Durand: A Northern Rhone Secret
Darnaud 24 Hour Subscriber Flash Sale
Three (Favorite) New Rosé Arrivals!
One of the Finest In Germany: The Multitudes of Molitor
Terre Nerre’s Benchmark Etna Wines
Trending Wines
May Sale Recap
The Great Scott Paul Selloff
Durand: A Northern Rhone Secret
Stylistically, these wines are right in the pocket, so to speak. It’s hard to find Northern Rhone wines that combine soul and polish—it seems as if most of the new wines we taste are either hyper glossy or very rustic. To hit that sweet spot, where your wines speak very loudly of place but are elegant, drinkable and age-worthy—that’s special indeed. To make those sorts of wines at the prices that the Durands charge seems almost unthinkable. You owe it to yourself to check these out and drink these up before they become yet another casualty of rising Northern Rhone demand.
“Consistently brilliant wines emerge from Domaine Durand, which is run with incredible talent and passion by Eric and Joël Durand. Located in the tiny village of Châteaubourg, they pull from roughly 22 hectares of vines, 8.5 hectares in Saint Joseph, 9.5 hectares in Cornas and tiny amounts in Saint-Péray and Vin de Pays. The brothers took over the estate in 1991, and while the winemaking is relatively modern, these are classic, pure, beautifully made wines that speak clearly to their region and terroir.“ –Jeb Dunnuck
Newly Arrived:
Domaine Eric et Joel Durand ‘Caprice’ Viognier, IGP Collines Rhodaniennes 2016 750ML ($21.95) $16 special
Wine Advocate 90 points “The 2016 Vin de Pays Collines Rhodaniennes Caprice Viognier was harvested in October, two weeks after the family’s red wines. It offers plenty of Viognier character in its floral and apricot-like aromas, plump and succulent palate feel, and trace of bitterness on the finish.”
Jeb Dunnuck 90 points “The only white, the 2017 Saint-Péray from the Durand team is outstanding stuff, offering a light gold color, perfumed tropical fruits, peach, and mint, medium body, and a fresh, focused style on the palate. This beauty has some obvious salinity and minerality on the finish and will drink nicely for 2-4 years.”
Case-6 Domaine Eric et Joel Durand Cornas Premices, Rhone 2016 750ML ($219.95) $179 special (that’s only $29.83/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Wine Advocate 94 points “Warm fig, blackberry and black currant fruit gives this a decidedly dark profile, while licorice root, dark olive and bay leaf notes score the finish. A tarry edge adds grip and length. Shows range and depth, and begs for cellaring. Best from 2021 through 2035.”
Domaine Eric et Joel Durand Cornas Empreintes, Rhone 2016 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Domaine Eric et Joel Durand Cornas Empreintes, Rhone 2016 1.5L ($99.95) $79 special
Wine Spectator 95 points “Ripe and focused, with mouthwatering acidity driving the core of steeped red currant, raspberry and blackberry fruit along. A bright iron note zings through the finish, pulling in light anise, savory and sanguine hints. Best from 2020 through 2035.”
Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2016 Cornas Empreintes features hints of cedar, brown sugar and dried spices layered over its plummy fruit (it was aged in 20% new oak, with the bulk in older wood). Full-bodied, supple and ripe, it’s charming but with more stuffing than that word suggests, showing ample concentration and soft, dusty tannins on the long finish. It’s a terrific Cornas to drink over the next 10-12 years.”-JC
Jeb Dunnuck 95 points “Deep purple-colored, the 2016 Cornas Empreintes is a smoking good effort. Blackberries, plums, cured meats, pepper, and earthy notes all flow from this rounded, sexy, powerful Cornas that has beautiful mid-palate depth and density as well as a great finish. Drink this smoking good 2016 any time over the coming decade.”
Domaine Eric et Joel Durand Cornas Confidence, Rhone 2016 750ML ($59.94) $49 special
Wine Spectator 95 points “Nicely put together, with a gorgeous core of raspberry, cassis and bitter plum fruit that has melded seamlessly with fresh bay leaf, olive, violet and alder notes. The long finish reveals a buried iron hint while the fruit sails through. Best from 2020 through 2035.”
Jeb Dunnuck 95+ points “The 2016 Cornas Confidence is the flagship cuvée of the estate and comes from the La Côte and Tézier lieux-dits in Cornas, both of which are shallow, granitic parcels. It’s slightly tighter and more focused compared to the sexier Empreintes and has more cassis and blackberry fruits as well as lots of cedarwood, ground pepper, and earth-like aromatics. This full-bodied, concentrated 2016 has beautiful purity, a ripe, layered texture, and building tannins. It’s a serious 2016 to drink over the coming 10-15 years.”
Hot Deals on a Hot Value From the Northern Rhone
A passionate advocate for terroir-specific wines, Emmanuel Darnaud has been crafting robust reds from individual parcels in the northern Rhone since 2001. His six parcels are spread over 15 hectares, where the grapes are hand harvested. Each is vinified separately with differing oak aging and maturation practices depending upon the wine. No matter which bottling, though, he manages to bring the best of the site to the wine.
The 2016 versions are a worthy follow up to their breakthrough 2015’s. From the low to the (relatively) high end, these are wines that over deliver at each price point. Crozes often offers a good deal of value, but, as we found out last year, Darnaud is something unique. The values are already there at our normal (great) prices, but with 10% off, they’re that much better (at least until Wednesday at midnight)
We Will Manually Adjust Prices Before Finalizing Your Order
Subscriber Special Pricing Expires Wednesday (5/15)at Midnight, PT
In Stock Now:
Emmanuel Darnaud Saint Joseph La Dardouille, Rhone 2016 750ML ($49.95) Was $39, Now $35.10 Subscriber Special
Emmanuel Darnaud Saint Joseph La Dardouille, Rhone 2016 1.5L ($99.95) Was $89, Now $80.10 Subscriber Special
Jeb Dunnuck 94 points “The 2016 Saint Joseph Lieu Dit La Dardouille comes from a fabulous terroir (Jean-Louis Chave also works with this vineyard) and was brought up a mix of once- and twice-used demi-muids and barrels. It offers ripe, sexy notes of crème de cassis, violets, and graphite, with subtle new oak covered by beautifully pure fruit. With medium to full-bodied richness and depth, sweet tannins, and a great finish, it’s a gem of a Saint Joseph that will be better with 2-3 years of bottle age and cruise for a decade. Hats off to the young Emmanuel Darnaud for another beautiful wine.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 93 points “(no stems; raised in a combination of one- to three-year-old barriques and demi-muids) Brilliant violet. Potent, mineral-accented black and blue fruit, spicecake and floral pastille aromas show outstanding clarity and pick up a smoky mineral nuance with air. Juicy and focused on the palate, offering vibrant bitter cherry, blueberry and star anise flavors that deepen and spread out steadily on the back half. Finishes floral, sweet and impressively long, displaying repeating spiciness and well-knit tannins.”
Now it’s even lower!
Grapelive 92 points “One of the Northern Rhone’s best kept secrets and producer of some of finest values in the region, Domaine Emmanuel Darnaud crafts some excellent Syrah(s) from his tiny set of parcels in the Crozes-Hermitage area. He started his domaine in 2001 with just postage stamp (sized block) of vines but worked his way up to a more serious set of vineyards. [They are] all on the southern side of Crozes-Hermitage set on the zone’s glacial alluviums of mostly smooth pebbles. His painstaking work in the vineyard yields amazing results. How he can sell this beautiful and authentic wine at under $20 is one of the great and most pleasurable mysteries in the world of Syrah! The 2016 is utterly delicious with an earthy intensity that starts with porcini/truffle and gamey Crozes purity before opening to beautiful violets and blueberry notes. Darnaud’s Crozes Mise en Bouche is a fine example of time and place, yummy from start to finish adding bright peppery spice, a touch of anise, dried herbs and damson plum as well as mineral notes and a touch of kirsch. Lighter in frame than some, there’s no whimpiness, but rustic layers of classic Northern Rhone Syrah at its best. Fermented in concrete vats and rested in small barrels, this 100% Syrah, 100% de-stemmed cuvee [is one that] you’d never guess it had one third new oak such is the refinement and quality of fruit found here. This is a vintage to buy as much as you can. It drinks lovely now, and should easily go for a decade too! Search this one out; it’s a winner, and a no brainer for the price!”
Jeb Dunnuck 90-92 points “The 2016 Crozes-Hermitage Mise En Bouche comes from the southern parts of the appellation and is aging in a mix of tank, used barrels and foudre. It offers terrific red and black fruits, spice, tapenade and peppery herb aromatics, medium to full-bodied richness, moderate tannin and a great finish. It’s a hidden little gem in the vintage.”
Now it’s even lower!
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 92 points “(made from destemmed fruit and raised in one-third new oak barriques and demi-muids) Deep bright-rimmed ruby. Smoke-accented black and blue fruits, mocha and a hint of olive paste on the perfumed nose. Silky, sweet and open-knit, offering energetic blackberry, cola and vanilla flavors that are energized by a vein of juicy acidity. Shows the energy of the vintage and finishes long and silky, with even tannins building slowly and adding shape and subtle grip.”
Jeb Dunnuck 92 points “The 2016 Crozes Hermitage Les Trois Chênes comes from alluvial and pebbly soils and was mostly destemmed and brought up in demi-muids and tanks. Similarly colored, with lots of blackberry, spice, peppery herbs, and hints of incense, this beauty hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a rounded, layered texture, sweet tannins, and a great finish. It’s very much in the charming, forward style of the vintage and ideal for drinking over the coming 5-7 years (I suspect it will keep even longer).”
Now it’s even lower!
Emmanuel Darnaud Crozes-Hermitage Au Fil du Temps, Rhone 2016 1.5L ($99.95) Was $89, Now $80.10 Subscriber Special
Jeb Dunnuck 93 points “The 2016 Crozes Hermitage Au Fil Du Temps comes from the alluvial soils in the southern part of the appellation and was brought up in 50% French oak. Sporting a saturated purple color, it offers impressive notes of crème de cassis, black raspberries, crushed pepper, and ample floral and incense notes. With medium to full body, solid elegance and balance, and moderate tannins, you can drink it today or cellar bottles for 7-8 years.”
Wine Spectator 92 points ” A soft, fleshy, generous style, with dark tea, mulled blackberry and plum fruit and warmed anise notes. Offers a velvety feel through the finish. Will have lots of fans. Drink now through 2021. 257 cases made.”
Winery note “Nose: Delicate and subtle. Aromas of blackberry and licorice stick. An impression of wet stones. Mouth: The entry shows a great freshness. The tannins are velvety and offer a voluminous and racy mid-palate. This wine offers great harmony and will need a few years to reveal its full potential.”
Now it’s even lower!
We Will Manually Adjust Prices Before Finalizing Your Order
Subscriber Special Pricing Expires Wednesday (5/15) at Midnight, PT
In Stock Now:
Domaine Saint Damien Gigondas Rose, Rhone 2018 750ML ($27.95) $24 special
Importer Note “While his rosé is typically dominated by Grenache, the 2018 version is primarily Cinsault, with a splash of Syrah and a negligent amount of Grenache—the hardest-hit variety [by mildew, and therefore not used] by far. Even with its unorthodox encépagement, however, the 2018 Ventoux Rosé Epicure displays nice clarity of flavor and lift, with notes of juicy strawberries and pert acidity buoyed by a classic southern Rhône sense of richness. It manages to be substantial in its carriage without coming across as heavy, and one senses Luc’s commitment to spontaneous fermentation in the wine’s core of vinosity. If only there were more to go around!”
Importer Note “Indeed, the 2018 Sancerre Rosé—clocking in just shy of 14%–is deeper in color than usual, as well as more vinous and commanding on the palate. Pure Pinot Noir produced solely from direct-press juice and aged on its lees in stainless steel, this ’18 manages to carry its weight very well, with ultra-bracing acidity and a sense of lift on the nearly viscous palate. While this wine often drinks much like Crochet’s epic whites—steely and mineral, with enormous cut—one feels the Pinot Noir a bit more in this vintage, but it is ultimately a very interesting and delicious rosé”
The average price nationally is $31
The Multitudes of Molitor
By any standard, Molitor is considered to be one of the finest winemakers in Germany. His wines earn critical praise and have near-cult status in his homeland and so we stock up whenever we can get any. Right now there are 49 different Molitor bottlings in stock, right now, at the shop (that’s not an estimate—there are literally 49 different Molitor wines in the store right now). They range from his bone-dry white-capsule (WK) wines to the charmingly feinherb (barely off-dry) green caps to the stupendous, dramatic off-dry/sweet bottlings indicated by gold caps (GK). Each one is a small work of genius and perfect for your table and/or cellar. We’ve included some highlights below, but you can see all of the wines in our web store by clicking here.
Some Highlights, In Stock Now:
Markus Molitor Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese** Trocken, Mosel 2016 750ML ($59.95) $51.90 special
Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2016 Riesling Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese ** (White Capsule) has a clear and flinty-scented bouquet of great elegance. With ripe stone fruit aromas on the nose and a very delicate flinty character, this is a beautifully lush and elegant Auslese with enormous complexity, length and mineral tension. It’s crystalline and powerful yet always balanced, and the acidity is absolutely delicate and intertwines with finely grained tannins. The finish is dense and persistent. The wine was fermented and aged in a single 2,000-liter barrel. Bottled at the end of September 2017; tasted March 2018.”
David Schildknecht-Vinous 94 points “Rowan, heliotrope and apple blossom introduce a performance of flattering creaminess and luscious appley fruitiness perfectly complemented by persistently wafting floral perfume and undertones of almond paste and vanilla. There is a strikingly custardy combination of creaminess and density midpalate. Yet, for all of its soothing richness, this beauty finishes with an unexpectedly and impressively decisive note of wet stone as well as infectious, refreshing primary juiciness.”
Markus Molitor Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese** Trocken, Mosel 2016 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Wine Advocate 98 points “The 2016 Riesling Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Auslese ** (White Capsule) is a different style of Mosel Riesling compared to the other 2016 Auslesen. Fermented in different oak vats, from barrique size to 3,000-liter vats (including one big Stockinger vat that was new), this is clear, ripe and complex on the nose, with toasty as well as smoky-mineral notes framing the perfectly ripe and elegant stone fruit aromas. Full-bodied, round and complex, with gorgeous sweetness and mind-blowing silkiness and balance, this is a rich yet fine, elegant, highly complex and persistent Auslese from Markus’s most important single vineyard. The 2016 is concentrated yet very clear and elegant, revealing very fine tannins and a very long, complex finish. It already drinks with great wonder, and this wine will even gain more complexity though it’s already hard to resist.”
Stuart Pigott-jamessuckling.com 95 points “Still a bit funky from the wild ferment. The power and delicacy are almost exactly matched here, and they are beautifully complemented by notes of nectarines and Mandarin oranges. The finish is long and very graceful. Better from 2019 and decades of aging potential ahead of it.”
Markus Molitor Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spatlese Feinherb, Mosel 2016 750ML ($31.95) $26 special
Wine Advocate 93 points “Molitor’s 2016 Riesling Bernkasteler Badstube Spätlese (Green Capsule) is ripe, intense and still yeasty on the deep and complex nose (bottled in July 2017). The wine is piquant, pure and lush on the palate, with remarkable finesse and mineral tension providing this elegant, refreshing, straightforward Spätlese a pretty dry and food-friendly style. There is beautiful grip and mineral tension in the aftertaste.”
Stuart Pigott-jamessuckling.com 93 points “Fine peachy fruit and delicate herbal notes. There is a great balance of fruit and freshness here. An earthy note at the long finish that makes this wine very distinctive. Drink or hold.”
Markus Molitor Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Spatlese GoldKap, Mosel 2016 750ML ($34.95) $27 special
David Schildknecht-Vinous 93 points “An effusively fruity nose featuring ripe pear, Persian melon and lychee sets the themes for a creamy, luscious, unabashedly sweet midpalate performance. Cinnamon and nutmeg accents add to the allure of a finish that is at once soothing and stimulating and displays admirable and unexpected transparency to stony and liquidly floral nuances.”
Wine Advocate 93 points “Molitor’s 2016 Riesling Zeltinger Schlossberg Spätlese is super pure and intense on the opulent, alluringly refined and slatey nose. Light, lush and voluptuous, this is an incredibly sappy and refined Spätlese with great elegance, finesse and mouthwatering salinity. This 2016 is almost weightless on the palate and terribly precise! A gorgeous Spätlese from a vineyard that will become more and more important for Molitor in the coming years. He just added another three hectares of this grand cru to his portfolio… Bottled in June 2017 with 7.5% alcohol. AP #2/17. Tasted in March 2018.”
Markus Molitor Kinheimer Hubertuslay Riesling Auslese***, Mosel 2016 750ML ($99.95) $89 special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 98 points “Tasted again in May 2018 along with the corresponding Graacher Himmelreich Auslese *** the 2016 Riesling Kinheimer Hubertuslay Auslese *** (Golden Capsule) opens with a very clear and floral flavored bouquet intertwined with finest flinty aromas and a generous ripeness but also precision. Fascinating! The palate is generously sweet but elegant, highly finessed and almost weightless in its perfect balance. This fruit is irresistible! Perfectly ripe and healthy raisins, finest Riesling berries from a fastidious selection process. The finish is so incredibly delicious that it is almost impossible to share a bottle: You will most probably have emptied the bottle on your own before you will have realised that your counterpart likes second glass as well. This is so filigreed and utterly balanced that it’s nothing but a gorgeous drinking experience. Ripe pears in the aftertaste.”
Wine Advocate 98 points “The 2016 Riesling Kinheimer Hubertuslay Auslese *** (Golden Capsule) is deep, pure and flinty on the precise and refreshingly mineral nose and intertwined with some very delicate citrus notes. On the palate, this is a lush and juicy, beautifully piquant and creamy textured yet very fine Auslese with tropical fruit flavors and delicate acidity that balances the sensual sweetness very well. There is remarkable structure and grip in this wine that indicates great aging potential. I’d keep this wine for another 6 to 10 years so that the tension-giving grip has time enough to melt completely with the lush fruit. Bottled in December 2017; tasted March 2018.”
Stuart Pigott-jamessuckling.com 97 points “What brilliance, minerality and purity of flavor! And this comes from what is normally considered a “lesser” site! The balance is nearly perfect too. The finish is super bright. It has a ton of aging potential but it tastes beautiful now.”
Want to see all 49 different Molitor bottlings in stock now? Just click to view them all in our web store.
Terre Nerre’s Benchmark Etna Wines
Marc de Grazia started the Terre Nere winery in 2002 from 30 hectares of vineyards divided in 10 parcels over four crus. The vines are between 50 to 100 years old except for 6 hectares of recently planted vines and several self-rooted plots over 130 years old that are famous for surviving phylloxera. The red wines are 100% Nerello Mascalese, a variety known for producing wines of great elegance. The whites are based on Carricante a grape that gives mineral, piercing wines.
As for the individual wines…The soil in the Calderara Sottana cru is covered in large black volcanic pumice and is the stoniest cru, producing wines with floral, spice and leather aromas. The two vineyards composing the Guardiola cru stand at the highest elevation on Mount Etna, and are quite possibly the highest in Europe. Incredibly steep and terraced, is poor soil composed of volcanic sand, basalt and ash. The resulting wine is lean and elegant with the most pronounced minerality. Santo Spirito is adjacent to Guardiola but with black volcanic ash soil, yielding more fruit and texture. The Etna Rosso Prephylloxera “La Vigna di Don Pepino” is named for the grape grower who worked the parcel for over 70 years. Grazia believes the vineyard survived and thrived only through Don Pepino’s meticulous care.
These wines are hard evidence that native, often overlooked, grapes can produce wines of real profundity on par with anything made from “classic” or “noble” variety. They belong in the hearts and stomachs of anyone who loves Italian wine.
Just Arrived:
Tenuta delle Terre Nere Prephylloxera Rosso Etna, Sicily 2016 750ML ($119.95) $99 special
Wine Spectator 95 points “This seamless red effortlessly layers silky, sculpted tannins and lightly mouthwatering acidity with an array of ripe black cherry, graphite, ground cardamom, dried fig and sweet, lightly floral almond blossom notes. Long and lingering, with a racy hint of spicy mineral echoing on the finish. Drink now through 2030. 600 cases made, 250 cases imported.”
Wine Advocate 96 points “This is Tenuta delle Terre Nere’s top-shelf expression (with only 6,000 bottles produced). The 2016 Etna Rosso Calderara Sottana Prephylloxera le Vigne di Don Peppino shows the power and the might of Etna viticulture with the delicate grace and elegance that identifies these unique wines. This expression is expansive and generous—but in an unexpected way. The palate is streamlined and focused, yet those fine nuances of wild berry, spice, ash and rose are wide-ranging and very long in persistence.”
Tenuta delle Terre Nere ‘San Lorenzo’ Etna Rosso, Sicily 2016 750ML ($89.95) $79 special
Wine Spectator 95 points “Ripe black cherry and raspberry fruit meets tarry mineral and accents of licorice, spiced orange peel and herb in this chewy, medium-bodied red. The bold flavor and structure are deftly knit into a graceful and harmonious package, with the spice and mineral character lingering on the finish. Best from 2020 through 2030. 750 cases made, 300 cases imported.”
Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2016 Etna Rosso San Lorenzo is one of three Grande Terroir Ellittico wines (designated as such by the winery). This is a beautifully shaped expression of 98% Nerello Mascalese with 2% Nerello Cappuccio from ancient vines planted in soils made of compressed volcanic ash and light pumice stones. The bouquet offers mild primary fruit with lots of mineral intensity with wild herbs, rose hip and rosemary essence. The wine has the delicate nature of a Pinot Noir with the unmistakable flavor profile of the Southern Mediterranean. Dusty mineral notes and tannins make for a very dry finish. Some 10,000 bottles were made.”
Tenuta delle Terre Nere ‘Feudo di Mezzo’ Etna Rosso, Sicily 2016 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Wine Spectator 94 points “Beautifully fragrant, this exudes notes of lavender and thyme, with Turkish spice hints accenting the flavors of macerated cherry and raspberry fruit that swath the firm frame of dense, fine tannins. Tightly meshed and focused, with additional spice and herb notes on the long, minerally finish. A graceful stallion of a wine. Best from 2020 through 2030. 500 cases made, 200 cases imported.”
Wine Advocate 92 points “This wine is slightly savory and balsamic in character. The 2016 Etna Rosso Feudo di Mezzo Il Quadro Delle Rose (98% Nerello Mascalese and 2% Nerello Cappuccio) opens to tangy notes of medicinal herb and eucalyptus essence with dark berry fruit, plum and black currant. Like the many other wines from this vintage, the wine is accessible and immediate, making it a good choice for those who can’t wait to pop the cork as well as those who do have the patience to wait (5 years or more). The mouthfeel is thin and compact. Some 7,000 bottles were made.”
Wine Spectator 94 points “Beautifully fragrant, this exudes notes of lavender and thyme, with Turkish spice hints accenting the flavors of macerated cherry and raspberry fruit that swath the firm frame of dense, fine tannins. Tightly meshed and focused, with additional spice and herb notes on the long, minerally finish. A graceful stallion of a wine. Best from 2020 through 2030. 500 cases made, 200 cases imported.”
Wine Advocate 92 points “This wine is slightly savory and balsamic in character. The 2016 Etna Rosso Feudo di Mezzo Il Quadro Delle Rose (98% Nerello Mascalese and 2% Nerello Cappuccio) opens to tangy notes of medicinal herb and eucalyptus essence with dark berry fruit, plum and black currant. Like the many other wines from this vintage, the wine is accessible and immediate, making it a good choice for those who can’t wait to pop the cork as well as those who do have the patience to wait (5 years or more). The mouthfeel is thin and compact. Some 7,000 bottles were made.”
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2017 Etna Bianco Calderara Sottana is identified as Cuvée delle Vigne Niche on my technical sheet, although I do not see that single-vineyard designation identified on the bottle label. This is a beautiful white wine with lasting aromas of citrus, passion fruit and crushed mineral. This compact white wine hits the palate with sharp and linear focus. That tightness you get at this young stage should evolve and flesh out over the next 5 years of bottle aging. This wine is fermented in stainless steel at low temperatures and it completes malolactic fermentation before going into large oak casks for ten months. Some 9,000 bottles were made.”
Wine Spectator 91 points “Aromatic hints of beeswax and chamomile accent the flavors of poached nectarine, green almond, kumquat and spice in this well-knit, medium-bodied white. Balanced, with a subtle juiciness throughout and a minerally finish. Drink now through 2027. 500 cases made, 175 cases imported.”
Wine Advocate 92 points “Compared to the Carricante from the Calderara Sottana cru, the 2017 Etna Bianco Santo Spirito (Cuvée delle Vigne Niche) is more mineral-driven in my opinion (by a small margin). Both wines were vinified and aged in the exact same way, so the very subtle differences you taste between the two are wholly territory-driven. The bouquet is crystalline and direct with briny sea aromas, summer peach and sun-dried lemon zest. Some 5,000 bottles were made.”
Tenuta delle Terre Nere Rosso Etna, Sicily 2016 750ML ($26.95) $19.75 special
Wine Enthusiast 93 points
James Suckling 92 points “Extremely floral on the nose with lemon-leaf and dried-flower notes that highlight the fruit. Full-bodied, firm and silky with a beautiful finish. Drink now or hold.”
Xavier Vignon Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Anonyme, Rhone 2015 750ML ($69.95) $49 special
Jeb Dunnuck – Rhone Report 96 points “The inky colored 2015 Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Anonyme is a serious winner in the vintage. A blend of 60% Grenache, 25% Mourvedre and the rest counoise, Vaccarese and Muscardin, it offers a huge nose of blackberry jam, garrigue, crushed violets, and incense. Ripe, unctuous and opulent, yet not over the top, it reminds me of the Trois Source cuvee from Vieille Julienne. This is a smoking good release that will benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and shine of over a decade.”
Wine Advocate 94 points “Xavier Vignon is one of the Rhône’s leading winemaking consultants, and so it’s no surprise he had access to some great fruit for his 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Anonyme. Tellingly, the blend entirely omits Syrah, containing 60% Grenache, 25% Mourvèdre, 8% Counoise, 4% Vaccarèse and 3% Muscardin. Floral notes and ripe cherries appear along licorice and vanilla (one-fourth of the wine was matured in new barriques), yet this is no drink-now version of CdP. This full-bodied wine boasts broad shoulders, a plush, creamy center and a muscular finish loaded with ripe tannins and spice. Give it a few years to mellow, and drink it over the next 15.”
Just re-arrived and selling fast!
Freemark Abbey Chardonnay, Napa Valley 2017 750ML ($29.95) $24 special
Wine Advocate 94+ points “The 2017 Chardonnay (no malolactic fermentation) offers notes of fresh pineapple, honeydew melon and lemon tart with touches of allspice, shaved almonds and lanolin. Medium to full-bodied, the fruit hits the palate with amazing freshness and vivacity, sporting loads of citrus and spice notions and finishing long.”
Beautiful, bright and dry Pinot Blanc.
Selbach-Oster Pinot Blanc Dry, Mosel 2016 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special
David Schildknecht – Vinous 89 points “This bottling now encompasses some vines in Wehlener Klosterberg (epicenter of Markus Molitor’s memorable Pinot Blancs) as well as those long established by the Selbachs in Zeltinger Himmelreich. It’s raised largely in tank, supplemented by fuder. Apple blossom, corn shoot and smoky hints of toasted nuts combine for a pungent nose, which segues into a palate Pinot Blanc-typical in its delightful combination of textural creaminess and fresh apple juiciness. Due to hail in the parcel of Himmelreich where most of this was grown, the Selbachs ended up picking it in two tranches to compensate for late ripening of secondary buds. The upshot is 12.5% alcohol yet a welcome sense of buoyancy, and a tension of richness and tartness that is pleasantly stimulating on the seriously sustained finish.”
Terry Theise note “This is being used by a restaurant group (with impeccable taste!) and for a while Johannes was worried we’d gobble up the supply and leave the group gasping and flopping on the beach. Nah, I’m only a little greedy. The ’16 is a beauty, toasty and mineral, a super vintage for a wine with some qui behind it. It’s steep-slope grown and made in discreet wood, so you get “recognizable” PB flavor but with the mineral energy of slate. There’s a long finish of really clean shrimp-stock, and the salty mid palate suggests just-caught monkfish.”
Cameron Winery ‘Ribbon Ridge’ Pinot Noir, Oregon 2017 750ML ($27.95) $24 special
Case-12 Cameron Winery ‘Ribbon Ridge’ Pinot Noir, Oregon 2017 750ML ($299.95) $259 special
Antinori Villa Antinori Riserva, Chianti Classico DOCG 2012 750ML ($31.95) $21.90 special
Wine & Spirits 90 points “Flavors of strawberry and black cherry mingle with notes of grilled herbs and black spices in this soft, rounded red, a wine with wide appeal.”
Agathe Bursin Riesling Dirstelberg, Alsace 2017 750ML ($29.95) $24 special
Ian D’agata – Vinous 91 points “Bright straw-yellow. Aromas of peach, orange oil and white pepper. Supple, dense and broad, showing attractive spicy lift to the ripe flavors of soft citrus fruits, apple and pear. Densely packed, displaying nicely persistent soft citrus high tones and a hint of creamy sweetness that is more obvious than the low 4 g/L r.s. implies. Made from 65-year-old vines that are a different massal selection of Riesling than that planted in the Bollenberg.”
Hidalgo Tradicion H Rioja Reserva 2012 750ML ($21.95) $16.60 special
Wine Enthusiast 93 points “Cellar Selection. Heady aromas of malted milk ball, ripe berry fruits and tobacco are warm and welcoming. Hailing from a warm year, this feels full but playful, with tannins that are only mildly scratchy. Flavors of vanilla, tobacco, butter, herb and dried berry fruit are textbook for Rioja gran reserva, while this takes a while to fully unfold on the finish. Drink through 2035.”
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Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Crau, Rhone 2015 750ML ($79.95) Was $69, Now $59 May Sale Special
Wine Spectator 95 points “This has a lovely, perfumy mix of savory, mint, tobacco, blood orange, cherry and bergamot notes, with finely beaded acidity and silky but ample structure. Long, mineral- and shiso leaf-infused finish. Best from 2020 through 2035.”JM
Wine Advocate 94 points “The flagship wine, the 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape, is a blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre, 15% Syrah and 5% other permitted varieties. It features delicate floral scents and ample cherry and licorice aromas. Somehow, it manages to be full-bodied and almost creamy in texture but without much weight, then it ends powerfully, with a flourish of rich Mexican chocolate on the long, silky finish. It should drink well for up to 20 years.”
The average listed price is $81
James Suckling 95 points “10 hectares of elevated Châteauneuf-du-Pape, this is an hommage to grenache with just a hatful of mourvèdre. Ripe raspberry and red plum pastry aromas. Super silky, plush and layered. Extremely impressive. Shows fluidity and balance, density and lightness. 50% stalks (crushed).”
The average listed price is $53
Wine Spectator 95 points “($48) Loads of chalky grip keeps this wrapped up tight, but the core of steeped plum, fig and blackberry fruit is brimming with energy, while bay leaf, licorice root and charcoal notes chomp at the bit on the finish. Cellaring will rein this in. Best from 2021 through 2035. 700 cases made.”
Wine Advocate 94 points “Produced from 30-year-old vines and aged in 20% new oak, the 2015 Cornas Empreintes features classic Cornas notes of crushed stone, bloody meat and red plums. It’s full-bodied, rich and packed with fruit and tannin but supple at the same time. It’s mouth-filling and round, then finishes long, dry and mouthwatering.”
Jeb Dunnuck 93+ points “The 2015 Cornas Empreintes is unique in the lineup as it comes 30% from more limestone soils. It’s 75% destemmed and aged in 20% new French oak. It’s more elegant and focused than the opulent Premices and gives up lots of blackberry and cassis fruits, leather, crushed rock and pepper aromatics. Deep, rich, beautifully concentrated and pure, it needs short-term cellaring but is a brilliant wine that’s going to impress for 10-15 years.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 93 points “Opaque ruby. Spice-accented dark fruit, violet and olive scents, along with suggestions of smoky bacon and cracked pepper. Sweet and expansive on the palate, offering densely packed cassis, blueberry and spicecake flavors that become livelier as the wine opens up. Rich yet energetic in style, showing excellent delineation and dark fruit thrust on a very long, smooth finish framed by velvety tannins.”
The next best price is $44.94
Wine Spectator 93 points “Offers a ripe, dark profile, with a core of steeped blackberry and plum fruit that picks up bay, white pepper and iron accents through the finish. Shows solid depth and fruit for the vintage, displaying excellent energy. Best from 2018 through 2029. 1,500 cases made.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 92 points “Bright violet. Vibrant and focused on the nose, displaying intense blue fruit, olive and cracked pepper scents and a hint of cola. Appealingly sweet and penetrating on the palate, offering juicy boysenberry and cola flavors and a touch of allspice. Supple tannins build steadily on the clinging finish, which features rounded tannins and a hint of candied flowers. ”
Wine Advocate 91 points “The 2016 Saint Joseph Les Coteaux looks as good from bottle as it did from tank last year. Richly concentrated and velvety, this medium to full-bodied beauty features savory notes of black olive, allspice and clove, backed by supple tannins and a long finish.”-JC
The average listed price is $26
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Some Highlights:
Scott Paul ‘Azana’ Pinot Noir, Chehalem Mountains 2013 750ML ($59.95) $24 special
Case-12 Scott Paul ‘Azana’ Pinot Noir, Chehalem Mountains 2013 750ML ($299.95) $249 special (that’s only $20.75/bottle!)
Josh Raynolds 92 points “Brilliant red. Fresh red berries, cherry compote and a hint of blood orange on the highly perfumed nose and in the mouth. Juicy and lithe in character, with no rough edges; a suave floral pastille nuance emerges on the back half. Shows excellent clarity and spicy cut on the finish, which hangs on with strong, floral tenacity.”
Case-12 Scott Paul D122 Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2014 750ML ($299.95) $249 special
Winery note “$60. Intensely violet in color. The brooding nose is balanced between notes of strawberry jam, cranberries and dried herbs. The salinity on the palate gives way to a big, lush, long silkiness on the palate. Harvest 2014 was an Oregon winemaker’s dream vintage: almost too magical and perfect to be true. The warmer-than-normal start to the growing season persisted through the fall and ultimately led to an early harvest throughout the Willamette Valley. We began picking on September 18th at Nysa Vineyard and wrapped up on September 26th at Maresh vineyard. Thanks to the warm and dry fall, we had the luxury of picking our fruit at a leisurely pace. The first fruit arrived ripe and delicious, full of freshness, and with just the right amount of acidity. Each successive day brought us more of the same.”
Case-6 Scott Paul Quatre Journaux Pinot Noir, Chehalem Mountains 2012 750ML ($299.95) $249 special (that’s only $41.50/bottle!)
Josh Raynolds 93 points “Vivid ruby-red. Drop-dead gorgeous, highly perfumed aromas of red berry preserves, Asian spices, sassafras and smoky minerals, with an intense floral nuance. Sweet, penetrating and pure, offering nervy red fruit and rose pastille flavors complemented by deeper notes of mocha and licorice. Shows outstanding balance and clarity, with smooth tannins building slowly through a long spice- and mineral-inflected finish.”
