New Reviews from Stephan Reinhardt of the Wine Advocate; Killer Cayuse; Arriving in January: Xavier Vignon, Bordeaux Treasures, Tuscan Treasures, Spanish Treasures, Cult Bargains, Selbach-Oster, Heymann- Löwenstein, & 2015 Beaujolais; Arriving in February: Cantine Lonardo, Il Poggione Vigna Paganelli 2010, & Domaine Yves et Mathilde Gangloff; Arriving in March: William Fevre, Burgundy Treasures, & Muller-Catoir
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Vinopolis Wine Shop
IS OPEN TODAY!
10 am – 6 pm
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New German Wine Reviews from Stephan Reinhardt of the Wine Advocate
Diel is one of those producers whose primacy in Germany doesn’t always connect with American drinkers, yet the wines deserve all the acclaim and glory they get in their native land. Armin Diel is one of the pre-eminent wine writers in Germany and also one of the most acclaimed winemakers, and it’s hard to know which brings him more respect (imagine if Antonio Galloni also owned a winery like Schrader or Spottswoode). As a result, the wines are snapped up inside Germany and very little makes it to our shores. We have a little to offer you today of newly reviewed and newly arrived 2015s. Even if you’re only casually interested in German wines, sweet or dry, you should try these beauties from the Nahe!
Schlossgut Diel Eierfels Riesling Trocken, Nahe 2015 750ML ($44.95) $33 special, 11 bottles available
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 91+ points “The 2015 Dorsheim Riesling Trocken Eierfels is the negative selection of the Dorsheim grands crus Burgberg and Goldloch. It comes along as a pretty rich and intensely flavored Riesling with spicy/stony notes and ripe fruit aromas. Full-bodied and complex, this is a piquant and salty Riesling with impressive intensity and length. It is pretty accessible already.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $39.15
Schlossgut Diel Dorsheimer Goldloch Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Nahe 2015 750ML ($79.95) $59 special, 7 bottles available
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2015 Goldloch Riesling GG opens super ripe, intense and concentrated on the nose, with ripe fruit and Mediterranean herbal aromas–like dried white bread with olive oil and rosemary flavors. On the palate, this is a rich, powerful though pure, complex and elegant Riesling with herbal flavors and a super ripe, concentrated fruit aroma in the finish. This wine is pure and rich at the same time, and I wonder where it goes from here. The finish is long and intense, showing good grip and intensity.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $68.15
Schlossgut Diel Dorsheimer Pittermannchen Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Nahe 2015 750ML ($79.95) $59 special, 9 bottles available
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2015 Pittermännchen Riesling GG trocken is lovely, pure, ripe and intense on the nose, offering flavors of freshly crushed stones along with ripe fruit aromas. Rich but refined on the palate, this is a pure, piquant and finesse-full dry Riesling with a dense, intense, very long and complex finish that keeps the purity and tension util the very end. A gorgeous Riesling.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $65
Schlossgut Diel Dorsheimer Goldloch Riesling Kabinett, Nahe 2015 750ML ($37.95) $28 special, 9 bottles available
“The 2015 Goldloch Riesling Kabinett from the village of Dorsheim offers some honey wax and rice flavors on the youthful nose. On the palate, the wine is pure, fresh and piquant, a classic Kabinett with ripe yellow stone fruit aromas. Straight and piquant.” Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Schlossgut Diel Dorsheimer Goldloch Riesling Auslese, Nahe 2015 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 9 bottles available
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 93 points “On the nose, the 2015 Goldloch Riesling Auslese is smoky, pure and deep in its fruity flavors. On the palate, it is a rich and intense Riesling with purity, piquant acidity and a lot of grip and tension. It has a persistent finish.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Schlossgut Diel Dorsheimer Pittermannchen Riesling Spatlese, Nahe 2015 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 9 bottles available
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2015 Pittermännchen Riesling Spätlese opens clear and slatey on the nose, with flinty, dusty flavors and lovely purity. On the palate, this is a very piquant and refined Riesling with lots of juice, finesse and elegance. It’s a light-hearted wine with white fruit flavors and good salinity. You can enjoy the 2015 for more than 20 years yet I’d keep it under cork for another 4-5 years.”
Also Newly Reviewed and Newly Arrived
Weingut Johann Baptist-Schafer Burg Layer Schlossberg Riesling Spatlese 2015 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 36 bottles available
Auction Wine 2016!
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2015 Burg Layer Schlossberg Riesling Spätlese was auctioned in Bad Kreuznach in September 2016. Sourced from vines that are less than 30 years old, it opens with a very clear, ripe and almost tropical fruit aroma intertwined with delicate, flinty notes from the reddish/silvery slatey clay soils. This is another reductive styled, racy, piquant and finesse-full Riesling with tropical fruit aromas, some toasted speck and date flavors. Its combination of finesse and lush fruit texture reminds me of red slate Rieslings from the Mosel such as Ürziger Würzgarten or the red slate parts of the Pünderich Marienburg. The finish is full of tension and grip. A gorgeous Spätlese of which 400 liters have been produced.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
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Killer Cayuse
In-stock now!
Cayuse Vineyards Armada Vineyard Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2008 750ML ($169.95) $139 special, 2 bottles available
Wine Advocate 95 points “More fresh and elegant than the 2009, yet also without the back-end depth, the 2008 Syrah Armada Vineyard has pretty notes of blackberries, black raspberries, crushed flowers, savory herbs and distinct minerality on the nose. Full-bodied, pure, fresh and long, it’s already approachable, but will evolve gracefully on its purity, balance and freshness.”
Cayuse Vineyards Impulsivo Tempranillo, Walla Walla Valley 2014 750ML ($149.95) $119 special, 2 bottles available
Wine Advocate 95-97 points “A longer term prospect will be the 2014 Impulsivo, which is 100% Tempranillo brought up in puncheons. It has tons of black and blue fruits, smoked earth and graphite, as well as full-bodied richness, building tannin and top-notch purity. It has a lot of tannin, so it won’t be one to open right on release.”
Cayuse Vineyards The Lovers, Walla Walla Valley 2012 750ML ($169.95) $159 special, 3 bottles available
Wine Advocate 96+ points “One of the more voluptuous, thick and chewy releases, the 2012 The Lovers (86% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Syrah) is locked and loaded with notions of black raspberries, cassis, smoked earth, tobacco and licorice. Massively built on the palate, with a full throttle, rich, tannic mouthfeel, give it 3-4 years and drink anytime over the following 15+ years.”
For a complete list of newly arrived in-stock Cayuse wines, see below!
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Give the Gift that Never Expires!
Can’t decide on the perfect end of year gift?
Let them!
We offer gift certificates in any amount with no taxes, fees or expiration date.
Gift certificates are not available through our web store. To order, please stop in, call or email. We are happy to mail gift certificates to any domestic address at no charge.
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2017 Pre-Arrival Special Features
We’re welcoming the New Year in style with a special feature dedicated to the many wines arriving this year. Whether you’re looking for killer Loire wines under $20 like Pepiere’s ever-popular Clos des Briords, scoring insane and exclusive deals of high scoring German Rieslings from JJ Prum, Selbach-Oster or Donnhoff, hard-to-find Rhone and Bordeaux wines from Xavier Vignon and Chateau Meyney, or searching for that treasured Burgundy that no one seems to carrying – we’ve got it!
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Arriving in January
Xavier Vignon
The Man behind the Curtain
Arriving Friday, January 13th
Few in the Southern Rhône can make wine like Xavier Vignon. Grand Veneur’s 100 Point Châteauneuf-du-Pape VV 2010, along with Raymond Usseglio’s 99 Point Cuvée Impériale 2010: Xavier fashioned both. Having studied at Montpellier’s prestigious winemaking school, and polished his skills in places like Napa, Bordeaux, and Australia, Xavier arrived in Châteauneuf in the late 1990s. Following his success there, and heeding industry advice, he began buying specific barrels from some of his winery clients and blending his own line of wines. The wine world has since thanked Xavier for his contribution, and critics like Robert Parker continuously praise his signature bottlings.
Xavier’s mission remains simple: to showcase, and exalt, the character of the Rhône Valley’s most celebrated appellations. The wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Vacqueyras, and Rasteau, for example, sing in their purest voices under the guidance of Xavier. His intuition and decades of experience as a Rhône winemaker pay off not just in 99-100 points, but likewise in his own brand of wines. We are offering an assortment of Xavier Vignon wines, all in the 90+ point range, at a fraction of what you’d pay for the wines Xavier makes as consultant. Dig deep into the Rhône and you’ll find treasures like these.
Xavier Vignon Wines Arriving January 13th
Xavier Rasteau, Rhone 2012 750ML ($34.95) $28.80 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 93 points “One of my favorite wines from this estate, the 2012 Rasteau offers tons of ripe dark fruit, crushed rock, licorice and minerality in its full-bodied, concentrated profile. Made from 75% Grenache, 15% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre, it’s a classic Rasteau to drink over the coming 7-8 years.”
Xavier Vignon Côtes du Rhône S.M. NV 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 94 points “The NV Côtes du Rhône S.M. is thrilling stuff. Made from equal parts Grenache and Syrah and aged half in concrete and half in barrel, it offers a full-bodied, voluptuous and decadent style to go with overflowing notes of plum and darker fruits, licorice and violets. Gorgeous on all counts, it’s a shockingly good Côtes du Rhône to drink over the coming 4-6 years, although I wouldn’t be surprised to see it last even longer.”
Xavier Vacqueyras, Rhone 2010 750ML ($31.95) $26 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 91 points “The 2010 Vacqueyras was made from a somewhat unusual blend of 50% Syrah, 30% Mourvedre and 20% Grenache, most of it from the Plateau de Garrigue, near Sarrians in Vacqueyras. This rich effort reveals lots of forest floor, roasted herb, blackberry and cassis notes as well as a hint of acacia flowers. Impeccably pure, rich and long, it should drink well for 6-8 years.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Xavier Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Anonyme X 2011 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 95 points “The top wine of the estate, the 2011 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Anonyme is a hidden gem in the vintage! A blend of Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah, Counoise and Vaccarese, from 90-year-old vines and aged in one-third new barrels (although you wouldn’t know it), it possesses fabulous notes of blackberry and currant fruit, big minerality, roasted meats and leather. Full-bodied, with beautiful freshness, big tannin and a layered, thrillingly concentrated mid-palate, it will be better in another year or two, and have over 15 years of longevity. Drink 2015-2026.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $73.99
Xavier Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Anonyme X 2012 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 95 points “The top wine from the portfolio, the 2012 Châteauneuf du Pape Cuvee Anonyme offers thrilling purity and focus in its lively dark fruits, roasted meats and underbrush-scented bouquet. Full-bodied, ripe and textured, with fantastic polish and sweetness to its tannin, it has a supple, forward feel, yet will easily evolve for 10-15 years.”
Xavier Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2010 750ML ($47.95) $38 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 91+ points “Richer, fuller and denser is the 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape, which is composed of 65% Grenache and the rest equal parts Mourvedre and Syrah. Its dense ruby/purple color is followed by abundant notes of black fruits, licorice, lavender, Provencal herbs as well as a meaty richness.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $45.99
Xavier Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Reserve VII IX X NV 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 96 points “While I reviewed this NV Châteauneuf du Pape La Reserve VII IX X (a blend from the 2007, 2009 and 2010 vintages) last year, I was able to taste it again this go around, and it still blew me away. Fabulously full-bodied and decadent, with loads of lavender, incense, black raspberry and cured-meat nuances, it’s still youthful and vibrant, with notable freshness and purity. Enjoy this brilliant wine through 2028.”
Also Arriving from the Rhone on January 13th:
Delas Freres Saint-Joseph Francois de Tournon, Rhone 2013 750ML ($44.95) $28 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Delas Freres Saint-Joseph Francois de Tournon, Rhone 2013 750ML (199.95) $149 pre-arrival special (that’s only $24.83/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 92 points “Similar to the Saint Epine release quality-wise, the 2013 St Joseph Cuvee Francois de Tournon offers more richness, breadth and layer compared to the tighter, more focused, granite-influenced Saint Epine. Plum, black raspberry, licorice, cracked pepper and graphite flows to a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, structured 2013 that needs 3-4 years of cellaring; it will have two decades of longevity. Coming mostly from vineyards around Tournon and Mauves, it spent 12 months in 30% new French oak.”
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 92 points “Vivid ruby. Highly perfumed, exotic scents of black raspberry and blueberry preserves, incense and smoky minerals carry a spicy topnote. At once ripe and lively on the palate, offering palate-staining red and dark berry and cherry cola flavors and subtle floral character. Finishes spicy and very long, displaying harmonious tannins and a lingering violet note.”
Wine Spectator 92 points “Ripe and concentrated without sacrificing cut, this lets a pure beam of raspberry and blackberry coulis rush forth, backed by mouthwatering anise, black tea and iron notes. Latent grip allows the finish to linger. Best from 2016 through 2022.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $38
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Bordeaux Treasures
Arriving in January
Chateau Bel-Air, Pomerol 2009 750ML ($37.95) $29 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Chateau Bel-Air, Pomerol 2009 750ML ($419.95) $299 pre-arrival special (that’s only $24.92/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
“Owned by the Martin family (who also own Gloria), this dense ruby/plum-colored sleeper of the vintage displays oodles of fruit as well as some notes of Christmas fruitcake and roasted herbs along with loads of cassis. Tasty, round, generous, and ripe, this 2009 has a lot going for it.”–Robert Parker
Chateau Bel-Air, Pomerol 2010 750ML ($37.95) $29 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Chateau Bel-Air, Pomerol 2010 750ML ($419.95) $299 pre-arrival special (that’s only $24.92/bottle!)
Grapelive 92 points “The vintage shows through here without question, a great year makes this lovely Pomerol a terrific value and wonderfully textured wine from Chateau Bel-Air. This dark and full bodied Pomerol hits all the right notes and does so with class, vitality and verve showing beautiful detail and complexity in a forceful, but elegantly pure Merlot, this is really seductive stuff in the glass, holding it’s own against far more expensive labels with ease and poise. The rich layers of fruit, mineral tones and sweet tannin give decadence and refined structure, highlighting Merlot’s promise in a world that sometimes lacks the respect of this often maligned varietal. Chateau Bel-Air has captured in the bottle the right bank’s charm and beauty in this 2010, it shows terroir, with subtle loamy/earth, plummy dense mouth feel and stylish silken length with a wine that has the potential to age another 10 to 15 years, but is pretty darn good right now too. The lead off here is dark floral tones a hint of smoky cedar and black cherry fruit with blackberry, plum, dark kirsch liqueur along with a touch of mint, dried clay, a touch of cigar wrapper and vanilla. This fine Bordeaux delivers well beyond it’s price and is wonderful with food choices that range from duck breast, lamb, roast pork, wild mushroom dishes to prime rib, and or any comforting winter fare really, and it can also be enjoyed with cheeses or on it’s own. This is the kind of wine that brings you back to Bordeaux, and certainly makes you wonder why you don’t drink more Merlot, drink this Chateau Bel-Air Pomerol from 2016 to 2028.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Chateau Meyney, Saint-Estephe 2009 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Chateau Meyney, Saint-Estephe 2009 750ML ($549.95) $438 pre-arrival special (that’s only $36.50/bottle!)
James Suckling 93 points “Green olives, spices and currants on the nose. Full body, with velvety tannins and a juicy finish. Lovely layers of ripe tannins and ripe fruit. Best after 2018.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $50
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Tuscan Treasures
Arriving in January
Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2010 750ML ($99.95) $79 pre-arrival special
#4 Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines Of 2015
Wine Advocate 98 points “The 2010 Brunello di Montalcino is a striking wine that shows uncompromising varietal pureness, albeit in a most concentrated and elaborate form. This is what great Sangiovese is all about. There’s so much happening on the nose and the wine brings you to cherry, spice, licorice, cured meat, pressed rose and grilled meat in equal measure. No one element overpowers the next. The mouthfeel is also tight and bright with the kind of fruit intensity that promises long cellar aging. This Brunello is only at the beginning of a long road ahead. The longer the wine stays in the glass, the more it offers in terms of complexity and intensity. This is a true standout that can be enjoyed for up to 20 years ahead.” ML
Pian dell’Orino Bassolino di Sopra, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2007 1.5L ($349.95) $289 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The estate’s 2007 Brunello di Montalcino Bassolino di Sopra 1500 emerges from the glass with endless layers of fruit. A pure, voluptuous 2007, the Bassolino di Sopra 1500 is rich, round and seamless. Deeply spiced notes develop in the glass as the wine shows off its striking personality. I am not a huge fan of extended time in oak for wines of such purity, but the 2007 handles its 48 months in barrel quite nicely, although it is naturally shaped by its aging regime, especially from a textural perspective. The 2007 is made exclusively from the estate’s holdings in Pian Bossolino, but that site has also been trademarked by another winery, hence the slight name variation here.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $399.99
Pian dell’Orino Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2011 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Pian dell’Orino Piandorino Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2014 750ML ($34.95) $29 pre-arrival special
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Pian dell’Orino Rosso di Montalcino, Tuscany 2013 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 91 points “Showing great depth and a clean, tonic style, the 2013 Rosso di Montalcino is streamlined and tight with bright berry fruit that emerges high and tall from the bouquet. The wine’s intensity is very evident especially when tasted next to Pian dell’Orino’s IGT Sangiovese. The quality of fruit is fresh and pronounced and like all of the wines from this estate, this expression is characterized by an extremely polished and silky approach. It reaches seamless integration.”
Podere Poggio Scalette Il Carbonaione Alta Valle della Greve IGT, Tuscany 2013 750ML ($69.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 95+ points “The 2013 Il Carbonaione is compelling. That’s the good news. The bad news, if you can call it that, is that the 2013 is going to take the better part of the next decade to be at its best. Black cherry, plum, licorice and menthol are all fused together. Today, the 2013 is rich, deep and unctuous, with superb depth and striking balance. Opening a bottle anytime soon, though, is likely to be a mostly academic exercise, as the Carbonaione is so primary, it almost tastes like a barrel sample!”
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Spanish Treasures
Arriving in January
VinopolNote: The Lopez de Heredia wines are winery cellar direct releases imported to Portland, OR by Phil Smith Wines.
R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva Blanco, Rioja DOCa 1973 750ML ($999.95) $799 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 98 points “The 1973 Vina Tondonia Blanco Gran Reserva is so sublime, so complete and natural that it may bring tears to the eyes. It has a complex bouquet of beeswax, lanolin, lemon curd and almond that is effortlessly combined. The palate is nigh-perfectly balanced with very good weight. It has a seamless waxy texture and a peacock’s tail of almond, creme brulee, marzipan and dried apricot. There is a beguiling sense of completeness here. Heaven in a glass, and one of the finest Tondonia Blancos I have encountered. Drink now-2020+”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva, Rioja DOCa 1961 750ML ($1,499.95) $1,289 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 94 points “Medium red. A highly perfumed bouquet displays red fruit preserves, smoked meat and potpourri. Deeply pitched redcurrant and bitter cherry flavors show a slight medicinal reserve, which makes this wine seem far younger than it is. The potpourri note builds with air and carries through a long, chewy, smoky finish. Definitely let this air out for an hour or so. Incidentally, I had the chance to drink two lithe and highly fragrant bottles of the 1961 Vina Bosconia at a restaurant in San Sebastian that had been in their cellar for at least the last 20 years. If you’re lucky enough to own that wine (like these older wines, it is still available from the winery) there’s absolutely no reason to hold off drinking it. I couldn’t hold off, twice.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $1,399
Looking for a great budget-friendly Spanish pick for the cellar? We’ve got you covered – also arriving in January
Finca la Emperatriz Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2010 750ML ($27.95) $24 pre-arrival special
Robert Parker 92 points “I clearly underrated this wine from barrel. The finest wine made at this estate since 1982, this opaque black wine is a sleeper of the vintage, with oodles of blackberry fruit interwoven with hints of charcoal, forest floor, licorice and damp earth. Deep, rich, chewy, full-bodied and opulent, this is a fabulous Meyney that, because of its low acidity and very ripe tannin, can be drunk in 3-4 years or cellared for two decades. Bravo!”
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Cult Bargains Arriving in January
Domaine de la Pepiere Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine Sur Lie Clos des Briords, Loire 2015 750ML ($21.95) $18 pre-arrival special
Domaine de la Pepiere Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine Sur Lie Clos des Briords, Loire 2015 1.5L ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Vinopolnote: From some of Marc Olivier’s oldest vines, planted in 1930, comes this lovely stunner of a Muscadet. “Clos des Briord”comes from a single plot of vines planted in schist soils; a very mineral-rich and surprising example of Melon which is built to age beautifully but also provides freshness and fun when drunk in youth.
Coudert Pere ‘Clos de la Roilette’ Fleurie Griffe du Marquis, Beaujolais 2014 750ML ($37.95) $33 pre-arrival special
VinopolNote: This wine is always a selection of some of the finest of Alain Coudert’s wines, aged in smaller (used) casks and left in barrel for a longer time. Darker and richer than the Fleurie or Cuvee Tardive, this wine will age magnificently and always bears a stronger resemblance to it’s neighbors in the Cote d’Or.
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Selbach-Oster Wines
Arriving in January
With a mere four centuries under its winemaker’s belt, the Selbach family honors tradition, nature, and the benefits of un-mechanized vineyard work. Selbach-Oster wines respond to such care by delivering minerality, sweetness, and crisp acidity in harmonious balance, vintage after vintage.
Below is a selection of the 17 Selbach-Oster wines arriving in January:
Selbach-Oster Riesling Trocken, Mosel 2015 750ML ($24.95) $18 pre-arrival special
“This bottling offers a gorgeous nose of pear, melon and white minerals. The wine is nicely fresh and easy on the palate. Bright fruits and herbs bring some pep to the finish of this nice and easy-drinking wine. Now-2018”–Mosel Fine Wines
Winery note “Selbach-Oster Rieslings are not “zeitgeisty” wines that change according to the whims of fashion. Nor are they “made” according to recipe. Though they are deeply delicious, they do not seek to “seduce” with short-term exotic aromas from specially cultured yeasts, aromatic enzymes or ice-cold fermentations. They are true characters, wines with structure, wines that display their heritage, rooted deep into the slate rock like our old vines – many of which are still on their own vinifera roots.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2014 750ML ($29.95) $24 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2014 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese indicates a higher proportion of botrytis, which delivers a rich and concentrated, yet very clear fruit with coffee bean and ripe pip aromas. Very elegant and finely piquant on the palate, this is a nicely succulent and perfectly balanced Spätlese with a long, salty finish–and a good complexity and structure. I would recommend drinking this excellent Sonnenuhr no earlier than 2021.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Selbach-Oster Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2015 750ML ($39.95) $33 pre-arrival special
Mosel Fine Wines 93 points “This offers a beautiful nose of cassis, grapefruit, greengage, apricot tree flower, white flowers and herbs. A more yellow fruit driven side comes through on the palate with yellow peach playing with acidity to produce a mouth-watering cocktail of Mosel charm. A hint of sweetness in the finish is still in need of integration of this gorgeous Auslese in the making. 2025-2045.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Selbach-Oster ‘Anrecht’ Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2014 750ML ($49.95) $33 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 93 points “Bottled with 8% alcohol, the 2014 Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese Anrecht (erroneously designated as Spätlese instead of Auslese) opens with a super ripe and intense, stunningly bright and clear bouquet of very fine Riesling flavors; there are apple and pip aromas due to a higher proportion of golden and green grapes, and a lesser proportion of botrytis, due to the higher altitude of the Anrecht plot. There is so much finesse and piquancy in this juicy, elegant and well concentrated Riesling, which reveals a long and complex finish, as well as great finesse.”
David Schildknecht–Vinous 93 points “This product of block-picking (as opposed to selective picking) conveys a sense of ripeness and botrytization that could as easily have been captured in the word “Auslese.” Candied lemon, mint and anise mingle in the nose with suggestions of the quince, apple and Persian melon that come to dominate on a lush and expansive yet animatedly juicy palate. A hint of white raisin testifies delectably to the share of shriveled berries. Sweaty salinity lends mouthwatering intrigue while the fruit retains an invigoratingly tangy edge in a finish that readily stimulates the desire to take the next seductive, by no means overly sweet sip.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Selbach-Oster ‘Schmitt’ Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling, Mosel 2014 750ML ($59.95) $44 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 95 points “Picked with 105° Oechsle, the 2014 Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Auslese Schmitt displays a stunning freshness and purity on the slightly spicy-toned nose, where stony and flinty flavors–but less botrytis flavors–are indicated compared to the Rotlay. Piquant and salty on the palate, with a nice grip and more purity and freshness, this is the finest and most piquant of the single parcel crus; the finish is as long as it is stimulatingly salty and grippy. White peach and nectarine flavors in the long aftertaste. Great Riesling.”
David Schildknecht–Vinous 93 points “This block-picked (as opposed to selectively picked) offering leads with a heady and complex nose of musky faded narcissus, fennel pollen, pear preserves, papaya and candied lime. The lush yet stone-lined and shimmeringly mineral-tinged palate impression is correspondingly multifaceted and exotically ripe, backed by an amazingly high yet only modestly sweet-tasting 86 grams of residual sugar. The contribution of botrytis is similarly subtle, engendering enormous concentration while leaving behind no fungal spores or smudgy fingerprints. A prodigious finish welcomes the next sip.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $47.99
Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Rotlay Riesling, Mosel 2014 750ML ($59.95) $44 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 94+ points “The 2014 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Rotlay offers a superbly clear and concentrated bouquet with tropical fruit aromas (mango, pineapples) and fine botrytis. Picked with 110° Oechsle, this is a sweet, piquant, highly elegant and refined Riesling with a lingering purity and salinity, as well as the repetition of the tropical fruit aromas of the nose. With great finesse and concentration, this is quite noble and expressive Riesling.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Beerenauslese*, Mosel 2005 375ML ($149.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 98 points “Sweet and backed by a vibrant structure, this is elegant and detailed, with concentrated red berry, lime and nectarine. One of the few BAs to show a mineral component. Terrific balance and harmony, ending with a long, slate-tinged aftertaste. Drink now through 2040.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $119
Browse the entire list of Selbach-Oster wines below. To read full reviews or to order online, visit our web store at www.vinopoliswineshop.com
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2015 Rieslings from Heymann- Löwenstein
Arriving in January
“Stylistically, I love the deep fruit and elegance that the 2015 wines radiate. But also from a grower’s perspective, 2015 proved positively normal as did 2012, even if the growing conditions were anything but relaxing. The summer proved worryingly hot but in fine did not affect the taste of our wines. We had some rains in mid-September which made me fear for the worst (a scenario like in 2014) for a few days. However, the weather turned out to be very good as of the end of September, and all this meant that we could start our harvest without stress and finish it by the end of October.” –Reinhard Löwenstein
“The 2015 dry Riesling wines combine a delicate touch of complex opulence with bright fruit and presence which will please lovers of delicate yet fuller-bodied wines. The Kirchberg and the Uhlen B are the standouts as well as a hugely promising Uhlen R (if an extrapolation of the tasting of the separate casks are anything to go by). Overall, the wines prove very enjoyable in a style marrying the telltale complex herbal and mineral style that has made the success of the Estate in the past with some of the fresher purity of the last few vintages. Besides the Riesling, the recently released 2013er Spätburgunder is simply astonishing and one of the most elegant expressions of Spätburgunder we have tasted from the Mosel so far!” –Mosel Fine Wines
Below is a special selection of Heymann-Loewenstein wines arriving in January:
Heymann-Löwenstein Schieferterrassen Riesling Trocken, Mosel 2015 750ML ($39.95) $29 pre-arrival special
“The 2015er Trocken Schieferterrassen is made from the Estate’s holdings in Winningen (Domgarten, Brückstück and Hamm) and Kobern (Fahrberg and Weissenberg) as well as from declassified fruit from its “cru” vineyards. It offers a gorgeous nose of marzipan, herbs and spices. The wine is delicately baroque and full of character on the palate as ripe yellow fruits are nicely complemented by spicy herbs and a hint of tartness in the finish. 2018-2025” –Mosel Fine Wines
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Heymann-Loewenstein Stolzenberg Erste Lage Riesling Trocken, Mosel 2015 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Mosel Fine Wines 90+ points “This offers a gorgeous nose of ripe peach lifted up by a hint of honey, marzipan and dried herbs. The wine is delicately rich yet balanced on the palate and leaves a nicely clean feel of spices in the finish. This delicately full-bodied expression of Stolzenberg delivers great elegance in the finish and could easily exceed our initial expectations. 2017-2025.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Heymann-Loewenstein Kirchberg Erste Lage Riesling Trocken, Mosel 2015 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Mosel Fine Wines 92+ points “This wine is rather reduced but offers a gorgeously flowery nose of pear and Provence herbs. It proves superbly elegant on the palate where grip and saltiness define the aromatics. Great multi-layered complexity already comes through in the long and airy finish. This is still very primary and in need of bottle age to balance out but this beauty will easily turn into the most complete and elegant expression of Kirchberg we have taste to date. This is hugely impressive and has even some upside potential. 2018-2025.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Heymann-Loewenstein Winninger Uhlen Roth Lay Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2010 750ML ($199.95) $149 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 93 points “Lowenstein’s 2010 Winninger Uhlen Riesling Auslese Gold Capsule Roth Lay – destined for auction – displays an almost sweaty aromatic alliance of salinity and musky pungency, along with nose-prickling lemon rind such as one might expect from an Eiswein. Suggestions of marigold and narcissus add to the exotic, pungent muskiness on display here. Fig and peach preserves; pear drops; marzipan and salted caramel intensely mark the palate, while zesty, musky, and saline mineral impingement serve for strikingly persistent stimulation. Despite its lower (7.5%) alcohol, though, this comes off not only as more viscous but also less buoyant (let alone “uncannily” so) than its Rottgen counterpart. That wine is an example of botrytis performing its magic and leaving nary a fingerprint behind, whereas here, prints are quite evident, even if fascinatingly smudge-free. This compellingly complex concentrate will not be everybody’s cup of nobly rotten Riesling, but ought to merit at least the better part of two decades attention.”
This is the only listing of the 750ML in the USA today!
Heymann-Loewenstein Winninger Uhlen Roth Lay Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2007 375ML ($99.95) $69 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 96 points “Candied citrus, jujube, sweet spice and quince paste aromas and flavors mark this sweet, bracing Riesling, which is light on its feet and resonates on the finish with a mouthwatering feel and echoes of citrus. Best from 2012 through 2045.”
Wine Advocate 95 points “Lowenstein’s 2007 Winninger Uhlen Riesling Auslese Gold Capsule Roth Lay (as in the corresponding dry wines, the letter “R” is prominent on the label of this A.P.#9) benefits from counterpoint and collaboration among bright citrus, rich pit fruit essences, and the honey of botrytis. For all of its enormous sheer ripeness and concentration, this retains a striking sense of delicacy. A snappy, spicy, pungent streak – taken together with vivid, diverse pit fruits and citrus – serves for exhilaration in a finish of memorable length and energy, with a vivid impression of crushed stone one hardly expects in a wine of such sweetness and prominent botrytization. There seems to be something of a personality role reversal at work this year, because the corresponding Rottgen Auslese is cool and refined whereas this Uhlen displays more of the piquancy and (as French growers might say) nervosite that I associate with Rottgen. But then, botrytis is always something of a wild card, so that a wine like this is profoundly and unpredictably influenced by the precise microclimatic conditions for and differences in the nature of that fungus. No doubt this too will be worth following for two or more decades.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $74.99 for the 375ML
Browse the entire list of Heymann-Loewenstein wines below. To read full reviews or to order online, visit our web store at www.vinopoliswineshop.com
Bonus Heymann-Loewenstein!
Arriving April 2017
Heymann-Loewenstein Uhlen Roth Lay Riesling, Mosel 2015 750ML ($89.95) $79 pre-arrival special
Mosel Fine Wines 92-95 points “We tasted the three different casks which will make out the final Uhlen R. While there are differences in structure and mouth-feel between the casks, all casks offers a similarly gorgeous nose of candied grapefruit, yellow peach, wet stones and fine dried spices. The wine is beautifully well balanced on the palate, marrying aromatic precision with silky smoothness and delicately tickly zest as fruit and minerals coat the palate. The finish is beautifully pure and multi-layered. There is huge potential here if the wine’s presence and finesse will make it into the bottle and shine through at maturity. 2020-2030.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
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Arriving in January
2015 Beaujolais: A Return to 2009
You heard it here first: there’s going to be a lot of hype for the 2015’s from Beaujolais. Much like with the 2009 vintage, a year of great warmth, the wines produced in Beaujolais in 2015 are rich, heady and seductive and are going to be very critically acclaimed. If you liked the style of 2009 (or if you missed the 2009’s and like your ‘Bojo’ with extra muscles and power) then this is a vintage you should pay special attention to. We’re highlighting two producers today. The first, Chateau Thivin, is well known and for good reason. The second, Anne-Sophie Dubois, is an up and coming star whose 2014’s got great press and disappeared. The 2015’s have yet to be reviewed, which makes now the perfect time to jump on them.
Chateau Thivin Brouilly ‘Reverdon’, Beaujolais 2015 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2015 Brouilly Reverdon, which had been bottled about one month prior to my visit, has a powerful but primal bouquet, clearly laden with plenty of fruit. The definition is here though. The palate is fleshy and supple on the entry but then those tannins cloak the mouth, without overwhelming, finishing in quite a sensual style. This has much more to give but it should be given 3-4 years to allow the terroir to really be expressed. What are you waiting for? This is a knockout Brouilly.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Chateau Thivin Cote de Brouilly, Beaujolais 2015 750ML ($29.95) $24 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 94 points “Bottled 3 weeks prior to my visit, the 2015 Côte de Brouilly was very closed on the nose though you can tell that it is packed to the rafters with fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with intense red and black fruit, superb mineralité and harmony, gradually building in the mouth with a compelling, tensile finish. What a fantastic Beaujolais in the making – about as good as it gets to be quite honest. If I taste a better QPR wine this year…no, just impossible.”
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Arriving in February
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The Special Southern Italian Wines of Cantine Lonardo
Arriving in February
When it comes to Italy, Tuscany gets all the glory. Part of the reason for that is where we (Americans) vacation, part of that is wealth and history, but we should be paying more attention to the wines of Southern Italy. Campania, the area around Naples, has been famous for its wines since the Greeks settled it. There are numerous references to the quality of the wines in Roman writings and if the wines of Cantine Lonardo are any proof, the region should be famous again.
Sandro Lonardo is a schoolteacher who also makes wines, both from vineyards he farms and from grapes he buys from local farmers. Mostly he makes wines from the Aglianico grape, which is the “Barolo of the South” according to popular wisdom. Unlike some producers, he resists the temptation to use lots of barrique or new wood and yet the wines aren’t rustic monsters. There is a freshness and approachability that surprises, given the reputation of the grape and the warm climate. Lonardo also makes a white from a nearly extinct grape called Grecomusc, which is almost like Chenin Blanc in its texture and acidity.
Contrade di Taurasi Cantine Lonardo Taurasi DOCG, Campania 2011 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Ian D’Agata – Vinous Media 94 points “Deep ruby. Ripe black cherry, flint and herbs on the profound, complex nose. Bright, dense and rich; lively acidity lifts the almost decadently ripe red cherry fruit, nicely framed by sweet, polished tannins. Finishes long and ripe with a bright, refreshing floral nuance. Outstanding Taurasi that manages the neat trick of being remarkably concentrated yet very light on its feet. Bravo!”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Contrade di Taurasi Cantine Lonardo Aglianico Rosso Irpinia, Campania 2014 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 pre-arrival special
Ian D’Agata – Vinous Media 89 points “Medium red. Reticent nose hints at red berries, licorice and wild herbs. Then bright and juicy, with excellent spine to the flavors of red fruits, licorice and minerals. Well-balanced wine with an echoing finish, if not the greatest complexity.”
Contrade di Taurasi Cantine Lonardo Coste, Taurasi DOCG 2011 750ML ($89.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Ian D’Agata – Vinous Media 94+ points “Deep ruby. Floral nuances complicate the red and dark berry, ink, sweet spice and flinty aromas and flavors. Dense and seamless, showing a multilayered personality and remarkable complexity of flavor. Finishes very long and with repeating, lingering hints of ink and flint.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Contrade di Taurasi Cantine Lonardo Vigne d’Alto, Taurasi DOCG 2011 750ML ($89.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Ian D’Agata – Vinous Media 94+ points “Deep ruby with a purple tinge. Reticent nose at first, only hinting at dark cherry, sassafras and sandalwood. Then very concentrated and dense, displaying almost opulent, sweet nuances of oaky torrefaction to the coffee, cocoa and dark cherry flavors. This outstanding Taurasi finishes extremely long, rich and seamless. It’s virtually impossible to pick between Lonardo’s two crus in 2011, and both will have many admirers.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Contrade di Taurasi Cantine Lonardo ‘Grecomusc’ Campania IGT 2014 750ML ($31.95) $26 pre-arrival special
Ian D’Agata – Vinous Media 90 points “Bright straw. Lime and botanical herbs on the fresh nose. Rich and dense but juicy, showcasing precise fresh citrus and spicy flavors that linger long on the almost creamy aftertaste. Lovely Grecomusc’ from the producer who first rediscovered this long-forgotten aromatic variety that gives wines not unlike dry white Muscat wines. (Grecomusc’ is what the grape is called in dialect; the variety’s official name is Roviello.)”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Also Arriving in February
The reserve bottling from one of the most highly sought-after Brunello estates!
Il Poggione Vigna Paganelli, Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG 2010 750ML ($149.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 98+ points “The 2010 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Vigna Paganelli is a phenomenal achievement and a wine that captures not only the spirit of this classic vintage, but the true essence of an age-worthy wine like Brunello. This single vineyard Riserva is sharp, pristine and immaculate. It starts slow and shy, but then blossoms to beautiful intensity and aromatic brilliance. It delivers a very authentic and genuine read of Sangiovese with wild berry aromas followed by pressed violets, wet earth, tobacco and lightly toasted spice. The bouquet is seamless and very long in persistence. The same holds true for the mouthfeel. The wine delivers a fine and silky texture with a good dose of power and personality at the rear.”
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2010 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Vigna Paganelli is magnificent. Huge swaths of tannin coat the palate as the 2010 shows off its power, breadth and overall intensity. Plum, black cherry, bittersweet chocolate, smoke, licorice and cloves are some of the many notes that hit the palate. The Riserva is dark, powerful and brooding. It will require at least a handful of years before it becomes approachable. These old vines, planted in 1964, confer weight, power and gravitas, all qualitites that come through loud and clear on the huge, explosive finish.” AG
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Domaine Yves et Mathilde Gangloff
Arriving in February
Yves Gangloff is one of the modern masters of Cote Rotie (and Syrah in general). With only two and a half hectares under vine for him, he doesn’t make much, though, so trying his wines can be tricky. Truth be told, we don’t have a lot to sell, but the wines are fantastic and we wanted an excuse to talk about them. The style here is really fascinating—the wines are all very aromatic and pretty, but with a load of power. Given the degree of grip, the tannins are surprisingly silky and approachable, meaning if you can’t keep your paws off of them, the wines will drink well now.
Domaine Yves et Mathilde Gangloff Cote Rotie La Sereine Noire, Rhone 2009 750ML ($199.95) $169 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 96 points “Offers very alluring warm ganache and mesquite aromas, which meld into the core of mulled plum, fig and anise flavors. Long and silky through the finish, with incense and white pepper weaving in and out, along with lots of buried grip. There’s a very distinctive personality to this wine. Best from 2014 through 2026.”
Domaine Yves et Mathilde Gangloff Cote Rotie La Sereine Noire, Rhone 2010 750ML ($199.95) $169 pre-arrival special
Domaine Yves et Mathilde Gangloff Cote Rotie La Sereine Noire, Rhone 2010 1.5L ($399.95) $319 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 96 points “Stunning aromas of blueberry compote, pastis-soaked fig and plum, and well-roasted alder are backed by charcoal-coated iron and smoldering tobacco notes. There’s a great tug of earth through the finish, with the dark fruit dripping slowly. Shows terrific range and character. Best from 2015 through 2025.”
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Our Current
Shipping Promos:
Welcome to the club, Colorado!
Along with Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and California,
we now offer flat rate shipping to Colorado. Here’s the scoop:
Single orders of any quantity of wines qualify for the flat rate;
this does not apply to orders held in storage for any reason
or multiple orders consolidated into one shipment.
The flat reach for each state is, as follows:
-to Oregon for $17,
-Washington & Idaho for $20,
-and California & Colorado for $25
Take Advantage of the Flat Rate!
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Arriving in March
William Fevre Wines
Arriving in March
Chablis is a region that boasts an extreme quality to price ratio and no estate embodies that characteristic more than William Fevre. They aren’t as flashy or as pricy as the Raveneau’s or Dauvissat’s of the world, but for pure drinking pleasure for your dollar, it’s hard to do better than the Fevre wines. The 2014 vintage is a good, classic year in Chablis—cooler than 2013 but with high quality across the board. The range of wines at Fevre matches the vintage descriptions and the wines are all excellent, with distinct vineyard personalities. If you like the wines of Chablis, or if you have some seafood in your future, these are definitely wines to get behind.
William Fevre Bougros Cote Bouguerots, Chablis Grand Cru 2014 750ML ($99.95) $89 pre-arrival special
Burghound 96 points “Once again, based on the nose alone, this could be nothing else but Chablis with its mélange of tidal pool, mineral reduction, citrus blossom and discreet spice nuances. There is fantastic detail to the focused, mineral-driven and powerful middle weight plus flavors that do a slow build from the mid-palate all the way back to the explosively long, balanced and bone dry finish. This appears to be drawn directly from liquid Kimmeridgian and should also amply reward longer-term cellaring. In a word, brilliant.”
William Fevre Fourchaume, Chablis Premier Cru 2014 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 93 points “This white reveals richness and breadth, with a hint of spice framing the apple, melon, yellow plum and mineral flavors. The terrific finish keeps pumping out the fruit and stone notes. Drink now through 2020.”
William Fevre Les Preuses, Chablis Grand Cru 2014 750ML ($119.95) $89 pre-arrival special
Burghound 96 points “Along with the Côte Bouguerots and Les Lys, this possesses the most elegant nose in the range with an ultra-pure mixture of green fruit, tidal pool, white flower, citrus rind and iodine hints. There is terrific intensity and delineation to the attractively textured and refined yet powerful flavors that exude a fine bead of minerality on the gorgeously long, balanced and Zen-like finale. The Vaudésir and Les Clos are both genuinely remarkable but there is another dimension present here. Once again it’s worth pointing out that this is going to need plenty of cellaring. Another ‘wow’ wine.”
William Fevre Les Lys, Chablis Premier Cru 2014 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 93 points “Very pale lemon-yellow. Alsace Riesling-like aromas of lime zest and powdered stone complicated by a touch of olive tapenade reduction. Wonderfully dense and energetic but not hard, conveying terrific breadth and a refined texture to its tactile, saline lime and pineapple flavors. This outstanding, classy wine finishes with subtle rising length and terrific grip. Didier Séguier predicts that this bottling will be at its apogee in five to ten years.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
William Fevre Montee de Tonnerre, Chablis Premier Cru 2014 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Burghound 93 points “An ultra-fresh, cool and admirably pure nose features notes of white flowers, shellfish, pear, mineral reduction and pungent iodine nuances. There is outstanding volume and intensity to the medium weight plus flavors that deliver beautifully focused power on the palate coating, mineral-driven and hugely persistent finale. Once again if tasted blind it would be all but impossible not to identify this as Chablis and a first-rate example at that!”
William Fevre Vaillons, Chablis Premier Cru 2014 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 93 points “Pale, green-tinged yellow. Smells riper than the Montmains but also displays pungently fresh iodiney minerality. Densely packed and sweet, with youthful grapefruit and pineapple flavors dominated on the back end by the strong iodiney minerality. Very firm but not austere, this superb premier cru saturates the mouth without leaving any impression of excess weight. Built to age.”
William Fevre Vaudesir, Chablis Grand Cru 2014 750ML ($119.95) $89 pre-arrival special
Burghound 95 points “Here the wood is so subtle as to be all but invisible as it easily allows the riper and denser mix of both white and yellow orchard fruit, petrol, spice and sea breeze scents to shine. The ripeness exhibited by the nose continues onto the juicy, even succulent yet beautifully focused flavors that deliver superb complexity on the impressively lingering finale. This should age effortlessly and I would expect the minerality to develop even more with age. A ‘wow’ wine.”
William Fevre Vaulorent, Chablis Premier Cru 2014 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Burghound 93 points “Yet again the ultra-fresh and strikingly layered white flower nose is packed with typical Chablis aromas that include cool mineral reduction, citrus and oyster shell nuances. The medium weight flavors are almost painfully intense while brimming with minerality on the chiseled and moderately austere finish that is tight to the point of being linear. This terrific effort will require at least 5 to 7 years of cellaring to reveal its full, and considerable, potential. In a word, impressive.”
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Burgundy Treasures
Arriving in March
Domaine Roulot Les Boucheres, Meursault Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($349.95) $319 pre-arrival special, 3 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 92 points “Pungent minerality on the nose and palate gives this wine an exhilarating light touch. Supple and refined, this lovely Meursault gained in sweetness as it opened in the glass, showing a honeyed quality to go with its saline minerality. Finishes very smooth and long, with noteworthy lift.”
Burghound 91-93 points “A more elegant, airy and slightly cooler nose displays notes of citrus, rose petal, essence of almost and a hint of jasmine tea. There is an equally good sense of refinement to the ultra-pure and more obviously mineral-inflected flavors that culminate in an understated, clean and beautifully focused and balanced finish that is positively Zen-like in its sense of harmony. This and the Porusot beautifully demonstrate the two extremes of the Meursault 1ers as they contrast power and punch with elegance and finesse. Note that while these are qualitative equals they could hardly be more different.”
Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux Romanee-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru 2014 750ML ($799.95) $699 pre-arrival special, 2 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 93-96 points “(100% vendange entier; 80% new oak): Deep red-ruby. Alluring aromas of black raspberry, licorice and minerals show a noble, deep vegetal nuance that reminded me of a young Romanée-Conti. The youthfully unevolved middle palate displays the depth, pliancy and freshness of the vintage at its best. Finishes extremely long and ripely tannic, with palate-saturating sweetness and mineral pungency. These 90-year-old vines were originally planted by the father of Robert Arnoux, according to Pascal, who added that the estate’s vines in Suchots are even older, at 94.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux Les Suchots, Vosne-Romanee Premier Cru 2014 750ML ($249.95) $219 pre-arrival special, 4 bottles available
Burghound 93-95 points “On the nose it’s as though the Reignots and Suchots have switched places as this is much, much more restrained with its intensely floral red berry and spice suffused nose that merges seamlessly into impressively rich and full-bodied middle weight flavors that possess just a hint of minerality on the hugely long and palate staining finish. This lightly austere and beautifully well-balanced effort is an obvious wine of class and grace.”
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 92-95 points “(100% vendange entier; 80% new oak; from a healthy crop of 42 hectoliters per hectare):Bright red-ruby. A touch of reduction mostly dissipated to reveal classic Suchots scents of black raspberry, Oriental spices, flowers and fresh herbs, plus an intriguing note of paprika. Wonderfully silky, plush, generous wine with sneaky inner-mouth energy. The wine’s sweet oak component will need a few years to harmonize with its fruits and flowers. Finishes with terrific length and substantial ripe tannins. This should ultimately make a wonderfully complete Burgundy.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Sylvain Cathiard Romanee-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru 2009 750ML ($2,799.95) $2,499 pre-arrival special, 4 bottles available
Burghound 94-97 points “A dazzlingly complex, perfumed and pure nose reveals a bit of wood influence yet remains strikingly elegant with its superb scope of spicy red berry fruit aromas that are followed by ripe, seductive and beautifully intense flavors that display marvelous depth and perfect balance on the sappy and naturally sweet finish of monumental length. This is a wine of indisputable class and a model of grace and understatement that should age effortlessly for 20 to 30 years.”
Domaine Georges & Christophe Roumier Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 2013 750ML ($1,199.95) $999 pre-arrival special, 1 bottle available
Burghound 95 points “This is quite floral with plenty of earth and assorted spice elements adding interest to the very fresh mix of green tea and red and dark berry fruit scents. There is outstanding power and concentration to the broad-shouldered flavors that possess a robust mouth feel and ample minerality, all wrapped in a moderately austere and hugely long finish. This is a big, indeed even opulent but balanced wine that is clearly built for longer-term cellaring.”
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Muller-Catoir
Arriving in March
Every wine region in the world has one or two estates that immediately come to mind when you hear the name of the region. Chateau Margaux in Margaux, Romanee-Conti in Vosne-Romanee, and Donnhoff in the Nahe and Muller-Catoir occupies that space in the Pfalz in Germany. A historic name that continues to make excellent wines, these are some of the finest in Germany and from a vintage that’s one of the best in years.
The Pfalz is a unique region in Germany in that wineries there focused on powerful dry wines long before it was fashionable to do so in the rest of the country. Most of the wines we’re highlighting today are dry and are some of the best values in the world for breathtakingly mineral wines. Muller-Catoir owns some of the best vineyards in the region and has a special touch with them.
Below is a special selection of Muller-Catoir wines arriving in March:
Muller-Catoir Haardter Burgergarten ‘Breumel in den Mauern’ Riesling Auslese, Pfalz 2015 375ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2015 Riesling Auslese Haardter Bürgergarten Im Breumel is very clear and concentrated on the nose, but also shows the brown seed aromas of ripe Riesling. Great class and precision here, with some minty flavors. The wine is very concentrated, lush and round on the palate; it reveals a super sweet raisin flavor, as well as great finesse and vitality. This is a gorgeous Auslese with salinity and grip.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Muller-Catoir Haardter Burgergarten ‘Breumel in den Mauern’ Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Pfalz 2015 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Muller-Catoir Haardter Burgergarten ‘Breumel in den Mauern’ Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Pfalz 2015 3L ($219.95) $189 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2015 Riesling Trocken Haardter Bürgergarten Im Breumel VDP Grosse Lage offers a beautifully pure and stony bouquet of bright yellow fruits and lemon aromas, and comes along almost like a perfume. On the palate, this is a highly elegant and well-balanced Riesling cru with a compact and mineral structure, great finesse and a very persistent salinity in the finish. The wine reveals a well-dosed power and concentration, as well as a great elegance and harmony. It should be aged for at least five years.”
James Suckling 95 points “The diamond-bright nose of enormous freshness announces a seriously elegant wine of understated sophistication. The delicate citrus and herbal flavors will expand considerably with a year or two’s more ageing, but this already has a finesse that makes it stand out in the strong field of the 2015 riesling GGs from the Pfalz. The very long and subtle finish only confirms that.”
This is the only double-magnum in the USA today!
Muller-Catoir Haardter Herzog Weissburgunder Trocken, Pfalz 2015 750ML ($39.95) $29 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 94 points “From a shallow, gravelly Buntsandstein soil the 2015 Weissburgunder Haardter Herzog is very clear, deep and fresh on the nose, but also reveals a great intensity and ripeness of fruit with lemon and herbal flavors. This Pinot Blanc is full-bodied, intense and concentrated, with great elegance and juicy minerals. This is a stunning Pinot Blanc with power, great tension and aromatic length. It is creamy textured, perfectly structured and indicates a great ageing potential. Fermented in stainless steel, no malolactic fermentation.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Browse the entire list of Muller-Catoir wines below. To read full reviews or to order online, visit our web store at www.vinopoliswineshop.com
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Thank you for reading!