In This Newsletter:
Quinta do Infantado:
Estate Port
Trending
Sequitur:
A Visionary Willamette Valley Producer
Bernard Baudry:
Drop Dead Delicious
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Quinta do Infantado
Since 1979, Quinta do Infantado has produced estate-bottles Ports, a rarity in the region dominated by British interests that maintained a system that discouraged small, family owned producers until laws were changed in the mid-80s. The Roseira family has owned and managed the estate since the 19th century. Today brother and sister team, João and Catherine Roseira manage the vineyards, make the wine, and run the business. The house style is lower residual sugar than most producers and more selective about declaring vintages. The wines are excellent with lighter desserts or fine cheeses and show the quality and care true growers can achieve.
In Stock Now from Quinta do Infantado:
Quinta do Infantado Vintage Port 2015 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 36 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 90 points “The 2015 Vintage Port is a field blend from old vines (50+ years) that comes in at 85 grams per liter of residual sugar. This is lighter styled, fresh and easy, but with fine intensity of flavor. The freshness just now is actually rather glorious. Its fine acidity lifts the fruit on that flavorful finish, but it does lack some concentration for a top VP. This producer does tend to emphasize elegance in general and the vintage does as well. Its structure is average. This is a great deal of fun, but I’m not sure it will develop much. That said, its acidity will help preserve it and it is very tasty—impossible to dislike.”
Quinta do Infantado Vintage Port 2011 375ML ($44.95) $38 special, 24 half-bottles in stock now
Mark Squires-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2011 Vintage Port, bottled in 2013, is all from a single quinta. It comes in with 83 grams per liter of residual sugar. Full in the mouth with ripe and chunky fruit, this is surprisingly approachable on opening and quite delicious just now, but it doesn’t stay that way with air or over several days. Starting with only average concentration, it ends with lifted fruit on the finish, enlivening the wine after the chunky beginning. It drinks beautifully; it is fresh, enticing and delectable. More importantly, it fleshes out in the glass and takes over the palate. Then, the power takes over. It becomes rather crisp and biting. The fruit is nice, but this is more about the structure. It is elegant and balanced, not big and clumsy (a good description of the winery’s stylistic goals). I’d give it more time before diving it, even though it seems approachable at first taste. There is a serious backbone lurking underneath and this wine changes with every 30 minute time interval. There were 5,757 bottles produced, plus some alternative format sizes.”
In Stock Now from Quinta do Infantado:
Quinta do Infantado Vintage Port 2015 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 36 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 90 points “The 2015 Vintage Port is a field blend from old vines (50+ years) that comes in at 85 grams per liter of residual sugar. This is lighter styled, fresh and easy, but with fine intensity of flavor. The freshness just now is actually rather glorious. Its fine acidity lifts the fruit on that flavorful finish, but it does lack some concentration for a top VP. This producer does tend to emphasize elegance in general and the vintage does as well. Its structure is average. This is a great deal of fun, but I’m not sure it will develop much. That said, its acidity will help preserve it and it is very tasty—impossible to dislike.”
Quinta do Infantado Vintage Port 2011 375ML ($44.95) $38 special, 24 half-bottles in stock now
Mark Squires-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2011 Vintage Port, bottled in 2013, is all from a single quinta. It comes in with 83 grams per liter of residual sugar. Full in the mouth with ripe and chunky fruit, this is surprisingly approachable on opening and quite delicious just now, but it doesn’t stay that way with air or over several days. Starting with only average concentration, it ends with lifted fruit on the finish, enlivening the wine after the chunky beginning. It drinks beautifully; it is fresh, enticing and delectable. More importantly, it fleshes out in the glass and takes over the palate. Then, the power takes over. It becomes rather crisp and biting. The fruit is nice, but this is more about the structure. It is elegant and balanced, not big and clumsy (a good description of the winery’s stylistic goals). I’d give it more time before diving it, even though it seems approachable at first taste. There is a serious backbone lurking underneath and this wine changes with every 30 minute time interval. There were 5,757 bottles produced, plus some alternative format sizes.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Quinta do Infantado Ruby Port NV 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 9 bottles in stock now
Importer note “The fruit is hand-harvest, partly destemmed and fermented in lagar and tank. Fermentation is muted with 77% ABV grape brandy. The wine is aged in a variety of tonel and balseiro, the names for tall wooden tanks from 3,000-60,000 liters with thick staves that slow down oxidation. It finishes at a modest 19.5% alcohol and 70 grams per liter of residual sugar, in other words considerably drier and more vinous than most Ruby Ports. The average age in bottle is two to three years.”
Quinta do Infantado Late Bottled Vintage Port 2015 750ML ($34.95) $29 special, 9 bottles in stock now
Importer note “An LBV Port is a vintage Port kept four to six years in wood before being bottled. Once in the bottle, it ages for at least three more years before release. The label always displays the harvest year and bottling year. The fruit was hand harvested, partly destemmed and fermented exclusively in lagar. Fermentation is muted with 77% ABV wine brandy. The wine is aged for four to six years in a variety of tonel and baseiro, the name for tall wooden casks from 3,000-60,000 liters with thick staves that slow down oxidation.”
Quinta do Infantado 10 Year Old Tawny Port 375ML ($29.95) $26 special, 12 half-bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 91 points “[Reviewed Apr 2019] Fresh, with a high-pitched feel to the dried cherry, cedar and sandalwood notes. A light hazelnut husk hint shows on the finish. A dry and focused style. Drink now. 350 cases imported.”
Wine Enthusiast 90 points “This well-balanced wine is full of both acidity and fruitiness, the two characters a 10-Year-Old tawny should have. It is dry, showing the wood aging subtly with an aftertaste that brings back the excellent balance.”
Quinta do Infantado Tawny Port NV 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 5 bottles in stock now
Importer note “The fruit is hand-harvest, partly destemmed and fermented in lagar and tank. Fermentation is muted with 77% ABV grape brandy. The wine is aged in very old pipas. It finishes at a modest 19.5% alcohol and 84 grams per liter of residual sugar, in other words considerably drier and more vinous than most Tawny Ports. The average age in bottle is four to five years.”
Shop all of our Ports in stock now, including selections from Kopke, Dow, Niepoort, and Quinta do Noval!
Trending
More or less synonymous with the low intervention winemaking movement in the Willamette Valley, Ksenija and John House founded Ovum in 2011 and have specialized in white wine production ever since. Their flagship wine Big Salt is a co-fermentation of all the varietals and vineyards they work with from five AVA’s across Oregon, all of which are organically farmed and contain old vines. Meant to evoke a day at the beach, there is a pervasive salinity with a food friendly integration of floral and botanical characteristics.
Ovum ‘Big Salt’ Elkton 2021 750ML ($21.95) $17 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Winery note “Big Salt™ is a white wine that embodies a day at the beach. It’s bright, fresh, dry and a bit salty (although no salt is added of course!) – once it’s done you’re left wanting more. We achieve this experience by letting mother nature create complexity – that is to say we allow all of the grapes to ferment together, with native yeast..rather than making a blend in the laboratory. Finding the right vineyards throughout Oregon that share the same cool climate is what it’s all about.”
Ovum ‘Big Salt’ Elkton 2021 750ML ($21.95) $17 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Winery note “Big Salt™ is a white wine that embodies a day at the beach. It’s bright, fresh, dry and a bit salty (although no salt is added of course!) – once it’s done you’re left wanting more. We achieve this experience by letting mother nature create complexity – that is to say we allow all of the grapes to ferment together, with native yeast..rather than making a blend in the laboratory. Finding the right vineyards throughout Oregon that share the same cool climate is what it’s all about.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
When you think of Sicilian wine, your mind probably first goes to Mt. Etna, but there’s more to the island than its striking volcano. Caruso & Minini has been making wine since the late 1800’s. However it wasn’t until the 1990’s did they bottle their own wine, previously contracting out to the cooperatives of Marsala. With holdings encompassing almost 300 acres at almost 1000 feet above sea level these are some of the best examples of “New Sicily” winemaking and production. Their portfolio is entirely composed of indigenous Sicilian varietals, including the exceedingly rare Perricone. It’s a juicy yet herbaceous red that is spectacular with pizza or anything else based in red sauce.
Caruso & Minini ‘Naturalmente Bio’ Perricone Terre Siciliane IGT Sicily 2019 750ML ($21.95) Was $18, Now $16 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The Piedmont outside of Barolo and Barbaresco remains a bit of a paradox: lovers of elite, collectible Nebbiolo will readily concede that there are some amazing wines made there, but then turn around and proceed never to buy any. This despite the fact that the best wines are outstandingly well priced. If you love Barolo and Barbaresco, you should be paying real (fiscal) attention to the wines from Ghemme, Lessona, and Bramaterra—three top areas in Alto Piemonte. The wines of NOAH should be stacked high in your cellar—these exemplary bottles of Nebbiolo would easily command $80 price-tags if from Barolo or Barbaresco, but are shockingly under-valued because they ‘re farther north.
Noah Bramaterra, Piedmont 2015 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 28 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2015 Bramaterra is rich and explosive in the glass. Blood orange, chalk, mint, white pepper and macerated cherry are some of the many aromas and flavors that develop in the glass. There is something incredibly wild and untamed about the 2015 that is so incredibly enticing. In the glass, the 2015 is deep, powerful and built for the long-haul. It is a wine of tremendous character and breeding.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Love Biondi-Santi but need a wine that won’t break the bank? Coming from a single vineyard neighboring the Biondi-Santi estate, La Fiorita is already a steal before you consider farming practices and vintage conditions. The juice from this high-density, high-elevation (almost 4,000 feet above sea level), organically farmed estate, is vinified by Roberto Cipresso. Even if the name doesn’t ring a bell, you may be familiar with his work. He is perhaps best known for his Argentine label Achaval-Ferrer. But he also famously created a papal cuvée for His Holiness John Paul II, and crafted the Sesquicentennial Anniversary Cuvée commissioned by the Italian Republic to celebrate 150 years of unification.
This is a Brunello built for long-term aging, given the ripe fruit profile and richly developed tannins from the 2015 vintage. La Fiorita means “flowery” in Italian and this certainly comes through in the wine with notes of rose petal, rosemary and flowering oregano. These qualities have already been harmonizing during the additional time in vat and bottle required by the Riserva classification. Expect this wine to continue improving for at least 10 years, but if you can’t wait that long, a few hours in a decanter will have it singing.
La Fiorita Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG 2015 750ML ($119.95) $89 special, 17 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 97 points “Highly Recommended. This rich red is energetic and balanced, saturated with black cherry, plum and mineral flavors. Accents of wild rosemary and sage chime in as this remains fresh and long on the iron and underbrush aftertaste. Best from 2024 through 2045. 310 cases made, 100 cases imported.”
Oregon wine fans may best know Rajat Parr for his Willamette Valley winery Evening Land and their pioneering Seven Springs vineyard. Some years before signing on to Evening Land, Parr’s founded Sandhi, an elite, small production winery that highlights the terroirs of Santa Barbara County. He and co-founder Sashi Moorman eschew extremes of ripeness, oak, or alcohol, instead crafting wines of elegance and restraint. Vineyard sources for the Sandhi lineup include the legendary cool climate Bien Nacido, best known by the single vineyard bottlings produced by the Bien Nacido estate, Au Bon Climat, and Qupe Winery, and the world-classic, historic Sanford & Benedict. This Chardonnay is a barrel selection from these illustrious vineyards crafted with the wine director at one of SF’s finest restaurants, Zuni Café. We knew it would be a charming and food-friendly wine, but we were stunned by the quality. Fans of Evening Land will be dazzled by the beauty and elegance through a Californian lens, fans of Sandhi will be impressed by the price.
Sandhi Zuni Chardonnay Santa Barbara County 2019 750ML ($34.95) Was $24, Now $21.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Sandhi Zuni Chardonnay Santa Barbara County 2019 750ML ($399.95) $239 special (that’s only $19.92/bottle!)
Winery note “If you’ve ever sat at San Francisco’s iconic Zuni Café with a plate of oysters in front of you while you wait for the iconic whole roast chicken, you may have had a glass or two of this collaboration between longtime friends Rajat Parr of Sandhi and Zuni wine director Thierry Lovato. The wine is a barrel selection from some of Sandhi’s iconic Sta. Rita Hills sites, (think Mt. Carmel, Sanford & Benedict) with enough own-rooted, 1973 Wente selection Bien Nacido Chardonnay blended in to warrant a Santa Barbara County designation.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Sequitur
Mike Etzel, the founder and winemaker of Sequitur, is a living legend in the Willamette Valley. He co-founded Beaux Frères in the late 1980s and was the winemaker there until recently handing off the duties to his son. Never one to rest on his laurels, he began planting a vineyard adjacent to Beaux Frères in 2010—a project that became what we know as Sequitur.
It’s helpful to think of Sequitur as a distillation of everything Mike Etzel learned from Beaux Frères over the decades. The Sequitur vineyard sits right next to the Beaux Frères “Upper Terrace” but is planted to a wider array of clones at tighter spacing. It’s been farmed biodynamically since the beginning and is sheltered with Douglas Fir—in short, it’s the fully realized vision of a man who’s helped define Willamette Valley Pinot Noir.
The winemaking style is exactly what you’d expect—these are wines that are made by the same hand that delivered so many high scores to Beaux Frères. Big, powerful and bold, these nevertheless have energy and grace that we think comes from the extra-attentive farming and unique clonal selection in the vineyard. In short order, Sequitur has established itself as one of the very best producers in the Willamette Valley and deserves your attention as such. We’re proud to offer a massive selection of current and winery-cellared vintages.
Sequitur wines in stock now:
Sequitur Chardonnay Ribbon Ridge 2015 750ML ($89.95) $66 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 94+ points “The 2015 Sequitur Chardonnay delivers toasted almonds, baker’s yeast, fresh ginger and coriander seed on the nose with a core of grapefruit, white peaches and spiced apples. Light to medium-bodied, it gives a great intensity of savory flavor layers intermingled with stone fruit and citrus notions, finishing long with great freshness and mineral notes.”
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 94 points “Light, brilliant yellow. Powerful, spice-accented orchard and pit fruit aromas pick up lemon pith, honey and floral nuances with air. Fleshy and broad on entry, offering white peach and pear nectar flavors that steadily firm up on the back half. Blends power and finesse with a smooth hand and finishes very long and precise, with resonating mineral and floral notes.”
It’s helpful to think of Sequitur as a distillation of everything Mike Etzel learned from Beaux Frères over the decades. The Sequitur vineyard sits right next to the Beaux Frères “Upper Terrace” but is planted to a wider array of clones at tighter spacing. It’s been farmed biodynamically since the beginning and is sheltered with Douglas Fir—in short, it’s the fully realized vision of a man who’s helped define Willamette Valley Pinot Noir.
The winemaking style is exactly what you’d expect—these are wines that are made by the same hand that delivered so many high scores to Beaux Frères. Big, powerful and bold, these nevertheless have energy and grace that we think comes from the extra-attentive farming and unique clonal selection in the vineyard. In short order, Sequitur has established itself as one of the very best producers in the Willamette Valley and deserves your attention as such. We’re proud to offer a massive selection of current and winery-cellared vintages.
Sequitur wines in stock now:
Sequitur Chardonnay Ribbon Ridge 2015 750ML ($89.95) $66 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 94+ points “The 2015 Sequitur Chardonnay delivers toasted almonds, baker’s yeast, fresh ginger and coriander seed on the nose with a core of grapefruit, white peaches and spiced apples. Light to medium-bodied, it gives a great intensity of savory flavor layers intermingled with stone fruit and citrus notions, finishing long with great freshness and mineral notes.”
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 94 points “Light, brilliant yellow. Powerful, spice-accented orchard and pit fruit aromas pick up lemon pith, honey and floral nuances with air. Fleshy and broad on entry, offering white peach and pear nectar flavors that steadily firm up on the back half. Blends power and finesse with a smooth hand and finishes very long and precise, with resonating mineral and floral notes.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Sequitur Chardonnay Ribbon Ridge 2016 750ML ($89.95) $66 special, 22 bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 94 points “Pale yellow-gold. Fresh and incisive on the nose, displaying intense citrus and orchard fruit scents complemented by suggestions of toasty lees, iodine and sweet butter. Sappy, penetrating and seamless in texture, offering concentrated pear nectar, peach, tangerine and honeysuckle flavors that deepen slowly on the back half while maintaining energy. Finishes with repeating pear and floral notes, with a late jolt of dusty minerality pulling things together.”
Wine Advocate 93+ points “The 2016 Sequitur Chardonnay has a gregarious nose of spiced, baked yellow apples and warm pineapple with notes of toast, honey, hazelnut and hay. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the mouth with warm orchard and tropical fruits accented by nuances of baking spice, nuts and honey, with a touch of creaminess to the texture, juicy acidity and a long, mineral-laced finish. 85 cases produced.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Sequitur Chardonnay Ribbon Ridge 2018 750ML ($89.95) $66 special, 23 bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 95 points “Glistening straw-yellow. Vibrant, mineral-accented aromas of white peach, Anjou pear, melon and Meyer lemon carry a bright floral overtone. Juicy and densely packed, displaying a suave blend of richness and vivacity to the mineral-drenched citrus and orchard fruit and floral flavors. Picks up smoky lees, honey and iodine notes with air and shows outstanding clarity on a strikingly long, penetrating finish that echoes the mineral and citrus fruit notes.”
Winery Note “The 2018 growing season was warm and dry, resulting in yet another remarkable vintage on Ribbon Ridge. Towards the end of the summer, just before harvest, Jack was born. With the arrival of our first grandchild, we felt for the first time the presence of a new generation on the farm, reminding us of the cycle of renewal and growth. This vintage has the bright freshness of new breath—we hope you enjoy it!”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Sequitur Chardonnay Ribbon Ridge 2019 750ML ($89.95) $66 special, 30 bottles in stock now
Winery note “This year marked the 50th anniversary of the iconic music festival. As a tribute to the festival’s message of harmony, cooperation and hope—and as a nod to the persistent rains that helped define both this year’s harvest and the 1969 festival—we bring you Woodstock, Sequitur’s melodic, inspiring 2019 vintage.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $74.99
Sequitur Pinot Noir Ribbon Ridge 2014 750ML ($119.95) $79 special, 14 bottles in stock now
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.”
Wine Spectator 94 points “Broad and spicy, open-textured and generous, with ripe plum and currant flavors, shaded by pepper, sage and coffee notes as the finish sails past fine-grained tannins. Completely harmonious and made to age. Drink now through 2024.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Sequitur Pinot Noir Ribbon Ridge 2015 750ML ($119.95) $79 special, 18 bottles in stock now
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.”
Wine Advocate 94 points “Pale to medium ruby purple in color, the 2015 Sequitur Pinot Noir has a very provocative nose of Bing cherries and cranberries over a core of red roses, game, yeast extract and underbrush. Medium-bodied, with wonderful energy and freshness, it has a lively backbone and long finish paved with very fine, ripe tannins.”
Winery note “Sequitur 2015 Pinot Noir “Two fold,” a collaboration between our Mother, the earth, those of us who “play” in the vineyard and winery, and you, the wine lover.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Sequitur Pinot Noir Ribbon Ridge 2016 750ML ($119.95) $79 special, 9 bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 96 points “Glimmering red. A hugely aromatic bouquet evokes fresh red fruits, Asian spices and potpourri, along with a bright mineral overtone and a touch of smokiness. Juicy, seamless and precise on the palate, offering potent, mineral-laced raspberry preserve, rose pastille and spicecake flavors that deepen and spread out steadily on the back half. Delivers a compelling blend of power and finesse and finishes with silky tannins, outstanding clarity and floral- and mineral-driven persistence.”
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.”
Sequitur Pinot Noir Ribbon Ridge 2017 750ML ($119.95) $79 special, 21 bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 94-95 points “Lurid red. Spice-tinged blackberry and cherry aromas are complicated by suggestions of cola, incense and smoky minerals. Sweet and expansive on the palate, offering concentrated dark berry and spicecake flavors and suggestions of rose pastille and mocha that build with air. Concentrated but also vibrant and precise in style, delivering superb finishing cut, well-knit tannins and impressive, fruit-driven persistence. (30% new French oak).”
Nick Stock-Jamessuckling 96 points “Beautifully deep, blueberries and plums on offer with notes of fresh violets and moist, fresh-tilled earth. This is full of life and very pure. The palate has focused and fresh tannins that sit in very vibrant style with a deep push of concentrated blue fruit, holding the finish in superb style. So fresh and long, this will age well. Drink across the next decade or more.”
Winery Note “Totality—During the growing season of 2017, Oregon was treated to a total solar eclipse, where the moon passed exactly between the earth and the sun. Day turned to night, the temperature dropped and the farm animals were disoriented. The moment of awe was tempered with a deep sense of vulnerability, as we witnessed our world bow down to the power of nature. May this 2017 vintage seeped in “totality,” bring you a fresh perspective.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Sequitur Pinot Noir Ribbon Ridge 2018 750ML ($99.95) $79 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 95 points “Bright ruby-red. A highly perfumed bouquet evokes ripe red and blue fruits, cherry pie, potpourri and exotic spices, all sharpened by a smoky mineral overtone. Deeply concentrated and energetic in the mouth, offering sappy, mineral- and spice-drenched black raspberry, cherry cola and rose pastille flavors that spread out steadily on the back half. Shows fine definition and finishes extremely long and sappy, with polished tannins and lingering floral and blue fruit liqueur notes. 25% new oak.”
James Suckling 97 points “A very succulent, concentrated pinot with a strong (40%) whole-cluster influence, delivering sappy, fresh and aromatic lift to the blueberry and ripe-cherry aromas. The palate has such succulent and assertive tannin drive, yet the textural interface remains silky and fluid. It has depth and volume and a very commanding finish. Give this some time. Try from 2024.”
Winery Note “The 2018 growing season was warm and dry, resulting in yet another remarkable vintage on Ribbon Ridge. Towards the end of the summer, just before harvest, Jack was born. With the arrival of our first grandchild, we felt for the first time the presence of a new generation on the farm, reminding us of the cycle of renewal and growth. This vintage has the bright freshness of new breath—we hope you enjoy it! “
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $89.95
Sequitur Pinot Noir Ribbon Ridge 2019 750ML ($119.95) $79 special, 4 bottles in stock now
Sequitur Pinot Noir Ribbon Ridge 2019 1.5L ($219.95) $179 special, 1 magnum in stock now – not listed online – to order, please call/email/or stop in
Josh Raynolds 96 points “Saturated magenta. Powerful red and blue fruit, floral and exotic spice scents show excellent clarity and mineral lift. Sappy, alluringly sweet and penetrating on the palate, offering juicy boysenberry, Chambord, candied violet and star anise flavors that deftly blend depth and vivacity. Shows bright clarity and repeating florality on the strikingly persistent finish, which is framed by smooth, polished tannins.”
Wine Advocate 96 points “Medium ruby-purple, the 2019 Sequitor Pinot Noir has alluring scents of dark red cherries, wild blackberries, aniseed and tobacco leaves, with wafts of sweet balsamic and dried violets. The palate is silky and fresh, with deep, earth-laced fruits hinting at more to come with additional bottle time. It’s juicy and inviting now but deserves another 2-3 years in bottle.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Bernard Baudry
Though Baudry ranks among top-flight producers of Loire Valley Cabernet Franc, pricing has never seemed to catch up with the likes of Clos Rougeard and Guiberteau, to our benefit. Though only recently certified organic, it has been more or less farmed organically since the beginning.
From the low to the high end, everything Matthieu Baudry makes is beautiful, expressive and delicious. At the higher end are his single vineyard bottlings (Croix Boissee, Clos Guillot and Grezeaux) which are all ageworthy and delicious. His entry-level wine, Les Granges, is a wonderful value bottling, and in the middle, you can find his best bang for the buck, the Domaine.
“Established in 1975, Bernard Baudry is a relatively young winery in Chinon terms. Son, Matthieu Baudry, joined in 2001. Today, they own 32 hectares across the appellation from valley floor to slopes and plateau. This being Chinon, production is 90% Cabernet Franc with a splash of Chenin Blanc thrown in. The estate has officially been practicing organics since 2006, although Bernard Baudry didn’t previously use any herbicides, so it was not a revolutionary move. The entire wine range displays tender loving care and a light touch: the fruit shows excellent purity. Working with a single variety and no new oak, the site is transparent whether it’s the limestone-based Clos Guillot, which provides a powerful, chalky-textured structure and a long, fine line of acidity, or Les Grézeaux with its shy yet smoky character, fluid texture and gravelly tannins sitting on the front of your tongue.” -Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous
Bernard Baudry Wines In Stock Now:
Bernard Baudry Chinon Blanc 2019 750ML ($34.95) $31.90 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Dry Chenin blanc from estate vines grown on clay and limestone coteaux hills.
From the low to the high end, everything Matthieu Baudry makes is beautiful, expressive and delicious. At the higher end are his single vineyard bottlings (Croix Boissee, Clos Guillot and Grezeaux) which are all ageworthy and delicious. His entry-level wine, Les Granges, is a wonderful value bottling, and in the middle, you can find his best bang for the buck, the Domaine.
“Established in 1975, Bernard Baudry is a relatively young winery in Chinon terms. Son, Matthieu Baudry, joined in 2001. Today, they own 32 hectares across the appellation from valley floor to slopes and plateau. This being Chinon, production is 90% Cabernet Franc with a splash of Chenin Blanc thrown in. The estate has officially been practicing organics since 2006, although Bernard Baudry didn’t previously use any herbicides, so it was not a revolutionary move. The entire wine range displays tender loving care and a light touch: the fruit shows excellent purity. Working with a single variety and no new oak, the site is transparent whether it’s the limestone-based Clos Guillot, which provides a powerful, chalky-textured structure and a long, fine line of acidity, or Les Grézeaux with its shy yet smoky character, fluid texture and gravelly tannins sitting on the front of your tongue.” -Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous
Bernard Baudry Wines In Stock Now:
Bernard Baudry Chinon Blanc 2019 750ML ($34.95) $31.90 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Dry Chenin blanc from estate vines grown on clay and limestone coteaux hills.
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Bernard Baudry Chinon Blanc 2020 750ML ($34.95) $29 special, 11 bottles in stock now
Winery note “The white Domaine is a charming wine with notes of white fruit and citrus. Though totally dry, its roundness makes it pleasant in its youth. Quantity is limited. 5-15 year old vines. Slow fermentation in large oak barrels of 500L until the wine is dry (less than 2g residual sugar).”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Bernard Baudry Chinon La Croix Boissee Blanc 2019 750ML ($49.95) $44 special, 15 bottles in stock now
Winery note “The very chalky soil imparts La Croix Boissée with minerality and a dense body. This is a nice wine for gastronomy with notes of white fruits and a fine salinity. Quantity is limited.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Bernard Baudry Chinon Les Granges 2019 750ML ($25.95) $21.90 special, 7 bottles in stock now
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Bernard Baudry Chinon Les Granges 2020 750ML ($25.95) $20.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Rebecca Gibb MW-Vinous 89 points “Sourced from a single block on the valley floor, where the vines have their feet in free-draining sandy/gravel soils, the 2020 Chinon Les Granges is made a lighter, fruit-driven style with a fine-grained tannic profile. This flows easily with no sense of anything being forced. It’s full of bright raspberry, violets and a hint of blackberries and cream; there’s a mere whiff of reduction on opening, so give it a little bit of air. Easy to like, bright and fresh and can be enjoyed in youth.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
“The Grézeaux comes from a lieu-dit whose vines are over 60 years old and cultivated on a mix of gravel and large stones. Aged in old barriques for a year, this is a full-bodied, concentrated and generous yet silky textured and elegant Chinon with remarkable finesse and mineral freshness. The wine ages terrifically well.” –Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate
Bernard Baudry Chinon Les Grezeaux 2019 750ML ($45.95) $31.90 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Rebecca Gibb MW-Vinous 93 points “Sourced from a single vineyard located at the bottom of Chinon’s slope on alluvial/clay soils, the 2019 Chinon Les Grézeaux is currently a bit shy in terms of revealing its fruit flavors. It’s also a hint reductive with its smoky bacon characters, but that’s unimportant. What matters is the core of fruit and excellent focus. It’s very relaxed and fluid with mouthwatering acidity. The tannins are more serious than the front and midpalate would have suggested and betray a little grittiness. Aged 15 months in cement, this could be opened in one to two years, but the concentration and structure offer drinking over a decade.”
“Clos Guillot… is a slope with soils composed of yellow limestone, millarges, and the kind of hard clay used in pottery-making. The wine ages in four- to 10-year-old Burgundy barrels and partly also on concrete. The wine combines intense dark fruit aromas with leather and flinty aromas. Silky and round and with remarkable finesse and tension, this is a full-bodied, concentrated and quite tannic Chinon with a compact finish that is not astringent when young but with enough intensity and structure for good aging potential.” –Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate
Bernard Baudry Chinon Le Clos Guillot 2019 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 10 bottles in stock now
Rebecca Gibb MW-Vinous 95-97 points “Just outside the village, Clos Guillot sits on a slope on clay over limestone. The 2019 Chinon is a serious barrel sample that melts in your mouth with its silken texture. No crushing, very little remontage and a year in used barrels all lend a very gentle touch. The tannins build gradually, coating the mouth with the finest of chalky textures. Excellent acidity keeps things fresh through the finish.”
“The Baudry Estate Chinon comes 80% from millarges (soils composed of sand flecked with yellow and red quartz and mixed with sandstone and iron-rich cement) on the plains and plateaus of Chinon and 20% from young vines on the gravelly soils in Cravant. It is an intense, pure and refreshing red that is pretty irresistible.” –Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate
Bernard Baudry Chinon Cuvee Domaine 2019 750ML ($27.95) $24 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Rebecca Gibb MW-Vinous 90 points “The 2019 Chinon Le Domaine provides excellent concentration of fruit while remaining light on its feet. As well as bright primary fruit, it offers smoky bacon, spice and medicinal characters. There’s lovely sappy texture on the finish, which Baudry puts down to the limestone soils of the Chinon plateau that typically grip the side of the mouth. You can enjoy this in its youth, but it has an additional element of seriousness that means its future will stretch out to the medium term.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
“The Croix Boissée is another fascinating, always a bit untamed but tightly structured, distinctive Chinon. From a slope facing full south, with a diversity of soils, including sand, silica-streaked clay and white tuff, it is a silky, fresh and refined Chinon with a long, intense and vivacious finish with lingering salinity and palatable tannins.” –Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate
Bernard Baudry Chinon La Croix Boissee Rouge 2018 750ML ($59.95) $51.90 special, 17 bottles in stock now
Rebecca Gibb MW-Vinous 96 points “The ripeness of the 2018 vintage gives an almost Syrah/Viognier character to the Chinon La Croix Boissée, which offers sweet black fruit and a creamy apricot note. Sumptuous yet never ever opulent, it’s almost as if the wine’s just done a yoga class. Plentiful tannins give the inside of your cheeks a chalky rub, while there’s surprising freshness considering the ripeness, leading to a lengthy finish. This is a baby that will turn out to be a great adult.”
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2018 Chinon La Croix Boissée displays a deep, intense and elegant bouquet of dark fruits intertwined with black tea aromas. Silky, crystalline and elegant on the palate, this is a full-bodied, fresh and refined Chinon that is slightly leathery toward the finish, which is long, intense and vivacious and has lingering salinity. The tannins are fine, elegant and well integrated yet still palatable. The 2018 might have some volatile acidity, but this makes it a true classic of the appellation and an authentic Baudry. Great aging capacity. Tasted in June 2021.”
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Vinopolis is an independent wine shop located in Portland, Oregon that opened in 2004. Our goal has always been to offer the finest, broadest, and largest selection of wines at the best prices to our customers in Portland, in Oregon, across the West Coast, and throughout the United States.
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Thank you for reading and for continuing to support our team!
Stay safe, be well, & drink well.