A Deal Too Good to Pass Up
Andre Clouet: Budget Champagne Stars
Just Arrived! More Stock of Chezeaux’s 2015
Fourrier 2016 Restock
Insider Pick to Blue Chip – The Wonderful Mugneret-Gibourg
New Arrival: AJ Adam, Star of the Hidden Mosel
2016 Beaucastels are Legends in the Making
First Offer! 2017 Faiveley
Arriving Tomorrow:
Stonestreet Cabernet
At More than Half Off!
Stonestreet Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley 2015 ($44.95) $18 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 92 points “The 2015 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon offers a terrific representation of the property. Gravel, smoke, licorice, tobacco, black cherry and plum infuse this striking, wonderfully savory Cabernet Sauvignon. All the elements simply fall into place.”
The average price is $36
Budget Champagne Star
Within Bouzy and Ambonnay, Maison Andre Clouet occupies 8 hectares of vines along gentle sloping land. Focusing on Pinot noir Champagnes, Clouet’s wines tend to be of a rich and concentrated style; adorned in rather lavish packaging, their hyper-ornate labels are reminiscent of the family’s ancestor who was the printer to Louis XV’s royal court at Versailles.
What makes them particularly wonderful wines to work with (other than that brilliant packaging) is how obviously good they are. There are some wines whose subtlety leads to disappointment in the casual drinker, but the Andre Clouet wines are obviously delicious Champagne of extremely high quality. These are wines that seasoned wine geeks can enjoy, but so can your mother in-law who normally only drinks White Star (and she’ll think you’ve given her something much more expensive than her usual).
In Stock Now
Andre Clouet Grande Reserve Brut, Champagne NV 1.5L ($99.95) $79 special, 5 magnums in stock now
Andre Clouet Grande Reserve Brut, Champagne NV 3L ($319.95) $269 special, 5 jeroboams in stock now
Importer note “Initially showing a very fresh bouquet of high toned fruits with hints of hazelnuts and yeasty aromas, the Grande Réserve cuvée displays highly structured red fruit notes on the palate for which the area is so famous. Long lees aging, low dosage and Grand Cru Pinot Noir fruit combine for an opulent yet balanced Champagne.”
This is the only listing in the USA today for the jeroboam!
Andre Clouet Silver Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs Brut Nature, Champagne NV 750ML ($47.95) $33 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Andre Clouet Silver Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs Brut Nature NV 750ML ($419.95) $359 pre-arrival special (that’s only $29.92/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Grapelive 93 points “This is some sensationally great bubbly! Jean-François Clouet, who was born and raised in Bouzy, still lives in the 18th century village house built by his ancestors. He takes his lineage seriously and respects his family’s traditions and that of the region, [Bouzy, where he] is a renowned grower producer. Clouet makes a full range of intense and stylish Champagnes, all of which come [from] family plots mostly comprised of 100% Pinot Noir from Clouet’s lieux-dits in the Bouzy zone. The André Clouet “Silver” Grand Cru Brut Nature is a non-vintage, zero dosage Champagne of exceptional class and delicacy. It’s a severe and high-toned 100% Pinot bubbly from mid-slopes around the village of Bouzy set on the chalky limestone and clay. It went through full malo and was aged on its lees in neutral French oak barrel. [This adds] to the surprise of its crisp detail, considering its malo/wood winemaking fashion, though like a great Burgundy it changes and gains with time in the glass adding richness to the tight form it initially shows. If ever there was a Champagne that fits all my wants and desires, then this Clouet, fits the bill. I adore Extra Bruts and Non Dosage styles absolutely best of all and this Andre Clouet Silver kills it for the price! Lemony briskness leads the way with hints of hazelnut, brioche and wet river stones adding a touch of white cherry, unripe apple and cool green melon, all lifted by the pure tight beading of its electric mousse. The Pinot Noir gives a bite of extract which makes this a fantastic food Champagne. It is perfect for oysters, sushi and mussels in spicy broth. It’s not for everyone, but damn it’s good. It’s without question a thinker’s sparkler not a crowd pleaser, which just makes it that much more special.”
Case-12 Andre Clouet Grande Reserve Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($419.95) $359 pre-arrival special (that’s only $29.92/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Importer note “Initially showing a very fresh bouquet of high toned fruits with hints of hazelnuts and yeasty aromas, the Grande Réserve cuvée displays highly structured red fruit notes on the palate for which the area is so famous. Long lees aging, low dosage and Grand Cru Pinot Noir fruit combine for an opulent yet balanced Champagne.”
A new cuvee that spent 6 years sur lattes.
The average price is $68
Importer note “The domaine’s tête de cuvée is comprised of 100% pinot noir from Clouet’s ten best lieux-dits in the Grand Cru vineyard of Bouzy. Production is limited to no more than 1911 bottles per disgorgement.”
Andre Clouet ‘Dream Vintage’ Brut, Champagne 2009 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
100% Chardonnay, bottled one year after harvest. Disgorged on order.
Arriving November 9th:
Andre Clouet Grand Cru Brut Rose, Champagne NV 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Importer note “Generous and fine. Another Champagne from Clouet that achieves both structure and opulence, yet remains focused. Plenty of bright red fruit, and very obviously Pinot Noir, yet with the finesse that make a great rosé Champagne so exceptional.”
100% Chardonnay, bottled one year after harvest. Disgorged on order.
Jerome Chezeaux makes wines that epitomize our favorite sort of Burgundy. Ageworthy, fine and built on a core of minerality, but priced a tier below what the wines deliver. Make no mistake about it—Chezeaux makes wines that can be poured with the finest producers in Nuits, but cost 25% less. In a vintage like 2015 he really shines, as the warm year buttresses his mineral style with a bit broader shoulders and more fruit. Many of these wines sold out, but we recently acquired an additional allocation, just arrived, that we’re excited to offer you today.
In Stock Now:
Jerome Chezeaux Bourgogne Aligote, Burgundy 2016 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
Importer note “Made from a .8-hectare parcel in Premeaux-Prissey, the Aligoté is always an impressive regional-level wine. It typically carries a good underlying acidity that translates toward citrus and flint, with good length and density. The wine finishes quite dry with a chalky tannic character.”
Jerome Chezeaux Bourgogne Rouge, Burgundy 2015 750ML ($34.95) Was $28, Now $24
Grapelive 91 points “One Burgundy’s under the radar stars, Jérome Chézeaux follows historic guidelines using ultra traditional methods in the cellar, he’s a genuine and studied “non-interventionist” employing natural indigenous yeasts after a cold maceration his fermentations last 2 to 3 weeks with about a 30% new oak regime. What sets Chezeaux apart is the purity and delicacy in his wines from vines in and around Nuits-Saint-George mainly, though he also has holdings in Vougeot and Vosne-Romanee as well. The basic cuvee, the Bourgogne Rouge is from parcels near the estate in Prémeaux-Prissey just south of Nuits-Saint-Georges, as well as Nuits-Saint-Georges itself, only Cote de Nuits fruit is used and the wine reflects the local terroir of these sites and of the clay, sand, gravels and limestone soils. This wine usually is fresh in detail, bright and with a slightly restrained character along with having a earthy/savory edge, but with the 2015 vintage there seems to be a deeper sense of fruit to be found with classic Burgundy charm and elegance. This is a killer value, starting with a touch of reduction that quickly fades into bing cherry, plum and briar laced raspberry fruits with a hint of loamy earth, minty herb, orange rind and soft floral tones, adding a bit of body with air, it got even better the next day picking up a slightly dark character, this ruby/garnet Pinot is seriously classy for the price.”
Importer note “Chezeaux’s exemplary Bourgogne Rouge comes from a smattering of parcels in Premeaux-Prissey and Nuits-Saint-Georges encompassing 2.8 hectares in total. A wonderful representative of both Jerome’s style and the classic character of Nuits-Saint-Georges and environs, it emphasizes fresh, lively fruit buttressed by firm minerality, all on a racy, energetic frame. This is a sleek, articulate Bourgogne Rouge unencumbered by oak influence, as Chezeaux employs no new barrels in its elevage.”
The average price is $27
Importer note “The Chezeaux family owns almost four hectares of vineyards within the village appellation of Nuits Saint Georges. The vineyards are found within a number of lieu-dits but the ultimate cuvée that is bottled is principally from the Charbonniere site supplemented by Les Chaliots and Aux Saint Julien. The vines are very old, some being planted over eighty years ago (written as of early 2012). The soil is a mix of silts of clay, reddish-brown in color, overlain with limestone pebbles.”
The next best price is $55.99
Jerome Chezeaux Aux Boudots, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2015 750ML ($89.95) $75 special
Importer note “Always a favorite in Chezeaux’s cellar, “Aux Boudots” is perched at the northern limit of Nuits-Saint-Georges, on the border of Vosne-Romanee. As one might expect given its location, this wine combines classically Nuits-Saint-Georges iron and sous-bois with fruit a bit more caressing and Vosne-Romanee-like than its more southerly situated counterparts. Chezeaux owns a very small 0.34-hectare parcel in this steeply sloping premier cru.”
Jerome Chezeaux Vosne-Romanee, Cote de Nuits 2015 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Importer note “Jerome owns a half-hectare’s worth of villages-level Vosne-Romanee, spread among three lieux-dits: “Aux Reas,” “Bossieres,” and “Meziere.” His remarkably deft, light touch allows that classic Vosne-Romanee spice and silkiness to shine through brilliantly, its dark, regal, seductive fruit contrasting the gutsier, more forcefully mineral carriage of its Nuits-Saint-Georges brethren.”
Jerome Chezeaux Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Charbonnieres Vieilles Vignes, Cote de Nuits 2015 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Importer note “In the past, “Les Charbonnieres” was blended with the village wine until Jérôme decided to do a separate bottling in 2011. The .67-hectare parcel is ideally located in Prémeaux just below the Premier Cru “Aux Corvées”. The vines are over 80 years old and show the power and concentration that marks this fabled southern sector of the appellation. This is a big step up from the village Nuits.”
Importer note “This wine is consistently one of our favorites from the domaine. Chezeaux owns about four-tenths of an hectare in Chaumes which is in the southern part of the village of Vosne and is superbly situated just beneath La Tache and Aux Malconsorts on a vein of limestone and marl. We have the privilege of having access to two barrels of this wine (600 bottles) annually.”
The next best price is $75
When young they’re among the most impressive in Burgundy, combining succulent fruit with minerality and a complexity that’s nearly unmatched in newly released wines. They improve with age, as well, though we’ve always had a hard time keeping our hands off of the lower-tier wines in the first five years after the vintage. Fourrier works exclusively with old massale vineyards (anything from vines younger than 30 years is sold off) and that sort of soul really makes it into the bottle.
In Stock Now:
Domaine Fourrier Clos Saint-Jacques, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru, 2016 750ML ($999.95) $599 special
John Gilman 94 points “With the shortened crop in Clos St. Jacques, there is no Cuvée Centennaire here this year, just a single, truly lovely bottling of this great vineyard. The nose is pure, nascently complex and very precise, offering up scents of red plums, cherries, gamebird, mustard seed, a complex base of soil, roses and cedar. On the palate the wine is deep full-bodied and classically structured, with a sappy core, excellent backend mineral drive, ripe tannins and a very long, vibrant and promising finish. 2030-2070.”
Stephen Tanzer-Vinous 93-95 points “Bright dark red. Knockout ethereal nose combines raspberry, licorice, rose petal, lavender, wild mint and spices. Densely packed but juicy, suave and a bit youthfully imploded, conveying an almost magical impression of weightlessness. Cool and reserved but not at all hard, this fully ripe but reticent wine spreads out to saturate the palate, showing a lighter touch than the Combe Aux Moines. Displays a captivating restrained sweetness from start to long finish. As the lower part of his Clos Saint-Jacques parcel was frosted (production for this premier cru was cut by 30% in ’16), Fourrier chose not to make a separate Cuvée Centennaire.”
Domaine Fourrier Les Cherbaudes Vieilles Vignes, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru 2016 750ML ($279.95) $199 special
Decanter 93 points “Fourrier’s old vines in Cherbaudes, just below the Clos de Bèze, were planted in 1928, and they have produced one of the highlights of the range in 2016. Aromas of plum, cherry, forest floor and grilled meat are framed by a creamy application of new oak, introducing a full-bodied, concentrated wine with an excellent chassis of rich tannins and good depth at the core.Drinking Window 2024 – 2045.”
John Gilman 92 points “There was no frost damage at all in Cherbaudes and the 2016 from Domaine Fourrier was showing very well at the time of my visit, with a plush and transparent personality that augurs very well for its future development. The bouquet wafts from the glass in a fine blend of red plums, cherries, chocolate, mustard seed, a complex base of soil and cedar. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and sappy at the core, with lovely nascent complexity, ripe, seamless tannins and a long, vibrant and classy finish. The vineyard of Cherbaudes can sometimes be a bit sauvage in personality out of the blocks, but the inherent elegance of 2016 has ameliorated this character trait and the wine is already very elegant. 2027-2060.”
John Gilman 93 points “The 2016 Combes aux Moines from Jean-Marie Fourrier was also down by thirty percent in quantity, but is absolutely stellar in quality. The stunning nose soars from the glass in a mix of red and black cherries, grilled meats, raw cocoa, black minerality, woodsmoke and spicy new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and sappy at the core, with great purity and soil signature, ripe, perfectly integrated tannins, bright acids and fine focus and grip on the very, very long and very pure finish. This will take a couple more years in the cellar to come around than the Goulots, but it will be every bit as refined and elegant when it has reached its plateau of maturity. Superb juice. 2028-2065.”
Decanter 91 points “The Combe aux Moines was still quite heavily charged with CO2 when I tasted it, but this warm site has produced another sweet, open-knit wine which offers up aromas of ripe cherry, summer fruits and rose petal, and a rich, full-bodied, ample palate impression. This is just a little brief on the finish, which keeps the score down a touch. Drinking Window 2024-2040.”
Stephen Tanzer-Vinous 91-94 points “Good moderately saturated red. Deep, brooding aromas of black cherry, licorice and smoky minerality. As mineral-driven as the Goulots but with more size and breadth to its dark fruit and spice flavors. Sweet and seamless in the middle, spreading out horizontally to saturate the palate; lovely floral element. Finishes suave and very long, with fine-grained tannins; at once fully ripe and vibrant. This beauty will need at least a few years in bottle to reveal its full personality.”
Domaine Fourrier Les Goulots Vieilles Vignes, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru 2016 750ML ($299.95) $219 special
John Gilman 93 points “Normally we will taste Goulots ahead of Champeaux in the lineup chez Fourrier, but I am guessing that the idea was to show the two Gevrey premier crus that escaped frost damage first, followed by the crus higher up on the Combe de Lavaut, where yields were off by an average of thirty percent. Champeaux lies right below Goulots on the slope and the 2016 here is an outstanding wine in the making, delivering a fine nose of red and black cherries, dark chocolate, grilled meats, a lovely base of soil, a touch of fresh herbs, woodsmoke and spicy new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and very pure on the attack, with a sappy core, excellent soil signature, fine-grained tannins and a long, vibrant and nascently complex finish. A beautiful bottle in the making. 2028-2060.”
Stephen Tanzer-Vinous 91-93 points “Good bright-medium red. Tight, dark aromas of black fruits and licorice pastille lifted by a whiff of cranberry. Ripe and broad, but with terrific inner-mouth floral lift and a rocky pungency. Tannins are fully ripe and fine-grained. Offers a rather exhilarating–and uncommon–combination of cooler flavors and full phenolic ripeness. This wine comes from a very cool, east-facing site planted on rock, which had difficulty ripening its fruit prior to global warming. A tighter, more intellectual style than the Champeaux: Fourrier loves the Goulots with sushi, while he’d pair the Champeaux with a rib-eye steak.”
The Wonderful Mugneret-Gibourg
*That number was a good bit higher but the wines keep selling out. As you’d expect, quantities on individual bottlings are pretty limited.
Here are a few highlights but you can also click here to view the entire list of incoming Mugneret-Gibourg wines.
Arriving ETA November:
Only three bottles remaining
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Les Feusselottes, Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru 2009 750ML ($399.95) $299 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 92+ points “The 2009 Chambolle-Musigny Les Feusselottes is oddly enough much more typical of this wine than the 2010 tasted alongside it. The Feusselottes is quite closed, though. With time in the glass some of the red fruit and flowers begin to emerge, but the 2009 remains somewhat shut down. It shows lovely textural richness and depth all the way through to the layered, sexy finish.”
Only one bottle available
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Echezeaux Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2005 750ML ($699.95) $599 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer 92+ points “Bright deep red. Pungent spices, redcurrant and tobacco on the very ripe nose. Lush and sweet in the middle but with no excess weight. This really spreads out to saturate the palate, offering excellent depth of flavor. Finishes with big but ripe tannins that will require patience.”
Only one bottle available
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2002 750ML ($799.95) $699 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer 93 points “This was made solely from the estate’s old vines; the recently replanted portion of the Mugnerets’ holding will not go into this cuvee for at least a few more years): Medium red. Knockout nose combines red berries, smoke, game and red licorice. Silky-sweet and seductive, with lovely subtle intensity of flavor. Velvety but not at all weighty, in the manner of the best Burgundies. Finishes with superb building sweetness and wonderfully subtle, persistent soil tones.”
Only one bottle available
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2006 750ML ($419.95) $359 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer 93+ points “Bright, deep red. Lovely lift and medicinal reserve to the aromas of black cherry, smoke and minerals. Wonderfully vibrant in the mouth, with a penetrating minerality giving energy and perfume to the dark fruit flavors. Less floral than, say, the example from Anne Gros but dense, sappy and fine-grained. Finishes very long, with the tannins dusting the gums.”
AJ Adam
Star of the Hidden Mosel
In a virtually unknown side valley of the Mosel, just south of Piesport, are the steep, south-facing vineyard slopes of Dhron. Few of the younger generation have taken over for the aging winemakers here except for Andreas Adam. In 2000, after working for Heymann-Loewenstein, he began resurrecting his maternal grandfather’s estate in Dhron while still working in the cellar of other prestigious Mosel wineries. He took the leap to full time around the time he was ‘discovered’ by Terry Theise.
The terroir of the area produces wines more similar to Saar than Mosel: the steepness, high altitude and cooling mountain breezes help the wines retain vibrant acidity, and the age of his parcels adds to the concentration and finesse. Older vines are a rarity in Dhron since much of the land was reformed, re-terraced, and replanted in the 1970s, and Adam has vines dating back to the 1950s. In the winery, Adam hand sorts the grapes before they undergo natural yeast fermentation in stainless steel, fuder and halbfuder casks. He adds nothing to the fermenting wines. The result is wines of poise, energy and concentration: terroir-driven and supremely balanced.
Just Arrived
Weingut A.J. Adam Dhroner Riesling (Trocken), Mosel 2016 750ML ($34.95) $27 special
David Schildknecht – Vinous 91 points ““There isn’t much [village-level] Dhroner this year,” explains Adam, “because some of these vines were in bad shape” after trying to fight off peronospora incursions from neighbors’ parcels. As with this year’s generic bottling, residual sugar near the upper end of what is permitted for legal Trockenheit supports the succulent fruit while engendering no impression of outright sweetness; but an older age of vines and 50% share of cask make themselves felt here in greater richness and an almost creamy palate impression. Persian and muskmelons mingle with winter squash on the nose, reconvening for a luscious, subtly musky and earthy palate performance, but – again as in the corresponding Gutsriesling – an influx of citrus lends welcome brightness, guaranteeing that the buoyant, generously juicy finish delivers ample refreshment. Neither does this want for appropriately stony underpinnings or a saliva-liberating hint of salinity.”
Mosel Fine Wines 91 points “The 2016er Dhroner Trocken was harvested at 85° Oechsle from fruit in the Hofberg and was aged for equal parts in stainless steel and large oak cask. The wine delivers a superb nose of grapefruit, vineyard peach, ginger and white flowers. It proves both smooth and focused on the palate and leaves one with a great feel of minerals, citrusy fruits and a hint of slate in the great finish. This “simple” Village Riesling will give many GG a good run for their money: It is that good! While enjoyable now, this will still improve and gain in complexity with age. 2019-2031.”
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 92+ points “The 2016 Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Trocken displays a beautifully clear, elegant and complex bouquet of ripe, elegant fruit aromas intertwined with fine and flinty slate notes. Full-bodied, intense and long on the palate, this is an elegant, complex, silky textured dry Riesling with impressive fruit intensity and firm yet fine and persistent structure. A great Goldtröpfchen indeed. Tasted April 2018.”
Mosel Fine Wines 92+ points “This wine comes from un-grafted vines (planted in 1909) in the prime Laychen sector of the Goldtröpfchen vineyard. It offers a beautiful nose of passion fruit sorbet, spices and herbs. The wine proves gorgeously full-bodied without being over-powering on the palate (it “only” boasts 12.5% of alcohol). The feel on the palate is smooth, yet a good kick of acidity comes through in the juicy finish. This splendid effort has quite some upside potential if it maintains its great focus! 2021-2036.”
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2016 Dhroner Hofberg Riesling Kabinett shows an open, smoky, herbal-laced bouquet of ripe Riesling. Lush, piquant and terribly stimulating on the vital and crystalline palate, this is a gorgeous Kabinett bottled with 8% alcohol and lots of tension, grip and salty minerals that carry the wine into a long, dangerously stimulating finish. This is just beautiful and lovely to drink even today and surely over the next 20 to 25+ years. Tasted April 2018.”
Mosel Fine Wines 92+ points “The Dhroner Hofberg Kabinett was harvested at 83-84° Oechsle from 40 year-old vines. It offers a gorgeously inviting nose of grapefruit and other citrusy fruits. The wine is nicely crisp and intense on the palate and leaves a mouth-watering feel in the long and delicately Spätlese-styled finish. It is still slightly backward and will benefit from a little bit of aging before developing its full potential. There is quite some upside here if it manages to keep its current sense of focus. 2026-2041.”
Mosel Fine Wines 94+ points “This offers a gorgeous nose of cassis, earthy spices and slate. The wine is superbly balanced on the palate, with some acidity providing the right frame to a playful fruity feel. The finish is mouth-watering, intense, complex and elegant. The upside is immense if the airy side is preserved at maturity. This is a plain gorgeous Spätlese which lovers of Spätlese should buy by the bucket load! 2026-2041.”
David Schildknecht – Vinous 94 points “Picked at the end of October, the fruit for this Auslese weighed in between 92 and 94 Oechsle and was botrytis-free. “I left the grapes hanging in the uppermost terrace simply to try harvesting an Auslese from Häs’chen,” explained Adam. Very advanced ripeness is signaled in scents and flavors of peach, mango and muskmelon. The texture is creamy and lusciously juicy. The seductively lingering finish is prominently sweet, but that suits this wine’s sense of ripeness, and an influx of maritime salinity mouthwateringly cuts and complements that sweetness, while what seem to be site-typical suggestions of crushed stone and ash add intrigue. The sense of clarity and the abundance of mineral nuances are striking – and rare in an Auslese of such richness and near-overripeness.”
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2016 Dhroner Hofberg Riesling Spätlese is fascinatingly pure, fine and flinty on the nose, indicating lovely reduction and precision. Round, lush and piquant on the palate, this is an elegant, highly finessed and fruity Spätlese with grip, salt and tension. It’s a fabulous, highly stimulating Riesling, probably one of the finest Hofbergs I have had so far. Tasted April 2018.”
Mosel Fine Wines 92 points “The 2016er Auslese * was made from the second pressing of the Eiswein grapes harvested on November 30. This already golden-colored wine delivers a rather ripe and exotic nose of grapefruit, candied passion fruit and backed pineapple. It is nicely balanced on the palate and does not exhibit the usual “Eiswein bite” of such wines but proves more luscious in style. The acidity comes eventually through in the sweet and complex finish. 2023-2036.”
David Schildknecht – Vinous 91 points “This “one-star” Auslese represents the later fraction of pressing from the frozen grapes harvested on November 30. Papaya, peach and candied lemon peel on the nose set the tone for a silken-textured, tartly tingling palate. An influx of salinity provides welcome saliva-inducement in a rich yet bright, albeit relatively opaque finish. The sense of invigoration and grip here are highly impressive. And possibly it will clarify more with some time in bottle, though as with most Riesling crushed from frozen grapes, I would monitor this one’s evolution cautiously if I were planning to cellar any.”
Legends in the Making
Arriving ETA November:
Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, Rhone 2016 750ML ($89.95) $79 pre-arrival special
Jeb Dunnuck 95 points “Just sensational, and one of the best examples of this cuvée out there, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc boasts phenomenal notes of orange blossom, salty minerality, caramelized peach, and spice. Rich, full-bodied, unctuous and yet always pure and elegant, it’s one of the finest wines coming from this hallowed appellation.”
Josh Raynolds 94 points “Light brilliant yellow. A highly complex bouquet evokes ripe citrus and orchard fruits, white flowers and smoky minerals, and an exotic saffron nuance emerges as the wine opens up. Sappy and penetrating on the palate, offering concentrated Meyer lemon, pear nectar, candied ginger and toasted brioche flavors that become more lively on the back half. Distinctly powerful yet lithe as well, finishing with noteworthy energy and lingering floral and mineral flourishes.”
Wine Advocate 94 points “The family is a great believer in Roussanne as the white grape of the Southern Rhône, and the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc includes 80% of that variety. Waves of honeyed pineapple and tangerine sorbet flood the senses. This is really lush, yet it’s underscored by a briny sense of freshness that prolongs and lingers on the finish. It may be drunk young or aged several years.”
Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Rhone 2016 1.5L ($199.95) $179 pre-arrival special
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 97 points “Bottled only a week before my visit, I was blown away by how well Beaucastel’s 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape was showing. It’s full-bodied, creamy, lush and rich, with layers of raspberry fruit, garrigue and spice that unfold across a seamless palate. No doubt it will go through cycles of being open and closed throughout its lifespan, but it would be a mistake to simply order a case, put it into storage and forget about it without trying one first and swooning over the sheer lusciousness and youthful complexity.”
Wine Advocate 95-97 points “No surprise, the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape takes the quality of the Coudoulet and ratchets it up a notch (or two!). I tasted the preliminary blend from foudre and was blown away by its potential. At 35% Mourvèdre, 25% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 10% Counoise, 5% Cinsault and 10% other permitted varieties, it shows amazing purity in its scents of dark fruit and licorice, richness and weight without any excess of alcohol and a finish that goes on and on.”
The 2017’s are a testament to the current quality of the winery. They represent everything we love about Burgundy and are priced exceptionally well for wines of their tier. 2017 looks to be an outstanding, if small, vintage with very high quality across the board. These are exceptional wines and we’re pleased to offer them for the first time today.
Arriving ETA April 2019:
Whites:
Domaine Faiveley Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune 2017 750ML ($279.95) $229 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer 91-94 points “(I tasted this wine from a new barrel following the recent end of the malolactic fermentation; this wine, made from fruit picked at the end of the harvest, is also likely to be bottled last): Aromas of ripe peach, lemon-lime, menthol and spicy oak. Penetrating, dense and saline, offering concentrated spice and crushed stone notes as well as a trace of malic acidity. In spite of its thickness of texture, this dusty, classically dry wine is like chewing on a rock today. Finishes stony, virile and very long, with a powerful impression of extract and unflagging solidity.”
Stephen Tanzer 89-92 points “Pale, slightly green-tinged yellow. Captivating aromas of lemon zest, lemon drop and lavender. Very rich and concentrated, with ripe stone fruit and lemon drop flavors complicated by savory minerality. Tactile, spicy and light on its feet, but not as silky or deep as some of the other cru bottlings at this address. Finishes with a hint of raw pineapple and a menthol edge. Faiveley doesn’t own this plot but does all the work in the vines; still, the yield here was in the range of 50 to 52 hectoliters per hectare, vs. around 40 in most of the estate holdings in 2017.”
Stephen Tanzer 91-93 points “Pale bright yellow. Captivating nose combines lemon drop, underripe pineapple, dusty stone, white pepper, flowers and mint. Tightly wound and extremely backward, more salty than sweet. Quite minerally and precise owing to its cool, high site. This crisp, intense wine finishes very long and alive, with pungent crushed stone. Almost 2014-like in its coolness, density and savory minerality.”
Stephen Tanzer 90-92 points “Pale, bright, green-tinged yellow. Reticent but pure fruit-dominated aromas of peach and underripe pineapple. Smooth on entry, then salty and dense but light on its feet, showing the focus of a Puligny more than the comparatively easygoing fruit of Meursault. Nicely concentrated but not a bit heavy. This saline, uncompromisingly dry wine shows little in the way of easy sweetness, finishing with a resounding pineapple note and serious grip.”
Domaine Faiveley Les Cazetiers, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru 2017 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special