New Arrivals; Rosé of the Day; Canary Islands Wines; Fresh Spring País; Arnot-Roberts; 2015 FX Pichler Pre-Arrivals; New May Sales: Spanish White and Radio Coteau; Staff Picks; Molitor’s 99pt Hubertslay; Exciting Tuscan Wines; More 2015 Saint Cosme
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Mid-Week New Arrivals
Germany
Carl von Schubert Maximin Grunhauser Abtsberg Riesling Trocken, Mosel 2015 750ML ($39.95) $29 special
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Carl von Schubert Maximin Grunhauser Abtsberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Mosel 2015 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2015 Maximin Grünhäuser Abtsberg Riesling GG has a deep, intense and flinty bouquet of perfectly ripe Riesling and citrus aromas. Full-bodied, intense and concentrated, this is a well-structured and mineral Grosses Gewächs with a long, complex and salty finish. However, this wine is more VDP GG-styled than what you were used to getting from the former Spätlese trocken.”
Mosel Fine Wines 92 points “This offers a stunning even if backward nose of slate, grapefruit, cassis, mint and herbs. The wine is gorgeously elegant and refined on the palate, with superb acidity coming through in the finish. This is still on the sharp side but only needs some bottle rest to shine. 2020-2030+”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Carl von Schubert Maximin Grunhauser Abtsberg Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2015 750ML ($37.95) $29 special
Wine Spectator 94 points “Lots of crème brûlée and pastry notes in this languid style, which offers accents of roasted almond and coconut meat. The finish has a pear tart flavor that lingers. Drink now through 2040.”
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93+ points “The 2015 Maximin Grünhäuser Abtsberg Riesling Spätlese is deep and intense on the clear and smoky/flinty nose but still discreet at this stage. On the palate, this is a sweet, lush and piquant picture book Spätlese with vital acidity and remarkable complexity. Still shy and tight, the 2015 should turn out as a great wine in 15+ years. It has very good grip and concentration, and its sweetness will be reduced the older the wine gets.”
Mosel Fine Wines 93+ points “Harvested at 93° Oechsle, this offers a rather reduced nose of spices, herbs and cassis. The wine is gorgeously elegant and fresh on the palate and leaves a stunning feel of herbs and zesty citrusy fruits in the long and mouth-watering finish. This is a superb effort with great upside potential. 2025-2045.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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Rosé! Of! The! Day!
Chateau d’Esclans “Whispering Angel”
We’re kicking off our seasonal newsletter feature with a rosé that’s become a sensation. The Lichine family has been driving the rosé revolution, and this wine is the engine behind it. This is the wine that took “extremely pale Provencal rosé” from a niche object of affection to a powerhouse—and for good reason. It’s dry, zippy and crisp, with just the right level of fruit. It’s always popular and we’ve got it at a price that borders on obscene. It’s the perfect way to celebrate a sunny day.
Chateau d’Esclans Cotes de Provence Whispering Angel Rose, Provence 2015 750ML ($21.95) $14 special
Case-12 Chateau d’Esclans Cotes de Provence Whispering Angel Rose, Provence 2015 750ML ($249.95) $149 special, (that’s only $12.42/bottle!)
James Suckling 91 points “Aromas of chalk, stone, light strawberry and lemon follow through to a full body and tangy acidity with plenty of flavor at the finish. Lively and delicious. Drink now.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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Canary Islands: Tenerife’s Volcanic Majesty
The Canary Islands are about as perfect a manifestation of the power of wine as you could imagine. What would drive someone to farm grapes here, to dig pits for each grapevine and build a stone wall for each plant, other than the glory that is wine. On the island of Tenerife, where most of the best red wines are grown, the vineyards rise to over 3000ft of elevation, straight out of the sea on terraced vineyards with walls on them, to protect the grapevines from the tradewinds that can buffer these vineyards, 1,500km southwest of Spain, in the Atlantic Ocean.
The wines we’re featuring today come from one of the top producers on Tenerife, Suertes del Marques, who makes wine primarily from the Listan Negro grape. These are fascinating, compelling wines that have both richness and power combined with a delicacy and floral component that is reminiscent of Barolo or Côte Rôtie. The best way to describe the wines might be to say that they have some ineffable quality that you can’t put your finger on—which in our minds is a sign that they’re really something special. There’s a reason these wines have been making waves and we’re excited to offer a pair of really delicious wines to you today.
Suertes del Marques ‘El Ciruelo’ Listan Negro Vinas Viejas, Valle de la Orotava 2014 750ML ($59.95) $46 special, 36+ bottles available
Wine Advocate 95 points “My favorite wine is always the one produced from a single 0.9-hectare plot of centenary, ungrafted vineyards that are planted with Listán Negro and some 2% Listán Blanco (Palomino); the vines are situated at 480 to 520 meters’ altitude and pruned in the traditional cordón trenzado style with a northwest orientation. They used 100% full clusters that were foot trodden in raw cement vats without temperature control and some 35 days of maceration, and as with all of their wines, with indigenous yeasts. The élevage lasted 14 months and was in neutral 500-liter French oak barrels. The old vines are planted in the middle of the slope on finer soils and always give very balanced wines. The nose is superb, really complex with aromas of freshly cracked peppercorns, violets and lilies, wet stones and that impossible pumice that cries Tenerife. I see more balance in this vintage, with a medium-bodied palate that shows a velvety texture with ultra-fine tannins. This is subtle, elegant, a much more powerful wine than you might think at first sight. However, it has a mysterious and ethereal quality. Elegant, balanced, precise, fresh and complex. This is awesome!”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Suertes del Marques El Esquilon, Valle de la Orotava 2011 750ML ($41.95) $37 special, 17 bottles available
Importer Note: “El Esquilón is a single vineyard site at Suertes del Marques where 80 year old Listán Negro is planted in el cordon trenzado on soils that range from clay to sand over volcanic subsoils. The final blend for El Esquilón sees about 30% Tintilla from younger vines averaging about 20 years old. Each variety is fermented and aged separately and the final blend is made after 14 months of aging in 500L French oak demi-muids.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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A Frenchman Goes To Chile and Makes
A Perfect Spring Red
The Pais grape, which is a descendant of the mission grape, is widely planted in Chile, yet virtually unknown here. It’s the primary grape of Pipiño, the classic wine of Southern Chile, which is unfortunately consumed almost entirely domestically. David Marcel, originally from France, fell in love with these wines while working in Chile and started making a version for his label, Maita. The resulting wine, from 120 year old País vines with some Carignan blended in, is fermented in traditional concrete tanks with native yeasts and is bright and fresh. Serve it with a little chill alongside everything from fresh salads to grilled pork.
Arriving Friday:
Maitia ‘Aupa Pipeno’, Maule Valley, Chile ($14.95) $11.90 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Maitia ‘Aupa Pipeno’, Maule Valley, Chile ($149.95) $128 pre-arrival special (that’s only $10.66/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 92 points “The super-tasty and gulpable 2016 Aupa Pipeño is a blend of País with some 30% Carignan (and whatever is found in the old vineyards) from a slightly cooler year. It keeps the style of previous vintages with the bright red fruit and the freshness of short macerations. In the dry-farming part of Maule they only saw 30 to 50 millimeters of rain when in the central valley they got 200! These grapes were harvested before the rain anyway, but the wine retains the freshness of a cooler year, fresher than 2015, more in line with the 2014 and 2013” –LG
Wine and Spirits 92 points ““David Marcel, from France’s Basque country, was working in Maule as a bulk wine broker while building his own project, Maitía, back in 2012. That’s when he fell in love with the refreshing pipeños, the traditional wines of Chile’s south, usually made from país… The result is a lovely, refreshing and red-fruited pipeño, with vivid, shining acidity. It’s the kind of wine you won’t stop drinking.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
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Arnot-Roberts Arriving Friday
Arnot-Roberts has been one of the vanguard producers of the “New California” movement, making wines that deserve to be paid attention to as some of the best in the United States. Started by childhood friends Duncan Arnot Meyers and Nathan Lee Roberts in 2001, they’ve quickly established themselves as some of the best producers of restrained, elegant California wines. In 2013 the San Francisco Chronicle named them “Winemakers of the Year” in recognition of the quality and consistency of the wines they’re producing.
If you’ve never had the wines before, don’t expect soft fruity wines. Everything they touch has a backbone to it—a spine of acid and tannin that makes you think of the great wines of France far quicker than their California neighbors. We’re getting in two wines—a Syrah and a Chard. The Chardonnay is rich but bright and crunchy, with a front of palate richness that reminds you it’s from California, but otherwise you’d think Burgundy all the time. The Syrah, well, that’s got “Northern Rhone” written all over it and is sourced from the Sonoma Coast. Both are only available in limited quantities, but we wanted to feature them anyway—we like the wines a lot.
Arriving Friday:
Arnot-Roberts Watson Ranch Chardonnay, Napa Valley 2015 ($47.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2015 Chardonnay Watson Ranch is powerful and richly textured, almost shockingly so for an Arnot-Roberts wine. Ample and voluptuous because of the low yields of the vintage, the 2015 exudes intensity in all of its dimensions. Apricot, hazelnut, vanillin and dried herbs build into the creamy, deeply expressive finish. All things considered, the Watson Ranch handled the challenging conditions of the growing season well.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Arnot-Roberts Sonoma Coast Syrah, California 2015 750ML ($47.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2015 Syrah (Sonoma Coast) is another of the many highlights in this range from Arnot-Roberts. Inky and intense, and yet light on its feet, the 2015 has it all. Violet, lavender and black pepper add aromatic nuance. The 2015 was done with 100% whole clusters, but the stems aren’t especially noticeable. This is a fabulous wine from Duncan Arnot and Nathan Roberts. Even better, it is a stunning value. Don’t miss it!”
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Pichler 2015’s Pre-Arrival
Sommelier and Riesling Legend Paul Greico once said, “If F.X. was a guitarist, Jimmy Page would stand aside” and no truer hyperbole has ever been uttered in the world of wine. F.X. Pichler stands as one of the two or three most important Austrian producers and hands down the winery crafting the most powerful, complex and bombastic dry Riesling and Gruner Veltliner on the planet.
The wines of F.X. Pichler are unique, in that no one else seems to wrangle both power and complexity into a single package quite like this wizard of the Wachau. With a combination of intensive viticulture, native fermentations and great terroir, the wines are unlike anything else in the world. Broad and powerful, with a cut and minerality that are unique to the vineyards in the Wachau.
The 2015 vintage, which we’re offering today, is something special as well. As Willi Brundlmayer (in the Kamptal) put it, “Conditions were perfect in 2015: everything happened at the right time, leaving no wishes unfulfilled.” Growers could make wines as stylistic epitome of their choosing, which means that if you’re an FX Pichler fan, these might be (and forgive the phrase) the most FX Pichler wines ever. They arrive in June and we have the best prices on them in the country, so if you know what you’re looking for, feel free to click here to go straight to the wines on our website.
Arriving in June:
The Gruners:
F.X. Pichler Durnsteiner Kellerberg Gruner Veltliner Smaragd, Wachau 2015 750ML ($89.95) $79 pre-arrival special
F.X. Pichler Durnsteiner Kellerberg Gruner Veltliner Smaragd, Wachau 2015 375ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 94 points “Like the Liebenberg from weathered granite and gneiss soils, but in a higher and cooler spot, the 2015 Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Dürnsteiner Kellerberg opens with an intense and herbal-flavored, rather spicy and stony bouquet of ripe and concentrated bright fruits. Full-bodied, ripe and piquant on the palate, this is a rich and powerful, well-concentrated and elegant Kellerberg with a rich extract and a long and persistent finish. The 2015 should be cellared for at least another 3-5 years.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
F.X. Pichler Durnsteiner Liebenberg Gruner Veltliner Smaragd, Wachau 2015 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 93-94 points “The 2015 Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Dürnsteiner Liebenberg comes from 70- to 80-year-old vines on a rare calcareous slate soil. The wine displays a very clear and pure, pretty open and lovely spicy, crystalline and flinty bouquet with ripe pip fruit aromas. Very distinguished and rather coolish in its expression. Full-bodied, round and elegant, with tension, salt and grip in the finish, this is a charmingly ripe and juicy but also challenging mineral and piquant Veltliner from one of the most exciting terroirs. The finish is powerful and complex but also fresh and stimulatingly piquant. Pichler has bottled this wine since 2010.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
F.X. Pichler Loibner Berg Gruner Veltliner Smaragd, Wachau 2015 750ML ($51.95) $44 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 92-93 points “From probably the warmest vineyard of the Wachau, the 2015 Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Loibner Loibenberg is a full-bodied, rich and intense, very juicy, but also piquant and mineral Veltliner with tobacco flavors on the nose. Dense and with an old-vines intensity, this Loibenberg offers ripe yellow stone fruits with a tropical touch, but is also very well structred and finishes with a long and salty aftertaste. An impressive wine.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
F.X. Pichler M Gruner Veltliner Smaragd, Wachau 2015 750ML ($89.95) $79 pre-arrival special
F.X. Pichler M Gruner Veltliner Smaragd, Wachau 2015 1.5L ($189.95) $169 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 94-95 points “The 2015 Grüner Veltliner Smaragd M is a selection of the ripest (overripe) grapes from the Loibenberg, Kellerberg and Liebenberg. Harvested in the last week of November and macerated for 20 to 24 hours, this is a rich and creamy textured yet elegant and vibrantly fresh Veltliner monument with finesse and purity and a long and tension-filled finish. Great salinity and concentration. An elegant and expressive wine for XXL drinkers.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
F.X. Pichler Urgestein Terrassen Gruner Veltliner Smaragd, Wachau 2015 750ML ($41.95) $36 pre-arrival special
David Schildknecht–Vinous 92 points “This blend from numerous sites (not rendered in vintage 2014 due to paucity of fruit) brims with luscious, juicy white peach and grapefruit, and its combination of citricity, green herbal pungency and stony underpinnings puts me as much in mind of Riesling as of Grüner Veltliner. Silken and enveloping on the palate, it retains its sense of energy and brightness through an invigoratingly peach-kernel-inflected, tinglingly stone-infused and mouthwateringly salt-tinged finish. Despite harboring 13.5 percent alcohol, the wine also conveys a subtle and attractive sense of lift.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
The Rieslings:
F.X. Pichler Durnsteiner Kellerberg Riesling Smaragd, Wachau 2015 750ML ($119.95) $85 pre-arrival special
David Schildknecht–Vinous 95-96 points “A pungently smoky, incisive, savory mélange of sage, dark tobacco and black pepper is allied to ripe peach and garlanded with heliotrope in a head-turningly intense nose. That full range of elements reprises on a polished palate, whose textural caress and sweet sense of ripeness are combined with welcome, tangy, chewy counterpoint of peach skin and a refreshingly juicy squirt of fresh lime. The finish offers a mouthwateringly prolonged, kaleidoscopic interaction of fruity, savory and smoky elements – plenty rich, yet with rare cut and animation for its vintage.”
F.X. Pichler Loibner Berg Riesling Smaragd, Wachau 2015 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
F.X. Pichler Loibner Berg Riesling Smaragd, Wachau 2015 375ML ($39.95) $33 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 92 points “Warm and intense on the nose, ripe and concentrated white fruit aromas open the 2015 Riesling Smaragd Loibner Loibenberg, which is pure and citric on the nose and very inviting. Pure, fresh and piquant on the palate, this is rather coolish and stunningly lean and pure Loibenberg compared to the corresponding Grüner Veltliner. Lucas believes that Riesling has eventually stopped the ripening process during the vegetation period. This 2015 has grip and tension and a rather coolish character.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
F.X. Pichler M Riesling Smaragd, Wachau 2015 750ML ($79.95) $69 pre-arrival special
David Schildknecht–Vinous 91-92 points “Reliance on late-harvested Loibenberg fruit resulted in a bottling that finished with too much residual sugar to qualify as Smaragd. (More thoroughly shriveled Loibenberg fruit resulted in a B.A. and T.B.A.) Lusciously ripe peach is tinged with banana and mingled with almond extract and liquid heliotrope perfume. Fortunately, a measure of grapefruit is not only pungently fragrant but also brightly juicy and piquantly zesty, helping – along with piquancy of peach kernel – to offset this bottling’s enveloping richness and sheer surfeit of ripe, sugar-reinforced fruit. The impressively sustained finish is, however, not at all overtly sweet.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
F.X. Pichler Loibner Oberhauser Riesling Smaragd, Wachau 2015 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
David Schildknecht–Vinous 92 points “A site-typical meld of apricot and lime is garlanded with iris on the nose and reprises with wonderful purity and vivid freshness on a silken-textured, expansive palate. Piquant apricot kernel and a lick of wet stone lend counterpoint on a lusciously lingering finish that irresistibly calls forth the next sip.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
F.X. Pichler Loibner Steinertal Riesling Smaragd, Wachau 2015 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
David Schildknecht–Vinous 93-94 points “White peach and grapefruit aromas mingle with honeysuckle on an enticing nose, and the three reunite on a glossy palate lusciously ripe and loaded with liquid floral perfume but simultaneously exuberantly and invigoratingly bright. The finish offers prolonged counterpoint of fruity, floral and stony elements. This bottling displays a combination of penetration, refinement and balancing acidity that is rare for an Austrian Riesling of its vintage.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
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New May Sale Wines:
A Stellar Spanish White
Within Spain, Gomariz is considered one of the best producers of white wine. They are based in Ribiero, in the northwestern part of the country (in Galicia). The wine we’re offering today (arriving Friday) drinks like the most serious Albarino you could want. Great texture, floral aromatics and a salty, minerally underpinning—it’s good stuff.
Arriving Friday:
Coto de Gomariz Blanco, Ribeiro 2014 750ML ($24.95) $18 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Coto de Gomariz Blanco, Ribeiro 2014 750ML ($299.95) $199 pre-arrival special (that’s only $16.58/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 93 points “They have changed the label and image for the white 2014 Coto de Gomariz, which is mainly Treixadura with some 30% between Godello, Albariño and Loureira grown on different soils, granite, schist and clay in the village of Gomariz. This is an unoaked cuvée matured in stainless steel until the following spring when it’s bottled. The wine is very clean and expressive, serious, full of white flowers and with the fuller palate of the Treixadura, which gives it a great textured mouthfeel. Treixadura takes longer to ripen as it’s almost a tannic white variety, with a faint bitter aftertaste. This is a structured, complex white (despite being young), able to age and able to stand to powerful food, including white meat. Great showing for this wine in 2014.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $23!
The Compact Power of Radio Coteau
Eric Sussman, the winemaker at Radio-Coteau, manages to put a lot of wine in his wine. The wines are not broad and expansive, but rather energetic and compact, as if more and more flavor has been packed in, but without expanding the frame of the wine. As a result, these wines can be incredible experiences, with density and vibrancy and an innate capacity to age. They seem not to fall into either the old or new California schools, but rather should appeal to lovers both of bigger Cali wines and also the newer, more acid driven examples. We don’t have a lot left, but what we do have is now on sale the rest of the month!
Please Note: We promised the winery that we wouldn’t put these prices on our website, so please call, drop in, or email if you’d like to buy these wines at these prices.
Radio-Coteau ‘Wingtine’ Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast 2014 750ML ($79.95) Was $69, Now $59!
Antonio Galloni 94 points “Radio-Coteau’s 2014 Chardonnay Wingtine, from the famed Charles Heintz Vineyard, is a terrific example of that site. Chamomile, honey, apricot pit and wild flowers give the wine its characteristic texture, while the pulsating acidity that is so typical here keeps the flavors bright. I especially admire the freshness and energy of the finish.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Radio-Coteau ‘La Neblina’ Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast 2013 750ML ($69.95 Was $59, Now $49!
Grapelive 92 points “Eric Sussman’s Radio-Coteau 2013 La Neblina is a juicy and expressive Pinot Noir with vibrant flavors and rich detail, exuberant in it’s youth, but with solid underlying balance. The 2013 feels fuller and riper than the last few vintages with more body, though you’d expect that from a more normal growing year and the tannin is super plush and satiny making for a lush and forward wine. I expect this wine with mellow a bit in bottle and age remarkably well, it certainly will focus out in with some time, even though it will thrill and excite in it’s youth. The palate shows layers of fruit with black cherry leading the way with plum, sweet raspberry and pomegranate adding to the whole along with subtle mineral, spice and polished acidity. The nose is fruity, but with pretty floral tones and color is a vivid ruby in this native yeast fermented and very naturally crafted Pinot Noir. Elements of earth, cinnamon, cedar and red peach flesh come out with air adding complexity, so I believe there is more potential rewards to come in this Radio-Coteau, with patience this wine should reach the next level. While you allow this one to gain in the cellar, be sure to check out the County Line wines also by Sussman, they are a stunning value, especially the Pinot, Rose and Zinfandel offerings and don’t forget the Radio-Coteau Syrah, another killer wine. The upfront La Neblina Pinot Noir can be enjoyed now, it is very joyous and giving, but more pleasure awaits, best from 2018 to 2024.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Radio-Coteau ‘Timbervine’ Syrah, Russian River Valley 2013 750ML ($69.95) Was $59, Now $49!
Antonio Galloni 93-95 points “Bright, floral and energetic, the 2013 Syrah Timbervine is shaping up to be a real jewel of wine. Beams of supporting acidity and tannin give the Timbervine much of its considerable vibrancy. Sweet floral and savory notes add lift on the precise, striking finish. Readers who appreciate finely-sculpted, mineral-driven Syrahs will flip out over the Timbervine.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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Staff Picks
Saul:
Etienne Grivot has been refining his winemaking since he took over Domaine Jean Grivot and based on most observers, 2009 represents something of an inflection point for grace and finesse in his winemaking. From 2009 on, he’s been on a roll and when you combine that with the fact that 2009 pricing seems like a great deal, this seems like a great wine to open up now or lay down for a while. Roncieres doesn’t get enough love in the Nuits pantheon, as it’s one of the lightest wines to come out of Nuits-St. George (which is a bit like saying “he’s light for an NFL linebacker…”). It has grace and delicacy and a touch of the NSG rusticity, but is typically the earliest drinking premier cru from the vineyard in the Grivot portfolio.
Domaine Jean Grivot Ronciere, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2009 750ML ($149.95) $119 special, 12 bottles available
Wine Advocate 92 points “Smoke, incense and spices are some of the nuances that emerge from the 2009 Nuits St. Georges Roncieres. This is a powerful incisive wine loaded with dark fruit and minerals. All of the elements meld together gracefully, showing tremendous energy and vibrancy, especially on the finish. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2029.”WA
Baudry makes the best Cabernet Franc in the Loire that you can actually get your hands on (so, everybody but Rougeard). This is his entry level bottling and is very reflective of the house style. Less herbaceous than some Chinon producers, the wine nonetheless shows great typicity and just oozes class. Dark fruit, incredible freshness and a minerality that you don’t find outside the Loire valley.
Bernard Baudry Chinon Cuvee Domaine, Loire 2014 750ML ($24.95) $21.90, 24 bottles available
Importer note “” Le Domaine” is a wine with body and elegant tannins. The maturing process in oak brings harmony and finesse to the wine enabling it to be kept in a good cellar for 5 to 10 years. Soil of gravel and clay.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Molitor’s Magical Hubertslay
We don’t need to say too much about this one. 99 points from The Wine Advocate’s Stephen Reinhardt, it’s a 2015 Auslese of near mystical proportions. We have less than two cases to go around, so this one won’t hit the shelves of the store.
Arriving May 17th:
Markus Molitor Kinheimer Hubertuslay Riesling Auslese*** GK, Mosel ’15 750ML ($99.95) $86 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 99 points “The 2015 Riesling Kinheimer Hubertuslay Auslese *** (Golden Capsule) is clear, deep and complex on the nose and opens with ripe but fresh fruit aromas intermixed with herbal notes. Highly elegant, precise and finessed but also rich and lush on the palate, this is a well textured Auslese with super finesse and present acidity but also some fine tannins. This wine is partly fermented in a small barrel, which gives it greater development and a silky textured complexity. It is more dense and concentrated than the Rosenberg, but it also has great finesse and precision. Highly digestible even today, but I wouldn’t waste its greatest talents before the wine is fully developed.”
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Two Interesting Tuscan Pre-Arrivals
Tuscany is a haven for a great diversity of wine styles, from classic wines made from Sangiovese to explicitly modern wines from French grapes. We’re happy to highlight two wines from opposite sides of the scale, both arriving later this month. The first, from La Gerla, in Brunello, is traditional and classic—everything you want out of a wine made from Sangiovese. That it’s in magnum makes it all the more fun. The second, from Chianti’s Felsina, is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and offers an incredible alternative to California or Bordeaux. Both are ‘classic’ Tuscan wines, whatever that means anymore and both are definitely delicious.
Arriving Later in May:
La Gerla Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2012 1.5L ($99.95) $79 pre-arrival special
Ian D’agata–Vinous 92+ points “Deep red. Spicy aromas of redcurrant, cherry, mocha and licorice. Chewy and firmly tannic, offering spicy red cherry and milk chocolate flavors sexed up by a strongly flinty, almost smoky element. The noble tannins gain strength on the finish, which feature outstanding length and insidious sweetness.”
Wine Advocate 92+ points “The La Gerla 2012 Brunello di Montalcino reminds me of the vintage that precedes it (although I like this edition better). Like with the 2011 vintage, this estate has done a great job in capturing as much of the primary fruit as possible, given the warm vintage conditions. Dark fruit with black currant and wild blueberry come into focus. Those fruit tones are aged and evolved for sure, but they don’t show tired or flat characteristics at this point. Delicate notes of cola, licorice and blue flower add complexity. The tannic presence is reduced and the mouthfeel delivers silkiness and softness instead. La Gerla puts its Brunello annata into large oak casks for three years. This Brunello is ready to drink now.”
This is the only listing for a magnum in the USA today!
Felsina Berardenga Maestro Raro Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2013 750ML ($69.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 96 points “A beautiful wine, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Maestro Raro showcases the best of Tuscany and the best of this grape. This Cabernet Sauvignon offers a determined load of black fruit followed by a long array of subtle detailing with spice, leather and bitter chocolate. You also get balsam herb, crushed mineral and a touch of green olive. The wine offers a stunning level of fullness and complexity with softly layered and fine tannins that caress the palate.”
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2013 Maestro Raro is another huge, powerful wine from Fèlsina. Huge tannins scream out of the glass in a deep, intense Tuscan Cabernet Sauvignon full of personality. Grilled herbs, savory herbs, smoke, tobacco, leather, licorice and dark plum add an exclamation point on the striking finish. This is a vivid, stunningly beautiful Cabernet Sauvignon that speaks in a thick Tuscan accent. Today, the tannins are huge and imposing. Patience is a must.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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Saint Cosme 2015’s: New Pre-Arrivals Added
2015 will be remembered as the year of glory in winemaking around the world. Burgundy was Great. Beaujolais was Great. The Mosel was Great. Champagne is looking promising. Even our local winemakers are embracing the vintage. And the list goes on.
So it should not come as much of a surprise to those lucky lovers of the rich and expressive wines of the Southern Rhone: it too was a Great and Glorious vintage. We’ve only just begun to see offers, so we’re excited to announce this offer from one of our favorite Southern Rhone estates: Chateau de Saint Cosme.
At this point, Saint Cosme is one of our “core wineries.” They remain a reference point producer in the Rhone, producing incredible wines from both the Southern and Northern Rhone. Their single vineyard Gigondas are perhaps the highest regarded wines they make, but we have found that the wines they make from Côte Rôtie and Condrieu stand up with the best wines in the portfolio. We’re excited to offer All of the 2015’s we can get our hands on and if you’d like to see the full list of wines on our website, just click here.
Arriving in June:
Chateau de Saint Cosme Le Poste Blanc, Cotes du Rhone 2015 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 91-92 points “(sourced from vines planted in 1963 in the heart of Gigondas): Green-tinged yellow. Vibrant, mineral-accented citrus and orchard fruit aromas are complemented by suggestions of white flowers and ginger. Juicy, focused and pure, offering vibrant orange, pear skin and white peach flavors underscored by a chalky mineral element. Becomes deeper and fleshier with air white maintaining vivacity, and finishes with excellent clarity, power and persistence.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Saint Cosme Cote Rotie, Rhone 2015 750ML ($69.95) $53.50 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Saint Cosme Cote Rotie, Rhone 2015 750ML ($359.95) $299 pre-arrival special (that’s only $49.83/bottle!)
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 92-94 points “(50% new oak): Glass-staining ruby. Heady, exotically perfumed red and dark berry scents are complicated by suggestions of star anise, violet and cola. Sweet, seamless and penetrating in the mouth, offering intense boysenberry and black raspberry flavors that deepen steadily on the back half. Rich yet lithe, with strong closing thrust and silky, even tannins lending framework and gentle grip.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Saint Cosme Crozes-Hermitage, Rhone 2015 750ML ($29.95) $26 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Saint Cosme Crozes-Hermitage, Rhone 2015 750ML ($169.95) $139 pre-arrival special (that’s only $23.17/bottle!)
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 91-93 points “Bright violet. Vibrant dark berry, violet and licorice aromas are complemented by suggestions of olive and woodsmoke. Palate-staining blackberry and bitter cherry flavors are joined by peppery spice and mineral qualities that build on the back half. Manages to be at once rich and energetic, carrying no excess fat. The very long, juicy finish is framed by harmonious tannins and leaves behind a sappy dark berry note.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Saint Cosme Saint-Joseph, Rhone 2015 750ML ($34.95) $28 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Saint Cosme Saint-Joseph, Rhone 2015 750ML ($179.95) $149 pre-arrival special (that’s only $24.83/bottle!)
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 91-93 points “Inky ruby. Powerful aromas of blackberry, violet and woodsmoke, plus a hint of cola that emerges with aeration. Sweet, densely packed and full-bodied, offering ripe cassis, blackberry, violet pastille and licorice flavors given lift and spine by juicy acidity. Spreads out and becomes spicier on the impressively long finish, which features chewy tannins and a sexy floral nuance.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas, Rhone 2015 750ML ($41.95) $33 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas, Rhone 2015 750ML ($239.95) $179 pre-arrival special (that’s only $29.83/bottle!)
Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas, Rhone 2015 1.5L ($79.95) $66 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 91-93 points “Starting with the 2015 Gigondas Classique from Barruol, this blend of 70% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre and the rest Syrah and Cinsault will be a wine that readers will want to stockpile. Full-bodied, rich, beautifully textured and layered, with killer notes of crème de cassis, white pepper, spice and garrigue, it’s a classic Gigondas that will drink well for 15+ years.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas Hominis Fides, Rhone 2015 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 97-99 points “A wine that might rival the 2007, the 2015 Gigondas Hominis Fides (100% Grenache from sandy soils located just down from the estate) offers full-bodied, massive and unctuous notes of currants, crushed rocks, smoked meats and licorice. Fermented with 100% whole clusters and aged mostly in older barrels, this sensational Gigondas might end up being the wine of the vintage, from the entire Southern Rhone valley! It has masses of tannin, so it’s going to require patience.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $197.17
Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas Le Claux, Rhone 2015 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 97-99 points “Another wine that might flirt with perfection is the 2015 Gigondas le Claux. It’s also 100% Grenache and comes from a site just across the road from the Hominis Fides cuvee. The soils here are slightly more limestone-based, and like all of the wine here, it’s fermented with no destemming and aged mostly in old barrels (20% is new). Camphor, currants, incense, graphite, crushed rocks and licorice all soar from this thriller and it has full-bodied richness, an incredible texture and a blockbuster finish. It will have 2-3 decades of overall longevity.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $169.99
Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas Le Poste, Rhone 2015 750ML ($99.95) $79 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 94-96 points “The 2015 Gigondas le Poste is a classic expression of this vineyard and shows the more elegant, perfumed style that always comes from this site. Violets, flowers, raspberries, blueberries and green herbs all emerge from this full-bodied, lengthy and impeccably balanced Gigondas that has ultra-fine tannin and perfectly integrated acidity. Brought up just like the other two single vineyard releases, this beauty will be more accessible in its youth, yet I suspect it will age just as long.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas Valbelle, Rhone 2015 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 94-96 points “Incorporating 10% Syrah, the Grenache-dominated 2015 Gigondas Cuvee Valbelle is another heavenly wine from Louis Barruol. Full-bodied, seamless and elegant, with lots of crème de cassis, crushed flowers, incense and white pepper, it has a touch less mid-palate depth than the single vineyards, but is impeccably balanced and will have two decades of longevity.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!