In Today’s Newsletter:
A Perfectly Sweet Stocking Stuffer: R. Lafon Sauternes
In Stock & Irresistible Now!
Taittinger Comtes
#Trending Rhone Edition
Raul Perez: Icon of the New Spain
Quilceda Creek
Sparkling Deals: Case Discounts on Fizzy Wines
(Ye) Old (Very Old) Dessert Wine
The Wonderful Mugneret-Gibourg
Arriving Wednesday, December 12th
A Perfectly Sweet Stocking Stuffer!
Wine Advocate 92 points “Tasted blind at Southwold 06 Bordeaux tasting. It is adorned with a straightforward, no frills Sauternes nose, good definition, barley sugar, lemon curd and honey, gaining in intensity in the glass. The palate is well-balanced, good freshness here with notes of honey, marmalade, a touch of ginger; nice cohesion and very good weight towards the finish. It needs another couple of years to tuck its shirt in, but I admire its focus and breeding. Tasted January 2010.”-NM
Wine Spectator 91 points “Unctuous, sporting apricot, glazed pear and creamed melon flavors, with a lush coconut-tinged finish. A nice floral hint weaves in and out, adding length and vivacity, too. Drink now through 2020. 2,165 cases made.”-JM
The next best price for a half bottle is $25
In Stock & Irresistible Now!
Taittinger Comtes
“Will be Nearly Impossible to Resist Upon Release…”
Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut, Champagne 2007 750ML ($179.95) $159 special
James Suckling 98 points “This is a step up from the linear and fresh 2006. It shows subtle depth and power with a dense block of vivid fruit that’s highlighted with lemon zest, green apples and hints of white peaches. Just the right amount of praline and nuts on the nose. Fine and tight bead give the Champagne a luxurious mouthfeel. One for now or the cellar. Drink or hold.”
Antonio Galloni 96 points “Taittinger’s 2007 Comtes de Champagne will be nearly impossible to resist upon release. Soaring aromatics, mid-weight structure and soft contours give the 2007 its alluring personality. Lemon oil, white flowers, mint, chamomile and green pear add brightness and freshness throughout, with a persistent, clean finish that makes it impossible to resist a second taste. Today, the 2007 comes across as a slightly more open version of the 2004, with freshness that makes that wine so appealing, and a touch of textural richness that recalls the 2002. Although the 2007 does not have the explosive energy or verticality of the profound 2006, it will drink better earlier. The 2007 has been positively brilliant on the three occasions I have tasted it so far.”
Wine Advocate 95 points “Taittinger’s prestigious Comtes de Champagne is composed entirely of Chardonnay grapes from the Grand Cru villages of Avize, Chouilly, Cramant, Mesnil-sur-Oger and Oger (Côte des Blancs). The citrus-golden colored 2007 Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs is the fourth in a row after the 2004 vintage (which will be followed by 2008 whereas there will be no Comtes from 2009, 2010 and 2011) and opens with a nobly intense yet nuanced bouquet of ripe fruits, chalk, iodine and a touch of brioche. The wine indicates a coolish and precise character on the clear, flinty nose that develops lemon, pastry and floral notes. On the palate, this is Taittinger at its best: clear, fresh, lush and elegant, offering both sensuality and noble elegance. The 2007 reveals great finesse and is a perfect expression of both the Taittinger style and the Côte de Blancs. The wine (of which 5% has spent four months in oak barrels to give roundness and a touch of toast) is tightly woven, well concentrated and even juicy yet always clear, fresh, pure, fine and elegant. The finish is intense, clean, vivacious and complex, with good grip and lingering salty minerals that indicate good aging potential. Disgorged in October 2017; tasted in May 2018.”
#Trending
In-Stock Rhone Edition
Delas Freres Condrieu
Delas makes some of the most powerful, intense wines in the Northern Rhone at prices that make them one of the superior values in the region. Density and richness are a hallmark of both the reds and the whites—there are no shrinking violets in the lineup. The Condrieu is all about the rich, opulent side of the AOC, with a thick mouthfeel and powerful aromatics. A superb wine for the holiday table!
Delas Freres Condrieu Clos Boucher, Rhone 2016 750ML ($89.95) $69 special
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 95 points “Pale green-hued yellow. Penetrating, mineral-tinged aromas of fresh citrus and pit fruits are complemented by chalky minerals, violet and fennel accents. Juicy, focused and concentrated, offering intense pear nectar, Meyer lemon and honeysuckle flavors that show outstanding clarity and minerally lift. The mineral and floral notes carry emphatically through a silky, appealingly sweet finish that hangs on with superb focus and tenacity.”
Jeb Dunnuck 95 points “A step up, the bigger, richer 2016 Condrieu Clos Boucher is blockbuster stuff, offering serious notes of crushed rock, buttered citrus, orange blossom, and a smoky, meaty, mineral character that’s hard to describe. Possessing full-bodied richness, beautiful mid-palate concentration and a seamless texture, this beauty will be even better this time next year and keep for 4-6 years.”
The next best price is $75.99
The average price is $79
Jeb Dunnuck 97 points “The finest vintage to date, the 2015 Gigondas Le Clos des Tourelles comes from a tiny vineyard located just inside the village of Gigondas. Incorporating a touch of Syrah, this Grenache dominated beauty reveals a deep ruby/purple color as well as off the chart notes of black raspberries, black cherries, pepper, garrigue, and tons of that classic Gigondas spice. I wrote “Wow” more than once in my notes and this full-bodied 2015 has ultra-fine tannin, perfect balance, and a stacked mid-palate. Give bottles 2-3 years and drink over the following 15+ years.”
Jeb Dunnuck 95 points “The 2015 Vinsobres Les Hauts De Julien comes from the Vinsobres region, which is a cooler terroir located in the northern part of the southern Rhône. Based largely on very old vine Syrah blended with Grenache, it offers a vibrant purple color as well as a sensational bouquet of blueberries, cracked pepper, violets, lavender, and exotic spices. Incredibly textured, full-bodied, deep, and opulent, with awesome purity of fruit, it’s another sensational vintage for this cuvée that would pass undetected in a blind lineup of top Cornas. Drink it anytime over the coming decade.”
The average price is $44
Domaine de Ferrand
“The Real Deal”
The Surprise Chateauneuf of the Vintage
Nick Stock-JamesSuckling.com 98 points “There’s a beautiful purity of fresh, mixed berries, dark plums, deep spices, as well as a gentle, coal-smoke edge. The palate has an effortless, fleshy, fine-grained texture with long, majestic tannins and a long, black-cherry finish Such purity and depth, pulling a lot of flavor with perfectly balanced acidity. Equal parts of old and young vine parcels here. No wood. The real deal. Drink now or hold.”
Jeb Dunnuck 94-96 points “The 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape offers more depth and richness than the 2015, with slightly darker fruits (blackberry, black raspberries), garrigue, smoked earth and licorice all emerging from the glass. It’s ripe, voluptuous, and beautifully textured, with sweet tannin, and is going to be a smokin’ good 2016 that’s going to have a long life. As always, this cuvée is a un-oaked blend of mostly Grenache (3% each of Mourvèdre, Syrah and Bourboulenc, with a splash of Cinsault) that comes mostly from clay soils, partially destemmed, and will be bottled with no filtration.”
The average price is $57
Xavier Vignon: Anonyme 2015
“A serious winner in the vintage”
Xavier Vignon Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Anonyme X, Rhone 2015 750ML ($69.95) $49 special
Jeb Dunnuck – Rhone Report 96 points “The inky colored 2015 Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Anonyme is a serious winner in the vintage. A blend of 60% Grenache, 25% Mourvedre and the rest counoise, Vaccarese and Muscardin, it offers a huge nose of blackberry jam, garrigue, crushed violets, and incense. Ripe, unctuous and opulent, yet not over the top, it reminds me of the Trois Source cuvee from Vieille Julienne. This is a smoking good release that will benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and shine of over a decade.”
Wine Advocate 94 points “Xavier Vignon is one of the Rhône’s leading winemaking consultants, and so it’s no surprise he had access to some great fruit for his 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Anonyme. Tellingly, the blend entirely omits Syrah, containing 60% Grenache, 25% Mourvèdre, 8% Counoise, 4% Vaccarèse and 3% Muscardin. Floral notes and ripe cherries appear along licorice and vanilla (one-fourth of the wine was matured in new barriques), yet this is no drink-now version of CdP. This full-bodied wine boasts broad shoulders, a plush, creamy center and a muscular finish loaded with ripe tannins and spice. Give it a few years to mellow, and drink it over the next 15.”
Domaine du Pegau
Classic Chateauneuf in a Legendary Vintage
“One of the big successes in the vintage” – Jeb Dunnuck
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.”
Raul Perez
Icon of the New Spain
Raul Perez has emerged as one of the most exciting Spanish winemakers of the last few years. He’s done it in an interesting way: not with bombastic wines, but rather by honing in on the terroirs in Galicia, a relatively unromantic vinicultural region. Perez, unlike his also famous mentor, Alvaro Palacios, focuses on wines made from Atlantic-influence climates in villages like Villadecanes or Cacabelos. As a result, the wines tend to be impressive, but in an introspective, earthy way. In the winery, he combines a hands-off approach with whole-cluster fermentation and long post-fermentation macerations. This results in powerful, yet elegant, wines that complement food exceptionally well. When you roll all of this together, you understand why Perez is making waves—these are unique and exceptional wines that show off terroirs previously unexplored by serious winemakers.
In Stock Now from Raul Perez:
Raul Perez Ultreia de Valtuille, Bierzo 2014 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 32 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2014 Ultreia de Valtuille was very open and expressive, impressive too, with notes of freshness, blood orange, red cherries and also flowers (violets, lilies) and an earthy touch. It’s elegant and complex, with very fine tannins and a velvety sensation. As with all the reds, the oak is unnoticeable, perfectly integrated and folded into the wine.”
The average price is $64
Raul Perez Ultreia Rapolao, Bierzo 2014 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 29 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 95+ points “There is a new Ultreia bottling, the 2014 Ultreia El Rapolao, from a vineyard that now sees five or six different bottlings, sourced from their old vineyards that used to go to the Vizcaína bottling. This is really pretty, with intense floral aromas, spices, a touch of earth and something herbal. The palate is medium-bodied with refined tannins, great balance and a tasty, long, sapid, almost salty finish. There were some 600 bottles produced. it was bottled in January 2017. Outstanding.”
Raul Perez Prieto Picudo Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y Leon 2011 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 20 bottles in stock now
Grapelive 96 points “The rare Prieto Picudo is an odd varietal with high acid, high tannin and slightly oval shaped with a pointy tip, it’s native and almost only found here in Tierra de Leon, the name means beaked, hence the name, Raul Perez’s is from a high elevation old vine site on sandy clay soils with river rocks, making for a unique wine that has an almost Nebbiolo or Ramisco like flavor profile. This extraordinary red, from vines planted in 1900 in the village of Pajares de los Oteros at about 900 feet above sea level, was fermented whole cluster in chestnut wood vats with a cool 60 day maceration and then raised for about 60 months in French barriques, this long elevage adding to the wine’s refinement and mature character. The 2011 Prieto Picudo, from 111 year old vines when harvested, is a brilliant ruby/dark red color with herb and floral notes on the nose with mineral tones as well as a slight earthy/spice and kirsch note before opening to a medium full palate of racy red fruits including brambly forest berry, cherry, plum and mulberry plus dried flowers, peppercorns, grilled fennel and light cedar. The texture is fantastic and mouth filling with satiny feel, this is mind-blowing stuff with great depth and layers of pleasure, but with firm tannins and glowing vibrancy making this wine really pop, lingering distilled strawberry, salty stones, sweet tobacco leaf and baking spice. This is one of the coolest wines I’ve tried this year, again it reminds me somewhat of Lessona DOC, Nebbiolo based reds that spend 4 to 5 years in cask, of the upper Piedmonte area. The fruit is ripe and polished, this is very much a classic Perez wine, it was great to taste it with the winemaker himself, you could see just how thrilled he was with this Prieto Picudo and his passion was thick in the air, and I think this wine has potential to age another decade, I hope to get a chance to see how it evolves. Wow.”
Quilceda Creek
Limited Quantities
In Stock Now
Not Listed Online
To order, please reply to this email, call or stop in!
Quilceda Creek Palengat Vineyard Red, Horse Heaven Hills 2015 750ML ($189.95) $169 special, only 5 bottles available!
Jeb Dunnuck 97 points “The 2015 Palengat is a Cabernet Sauvignon-heavy blend that includes 13% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc. This gorgeous red offers a deep, rich, opulent style in its blackcurrants, baking spice, tobacco leaf, and graphite aromas and flavors. Possessing beautiful purity, ultra-fine tannin, a big, rich, concentrated style that somehow stays light and graceful, it’s a sensational, elegant wine that will keep for 15-20 years.”
Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2015 Palengat Vineyard is already quite expressive, wafting from the glass with sweet aromas of ripe red and black cherries, pencil lead, licorice and a nicely integrated framing of toasty new oak. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, supple and expansive, cutting a broad swath across the palate, with its ample chassis of velvety tannins concealed by a generous core of succulent fruit. The finish is long and subtly oak inflected. It’s already drinking well and should be worth following for a dozen years. Unabashedly pleasure giving and texturally polished, the Palengat is one of the highlights of Quilceda Creek’s 2015 portfolio. It’s a blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc that spent 20 months in 100% new French oak.”
Quilceda Creek Galitzine Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain 2015 750ML ($219.95) $189 special, only 6 bottles available!
Jeb Dunnuck 98+ points “Coming all from Red Mountain and 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Galitzine Vineyard spent 21 months in all new French oak. Deep inky plum/purple-colored with a huge nose of blackcurrants, singed herbs, black licorice, and scorched earth, this beast of a Washington State Cabernet has building tannin, a huge mid-palate, and a great, great finish. It needs to be forgotten for 3-4 years but will keep for 2-3 decades.”
Quilceda Creek ‘CVR’ Red Wine, Columbia Valley 2016 750ML ($79.95) $69 special, only 7 bottles available!
Great Value in Non-Champagne Sparkling Wine!
Case-12 Domaine Bruno Cormerais Methode Traditionnelle Brut, Loire NV 750ML ($249.95) $199 special (that’s only $16.58/bottle!)
Domaine Bruno Cormerais Methode Traditionnelle Brut, Loire NV 750ML ($24.95) $19 special
VinopolNote: Mostly Folle Blanche, from an assortment of terroirs in Muscadet. Aged 2-3 years on the lees in bottle before disgorgement, low dosage.
Case-6 Mousse Fils L’Extra Or d’Eugene Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($299.95) $239 special (that’s only $39.83/bottle!)
Mousse Fils L’Extra Or d’Eugene Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($49.95) $44 special
Terry Theise note “80-20 Meunier-PN, disg. 3/2017, a “superior” NV with longer tirage from older material (solera 2003/2012), I am offering this extremely dry Champagne both for those pathologically averse to RS and also to show Cédric’s “serious” side. It has a certain depth and is certainly aligned with the Zeitgeist.”
Lean, mineral driven and full of character.
Case-12 Bourdaire-Gallois Brut Non Dosage, Champagne NV 750ML ($499.95) $349 special (that’s only $29.08/bottle!)
Bourdaire-Gallois Brut Non Dosage, Champagne NV 750ML ($47.95) $33 special
Importer note “The Brut NV is 100% Pinot Meunier harvested from six different parcels. After a slow and gentle pressing in a traditional Coquard vertical press, the juice is fermented in stainless steel tanks. It undergoes a malo-lactic fermentation and then rests “sur lattes” for a minimum of 18 months. The Champagne is finished with a dosage of 0g/l.”
Case-12 Andre Clouet Grande Reserve Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($419.95) $359 special (that’s only $29.92/bottle!)
Andre Clouet Grande Reserve Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($39.95) $33 special
Andre Clouet Grande Reserve Brut, Champagne NV 3L ($319.95) $269 special
Importer note “Initially showing a very fresh bouquet of high toned fruits with hints of hazelnuts and yeasty aromas, the Grande Réserve cuvée displays highly structured red fruit notes on the palate for which the area is so famous. Long lees aging, low dosage and Grand Cru Pinot Noir fruit combine for an opulent yet balanced Champagne.”
Case-12 Andre Clouet Silver Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs Brut Nature, Champagne NV 750ML ($419.95) $359 special (that’s only $29.92/bottle!)
Andre Clouet Silver Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs Brut Nature, Champagne NV 750ML ($39.95) $33 special
Grapelive 93 points “This is some sensationally great bubbly! Jean-François Clouet, who was born and raised in Bouzy, still lives in the 18th century village house built by his ancestors. He takes his lineage seriously and respects his family’s traditions and that of the region, [Bouzy, where he] is a renowned grower producer. Clouet makes a full range of intense and stylish Champagnes, all of which come [from] family plots mostly comprised of 100% Pinot Noir from Clouet’s lieux-dits in the Bouzy zone. The André Clouet “Silver” Grand Cru Brut Nature is a non-vintage, zero dosage Champagne of exceptional class and delicacy. It’s a severe and high-toned 100% Pinot bubbly from mid-slopes around the village of Bouzy set on the chalky limestone and clay. It went through full malo and was aged on its lees in neutral French oak barrel. [This adds] to the surprise of its crisp detail, considering its malo/wood winemaking fashion, though like a great Burgundy it changes and gains with time in the glass adding richness to the tight form it initially shows. If ever there was a Champagne that fits all my wants and desires, then this Clouet, fits the bill. I adore Extra Bruts and Non Dosage styles absolutely best of all and this Andre Clouet Silver kills it for the price! Lemony briskness leads the way with hints of hazelnut, brioche and wet river stones adding a touch of white cherry, unripe apple and cool green melon, all lifted by the pure tight beading of its electric mousse. The Pinot Noir gives a bite of extract which makes this a fantastic food Champagne. It is perfect for oysters, sushi and mussels in spicy broth. It’s not for everyone, but damn it’s good. It’s without question a thinker’s sparkler not a crowd pleaser, which just makes it that much more special.”
(Ye) Old (Very Old) Dessert Wine
The thrill of celebrating with a truly old bottle of wine is unmatched in the world of wine. There’s something so magical about drinking something that’s been around as long or longer than you. It’s a feeling that’s impossible to get any other way—you know that this bottle has wine in it that’s been around through war and peace, good times and bad and now, finally, it’s going to get opened.
We stock as much old, cool stuff as we can, but sometimes it gets lost in the shuffle. After all, the hot new thing is never the old, old thing, so it’s a little understandable. That said, many of these wines offer really incredible drinking experiences at incredible prices (especially once you factor storage costs in). These are all in stock now, but like most old and rare wines, we’re unable to get more, so if something looks special, now’s the time to grab it.
First off, a selection of very old PX sherry that dates back to before the Spanish Civil War.
Bodegas Toro Albala Don PX Convento Seleccion, Montilla-Moriles 1929 750ML ($459.95) $299 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 95 points “The extreme 1929 Don PX Convento Selección is a thick, dense and unusual, rare sweet beast. It is very dark with a green border, dense, oily and serious full-bodied palate with the profile of a PX from Jerez. With 500 grams of residual sugar per liter, it is a little monolithic, a little heavy and not so easy to drink. Still it is an impressive, very sweet wine that is really unique”
Bodegas Toro Albala Don PX Convento Seleccion, Montilla-Moriles 1931 750ML ($399.95) $279 special, 9 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 98 points “If someone told you they kept a wine for 84 years in barrel before bottling, you’d think they are nuts, right? Well, that’s what the folks at Toro Albalá in Aguilar de la Frontera – in the province of Cordoba, part of the Montilla Moriles appellation – did with their 1931 Don PX Convento Selección. This is part of what they call ‘vinos olvidados,’ which means ‘forgotten wines.’ The border is amber, with green tints that denote very old age. Such old age provides an array of unusual aromas and flavors, including iodine and salt that compensate the sweetness (403 grams) and even the alcohol (18%). It’s terribly balsamic, with notes of dry herbs and spices, cigar ash, carob beans (algarrobas), incense and noble woods. The palate is very, very sweet and concentrated, unctuous, dense, with a chewy texture. This goes beyond a glass of wine, a drop of it is like having a piece of cake. I don’t think this reaches the complexity and depth of the 1946, which remains the benchmark for these old sweet PX, but it’s truly terrific!… bottles were filled in June 2015.”
Bodegas Toro Albala Don PX Convento Seleccion, Montilla-Moriles 1955 750ML ($379.95) $299 special, 4 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 98 points “One more single-harvest, old sweet wine, the 1955 Don PX Convento Selección was bottled in September 2014 and it had been aged slowly in very old American oak barrels and getting thick and concentrated through evaporation. It’s 320 grams of sugar are (partially) compensated by 6.5 grams of acidity. It has a nose and palate of chocolate-covered candied orange, spices, molasses. I’d say the dominant aromas in the nose are dark chocolate. It’s very dense, developing notes of very concentrated licorice and balsamic, mint, camphor and evolving notes of petrol with time. Complex, rare and unique.”
We also have a nice selection of wines from Rivesaltes—a classic dessert wine from the Roussillon that can be made from either white or red grapes but always over delivers when it comes to old wine value. We’re down to a single bottle of a bunch of vintages, so those aren’t listed here, but you can see all of them on our website by clicking here.
Domaine Cazes Rivesaltes Collections, Languedoc-Roussillon 1933 750ML ($219.95) $189 special, 7 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 96 points “The white grape-based Cazes 1933 Rivesaltes smells gorgeously of creme brulee infused with iris, violet and orange blossom; then comes to the palate at once creamy, texturally caressing and expansive, yet also gushing with juicy and zesty evocations of grapefruit and blood orange that took me by delighted surprise. Toasted nuts and haunting, smoke-tinged liquid floral essences help balance and compliment the sweetness in a profound, protracted, and impeccably balanced finish.”
Domaine Cazes Rivesaltes Cuvee Aime Cazes, Languedoc-Roussillon 1978 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 1978 VDN Rivesaltes Aime Cazes is comprised of 80% Grenache Blanc and Grenache Gris, and 20% black Grenache, that spent 22 years in cask. Sporting a fabulous light gold color, it burst from the glass with notions of dried plums, fig, toffee and creme brulee. Full-bodied, seamless and incredibly layered and silky, with vibrant acidity keeping it light and downright gulpable, it’s a brilliant Rivesaltes that will probably age forever.”
The average price is $108
Insider Pick
The Wonderful Mugneret-Gibourg
Mugneret-Gibourg has gone from an under the radar, insider’s pick in Burgundy to a blue chip, collectible estate in a few decades. That’s a testament to the quality of the wines and, in turn, to the quality of the holdings of the family. Blessed with exceptionally old, massale selection vines in some of the premier vineyards in Burgundy, these are some of the most pure expressions of Pinot on the planet. These are do-not-miss wines and we’re lucky to be getting in 10* different bottlings soon. Of the wines, there are verticals of a number of their wines including Chambolle Feusselottes, Nuits Chaignots, and most notably their coveted and rare Echezeaux.
*That number was a good bit higher but the wines keep selling out. As you’d expect, quantities on individual bottlings are pretty limited.
Here are a few highlights but you can also view the entire list of incoming Mugneret-Gibourg wines here.
Arriving Next Week:
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Les Feusselottes, Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru 2009 750ML ($399.95) $299 pre-arrival special, only 3 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 92+ points “The 2009 Chambolle-Musigny Les Feusselottes is oddly enough much more typical of this wine than the 2010 tasted alongside it. The Feusselottes is quite closed, though. With time in the glass some of the red fruit and flowers begin to emerge, but the 2009 remains somewhat shut down. It shows lovely textural richness and depth all the way through to the layered, sexy finish.”
The next best price is $459
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Les Chaignots, Nuit Saint Georges Premier Cru 2006 750ML ($249.95) $199 pre-arrival special, only 1 bottle available
Stephen Tanzer 91 points “Good deep red. Highly aromatic nose of red fruits and flowers. Fat, sweet and deep, with very good density to the spicy red fruit flavors. Fairly large-scaled for this bottling, and long and vibrant on the back end. Better than it appeared to be a year ago; in fact, today I prefer this to the 2007.”
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru 2009 750ML ($799.95) $679 pre-arrival special, only 1 bottle available
Stephen Tanzer 94+ points “(from vines at least 55 years old): Medium bright red. Reticent but already compelling perfume of red cherry, licorice, spices and wild herbs. Similarly closed on the palate, with sweet, floral red fruit flavors building slowly and mounting impressively through the whiplash of a finish. The wine’s bracing finishing flavors glitter on the aftertaste. Smoky, rather brooding tannins call for a good decade of patience.”
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Echezeaux Grand Cru 2008 750ML ($559.95) $479 pre-arrival special, only 3 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2008 Echézeaux is flat-out great. It is a deep, dark wine graced with exquisite balance, lovely inner perfume and a layered, eternal finish. Here the slightly higher percentage of new oak (70%) gives the wine an additional measure of volume. The Echézeaux is made from two parcels; Les Rouges du Bas (just in front of Clos Vougeot) and Les Quartiers de Nuits (next to Clos Vougeot) vinified together. Everything of the Echézeaux is first-class.”
Thank you for reading!