In Today’s Newsletter:
Limited Supply:
Le Paulee @ Best Ever Pricing
Staff Pick:
Signature Sicily
July Sale Highlights:
Ends Tomorrow!
Under the Radar in Beaujolais
Trending Wines of the Weekend
New Week – New Arrivals
Hot Sale of the Week!
Sequitur Subscriber Pricing ENDS TONIGHT!
Isole e Olena:
Reference Point Sangiovese
& Treasured Tuscan Gems
July Sale Recap
Only 48 Hours Remain
Scott Paul’s La Paulee
Top Notch Winemaker / Top Notch Value
Limited Supply on Sale Now!
Kelley Fox makes the prettiest and most captivating wines in all of the Willamette Valley—fresh and delicate with a palate-pleasing intricacy. While her own label is well known now, she was the winemaker at Scott Paul for the 2005-2014 vintages, and it’s a few of the best of the wines we wanted to highlight today. We are offering a superb deal on two back vintages of Scott Paul “La Paulee” from the Kelley Fox era and wanted to highlight them at this excellent pricing.
La Paulee was the main wine Kelley made under the Scott Paul label—a wine that normally retails between $35-40. It’s a bit richer and showier than what Kelley makes under her own label, but these are definitely wines of grace and for the prices, astounding value. They arrive Friday, but most of them should be long gone before then.
New August Clearance Sale Wines!
Scott Paul La Paulee Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2013 750ML ($39.95) $18 pre-arrival special, ETA Friday, August 3rd
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 91 points “Deep red. Bright and energetic on the nose, displaying intense red berry and blood orange scents, along with candied rose and allspice highlights. Silky, sweet and incisive on the palate, offering juicy strawberry and floral pastille flavors and a spicy kick of white pepper. Closes very long and nervy; fine-grained tannins lend shape and closing grip.”
Wine Enthusiast 91 points “Sophisticated and subtle, this lovely wine expresses varietal elegance, with a bouquet of roses and raspberries to begin. The jumble of pretty fruits is framed with citrus peel and a dusting of chocolate.”
Neal Martin-Wine Advocate 90 points “The 2013 Pinot Noir la Paulee comes from fruit sourced from Maresh and Nysa in the Dundee Hills, Azana in Chehalem and from the Ribbon Ridge, matured for ten months in neutral oak. It has a very natural, Côte de Beaune-like bouquet with ample brambly red fruit with hints of black tea developing with aeration. I appreciate the focus and definition here. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, smooth in the mouth with just a faint honeyed note. Tart red cherries mingle with redcurrant and strawberry, segueing into a poised and fulsome finish. This should drink well over the next 7-10 years and represents great value.”
The next best price is $29.24
The average price is $33
Winery Note “Brilliant red in color. The spicy nose starts with being savory and leads into an array of fresh raspberry, brambleberry, and marionberry. Finely pronounced tannins combine with layers of fresh elderberry and a great balance of acid are folded into razor focused tannins which has the palate finishing with class. Our home in Carlton, Oregon (a 1915 brick creamery) is an ideal spot to revel in the virtues of Pinot Noir, as we pursue Pinot Perfection. Our sustainably farmed vineyards are among the Willamette Valley’s finest (and dare we say, most perfect). Our 2014 bottling is a selection of superior lots from our blocks of Maresh and Nysa Vineyards in the Dundee Hills and Ribbon Ridge and Azana Vineyards on the Chehalem Mountains. Bold, bright berry flavors unite with a bounty of rose, spice and cherry aromas. Pure Oregon Pinot Noir.”
The next best price is $32.75
The average price is $37
Staff Pick
Cherry, Cherry Baby
The Signature Wine of Sicily
Of all the wines I drank last year, Gulfi’s Cerasuolo is the one I most wish I had bought more of. Part of that was timing and scarcity—we only got a few cases and it sold out within a week and a half of arrival. By the time I got a chance to drink the sole bottle I bought (a mere two weeks after it arrived!), re-order was impossible and so when I was smitten at first sip, the knowledge that “this is it until next year” loomed over the rest of the night.The wine itself is (and was) a delight—Cerasuolo means “cherry skin” in Italian and in this iteration* the description is super-apt. Perhaps it’s the time of year, but this wine reminds me of black cherries that are about a day away from perfect ripeness, sprinkled with thyme and a touch of pepper. It’s snappy, crisp and, as the British say, moreish—you can’t stop drinking it. This is a perfect wine for anything off the grill as well as anything pizza or pasta related you want to throw at it. In this weather, stick it in the fridge for 40 minutes before you drink it and make sure you have another bottle around. You’ll need it.Newly Arrived:
Gulfi Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG, Sicily 2016 750ML ($24.95) $18 special
Winery note “Grape varieties: Nero d’Avola 70%, Frappato di Vittoria 30%. Nero d’Avola is named after Avola, a small town near Pachino in the province of Siracusa where it was selected by local growers several hundred years ago. Frappato di Vittoria is an old indigenous wine grape variety from the southeast part of Sicily. It likely originates in the territory of Vittoria where it has been grown since the XVIIth century.”
July Sale
Ends Tomorrow!
Don’t miss the complete list at the bottom of this newsletter!
A true Cult Classic—$9/btl cheaper than at the winery!
Merry Edwards Olivet Lane Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley 2014 750ML ($99.95) Was $66, Now $59 Clearance Price
Wine Advocate 92 points “Pale to medium ruby-purple in color, the 2014 Pinot Noir Olivet Lane offers an earthy nose of underbrush, moss, dusty soil and truffles over notes of crushed Bing cherries and cranberries, plus a waft of bay leaves. Medium-bodied, elegant and fresh in the mouth, the red berry and earth flavors are well-supported by chewy tannins and give a nice long finish.”
Now it’s even lower!
The next best price is $77.43
The average price is $83
An under the radar, old school Volnay producer’s top wine.
Domaine Bitouzet-Prieur Les Caillerets, Volnay Premier Cru 2012 1.5L ($179.95) Was $149, Now $128 Clearance Price
Antonio Galloni 92-94 points “The 2012 Volnay Caillerets is the most impressive of these 2012s from Francois Bitouzet. Here the flavors are deep, layered and beautifully resonant from start to finish. Plum, smoke, black cherry, licorice and spices wrap around the palate as this fleshy, deep Volnay shows off its pure class and pedigree. The finish is long, generous and inviting, but the 2012 is a wine for the cellar. Patience will be rewarded. In 2012 there is just one barrel of the Caillerets instead of the customary three.”
The average price is $150
Domaine Bitouzet-Prieur Taillepieds, Volnay Premier Cru 2012 1.5L ($149.95) Was $119, Now $99 Clearance Price
Antonio Galloni 91-93+ points “A layered, totally exquisite wine, the 2012 Volnay Taillepieds impresses for its balance above all else. The aromas and flavors are beautifully detailed and nuanced in a Taillepieds that is all about crystalline purity. This tasting catches the 2012 in a slightly raw, unpolished state, but nothing a little time in bottle won’t take care of.”
Avignonesi Vin Santo di Montepulciano, Tuscany 2001 375ML ($219.95) Was $179, Now $159 Clearance Price
Wine Advocate 98 points “The 2001 Vin Santo di Montepulciano (375 milliliters) is a divine and superbly delicious sweet blend of Trebbiano, Malvasia and Grechetto. The results are super concentrated and simmered down to a virtual reduction sauce of deliciousness. There are so many aromas to name, but some of the most evident highlights include candied orange peel, almond marzipan, caramel, toasted coffee bean, vanilla stick, mocha, dark honey and fragrant yellow rose. The mouthfeel is creamy, rich and deeply layered. I’m suggesting a slightly shorter drinking window here compared to the Occhio di Pernice. But, the truth is: I have no idea. I’m pretty sure these wines will outlive anyone of legal drinking age.”
The next best price is $178.99
Weingut A.J. Adam Dhroner Hofberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Mosel 2013 1.5L ($149.95) Was $127, Now $119 Clearance Price
Robert Parker 93+ points “Selected twice (in the vineyard and at the winery to process only healthy grapes), 100% fuder-fermented and bottled in May 2014, the 2013 Dhroner Hofberg Riesling trocken has a very clear and precise nose displaying ripe peach and nectarine aromas intertwined with slate flavors. This leads to an impressively intense, filigreed and pure wine which develops power and finesse and does not have a single gram of fat. Sourced from 60-year-old and partly ungrafted vines this 12.4% natural alcohol cru is a full-bodied, elegant, precise and crystalline Riesling with an impressive purity and terroir expression. It has just begun its flight and could be even finer in half a year. “RP
Terry Theise notes “This is the quasi-GG and of all these obstreperous ’13s it was the best behaved. In fact a lovely dry Riesling, herbal, juicy, malic and salty; long and clinging finish; amazing equipoise of ethereal delicacy and heavy density and grip. 94º Oechsle, rather little botrytis, cask-fermented and aged on the fine lees, and finely smoky; only 8.5g/l RS but extract concentration confers a kind of facsimile of “’sweetness.’”
Antichi Vigneti di Cantalupo ‘Cantalupo Anno Primo’ Colline Novaresi, Piedmont 2010 1.5L ($89.95) Was $77, Now $69 Clearance Price
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2010 Cantalupo Anno Primo is a deep, powerful wine. Black cherry, plum, lavender, spice, menthol and licorice meld together. Deep, pliant and full of character, the 2010 has so much to offer. The Cantalupo is dark and brooding, yet retains its mid-weight personality and overall feel. It is without question a very serious wine. I loved it.”
Only one magnum available!
Clos du Val Hirondelle Vineyard Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap District 2014 1.5L ($299.95) Was $239, Now $219 Clearance Price
Antonio Galloni 94 points “Deep, inky and enveloping, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Hirondelle Estate Vineyard captures all the elements that make Stags Leaps Cabernets so compelling. A host of lavender, mint, sage, graphite and crème de cassis notes flesh out in an effortless, noble Cabernet Sauvignon endowed with notable depth and intensity.”
A rare, still, white wine from Champagne!
Bereche et Fils Coteaux Champenois Blanc Les Monts Fournois Ludes 1er Cru 2015 750ML ($89.95) Was $79, Now $66 Clearance Price
The next best price is $74
Bereche’s sublime cuvee: based on a perpetual reserve started in ’85
Bereche et Fils Reflet d’Antan Brut, Champagne NV 1.5L ($299.95) Was $249, Now $199 Clearance Price
Now it’s even lower!
The next best price is $289.99
Beaujolais remains one of the most exciting regions in the wine world. The combination of expressive terroir and affordable land makes it a place where young, talented winemakers can start to leave a mark in the wine world. Despite this, there’s a bit of a focus on a handful of producers (perhaps a dozen) at the top of the Beaujolais market, which means that wineries that are on the up present excellent value and opportunity.
The producers we’re highlighting today are cause for excitement—they’re in the vanguard for the next wave of Beaujolais greatness and work with some of the most interesting sites around, often for significantly less out of your wallet than many of the estates that command the headlines. In short, wines to stock up on while you can.
Profound Beaujolais.
Domaine Mee Godard Morgon Cote de Py, Beaujolais 2014 750ML ($37.95) $29 special
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 93 points “Bright ruby-red. Heady, mineral-accented aromas of ripe cherry and red berries, with a peppery nuance adding vivacity. At once concentrated and lively, offering intense raspberry and bitter cherry flavors and a sneaky suggestion of spicecake. Picks up a sexy lavender pastille quality on the incisive, sharply focused finish, which hangs on with outstanding tenacity and building minerality.”
Domaine Richard Rottiers Moulin-a-Vent, Beaujolais 2014 750ML ($24.95) $16.60 special
Wine Enthusiast 93 points “Produced from vines up to 80 years old, this is a powerful, wood-aged wine. Tannins are mixed with toast, spice and dark plum flavors. Acidity gives freshness and finishes the wine with very fine fruits as well as structure. Age this impressive wine and drink from 2018.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 92 points “Brilliant violet. Smoke-accented blackberry and cherry scents are complicated by suggestions of vanilla, violet and licorice. Sweet and seamless in texture, offering intense dark berry and floral pastille flavors that tighten up and become spicier with air. Weighty yet lithe, delivering a solid finishing punch of sappy dark fruit, smooth tannins and excellent persistence. This substantial yet energetic wine has the stuffing as well as the balance to age.”
The next best price is $19.99
Nicolas Chemarin Regnie Les Haute Ronze, Beaujolais 2014 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 92 points “Vivid ruby-red. Sexy, mineral-laced aromas of ripe red and dark berries, violet and licorice. Sappy and penetrating, offering bitter cherry and black raspberry flavors that become sweeter as the wine opens up. Concentrated yet lithe, delivering excellent finishing clarity and strong, mineral-driven persistence.”
Chateau Grange Cochard Morgon Cote du Py, Beaujolais 2014 750ML ($27.95) $24 special
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 93 points “Deep ruby. Mineral-accented cherry and blackberry aromas are underscored by a spicy element that gains strength as the wine opens up. Sappy and penetrating, offering sweet dark berry flavors with complicating suggestions of star anise and violet. The spice and floral qualities build steadily through an impressively long, sappy finish, which is framed by harmonious tannins that fold easily into the intense fruit.”
Domaine de la Chapelle des Bois Fleurie Cuvee Vieilles Vignes de la Cadole, Beaujolais 2014 750ML ($21.95) $19 special
“This cuvée of Fleurie is sourced from a single parcel planted to vines eighty years old. In contrast to the other wines of the domaine, this special selection is aged 12 months in large, older foudres to best express its formidable character. Surprisingly, this structured wine is supremely elegant and fine; and, it is surely capable of providing pleasure over an extended period of time.”–Importer note
Lebeaupin Clos de la Brosse Saint Amour, Beaujolais 2016 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
Josh Raynolds 91 points “Bright violet. Aromas of fresh dark berries, candied flowers and smoky minerals take on a hint of game as the wine opens up. Sweet and pliant in the mouth, offering juicy boysenberry and cherry flavors that put on weight with air. Finishes sappy and smooth, displaying very good persistence, a repeating gamy note and fine-grained tannins that sneak in slowly. Here’s a Beaujolais that shows a slightly wild streak, in a good way.”
Trending Wines of the Weekend
This is a beautiful Syrah that will remind you of cooler year Northern Rhone wines with its white pepper and red fruit. Marcus Goodfellow’s Fool’s Journey is sure to age, but keeping your hands off it now will be pretty tough.
Matello Fool’s Journey Deux Vert Vineyard Syrah, Willamette Valley 2013 750ML ($24.95) Was $21.90, Now $18 Clearance Price
Case-12 Matello Fool’s Journey Deux Vert Vineyard Syrah, Willamette Valley 2013 750ML ($269.95) $199 Clearance Price (that’s only $16.58/bottle!)
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 90 points “Bright violet. Smoke-tinged dark berries and pungent flowers on the nose. Juicy and focused on the palate, offering bitter cherry and cassis flavors that take a sweeter turn on the back half. Dusty tannins make a late appearance and add gentle grip to the smooth, energetic finish.”
Winery note “From the Willamette Valley’s first planting of Syrah, this cool climate, low alcohol wine will redefine your idea of the possibilities of new-world Syrah. If you like your Syrah French, here is a kindred but one of a kind wine from Oregon.”
The unanimous staff favorite in the value bubbles category.
Alain Bailly Brut Rose, Champagne NV 750ML ($37.95) $28 special
Case-6 Alain Bailly Brut Rose, Champagne NV 750ML ($209.95) $149 special (that’s only $24.83/bottle!)
VinopolNote: Inexpensive wines in prestige categories can be tricky. We taste wines all the time from regions like Champagne whose producers are content to ride the coattails of the appellation, producing wines that are mediocre and cheap. That makes finding a diamond in the rough an extra fun. This a delicious bottle of Champagne for barely more than you’d pay for a bottle of “sparkling wine.” Rosé Champagne in particular seems to command a premium in the marketplace, so to find something dry, interesting and correct for this price is an absolute steal. This is not the most complex or serious bubbly in the world, but we all were really impressed with the quality for the price. Delicious stuff.
The next best price is $34.99
The best deal in rosé in the shop? Majority says yes. You might be tempted by the 750’s , but you really want the magnums–a smaller size would be criminal given how good this is.
Domaine de Triennes Rose, IGP Var 2017 1.5L ($39.95) $26 special
Domaine de Triennes Rose, IGP Var 2017 750ML ($19.95) $14 special
VinopolNote: A long-time customer favorite at the shop that is the side project of some certain big names of some certain cult Burgundy producers (Jacques Seysses of Domaine Dujac and Aubert de Villaine of DRC). The sunny slopes of Mediterranean have been the home of this winery and vineyard since 1990 where the friends found the perfect terroir to craft these limestone-influenced, refreshing wines. The rosé is light, bright and refreshing, with notes of red berries and white flowers.
Winemakers’ note “We make our wines the way we like to drink them. For the whites and the rosé, this means a constant search for freshness and aromas. Triennes rosé is the perfect accompaniment to a sunny summer afternoon.”
This Gigondas is a winner every year and the 2016 version is especially so. St. Cosme power with extra energy!
Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas, Rhone 2016 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Case-6 Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas, Rhone 2016 750ML ($519.95) $219 special (that’s only $36.50/bottle!)
Case-12 Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas, Rhone 2016 750ML ($519.95) $419 special (that’s only $34.92/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 90-92 points “Even Saint Cosme’s 2016 Gigondas looks built to age. It’s full-bodied and firmly tannic but balanced by ripe fruit notes of cherries, peaches and chocolate.”
Jeb Dunnuck 90-92 points “Looking first at the base 2016 Gigondas, it’s certainly going to be another outstanding wine from Barruol. Based on 70% Grenache and the rest close to an even split of Syrah and Mourvèdre, it offers classic St Cosme notes of dark fruits, tapenade, pepper and smoked earth. It has plenty of tannin and will need 2-3 years of cellaring and shine for a decade or more.”
The average price is $55
Felsina’s newest wine!
Fattoria dei Pagliarese ‘Pagliarese’ Chianti Classico DOCG, Tuscany 2015 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
Ian d’Agata – 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!”
The average price nationally is $22
New Week – New Arrivals
Rosé
Among our favorite rosés every year, this is always delicate and crisp.
Tenuta delle Terre Nere Rosato Etna, Sicily 2017 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special
Ian d’Agata-Vinous 91 points “Pale onion-peel pink. Delicately fruity and floral aromas of jasmine, honyesuckle, redcurrant, gooseberry and minerals. Bright and crisp, this is a paragon of balance and delicacy. Lovely stuff. 100% Nerello Mascalese.”
Oregon
Arterberry Maresh Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2015 750ML ($29.95) $24 special
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 91 points “Bright red. Highly perfumed red berry preserve, Asian spice and rose oil aromas are lent vivacity by a smoky mineral nuance. Silky, expansive raspberry, bitter cherry and spicecake flavors show very good energy and pick up a smoky flourish with aeration. Finishes juicy, gently sweet and quite long, featuring lingering red fruit flavors and discreet tannins.”
This wine is a highlight of most vintages. Old vines and a prime site.
Arterberry Maresh Maresh Vineyard Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2015 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 94 points “Vivid red. Sexy, high-pitched red berry, incense and candied rose scents are complemented by a smoky mineral aspect and a hint of star anise. Sappy and focused in the mouth, offering energetic raspberry liqueur, bitter cherry, blood orange and floral pastille flavors that put on weight and become sweeter with air. Conveys a suave blend of power and vivacity and closes on a subtly tannic note, displaying outstanding focus and floral-driven persistence.”
Winery notes “Destemmed in 1¼ ton lots, Jim’s light touch in the winery allows the intrinsic character of the wine to blossom. Passive temperature management ensures spontaneous fermentation proceeds and is monitored and guided by sensory analysis, gentle extraction techniques and low peak temperatures. Immediately upon reaching dryness, the lots are gently pressed in a half-ton wood bladder press and settle 2-4 weeks before being transferred to 5%-10% new French Oak barrels for 14-18 months. They are only racked to prepare for bottling.”
France – Rhone
Better than Telegraphe Blanc? You decide!
Domaine La Roquete (Vignobles Brunier) Chateauneuf-du-Pape Clos La Roquete Blanc, Rhone 2015 750ML ($49.95) $36 special
Wine Spectator 94 points “Intense, with creamed papaya, Cavaillon melon and Jonagold apple flavors pouring forth, underscored by heather honey, almond and salted butter notes. The long finish has a bitter citrus hint to help the length match the weight. Drink now through 2019. 100 cases imported.”
The next best price is $44.97
The average price is $48
Hot Sale of the Week!
Special Sequitur Subscriber Sale
Flashed through our original stock
More is arriving Friday,
But the sale ends tonight!
Just place your order online and we’ll adjust your price before charging!
Sequitur Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2014 750ML ($119.95) Displayed Price $99, Your Price $79 Josh Raynolds–Vinous 94 points “Limpid ruby-red. Smoky, mineral-accented aromas of black raspberry, cherry cola and incense carry a strong spicecake overtone. Stains the palate with sappy red berry liqueur, spicecake and floral pastille flavors that are lifted and given definition and tension by juicy acidity. At once rich and nervy, with no excess fat but showing excellent depth and intensity of flavor. Finishes with sexy notes of candied violet and smoky Indian spices and superb, gently tannic persistence. This wine’s Beaux Freres bloodline is very clear to see.”
Now it’s even lower!
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 95 points “Deep brilliant red. A strikingly complex bouquet evokes ripe, mineral-accented red berries, cherry cola, vanilla, five-spice powder and sandalwood. Alluringly sweet, seamless and expansive on the palate, offering concentrated black raspberry, cherry liqueur, spicecake and lavender pastille flavors that are given spine and lift by a core of juicy acidity. Delivers a compelling blend of power and delicacy and finishes extremely long and smooth; rounded tannins frame the lingering red fruit preserve notes.”
Now it’s even lower!
Now it’s even lower!The online price will appear as $99
We will change your price manually before finalizing the order.Sale ends Monday, July 30th at 11:59 PM
Paolo De Marchi
The Most Important Man in Chianti?
New Releases from Isole e Olena
“Proprietor Paolo De Marchi has left an indelible and highly personal stamp on Isole e Olena, and all of Chianti Classico for that matter. Originally of Piedmontese descent, De Marchi stands apart from many of his colleagues for his vocal opinions and intense dedication to the vineyard above all else. Since taking over his family’s estate in the late 1970s, De Marchi has transformed Isole e Olena into a powerhouse….
“[At the time] green harvesting was viewed as throwing money out of the window, and every purchase of new French oak barrels was accompanied by a stern reprimand from De Marchi’s father to pay attention to costs. But De Marchi persevered. The fruits of his hard labor and pricing are amply captured in these magnificent wines.” – Antonio Galloni
“The problem isn’t with Sangiovese; it’s with us, we don’t know how to farm it.” – Paolo de Marchi, 1970’s
Paolo De Marchi’s influence in Chianti is hard to overstate. Since taking over his family’s estate, Isole e Olena, in the 1970’s, he set out to revolutionize the way that Sangiovese was made. Cepparello, his flagship wine was first made in 1980 from 100% Sangiovese, as it’s done today. At the time, the prevailing attitude was that Sangiovese must be blended, either with white grapes for Chianti or with Cabernet or Merlot. De Marchi spent the better part of a decade rethinking how the vineyards were farmed and the clonal material used to be able to create Cepparello and that take-no-prisoners approach has continued ever since.
Isole e Olena has been a benchmark since Paolo de Marchi took over, raising the bar for quality and elevating the estate into the top tier of Tuscan producers. The estate has also expanded into some international varieties, like Chardonnay and Cabernet, but only native Tuscan grapes go into the Chianti or Cepparello. These are some of the best wines in Italy and the recent releases are as good as they’ve ever been.
Arriving in September:
Isole e Olena Collezione Privata Chardonnay Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2016 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
The average price is $47
The next best price is $74.98
Isole e Olena Cepparello Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2015 750ML ($89.95) $69 pre-arrival special
Isole e Olena Cepparello Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2015 1.5L ($179.95) $149 pre-arrival special
The average price is $81 for the 750ml
The next best price for the magnum is $163.99
Isole e Olena Chianti Classico DOCG, Tuscany 2015 1.5L ($69.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Isole e Olena Chianti Classico DOCG, Tuscany 2015 750ML ($319.95) $259 pre-arrival special (that’s only $21.58/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2015 Chianti Classico is a bright and convincing wine from Barberino Val d’Elsa, one of the main comuni in the greater Chianti Classico appellation. This is a smooth and silky Sangiovese that glides clean over the palate with strength and intensity. Bright cherry, blueberry and herbal accents with wild sage and rosemary characterize the finish. Like many other wines from the 2015 vintage, there is an evident touch of cherry sweetness on the close.”
Lisini
Arriving in August
Wine Spectator 96 points “Exuding cherry, strawberry and floral flavors tinged with iron, earth ans spice notes, this ripe red is elegant in profile, tightly wound and deftly balanced, ending with a kick of fruit, spice and mineral elements. Best from 2020 through 2037.”
The average price nationally is $54
La Gerla
Arriving in September
La Gerla makes fantastic Brunello in a traditional (yet approachable) way. The wines always have striking purity of fruit and elegant structures but are free of the sweet tinted oak that masks many “easy drinking” Brunellos. The pricing is on-point and the combination of all of the above has turned the estate into a Vinopolis staple. We have their epic 2013 Brunello and 2012 Riserva arriving this fall and both are some of the best wines ever produced by the estate.Arriving In September:
La Gerla Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2013 750ML ($59.95) $45 pre-arrival special
La Gerla Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2013 375ML ($29.95) $26 pre-arrival special
La Gerla Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2013 1.5L ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2013 Brunello di Montalcino is elegant, balanced and bright. The pretty luminosity of the wine’s appearance helps to underline this positive impression. The bouquet is nuanced and layered with dried fruit aromas that segue to spice, tar and balsam herb. You get sassy aromas of licorice, tar and cola on the close.”
Ian D’Agata-Vinous 93+ points “Bright red. Pure and very flinty nuances complement aromas and flavors of strawberry-rhubarb and wild berries on the nose and palate. Dense and juicy and boasting a focused, penetrating mouthfeel, this finishes long and clean with a very strong note of licorice. Best classico Brunello from La Gerla in some time.”
The next best price is $56.70
La Gerla Riserva gli Angeli, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012 1.5L ($219.95) $159 pre-arrival special
La Gerla Riserva gli Angeli, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012 3L ($499.95) $319 pre-arrival special
Ian D’Agata-Vinous 95 points “Bright medium ruby. Very clean and fresh aromas and flavors of red currant, cherry pit, flowers and blood orange jelly. Bright, juicy and very light on its feet, offering superb vinosity and clarity of flavor, this conveys an impression of real underlying density and a multilayered mouthfeel. A knockout wine of outstanding energy and class, finishing with polished tannins, uncanny sweetness and lovely subtle persistence, not to mention outstanding balance (it hides its 14.5% alcohol very well).”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95 points “Here is a dense and meaty Tusan red that flaunts its immediate power, structure and intensity. The 2012 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva gli Angeli is robust and deep thanks to a generous offering of dark fruit, spice and tar-like aromas. Fruit is carefully selected for this wine, and the grapes are fermented in stainless steel. Post fermentation, the wine goes into large Slavonian oak casks for four years. The finish is soft and supple with sweet berry flavors. This wine has made an impressive jump forward in this vintage.”
The next best price is $98.55
Felsina
Arriving in September
Best Prices You’ll See Here So Buy Now!
We also have some of the higher end 2015’s arriving from Felsina—a winery that needs no more introduction at this point. They make reference point Chiantis and their lower-tier wines from 2015 were stunning, so the Rancia and Fontalloro should be some of the best in years. Both the Rancia and Fontalloro are 100% Sangiovese, but the latter is more of a modern, Brunello/Super Tuscan-styled wine. These are wines to collect, savor and treasure.Arriving In September:
Felsina Berardenga Rancia, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2015 750ML ($59.95) $45 pre-arrival special
Felsina Berardenga Rancia, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2015 1.5L ($139.95) $115 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 94-97 points “The 2015 Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia is one of the most finessed young Rancias I have ever tasted. Silky, aromatically precise and nuanced to the core, the 2015 is shaping up to be a jewel of a wine. This is an impressive showing.”
The average price nationally is $54
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 92-95 points “Another impressive 2015, the Fontalloro is a wine of breadth, power and persistence. Today, the oak is still not fully integrated, but there is more than enough depth and resonance in the fruit to make me think that will happen. I can’t wait to taste the 2015 from bottle.”
The average price is $56
July Sale
Ends Tuesday!
See the complete list of wines on our July Clearance Sale below or click to shop the sale on our web store!
