The Cult Reds of Vérité
Faiveley’s Clos de Cortons
New to the June Sale: Chateau Thivin
Samuel Billaud’s Top Chablis
Trending Wines
Staff Pick: Baby Barolo
Petrolo Boggina C – Pure Sangiovese, Pure Class
New Reviews for Vinopolis Classics
The Mystical Clos des Fees
The Glory of Mature Champagne
June Sale Highlights
One of California’s Crown Jewels
The Cult Reds of Vérité
“Jess Jackson has clearly positioned Verite as one of the two or three flagship wines in his impressive empire. These cuvees represent California versions of Bordeaux appellations, with the Merlot-dominated La Muse very Pomerol-like, the Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated La Joie a hypothetical California version of a Medoc, and the St.-Emilion look-alike, the Merlot and Cabernet Franc blend, Le Desir. These wines are fashioned from the finest Sonoma vineyard sites owned by Jackson, and are meant for long-term aging.” – Robert Parker
Vérité is one of the toughest wineries for us to source. Between the insanely high scores every vintage, the tiny supply and the winery trying to police the re-selling of their bottles, it’s always an adventure to acquire their wines.
In Stock Now:
Only one bottle available
Verite La Joie, Sonoma County 2001 750ML ($299.95) $249 special
Robert Parker 96 points “The 2001 La Joie (71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc) remains a backward, youthful wine revealing an inky/purple color as well as notes of graphite, licorice, creme de cassis, truffles and new saddle leather. It has fabulous fruit on the attack and mid-palate, a massive, concentrated, tannic mouthfeel and a long finish. Even younger than La Muse, it needs another decade of cellaring and should age for 40-50 years thereafter. Pierre Seillan told me that 44% of the grapes came from Alexander Valley, 35% from Knight’s Valley and the rest from Chalk Hill.”
Verite La Joie, Sonoma County 2002 750ML ($299.95) $249 special
Robert Parker 98 points “A spectacular blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec, over two-thirds of the fruit from the Alexander Valley Mountain Estate and the balance from Knight’s Valley and Bennett Valley, the 2002 La Joie exhibits a sweet, opulent bouquet of charcoal, burning embers, forest floor, blackberries and kirsch. Deep, full-bodied, supple-textured, flamboyant and extroverted, with undeniable purity as well as finesse, it should drink well for another 20-25 years. Interestingly, the pH is a normal 3.61 and the alcohol is only 14.1%.”
Only one bottle available
Verite La Muse, Sonoma County 2001 750ML ($349.95) $299 special
Bin Stained Labeled – Dusty
Robert Parker 100 points “2001 was the first truly great vintage for Jess Jackson and Pierre Seillan, and that is evidenced by the utterly perfect 2001 La Muse, a blend of 87% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Malbec. Over three-fourths of it came from the Alexander Mountain estate of Jess Jackson, and the rest from Chalk Hill, Knights Valley, and a tiny bit from Bennett Valley. This dense purple-colored effort exhibits notes of licorice, creme de cassis, plum sauce, violets and truffles. Full-bodied with magnificent density, overall equilibrium, stunning purity, sweet but abundant tannin and a fabulous finish, this profound wine remains a baby at age ten. Give it another 5-6 years of bottle age and drink it over the following 35-40+ years. It is very French in style even though one could argue that this level of concentration can only be achieved by a handful of wines from Pomerol and St.-Emilion.”
Only two bottles available
Verite La Muse, Sonoma County 2002 750ML ($299.95) $249 special
Robert Parker 99 points “A blend of 93% Merlot / 7% Cabernet Franc (92% from the Alexander Mountain Estate, 6% from Bennett Valley and 2% from Knight’s Valley), the 2002 La Muse is a ‘kissing cousinâ?? of the 2001, only softer and more flamboyant. Classically Californian in its exuberant, flamboyant, super-rich, unctuously textured style, the tannins are softer than in the 2001, but the wine unquestionably has the potential to last for another quarter of a century. It exhibits an opaque plum/purple color along with abundant notes of cassis, licorice, graphite, coffee cake and spice box. More approachable than the 2001, the 2002 will offer phenomenal drinking over the next 25 years. “RP
“Faiveley’s Corton Clos des Cortons is the flagship Grand Cru holding at just over three hectares. (Faiveley’s largest cru holding is their four hectares in the Premier Cru Gevrey-Chambertin Les Cazetiers). This east-facing vineyard possesses significant historical value. It has been owned by the Faiveley family as a monopole since it was purchased in 1873 in a lieu-dit known as Le Rognet et Corton, which lies just northeast of Corton Les Renardes….
“The Clos des Cortons has always been quite savory and soil-driven, not to mention uncompromisingly dry. While I have long found this wine to show a distinctly dark fruit character, the tasting revealed that vintages since 2007 have shown a somewhat redder fruit quality, likely due to earlier picking, gentler handling of the fruit and cooler, more even fermentations. Hervet ventured the opinion that no other cru on the Côte de Beaune is capable of aging as long as the Clos des Cortons, with the exception of Volnay Santenots. He added that the wine is often monolithic in its youth, but owing to its color, depth and high quality of tannins, after gaining complexity in bottle for 20 or 30 years ‘it becomes a classic Grand Cru of Burgundy expressing the aromas of the vintage and of Pinot Noir.’ ” –Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
In Stock Now:
Domaine Faiveley Corton ‘Clos des Cortons’ Faiveley Monopole Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune 2016 750ML ($249.95) $219 special
Stephen Tanzer 95-98 points “Bright ruby. Fruit-driven aromas of crushed black cherry and dark raspberry convey outstanding pungent lift. Incredibly concentrated, sappy and primary, conveying outstanding juicy purity and compelling thickness to its dark fruit and violet flavors. At once hugely powerful and utterly seamless, this wine finishes with great spicy length and lift. A real essence of Burgundy–and likely to evolve gracefully for 25 years or more.”
William Kelley – Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2016 Corton Grand Cru Clos des Cortons Faiveley is another cuvée that is showing superbly from bottle, revealing an attractive bouquet of ripe red berry fruit, orange rind, wood smoke, espresso roast and dark chocolate that’s framed by a deft touch of classy new oak. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, satiny and lavish, with a deep and layered core, excellent concentration, vibrant acids and a long, beautifully defined finish. This is one of the finest rendition of the Clos des Cortons Faiveley produced under the new regime.”
Domaine Faiveley Corton ‘Clos des Cortons’ Faiveley Monopole Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune 2011 750ML ($179.95) $129 special
Antonio Galloni 95 points “Faiveley’s 2011 Corton Clos des Corton is a fitting conclusion to this great night of wine and food. Intensely saline and pointed, the 2011 impresses for its pure energy and tension. The flavors are vibrant and impeccably delineated in a Burgundy that is all about finesse. This is a great showing from the Clos des Corton.”
Stephen Tanzer 94 points “Medium red. Ineffable nose and palate offer red fruits, minerals, spices and flowers, complicated by game, earth and leather. Sweet, concentrated and very intense, boasting outstanding density and a fine-grained texture, with salty minerality giving the wine a weightless impression that’s remarkable considering its density. A strong tannic spine and brisk acidity energize and draw out the finish of this sharply delineated, pristine grand cru.”
Domaine Faiveley Corton ‘Clos des Cortons’ Faiveley Monopole Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune 2013 750ML ($279.95) $199 special
James Suckling 94 points “A complete and serious wine for the vintage with wonderful density of fruit and ultra-fine tannins. Full-bodied, muscular and very long. Better in 2018.” JS
Burghound 93-95 points “Don’t miss! A generous dollop of moderately toasty oak mixes with the highly layered nose of black cherry, cassis, warm earth and an impressive array of sauvage and underbrush notes. There is excellent richness to the overtly powerful and muscular flavors that possess an imposing sense of scale that continues onto the textured and mouth coating finish. Like several of the wines in the range in 2013 this is a big but not really massive wine that retains a sense of proportion even though the underlying structure is quite firm. This will need plenty of patience however.” BH
Want to see all 52 Faiveley wines (that number is not a typo) available for purchase in our webstore? Just head here for the full list online.
In Stock Now:
Chateau Thivin Brouilly ‘Reverdon’, Beaujolais 2017 750ML ($29.95) Was $24, Now $20.90 June Sale Special
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2017 Brouilly Reverdon bursts from the glass with lovely aromas of blackberries, cassis, plums and potpourri. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, bright and juicy, with sweeter fruit than the 2016 rendition but a shared sense of crunchiness and vivacity. It was only bottled three weeks before I tasted it, but it was already showing very well.”
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2017 Côte de Brouilly is superb, unfurling in the glass with aromas of ripe cassis, candied violets and plums. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, rich and concentrated, structured around fine-grained but chewy tannins and tangy balancing acids, with considerable depth and substance at the core. The wine is still quite primary and will need some time to come together, but it’s an excellent rendition of this storied cuvée that resembles the 2011 vintage.”
When talking about the top Chablis producers (not named Raveneau or Dauvissat), Samuel Billaud’s name has to be at the top of the conversation. After elevating his family domaine (Billaud-Simon) to the top echelon in Chablis, he left to start his own label and is now making some of the most thrilling wines in the region. These are mineral, chiseled wines made in a mixture of stainless and barrels (depending on the cru and vintage) that traditional and stunning. 2016 is a return to form Chablis after the warm ’15 vintage and these wines remind us of 2014 in all the right ways.
In Stock Now:
Samuel Billaud Mont de Milieu, Chablis Premier Cru 2016 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Neal Martin-Vinous 92 points “The 2016 Chablis Mont de Milieu 1er Cru was harvested between 25 and 30hl/ha, with 20% aged in wood the rest in stainless steel for 18 months. The slightly longer élevage engenders a more complex bouquet than the Montée de Tonnerre with yellow fruit, green apple, chalk and light musky scents that are very well defined. The palate is very well delineated with a crisp bead of acidity, poised and saline in the mouth and just when you think it will fan out, it segues into a linear and classically lined, understated finish. Excellent.”
Neal Martin – Wine Advocate 91-93 points “The 2016 Chablis 1er Cru Mont de Milieu comes from three different types of vineyards at different altitudes and vine age that are blended together in the vineyard. It has a slightly austere bouquet with fine delineation: granite and flint scents. The palate is well balanced with crisp acidity and is very precise and harmonious, with hints of quince and apricot toward the pretty finish. This is another very elegant wine from Samuel Billaud.”
Burghound 90-92 points “Sweet Spot – Outstanding Here too there is a whiff of mineral reduction sitting atop the ever-so-mildly exotic aromas of white peach, citrus rind, spice and enough classic Chablis character to be persuasive. There is notably better energy to the bigger, richer and more concentrated flavors that coat the palate with dry extract while also delivering superior depth and persistence. This is lovely stuff and worth checking out.”
Samuel Billaud Montee de Tonnerre, Chablis Premier Cru 2016 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Neal Martin-Vinous 92 points “The 2016 Chablis Montée de Tonnerre, which underwent 15 months in barrel, has a lovely dried honey and beeswax scented bouquet that gains intensity with aeration. The palate is very well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, fresh and vibrant with a tangy, saliva-inducing saline finish that feels very persistent. Excellent.”
Neal Martin – Wine Advocate 90-93 points “The 2016 Chablis 1er Cru Montee de Tonnerre comes from two parcels, one in the titular vineyard and the other in Chapelot, not far from Raveneau. It has quite a stern, focused, flinty bouquet that needs coaxing from the glass. The palate is (again) well balanced with a fine line of acidity. There are subtle notes of white peach and orange zest in situ, although perhaps not quite exuding the persistence of the Mont de Milieu on the finish. Still, this will merit three or four years in bottle.”
Samuel Billaud Chablis (Grands Terroirs), Burgundy 2016 750ML ($37.95) $31.90 special
“An overtly fruity, fresh and ripe nose reflects moderate amounts of typical Chablis character. The round, rich and generously proportioned flavors possess better depth and length on the reasonably precise and saline-inflected finale. This too should drink well young.” –Burghound
Samuel Billaud Les Vaillons Vieilles Vignes, Chablis Premier Cru 2016 750ML ($49.95) $41.90 special
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.”
Trending Wines
Eisele Vineyard Altagracia Cabernet, Napa Valley 2016 750ML ($169.95) $149 special
James Suckling 96 points “Lots of violets and dark berries with sweet underbrush and fresh mushrooms, following through to a medium to full body, soft and silky tannins and a succulent and refined finish. It remains supple and beautiful. Hard not to drink now. Better after 2023.”
Wine Advocate 95 points “The Altagracia is produced almost exclusively from estate fruit this year and was bottled at the end of June 2018. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Altagracia comes bursting forth with vivacious black cherries, blackberries, wild blueberries and cassis notes with touches of cinnamon stick, cloves, forest floor, violets and dusty earth with a waft of violets. The palate is medium to full-bodied, firm and grainy with loads of iron and mineral accents, finishing long and perfumed.”
Absolutely classic, energetic Chablis.
William Fevre Les Lys, Chablis Premier Cru 2015 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Stephen Tanzer 91 points “Pale, green-tinged yellow. Fresh but reticent scents of lime peel and minerals. Pliant and dense, with intense flavors of lemon, lime zest and underripe pineapple currently dominated by salty, almost metallic minerality. This energetic wine is really stuffed with fruit and it maintains its density through a long finish.”
Le Clos du Caillou Chateauneuf-du-Pape Les Safres, Rhone 2016 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Wine Advocate 95 points “Sourced from the lieu-dit of Les Bédines, the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Safres is 95% Grenache, with the remainder being a mix of other permitted varieties. Like the other wines from Le Clos du Caillou, it shows great intensity and purity. Flowering garrigue accents black cherry fruit in this full-bodied, fresh, vibrant and intense wine, which ends with a burst of bright orange zest and waves of silky tannins.”
Jeb Dunnuck 95 points “The 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Safres comes from more sandstone soils and is mostly Grenache. Spice strawberries, kirsch, dried herbs, flowers, and ample sandy, stony notes all emerge from this fleshy, medium to full-bodied, structured wine that has the classic weightless texture of the estate. This beauty has an exotic edge as well as a distinct salinity and is the finest version of this cuvée to date.”
James Suckling 94 points “Immense, seamless depth. Alluring, fresh, dark-plum, spice and chocolate aromas and flavors. The tannins are immaculately plush, long and even. Superb. From organically grown grapes. Drink in 2020.”
Krug Brut, Champagne 2004 750ML ($299.95) $248 special
Antonio Galloni 97+ points “Krug’s 2004 Vintage is absolutely mesmerizing. Layers of bright, chiseled fruit open up effortlessly as the wine fleshes out with time in the glass. Persistent and beautifully focused, with a translucent sense of energy, the 2004 captures all the best qualities of the year. Moreover, the 2004 is clearly superior to the consistently underwhelming 2002 and the best Krug Vintage since 1996. Readers who can find it should not hesitate, as it is a magical bottle.”
Wine Advocate 97 points “Combining subtleness with complexity, the coolish Krug 2004 Brut opens with a highly elegant, fascinatingly clear, bright and refreshing bouquet of ripe (apple) fruits. Dense and round, with a delicate mineral soul, the pure but perfectly balanced 2004 reveals great finesse and weightless elegance with a long and round finish. This is a gorgeous Krug vintage that is 14 years old but still on the rise. Tasted from ID 316034 in New York in November 2018.”-SR
Decanter 97 points “This is the current and latest vintage release from Krug, and is a fitting successor to 2002, though it’s very different in style – unusually, the blend contains more Chardonnay than Pinot Noir. Despite this, it is hallmark Krug with its oxidative profile. It has a luminous freshness and good density without heaviness. There’s a controlled power to this poised, vinous, linear 2004, displaying candied fruits, minerals, gingerbread, white chocolate, caramel and marzipan. This has a long, dry autolytic finish, great balance and lovely bead. Disgorged just after the next, and very different, vintage we tasted, the Krug 2003. Drinking Window 2017-2037.”
John Gilman 97 points “The new release of 2004 Krug is absolutely beautiful and is already quite elegant and open on both the nose and palate and is drinking with great finesse. I had expected this wine to be a bit more steely in structure out of the blocks, but the refinement of the blend this year has produced a wine that is already a joy to drink at age thirteen, though it will continue age gracefully for many, many decades to come. The cépages in 2004 is thirty-nine percent Chardonnay, thirty-seven percent Pinot Noir and twenty-four percent Pinot Meunier, with the wine having been disgorged in the winter of 2016. The bouquet jumps from the glass in a refined mix of apple, a touch of walnut, warm bread, lavender, a superb base of soil tones and a topnote of smokiness. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and utterly seamless, with vibrant acids, great focus and grip, a lovely core, refined mousse and a very long, complex, racy and energetic finish. There is marvelous precision here on both the nose and palate, not to mention a sense of harmony and grace that is fairly rare in the 2004 vintage. Chapeau! 2017-2060.”
Glorious, earthy, powerful Montsant.
Vinyes d’en Gabriel Parcellaires ‘Plan’elle’, Montsant 2014 750ML ($41.95) $36 special
VinopolNote: 100% Samso (the Catalan word for Carignan), this is richer and denser than you’d expect from the grape, though it still has all of that trademark lift and brightness. This is sourced from some of the oldest vines in the property, in a mix of clay, sandy and limestone soils and aged in a variety of barrel sizes before bottling.
Weingut Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spatlese #10, Mosel 2016 750ML ($44.95) $39 special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2016 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese (AP #10) is one of three Spätlesen that were selected in 2016. The wine has a very clear and smoky bouquet of perfectly ripe, healthy Riesling berries and yellow-fleshed stone fruits. Round, lush and piquant, this is a very elegant and stimulating Spätlese with lingering, mouthwatering salinity. The wine is complex but not all too intellectual. It has a ripe but coolish-elegant character with a long, well-structured finish.”
Cavallotto is one of the top values in Barolo (despite us shouting about them from the rooftops). Of particular note, though, is their “Langhe Nebbiolo” which is made entirely from young vines in the Bricco Boschis Barolo cru. While it lacks some of the power and density of the bottling with the Barolo label on it, this is far more than a basic Langhe wine. It shows the depth and complexity you’d expect given the vineyard source, but with a bit more freshness and delicacy (due to the shorter elevage). The additional lift plays nicely against Cavallotto’s dense and powerful style, yielding a “Barolo” that you can drink young without much sacrifice. This is an expensive Langhe Nebbiolo, but it’s an incredible price for a wine from the Bricco Boschis.
Cavallotto Bricco Boschis Langhe Nebbiolo, Piedmont 2016 750ML ($37.95) $33 special
Wine Advocate 92+ points “I tasted the 2016 Langhe Nebbiolo from vat but am giving it a final score because the wine had been taken out of wood and was just about to go into the bottle when I visited the estate. This wine shows deep, lasting and increased aromatic intensity that really points to the quality levels achieved with Nebbiolo in 2016. Bottle production of this wine is greatly reduced because more fruit was moved up to the production of top-shelf Barolo instead. The wine is compact, firm and tight, but it also offers lots of inner energy and brightness. Fruit from the youngest vines ends up in the Langhe Nebbiolo. Cavallotto plans to make greater volumes of this wine in 2017.”
Petrolo Boggina C
Pure Sangiovese, Pure Class
Just Arrived, In Stock Now:
Petrolo Boggina C Classique Valdarno di Sopra, Tuscany 2016 750ML ($59.95) $39 special
James Suckling 96 points “This is so focused and precise with fantastic depth and beauty. A pure definition of sangiovese. Full-bodied, tight and refined. Yet, full of strength and length. Succulent, too. A single-vineyard wine with soul. Better in 2022.”
Wine Advocate 94+ points “The 2016 Val d’Arno di Sopra Bòggina C is a pure expression of Sangiovese from vines planted in 1952. Give the wine a little time to open in the glass; once it does, it offers a beautiful display of forest fruit, spice, leather and earthy tones. Unlike the Bòggina A that is aged in amphorae, the Bòggina C is fermented in concrete vats using ambient yeasts. It sees extended maceration times and is aged in French 40-hectoliter casks and tonneaux. Some 11,000 bottles were made. This single-vineyard expression of Sangiovese reveals impeccable balance and elegance.-ML”
Flaneur Wines Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2017 750ML ($31.95) $27 special
Grapelive 93 points
Arriving ETA October:
Marchesi Antinori Tignanello Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2016 750ML ($149.95) $133 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 97 points “A big, lush style, this red delivers pure aromas and flavors of black currant, cherry, violet, flint, tobacco and baking spices, ending with a sweet, ripe finish. Though supple, this is backed by a firm, dense matrix of tannins, so all the components are there, but this just needs time to integrate. Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2022 through 2040. 5,000 cases imported.—B.S.”
The Mystical Clos des Fees
“The village elders claim that as far back as they can remember, the tortured looking vines were always considered ‘old’.
“In the distance, the blue cliffs of Vingrau, almost shooting up vertically, have been around for far longer, whipped almost constantly by the winds from the Tramontane. At the foot of the Pyrenees the nearby Mediterranean Sea glistens. And if the fairies still gather and dance during the solstice, they do it here in this unique, different and mysterious place.
“Without taking time to think, but just following my instinct, I chose this place to live fully my passion for wine. After starting as a young sommelier, then owner of a humble restaurant, an apprentice writer on wine and fine food, it was clear to me that when I reached a turning point in my life, I needed to cross over to the «producing» side to finally be able to learn – for lack of understanding – about all the stages a piece of dark wood goes through to give birth, years later, to an unforgettable nectar.
“A few plots of old vines, a pair of secateurs, a weeding hoe and a second-hand back-pack sprayer; the only tools used by many growers in this region, far from the useless profusion of massive means and technology. That’s how I started, on a bright morning in 1997, without any money, or anything at stake, or great ambitions, but full of great dreams. ”
In Stock Now:
Domaine Le Clos des Fées “Le Clos des Fées,” Cotes du Roussillon Villages 2015 750ML ($79.95) $54.50 special
Case-6 Domaine Le Clos des Fées “Le Clos des Fées,” Cotes du Roussillon Villages 2015 750ML ($399.95) $299 special (that’s only $49.83/bottle—the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Wine Advocate 96 points “Eighteen months in new French oak barrels has given the 2015 Côtes du Roussillon Villages le Clos des Fées a certain tightness and discipline lacking in the Vieilles Vignes bottling. There’s still massive fruit and buried complexity, full body and rich tannins, but there’s also firmness of structure that shows the serious, age-worthy side of Bizeul’s winemaking. Vanilla and baking spices accent deep, dark cherries and plums, ending in a long, velvety finish.”
The Glory of Mature Champagne
Arriving ETA September:
Bollinger R.D. Extra Brut, Champagne 2002 750ML ($349.95) $299 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 99 points “Super fresh, this is striking given the 10 years in the cellars; it has a fine citrus nose – plenty of lemon, grapefruit, yellow chalky notes, some lighter floral elements too. The palate is super dry (dosage at 3-4g) and there’s a silky, sherbet-like texture, smooth, fine and long. The citrus flavours give way to the driving surging acidity, thunderous acidity, really driving and powerful. The finish twists very slowly through to light-toasted cashew fruit flavours, but lemon citrus prevails. This is thrilling Champagne. Disgorged 22nd October, 2013. Drink from 2016.”
Antonio Galloni 96 points “Bollinger’s 2002 R.D. is striking in its beauty. Silky and caressing on the palate, the 2002 impresses for its exceptional balance and harmony. In 2002 so many Champagnes are ripe and explosive in style, but the 2002 R.D. is quite restrained by comparison. Hints of apricot pit, smoke, almonds, spices and pears ring out on the super-finessed, inviting finish. The 2002 is going to be nearly impossible to resist in its youth, but it should also age impeccably. All the elements are in the right place. Dosage is 3-4 grams per liter.”
Wine Spectator 96 points “A fine example of power married to elegance, this is impeccably balanced, with a mouthwatering palate of crème de cassis, toasted brioche, fleur de sel and crystallized honey flavors. The rich, smoky underpinning is carried on a finely detailed bead.”
Duval-Leroy Femme de Champagne 2000 1.5L ($349.95) $299 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 94 points “A rich version, with beautiful integration and mouthwatering acidity that seems to amplify the flavors of toasted raisin bread, black currant, candied orange zest and salted almond. Fresh and focused, showing hints of oyster shell and spice on the lasting finish.”
Wine Enthusiast 95 points “This well-aged wine from a top Champagne vintage is just now ready to drink after 12 years. It has a touch of toast, but it’s the rich, complex texture and fine structure that set it apart. It’s not a dry wine, it feels soft. It is so well integrated, elegant with hints of apples, a layer of minerality and still-fresh final acidity.”
James Suckling 94 points “A beautifully seductive and creamy nose with plenty of honey and clotted cream across lemon and grapefruit. Some white peach too, really alluring. The palate’s nicely orchestrated and balanced; it builds in stages and delivers pithy lemon and grapefruit flavor amid assertive driving acidity, good depth and concentration. Another great ’02. Drink now or in five or more years.”
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2002 Cuvée Louise Brut is dressed in an intense citrus colored robe and offers – as if it was a Pfalz Riesling – ripe yellow fruit aromas of pineapples, oranges and ripe peaches along with noble yeasty layers in the background. Full-bodied, rich and fresh on the palate, Madame Louise is a firm and almost mineral structured, persistent Champagne of complexity, finishing with a refreshing citric aroma as well as a stimulating salinity and purity. Good length and balance.”
In Stock Now:
Avennia Sestina Red, Columbia Valley 2016 750ML ($79.95) Was $69, Now $59 June Sale Special
Jeb Dunnuck 95+ points “The 2016 Sestina checks in as 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc that saw 21 months in 48% new French oak before being bottled unfined and unfiltered. It shows the purity and elegance of the vintage beautifully and offers classic Cabernet notes of crème de cassis, lead pencil, crushed rocks, and tobacco leaf. With beautiful balance and that more elegant, finesse-driven style of the estate, it packs plenty of fruit and is a seamless wine that will benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and keep for 15-20 years.”
Josh Raynolds 93+ points “(includes a good percentage of vines from the 1970s; aged in about 45% new oak): Bright dark red. Alluring violet and rose petal lift to the aromas of dark berries, licorice and black olive. Penetrating, savory wine with terrific saline minerality and lift to its wild berry and licorice flavors. This very concentrated, backward wine finishes with serious tannins but no rough edges. A bit more sharply focused than its 2015 sibling but this wine will need longer for its tannic spine to unclench. Even the Merlot yields were moderate in 2016, noted winemaker Chris Peterson. Following a bit of acidification, this wine finished with a pH of 3.8.”
Now it’s even lower!
Wine Spectator 92 points “Currant, strawberry, cherry, floral and leafy flavors are the highlights of this racy, elegant red. Balanced on the firm side, with excellent length. Best from 2020 through 2032. 800 cases made.”
The average listed price is $38
Paitin di Pasquero-Elia ‘Sori Paitin’, Barbaresco DOCG 2015 1.5L ($149.95) $119 special
Wine Spectator 95 points “Sweet cherry and strawberry fruit is framed by earth, eucalyptus, tobacco and tar notes in this rich yet firm red. The assertive tannins suggest a glacial evolution but the lasting impression of fruit shows this wine’s potential. Best from 2022 through 2040. 815 cases made.”
Isole e Olena Cepparello Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2015 1.5L ($179.95) Was $149, Now $138 June Sale Special
James Suckling 96 points “Shows lots of black cherries, cranberry tea, caramelized orange peel, roasted herbs and citrus peel. Full-bodied with ripe and quite round tannins that frame layers of cherries. Bright and fresh, yet rich and long at the same time. The sangiovese character really springs out of the glass. Drink in 2020.”
The average listed price for the 750ml is $79
The next best price for the magnum is $179
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2015 Riesling Trocken Haardter Herrenletten VDP Erste Lage has a lovely bouquet that reflects the small chalk stripe in the vineyard, which gives a wet and smoky stone fruit flavor, along with some lemon and herbal aromas. The wine is round and elegant on the palate, almost mouth-fillingly fruity and reveals a seductive concentration and intensity; it also has a refined acidity structure on the palate. It is richer and more generous than the Bürgergarten, but with concentrated fruit. This is very long and intensely mineral Riesling. It is one of the best Herrenletten I have ever tasted at this domaine. Spectacular!”
