New Arrivals; Tempier Rosé; Power California!; Grand Cru Grab Bag; Betz Arrives; Nikolaihof’s Secret Wines; 2014 Burgundy-Under $50; F. Rinaldi’s 2013 Crus and More!; 50% off a Catena Malbec Masterpiece; May Sale and Rhinestones Mags
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Mid-Week New Arrivals
Rosé!
From France:
Chateau de Manissy Tavel Cuvee des Lys Rose, Rhone 2016 750ML ($17.95) $14 special
Winery note “Organic. This strong aromatic wine, prolongs its freshness by an elegant and harmonious finish. Start your evening with this young and modern drink!”
Grenache, Clairette, Cinsault, Bourboulenc
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Domaine Les Grands Bois Cotes du Rhone Cuvee Les Trois Soeurs Rose 2016 750ML ($14.95) $11.90 special
Winery note “[Translated] Beautiful presentation with a bright, pale pink color. On the nose, the wines bouquet releases a summery aroma of peach and raspberry with a floral note. In the mouth, the wine envelops the palate with a silky texture and accents of crushed strawberries, grenadine and a touch of licorice. The finish is very beautiful and balanced with a pleasant fleshiness.”
60% Grenache, 40% Carignan
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Le Galantin Bandol Rose, Provence 2016 750ML ($21.95) $17 special
Importer’s note: “The Domaine Le Galantin Rose is a classic Provencal rose with delightful fresh berry fruit flavors and a crisp finish. It is composed of 50% Mourvedre, about 25% Cinsault and about 25% Grenache. After the grapes are hand-harvested from their organic vineyards, they cool down the bunches to 50 degrees for a two day cold soak in order to extract fruit, color and aromatics. The juice is then racked off and the grapes are pressed to stainless steel tanks. 10% of the wine is Saignée, the rest come from grapes treated as for making white wine. On the nose, mineral, with complex aromas of red fruit and citrus. Full bodied on the palate, generous and elegant. Bandol rosé is an excellent accompaniment to bouillabaisse and other fish and shellfish dishes.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Mas des Brun “Non-Conformist” Rose, Vin de Mediterranee 2016 750ML ($17.95) $14 special
Winery note “This wine has been elaborated in opposition to usual standards for a rose. Harvested very early in the season to enhance natural acidity and low alcohol, our very young vines of Mourvèdre (66%) and Cinsault (34%) have been farmed in harmony and respect with Mother Nature. A natural pink color, minimum sulfur doses, indigenous yeasts naturally brought by wild flowers in the vineyard, malolactic fermentation and a very light filtration eventually make our first harvest of only 200 cases ‘Non-Conformist.’”
Clos Cibonne Cotes de Provence Cuvee Tradition Rose, Provence 2015 ($29.95) $24 special
“Aromas of orange peel with spicy notes. On the palate, the wine is fresh and vibrant with fruit tones and saline notes.”–Importer Notes
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
From Italy
Castell’in Villa La Gazzara Rosato Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2016 750ML ($19.95) $16 special
Importer note “100% sangiovese, organic, short skin contact (6-8 hours), pressed off and fermented in stainless steel tanks. Drink and repeat.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Rosé! Of! The! Day!
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Powerful California Reds
At Powerfully Low Prices
California is land of the powerful, rich red wine and the wines we’re featuring here are prime examples of why it was made famous. From Cabernet grown high on Howell Mountain in Napa to lush Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley to red blends sourced from a variety of grapes, there’s something in this set for anyone to love. These all arrive Friday and are priced to move, so look out!
Arriving Friday—Here in a Few Days!:
La Jota Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain 2013 750ML ($99.95) $77 pre-arrival special
Decanter Magazine 98 points “Resplendent aromas of voluptuous blackcurrant and plum. This is certainly rich and concentrated, yet it all seems to be in balance, with firm chocolatey tannins supporting the dense and solid fruit.”
Wine Enthusiast 95 points – Cellar Selection – “This full-bodied, concentrated wine shows plenty of power in its bringing together of the variety with smaller percentages of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. With a huge presence on the palate that lingers and stays in one’s brain, it shows a reductive quality of toasted oak along with black pepper, bark and leather saddle,. It’s a wine to enjoy from a giant leather chaise, if possible. Cellar until 2023.”
Hartford Family Winery Hartford Court Arrendell Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley 2014 750ML ($119.95) $89 pre-arrival special
Robert Parker 96 points “The 2014 Pinot Noir Arrendell Vineyard is often not picked until after Halloween, as it is one of the coldest vineyards in the Russian River Valley. Its spicy, complex notes of allspice, sassafras, sweet black cherries and Asian plum sauce are exotic, fragrant and intense. The superb fragrance is matched by an exotic, silky, fleshy wine with dark berries (especially ripe raspberries and black cherries), soft tannins, and full body. This is a head-turning “wow” Pinot Noir to drink over the next decade.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $99.94
Hartford Family Winery Hartford Court Fog Dance Vineyard Pinot Noir, Green Valley 2014 750ML ($69.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Robert Parker 93 points “The 2014 Pinot Noir Fog Dance Vineyard comes from Dijon clones 115, 667 and 777 grown in another cold, windy area in the Green Valley, south of the old hippie town of Forestville. Soft, spicy, tart red cherries in addition to some plum, Asian spice, and forest floor are all present in this luscious, sexy, complex wine that offers up loads of fragrance, medium to full body and a heady finish. Drink it over the next 7-10 years.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $53.10
The average price is $65
Bootleg Red Blend, Napa Valley 2013 750ML ($39.95) $31.90 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Bootleg Red Blend, Napa Valley 2013 750ML ($419.95) $333 pre-arrival special (that’s only $27.75/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Robert Parker 94 points “The 2013 Proprietary Red from Bootleg is a major sleeper of not only the vintage, but in its entire concept. There are just over 8,000 cases of this wine, which has been culled from KJ vineyards on Atlas Peak, Oakville, Mt. Veeder, Rutherford and Spring Mountain. The wine is a blend of 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Petite Sirah, 21% Zinfandel, 12% Merlot, and the rest Malbec and Petit Verdot. That’s like throwing in the entire kitchen sink, but the result is a stunningly delicious, complex, big-time, sexy style of wine with a deep, opaque purple color, a beautiful nose of blackberries and blueberries, with some lavender Provençal herbs, licorice and a touch of espresso. The wine has a fabulous texture, a plush, full-bodied mouthfeel, and beautiful purity and depth. It’s something that could only be made in California, given the blend, but it is off-the-charts in terms of its hedonistic appeal. At the same time, it is complex enough to satisfy the intellectual senses as well. Drink it over the next 5-6 years. A big-time winner.”
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A Grab Bag of Great Deals
What do a Batard-Montrachet, a Marsannay
and a California ‘Port’ have in common? Discounts.
Sometimes a distributor offers us a list of wines that have no unifying theme other than they’re all heavily discounted. That’s what we’re looking at here today. All of these wines are 40+% off their usual retail prices and are delicious and well made. Why someone else wanted to get rid of them, we don’t know, but we’ll take it (and pass it along to you). Quantities are limited, etc. so hop on our website, email or call to secure your wines.
Arriving Friday, Three Days Away!
Domaine Collotte Marsannay En Combereau, Cote de Nuits 750ML ($31.95) $18 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 90 points “Pure black cherry, black currant and mineral flavors mark this concentrated, juicy red. Balanced and well-structured, with a lingering aftertaste. Drink now through 2024.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $29.99!
Domaine Vincent & Francois Jouard Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune 2013 750ML ($219.95) $128 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 92 points “From Jouard’s 0.12-hectares parcel of vine that this year yielded 2½ barrels, the 2013 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru has an attractive bouquet of fresh lime, lemon zest, orange blossom and light granitic scents. The palate is well balanced with a keen line of acidity, the oak just a little conspicuous at this early stage, although that will be assimilated with time. This has a satisfying weight in the mouth, even if it does not quite possess the complexity or race of some of its peers. This stands alongside the excellent 2012.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $185!
Quady Winery Starboard Vintage Dessert Wine, Amador County 2006 375ML ($19.95) $11.90 pre-arrival special
Wine Enthusiast 95 points “Power and grace combine in this great fortified wine. Already 10 years old, it will age gracefully through at least 2030 if kept in a cool cellar. The aromas combine ripe, vivid cherry and blackberry with caramel accents. Flavors are very ripe but tangy at the same time, echoing plum jam and toffee on the finish.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $17.98!
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Betz Returns
Bob Betz has always made wines in a classically inspired manner, which is why his wines are so great. One of the pioneers in Washington wine, he’s also one of the few winemakers in the world to be awarded a Master of Wine degree. That MW informs how the wines are made at Betz—one foot in the old world, one foot in the new.
That’s what we love about the Betz wines. You’re never going to mistake them for wines from Bordeaux or the Rhone, but at the same time you aren’t going to confuse them with wines made in the heat of California. They harness the Washington climate to give you rich fruit that stays fresh and just elegant enough that they work well at the table.
We have a few new releases arriving on Friday at great pricing and wanted to share them here first.
Arriving Friday:
Betz Family Winery Pere de Famille Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley 2014 750ML ($89.95) $79 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 94-97 points “…the 2014 Cabernet Sauvigon Pere de Famille is another terrific wine from this estate. Deeper in color than the 2013 (which is common) and offering fabulous red and black fruits, dried herbs, graphite and a dusty pebble-like minerality, it has full-bodied richness, ultra pure tannin and while a big, concentrated effort, it always shows a pure, elegant style. It two will have two to three decades of longevity.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Betz Family Winery Clos de Betz, Columbia Valley 2014 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 92-94 points “The inky colored 2014 Clos de Betz is certainly one of the top Merlot dominated wines in Washington state. Giving up lots of blackberry, plum, bouquet garni and licorice, it’s full-bodied and layered on the palate, with a sexy, hedonistic vibe that’s common in this big, rich vintage. It has good density through the middle and will keep nicely, but it should also put a smile on your face early in its life as well.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Betz Family Winery La Serenne Syrah, Yakima Valley 2014 750ML ($69.95) $57 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 93 points “The pure, elegant and textured 2014 Syrah la Serenne offers that classic violet and floral characteristics of the cuvee, as well as medium to full-bodied richness, lots of black raspberry fruit, fine, sweet tannin and a great finish. It’s not as powerful or concentrated as the La Cote Rousse, yet it’s a joy to drink and will cruise for a decade or more on its balance and purity.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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Nikolaihof’s Secret Wines
Out of the Ordinary New Arrivals from Nikolaihof
When you have 700+ years of history making wine, you get afforded the freedom to do things a little more experimentally. In the case of Nikolaihof, well known for Riesling and Gruner Veltliner made in traditional style of the Wachau, that means that you can revive old tradition and make wines based on how they taste—not just the current style that’s in vogue. Today we’re highlighting a few wines which aren’t widely available in the US, either from grapes you know (Riesling, Gruner) but in alternate styles and also some wines from less well known grapes.
We’ve got some off-dry Riesling (rare for Austria), a Riesling left in cask for 17 years, an unfiltered Gruner, some Neuberger and a vertical of our favorite Muscat in the world. We’re also featuring a Riesling made using the world’s largest still-functioning wooden press (made in the 1700’s!) and some Riesling made from new plantings from an extremely promising vineyard. If you like Nikolaihof (or Austrian wine in general) and are searching for something new, read on for more!
Nikolaihof Riesling “Baumpresse”, Wachau 2011 750ML ($129.95) $99 special, 6 bottles available
David Schildknecht–Vinous 93 points “Nicknamed for the 18th-century “tree press” recently reactivated by Nikki Saahs (the tree in question must have begun growing in the Middle Ages), and now also labeled for its vineyard of origin, this was bottled in 2013 (like the corresponding Smaragd), but only recently released. At 12.5 percent alcohol, this silken-textured Riesling manages, as did other Nikolaihof wines of its vintage, to avoid any sense of heaviness; although there is a rich foundation of succulently ripe white peach and Persian melon, white currant and transparent apple lend tart-edged tang and crunch. A hint of heliotrope hangs over the whole performance, its sweet perfume further pointing to the generous phenolic evolution characteristic of this vintage. There are significant albeit nicely integrated oxidative elements here as well – a legacy of the wine’s upbringing in smaller barrels than are otherwise utilized at the Nikolaihof – with moss, toasted grains and nuts, wet stone and quinine lending a slightly sinister aspect to the long, multilayered finish. As was the case with this wine’s predecessors, Nikki Saahs maintains that it will retain its current level of freshness for many years. I’m skeptical.”
Terry Theise: “It’s painfully spendy, but have you seen that massive press? Apart from which, truth is truth; the wine is superb. Grain and smoke and jasmine and turkey stock and fingerlings at their little sweet best. This wine is intense, though with all of 12.5% alc.”
Nikolaihof Riesling Gutsriesling, Wachau 2013 750ML ($44.95) $31.90 special, 12 bottles available
Terry Theise: “23 g/l of residual sugar, as it happened, and every wine here is as-it-happened. So Nikki declined to futz with it. The result tastes like something Florian Weingart would have made in the Wachau, all the mirabelle and herbs but with a different twangy terroir here. I don’t know what “use” you’ll make of it; I only know I like it.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Nikolaihof Gelber Muskateller, Wachau 6-Pack Library ($279.95) $219 special, 3 cases available
Contains one of each: ’07, ’08, ’09, ’10, ’11, ’12
VinopolNote: “Nikolaihof makes some of the most compelling Muscat in the world. The general assumption is that Muscat doesn’t age, which is one of the reasons that they’ve put this mixed six-pack together—specifically to dispel this idea. We find the wines compelling and fascinating, picking up depth and nuance as they age, and turning into incredibly compelling wines.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Nikolaihof Gruner Veltliner “Zwickl,” Wachau 2015 750ML ($39.95) $29 special, 10 bottles available
Terry Theise: “Leave it to them! This is, in essence, an unfiltered “Hefeabzug,” and you get two wines in the same bottle if you want. How? It’s fallen bright in the top one-third, and if you pour carefully you will have a clear wine. You can then shake the rest of the bottle to mix the sediment and pour yourselves a cloudy glass of tasty atavism. They encourage this! The wine-on-top is oyster and delicate and birchy. The cloudy one is “darker,” more boxwood and cress. It’s fun! But the clear wine, in the ’14 vintage, is lovelier. However, the 2015 on its heels is doughier and richer and here the cloudy wine makes more sense. In any case, I offer you what is probably the world’s first interactive Grüner Veltliner.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Nikolaihof Neuburger, Wachau 2011 750ML ($39.95) $28 special, 20 bottles available
David Schildknecht–Vinous 89 points “This soft and (at only 12.5% alcohol) full-feeling rendition of Neuburger emphasizes that grape’s inherent nuttiness, though the usual resemblance to white asparagus still applies. A faintly smoky piquancy adds an intriguing counterpoint to an otherwise soothing finish. (Not only is this wine still for sale, but so is the 2012. The 2013, says Nikki Saahs, was the first vintage ever to be sold out within a year of bottling and before he could even set aside stock for the family table and library, which explains why I missed out on tasting it, as well as why a decision has been made to replace with Neuburger 500 vines of Chardonnay, whose 2014 performance was as usual uninspiring.)”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Nikolaihof Vom Stein Jungfernlese Riesling, Wachau 2006 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Terry Theise notes: “It means the virgin-vintage, the first crop from young vines. And it’s what the Germans would call Feinherb, and it’s what any sane person would call irresistible! A potion of iris and lavender, spicy and penetrating; very long, seductively earthy, like a really profound Nahe Spätlese, almost the 5-spice and wildflower of Dönnhoff’s Felsenberg.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Nikolaihof Vinothek Riesling, Wachau 1997 750ML ($219.95) $149 special, 20 bottles available
Wine Advocate 97 points “Aged for 17 years in a domestic 3,500-liter cask before it was bottled in August 2014, the 1997 Riesling Vinothek is the best part of the regular 1997 Riesling Smaragd Im Weingebirge, which was bottled and marketed in late 1998. The aged Vinothek version offers a fascinatingly clear, bright, deep and multi-layered nose with iodine and ripe as well as intense white-fleshed fruit aromas. Full-bodied, full of finesse and elegant, this dry, transparent and mineral Riesling develops a great intensity, complexity and power on the palate, but never leaves its silky road of purity, finesse and transparency. There is a lot of Spiel and tension here, but the most exciting characteristic trait is the intense and very mineral, almost endless finish. How youthful this wine is! And its further aging potential is still terrific. The wine reminds me of certain sherries, white Riojas and Jura wines, although it is not less oxidative. But it spent a long time in cask and has the freshness, complexity and thrilling taste of those. It’s a great, unique and stimulating wine that was bottled with 12.8% of alcohol, 6 grams of residual sugar and 6.5 grams of acidity.”
If you’d like to buy these wines or to see the 30 wines from Nikolaihof we have in stock right now, just click here to head to our website.
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2014 Burgundy:
A Great Vintage From Top to Bottom
And Today, Let’s Talk About the Bottom
The 2014 vintage in Burgundy is shaping up as one of our recent favorites. Unlike 2015, it’s built around classical proportions (2015 is another ’09 style hot year) but it has fresh, generous fruit so the wines are charming and easy to drink young. The Grand Cru wines from 2014 are going to be spectacular wine that are talked about reverentially in years to come, but for now we wanted to focus on the wine we’ve gotten in under $50.
The wines on the lower end of the Burgundy price scale are really fun to drink in 2014. They’re bright and fresh, with fruit that tastes of Burgundy in enough abundance that you can drink them young. Moreover, these wines display real fidelity to their terroirs—the best part being that they drink like the better versions of themselves, so to speak. We’ve highlighted a selection below, but as always, our entire inventory can be found online at our website, www.vinopoliswineshop.com
Domaine Ghislaine Barthod Bourgogne Rouge, Burgundy750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 32 bottles available
Importer note “Sourced from the lovely parcel of “Bons Batons” situated at the crossroads of Chambolle Musigny and Gilly les Citeaux, this cuvee is as refined as any you will find at the Bourgogne level.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Collotte Marsannay Les Champsalomon 2014 750ML ($34.95) $24 May Sale special
Case-12 Domaine Collotte Marsannay Les Champsalomon 2014 750ML ($359.95) $249 May Sale special (that’s only $20.75/bottle!)
Wine Spectator 92 points “This is pure, with cherry, black currant and spice flavors fused to a firm, dense structure. A graphite element emerges as this cruises to a long, gripping, spice-infused finish. Best from 2020 through 2030. 150 cases imported.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $29.96
Domaine Collotte Marsannay Le Clos de Jeu 2014 750ML ($34.95) $24 May Sale special
Case-12 Domaine Collotte Marsannay Le Clos de Jeu 2014 750ML ($359.95) $249 May Sale special (that’s only $20.75/bottle!)
Wine Spectator 92 points “There’s fine purity here, with cherry, raspberry, violet and iron flavors. Succulent yet taut, with dense, refined tannins. Shows fine balance and length, featuring bright fruit from start to finish. Best from 2018 through 2027. 100 cases imported.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $29.99
Meo-Camuzet Bourgogne Rouge, Burgundy 2014 750ML ($39.95) $29 special, 36+ bottles available
“Outstanding top value. All but invisible wood sets off the markedly earthy aromas of various red berries and a hint of cassis. There is fine intensity to the relatively precise middle weight flavors that possess a touch youthful austerity.”—Burghound
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Matrot Auxey-Duresses, Cote de Beaune 2014 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 8 bottles available
Burghound 88 points “Once again the nose is composed of distinctly cool yet ripe fruit that combines notes of both red and blue pinot fruit with plenty of earth and floral nuances. There is good detail and verve to the delicious and lightly mineral-laden flavors that possess an attractive velvety texture while delivering solid depth and length on the ever-so-mildly austere finale.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Matrot Bourgogne Pinot Noir, Burgundy 2014 750ML ($29.95) $24 special, 12 bottles available
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Domaine Matrot La Fussiere, Maranges Premier Cru 2014 750ML ($39.95) $33 special, 7 bottles available
Burghound 89 points “Outstanding. This expressive effort offers another small step up in aromatic refinement and complexity with its fresh array of red and dark cherry, earth and softly spicy scents. There is better mid-palate density and volume to the sleek and lightly mineral-laden flavors that exhibit almost no rusticity on the balanced and lingering finish.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Domaine Pierre Guillemot Les Jarrons, Savigny-les-Beaune Premier Cru 2014 750ML ($49.95) $44 special, 31 bottles available
Winery note “Vineyards on an east-facing slope near the town of Savigny-lès-Beaune. Steep slopes; deep sandy soil; 260 m altitude. Fifteen months in 1- to 3-year-old barrels, with 10% new oak. Aromas of black cherry; vanilla; mineral notes.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Pierre Guillemot Savigny-les-Beaune Les Grands Picotins, Cote de Beaune 2014 750ML ($39.95) $33 special, 33 bottles available
Winery note “Village-level vineyards near the town of Savigny-lès-Beaune. Clay-limestone scree; rocky. Grapes are sorted and entirely de-stemmed; traditional vinification; 16-day maceration; the cap is punched down manually. Fifteen months in 1- to 3-year-old barrels. Aromas of bing cherry; blackcurrant; raspberry.”
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Francesco Rinaldi
Beautiful, Traditional Barolo and More
The Estate of Francesco Rinaldi crafts wines from the Piedmonte that are everything we love—traditionally made and affordable. From white (to nearly rose) to red, all of the wines they produce have attractive balance, with good fruit and bright, fresh flavors. We’re lucky enough to be getting the whole lineup in July, including two 2013 Barolo cru wines.
2013 is shaping up to be a legendary year in Barolo, on par with 2001 and the other great years of the past. We know that July is a ways off, but we wanted to give you a chance to start locking these wines in now so you can make sure you’re appropriately stocked up.
Arriving in July
Francesco Rinaldi & Figli Gavi DOCG, Piedmont 2016 750ML ($21.95) $16 pre-arrival special
“Its colour is light straw-yellow. The scent is fresh and fruity. The taste is dry and delicate. It perfectly matches with hors d’oeuvres, fish and white meat.”–Winery note
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Francesco Rinaldi & Figli Barbera d’Alba, Piedmont 2015 750ML ($27.95) $24 pre-arrival special
“The colour is intense ruby red with purple reflections. The scent is winey and ethereal. The taste is dry, intense, well-bodied. It is suitable to drink at any meal.”–Winery note
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Francesco Rinaldi & Figli Grignolino d’Asti, Piedmont 2016 750ML ($21.95) $16 pre-arrival special
“Its colour is light ruby red. The smell is subtle with scent of rose. Its taste is fresh, flowery and mild to the palate. It perfectly matches with hors d’oeuvres, soups, fish and white meat.”-Winery note
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Francesco Rinaldi & Figli Nebbiolo d’Alba, Piedmont 2015 750ML ($29.95) $26 pre-arrival special
“Its colour is ruby red with garnet reflections. Its smell is ethereal and persisting with scents of flowers and fresh fruit. Its taste is dry, intense, well-bodied. It is suitable to drink at any meal.”–Winery note
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Francesco Rinaldi & Figli Barolo Le Brunate, Barolo 2013 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
“Its colour is ruby garnet red with slightly orange reflections after ageing. The smell is ethereal, wide and embracing with scents of rose, violet and soft balmy notes. The taste is dry, severe, savoury and harmonic. It matches very well with red and braised meat, game and cheese.”–Winery note
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Francesco Rinaldi & Figli Cannubi, Barolo DOCG 2013 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
VinopolNote “ Cannubi is possibly the most legendary vineyard in Barolo and this shows why. It’s a dense wine with immense power, but with the uplifting grace of the 2013 and Rinaldi’s light touch. This would be a shame to drink before it turns 15, but will likely impress its entire life.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
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Catena’s Epic Single Vineyard Malbec
At Half Off!
Catena is the standard bearer for what we think of as classical, high end Malbec, you know–the stuff that rivals Bordeaux and California. We scored an incredible deal on one of their top wines, from the Nicasia vineyard and are pleased to offer it on pre-arrival today. The Wine Advocate loved it (95 points) and said it could be “the best Nicasia ever produced.” The average price on Winesearcher is $119 and we’re offering it at half that. This is a stupendous wine and for the price, unbelievable value.
Arriving in September
Catena Zapata Nicasia Vineyards Malbec, La Consulta, Argentina ($129.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2012 Malbec Catena Zapata Nicasia Vineyard feels fresher and more harmonious than the 2011, when in reality the vintage character is the opposite. It is sourced from the vineyard that names the wine and that is located in Altamira. The Malbec grapes fermented in open barrels and cement vats with 15% whole-cluster Cabernet Franc. There is one extra level of precision and harmony here. It has an elegant nose and the palate almost reflects the tension in the skin of the grapes with its a velvety texture and great acidity. This is really tasty and long, it could be the best Nicasia ever produced.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $119
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May Sale Roundup
New Addition: Rhinestones in Magnum!
Arriving Friday:
Bow & Arrow Rhinestone Red, Willamette Valley 2015 1.5L ($59.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Grapelive 94 points “Scott Frank’s Rhinestones 2015 maybe the best under $25 wine I’ve ever tasted from Oregon. In fact the 2015 is so good I almost prefer it to some over $50 Pinot Noir offerings. This is serious stuff that really delivers the quality and depth you’d not maybe expect from this fun blend. Sourced from organic/biodynamic vineyards, mostly Johan Vineyards, and picked a bit early, Bow & Arrow gets detailed ripeness, but with zesty freshness of acidity. The fruit is very gently handled with partial whole cluster and, in traditional Loire Valley style, low oak winemaking is employed. Like Passetoutgrains in Burgundy or Cheverny in the Loire, this blend has long been an interesting marriage of varietals with the Pinot Noir giving beauty, depth and earthy charms while the Gamay gives color, vibrancy and fruitiness. This wine goes even further with this vintage taking to a new level: this Rhinestones will change all perception on what can be achieved with this blend of grapes and it should be honored as one of the great terroir wines of its generation. It redefines Oregon’s paradigm! The 2015 starts with a nose of dark roses, spice, truffle and blue fruits leading to a vivid palate of black cherry, blueberry, plum and tart currant fruits along with walnut/cedar, peppery stones, sage/mint/anise, cinnamon and iron/mineral tones finishing long and lingering with strawberry, earthy beet root and lavender. The texture is amazing and the mouth feel is exceptional considering how alive and bright this brilliant medium weight wine is. It is a satiny stunner with glorious vitality and grace. Don’t over think the grapes or label: this wine is the new Oregon and it deserves your open mind and attention. Drink this over the next 5 to 10 years. What a truly fantastic effort! I’m a huge fan of Frank’s wines, but this is by far the best vintage of Rhinestones. Also look for their straight Gamay Noir, Melon (think bone dry, leesy Muscadet) and Sauvignon Blanc. These Loire inspired wines are lovely Oregon surprises that will thrill and seduce the senses.”
John Gilman 92 points “The 2015 version of Rhinestones is a blend of sixty percent pinot noir and forty percent gamay. The wine is a tad tight when first opened, but with a bit of swirling offers up a lovely bouquet of red and black cherries, a touch of pepper, spit-roasted meats, fresh herbs and dark soil tones. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied and tangy, with a fine core, lovely focus and grip and a long, moderately tannic finish. This is 12.5 percent octane and absolutely laser-like on the palate, with superb backer energy. I am sure this is intended as an early quaffer for restaurants in Portland, but this has the balance and structure to also age very well indeed! 2016- 2030.”
Vinopolnote: A clean, bright, and beautifully perfumed blend of Pinot Noir and Gamay sourced from the valley and vinified right here in Portland!
