In Today’s Newsletter:
New Arrivals: Robert Mondavi Reserve, Olivier Bernstein,
Chateau Beaucastel & more!
April Clearance Sale Ends Tonight
Cantina del Pino & Brovia: New Reviews Double Header
Finca Dofi: Priorat’s Awakening
A.J. Adam: Mineral Mosel
Felsina’s New Pagliarese
Rare, Cellared Vintages of Rhone Legends
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New Arrivals
New Arrivals: California
Robert Mondavi Winery Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2010 750ML ($149.95) $139 special
Robert Parker 95 points “The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve (a blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc) exhibits a dense purple color, more tannin, structure and spice, terrific richness and plenty of black currant, vanillin and loamy soil characteristics. Given past track records, this full-bodied, impressive Reserve should easily age for 25-35 years.”
Robert Mondavi Winery Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2012 750ML ($149.95) $129 special
Stephen Tanzer 94+ points “(15% alcohol; made with 35 days of skin contact; 96% from To Kalon fruit): Dark ruby. Aromas of crushed blackberry, violet and bitter chocolate are complicated by musky spices and tobacco. Sweet, vinous and deep, conveying a distinct ripeness to the flavors of black raspberry, blueberry and sexy spices. Boasts a wonderfully fine-grained texture and outstanding depth of fruit, as well as the framing energy to give it outstanding energy and definition. Finishes with huge but fully ripe tannins and resounding length. This still tastes like a barrel sample, but with no hardness.”
Antonio Galloni 94 points “A dark, sumptuous beauty, the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve To Kalon Vineyard boasts marvelous depth and pure texture. Hints of mocha, espresso, cloves, new leather and menthol wrap around a core of dark, pliant fruit. The 2012 has just been bottled, but it is already hugely expressive. In particular, the addition of 7% Cabernet Franc is quite noticeable in the wine’s super-expressive, resonant aromatics.”
New Arrivals: France – Alsace & Champagne
Bereche et Fils ‘Cote’ Grand Cru Millesime Extra-Brut, Champagne 2006 750ML ($89.95) $79 special
Wine Spectator 93 points “Vibrant and lacy, with a seamless weave of poached quince, blanched almond, pink grapefruit pith and jasmine notes. This minerally Champagne is finely knit and graceful, offering a firm, focused finish. Drink now through 2029.”
Antonio Galloni 92 points “The 2006 Côte Grand Cru – Terroir du Mesnil sur Oger offers a striking combination of aromatic nuance, freshness and the natural flavor comlexity of Champagne with some age. Candied lemon peel, hazelnut, chamomile and lightly honeyed notes are front and center in this super-expressive Champagne. The 2006 finishes with notable power and substance. Although not especially deep, the 2006 is absolutely delicious, not to mention a real joy to taste.” (7/2017)
Vouette et Sorbee Cuvee Fidele Extra Brut, Champagne (2014) NV 750M ($69.95) $55 special
Importer Note “From Rocky Kimmeridgian and Portlandian limestone clays, hand harvested, natural yeast fermentation in French oak barrels, [and] minimal SO2. Fidèle is 100% Pinot Noir mainly from the lieux-dits of Fonnet and Briaunes with additional fruit from the other sites Bertrand farms. Fermented in oak, then 20 months sur latte, Extra-Brut. Deep color, distinct red fruits, forward and lush. Dangerously tasty.”
Domaine Weinbach Sylvaner Reserve, Alsace 2016 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special
Ian D’Agata – Vinous 91 points “Pale straw-green. Delightful green fruit, coriander and mineral aromas and flavors. Bright, juicy and fresh, showing complexity that tells you this is made from old vines (in fact, they are 45 years old). Delicious, pure, vibrant Sylvaner, but with sneaky concentration and texture. The grapes were harvested on October 18, and this late date helps explain the slightly fleshier, rounder mouthfeel than, for example, the 2014 (a year similar to 2016 in many respects, but slightly more vertical).”
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New Arrivals: France – Burgundy
Olivier Bernstein founded his micro-negociant in 2007, choosing to buy grapes from only the best vineyards he could find. As a result, the only wines to bear his name are grand and premier crus, from old vines (40+ years, at a minimum). They’ve become incredibly hot items in the Burgundy world—this man (who grew up in a family of music publishers) clearly has a touch when it comes to making excellent wine. They come into the country in miniscule quantities (28-43 cases each for the wines featured here) and are expensive, a reflection of their quality and scarcity. Most of the time these wines don’t hit the open market, so if you’re interested, act quickly.
Olivier Bernstein Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2015 750ML ($419.95) $369 special
Wine Spectator 95 points “The cherry and raspberry flavors take on a slight confectionary quality in this lean, taut red. Though in lock-down today, there is concentrated fruit at the core and a long, vibrant finish. Spicy aftertaste. Best from 2021 through 2035. 43 cases imported.”
Stephen Tanzer 94 points “Moderately saturated bright red. Subtler on the nose than the Champeaux, showing a penetrating perfume to the aromas of raspberry liqueur and flowers. Plush, sweet and stuffed with red berries, spices and dried flowers, offering outstanding volume while maintaining its shape and avoiding any impression of heaviness. Quite spherical in the middle palate, then suave on the back end, finishing with late-arriving fine-grained tannins and resounding length. (This is a blend of Charmes and Mazoyères, from two different owners.)”
Olivier Bernstein Les Champeaux, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru 2015 750ML ($249.95) $199 special
Wine Spectator 95 points “Smoky oak is well-integrated into bright black cherry, black currant and mineral flavors, backed by firm, resonant tannins. Fresh and linear, with a long, fruit- and spice-tinged aftertaste. Should reward patience. Best from 2023 through 2038. 28 cases imported.”
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Olivier Bernstein Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2015 750ML ($599.95) $519 special
Wine Spectator 98 points “A brilliant red, bursting with cherry, strawberry, floral and mineral aromas and flavors, backed by a firm structure, with an overall sense of elegance, restraint and understated power. This will need a few years to reveal all its charms, yet remains long and focused. Best from 2023 through 2040. 28 cases imported.”
Stephen Tanzer 95+ points “Medium red. Deeper, musky, rather backward nose offers soil-inflected aromas of black cherry, coffee, mocha and minerals but a bit less energy and peppery lift than the Bonnes-Mares. Then wonderfully silky and thick in the mouth, and surprisingly lively and expressive considering the nose. Conveys terrific energy and peppery pungency to its flavors of dark raspberry, black cherry, licorice and crushed rock. There’s a positive and very sexy wildness here that may become more pronounced with time in the cellar. Finishes with outstanding length.”
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The average price is $566
New Arrivals: France – Rhone
Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Roussanne Vieilles Vignes 2016 750ML ($219.95) $189 special
Jeb Dunnuck 100 points “the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Roussanne Vieilles Vignes is utterly killer and is as good as it gets. Huge notes of orange blossom, peach, tangerine, honeysuckle, and caramelized citrus flow from this insanely good, unctuous, heavenly textured white that possesses full-bodied richness and power, yet stays light, graceful and perfectly balanced on the palate. Drink bottles anytime over the coming 4-6 years, or cellar for a decade or more. Robert Parker once famously called this the Montrachet of the Rhône, and I wholeheartedly agree with him. Don’t miss this wine!”
Wine Advocate 96 points “The 500-case production of this wine comes from a three-hectare parcel of Roussanne planted in 1909. The 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Roussanne Vieilles Vignes takes the quality of Beaucastel’s traditional white and raises it another level. Caramelized pineapple sounds sweet and cloying, but it isn’t when it’s backed by amazing texture, citrus zest and a briny sensation on the never-ending finish. As this was the last wine of my visit to the estate, I found it especially hard to spit out.”
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April Clearance Sale Ends Tonight!
Highlighted Producer: Von Winning
We’re sending it off with a toast to our favorite dry Rieslings on the planet from Von Winning!
At Von Winning, the combination of incredible vineyard sites, meticulous winemaking and a commitment to producing only the finest wines yields exactly what you’d hope: Riesling of depth and profundity, with grace and mineral power. These wines are dry, yet powerful fruit isn’t the goal here. No, the Von Winning wines speak the language of the floral and mineral flavors that are both intense and furtive and also seemingly unable to be coaxed out of these vineyards by anyone else. They demand your attention, even when they speak in hushed whispers.
Want to see the complete list of our wines on our April Clearance Sale? Just click here!
Von Winning Deidesheimer Kalkofen Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Pfalz 2013 750ML ($99.95) Was $79, Now $69, 7 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 94 points “Bright and pale green in color, the 2013 Deidesheim Kalkofen Riesling trocken GG from predominantly old vines on limestone/marl soils offers noble upfront fruit aromas of nectarines and yellow plums. Medium to full-bodied it is the mixture of purity, piquancy, juiciness of ripe fruit and the lovely salty texture that makes the tightly woven Kalkofen one of the finest Rieslings of the 2013 vintage in Germany. Fermented in 500-liter barrels, it can age for ten or more years.” WA
Von Winning Kirchenstuck Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Pfalz 2014 750ML ($149.95) Was $106, Now $89, 6 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 96 points “Crushed stones with a dash of lemon juice on the clear, precise, fresh and concentrated nose of the 2014 Forster Kirchenstück Riesling trocken GG lead to a full-bodied, intense, pure, very clear and salty wine with discreet power but great length and finesse. This is purity in its most complex and elegant expression. There is no richness of fruit and no alcohol that tries to impress you; everything here is terroir and subtle winemaking. The wine is cool and almost delicate, and much fresher and stimulating than a Kirchenstück used to be. This von Winning was bottled with less than 12% alcohol and one can surely discuss if a great Kirchenstück needs to have 13% or more of alcohol. The proud price of 140 United States dollars is even more than you have to pay for the prestigious Kirchenstück from Bürklin-Wolf.” SR
Von Winning Deidesheimer Langenmorgen Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Pfalz 2012 750ML ($69.95) Was $59, Now $49, 7 bottles in stock now
Terry Theise note “It’s the manly side of Pfalz Riesling, and we debate whether this is a Grand or just a Premier Cru; yet the wine is articulate, herbal and peppery, cedary and woodsy, long, studious and spicy, with an almost urgestein minerality, suave even while it’s rural, and gentle even as it prods with its leafy message.”
Von Winning Deidesheimer Langenmorgen Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Pfalz 2015 750ML ($69.95) Was $59, Now $49, 5 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 92-94 points “The 2015 Deidesheimer Langenmorgen Riesling Trocken GG is deep and dusty, with its coolish and lemony fruit flavors; this is less fruit intense than the other 2015 von Winning Riesling crus from Deidesheim. Crushed stone flavors intermix with lemon juice and lead to a full-bodied, very intense and elegant palate. The wine has a nice mineral grip and a citrusy piquancy. The Langenmorgen has the freshness and tension you could eventually miss in many other 2015s from the Mittelhaardt. So if you prefer a rather fresh and coolish style, with a vivacious acidity and stimulating purity, the Langenmorgen is a serious candidate to satisfy your passions.”
Terry Theise note “It’s the nerd among the “GGs” of Deidesheim, and it’s my personal favorite; the stoniest and most focused, complex and digital; it pulls you in, it’s introverted and numinous and insanely flowery, sous bois, thinly stony like what you skip on the surface of a pond. Chinese 5-spice comes on. How does wine do this, refer to four different families of flavor within one perfect structure?”
Von Winning Deidesheimer Paradiesgarten Riesling Trocken, Pfalz 2013 750ML ($34.95) Was $28, Now $24, 17 bottles in stock now
Terry Theise note “Tasty, barley and cask-y notes behind a grainy delineated Riesling; less creamy than the ’12 and showing some of ’13’s more pointed edge, but it delivers length, clarity and some ineffable Pfalz-ness, and they tell me it will be smoother by the time its bottled.”
You can click here to see all our April Clearance Sale wines, including gems from Fabrice Vigot, Champagne Aubry, Donnhoff, Isole e Olena and Marques de Gelida!
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Cantina del Pino & Brovia
Double Header:
New Reviews from Monica Larner
Of the Wine Advocate
Cantina del Pino and Brovia both offer superb value for the money. Cantina del Pino produces wines that define Barbaresco and are admired by reviewers – Antonio Galloni notes that “not only were the wines from Cantina del Pino among the standouts of my tastings they also happen to be among the best values in Barbaresco.” The Vacca family is the name to know in Barbaresco, with Renato Vacca at the helm of this estate and his cousin, Aldo Vacca, the managing director of Produttori del Barbaresco.
Brovia is a hidden gem of an estate that’s been with the Rosenthal portfolio since 1978. They hit all the right notes in terms of thoughtful vineyard management (organic without certification, careful pruning, and hand harvesting) and are unapologetically classic in their winemaking (long and slow fermentation and long aging in large barrels and, subsequently, in bottle).
We are equally pleased to present the new reviews for these two estates from Monica Larner of the Wine Advocate for the much-anticipated 2013 vintage!
Cantina del Pino Barbaresco DOCG 2013 750ML ($41.95) $33 special, 33 bottles in stock now
Cantina del Pino Barbaresco DOCG 2013 1.5L ($99.95) $79 special, 4 magnums in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 93 points “Beautifully polished and pure, the 2013 Barbaresco offers good value and an irresistible drinking style. This wine will appeal to Barbaresco purists, because its strongest card is indeed varietal purity. The bouquet opens to wild berry, dark plum, licorice, blue flower and camphor. The 2013 vintage delivers that purity with measured and elegant intensity. Some 11,000 bottles were produced.”
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The average price is $41
Cantina del Pino Albesani, Barbaresco DOCG 2013 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 23 bottles in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2013 Barbaresco Albesani offers a delicate approach with a silky texture and seamless flavors of wild berry, rose hip, spice and cured leather. The bouquet offers complexity and finesse, showing the best side of the Barbaresco appellation in a slightly cooler vintage. Some 3,000 bottles were produced.”
Cantina del Pino Gallina, Barbaresco DOCG 2013 750ML ($64.95) $53.80 special, 22 bottles in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 94+ points “Renato Vacca’s 2013 Barbaresco Gallina shows a bright and luminous personality. This is a sharp and focused expression of Nebbiolo with linear aromas of wild berry, blue flower and licorice. The wine ages in oak for two years and sees another 18 months in bottle. I loved the silky and enduring nature of the finish.”
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Brovia Barolo DOCG 2013 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 20 bottles in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2013 Barolo by Brovia is made with a blend of fruit from the estate’s various single vineyards. A large part of that fruit comes from medium-aged vines from the Brea site in Serralunga d’Alba. This is a fabulous and generous expression that offers a polished and elongated quality. The wine stretches beyond its borders with intense aromas of dark fruit and licorice. It also offers ample dimension and depth.”
Brovia Garblet Sue, Barbaresco DOCG 2013 750ML ($89.95) $79 special, 11 bottles in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2013 Barolo Garblèt Sue’ (with fruit from Castiglione Falletto) is slightly more immediate and approachable compared to Brovia’s other single-vineyard expressions. The bouquet is humming and singing at the moment with wild berries, spice and dried flowers. All these pretty fragrances come together with a strong sense of unity and lasting intensity.”
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Alvaro Palacios’
Finca Dofi
The Wine that Launched a Movement
Alvaro Palacios is perhaps the most important winemaker in modern Spain. He nearly single-handedly put Bierzo on the map as a fine wine making region and also makes some of the most important wines from Priorat—a double feature nearly unmatched in the world of wine. He has the ability to see old wine regions and abandoned vineyards, envision their greatness and then (most importantly) to bring that vision to life.
Palacios was born into a winemaking family—but in Rioja. After studying winemaking in Bordeaux, he went to work for the legendary Chateau Petrus and then rather than return to his family’s winery, struck out on his own to try and restore the glory of Priorat, which is now famous but was forgotten until the late 1980’s. He began by purchasing his first vineyard in Priorat, Finca Dofi. The vineyard is planted mostly with Garnacha. Stylistically, the vineyard is known for producing wines that combine power and elegance. The wines display richness and intensity that makes them truly memorable, but with a grace and drinkability that reminds us of fine Burgundy, but with Bordeaux like power. Over the years, it has stunned reviewers that have called it “brilliant” (Robert Parker), “breathtaking” (Jay Miller), and “a Priorat wine of atypical finesse” (Stephen Tanzer). Complex and age-worthy, this wine launched Palacios and the region of Priorat into international fame and glory. We’re proud to offer two of the most heralded vintages in its history!
Alvaro Palacios Finca Dofi In Stock Now:
Alvaro Palacios Finca Dofi, Priorat DOCa 2015 750ML ($99.95) $69 special
James Suckling 97 points “This is a very tight and fine-grained red with a compressed mouthfeel. The fruit comes through to a class and elegance. Such length. Ethereal structure. Unique. Drink or hold.”
Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2015 Finca Dofí is mostly Garnacha with a 4% pinch of Cariñena and some white grapes from the vineyard that names it. Although there are some differences, mainly in the fringes and extremes, most of the soils from Priorat are very similar, with decomposed slate called “llicorella.” Most of Palacios’s wines are produced in a very similar way, with natural fermentation of destemmed and crushed grapes in oak vats and élevage in oak casks—in this case, larger bocoys and foudres—for 16 months. This wine has gained in drinkability since 2010-2011, and this lighter vintage feels even more approachable, with very clean flavors and unnoticeable tannins. It finishes very tasty and with subtle earthiness. 22,742 bottles produced. It was bottled in March 2017.”
Decanter 95 points “Alvaro Palacios Finca Dofí 2015 is grown on brown slate. Deep purple with pink rim. Impressively powerful, with a burst of black fruits, fresh, well-balanced, with a refined texture. A rasp of tannin gives structure, and a burst of juice explodes on the finish. An edge of liquorice and wild herbs to the finish. Very long, very fresh.”
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The average price is $83
Alvaro Palacios Finca Dofi, Priorat DOCa 2014 750ML ($99.95) $69 special
James Suckling 96 points “Subtle nose of dried rose petals, slate and hints of red cherries. Full body, a beautiful structure and a dense and harmonious texture. Single vineyard. So delicious now. Why wait?”
Wine Advocate 95+ points “The 2014 Finca Dofí is a blend of approximately 94% Garnacha and 6% Cariñena from a plot in Gratallops called Finca Dofí. The destemmed and crushed grapes fermented in oak vats with natural yeasts followed by malolactic and 14 months aging in oak barrels. It feels terribly lively, with a silkiness and purity, terse but at the same time ripe. The oak is very integrated and there is no volatility many associate with Priorat, but the flavors are clearly reminiscent of the old vintages of Dofí but with a much more polished texture. Again the acidity gives it clout and depth, like claws clinging to you. It ends tasty and very mineral. This feels as good as the other-worldly 2013. A great vintage for Dofí. Elegance in a bottle. There are 20,100 bottles produced.”
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The average price is $87
Click here to shop all of the Alvaro Palacios wines we have in stock including Petalos and Corullon!
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A.J. Adam
“I think in Germany we see terroir as a unity of grape, climate, soil, and the mentality of the person who works the vineyard. But the essence of that mentality is a knowledge that the geology of his terrain indeed creates the flavors in the grapes which grow there.” — Andreas Adam
In a virtually unknown side valley of the Mosel, just south of Piesport, are the steep, south-facing vineyard slopes of Dhron. Few of the younger generation have taken over for the aging winemakers here except for Andreas Adam. In 2000, after working for Heymann-Loewenstein, he began resurrecting his maternal grandfather’s estate in Dhron while still working in the cellar of other prestigious Mosel wineries. He took the leap to full time around the time he was ‘discovered’ by Terry Theise.
The terroir of the area produces wines more similar to Saar than Mosel: the steepness, high altitude and cooling mountain breezes help the wines retain vibrant acidity, and the age of his parcels adds to the concentration and finesse. Older vines are a rarity in Dhron since much of the land was reformed, re-terraced, and replanted in the 1970s, and Adam has vines dating back to the 1950s. In the winery, Adam hand sorts the grapes before they undergo natural yeast fermentation in stainless steel, fuder and halbfuder casks. He adds nothing to the fermenting wines. The result is wines of poise, energy and concentration: terroir-driven and supremely balanced.
Stephan Reinhardt just weighted in on the 2016 vintage and offered high praise for this small winery. You can read the new reviews below or shop our entire collection of A.J. Adam wines here.
Weingut A.J. Adam Dhroner Hofberg Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2016 750ML ($31.95) $26 special, 10 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2016 Dhroner Hofberg Riesling Kabinett shows an open, smoky, herbal-laced bouquet of ripe Riesling. Lush, piquant and terribly stimulating on the vital and crystalline palate, this is a gorgeous Kabinett bottled with 8% alcohol and lots of tension, grip and salty minerals that carry the wine into a long, dangerously stimulating finish. This is just beautiful and lovely to drink even today and surely over the next 20 to 25+ years. Tasted April 2018.”
Weingut A.J. Adam Dhroner Hofberg Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2016 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 7 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2016 Dhroner Hofberg Riesling Spätlese is fascinatingly pure, fine and flinty on the nose, indicating lovely reduction and precision. Round, lush and piquant on the palate, this is an elegant, highly finessed and fruity Spätlese with grip, salt and tension. It’s a fabulous, highly stimulating Riesling, probably one of the finest Hofbergs I have had so far. Tasted April 2018.”
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The average price is $44
Weingut A.J. Adam In der Sangerei Riesling, Mosel 2016 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special, ETA May
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2016 Riesling Feinherb “in der Sängerei” shows a clear, ripe, deep and intensely expressive bouquet of ripe fruits and crushed stones. Flint & Smoke! On the palate, this is a gorgeously pure, lush, elegant, fresh and mineral Mosel classic from 60-year-old vines cultivated in a warmer, wind-protected plot of the Dhroner Hofberg. The wine reveals great finesse, gorgeous fruit and a tensioned, stimulatingly mineral finish. It’s not really dry but almost, so all in all: just perfect! Tasted April 2018.”
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Felsina’s New Pagliarese
Felsina is known for many things—chief among them an outstanding quality to price ratio. The second thing they’re probably known for is being a Sangiovese house: their Fontalloro bottling to their entry-level Classico are 100% Sangiovese wines. So when we heard they were releasing a new wine, from an estate they purchased in the mid-nineties that had other (native Tuscan) grapes blended in, we were all ears.
Fattoria del Pagliarese is a historic house, mismanaged for a long time, that was acquired by Felsina in 1995. Much of the estate had to be replanted and up until 2015, Felsina blended the wines into their Chianti or sold the grapes to other estates. Starting with this release, though, we finally have a chance to drink wines from this fantastic estate (located between Felsina and Castell’in Villa, by the way) on its own. It’s a bit more delicate than the Felsina Chianti, owing both to the sandier soil of the estate and to the treatment the wine receives in the winery (no smaller barrels are used). It’s a fantastic deal, just ask Italian expert Antonio Galloni, and a wine to buy in quantity so you can drink it over the next decade or so.
Arriving Friday:
Fattoria dei Pagliarese Chianti Classico DOCG, Tuscany 2015 750ML ($21.95) $18 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni – Vinous 92 points “The 2015 Chianti Classico is a new wine from Fèlsina’s Pagliarese property. For what seems like forever, Giuseppe Mazzocolin has been the ultimate champion of Sangiovese, long before it was fashionable. With Pagliarese, Mazzocolin and Fèlsina return to a super-classic Chianti Classico based on Sangiovese, of course, but with dollops of Canaiolo, Mammolo and Colorino aged in cask. The debut 2015 is fabulous. Bright, red-toned fruit and an array of floral/savory notes are nicely delineated, but the wine’s purity and extraordinary balance elevate it into the realm of the sublime. What a gorgeous wine this is!”
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The average price nationally is $22
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Arriving in May
Rare Cellared Vintages of Rhone Legends
Domaine Remizieres is a producer of flamboyant, outsized Hermitage—Syrah for lovers of the bold in wine. They’re a relatively new estate by the standards of the Rhone (founded in 1973) but have already made a big name for themselves among lovers of big reds. These are Syrahs that take no prisoners and have the scores to match.
We’re getting a small tranche of rare, back vintage Hermitage from Remizieres (along with some of Sabon’s Prestige cuvee from the southern Rhone) and are super excited to be offering it today. Older wines from the Northern Rhone can be extremely hard to source. Quantities are low and, unlike Bordeaux, little is bought speculatively, so most of the original buyers of the wines end up drinking them. These wines are already into a nice period of drinking, but they should age further with gusto, if you manage the patience.
Arriving in May:
Desmeure Domaine des Remizieres Hermitage Cuvee Emilie, Rhone 2003 750ML ($89.95) $79 pre-arrival special
Jeb Dunnuck – Wine Advocate 95 points [Reviewed Dec 2016 “A big, beautiful, concentrated effort that delivers on all accounts is the 2003 Hermitage Cuvee Emilie. Brought up all in new barrels, it has profound notes of blackcurrants, asphalt, bouquet garni and chocolate all soaring from the glass. These carry over to the palate and this blockbuster-styled beauty has a stacked mid-palate, as well as sweet, integrated tannin and full-bodied richness. Drink it anytime over the coming 20+ years.]”
Desmeure Domaine des Remizieres Hermitage Cuvee Emilie, Rhone 2005 750ML ($89.95) $79 pre-arrival special
Robert Parker 93+ points “The 2005 Hermitage Cuvee Emilie has also turned out better than I thought from cask. A wonderfully intense bouquet of licorice, graphite, blackberry liqueur, and stone is followed by a full-bodied wine with superb concentration, and chewy, deep flavors of espresso roast, smoke, licorice, and creme de cassis. With plenty of tannin, this wine looks set to enjoy 20 or more years of aging potential.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Desmeure Domaine des Remizieres Hermitage Cuvee Emilie, Rhone 2006 750ML ($89.95) $69 pre-arrival special
Jeb Dunnuck – Wine Advocate 92 points [Reviewed Dec 2016 “The 2006 Hermitage Cuvee Emilie is more classic in style than the flamboyant 2009 and offers lots of darker fruits, game, olive and underbrush characteristics. Medium to full-bodied, nicely concentrated and still youthful, with notable tannin and acidity, it opens up nicely with time in the glass and has another two decades of life.”
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The next best price is $73.65
Roger Sabon Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Prestige, Rhone 2001 750ML ($99.95) $79 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 94 points “Mature spice, black tea and sandalwood notes lead the way, but this has deceptive richness despite its softening feel, with layered flavors of roasted fig, plum confiture and cherry compote gliding along. The structure has melded into the core and the finish is supple.”
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Thank you for reading!