way through their “Gibson Block” Syrah, which hails from a parcel of Syrah planted in the 1880’s and still producing (tiny quantities) of fruit today.
We have an assortment of their current releases arriving on Friday, all of which have the high scores and critical praise you’d expect from much, much more expensive wines.
Arriving Friday, February 7th:
Marietta Cellars Angeli Cuvee Zinfandel, Alexander Valley 2017 750ML ($39.95) $29 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 94 points ‘The 2017 Zinfandel Angeli, from a site in Alexander Valley, is rich, pliant and expressive. Super-ripe black cherry, hard candy, new leather, lavender and mint give the Angeli decidedly dark shades of expression. This sumptuous, flavorful Zinfandel should drink well for another decade or more.”
We have an assortment of their current releases arriving on Friday, all of which have the high scores and critical praise you’d expect from much, much more expensive wines.
Arriving Friday, February 7th:
Marietta Cellars Angeli Cuvee Zinfandel, Alexander Valley 2017 750ML ($39.95) $29 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 94 points ‘The 2017 Zinfandel Angeli, from a site in Alexander Valley, is rich, pliant and expressive. Super-ripe black cherry, hard candy, new leather, lavender and mint give the Angeli decidedly dark shades of expression. This sumptuous, flavorful Zinfandel should drink well for another decade or more.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Marietta Cellars ‘Game Trail’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Yorkville Highlands 2016 750ML ($39.95) $33 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 94 points “Marietta’s 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Game Trail is powerful, dark and quite savory. Smoke, tobacco, gravel, menthol, cedar and licorice all run through this bold, pungent mountain Cabernet. There is quite a bit of aromatic intensity to play off the blackberry fruit in this strapping young wine. Give it a few years in bottle for the tannins to soften.”
Marietta Cellars Gibson Block Syrah, McDowell Valley 2016 750ML ($39.95) $33 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2016 Syrah Estate Gibson Block is the star of this range from Marietta. From a dry-farmed site planted in the 1880s, the Gibson Block is powerful, sumptuous and racy to the core. A whole range of complementary varieties give the Gibson Block striking inner perfume and lift to play off the intense dark fruit, while silky tannins add to the wine’s racy, inviting personality.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Marietta Cellars Arme Estate Cabernet, North Coast 2016 750ML ($24.95) $19 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 92 points “The 2016 Armé is another superb wine in the middle tier of the Marietta range. Fresh, savory and super-expressive, the Armé has a lot going on. Black cherry, sage, lavender, menthol and licorice give the wine striking savory nuance to play off the dark Cabernet Sauvignon fruit. More than anything else, though, the Armé is a superb value in California Cabernet.”
Wine Enthusiast 92 points “Editor’s Choice. Saturated with opulent black-fruit flavors and moderately tannic, this wine is big but polished and complex. It shows little obvious oakiness, but rather feels shaped by oak aging until it was velvety and firm. Enjoyable now with something roasted or braised, this wine will drink best after 2022.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Marietta Cellars ‘Christo’ Rhone Blend 2016 750ML ($21.95) $17 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2016 Christo, Marietta’s Syrah-based blend, is terrific. Black cherry, chocolate, leather, licorice and spice give the wine much of its dark, brooding feel. Powerful and intense, but with good freshness, the 2016 is wonderfully complete and absolutely delicious.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Marietta Cellars ‘Roman’ Estate Grown Zinfandel, North Coast 2017 750ML ($21.95) $18 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 91 points “The 2017 Román is a gorgeous, Zinfandel-based blend from Marietta that offers sweet floral notes and bright, red-toned berry flavors. Medium-bodied and refreshing, the 2017 is delicious, fun and easy to drink. I loved it.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
A Grab Bag of Great Deals
What do a fantastic old-school Barolo from a great vintage, a Spanish legend with power to spare, two powerful and modern Tuscan treasures and a non-oxidized Savignin from the Jura have in common?
Wait for it…
Not much, other than we’ve scored some great deals on this grab bag of excellent bottles. These arrive over the next few weeks in small quantities, so act quickly to secure these delicious deals.
Arriving Friday
Old school, traditional Barolo (imported by Kermit Lynch) from an outstanding vintage.
A & G Fantino Cascina Dardi, Barolo 2013 750ML ($59.95) $41.90 pre-arrival special, 30 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 93+ points “The 2013 Barolo Bussia Cascina Dardi is a super-appealing, old-school Barolo that is going to require a number of years to be at its best. Deceptively medium in body, the 2013 possesses quite a bit of aromatic nuance and depth, but at present the tannins dominate. Scents of dried herbs, tobacco, leather and licorice open up over time, but only gradually. Readers should be prepared to be patient. Drink 2019 – 2033.”
Wait for it…
Not much, other than we’ve scored some great deals on this grab bag of excellent bottles. These arrive over the next few weeks in small quantities, so act quickly to secure these delicious deals.
Arriving Friday
Old school, traditional Barolo (imported by Kermit Lynch) from an outstanding vintage.
A & G Fantino Cascina Dardi, Barolo 2013 750ML ($59.95) $41.90 pre-arrival special, 30 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 93+ points “The 2013 Barolo Bussia Cascina Dardi is a super-appealing, old-school Barolo that is going to require a number of years to be at its best. Deceptively medium in body, the 2013 possesses quite a bit of aromatic nuance and depth, but at present the tannins dominate. Scents of dried herbs, tobacco, leather and licorice open up over time, but only gradually. Readers should be prepared to be patient. Drink 2019 – 2033.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $49.97
The average listed price is $57
The next best price is $49.97
The average listed price is $57
There are a few bottles in stock now, with more stock arriving Friday.
Dominio de Pingus ‘Flor de Pingus’, Ribera del Duero 2016 750ML ($99.95) $85 pre-arrival special, 14 bottles available
Wine Advocate 95 points “I also tasted the unbottled 2016 Flor de Pingus before, so a revisit now, some 15 months after it was bottled, was due. There is great freshness in these 2016s, with a character that reminded me of orange peel, citrus and floral. There is great balance in the palate, and the tannins are velvety within the faintly rustic character of the zone; keeping the style of the zone, that texture is what Peter Sisseck calls “three-dimensional” tannins—very clean and focused, long and tasty and ending with great freshness. They were able to harvest early with proper ripeness and tons of freshness; in fact, that year they finished harvesting when some had not even started in the zone… In the future, they will include some Garnacha in the blend of Flor de Pingus (starting with 2018 with a very small percentage), as they have planted some vines selected from old vineyards in the region. They now have 35 hectares from four parajes in the village of La Horra for this wine, and in 2016, they produced 105,000 bottles. It was bottled in June 2018.-LG”
James Suckling 96 points “Chalky and intense with so much blackberry character. Some smoke, too. Full body. Firm and chewy with lots of fruit, but a tight and linear finish. Chewy and intense. Needs a year or two to open, but already a joy. Better after 2021.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Arriving Friday, February 24th
Montepeloso’s silky modern wines are bold, powerful and elegant all wrapped together.
Montepeloso Eneo Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2015 750ML ($49.95) $34.50 pre-arrival special, 36 bottles available
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2015 Eneo is a beautifully saturated and concentrated wine. The unusual blend used here is Sangiovese with Montepulciano, Marselan and Alicante Bouschet. The bouquet is profoundly bold and exuberant, with generous integration and beautiful power. The warmth of the vintage further adds to the overall intensity of this carefully crafted red wine. The mouthfeel is seamless and soft.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average listed price is $44
The average listed price is $44
One of the most impressive wines produced in Tuscany in any given year.
Montepeloso Nardo Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2015 750ML ($99.95) $79 pre-arrival special, 6 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 94 points “Montepeloso’s 2015 Nardo is beautiful. The ripeness of the vintage comes through, but Nardo has just enough aromatic freshness and lift to balance the intensity of the fruit. Red cherry, red plum, mint, pomegranate and floral notes are all nicely pushed forward in this succulent, inviting wine from Montepeloso. There is lovely brightness and floral lift to the red fruit character.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $90
The average listed price is $96
This non-oxidized Savignin is a mineral, powerful dry white.
Benedicte & Stephane Tissot Arbois Traminer (Savagnin Ouille), Jura 2016 750ML ($54.95) $38 pre-arrival special, 24 bottles available
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2016 Arbois Traminer shows nice concentration and intensity. I adore the freshness and the length, it has everything one expects from a dry Savagnin (the name is a bit of a provocation, something Stéphane Tissot likes). This is the only Savagnin ouillé produced in 2016, as they are focusing on the production of vin jaune. This is varietal, clean, fresh and dry, serious and really tasty. It’s a shame they don’t make more of this style, because it’s a wine I love. 9,000 bottles produced.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average listed price is $48
The average listed price is $48
Standout Wines (Young and Old) From Domaine Gouges
Domaine Gouges is a legendary name in Burgundy and we’re excited to announce both the new release of 2017’s as well as the acquisition of a treasure trove of back-vintage bottles. We’ll get into the new wines below (the short story is that the wines are great and delicious already) but this assortment of older bottles is almost hard to believe.
We have 47 different wines available from Gouges—arriving soon and in stock now. Even in spreadsheet form, that’d be too long a list for this newsletter, so check out some highlights below or shop all of the wines in our online store.
Some Highlights, Arriving ETA February:
Domaine Henri Gouges Les Saint-Georges, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2017 750ML ($219.95) $199 pre-arrival special
Decanter 95 points “There will be less Les St-Georges in 2018, as 20% of the vineyard has been replanted – if you’re a fan of this wine, now is the time to stock up. It’s appealingly aromatic and not as dense and brooding as this wine can be, but it’s a stylish, spicy, savoury premier cru red with good focus and a backdrop of blood and iron.”
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 93+ points “The 2017 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Saint Georges is showing well, wafting from the glass with aromas of smoky berry fruit, licorice, candied peel, nori and rich soil tones, having already almost entirely integrated its framing of new wood. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, ample and nicely layered at the core, with good concentration, fine-grained but firm tannins and a precise, stony finish.”
Neal Martin-Vinous 92-94 points “The 2017 Nuits Saint-Georges Les Saint-Georges 1er Cru has a refined, harmonious bouquet of blackberry and bilberry aromas penetrated by a slight flintiness. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin and beautifully integrated oak. Seamless in texture, leading to a poised, pure finish. This is easily the best of Gouges’s 2017s. Superb.”
We have 47 different wines available from Gouges—arriving soon and in stock now. Even in spreadsheet form, that’d be too long a list for this newsletter, so check out some highlights below or shop all of the wines in our online store.
Some Highlights, Arriving ETA February:
Domaine Henri Gouges Les Saint-Georges, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2017 750ML ($219.95) $199 pre-arrival special
Decanter 95 points “There will be less Les St-Georges in 2018, as 20% of the vineyard has been replanted – if you’re a fan of this wine, now is the time to stock up. It’s appealingly aromatic and not as dense and brooding as this wine can be, but it’s a stylish, spicy, savoury premier cru red with good focus and a backdrop of blood and iron.”
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 93+ points “The 2017 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Saint Georges is showing well, wafting from the glass with aromas of smoky berry fruit, licorice, candied peel, nori and rich soil tones, having already almost entirely integrated its framing of new wood. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, ample and nicely layered at the core, with good concentration, fine-grained but firm tannins and a precise, stony finish.”
Neal Martin-Vinous 92-94 points “The 2017 Nuits Saint-Georges Les Saint-Georges 1er Cru has a refined, harmonious bouquet of blackberry and bilberry aromas penetrated by a slight flintiness. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin and beautifully integrated oak. Seamless in texture, leading to a poised, pure finish. This is easily the best of Gouges’s 2017s. Superb.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Domaine Henri Gouges Les Pruliers, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2017 750ML ($149.95) $119 pre-arrival special
Decanter 93 points “The age of the vines is quite diverse in this 1.8ha block, ranging from 20 to 80 years. It’s a comparatively forward red, especially for a Nuits from the south side of the village. Notes of summer berries and tobacco pouch mingle appealingly on the nose and palate with supporting acidity and scented oak, 20% new.”
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2017 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Pruliers wafts from the glass with an appealing bouquet of raspberries, red cherries, spiced plums, dried flowers and earthy forest floor. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, with a ripe core of fruit, tangy acids and a firm, stony finish. It’s a suave, nicely integrated rendition of a climat that can sometimes be forbiddingly structural in its youth.”
Burghound 90-93 points- Outstanding “This too is noticeably reduced and aromatically unreadable today. Otherwise there is more volume and mid-palate density to the bigger and mostly muscular flavors that possess a less refined mouthfeel on the powerful, driving and more obviously structured finale. This is really quite good though at least some patience will be required.”
Neal Martin-Vinous 90-92 points “The 2017 Nuits Saint-Georges Les Pruliers 1er Cru offers intense black cherry, boysenberry and blueberry on the ripe, candied, generous nose, becoming more floral with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red and black fruit laced with blood orange and spices. Quite dense and grippy, this is another Gouges 2017 that will require several years in bottle.”
Domaine Henri Gouges Les Chaignots, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2009 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 92 points “The 2009 Nuits St. Georges Les Chaignots (from the northern side of the village) emerges from the glass with crushed flowers, spices and gently perfumed fruit. This is a relatively feminine, delicate style of Nuits, with silky tannins and terrific overall balance. A final burst of red fruit informs the finish. The Chaignots was bottled mid-January 2011. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2029.”
Burghound 89-92 points “This is also quite unevolved as the nose is primary to the point of grapiness though the hallmark spiciness of the appellation can still be discerned. The middle weight flavors possess a textured and quite supple mouth feel as the tannins are well-integrated on the lingering finish that displays an attractive sense of underlying tension and fine intensity. This should be lovely in time.”
Decanter 93 points “The age of the vines is quite diverse in this 1.8ha block, ranging from 20 to 80 years. It’s a comparatively forward red, especially for a Nuits from the south side of the village. Notes of summer berries and tobacco pouch mingle appealingly on the nose and palate with supporting acidity and scented oak, 20% new.”
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2017 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Pruliers wafts from the glass with an appealing bouquet of raspberries, red cherries, spiced plums, dried flowers and earthy forest floor. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, with a ripe core of fruit, tangy acids and a firm, stony finish. It’s a suave, nicely integrated rendition of a climat that can sometimes be forbiddingly structural in its youth.”
Burghound 90-93 points- Outstanding “This too is noticeably reduced and aromatically unreadable today. Otherwise there is more volume and mid-palate density to the bigger and mostly muscular flavors that possess a less refined mouthfeel on the powerful, driving and more obviously structured finale. This is really quite good though at least some patience will be required.”
Neal Martin-Vinous 90-92 points “The 2017 Nuits Saint-Georges Les Pruliers 1er Cru offers intense black cherry, boysenberry and blueberry on the ripe, candied, generous nose, becoming more floral with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red and black fruit laced with blood orange and spices. Quite dense and grippy, this is another Gouges 2017 that will require several years in bottle.”
Domaine Henri Gouges Les Chaignots, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2009 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 92 points “The 2009 Nuits St. Georges Les Chaignots (from the northern side of the village) emerges from the glass with crushed flowers, spices and gently perfumed fruit. This is a relatively feminine, delicate style of Nuits, with silky tannins and terrific overall balance. A final burst of red fruit informs the finish. The Chaignots was bottled mid-January 2011. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2029.”
Burghound 89-92 points “This is also quite unevolved as the nose is primary to the point of grapiness though the hallmark spiciness of the appellation can still be discerned. The middle weight flavors possess a textured and quite supple mouth feel as the tannins are well-integrated on the lingering finish that displays an attractive sense of underlying tension and fine intensity. This should be lovely in time.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Henri Gouges Clos des Porrets Monopole, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2010 750ML ($179.95) $149 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 91-93 points “The 2010 Nuits St. Georges Clos des Porrets Saint-Georges is the first wine in this lineup that shows the structure of the vintage. Freshly cut flowers, minerals, graphite and black cherries are woven into a textured fabric of notable class. I especially like its energy and drive. A precise, finely-chiseled finish rounds things out nicely. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025.”
Antonio Galloni 91-93 points “The 2010 Nuits St. Georges Clos des Porrets Saint-Georges is the first wine in this lineup that shows the structure of the vintage. Freshly cut flowers, minerals, graphite and black cherries are woven into a textured fabric of notable class. I especially like its energy and drive. A precise, finely-chiseled finish rounds things out nicely. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Henri Gouges Les Chenes Carteaux, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($99.95) $89 pre-arrival special
Neal Martin-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2012 Nuits St Georges 1er Cru Les Chênes Carteaux has a clean and bright bouquet with brambly red berry fruit, plenty of undergrowth, damp tobacco and roof tile scents. This is very expressive with fine delineation and the linearity that it demonstrated from barrel. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp tensile tannin, plenty of citric fruit, quite linear at the moment with a sense of energy on the stony, stoic finish. Excellent.”
Antonio Galloni 90-92 points “Blue and purple fruit, smoke, licorice, violets and cloves flesh out in the 2012 Nuits St. Georges Les Chênes Carteaux. This is an especially round, supple Chênes Carteaux with tons of near and medium-term appeal. The round, silky finish is polished and beautifully resonant, all of which suggest the 2012 will drink better earlier than some of the other wines in this range.”
Burghound 89-92 points “Here too there is a touch of spice on the well-layered nose of both red and dark currants that is liberally laced with pungent earth notes. This is bigger and richer than the Chaignots with excellent volume, punch and power, all wrapped in a detailed, saline and impressively persistent finish. While the structure is firm, the tannins are relatively fine-grained and the overall impression is not especially rustic.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Trending
Flaneur’s one of the hottest, up-and-coming Pinot producers out there. This previously sold out wine is back in stock.
Flaneur Wines Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2017 750ML ($31.95) $27 special, 36 bottles in stock now
Grapelive 93 points “The expressive and dynamic Flaneur Willamette Valley Pinot has that crunchy, semi carbonic like fruit intensity and exotic spices with layers of racy red cherry, briar laced raspberry, pomegranate, plum and strawberry fruits along with cinnamon, cola bean, tea and peppery herbs, plus a juicy Moro orange note, along with a faint wood shading. Flaneur hasn’t been on the scene very long, but if they continue with wines like this they are heading in the right direction and should pick up a serious following within a short time….This 2017 Willamette Valley cuvee by Flaneur is youthfully flamboyant and vibrant, but there’s a lot to come here, and for the price I highly recommend getting a few to enjoy now and some to age. One of the under the radar, but great values in Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, Flaneur Wines, made by Grant Coulter, who recently moved on from being winemaker at the famous Beaux Freres Vineyard, and maker of his own label Hundred Suns, his overseeing the vineyards and hand crafting these wines for Flaneur gives them instant street cred…. he looks to work organic and biodynamic where he can as well as using natural methods with native yeast fermentations and less new oak, with this Flaneur seeing only about 11% new French oak, all to preserve clarity, purity and freshness. This year saw 68% of the grapes sourced from La Belle Promenade and 32% from the Flanerie vineyard and ended up being about 36% whole cluster, the finished alcohol came it at 13.7%, though it feels less and it is a wonderfully balanced wine. I love it as is, but it will be a wine to follow for the next 3 to 5 years when it hits its sweet spot.”
Wine Spectator 91 points “Polished and sleek yet elegantly structured with appealing cherry, bramble and savory spice flavors that build toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2025. 2,059 cases made.—T.F.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 91 points “Glistening red. Displays vibrant, spice- and mineral-accented red fruit and floral aromas and an exotic suggestion of blood orange. Shows very good energy and sharp delineation on the palate, offering gently sweet redcurrant, raspberry and spicecake flavors that deepen steadily on the back half. Shows a lot of character for an entry-level wine and finishes very long and subtly tannic, leaving repeating red fruit and floral notes behind. (68% sourced from La Belle Promenade and 32% from the Flanerie vineyard; 36% whole clusters and 11% new French oak).”
Flaneur Wines Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2017 750ML ($31.95) $27 special, 36 bottles in stock now
Grapelive 93 points “The expressive and dynamic Flaneur Willamette Valley Pinot has that crunchy, semi carbonic like fruit intensity and exotic spices with layers of racy red cherry, briar laced raspberry, pomegranate, plum and strawberry fruits along with cinnamon, cola bean, tea and peppery herbs, plus a juicy Moro orange note, along with a faint wood shading. Flaneur hasn’t been on the scene very long, but if they continue with wines like this they are heading in the right direction and should pick up a serious following within a short time….This 2017 Willamette Valley cuvee by Flaneur is youthfully flamboyant and vibrant, but there’s a lot to come here, and for the price I highly recommend getting a few to enjoy now and some to age. One of the under the radar, but great values in Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, Flaneur Wines, made by Grant Coulter, who recently moved on from being winemaker at the famous Beaux Freres Vineyard, and maker of his own label Hundred Suns, his overseeing the vineyards and hand crafting these wines for Flaneur gives them instant street cred…. he looks to work organic and biodynamic where he can as well as using natural methods with native yeast fermentations and less new oak, with this Flaneur seeing only about 11% new French oak, all to preserve clarity, purity and freshness. This year saw 68% of the grapes sourced from La Belle Promenade and 32% from the Flanerie vineyard and ended up being about 36% whole cluster, the finished alcohol came it at 13.7%, though it feels less and it is a wonderfully balanced wine. I love it as is, but it will be a wine to follow for the next 3 to 5 years when it hits its sweet spot.”
Wine Spectator 91 points “Polished and sleek yet elegantly structured with appealing cherry, bramble and savory spice flavors that build toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2025. 2,059 cases made.—T.F.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 91 points “Glistening red. Displays vibrant, spice- and mineral-accented red fruit and floral aromas and an exotic suggestion of blood orange. Shows very good energy and sharp delineation on the palate, offering gently sweet redcurrant, raspberry and spicecake flavors that deepen steadily on the back half. Shows a lot of character for an entry-level wine and finishes very long and subtly tannic, leaving repeating red fruit and floral notes behind. (68% sourced from La Belle Promenade and 32% from the Flanerie vineyard; 36% whole clusters and 11% new French oak).”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Extremely northern Italy is a great source for surprisingly complex, delicate bubbly
Cave Mont Blanc de Morgex et de la Salle ‘1187’ Spumante, Aosta Valley 2016 750ML ($31.95) $29 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Ian D’Agata-Vinous 93 points “Light, bright golden straw-green. Beautifully scented, nuanced, mineral-laced aromas of orange peel, lime, honeysuckle and green almond; notes of mint and minerals gain strength with aeration. Deeper and more powerful than I remember other vintages of this wine at a similar stage of development, it offers precise, energetic citrus and orchard fruit flavors complicated by white flower and stony qualities. The lingering finish is broad, steely and very pure. Lots going on here; I liked this wine’s delicate yet assertive nature. Another great sparkler this year from the Cave du Mont Blanc.”
Cave Mont Blanc de Morgex et de la Salle ‘1187’ Spumante, Aosta Valley 2016 750ML ($31.95) $29 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Ian D’Agata-Vinous 93 points “Light, bright golden straw-green. Beautifully scented, nuanced, mineral-laced aromas of orange peel, lime, honeysuckle and green almond; notes of mint and minerals gain strength with aeration. Deeper and more powerful than I remember other vintages of this wine at a similar stage of development, it offers precise, energetic citrus and orchard fruit flavors complicated by white flower and stony qualities. The lingering finish is broad, steely and very pure. Lots going on here; I liked this wine’s delicate yet assertive nature. Another great sparkler this year from the Cave du Mont Blanc.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Grand Cru Chablis by way of Rias Baixas.
Bodegas Gerardo Mendez Albarino Do Ferreiro Lourido, Rias Baixas 2017 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 15 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2017 Lourido shows the austerity of the poor granite soils, like the ones in this zone very close to the island of La Toja. But the palate is also more mineral, vibrant, intense and pungent, with citrus acidity and very long in the palate. They started working these small plots in 2014 and were surprised because the vines are very close to the sea, yet the wine has less salinity. This is because salinity comes from fog, not from proximity to the sea, and so they ended up with a very mineral, electric palate. This is a great addition to the Do Ferreiro portfolio. 1,300 bottles produced. It was bottled in late September 2018. It would be very interesting to see how this ages.”
Wine & Spirits 93 points “Gerardo Méndez selects this wine from parcels of 50-year-old vines rooted in weathered granite. There’s a delicate pink cast to its zesty grapefruit flavors. The texture is just creamy enough to surround the wine’s structure, creating a push-pull of freshness and toasty richness. Tina Vaughn of The Simone in NYC likened those toasty flavors to the yeastiness of fregola sarda, a couscous-like pasta from Sardinia; you could bridge it to this wine with saffron and clams.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
A follow up to the best-selling Chianti, Monsanto’s Monrosso blend is a perfect pizza-night pick.
Castello di Monsanto Monrosso, Toscana IGT 2016 750ML ($17.95) $15.50 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Castello di Monsanto Monrosso, Toscana IGT 2016 750ML ($199.95) $169 special (that’s only $14.08/bottle and the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!)
Wine Spectator 92 points “Bursts with ripe cherry, blackberry and floral aromas and flavors, driven by lively acidity and an elegant frame. Balanced, yet firmly supported by dense tannins. Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Sangiovese.-BS”
Castello di Monsanto Monrosso, Toscana IGT 2016 750ML ($17.95) $15.50 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Castello di Monsanto Monrosso, Toscana IGT 2016 750ML ($199.95) $169 special (that’s only $14.08/bottle and the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!)
Wine Spectator 92 points “Bursts with ripe cherry, blackberry and floral aromas and flavors, driven by lively acidity and an elegant frame. Balanced, yet firmly supported by dense tannins. Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Sangiovese.-BS”
Collector’s Corner
A dessert in and of itself, this is the highlight of any evening.
Bodegas Toro Albala Don PX Convento Seleccion, Montilla-Moriles 1955 750ML ($399.95) $299 special, 4 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 98 points “One more single-harvest, old sweet wine, the 1955 Don PX Convento Selección was bottled in September 2014 and it had been aged slowly in very old American oak barrels and getting thick and concentrated through evaporation. It’s 320 grams of sugar are (partially) compensated by 6.5 grams of acidity. It has a nose and palate of chocolate-covered candied orange, spices, molasses. I’d say the dominant aromas in the nose are dark chocolate. It’s very dense, developing notes of very concentrated licorice and balsamic, mint, camphor and evolving notes of petrol with time. Complex, rare and unique.”
One of the hottest new names in cult Cabernet, Bevan over-delivers yet again.
Bevan Cellars Tench Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville 2016 750ML ($249.95) $199 special, 20 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 97+ points “The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Tench Vineyard is very deep purple-black in color with an earthy, meaty, broody nose with notes of mocha over baked plums and crème de cassis plus wafts of spice box and mincemeat. The palate is full-bodied, concentrated, rich and earthy with great vibrancy on the finish. 839 cases produced.”
Jeb Dunnuck 97 points “From a steep hillside in Oakville, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Tench Vineyard offers a more savory, masculine, layered style as well as a huge nose of red and black fruits, dried herbs, chocolate, and earth. It hits the palate with a full-bodied, mouthfilling style that carries plenty of tannins, a deep, concentrated mid-palate, and a great finish. I like it today, yet it’s going to continue drinking brilliantly for two decades.”
Grand Cru Burgundy meets Priorat in Terroir al Limit’s single vineyard bottlings.
Terroir Al Limit Soc. Lda. Les Manyes, Priorat DOCa 2014 750ML ($259.95) $219 special, 11 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 98 points “The 2014 Les Manyes was bottled a little earlier, in June 2016. In many wineries in Priorat, 2013 is clearly better than 2014, but it’s not that clear in the case here, and you have to take it wine by wine. In the case of this Les Manyes, I think 2014 was the big surprise, with a combination of depth, perfume, subtleness and power difficult to achieve. The clay and chalky soils provide for an extraordinary texture of tannins, a lot less coarse than those from slate soils. It distills all the Mediterranean herbs and flowers, the essence of ripe red cherries and wild strawberries with some chalky minerality in a nose and palate that is close to perfection. This is a tour de force Garnacha from… chalky soils in Priorat! There are 1,008 bottles produced.”
Wine & Spirits 97 points “Dominik Huber farms this wine in an unusual place by Priorat standards: It comes from a vineyard at 2,600 feet in altitude-one of the highest in the region-on red clay soil rather than the more celebrated slate. The result is a wine as taut as a high-tension cable, with an acidity so firm and strong that it seems to electrify the wine. Made entirely of garnacha, held in a single 1,200-liter barrel for two years before bottling, it’s rich in red fruit, spice and mineral notes, but above all it is rich in structure. A wine to drink in a decade.”
What else can you look for in traditional Barolo?
G. B. Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero, Barolo DOCG 2013 750ML ($399.95) $319 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 100 points “Burlotto’s 2013 Barolo Monvigliero is simply magnificent. In many vintages, a young Monvigliero can come across as disjointed, especially in the aromatics and the pungent, savory notes can be overpowering. Not in 2013. All the elements are in perfect balance. A wine of soaring aromatic intensity, pedigree and class, the 2013 is thrilling from the very first taste. Rose petal, lavender, violet, spice, orange peel, white pepper and cinnamon are some of the many notes that infuse the super-expressive finish. All of Burlotto’s 2013 Barolos are exceptional. But the Monvigliero, well, it enters the realm of the deeply moving. It is a wine that will leave readers weak at the knees.”
2013 is shaping up to be this last decade’s 2001—overlooked until it isn’t.
Claude Dugat Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2013 750ML ($349.95) $319 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 91-93 points “The 2013 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru has an attractive marine influence on the nose, which takes you straight out to sea. The palate is medium-bodied with much redder fruit than the Gevrey-Lavaux ’13: not complex, but nicely balanced with a lithe, harmonious finish that feels gentle, almost understated. I like that.” NM
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 91+ points “Deep red-ruby. Nicely ripe aromas of black cherry, minerals and licorice. Supple and sweet on entry, then more strict in the middle palate, with its red fruit flavors showing a strong saline element. Sappy and broad but a bit youthfully dry in the early going, finishing with slightly peppery tannins.”
Thanks for reading!