New Week – New Arrivals
Cold Weather Picks
For Warmed-Hearted Gifts
Sequitur Super Subscriber Special
A Case of Vinsanty
2015 Produttori Barbaresco
Arriving Friday!
New Week – New Arrivals
From Star Winemaker Chris Peterson – 2017 Winemaker of the Year – Seattle Magazine
Avennia Arnaut Boushey Vineyard Syrah, Yakima Valley 2016 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Jeb Dunnuck 94-97+ points “Also deeply colored, the 2016 Syrah Arnaut Boushey Vineyard is a sensational, meaty, savory, complex beauty. Full-bodied, with sweet tannin, no hard edges and beautiful purity, it has fine, fine tannin, a bloody, salty character, and a great finish. It’s rocking stuff.”
Avennia Gravura Red, Columbia Valley 2015 750ML ($44.95) $39 special
Wine Advocate 93 points “A blend of 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Franc, the 2015 Gravura exhibits a classic bouquet of cassis, pencil shavings and rich soil, followed by a medium-bodied, velvety and layered palate, with a rich core of fruit that’s attractively vibrant and already incipiently complex. This is a sophisticated, well-balanced and keenly priced Bordeaux blend that definitely impressed me.”
James Suckling 93 points “Love the blackberry, blackcurrant and blueberry character. Dried spices and cinnamon. Full body, polished and velvety tannins and a long and flavorful finish. Bigger style but holds together. Blend of 46% cabernet sauvignon, 47% merlot and 7% cabernet franc. Drink or hold.”
Avennia Sestina Red, Columbia Valley 2015 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2015 Sestina is showing very well, offering up a rich, more exuberant bouquet than the 2014 rendition. This emphasizes notes of cassis, black plums, dark chocolate, espresso roast and a subtle framing of new oak. On the palate, it’s full-bodied and lavish but controlled, with an ample, more sun-kissed core of fruit and fine-grained structuring tannins. Like the 2014, it’s a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. While the 2014 and 2015 are quite different in style, it’s hard to choose between them qualitatively. While it needs a few years in the cellar, I suspect the 2015 will hit its peak sooner.”
The average price is $64
A rare single-vineyard Champagne bottling from the master of Bouzy!
Andre Clouet ‘Le Clos’ Bouzy Grand Cru Brut, Champagne 2008 1.5L ($379.95) $319 special
VinopolNote: Only 250 cases of this rare bottling were produced, all from one of the four walled Grand Cru vineyards in Champagne. 100% Pinot Noir, aged 8 years sur latte, from a great vintage.
Second wine of the esteemed Chateau Leoville Poyferre
Chateau Leoville Poyferre ‘Pavillon de Poyferre’, Saint-Julien 2015 750ML ($59.95) $39 special
James Suckling 93 points “In spite of the generous ripe fruit, this also has the cool elegance and slightly austere finish of St.-Julien. Considerable intensity without any sense of heaviness make this an impressive example of modern winemaking. Second wine of Château Léoville Poyferré.”
A fantastic showing from Chapoutier – “uber sexy” and uber drinkable!
M. Chapoutier Domaine de Bila-Haut Cotes du Roussillon Villages R.I. Rectificando Invenies 2015 750ML ($119.95) $99 special
Wine Advocate 98 points “As always, the 100% Syrah 2015 Cotes du Roussillon Villages Lesquerde Rectificando Invenies (Ri) shows more minerality than the VIT release and offers blockbuster styled aromas and flavors of blackcurrants, crushed rocks, toasted bread and chocolate. Made in a voluptuous, pedal-to-the-metal style, with huge fruit and texture, it has building tannin and an uber sexy, incredibly layered and decadent palate. Drink it anytime over the coming decade. This cuvee was completely destemmed and aged 18 months in demi-muids.”
Reference point modern Barbaresco
Sottimano Pajore, Barbaresco DOCG 2015 750ML ($79.95) $59 special
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2015 Barbaresco Pajoré is the most potent and brooding of the 2015s. The heft, weight and structure of Pajoré comes through in the 2015, but the flavor profile is similar to that of the other wines. Racy, silky and generous, the 2015 is very much the product of a warm, sunny growing season. The Pajoré will need at least a few years to shed some tannin, but it is very showy, even at this early stage.”
The average price is $65
Quite possibly the highest vineyard in Europe – a lean and elegant wine with a Burgundian soul
Tenuta delle Terre Nere Guardiola Rosso Etna, Sicily 2015 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Ian d’Agata-Vinous 94 points “Deep luminous red. Intensely mineral on the nose, with bright aromas of blueberry, red cherry, and aromatic herbs, plus Oriental spices. Dense but juicy in the mouth with lively but harmonious acidity lifting and neatly extending the austere but profound flavors on the long back end. Very deep and memorable, forget about this in the cellar for five years and enjoy for a decade after that.”
The rarest of the crus – this parcel was planted over 70 years ago!
Tenuta delle Terre Nere Prephylloxera La Vigna di Don Peppino Rosso Etna, Sicily 2015 750ML ($99.95) $89 special
Ian d’Agata-Vinous 95 points “Vivid dark ruby-red. Aromas of red plum, red cherry syrup, mocha, flint and woodsmoke. Sweet, pliant and expressive, with outstanding sugar/acid balance to the rich, concentrated, fruit-driven flavors of raspberry and currant. Densely packed, sappy and light on its feet with firm but ripe tannins on the extremely long close. Much richer and denser than the Santo Spirito and Calderara Sottana in this vintage.”
The next best price is $99.99
Chile
South America’s Top Pinot Noir? Yes!
Montsecano Pinot Noir, Casablanca Valley 2016 750ML ($49.94) $39 special
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 94+ points “One of the best vintages of the grand vin here has to be the eponymous 2016 Montsecano, produced 100% with Pinot Noir from the zone of Las Dichas in Casablanca. The vines were planted in 2006 on red clay and granite soils and, as all the wines here, sees no oak whatsoever; it fermented in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts and was kept in egg-shaped cement vats until bottling in February 2017. This is simply delicious. This is not a Burgundy Pinot Noir, there is always a touch of rusticity here, an earthy touch. This is a pure Pinot Noir; it slowly opens up in the glass to an intoxicating mixture of wild flowers and herbs, with that rustic touch. The palate has very fine-grained tannins, tasty and long. I think this captures the intensity of the people that work here. 8,000 bottles produced.”
The average price is $47
Cold Weather Picks
For Warmed-Hearted Gifts
2013 Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon
In other words, a touchstone producer, a touchstone wine.
M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon, Rhone 2013 750ML ($249.95) $219 special
Wine Advocate 98+ points “The star of the show in 2013 is the 2013 Ermitage le Pavillon. Coming from the west and eastern edges of the Bessards lieu-dit and aged in 30% new French oak, its sensational black/blue color is followed by the awesome bouquet of cassis, smoked earth, graphite and caramelized meats that could come from no other terroir in the world. Full-bodied, massive, dense, sexy and with a liquid rock-like character that comes out with time in the glass, it has sweet tannin and a blockbuster finish that keeps you coming back to the glass. It needs 5-6 years of cellaring and will have 30-40 years of more of ultimate longevity.”
“Best Redigaffi ever. Hard not to drink now but a wine for decades.”
Tua Rita Redigaffi Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2015 750ML ($249.95) $228 special
James Suckling 100 points “This is an extraordinary merlot with such purity and focus. Flowers such as violets and hints of orange peel. It is full-bodied yet incredibly energetic and structured. The finish goes on for minutes. Seamless texture. Fresh yet dense. Contrasty. Best Redigaffi ever. Hard not to drink now but a wine for decades.”
Wine Spectator 95 points “Lush and polished, featuring a cashmere texture caressing vanilla, chocolate, black cherry and plum flavors. Well-balanced, with a persistent finish. The harmony hides a solid structure. Decant now. Merlot. Best from 2020 through 2032.”
Taylor Fladgate Vintage Port, Portugal 2003 750ML ($119.95) $99 special
Taylor Fladgate Vintage Port, Portugal 2003 1.5L ($299.95) $249 special
Robert Parker – Hedonist’s Gazette 100 points “I noticed the Chinese love to have both a sweet wine and a vintage port at the end of a meal, which is pretty much over-kill for me. However, I was blown away by the 2003 Taylors vintage port. The Great Wall of China, Black Tie Dinner.”
Pierre Ravoni – Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2003 Taylor’s has a lovely ripe, primal bouquet of blackberry, raspberry, vanilla and marmalade that shows slightly better delineation than the Fonseca. The palate is medium-bodied with very composed, refined tannins that belie the heat of that summer. There is wonderful focus here and fine tension, the finish offering precise notes of black cherries, mulberry, cloves and white pepper. This is one of the finest Ports of a precocious vintage. Tasted May 2013.”
Gift Box Krug Brut, Champagne 2004 750ML ($299.95) $259 special
Antonio Galloni 97+ points “Krug’s 2004 Vintage is absolutely mesmerizing. Layers of bright, chiseled fruit open up effortlessly as the wine fleshes out with time in the glass. Persistent and beautifully focused, with a translucent sense of energy, the 2004 captures all the best qualities of the year. Moreover, the 2004 is clearly superior to the consistently underwhelming 2002 and the best Krug Vintage since 1996. Readers who can find it should not hesitate, as it is a magical bottle.”
Decanter 97 points “… It has a luminous freshness and good density without heaviness. There’s a controlled power to this poised, vinous, linear 2004, displaying candied fruits, minerals, gingerbread, white chocolate, caramel and marzipan. This has a long, dry autolytic finish, great balance and lovely bead…”
John Gilman 97 points “The new release of 2004 Krug is absolutely beautiful and is already quite elegant and open on both the nose and palate and is drinking with great finesse. I had expected this wine to be a bit more steely in structure out of the blocks, but the refinement of the blend this year has produced a wine that is already a joy to drink at age thirteen, though it will continue age gracefully for many, many decades to come…”
James Suckling 97 points “This is an extremely fresh edition and remains in a restrained mode with an intense serve of Chardonnay’s lemon citrus dominating the nose alongside lime zest, bright florals, grassy elements, fresh dough, white stones and very subtle background spice. The palate has a svelte and elegant shape…”
Chateau d’Yquem, Sauternes 2015 750ML ($499.95) $449 special
Chateau d’Yquem, Sauternes 2015 1.5L ($1,099.95) $979 special
Chateau d’Yquem, Sauternes 2015 375ML ($259.95) $219 special
Lisa Perrotti-Brown – Wine Advocate 100 points “Following a very long harvest stretching nearly two months, the 2015 Château d’Yquem came in at 13.9% alcohol and 144 grams per liter of residual sugar, sporting a pH of 3.65 and six grams per liter of tartaric acid. None of these numbers, however, even remotely begin to tell you how profound this wine is. The nose opens with electric notes of ripe pineapples, green mango, orange blossoms and lemon tart with hints of fungi, lime zest, crushed rocks and jasmine. The freshness on the palate is just astonishing, permeating and lifting layer upon layer of tropical fruits and earthy notions, all encased in a sumptuous texture and culminating in a very, very long, mineral-tinged finish. Truly, this is a legendary vintage for d’Yquem. I’ve been conservative with my drinking window here, and I would not be at all surprised if our descendants are drinking this vintage well into the next century.”
James Suckling 99-100 points “This is an incredible young Yquem that is so vinous like a great vintage of Montrachet but then on the palate it turns to Yquem with spice, dried fruit and mushroom as well as sweet fruit. Last for minutes. Acidity is all there giving it a dynamic vibrance that jolts your senses. Special wine. It has a little more than than 140 grams of residual sugar, less than the legendary of 2001. But is very close in greatness. Let’s wait and see.”
Antonio Galloni 98 points “The 2015 d’Yquem is without question one of the wines of the vintage. Just as alluring from bottle as it was from barrel, the 2015 is a wine that engages all of the senses, from the intellectual to the more hedonistic. Lilting notes of pineapple, mint, orange peel and white flowers grace the palate, but it is the wine’s sense of balance and total harmony that impress most. In 2015, Yquem had its earliest start to the harvest since 1893. Even so, the winemaking team did a magnificent job of preserving freshness. The 2015 was fermented in 100% new oak, and residual sugar is 145 grams per liter, but great wine is never about numbers. Above all else, the 2015 Yquem is a wine of energy and class. Don’t miss it!”
Wine Enthusiast 96-98 points “Barrel Sample. This wine is ethereal. It certainly offers attractive honey and bitter orange flavors but also a fresh character that gives the wine lift and crispness. It is, of course, going to age magnificently, although it is so delicious and refreshing now.”
The answer to that question is that for all of the grace, complexity, age-worthiness and profundity of the wines, the prices are shockingly low. The idea that you can buy a bottle of Gran Reserva Tondonia from the 1970’s, directly from the winery’s cellar, for the same price or less than a current vintage of top-tier Bordeaux is astounding.
This is the pinnacle of aged white Rioja. You will not find a grander wine in the store, that’s for sure.
Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva Blanco, Rioja DOCa 1973 750ML ($999.95) $799 special
Wine Advocate 98 points “The 1973 Vina Tondonia Blanco Gran Reserva is so sublime, so complete and natural that it may bring tears to the eyes. It has a complex bouquet of beeswax, lanolin, lemon curd and almond that is effortlessly combined. The palate is nigh-perfectly balanced with very good weight. It has a seamless waxy texture and a peacock’s tail of almond, creme brulee, marzipan and dried apricot. There is a beguiling sense of completeness here. Heaven in a glass, and one of the finest Tondonia Blancos I have encountered. Drink now-2020+”
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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.”
The average price is $100
Wine Advocate 94+ points “Pale to medium ruby-purple in color, the 2016 Sequitur Pinot Noir has a lovely, open nose of black and red cherries and blackberries with notions of wood smoke, turned earth, autumn leaves, cardamom and potpourri. Medium-bodied, it floods the mouth with ripe black and red fruits with wonderful earthy/spicy accents, very fine, grainy tannins and mouthwatering acidity, finishing long with spice and floral layers. 480 cases produced.”
The average price is $100
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.”
The average price is $100
A Case of Vinsanty
Great values in reds for the holidays –
Other bottlings from this vineyard are $75+. This one’s better, too.
Case-12 Goodfellow Family Cellars Bishop Creek Vineyard Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton District 2014 750ML ($419.95) $349 special (that’s only $29.08/bottle!)
Case-6 Goodfellow Family Cellars Bishop Creek Vineyard Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton District 2014 750ML ($219.95) $189 special (that’s only $31.50/bottle!)
Goodfellow Family Cellars Bishop Creek Vineyard Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton District 2014 750ML ($41.95) $33 special
Josh Raynolds 91 points “Vivid red. A highly perfumed bouquet evokes fresh red berries, cherry, candied flowers and musky earth, backed by a touch of smokiness. Lively black raspberry and floral pastille flavors pick up hints of bitter chocolate and licorice with aeration. The clinging, focused finish features fine-grained, slow-mounting tannins and repeating floral character. Give this one a little air time.”
Grapelive 91 points “Delicately layered and spicy, the 2014 Bishop Creek is a pretty effort, especially for a richer vintage in Oregon. Made by Marcus Goodfellow, the ex-Evesham Wood and Westrey man, [he] is coming into his own as a talent, inspired by Doerner of Cristom and John Paul of Cameron. You can see the style showing through here. Bishop Creek, planted to Pommard and Wadenswil (old Swiss clone), [is] now owned by Nicolas Meo of the famed Burgundy Domaine Meo-Camuzet. [The vineyard] ([which is] not far from Shea Vineyards) formed this wine with its distinct strawberry and racy red cherry core along with the mixed spice, mineral tones and light wood influence. Its southern exposure and Willakenzie soils (dark rocky marine sediment) give warmth and grace. Planted in 1988, the vines ripen without flamboyant extraction, allowing more finesse to show through. At 13.9% this medium weight wine offers fine detail, opulence and restrained, almost earthy, soulfulness. Hints of bitter herb, cedar and candied citrus rind add a tangy note to the whole and the finish echoes the red fruits in subtle fashion with a touch of wilted roses lingering on. It shines right now, though best to enjoy it with cuisine to match as it is a tad shier than other 2014 Oregon Pinots (I’ve tried) and needs time and coaxing to reach its beautiful peak. Best from 2018 to 2022.”
Case-6 Mousse Fils L’Extra Or d’Eugene Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($299.95) $239 special (that’s only $39.83/bottle!)
Mousse Fils L’Extra Or d’Eugene Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($49.95) $44 special
Terry Theise note “80-20 Meunier-PN, disg. 3/2017, a “superior” NV with longer tirage from older material (solera 2003/2012), I am offering this extremely dry Champagne both for those pathologically averse to RS and also to show Cédric’s “serious” side. It has a certain depth and is certainly aligned with the Zeitgeist.”
“this is everything you ever want from this region and more”
Case-12 Domaine Font Sarade Vacqueyras Les Hauts de la Ponche, Rhone 2016 750ML ($249.95) $199 special (that’s only $16.58/bottle!)
Domaine Font Sarade Vacqueyras Les Hauts de la Ponche, Rhone 2016 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
Grapelive 93 points “The Domaine Font Sarade wines are crafted by the father and daughter team of Bernard and Claire Burle. They have done a masterful job of their Les Hauts de la Ponche Vacqueyras 2016. [It’s] a stunning wine from a stunning vintage, made from 50% Grenache, 25% Syrah and 25% Mourvedre. I’ve been wanting to try the wines from this small Domaine for a few years, so I’m glad I got my hands on some of this stuff, especially as 2016 is looking like a rockstar vintage, making this particularly good timing. The Burle’s are traditional in their winemaking and are looking to translate individual Lieu-Dits and showcase their unique terroirs. They make a few Cotes-du-Rhone(s), Ventoux, a Rose, Cru Gigondas and Vacqueyras from family owned and farmed vines. The 2016 Font Sarade Vacqueyras is 100% de-stemmed and is fermented and aged in cement vats for absolute purity and allows for the clay and limestone soils to shine through. With such a vintage as 2016 you get a massively appealing wine, rich in flavor, detail and life. Coming in at a full 14.5% natural alcohol this has as much impact as a Chateauneuf-du-Pape Rouge, but at a tiny fraction of the price, making it a steal! This 2016 is grapey fresh at first, [and] with air it gains a deeper almost chocolatey density with an appealing dark purple and garnet hue in the glass. It’s un-endowed by anything except fruit purity and terroir influences with layers of crushed violets, minty herbs, lavender and black currant, boysenberry and radiant kirsch, adding pepper, dusty plum, anise and tart strawberry with air, in an impressive, youthful and compact wine. The freshness combined with perfect ripeness makes this an outrageously good Vacqueyras that while tight expands on the medium/full palate, while the natural tannin keeps everything focused and well structured, this will be an intriguing wine to follow over the next 5 to 10 years, and while I usually like a bit of stem complexity, this wine seems to lack for nothing. It’s hard to imagine not to get a case or two, but harder to imagine not drinking as fast as you can either, this is everything you ever want from this region and more, I say get as much as you can, while you can!”
Good vintage, good producer Hermitage for under $50? Yes.
Case-6 Delas Freres Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes-Marquise de la Tourette, Rhone 2013 750ML ($549.95) $279 special (that’s only $46.50/bottle!)
Delas Freres Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes-Marquise de la Tourette, Rhone 2013 750ML ($119.95) $49 special
Wine Advocate 94 points “One of the gems in the vintage is the 2013 Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes, which comes from both the Bessards and Grandes Vignes lieux-dits on Hermitage Hill. Completely destemmed, then vinified in stainless steel and concrete tanks, the wine is aged 18 months in 30% new French oak; it offers terrific notes of dark fruits, graphite and ample minerality in a full-bodied, layered, ripe profile. It’s more approachable than the Les Bessards, yet will still have three decades of longevity.”
Jancis Robinson 18/20 points “Very dark purple indeed. Altogether broader and less focused than the Côte Rôties on the nose. Peppery and subtle. Very glossy, layered, complex and magnificent. I would reproach this only very slightly on the finish but it’s a pretty magnificent wine”
James Suckling 93 points “This has a refined, fragrant and very composed character with inherent aromatic spices and a stony edge, in addition to licorice and some star anise. The fruits are in the dried-plum and dried-cherry spectrum, but this also hints at plenty of cloves, cardamom and pepper. The palate’s succulent, powerful, even and really finely layered. The tannins are most definitely a feature now, and this has plenty of ageing potential. Enjoy the dark-plum and black-cherry finish. Best from 2020 and for a decade after that. Fom 100% granitic soils.”
Josh Raynolds 93 points “Brilliant violet. Complex mineral- and smoke-accented scents of dark fruit liqueur, violet and olive paste gain urgency from a smoky mineral quality . Juicy and sharply focused on the palate, offering sappy blueberry and bitter cherry flavors that deepen and become sweeter with air. Shows excellent depth and vivacity and finishes spicy and very long, displaying a resonating floral quality and building tannins.”
The next best price is $79.97
The average price is $88
Grand Cru Chianti from one of the greatest vintages in the region!
Case-6 Mazzei Castello di Fonterutoli, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG 2013 750ML ($419.95) $269 special (that’s only $44.83/bottle!)
Mazzei Castello di Fonterutoli, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG 2013 750ML ($69.95) $49 special
Wine Spectator 95 points “An essence of sweet cherry grounds the surrounding flavors of leather, iron, spice and tobacco in this firm red, which remains vibrant and refined. Bracing acidity and dense, muscular tannins play out on the long finish. Drink now through 2028.”
An elegant Barbaresco in its prime drinking window!
Case-6 Punset Campo Quadro, Barbaresco DOCG 2004 750ML ($399.95) $339 special (that’s only $56.50/bottle!)
Punset Campo Quadro, Barbaresco DOCG 2004 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Monica Larner – Wine Advocate 95 points “Going back one more year, the 2004 Barbaresco Campo Quadro opens with a lean, garnet color and pretty aromas of old spice and dried berry fruit. The wine is streamlined and thin in texture, but the tannins are still very present at the back. Aging-wise, the wine is on its way. But it’s not quite there yet. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025. In the 1980s, after graduating from high school, Marina Marcarino bet her father that she could run the family winery in Barbaresco at a profit. He gave her one year to try. If she won, she could take over management. If she lost, she’d enroll in civil engineering classes at the local university. After a grueling 12 months, she closed her accounting books with a profit of less than 100 Euros, or 100,000 Lira at the time. But she won the wager and became the first female vintner in the Langhe. [Tasted Jun 2013]”
Case-6 Isole e Olena Cepparello Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2014 750ML ($479.95) $389 special (that’s only $64.83/bottle!)
Isole e Olena Cepparello Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2014 750ML ($79.95) $69 special
Isole e Olena Cepparello Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2014 1.5L ($179.95) $149 special
Antonio Galloni 97 points “The 2014 Cepparello is one of the truly great wines of the vintage. Vivid and intense in all of its dimensions, it exudes purity from start to finish. Silky tannins, expressive aromatics and beautifully delineated, bright, layered Sangiovese fruit are some of the signatures. In 2014, Paolo De Marchi produced an epic Cepparello for the ages. Don’t miss it.”
The average price nationally is $77
Top Rioja Reserva of the vintage
Case-12 Bodegas Muga Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2013 750ML ($299.95) $219 special (that’s only $18.25/bottle!)
Bodegas Muga Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2013 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special
James Suckling 92 points “This is an excellent 2013 with such purity and finesse. Cherry, stone and light cedar aromas follow through to a full body, very fine tannins and a fresh and clean finish. Hints of cedar. It shows a focused energy. Drink now.”
The average price is $27
2015 Produttori Barbaresco
Arriving Friday, December 7th:
Produttori del Barbaresco ‘Barbaresco DOCG’, Piedmont 2015 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 93 points “Charming aromas of cherry, strawberry and rose are inviting in this red, with flavors to match, showing ripeness and focus. Earth and mineral elements chime in as this firms up, but the harmony is there and this should really sing in about five years. Best from 2022 through 2040. 23,333 cases made.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 93 points “I tasted this wine after bottling but before its commercial release. The 2015 Barbaresco will hit the market on September 1st. It was scheduled to be released in October, but because Produttori del Barbaresco is already out of stock of the 2014 Barbaresco, they decided to move this release up and shorten waiting times. I mention that because you definitely don’t want to pop the cork too early. The 2015 vintage opens to a visibly darker color and thicker concentration compared to recent past vintages. Next to the upcoming 2016 and 2017 editions, we can expect 2015 to be the most fruit-forward of the three. You get dark tones of plum and blackberry with dry tannins at the rear.”
Thank you for reading!