Felsina’s Top 2015’s Arrive Friday
Colgin and Eisele, Added to the September Sale!
Staff Pick: Lumpp Givry is on the Case
Trending Wines of the Weekend
John Gilman Raves Over Huet’s 2017s
Vinopolis – Your Source for 2013 Produttori
Pegau 2015: Classic Wines, Top Year
Thomas Pico’s Pattes Loup : The Hottest Name in Chablis
Late Breaking:The 96 Point
2016 Beaux Freres Upper Terrace
Arrives Friday
Beaux Freres The Upper Terrace Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2016 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 96 points “The Upper Terrace Vineyard was planted in 2000. Pale to medium ruby-purple in color, the 2016 Pinot Noir The Upper Terrace has a classic nose of warm red cherries and cranberries, sliced blueberries and strawberry jam with notes of cola, cardamom, oolong tea leaves and blue flowers—the nose gives up changing earth, fruit and savory layers every time I go back for another smell. Light to medium-bodied, it fills the mouth with warm, luscious strawberry and raspberry jam notes with an integrated vein of baking spice and potpourri, framed by very finely grained tannins and juicy, mouthwatering acidity, finishing epically long and spicy. Yes, yes, yes! 1,300 cases produced.”
Wine Spectator 96 points “A seductive wine that combines structure with harmony and a silky texture. Vivid black raspberry, rose petal and mocha espresso flavors build richness and dance on the long finish. Drink now through 2025. 1,278 cases made.”
From a Top Vintage
Arriving Friday
Arriving Friday, September 14th:
Felsina Berardenga Rancia, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2015 750ML ($59.95) $45 pre-arrival special
Felsina Berardenga Rancia, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2015 1.5L ($139.95) $115 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 94-97 points “The 2015 Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia is one of the most finessed young Rancias I have ever tasted. Silky, aromatically precise and nuanced to the core, the 2015 is shaping up to be a jewel of a wine. This is an impressive showing.”
Felsina Berardenga Fontalloro Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2015 750ML ($69.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 92-95 points “Another impressive 2015, the Fontalloro is a wine of breadth, power and persistence. Today, the oak is still not fully integrated, but there is more than enough depth and resonance in the fruit to make me think that will happen. I can’t wait to taste the 2015 from bottle.”
The average price is $57
Felsina Berardenga ‘Colonia’, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG 2010 750ML ($199.95) $119 special, 10 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 95+ points “When you hear the story of the effort that went into making the Colonia vineyard, you have to wonder if the fine folks at Fèlsina are absolutely mad. It took them two years of dynamite blasting to clear the imposing rock that had forced previous generations of the Poggiali family to virtually abandon this site. But an ambitious Giovanni Poggiali takes credit for making this spectacular vineyard what it is today. The wine produced here is quickly becoming the second flagship product after Fontalloro. The 2010 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Colonia is a wine of enormous beauty and depth. This is Sangiovese at its highest expression and any doubt I had about the previous vintage (which was the first time this wine appeared as a Gran Selezione) have been washed away by this current release. What really stands out are the wine’s precise mineral and graphite aromas that lend an incredible sense of focus and balance. The oak element is also beautifully integrated.”
Felsina Berardenga Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG, Tuscany 2015 750ML ($34.95) $28 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2015 Chianti Classico Riserva Berardenga is a wine of increased depth and power. The bouquet is redolent of dark fruit, dried cherry, grilled herbs and moist clay that has been wetted by rain drops. The wine shows power and determination on the close that gives it momentum and persistence. This wine shows good possibility for further evolution in the bottle over the next five years or more.”
Antonio Galloni 92+ points “The 2015 Chianti Classico Riserva is just beginning to show the first signs of opening in its bouquet, but it is much less giving on the palate. Readers should plan on cellaring it for at least another few years. The 2015 is a terrific example of the wild, feral Chianti Classicos that are typical of Castelnuovo Berardenga and Fèlsina.”
A wine on par with Napa examples that cost 2-3 times as much.
Felsina Berardenga Maestro Raro Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2014 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 21 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 95+ points “The 2014 Maestro Raro is fabulous. Explosive, deep and full of energy, it exudes class from the very first taste. As always, Maestro Raro is a Cabernet Sauvignon that speaks as much to this terroir as it does to varietal character. Lavender, herbs, menthol and plum build into the huge, tannic finish. I can’t wait to see how the 2014 ages.”
The average price is $54
The More-Affordable Eisele
and Two Colgin Classics
The Altagracia is the second wine of the estate and shows the house style and class in spades. It’s made for earlier drinkability than the mainline Cabernet, but still shows the quality of the terroir. It may represent one of the best values in California Cabernet as well—it’s well equal to a lot of wines priced $50-70 higher. Araujo hit the 2015 version out of the park and it should stack up as one of the best Altagracia’s in a long time. We’ve dropped the price for the rest of the month—it’s now the lowest in the country. This is the time to stock up, and if you’re a love of Napa Cabernet, you ought to.
Eisele Vineyard ‘Altagracia’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2015 750ML ($149.95) Was $133, Now $121.90 Clearance Price
James Suckling 95 points “This is a dense and juicy red with characters of blackberries, chocolate and pine needles. Sweet tobacco, too. Full body and round, polished tannins. A more dialed-in, terroir character than in past vintages. 88% cabernet sauvignon, 7% cabernet franc and 5% petit verdot. (5/2018)”
Wine Advocate 94 points “Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Altagracia has slightly muted black cherries, crushed black plums and cassis with hints of licorice, black soil and cracked pepper plus a waft of tapenade. Medium to full-bodied, rich and expressive in the mouth, it delivers a lot of layers and wonderfully fine tannins, finishing long and earthy.”
We’re also dropping the price on two of Colgin’s flagship wines from the 2014 vintage—a notable success in Napa. These are some of the most sought after wines in the States, hunted by those that drink the best. The IX vineyard sits high atop Pritchard Hill in eastern Napa and produces the wines that made Colgin’s name—big powerful reds that have astoundingly long finishes. Whether Syrah or the flagship Estate Red, the wines are incredible young and have a track record of aging for a long time. Robert Parker called the IX vineyard “as close to a viticultural nirvana as I’ve ever seen.” The wine definitely reflects that, but the prices, you’ll note, are lower than they should be.
Only ten bottles remaining!
Colgin Cellars IX Estate Red, Napa Valley 2014 750ML ($699.95) Was $499, Now $425 Clearance Price
Robert Parker 98+ points “From their steep hillside vineyards on Pritchard Hill, the 2014 Proprietary Red IX Estate is an old-fashioned Médoc blend dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, but with some Cabernet Franc (rarely seen in the Médoc these years) as well as Merlot and Petit Verdot. Striking aromatics of violets, forest floor, loamy soil nuances, blueberry, black raspberry and blackberry soar from the glass of this spectacular 2014. The acidity seems reasonable but on the lower side, the texture is magnificent, and the overall purity and equilibrium flawless. This is a wine pushing, even demanding, a three-digit score once again, but I’m holding back – at least for now. This magnificent effort from Colgin should drink beautifully for 25-30 years.
Colgin Cellars IX Estate Syrah, Napa Valley 2014 750ML ($349.95) Was $319, Now $289 Clearance Price
James Suckling 97 points “Incredible aromas of grilled meat, blackberries, rose petals and black velvet. Medium to full body and ultra-velvety tannins — even if this doesn’t show at first. It lags for five or six seconds and then grows and grows. Linear structure.”
Robert Parker 95 points “Lastly, the 2014 Syrah IX Estate has this incredibly fragrant, flowery bouquet that makes it seem as if there were some Viognier co-fermented with it, but it’s always 100% Syrah coming from their steep vineyards. Oodles of honeysuckle, blackberry, black cherry, graphite and some exotic white fruits seem present in this full-bodied, lush, savory, sexy and intense wine that is irresistible in 2014, and for that reason, destined to be drunk in its first 10-15 years, although I suspect it could last longer.”
Okay, the title was an inside joke here at Vinopolis. Our colleague Zack has lived all over the country and been a man of many nicknames. When we first brought this wine in he decided that Lumpp Givry was his private eye name. And this wine is a quaffer worthy of some pleasant laughs between friends. I don’t know about the rest of the country, but it’s already feeling like Fall here in Portland and this Burgundy out of Cote Chalonnaise is a perfect Fall wine: darker fruit (just a little brooding) but beautiful as the dying leaves turning brown and red. This wine simply has a gorgeous texture, just enough acidity for drinking now, a little smoky a little savory. At only $29 on such a suppable Burgundy and at our $319 case price do not pass this up! Pour it in everyone’s glass and pair it with the pumpkin patch under rainy clouds.
And if you don’t believe me, this wine is a Kermit-Lynch import: “The Lumpp domaine is an especially good fit here at KLWM because it embodies exactly what we have always looked for in Burgundy: a true vigneron in a specific village. Every wine François makes is from Givry, from vineyards that he planted and nurtured himself–something that is exceedingly rare in Burgundy today, and will become more and more so over time. An acknowledged leader of the appellation, his greatest achievement is harnessing the finesse we look for in Burgundian Pinot Noir—le Pinot fin”
Lumpp Givry 1er Cru A Vignes Rouge, Burgundy 2013 750ml ($49.95) $29 special
Case-12 Lumpp Givry 1er Cru A Vignes Rouge, Burgundy 2013 750ml ($399.95) $319 special
Grapelive 92 points “This Domaine is getting a lot of buzz for value, and I was very excited to try this Givry by Francois Lumpp. This area is in the Cote Chalonnaise, not far from the more famous Mercurey. There are a total of 240 acres of red and just 24 acres of white in the 27 climats within the Givry AOC (appellation) that are classified as Premier Cru vineyards, with wines designated Givry Premier Cru that show a vineyard name. This Lumpp A Vignes Rouge cuvee [is] a single vineyard Premier Cru Givry. Even though it’s a lesser known place, Burgundy fans have long looked here for purity, character and especially value, and with this Francois Lumpp you can see why. Kermit Lynch now imports Lumpp, who was founded in 1991 and produce just about 4,000 cases annually. Every wine François makes is from Givry, and interestingly from vineyards that he planted and nurtured–something that is exceedingly rare in Burgundy today. His vines are a massale selection of old bud wood grown on, in this case, a mix of Oxfordian Nantoux Limestone, Fine Marl, and Clay with A Vignes Rouge coming off 15 year old vines at 850 feet above sea level. Givry’s best premier cru sites are situated on the mid to upper level slopes of the rolling hillsides. These form the base of Lumpp’s holdings (all of which are in fact Premier Cru plots, except one white Lieu-Dit). Lumpp uses stainless steel to ferment with gentle punch downs then the wine is raised in barriques, of which surprisingly are about 70% new each vintage. The Premier Crus get one year in barrel as this one did with only one racking to clarify before bottling. This 2013 is astonishingly fresh and deeply flavored with a rich dark garnet/ruby hue and a vivid grapey nose that leads to a textured palate that shines with blackberry, plum, bramble berry and cherry fruits along with a streak of mineral, earth and briar adding sweet woody notes along with hint of tobacco, tangy currant, minty herb and apple skin. The tannins are supple, but firmer than you’d expect of a wine of this vintage and there’s a lot of pop from vital acidity, while being rather lush and dense. Certainly this Burgundy has ages to go and it’s a huge bargain, best with robust cuisine, and it must be said it has resolved almost all the oak making for a real entertaining and stylish wine. Best from 2019 to 2026.”
The Hottest Wines of the Weekend
Chateau Simone Palette Rose, Provence 2016 750ML ($64.95) Was $51.90, Now $41.90 September Clearance Price, 30 bottles in stock now
Chateau Simone Palette Rose, Provence 2016 1.5L ($139.95) Was $119, Now $99 September Clearance Price, 10 magnums in stock now
Neal Rosenthal note “The Château Simone Rosé is a wine that belies the notion that rosés are simple wines to be drunk up young. We have indulged ourselves with 10-year old Château Simone Rosé and have marveled at the tenacity, vibrancy and complexity of this very serious wine. The blend is identical to the rouge: 45% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, 5% Cinsault, 20% Syrah, Castet, Manosquin, Carignan, Muscat Noir & Blanc. Aged in barrel, it is powerful and age-worthy with a steely character and a grey-tinted aura to the faded rose-petal robe.”
The average price is $59
Bodegas Muga Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2013 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Bodegas Muga Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2013 750ML ($299.95) $219 special (that’s only $18.25/bottle!)
James Suckling 92 points “This is an excellent 2013 with such purity and finesse. Cherry, stone and light cedar aromas follow through to a full body, very fine tannins and a fresh and clean finish. Hints of cedar. It shows a focused energy. Drink now.”
Wine Advocate 90 points “Jorge Muga told me he’s very proud of their 2013 Reserva, which he considers the most challenging vintage he’s seen: cold, rain, botrytis, vigor, mud … horrible! They only produced this Reserva, there’s no Selección Especial Torre Muga or Prado Enea, and they even produced less than the average volume of this bottling. This is the year they introduced optical sorting for the grapes, and they reckon that really helped to achieve the quality of this wine. In this price range and volume, it has to be one of the best wines in Rioja in 2013. It has the classical Muga character, polished and drinkable.”
The average price is $27
Bodegas Muga Rosado, Rioja DOCa 2017 750ML ($17.95) $14 special
Josh Raynolds 92 points “Pale orange. A highly aromatic bouquet displays fresh red berry and citrus zest scents, along with suave mineral and floral flourishes. Dry and focused on the palate, offering bitter pomegranate, redcurrant and blood orange flavors that take a deeper and sweeter turn with air. Finishes with intense mineral cut and excellent clarity, leaving persistent red berry and floral notes behind.”
A landmark wine—one of the best whites in the world.
F.X. Pichler Durnsteiner Kellerberg Gruner Veltliner Smaragd, Wachau 2015 750ML ($89.95) $79 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.”
Beautiful, pure, expressive and powerful.
Philippe Cambie & Gilles Ferrand Domaine de Calendal Cotes du Rhone Villages Plan de Dieu 2014 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special
Case-12 Philippe Cambie & Gilles Ferrand Domaine de Calendal Cotes du Rhone Villages Plan de Dieu 2014 750ML ($299.95) $239 special (that’s only $19.92/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 90-92 points “One of the gems in the vintage is Philippe Cambie’s 2014 Côtes du Rhône Villages Plan de Dieu Calendal. Made from 70% Grenache and 30% Mourvèdre, completely destemmed, and aged 12 months in one-third each of new, once used, twice used barrels, it offers sensational notes of black raspberries, cassis, sweet spice, licorice and crushed flowers. Medium to full-bodied, ripe, beautifully texture and hedonistic, it has beautifully sweet, polished tannin and yet should be approachable on release.”
From John Gilman
Arriving September 21st
“a very, very elegant young vintage of Le Haut Lieu Sec”
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Le Haut Lieu’ Sec, Loire 2017 750ML ($34.95) $28 pre-arrival special
John Gilman 93+ points “The 2017 Vouvray “Le Haut Lieu” Sec from Domaine Huët is absolutely classic in profile, coming in at an even thirteen percent and offering up beautiful precision on both the nose and palate. The lovely nose wafts from the glass in a youthful blend of quince, apple, chalk dust, lanolin, a hint of honeycomb and a topnote of white flowers. On the palate the wine is crisp, full and focused, with a rock solid core, great soil signature, excellent balance and a very long, bright and complex finish. This is a very, very elegant young vintage of Le Haut Lieu Sec and the wine will age very long and very gracefully. Fine, fine juice. 2018-2021; 2028-2060+.”
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Le Mont’ Sec, Loire 2017 750ML ($41.95) $33 pre-arrival special
John Gilman 94 points “The 2017 Sec bottling from the Le Mont vineyard is another gem from Domaine Huët. The bouquet is bright, pure and nascently complex, offering up scents of lemon, apple, quince, bee pollen, chalky soil tones and a topnote of spring flowers. On the palate the wine is deep, fullbodied and more closed in personality than the Le Haut Lieu Sec, with a bit of the backend dustiness of shutdown young Vouvray already starting to throw its weight around, but with excellent depth at the core and impressive focus. The finish is long, beautifully balanced and intensely flavored, with great energy and grip. This is dynamite wine in the making but unlike the Le Haut Lieu Sec, I would be tempted to tuck this away in the cellar right away and not drink any bottles during its first couple of years, as I have the sense that this is going to shut down quite briskly and it will be pointless to waste bottles early on, particularly given how much potential there is here for down the road! 2028-2060+”
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Clos du Bourg’ Sec, Loire 2017 750ML ($41.95) $33 pre-arrival special
John Gilman 94+ points “The 2017 Clos du Bourg Sec from Domaine Huët is a superb young wine and probably the slight favorite of these three beautiful dry Vouvray bottlings. The wine delivers a lovely aromatic constellation of apple, quince, a whisper of fresh pineapple, beautiful limestone minerality, white flowers, a hint of citrus oil and a topnote of bee pollen. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, focused and rock solid at the core, with bright, ripe acids, excellent focus and grip and a very long, nascently complex and perfectly balanced finish. Great juice. 2018-2020; 2028-2065. 94+.”
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Le Haut Lieu’ Demi-Sec, Loire 2017 750ML ($41.95) $36 pre-arrival special
John Gilman 93 points “The 2017 Le Haut Lieu Demi-Sec from Domaine Huët is excellent on both the nose and palate, offering up a classic bouquet of quince, apple, chalky soil tones, bee pollen, lanolin and a topnote of white lilies. On the palate the wine is crisp, full-bodied, focused and complex, with a lovely core, fine transparency, bright acids and very impressive length and grip on the still quite youthful finish. This is quite approachable in its early youth, but will no doubt close down into a dusty and reticent adolescence in a few years and then be quite unapproachable for a decade, but it looks destined to be quite classically proportioned and will age long and gracefully. 2018-2020; 2030-2080. 93.”
“On the palate the wine is deep, full and a bit more powerful in personality”
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Le Mont’ Demi-Sec, Loire 2017 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
John Gilman 94 points “Domaine Huët’s 2017 Le Mont Demi-Sec bottling is just a touch more honeyed on the nose than the Le Haut Lieu Demi-Sec, but as this wine is often more mineral as well (in comparison to the more chalky Le Haut Lieu), the combination works beautifully in this vintage. The nose jumps from the glass in a fine, youthful blend of apple, quince, fresh pineapple, stony soil tones, incipient notes of honeycomb, spring flowers and just a touch of youthful chenin wildness in the upper register. On the palate the wine is deep, full and a bit more powerful in personality than the Le Haut Lieu, with impeccable balance, a great core, superb backend mineral drive and a very long, very refined and nascently complex finish. This is an outstanding wine in the making! 2018-2020; 2030-2080. 94.”
“a stunning wine in the making”
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Clos du Bourg’ Demi-Sec, Loire 2017 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
John Gilman 95+ points “The 2017 Clos du Bourg Demi-Sec is a stunning wine in the making. The bouquet offers up a superb constellation of apple, pineapple, quince, very complex minerality, honeycomb, orange blossoms and lanolin. On the palate the wine is pure, nascently complex and full-bodied, with superb depth at the core, bright, seamless acids, laser-like focus and outstanding grip and balance on the long, vibrant and stunning finish. This too will be approachable for a few years and then shut down for an extended period of hibernation, but unlike the Le Haut Lieu Demi-Sec, where early sampling would be perfectly understandable, to waste bottles of the 2017 Clos du Bourg Demi-Sec drinking it in its early window of accessibility would border on a crime! This is a legend in the making. 2018-2020.2030-2090. 95+.”
“This is extremely 1989-like in personality and a great wine in the making”
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Le Mont’ Moelleux, Loire 2017 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
John Gilman 95+ points “The 2017 Le Mont Moelleux is a beautiful wine in the making, with less overt botrytis in evidence and more of a concentrated bouquet from passerillage and perfect ripening. The nose drifts from the glass in a very refined and classy blend of sweet quince, pineapple, apple chalky minerality, hints of honeycomb and a lovely topnote of orange blossoms. On the palate the wine is pure, racy and full, with superb mid-palate depth, outstanding focus and grip, a very youthful personality and a very, very long and classy finish. This is extremely 1989-like in personality and a great wine in the making. 2027-2075+. 95+.”
For the 2013 Produttori Riservas
2013 is the greatest vintage in Barbaresco since…2007? 2001? 1996? 1990? Further back? Regardless of where you put 2013 in that esteemed set, it’s time to stock up—this is an all caps GREAT VINTAGE which should be bought as heavily as you can afford. The wines show incredible amounts of promise and beautiful definition. They’re going to be seen as legends in a decade or two.
We just received more stock on the 2013 Produttori Riservas—the benchmark wines of the appellation. More importantly, we have some of each and every cru available for sale and in stock, with the exception of the recently sold out Asili. No matter if you’re looking for the lean and elegant Ovello, the soft and delicious Pora or the regal Rabaja (or anything in between), there’s something in stock for you now.
Classic Chateauneuf in a Legendary Vintage
Domaine du Pegau was formally founded in 1987 by father-daughter team Paul and Laurence Feraud, the family having farmed the area since the 17th century. Chez Pegau, vines average sixty-plus years in age. Their Cuvée Réservée is hand-picked blend of mostly Grenache with grapes grown in clay, chalk and sand. Pegau is one of the top traditional estates in CDP and garners high praise from critics year in/ year out. Don’t miss their 2015 release—a vintage that will go down as one of the greatest for Pegau.
Domaine du Pegau Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Reservee, Rhone 2015 750ML ($89.95) $75 special
Jeb Dunnuck – Rhone Report 95-97+ points “A vintage compared to 2010 by Laurence, the 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape looks to be one of the big successes in the vintage. Possessing a ripe, rounded, sexy style backed up by solid density and concentration, it offers classic Pegau notes of currants, pepper, and cured meats. Big, rich, concentrated and beautifully textured, it offers a rare depth of fruit and richness in the vintage.”
Josh Raynolds 93-95 points “Vivid ruby. An exotically perfumed bouquet evokes ripe raspberry, cherry and garrigue, while a suave floral element expands with air. Fleshy, seamless and broad on the palate, offering intense black raspberry and fruitcake flavors that are braced and lifted by a spine of juicy acidity. The floral note builds as the wine opens up and carries through the sweet, strikingly long finish, which leaves behind red fruit liqueur and licorice notes.”
Wine Advocate 93-95 points “The 2015 Châteauneuf du Pape Cuvée Réservée is beauty, and about as classic an expression of this estate as I can recall. Blackcurrants, peppery herbs, roasted meats and garrigue all emerge from this medium to full-bodied, balanced, nicely concentrated 2015 that has ripe tannin and a great finish. It’s not on par with the 2010, 2009 or 2003, but it should surpass the 2012 and have two decades or more of longevity.”
Thomas Pico’s Pattes Loup
“Pico’s priority is to achieve moderate yields and full maturity….Fermentation occurs in neutral wood, concrete and stainless steel, varying—like its duration—by cuvée and vintage. Confronted by the tiny crops of 2016 and 2017, Pico elected to retain some of his 2015s for a later bottling, keeping them on the lees in tank for longer, an experiment he had long wanted to make, and one that will help his cash flow. The “Mise Tardive” bottling of his Vente d’Ange cuvée has recently been bottled, and his 1er Cru Butteaux will follow in June. There isn’t really anything like them in Chablis—imagine if the Mâconnais’s Domaine Valette made wines here and you’ll get a partial idea of what they’re like—but they’re undeniably delicious, indeed thrilling, in their alliance of texture and saline nuance.” –William Kelley, The Wine Advocate
Arriving September 21st:
Domaine Pattes Loup (Thomas Pico) Les Beauregards, Chablis Premier Cru, 2015 750ML ($79.95) $66 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2015 Chablis 1er Cru Beauregard is stunning and is a textbook example of a cool, slow-maturing site excelling in a warmer vintage. The wine unfurls in the glass with aromas of green apple, citrus blossom and oystershell, followed by a full-bodied, tangy palate with an incredible marriage of texture and acidity. The finish is long, stony and beautifully delineated.”
Domaine Pattes Loup (Thomas Pico) Cote de Jouans, Chablis Premier Cru 2015 750ML ($79.95) $69 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 93 points “Bottled in November 2017, the 2015 Chablis 1er Cru Côte de Jouan exhibits notes of preserved lemon, oatmeal and subtly smoky reduction. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, satiny and bright, with incredible richness and concentration allied with tangy acids and stony, saline nuance. To reiterate, there are very few precedents for this much texture and mid-palate volume in contemporary Chablis, yet the wine’s bright acids and sapid qualities could originate from nowhere else.”
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2015 Chablis Vente d’Ange Mise Tardive spent fully 30 months on its lees, and it’s an extraordinary wine, wafting from the glass with notes of yellow apples, dried flowers, waxy lemon rind, oatmeal, crushed chalk and rock salt. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, strikingly textural and intensely concentrated, with incredible depth and energy. What’s been lost in primary fruit has been amply compensated for by additional sapid nuance. There’s nothing like this in Chablis.”
September Clearance Sale Recap
