In Today’s Newsletter:
Clos Rougeard
Keller Staff Pick
(No, Really)
Featured New Arrival:
Kunstler
New Week/New Arrivals
The Final Round of ’17 JJ Prum Arrives
First Offer
The Truchot of the Mosel:
Merkelbach
Clos Rougeard
Clos Rougeard is one of the toughest wines in the world to source—and older vintages even more so. These are bottles that are some of the most coveted in the world—the only producer of their stature in the Loire, they’re on par with the highest end Burgundy. Collectors fight to get mere bottles of current releases, so it’s even more exciting to get our hands on a massive collection of back-vintage Rougeard with excellent provenance. We first offered these last week and they’ve sold quickly—we’re down to one vintage of Breze and only a few bottles of a number of the single vineyard wine). These just arrived and if you love the wines of Rougeard, you owe it to yourself to jump on these now, while there are still some left.
This is like winning a vinous lottery (if winning the lottery were a result of hard work and careful sourcing). These wines are directly from the cellar of the importer/distributor for these bottles. All were bought on release and carefully stored until now—it’s hard to imagine a better source for these outside of buying directly from the cellar of the estate (and good luck with that). We’re able to offer you excellent pricing as well, as most of these wines are either national wine-searcher lows or very close—and no one else has the sort of sourcing we do.
In Stock Now:
Yes, We’re Making Keller a Staff Pick
There was a bit of a fight to get to write this staff pick—Keller’s Silvaner is probably the most widely re-bought wine in the store for myself and my coworkers. That should probably be enough to let you know that this is a seriously good wine, especially for the price. That said, if you haven’t already jumped to our webstore to buy some, let me praise it for a few paragraphs.First off all, this wine is reasonably priced—an incredible feat given what Keller’s top wines sell for. Keller’s G-Max sells for over $1k per bottle and yet this gorgeous beauty is under $25? That would be as if DRC released a Bourgogne Rouge for $40-50 (that was from their vineyards in the Cote d’Or). The Silvaner is from vineyards that Keller owns and farms, but because the grape isn’t Riesling, the price is low.As you’d expect from a Keller bottling, this has minerality and precision in spades, with the slightly savory, herbal undertones you get from Silvaner. There’s enough orchard fruit to round everything out and make the wine delicious on its own, but I’ve really been enjoying it with end-of-summer salads and grilled seafood. Keller’s entry level bottlings are downright steals for their prices and this might be the best value of them all, so grab some before I (and the rest of the staff) drink every last one.
Weingut Keller Gruner Silvaner Trocken, Rheinhessen 2018 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special
John Gilman 91 points “The 2018 Grüner Silvaner Trocken from Weingut Keller had been bottled only two weeks before my visit, but was showing beautifully. This is 11.5 percent octane this year and offers up a lovely and quite serious nose of tart orange, grapefruit, chalky minerality and a lovely, smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, focused and beautifully balanced, with bright acids and lovely length and grip. Germany’s most popular wine to pair with white asparagus is outstanding this year and a great bargain! 2019-2040.”
Kunstler
Featured New Arrival
2016 was a glorious year for dry German Riesling, and the Grosses Gewächs (the Grand Crus of dry wines) sung with an unrivaled degree of harmony and purity. It was a year Terry Theise described as without “a dark side. At least where I tasted, it is almost never not delicious, almost never ungainly, unbalanced or unappealing… It is calmly and serenely delicious. Actually, totally fucking delicious.”
Kunstler makes fabulous Rheingau Riesling of grace and openness, that “are very pure, clean and precise, without tasting as though they’ve been sanitized and had the character stripped out of them. They are detailed and meticulous, but also delicious and satisfying,” to borrow more from Theise. Kunstler’s best wines reminds us of the days when ‘hock’ wine was prized above Bordeaux.
It comes as no surprise to us that Kunstler has picked up an emphatically enthusiastic review from Stuart Pigott. The Holle GG expresses the purity of the vintage coupled with the body, complexity and length inherent in the finest first growth Rieslings.
Newly Arrived:
Weingut Kunstler Holle Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Rheingau 2016 750ML ($79.95) $59 special
Stuart Pigott-jamessuckling 98 points “All ripe yellow fruit, but without the slightest hint of exaggeration. Great concentration, combined with power and brilliance. Gigantic finish that doesn’t want to stop, but somehow it remains totally refined. From organically grown grapes. Fair’n Green certification. Drink or hold.”
Terry Theise note “This Hochheim “GG” seems always to show best in cooler years, when its savory generosity isn’t overbearing. Like now! A first impression of cask is quickly overwhelmed by a seductive palate, a savory malty wine, maple and candy-cap mushrooms; mineral embedded in the sweetest doughiest swoon of charm and loveliness.”
The next best price is $76
New Week – New Arrivals
Owen Roe Abbot’s Table Red, Washington 2017 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 specialOwen Roe Sinister Hand Red, Columbia Valley 2017 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special
Importer note “The Cremant de Bourgogne is 100% Chardonnay from various plots around the property. Laurent and Celine decided early on that they had to invest to make everything at the property instead of sending their juice to a “champagnisateur.” After a few years of doing two versions, one with dosage and one without, they decided to make only one cuvee without any additions, dosage or otherwise, which has become one of the most successful sparkling wines of the region.”
Andre Clouet The V6 Experience Brut, Champagne 750ML ($59.95) $51.90 special
A new cuvee that spent 6 years sur lattes.
Terry Theise Note “[+++] The facts first—It is 75% PN from Mareuil, 25% Chard also from Mareuil. Old vines, massale selection. Deg 4/2018. 60% 2014, 20% 2013, 20% 2012. It’s from his favorite parcels in Mareuil, and is intended as a tribute to its terroir. It has a truly noble PN fragrance, leading to an utter masterpiece of weightless concentration, as huge and yet as penetrable as a cumulous cloud. Mareuil is clearly great but it’s also somewhat inscrutable; it has some of the malt of Aÿ, some mirabelle confiture, an almost gingery spice and top notes of chalk. This wine has great, gossamer opulence.”
Importer Note “Château Mourre du Tendre tends 3ha of vines in Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the lieu-dits of Le Crau, La Guigasse and Saintes-Vierges – all sandy terroirs. While primarily Grenache, planted in 1929 and 1945, there is a small portion of Mourvedre that Jacques Paumel added in 1967 to compliment the final blend. Spending at least 3 years in concrete tanks and foudre before release, it perhaps answers the question, what would Roberto Conterno do if he owned a vineyard in Châteauneuf-du-Pape? …Farming at Mourre du Tendre is minimalist and traditional. Everything is done by hand and the family has never used pesticides in their vineyards. The harvest is conducted in several passes and the grapes are carefully sorted when they reach the cellar. The Paumel family makes powerful and traditional wines and the fruit is not destemmed, fermentations occur spontaneously after a short semi-carbonic maceration, and the elevage is quite long – averaging about three years in a combination of concrete tanks and foudre. The resulting wines are charming, bold and structured with much more in common with Barolo and Barbaresco than most anything else you will find in the region. Needless to say they age beautifully and gracefully, even the Côtes-du-Rhône. Sadly we only receive tiny quantities.”Chateau du Mourre De Tendre Cotes Du Rhone Vieilles Vignes, Rhone 2015 750ML ($34.95) $28 special
Importer Note “The oldest vines at Château du Mourre du Tendre is a Grenache vineyard planted in 1925 on gravelly clay soils in the Côtes-du-Rhône appellation. These vines were supplemented in 1969 with the addition of Mourvedre bringing the total size of site to 7 hectares. This is the source of the estate’s Côtes-du-Rhône Villages Vieilles Vignes cuvée. It is darker, earthier and more somber than the regular Côtes-du-Rhône, no doubt due to the Mourvedre, but it retains the intensity and charming rusticity that is the hallmark of this estate. Like it’s siblings, it is fermented whole cluster with indigenous yeasts and aged for three years before release.”
Luigi Baudana ‘Dragon’ Langhe Bianco, Piedmont 2018 750ML ($24.95) $18 specialThe Tre Bicchieri is the most prestigious wine award given in Italy, reserved for the best in class of a type. To get one for under $20 is an absolute steal, but then again, Volpaia generally over delivers.
Castello di Volpaia Chianti Classico DOCG, Tuscany 2016 750ML ($24.95) $19 special
Case-12 Castello di Volpaia Chianti Classico DOCG, Tuscany 2016 750ML ($299.95) $212 special (that’s only $17.67/bottle!)
Tre Bicchieri (Three Glasses) Gambero Rosso “Extraordinary Wine. Their equally impressive 2016 Chianti Classico proves savory, captivating and closely-focused. The nose gives off red fruit and spices, while the palate delivers an exceptionally enjoyable, elegant, articulated structure.”
James Suckling 92 points “Aromas of cherries, dried strawberries and red plums. Medium to full body, round and ripe tannins and a nice, fresh finish. Drink now.”
Antonio Galloni 91 points “The 2016 Chianti Classico is all class. Fresh, floral and beautifully lifted, the 2016 offers a terrific expression of the estate in its mid-weight personality. All the elements meld together in this effortless, classy wine from the family. The 2016 is quite accessible today, but it also has enough brightness to age nicely for a number of years. What a pretty wine it is.”
Marchesi Antinori Tignanello Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2016 750ML ($149.95) $119 special
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 97 points “To hit the market in June, the 2016 Tignanello is a rock-solid wine and a stunning beauty. The wine offers an impeccable level of precision and laser-focus delivery of fruits, spices, tilled earth, espresso beans and Mediterranean herbs. This vintage follows the classic blending formula of 80% Sangiovese with about 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Cabernet Franc. The vines are now 15 to 20 years old. Compared to the 2015 vintage that ultimately appeared more chewy and succulent, this expression from the iconic 2016 vintage is more vibrant, nervous and jazzed. It shows more savory spice, saltiness and minerality, with a beautifully integrated quality of tannins. Some 320,000 bottles were produced. This wine is at the top of the list of some of the best Tignanello ever made, including the vintages 2007, 2009, 2010, 2013 and 2015.”
Wine Spectator 97 points “A big, lush style, this red delivers pure aromas and flavors of black currant, cherry, violet, flint, tobacco and baking spices, ending with a sweet, ripe finish. Though supple, this is backed by a firm, dense matrix of tannins, so all the components are there, but this just needs time to integrate. Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2022 through 2040. 5,000 cases imported.—B.S.”
Marques Murrieta Ygay Gran Reserva Especial, Rioja 2009 750ML ($119.95) $99 special
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 96 points “Marqués de Murrieta didn’t produce their top red in 2008, so I tasted the 2009 Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial. In 2009, the final blend was Tempranillo with 19% Mazuelo (or Cariñena), one of the highest percentages of Mazuelo ever. The grapes are now sourced from the La Plana vineyard within the Ygay estate, one of the higher-altitude plots at 485 meters. The grapes fermented and aged separately, the Tempranillo in American oak barrels and the Mazuelo in French barriques for 26 months, given its power. It has that seriousness, character and somehow rusticity of the Mazuelo, austere, harmonious and still young. It has good depth and concentration, still young and lively with fine tannins and a backbone of freshness that lifts it up. It will develop for a very long time in bottle. This is a great classical Rioja for the long haul. 109,000 bottles and some larger formats were produced. It was bottled in October 2014. The prices are increasing but so is the quality. The following vintages will be 2010, 2011 and possibly 2012. I cannot wait to taste them…”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 94 points “(aged in new American and French oak barrels for 28 months) Vivid ruby-red. A highly perfumed, expansive bouquet evokes ripe red and dark berries, cherry liqueur, coconut and cigar box, along with a sexy floral nuance that emerges slowly. Plush and seamless on the palate, offering sweet, deeply concentrated blackberry, cherry-vanilla and mocha flavors that are given spine and lift by a core of juicy acidity. Rich yet energetic in style, displaying superb finishing clarity, even tannins and a lingering spicecake note. The Tempranillo saw only American oak while the Mazuelo component saw only French.”“How much better can Dalmau get?”
Marques de Murrieta ‘Dalmau’ Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2014 750ML ($99.95) $88 special
Decanter 98 points “How much better can Dalmau get? It’s exceptionally finely balanced, a perfect expression of a single vineyard within the estate, resoundingly full of black fruit, dark chocolate, liquorice. A powerful wine, but never overbearing, even in its youth. Wonderful to enjoy now, but will seriously reward cellaring.”
R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia ‘Vina Cubillo’ Crianza, Rioja DOCa 2009 750ML ($29.95) $24 special
Case-6 R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia ‘Vina Cubillo’ Crianza, Rioja DOCa 2009 750ML ($179.95) $133 special (that’s only $22.17/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 92 points “The red they say was born to go with tapas and sold in local restaurants is the 2009 Viña Cubillo Tinto Crianza. 2009 was a warm and ripe year, and this blend of Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha (or the masculine Garnacho they like to use) plus 5% each Graciano and Mazuelo from limestone soils with quite a lot of clay, feels juicy and soft. It fermented with natural yeasts in large oak vats and matured in used barriques for three years. This is a bottling that has grown and improved a lot since 2004-2005. It shows very good balance between fruit and more developed aromas, with hints of leather and cherries, spices and smoke, very clean and with good volume in the palate. It’s usually a little riper and with higher alcohol than Tondonia or Bosconia, with the character, finesse and elegance of a classical Reserva. 93,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in April 2013.”
Case-6 Bodegas y Vinedos La Mejorada Villalar Oro Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y Leon 2011 750ML ($119.95) $79 special
James Suckling 91 points “A solid red with berry, spice and walnut aromas. Medium-to full-bodied, firm and silky. Lovely texture of velvety tannins balanced out by some nice tension. 95% tempranillo and 5% cabernet sauvignon. Beautiful now.”
Wine Advocate 96 points “The elegance, finesse and nuance of the 2015 La Dama is simply irresistible. It’s ethereal, perfumed, elegant and complex (rose petals, orange peel, wild herbs…), even if it’s extremely young. It’s bright ruby, with great purity and detail, transparent and full of energy. It is harmonious and nicely textured, with chalky tannins and a stony sensation. It’s more powerful than it feels and has the stuffing and balance to develop nicely in bottle. This is truly sensational, full of mineral energy. 6,878 bottles were filled in May 2017.”Casa Castillo Monastrell, Jumilla 2017 750ML ($17.95) $14 special
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2017 Monastrell has some 12% Garnacha, and in 2018, it will probably have almost 20% Garnacha; at that point, they will remove the Monastrell name from the label and sell the wine as Casa Castillo, with no varietal mentioned. They have decided that the blend of Monastrell with Garnacha makes sense, so they’s been increasing the percentage of Garnacha in their vineyards and reducing the Syrah, a variety they think makes less sense on their property. This has notes of fresh fruit with a spicy touch and is quite pure, not reflecting heat at all. The palate is juicy, vibrant and tasty, with super fine tannins and a spicy finish. A blend of 20-something plots, this wine reflects the general character of the estate. It has 15% alcohol, reflecting the natural conditions, but with an incredible balance that makes the alcohol feel perfectly integrated. A true bargain in its finest vintage to date. They produced around 186,000 bottles of this wine. The same blend is bottled throughout the year. What I tasted was bottled in January 2019.”
Jeb Dunnuck 91 points “Another smoking value brought in by Eric Solomon, the 2017 Monastrell (there’s 12% Grenache) is a rich, medium to full-bodied, beautifully textured effort that offers a Bandol-like character in its blue fruits, ground pepper, violets, and chocolate aromas and flavors. Aged 10-12 months all in larger foudre, it a ripe, sexy, balanced effort that knocks it out of the park on the value scale. Drink it over the coming 3-4 years.”
Stuart Pigott-jamessuckling 93 points “Ripe and juicy, but it is also very clean and crisp. You can drink this now, but it will give so much more from 2019. Right now, the herbal notes are only hinted at. A long and dry mineral finish.”
Taylor Fladgate Vintage Port, Portugal 2016 750ML ($119.95) $99 special
James Suckling 100 points “OMG. This is really the most amazing young Taylor’s I have ever tasted. Full-bodied and lightly sweet with super power and intensity. So racy and focused. Yet this has such muscle and intensity. Needs at least eight years to show you everything it has to offer. Drink in 2025.”
Wine Spectator 98 points “This is packed with raspberry, blackberry and blueberry fruit flavors that play off one another, melding with anise, fruitcake and ganache notes. A warm tarry edge coats the finish, revealing an echo of bramble. A seriously grippy, strapping Port, this revels in its power. Best from 2032 through 2055.”
Wine Enthusiast 98 points “Ripe, structured while also fruity, this intense, perfumed Port is opulent while also elegant. Its tannins and great fruit are finely integrated and are rich with potential. Black fruits, berries and a juicy aftertaste add freshness to the wine. Drink from 2028.”
Neal Martin – Vinous 97 points “In 2016 Taylor’s began picking in Vargellas on 17 September, followed by Pinhão Valley estate on 23 and 26 September. The 2016 Vintage Port has an aristocratic bouquet with tight wound aromas of blackberry, bilberry, crushed stone, black olive and a light, marine-tinged element, perhaps almost peat-like. The palate is just beautiful with fine, chiseled tannins and a perfect line of acidity. There is that almost “arching” structure one always seeks in a great Taylor’s with a gentle but insistent grip towards the finish. It is everything you really want from a Vintage Port. Production is 6,200 cases.”
New Arrival!
The Final Round of ’17 JJ Prum
We’re pleased to announce the final round of JJ Prum’s 2017s just arrived. ’17 is vintage that looks like a success at top estates in the Mosel and especially at Prum. The vintage reminds us of 2010—lots of richness with plenty of acidity. It’s epic in style and scope—these are wines that are big, powerful and dense with a strong spine to back it all up. This is a vintage to stock up on and lay down for a while—drink your 2016’s while you’re waiting for the ’17’s to mature. (Don’t have enough 2016’s? We can help with that.)
As for the estate, there’s not a whole lot to say about the wines of JJ Prum that hasn’t already been said. Manfred and Katarina Prum make some of the finest and most sought after wines of the middle-Mosel. The wines are high-wire acts of tension between fruit and intense minerality and display their terroir in the most expressive way. Part of this is that their parcels have lots of old, ungrafted vines and part of it is spontaneous fermentation and whatever magic the Prum family uses in the cellar. No matter what, these are always some of the finest and longest lived wines in Germany.
Highlights and New Arrivals, In Stock Now:
Joh. Jos. Prum Bernkasteler Lay Riesling Auslese Long Goldkapsel, Mosel 2017 750ML ($199.95) $189 special
Joh. Jos. Prum Bernkasteler Lay Riesling Auslese Long Goldkapsel, Mosel 2017 375ML ($119.95) $99 special
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 97 points “The 2017 Bernkasteler Lay Auslese (Long Gold Capsule), AP 18 18, is very clear, intense and generous but precise on the nose, with lots of mango, ripe peach, mirabelle and honey aromas. On the palate, this is a generously rich but refined, finessed and lush Auslese with a salty-piquant finish that is intense, complex and long. Honey-sweet but still crystalline, transparent and really kicking, this is another gorgeous 2017 Auslese from the Prüm family. Tasted in March 2019.”
Mosel Fine Wines 94 points “The 2017er Bernkasteler Lay Auslese lange GK delivers an almost exuberant nose (at least f or Joh. Jos. Prüm standards) of mango, ripe pineapple, acacia honey, caraway, gingerbread, star anise and pear puree all pepped up by a fleeting touch of volatile acidity. The wine proves lusciously generous and slightly oily on the palate driven by flavors of almond paste, candied exotic fruits and honey. This small BA in the making is quite impressive. 2027-2057.”
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2017 375ML ($39.95) $33 special
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2017 Graacher Himmelreich Auslese is coolish, bright and fresh on the still-reductive but attractive nose with its fine Riesling and slate aromas. The wine is salty-piquant and terribly fresh on the palate, with very fine Riesling and crispy-salty slate expressions. This Auslese is highly refined, crystalline and more intellectual compared to the Badstube, but hedonists would take it as well. A gorgeous, highly digestible Auslese. Tasted in March 2019.”
Mosel Fine Wines 94 points “This 2017er Graacher Himmelreich Auslese immed iately captures one’s attention through the complex yet refreshing side of its nose made of smoke, herbs, grilled citrus, yellow peach and grass. The wine is breathtakingly pure on the delicately creamy palate, where yellow peach and some almond cream add depth to the experience. The finish is superbly crisp, pure and vibrating. This is a delightfully zesty Auslese in the making. 2027-2047.”Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2017 750ML ($39.95) $33 special
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2017 1.5L ($89.95) $69 special
Wine & Spirits 95 points “The first sip of this wine was like getting a smack for having opened it so soon. The acidity is sharp and unforgiving against the stony flavors; the tautness of the structure gives the wine the snap of a rubber band. But that’s a good sign: Clearly, this wine has something to protect – like the pristinely ripe, clean fruit it eventually reveals in scents of Meyer lemons and tart gooseberries, green pears and tangy pineapple. Pulled from old vines, most of them on their own roots, and vinified in stainless steel with ambient yeasts, it’s regal and restrained. In keeping with JJ Prum’s age-worth style, this is set to develop well over the next decade or more.”
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2017 Graacher Himmelreich Kabinett offers a clear, bright, fresh and flinty bouquet with nice reduction. On the palate, the wine is light, lush, piquant, fresh and salty, with grip, tension and spring-like clarity and freshness. A gorgeous, highly stimulating Kabinett. Tasted in March 2019”Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2017 1.5L ($149.95) $119 special
Wine Spectator 95 points “Give this some air if you must drink it now, but better to wait for a decade or so. Seductive guava and mango flavors are offset by vivifying citrusy acidity, creating a firm frame on which glazed apricot and star anise notes emerge. Powerful yet elegant, this is built for the cellar. Best from 2022 through 2039. From Germany.—A.Z.”
Mosel Fine Wines 93 points “This 2017er Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spätlese displays a beautiful nose of white peach, flowers, tangerine, almond paste, spices and a hint of apricot. The wine is beautifully playful thanks to some zesty and herbal acidity on the palate. The zesty side takes over the structure of the wine in the finish and makes for a remarkable crisp after-taste. This is in need of cellaring (at least a decade) in order to develop its full complexity and smoothen at the edges. 2027-2047.”
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2017 750ML ($49.95) $45 special
Wine Spectator 94 points “($52) Graceful, floral and flavorful, filled with elderflower, melon and star anise notes. This is very harmonious and complex, picking up durian and mineral details midpalate, coming together on the long conclusion. Drink now through 2029.—A.Z.”
Mosel Fine Wines 92 points “This 2017er Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett offers a superbly floral nose complemented by vineyard peach, almond cream, smoke, minty herbs, pear and cassis. The wine is delicate, floral and elegantly smooth on the palate yet develops a gorgeously focused and very persistent side full of intensity and complexity in the straight and multi-layered finish. This is a great Kabinett in the making. 2027-2037.”
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2017 1.5L ($99.95) $89 special
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2017 Graacher Himmelreich Spätlese is deep, clear and flinty on the fascinating, elegant and complex nose. It is lush, precise, piquant and refined on the palate, with more transparency, freshness and crunchy slate minerality compared to the Bernkastel and Zeltingen. The wine is highly stimulating and salty, with concentrated grapefruit aromas. This wine is really enchanting. Open the bottle and glou-glou… Tasted in March 2019.”
Mosel Fine Wines 92 points “This 2017er Graacher Himmelreich Spätlese is driven by reductive notes of smoke and f ire stone at first. It develops more complex elements driven by notes of spices, lime, herbs and dill after some airing. The wine proves delicate smooth, juicy and light on the palate and leaves one with a smooth and round sensation in the finish. The after-taste is all about smoke, kiwi and white peach wrapped into some sweetness which still needs integrate. This smooth version of Graacher Himmelreich will need a few years to absorb its sweeter side and develop its inner balance. 2027-2042.”
Just head to the web store for the full list!
First Offer
Merkelbach’s Cult 2018 Rieslings
The Truchot of the Mosel
“Merkelbach’s wines are like the world before anyone wrote poems about it.” –Terry Theise
We adore the wines that Rolf and Alfred Merkelbach make, irrationally and perhaps more than any other grower in the Mosel. These are wines that are as old-school as you can find for the region (the brothers are in their 80’s and haven’t changed styles since they started) and they capture the delicacy and etherealness of Riesling like few other wines we’ve tried. Terry Theise, their importer, describes their wines as “like VAPING Mosel Riesling.”
They have a charm and an energy that’s unlike almost any other wine we’ve tasted. In fact, their closest comparison might not be in the Mosel at all, but rather with Truchot’s wines in burgundy—another producer who managed to create unbearably delicate, ethereal wines that sucked you in to give you joy. Like Truchot, these are very underappreciated right now (though the price increases for the ’18’s are here to stay and very deserved) but given that each vintage could see the retirement of the brothers, we’ve stocked up on these wines while they’re available. We have the full range of 2018’s (an excellent year for the brothers) arriving in December, plus an assortment of ’16’s and ’17’s in stock now. You can see all the wines in our webstore, or keep reading for all the new 2018’s and some in-stock highlights.
Arriving ETA December:
Weingut Alfred Merkelbach Kinheimer Rosenberg Riesling Auslese #1, Mosel 2018 750ML ($41.95) $33 pre-arrival special
Terry Theise note “No. 1 is many other growers’ “1-star Spätlese,” so don’t worry it will be too rich. A sheer beauty, it’s a giddy giggle of apples and slate. No. 12 is more the “true” Auslese, both in feel and in concentration.”
Terry Theise note “No. 1 is many other growers’ “1-star Spätlese,” so don’t worry it will be too rich. A sheer beauty, it’s a giddy giggle of apples and slate. No. 12 is more the “true” Auslese, both in feel and in concentration.”
Terry Theise note “Two fuders, two different pickings. No. 2 is pure pure Mosel, great firm bones and slate-slate-slate. No. 3 shows botrytis and feels less fruity; it’s very good but I like #2 best.”
Terry Theise note “Two fuders, two different pickings. No. 2 is pure pure Mosel, great firm bones and slate-slate-slate. No. 3 shows botrytis and feels less fruity; it’s very good but I like #2 best.”
Terry Theise note “In its sighing way this is as profound a wine as has ever been made here. Without the anvil-solidity of years like 2010 or 2015, nothing obtrudes upon the purity of fruit—and acidity can be distracting, you know. Here it’s not merely “slate and apples” any more. Something para has entered the picture; fruit but also not-fruit; refers to mineral but not “minerally.” Just some arcane synergy, some voice of the vineyard we’ll never quite account for.”
Terry Theise note “No. 9 is the apogee of sassafras! It’s the kick-ass of sassafras. The smoking grass of sassafras. (D’ja ever read that in a tasting note? Didn’t think so.) No. 10 is the same but spicier, with hyssop and spearmint in the viewfinder.”
Terry Theise note “No. 9 is the apogee of sassafras! It’s the kick-ass of sassafras. The smoking grass of sassafras. (D’ja ever read that in a tasting note? Didn’t think so.) No. 10 is the same but spicier, with hyssop and spearmint in the viewfinder.”
Terry Theise note “Of course this is a Spätlese but it was the only Fuder one could even think of declassifying; it’s on the strawberry side of UW, and ridiculously long. Würzgarten has two profiles, which normally overlap while emphasizing one side or another. You have strawberry of various types, and you have another face of kiwi and sassafras. And of course you have slate. These may be variations based on cadaster, as it stands to reason that steepness, altitude and soil-structure would all play roles. As a rule I’d say, if it looks rocky the wines will probably taste rocky.”
Terry Theise note “This is superb. Mineral, archetypal, with rapturous fruit. Eternal youth in a bottle!”
Terry Theise note “Minty and exotic now, with botrytis playing a role, but it’s also from a steeper parcel and has more mineral tension.”
David Schildknecht – Vinous 92 points “I harbor fond memories of halbtrocken Merkelbach Würzgartens long past, so perhaps you’ll think I was overly influenced simply by having once again seen those words on a bottle of their Riesling. But its contents certainly left me wishing that they would let this happen in their cellar more often. A classic Würzgarten nose of fresh strawberry and lime adds hints of more Erden-typical tarragon and sassafras. Subtly silken in feel, this finishes buoyant and lusciously long, with animating, bright primary juiciness and transparency to shimmering impingements of stones and mineral salts. Incidentally, it weighs in at a mere 10% alcohol, a reminder that the Merkelbachs pick for Spätlese at must weights that most of today’s top Mosel growers would deem appropriate for Kabinett. A prime example of what I call “hidden sweetness” – residual sugar playing a supportive and catalytic role while not engendering any overt sense of sweetness – this will perform brilliantly at table as well as in your cellar.”
Mosel Fine Wines 92 points “The 2016er Ürziger Würzgarten Spätlese AP06 was harvested at a refreshingly light 84° Oechsle in a parcel in the Fischerei sector situated upstream of the village of Ürzig. It offers a gorgeous nose of ripe pear, raspberry melon and spices. A great citrusy feel brings great freshness to the palate where more ripe and juicy fruits come through. The finish is delicate and elegant, with gorgeous fruity and spicy flavors in the after-taste. 2026-2041.”
David Schildknecht – Vinous 91 points “Picked at the same low must weight as its A.P. #5 sibling, this offers even more brightness of fresh lime to accompany its site-typical and lusciously ripe kiwi fruit. And like that sibling, the combination here of refreshment, levity and subtle creaminess engenders a flatteringly chiffon-like palate impression. Yet there is a soothing sense of glycerol-richness as well. A glaze of quince preserves enhances the impression of ripeness on the lusciously lingering, subtly wet stone-tinged finish. Incidentally, this comes from some of the few young Merkelbach vines, trained on wires rather than to the traditional single posts.”
David Schildknecht – Vinous 91 points “Harvested botrytis-free at 90 Oechsle, this was stopped with a bit higher residual sugar and lower alcohol than its Spätlese counterparts, a decision based on the Merkelbachs’ assessment that it exhibited Auslese tendencies. The nose is effusively and decadently floral, suggesting heliotrope and fading lily. Along with that come scents of overripe kiwi and honeydew melon, all of which presage a luscious, expansive but buoyant palate with impressively persistent layering of inner-mouth floral perfume. A pinch of salinity and a kiss of wet stone add saliva-inducement and interest to a finish that only wants a bit for animation, clarity and juiciness when compared with the most successful wines of the present collection.”
Mosel Fine Wines 91 points “The 2016er Ürziger Würzgarten Auslese AP11 was harvested at 90° Oechsle in the prime Class I Pichter (locally called Langpichter) sector of the Ürziger Würzgarten. The wine develops a beautiful nose of melon, pear, grapefruit and fine spices. It proves quite smooth but multi-layered on the palate and leaves a great playful and airy feel in the long finish. This is plain beautiful and has great upside potential if the fresher zesty side comes through. 2026-2046”
David Schildknecht – Vinous 92 points “This is the exception to 2016’s relatively narrow range of must weights and acidity chez Merkelbach, having been harvested at 98 Oechsle and finished with only 6.3 grams of acidity. “These were really thin-skinned berries,” explained Alfred Merkelbach, “and as a result there was a lot of shriveling,” albeit without benefit of botrytis. Quince and strawberry preserves on the nose, accompanied by scents of heliotrope and lily, translate into a glycerol-slicked palate performance loaded with inner-mouth perfume. Hints of white raisin as well as a savory suggestion of browned butter add appeal to a lingering finish that compensates for its lack of animating brightness with an invigorating hint of seed-crunching bite. (Amusingly – it couldn’t happen often – the Merkelbachs ended up stopping this at precisely the same 71.4 grams of residual sugar as the A.P. #11.)”
Thank you for reading!