In Today’s Newsletter:
Subscriber-Only Magnum Sale Ending Now!
New Week – New Arrivals
Trending
Staff Pick
Brick House: New Review!
Limited Supply – Don’t Miss: Ruby Pinot
Aldo Conterno
Champagne Special Focus:
Marguet & Grower Champagne
A Collection of Regal Roumier
Ending at 10 am!
10% off All In Stock Large Format (1.5L+) Bottles!
Discount does not apply to pre-arrival offers
Cannot be combined with other discounts
Discount will not appear in online shopping cart
We will apply it here before charging
Sale Ends Monday, November 12th at 10:00 am Pacific
To head straight to our website and see all of the (120+) magnums in stock now, just click here or just search for “1.5L” (3L, 6L, etc) in the webstore.
Here are some killer suggestions:
Eisele Vineyard (Araujo) Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2015 1.5L ($1,299.95) Displayed Price $959, Your Price $863.10, only 4 magnums in stock now
Wine Advocate 100 points “Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon charges from the gate with exuberant red and black cherries notes, black currants and mulberries with a beautiful roses and lavender perfume, plus hints of sandalwood and cinnamon stick. Full-bodied, concentrated and downright explosive in the mouth, it is still wearing loads of gorgeous puppy-fat fruit flavors, offering suggestions of the complex, multilayered blockbuster that it will emerge into. The structure deserves its own mention: wonderful, seamless freshness and oh-so-fine, pixelated tannins, with an extraordinary persistence of fruit and mineral nuances. Wow.”
Now it’s even lower!
The next best price is $1099.97
Isole e Olena Cepparello Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2015 1.5L ($179.95) Displayed Price $149, Your Price $134.10, 12 magnums in stock now
James Suckling 96 points “Shows lots of black cherries, cranberry tea, caramelized orange peel, roasted herbs and citrus peel. Full-bodied with ripe and quite round tannins that frame layers of cherries. Bright and fresh, yet rich and long at the same time. The sangiovese character really springs out of the glass. Drink in 2020.”
Now it’s even lower!
The next best price is $163.99
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2016 1.5L ($79.95) Displayed Price $69, Your Price $62.10, 20 magnums in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2016 Graacher Himmelreich Kabinett (AP 21 17) is deep, cool and flinty on the nose, pretty mineral though still a bit reductive. Round, intense and juicy, this is a densely woven Kabinett with ripe nectarine and plummy flavors as well as a tightly woven and refreshing mineral structure. The finish is pretty persistent and extremely stimulating. Compared to the Badstube, the Himmelreich is more aromatic and expressive. Tasted in March 2017.”
Now it’s even lower!
The next best price is $79
10% off All In Stock Large Format (1.5L+) Bottles!
Discount does not apply to pre-arrival offers
Cannot be combined with other discounts
Discount will not appear in online shopping cart
We will apply it here before charging
Sale Ends Monday Morning (November 12th) at 10:00 am Pacific
New Week – New Arrivals
Oregon
VinopolNote: We flew through our 2016 offering – so don’t wait for the reviews to come out. It’s one of the best values in WV Pinot right now!
The next best price is $27.89
Importer note “Generous and fine. Another Champagne from Clouet that achieves both structure and opulence, yet remains focused. Plenty of bright red fruit, and very obviously Pinot Noir, yet with the finesse that make a great rosé Champagne so exceptional.”
The average price is $51
Andre Clouet ‘Dream Vintage’ Brut, Champagne 2004 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
100% Chardonnay, bottled one year after harvest. Disgorged on order.
“Has it all. Big fruit allied to spicy complexity? Check. Ample tannins that are fully ripe? Check. A finish that extends for days? Check…”WA
Domaine Alain Voge Cornas Les Vieilles Vignes, Rhone 2015 750ML ($89.95) $79 special
Wine Spectator 96 points “Dark yet inviting, with a well of boysenberry and blackberry compote flavors luring you in, while charcoal, bay leaf and cast-iron notes add contrast and range to hold your attention. The grippy finish shows cut and energy, with a lingering savory and rosemary edge. Best from 2021 through 2037.”
Wine Advocate 95 points “Rich, deep and layered, the 2015 Cornas Vieilles Vignes has it all. Big fruit allied to spicy complexity? Check. Ample tannins that are fully ripe? Check. A finish that extends for days? Check. Oh, you want details? Hints of brown sugar, savory spices and roast meat accent black berry and plum fruit, and while the mid-palate is dense and tannic, those tannins actually turn more supple and approachable on the lingering finish.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 94 points “Brilliant purple. A highly perfumed bouquet displays ripe, mineral-tinged black and blue fruit, potpourri and incense qualities. Fleshy and expansive on the palate, offering densely packed yet energetic boysenberry, candied licorice and violet flavors enlivened by an undercurrent of juicy acidity. Smoothly blends richness and finesse and closes extremely long and youthfully tannic, leaving behind sexy floral pastille and dark berry liqueur notes.”Domaine Alain Voge Cornas Les Chailles, Rhone 2015 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Wine Spectator 95 points “An understated style, but focus and you’ll see just how lovely the cassis, cherry and raspberry flavors are, carried by riveting acidity and flecked with notes of powdered white pepper and violet. An iron girder drives the finish, pulling everything along. This is defined by pure, sleek cut. Best from 2020 through 2035. 915 cases made.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 93 points “Lurid ruby. Aromas of ripe dark berries and pungent flowers are lifted by intense mineral and peppery spice flourishes. Spicy and focused on the palate, offering intense blackberry and violet pastille flavors and salty olive and violet nuances. Puts on weight with air while maintaining vivacity. Finishes bright, smooth and impressively long, displaying excellent clarity, harmonious tannins and building spiciness.”
Domaine Alain Voge Saint-Joseph Les Cotes, Rhone 2015 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Wine Spectator 92 points “Fresh, with engaging boysenberry and raspberry coulis flavors allied to mouthwatering acidity, while light lavender, anise and black tea notes weave through the finish. Drink now through 2022. 415 cases made.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 92 points “Deep ruby. Heady aromas of cherry liqueur, cassis, violet and olive are sharpened by a smoky mineral quality. Juicy and nicely concentrated, showing very good depth to the smoke-tinged dark berry, cherry cola and floral pastille flavors. Finishes with strong, mineral-tinged persistence, harmonious tannins and repeating smokiness.”
The next best price is $43.99
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 96 points “Inky ruby. An alluringly perfumed bouquet evokes ripe black and blue fruits, candied licorice, exotic spices and incense, and shows a bright mineral topnote. Stains the palate with intense, spice-laced blackberry, boysenberry and violet pastille flavors that deepen and become sweeter with aeration. Delivers a compelling blend of richness and finesse and finishes extremely long and spicy, with smooth tannins sneaking in late.”
Southern Rhone
Jeb Dunnuck 95 points “The flagship 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc La Fontaine is a more substantial, serious effort that offers notes of caramelized citrus, brioche, honeysuckle and orange blossom. Rich, layered and concentrated, yet also fresh and lively, it’s a terrific white that’s going to sing on the dinner table. Drink it anytime over the coming 4-5 years (it will keep even longer).”Alain Jaume & Fils Domaine Grand Veneur Chateauneuf-du-Pape Les Origines, Rhone 2016 750ML ($69.59) $59 special
Jeb Dunnuck 94-96+ points “Possibly the finest vintage of this cuvée to date, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Origines (50% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, and the balance Syrah) offers a full-bodied, unctuous, yet thrillingly pure style in its black raspberry, cassis, licorice and spice aromas and flavors. It has a smoking good mid-palate, building, ripe tannin and a huge finish.”
Only 4 bottles left!
Alain Jaume & Fils Domaine Grand Veneur Chateauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes, Rhone 2016 750ML ($119.95) $99 special
Jeb Dunnuck 97-99+ points “The 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes is sensational, with notes of blackberry jam, blueberries, crushed flowers, licorice, and graphite all soaring from the glass. Deep, rich, unctuous and still structured, with masses of tannin, it’s a beast of a wine, yet stays impeccably balanced, pure and clean. It’s going to need 4-5 years of cellaring.”
The average price is $113Beaujolais
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2017 Chiroubles offers up a pretty bouquet of raspberries, red cherries, plums and dark chocolate, lent lift by pretty floral top notes. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, ample and succulent, with a layered core of fruit, fine tannins and mouthwatering acids. It hails from a steep hillside site and is matured in stainless steel.”
Wine Advocate 92+ points “From a south-facing site near Château Thivin, the 2017 Côte de Brouilly Cuvée Melanie exhibits a deep bouquet of blackberry, wild berries, grilled meat, dark chocolate and licorice. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, rich and ample, with a juicy core of fruit, ripe but chewy structuring tannins in abundance and a gourmand, layered profile.”
The next best price is $29.99
Daniel Bouland Morgon Corcelette Vieilles Vignes ‘Foudre 7’, Beaujolais 2017 750ML ($37.95) $29 special
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2017 Morgon Corcelette Vieilles Vignes (7) wafts from the glass with a creamy bouquet of cherries, cassis, dried flowers, dark chocolate, licorice and plums. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, ample and velvety, with juicy acids and fine tannins that are entirely concealed by a deep, layered core of fruit. Concentrated but mouthwatering, it’s quintessential Corcelette. There are two separate bottlings this year, numbered respectively as (4) and (7) to designate two different foudres that Bouland opted to distinguish to his clientele for the first time: this note refers to foudre #7, which hails from Tonnellerie Rousseau and represents a more recent addition to the cellar than the older, larger foudre #4.”
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2017 Morgon Corcelette Vieilles Vignes (4) is brilliant, unfurling in the glass with notes of wild plums, cherries and cassis, complemented by savory aromas of grilled meat and loamy soil. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, deep and layered, with a slightly tauter, more tensile profile than the Corcelette that matured in foudre #7, as well as marginally more concentration. While the differences between the two bottlings aren’t sufficient to merit a divergence of scores, #7 is the purist’s choice and seemingly the best-adapted to sustained bottle age: it was the bottling I purchased for my own cellar.”
Daniel Bouland Morgon Delys, Beaujolais 2017 750ML ($39.95) $33 special
Wine Advocate 96 points “From vines planted in sandy soils in 1926, the 2017 Morgon Les Delys Vieilles Vignes is a stunning wine that ranks as one of the vintage’s qualitative peaks, wafting from the glass with a kaleidoscopic bouquet of cassis, plums, cured meats, dark chocolate, wood smoke and rich soil tones. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, multidimensional and immensely concentrated, with fine tannins, tangy acids and an incredibly long finish. The sheer density of old vine extract in this bottling is more reminiscent of a young Clape Cornas than it is of most contemporary Beaujolais, but the winemaking here is utterly classical and there’s nothing forced about it. The most reserved of Bouland’s wines, the 2017 Delys will require at least 2 or 3 years of bottle age and reward a full 10.”
The average price nationally is $35
Wine Advocate 92 points “Rich aromas of raspberries and cherries introduce the 2017 Morgon Bellevue, a full-bodied, velvety but reserved wine with a deep, layered mid-palate, superb concentration and juicy acids. After the expressive Chiroubles and Côte de Brouilly, the Bellevue is a little more closed after its recent bottling, but it will be superb in the fullness of time.”
Case-12 Domaine de Pallus Chinon Messanges Rouge, Loire 2016 750ML ($179.95) $149 special (that’s only $12.41/bottle!)
Wine Spectator 90 points “A very fresh style, with high-pitched red currant and bitter cherry notes, lined with a mouthwatering iron streak. Bright savory and floral accents add lift on the finish. Very pure. Drink now through 2022. 2,000 cases made.”
The next best price is $15.99
Case-12 Castell’in Villa Chianti Classico DOCG, Tuscany 2014 750ML ($319.95) $259 special (that’s only $21.58/bottle!)
Winery note “The Castell’in Villa Chianti Classico is composed of 100% Sangiovese grapes. It is a complex and serious blend of our different vineyards. The wine is aged in traditional Chianti Classico casks for about 12 months. The Castell’in Villa Chianti Classico captures the fruit of the Sangiovese grapes and the earthy, spicy and slightly wild traces of the soil in a beautiful blend. It is an unusually concentrated Chianti Classico, that will invariably benefit from age.”
The average price nationally is $25
Wine Advocate 99+ points “Pure and flinty, with perfectly ripe stone fruit aromas that are seamlessly intertwined with the flavors of crushing stones, the 2015 Riesling Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese *** (White Capsule) is powerful, rich and incredibly juicy on the palate but, at the same time, pure, finessed and crystalline. This is a highly complex and salty, endlessly juicy and stony Riesling of great precision and salinity. The finish is long and stimulatingly salty, very rich and powerful and still marked by its yeasty texture. Fermented and aged in 3,100-liter barrel from Stockinger. Bottled in September.”
#Trending
Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas, Rhone 2016 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 95 points “Perfumy and stylish, with rooibos tea, blood orange and cherry aromas and flavors weaving through, infused with sandalwood, anise, bay leaf, sage and pepper notes along the way. A very fine and persistent chalky spine supports it all. Best from 2020 through 2035.”
La Gerla Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2013 750ML ($59.95) $45 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
La Gerla Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2013 1.5L ($119.95) $99 special, 12 magnums in stock now
La Gerla Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2013 375ML ($29.95) $26 special, 22 half-bottles in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2013 Brunello di Montalcino is elegant, balanced and bright. The pretty luminosity of the wine’s appearance helps to underline this positive impression. The bouquet is nuanced and layered with dried fruit aromas that segue to spice, tar and balsam herb. You get sassy aromas of licorice, tar and cola on the close.”
Ian d’Agata-Vinous 93+ points “Bright red. Pure and very flinty nuances complement aromas and flavors of strawberry-rhubarb and wild berries on the nose and palate. Dense and juicy and boasting a focused, penetrating mouthfeel, this finishes long and clean with a very strong note of licorice. Best classico Brunello from La Gerla in some time.”
The average price is $55
Selbach-Oster Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2015 750ML ($39.95) $36 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2015 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese is bright, pure, very fine, floral and flinty on the nose. It is provided with perfectly ripe and concentrated, slate-flavored fruit aromas intermixed with lemon and grapefruit notes. This is a lush, piquant and elegant, filigreed and finessed Auslese. It has great finesse and provided with a lot of Spiel and salt. The finish is pure, piquant and salty, but also lush and generous. This is a very precise, straight and stimulating, highly digestible Auslese with a lot of energy, tension and aging potential. It is very clear and there is no hint of botrytis here.”
Staff Pick
Don’t Overlook Languedoc!
Jay:
Winemaker Eric Prissette started out in Bordeaux in the 90’s and then wandered over to Languedoc to see what the terroir and grapes could offer. Here he set out purposely to make “wines you can drink” with a purity of fruit. With the Villa Symposia he has certainly succeeded. The 2013 is mostly Syrah with a little Mourvedre, plenty of red fruit and a little spice, perfectly structured with a velvety and integrated texture. This wine is quite quaffable! If you love a juicy Syrah, grab this one up at half the price of the average Northern Rhone!
In Stock Now:
Vignobles Prissette Villa Symposia Coteaux du Languedoc l’Origine 2013 750ML ($39.95) $33 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck – Wine Advocate 93 points “The terrific 2013 Pézenas l’Origine shows the hallmark spice-laced perfume of this appellation. Lots of red fruits, crushed flowers, spice and violet nuances give way to a medium-bodied, elegant and sweetly fruited 2013 that has fine tannin and a seamless, sexy texture. Drink this beauty anytime over the coming 5-6 years.”
Brick House
New Review from Grapelive
Brick House Vineyards Select Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2016 750ML ($39.95) $33 special
Grapelive 92 points “Wonderfully soulful and with layers of earth, woody/forest notes and dark fruits [is]the estate grown Select Ribbon Ridge by Oregon legend Doug Tunnell’s Brick House Vineyards. This 2016 is an old school beauty with very expansive and textured fruit and wistful elegance. It’s a beguiling Pinot Noir in the Burgundy tradition. Brick House, organic since 1990 and now Demeter certified biodynamic, is also part of the Deep Roots Coalition that is focused on dry farming. Even in a ripe year like 2016 Tunnell made impressively delicate and balanced wines, especially this one. According to Tunnell it’s the most easy-going and approachable of all of Brick House’s Pinot Noirs. The “Select” is a moderately priced, estate grown wine that is a selection of barrels representing all the different vineyard blocks on the farm in the Ribbon Ridge AVA of the Willamette Valley, at the discretion of the winemaker and team. The medium bodied palate oozes with a sense of class and place with pretty floral notes and a mouth that shows blackberry, plum and sweet cherry fruits along with hints of tea, spice, herb, mineral and a touch of chalk with soft tannins as well as nice oak shadings, gaining that subtle earthy charm with air and lingering with an impression of rose petals and strawberries. There’s no drama here, no sharp edges and it’s a wine that sneaks in its best qualities without any showmanship. This is a transparent and pure Pinot Noir that tastes dreamy and hits all the boxes without being flashy. Enjoy over the next 3 to 5 years. I love all the wines here at Brick House, especially their Pinots, and recent vintages are awesome. Don’t overlook their Chardonnay, which gets better and better, as well as their true Gamay Noir, which is one of the very best in the new world.”
Limited Supply – Don’t Miss!
Made by Eric Hamacher for the family-owned estate.
Arriving Friday
Wine Enthusiast 90 points “($36) The name references a type of soil. The flavors combine red berries and a whiff of mushroom, along with spice, orange peel and citrus. The wine seems to tighten up through the midpalate, which leaves the finish feeling a bit restrained. Try giving it a good long decanting, or cellar till 2020.”
VinopolNote: Disregard the Wine Enthusiast’s hesitation – this wine is open and ready to go! No further cellaring required. This wine exhibits a full range of Pinot Noir flavors in a well-balanced, medium-weigh body. Nothing seems tight or restrained. Eric Hamacher doesn’t make wines like that after all!
The next best price is $35.99
Aldo Conterno
Folks, in our nearly 15 years of seeking great wines and pounding down prices we have never before been able to offer such classic high quality Barolo so deeply discounted as these!
Aldo Conterno is a top modern Barolo producer and his split from his family’s winery is a defining moment in the history of the region. Ever since 1969, Aldo Conterno has been one of the names to know and collect. This is a powerful, full-throttle expression of Barolo, with deep luscious fruit and all the power you could hope for from the famed Bussia Cru.
Champagne Special Focus:
Marguet
“Benoît Marguet is a fast-rising star in the Montage de Reims if not in the entire Champagne region…” –Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate
In Stock Now from Marguet
“Sapience is the name of Marguet’s prestige cuvée that is produced every single year… It is a Premier Cru Brut Nature whose grapes are sourced in old, organic or biodynamically farmed vineyards from three well-known champagne growers in Cumières (Georges Laval), Trépail (David Léclapart) and Bouzy (Benoît Lahaye), who all work the soil with horses or tractors and protect the vines with herbal infusions and essential oils. The resulting millésimes are pure and quiet (or subtle) beauties that taste unique in texture and flavors but will benefit significantly from further bottle aging. In their youth, they are full of energy and vitality but not too good to lose control or patience—which is true for all of the wines from Marguet. Keep them (at least) for three or more years after the disgorgement, and you will get the best of them.” –Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate
Marguet Pere & Fils ‘Sapience’ Premier Cru Extra-Brut, Champagne 2009 750ML ($219.95) $189 special, 5 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points “A blend of 50% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Noir and 25% Pinot Meunier, the golden-yellow 2009 Premier Cru Brut Nature displays a clear, deep and well-concentrated bouquet of ripe and spicy fruits with a touch of lemon juice and oak. Pure, fresh and fruity on the palate (sweet cherries, red berries and citrus fruits), this is a very elegant, perfectly round, complex, well-balanced though tightly structured and vibrantly mineral cuvée with a long, clear, pure and salty finish. This is remarkably finessed. Unfortunately, I tasted the 2009 three weeks after the 2007 and the 2008 rather than tasting all three side by side, but qualitatively, it’s much closer to the 2008 than to the 2007 and is doubtlessly an impressive Brut Nature.”
Peter Liem “Since 2006, Marguet has been working with Hervé Jestin, the former chef de cave of Duval-Leroy who is now a consultant to many wine estates around Europe. Marguet has gradually integrated Jestin’s homeopathic and biodynamic practices into his own winemaking, and the two of them have collaborated to create a special, naturally grown champagne that encapsulates and expresses Jestin’s philosophies. The first vintage of this super-cuvée was 2006, released in 2013, and the production was divided: half of it was sold under the Jestin label, with the other half under the label Sapience, which Marguet has indicated is a separate brand from the Marguet label.”
Peter Liem “As of 2015, the non-vintage brut became a cuvée of roughly two-thirds pinot noir and one-third chardonnay, called Elements: the base year is included in the title, so the inaugural release was called Elements 10 and the follow-up Elements 11 (the first to be certified organic). To complicate things, though, it turned out that the name Elements is trademarked in the United States by Codorníu Napa, who uses it for California red wines under their Artesa label. Thus, Marguet was forced to change his cuvée name again, and the 2012-based release is called Shaman 12, with a rosé version created as well.”
The average price is $55 for any base-year
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 91 points “Predominantly based on 2014 and a blend of 67% Chardonnay with 33% Pinot Noir, Benoît Marguet’s NV Shaman 14 Rosé Grand Cru displays a pale salmon color and a lovely pure, fresh and delicate bouquet of red berries, cherries, citrus and floral notes. Round and elegant yet bone dry on the palate, this is a filigreed yet structured rosé with a good, cleansing, aromatic finish and very delicate, stimulating grip. The wine was bottled in July 2015 and disgorged in February 2018. Tasted May 2018.”
Peter Liem “As of 2015, the non-vintage brut became a cuvée of roughly two-thirds pinot noir and one-third chardonnay, called Elements: the base year is included in the title, so the inaugural release was called Elements 10 and the follow-up Elements 11 (the first to be certified organic). To complicate things, though, it turned out that the name Elements is trademarked in the United States by Codorníu Napa, who uses it for California red wines under their Artesa label. Thus, Marguet was forced to change his cuvée name again, and the 2012-based release is called Shaman 12, with a rosé version created as well.”
The average price is $60
Top notch year / terroir / grower and highly limited supply – what are you waiting for?
Marguet Pere & Fils ‘Les Crayeres’ Ambonnay Grand Cru, Champagne 2012 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special, only 12 bottles available
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2012 Ambonnay Grand Cru Les Crayères is from what is possibly Ambonnay’s most prestigious lieu-dit and blends 72% Pinot Noir with 28% Chardonnay from roughly 45-year-old vines. (In former vintages, the Chardonnay percentage was much higher than the Pinot part, yet the 2014 will even be a pure Blanc de Noirs!) Bottled in July 2013 and disgorged with no dosage and no added sulfites in May 2017, this white-golden colored Crayères offers a deep and rich bouquet of perfectly ripe fruit, butterscotch and pastry intermixed with very fine mineral/iodine flavors. On the palate, this is a pure, fresh, salty, very elegant and complex cuvée with lemony freshness in the purely chalky and salty finish. It’s perhaps the finest and most elegant but also the sharpest lieu-dit bottling of the 2012 vintage from Benoît Marguet. The acidity is nerve-wrenchingly fresh and still needs to be fully integrated. The 2012 is also pretty rich and generous as well as very complex. It should be interesting to follow the development of the 2012 in the coming years. Total production: 4,091 bottles. Tasted May 2018.”
Lover Grower Champagne?
So do we.
Here are some top picks in Grower Champagnes in stock now:
Antonio Galloni 90 points “The NV Brut Cuvée Le Brut is bright and finely sculpted to its core, with terrific energy and verve throughout. Citrus, white flowers, slate and chalk all take shape in the glass. On the palate, the Brut offers a compelling interplay of translucence married to creamy resonance of the Pinot Noir in the blend. Those qualities, along with the wine’s overall balance, make Le Brut irresistibly beautiful and alluring. The current release is 48% 2014 and the rest 2013, 2012, 2011 and 2009. Disgorged: June 2017. Dosage is 8 grams per liter.”
Terry Theise note “In the early days of this portfolio—jeez, 20 years ago—this was among my most beloved NVs, and then there seemed to be a kind of trough, and now it’s gorgeous once more. It’s gorgeous, and there is nothing remotely like it. 91% CH (Villers Marmery is an island of CH in a sea of PN a.k.a. the Montagne de Reims) and 9% PN, it’s 48% 2014 with the remainder blending ’13, ’12, ’11 and ’09. Another lovely edition of Margaine, that will improve with more time on the cork. Still pale, with an almost ghostly, eerie clarity, a high-register shimmer, diaphanous and spectral, and the finish is like tiny white sparks are shooting from your tongue. The customary flavors of jasmine and talc are certainly present, but it’s the haunting ethereal pealing that you’ll remember.”Dehu ‘La Rue des Noyers’, Champagne NV (2014) 750ML ($119.95) $89 special, 35 bottles in stock now
Importer note “Benoit is an eighth generation vigneron that returned to the family estate after working for Bollinger. He is committed to natural farming and aims to craft unadultered, pure Pinot Meunier. He purchased this 1.7 hectare vineyard and farms it biodynamically. The results are exceptional and we are thrilled to introduce Benoit’s work to our clients. The Cuvee La Rue de Noyers, named for the walnut trees that line the parcel, is a wine that will keep you intrigued and coming back for more. Organically farmed Pinot Meunier, 1.7 hectares farmed biodynamically. A quarter of the property is worked with a horse named Violette. Vinified in oak barrels, many of which are made from trees from the forest of Fossoy. No malo, no dosage, unfined and unfiltered.”
The next best price is $98
Gatinois Ay Tradition Grand Cru Brut, Champagne NV (2014) 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 21 bottles in stock now
Importer note “Composed mainly of the 2014 vintage, with a small bit of reserve wine. Fermentation (100% malo) in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts. Estate-owned Pinot Noir (majority is Petit Pinot d’Ay) and Chardonnay grown in the Grand Cru village of Äy. Most of their Pinot holdings are comprised of massale selection Petite Pinot d’Ay: a small-yielding, tiny berried clone that is unique to this village. [The soil] has a good percentage of limestone found in subsoils. Technically located in Vallée de la Marne, but its terroir and exposition are more like Montagne de Reims.”
The average price nationally is $44
Thierry Triolet [Carte Noire] Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($44.95) $33 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 90 points “(90% Chardonnay and 10% Pinot Noir; 10 g/l dosage): Light yellow. Vibrant, mineral-accented aromas of fresh citrus and orchard fruits, with suave floral and candied ginger notes adding complexity. Fleshy and broad on entry, then tighter in the mid-palate, offering juicy green apple and orange zest flavors and a touch of white pepper. Closes silky and smoky, with good clarity and length.”
The average price nationally is $36
Pierre Peters Cuvee Speciale ‘Les Chetillons’ Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut, Champagne 2011 750ML ($149.95) $125 special
Pierre Peters Cuvee Speciale ‘Les Chetillons’ Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut, Champagne 2011 1.5L ($349.95) $299 special, 2 magnums in stock now
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2011 Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Les Chetillons Cuvée Speciale shows a clear and spicy bouquet with earthy and vegetal notes at the moment. There are also some white nougat and pignon flavors. On the palate, this is a firmly structured, fresh, elegant and, right now, lightly austere Chétillons that should be cellared for a decade, as Rodolphe Péters recommends. The long and mineral finish is very clear, fresh, firm and highly complex. This is a very promising Blanc de Blancs from three plots in Les Chétillons that were fermented separately. By the way, 50% of the wine is kept aside as reserve, while 5,000 to 11,000 “vintaged” bottles are produced from the 2.5 hectares Péters owns in the extraordinary cru whose sélections massales date back to 1981 and 1936. The 2011 Cuvée Speciale is dosed with four grams per liter and was disgorged in January 2018. Tasted at the domaine in April 2018.”An up and coming producer in the Cote des Blancs
Suenen Cramant+Chouilly Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Peter Liem note “In addition to the Oiry blanc de blancs, Suenen has created a non-vintage cuvée that blends Cramant and Chouilly. Like the Oiry, about a quarter of it was fermented in barrel, and it’s largely from 2013, with a barrel of 2012 added as reserve wine. It’s broad in build and dark in tone, reflecting its terroir, although it’s kept buoyant by racy acidity and an intensely saline minerality. This is dosed at 2 g/l, and I think that it would be more expressive and complete with a gram or two more—nevertheless, it’s lively and enticing, and it’s delicious to drink. Last tasted: 11/16.”
The average price is $69!!
Vouette et Sorbee Cuvee Blanc d’Argile Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, Champagne NV (2014) 750ML ($79.95) $69 special, 11 bottles in stock now
Vouette et Sorbee Cuvee Blanc d’Argile Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, Champagne NV (2014) 1.5L ($199.95) $149 special, 3 magnums in stock now
Wine & Spirits 94 points “Working in the Cote des Bar, Bertrand Gautherot has farmed his Demeter-certified vineyards biodynamically since 1998. Fermented spontaneously in oak barrels, presented without dosage, Blanc d’Argile is a bare, naked chardonnay that bristles with energy, then quiets to the warmth of the cool autumn sun. Crunchy apple and complex herbal notes add to the wine’s stony, mineral power. It’s lovely Champagne, elegant and compellingly drinkable.”
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points “From a rather young vineyard (less than ten years old) planted with nothing but Chardonnay, the NV Brut Nature Blanc d’Argile—here, the “R14,” which is entirely based on the 2014 harvest—is an intensely citrus colored, white-golden shimmering beauty. Intense yet fine and floral on the nose, this oak-fermented (you don’t really get that aromatically!) Blanc de Blancs shows an iodine and almost floral (think of broom!), intense and vinous nose like a fine Chablis. The palate is round yet dry, firm and mineral until the long, tensioned, well-structured and very salty finish. This is a great mix of ripe, lush fruit, elegance, finesse and iodine flavors—so, where are the oysters? Disgorged in March 2017; tasted in July 2018.”
Importer Note “From Clay, Kimmeridgian limestone soils. Hand harvested, natural yeast fermentation in French oak, [and] minimal SO2. Mainly from a small parcel of Chardonnay in Briaunes supplemented with scattered plantings of Chardonnay in Bertrand’s other lieux-dits. Small in volume now, it will increase when the young vines in Vouette begin to come online. Mineral, nougat, salty and long – basically a Grand Cru Chablis with bubbles.”
Everyone has their one wine. That one wine that got you into wine, that made everything click. I have a confession. I have lots of one wines: The one wine that started it all. That one Oregon Pinot that narrowed that focus. That one Grower Champagne that got me interested in Grower Champagnes. And that one 100% Pinot Meunier Grower Champagne that convinced me that Pinot Meunier Champagne wasn’t all bubblegum aromas and treacly sweetness. This is that Champagne. This is that Grower. This is that vintage. And this is a winery-cellared release.Arriving Mid-December
Christophe Mignon Brut Nature Blanc de Noirs Pur Meunier, Champagne 2010 750ML ($89.95) $79 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 95 points “Mignon’s 2010 Brut Nature Blanc de Noirs Pur Meunier is fabulous. Bright, focused and energetic, the 2010 Pur Meunier is endowed with real class. The flavors are bright and focused, but it is the wine’s multi-dimensional personality that truly stands out. There is a sense of verticality supported by beams of minerality that is simply compelling. This is the single finest Champagne I have tasted from Christophe Mignon so far. The 2010 emerges from parcels in Festigny and Le Breuil planted in 1976. Bottled with no dosage.”
A Collection of Regal Roumier
We have twelve back vintage wines from the legendary Chambolle producer arriving mid-November. Roumier is perpetually one of the toughest producers in Burgundy to source, so we are exceptionally pleased to offer these wines, with excellent provenance and pricing, to you today. The full list can be seen on our web store but we’ve got a few highlights below.
Arriving Mid-November:
Domaine Roumier Chambolle-Musigny 2005 750ML ($449.95) $369 pre-arrival special, only 2 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer-Vinous 90 points “Good medium red. Dark raspberry, coffee and spicy oak on the nose; this wine’s flamboyant ripeness almost came as a shock following the more reticent 2006s. Big, round, plush and ripe, with spicy dark raspberry and chocolate flavors and considerable density for village wine. Quite smooth and harmonious at the moment: Roumier volunteered that this is not as closed yet as he expected it would be.”
The next best price is $399
Burghound 92 points “This is also remarkably fresh with cool and markedly earthy dark berry fruit aromas that exhibit much more floral influence as well. There is good concentration to the moderately powerful, intense and muscular medium-bodied flavors that are supported by firm and mildly rustic tannins on the impressively long finish. This is not an especially big Charmes but I like the delivery and balance.”
Antonio Galloni 95+ points “Roumier’s 2008 Ruchottes-Chambertin is drop-dead gorgeous. Layers of dark fruit, violets, pepper and flowers meld together in this multi-dimensional, beautifully textured wine. Despite its weightless elegance, this shows plenty of vitality, and a cool vibrant personality that will fully emerge only after several additional years in bottle.”
Antonio Galloni 98 points “Roumier’s 2009 Bonnes-Mares is without question one of the wines of the vintage. Firm yet beautifully integrated tannins provide the backdrop for the highly nuanced, expressive aromas and flavors that emerge from the glass. All the elements are in the right place in this extraordinary, moving wine. At times the Bonnes-Mares comes across as very powerful, at other times it is quite sensual. In other words, it is pure magic in the glass. Burgundy fans will flock to the Musigny because of its rarity but there is a very real possibility that the Bonnes-Mares will outshine it over time.”
Burghound 96 points “This is also remarkably fresh with very ripe but not over ripe aromas of cassis, spice, stone and raspberry liqueur. There is a palpable sense of energy running through the rich, powerful and brooding broad-shouldered flavors that benefit from a huge dollop of dry extract that pushes the very firm tannic spine to the background on the explosive and youthfully austere finish that possesses genuinely outstanding length. I very much like the balance here and this should age effortlessly for decades.”
The average price nationally is $2,366
Just click here to view a full list on our website.Plus, don’t miss our recent offers on Armand Rousseau, Mugneret-Gibourg, Hudelot-Noëllat or Domaine Romanée Conti!
Thank you for reading!