Featured New Arrival; New Week – New Arrivals; Back in Stock!: Produttori Mags & Beaux Freres Les Cousins; Trending; Molitor Madness – It’s Arrived!; Staff Picks; Cantine Lonardo: Our Favorite Campanian; Lopez de Heredia; The 2012 Brunello Vintage Arrives With A Bang
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Featured New Arrival
Domaine Faiveley Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2014 750ML ($279.95) $229 special
Wine Spectator 96 points “A fresh white, exuding lemon tart, apple, peach and toasted spice flavors. Elegant and racy, firming up on the stony finish and echoing notes of citrus and spice. Shows terrific focus and precision on the long aftertaste. Best from 2019 through 2032.”
Stephen Tanzer – Vinous 94+ points “Pale, bright yellow. Reticent nose hints at crushed stone, lemon and nutmeg. Piquant flavors of lemon zest and crushed stone convey an impression of electric energy. Dense and fine-grained but with a weightless quality owing to its powerful stony minerality. The wonderfully tactile, slowly mounting finish displays strong salty extract. Still a baby and almost painfully taut today, but its pungency and echoing length suggest that it will be long-lived.”
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Summer Shipping Special:
Midwest, East, & South
For the summer season we are offering UPS Three Day Select Service for the price of UPS Ground for shipments normally traveling 4 or more business days by ground.
Free service upgrade only applies on single orders purchased and shipped during the promotional period. Additional fees will apply to orders held for any reason until after the promotional period and shipped by Three Day Select. Offer not valid on items purchased before the promotional period or on pre-arrival items that arrive after the promotional period ends.
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New Week – New Arrivals
Washington
Canoe Ridge Vineyard The Expedition Chardonnay, Horse Heaven Hills 2015 750ML ($17.95) $11.90 special
Case-12 Canoe Ridge Vineyard The Expedition Chardonnay, Horse Heaven Hills 2015 750ML ($179.95) $119 special (that’s only $9.92/bottle!)
“Scents of butterscotch and honeysuckle mix with flavors of ripe pear and honeydew for a rich, elegant texture on the finish.”–Winery note
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Canoe Ridge Vineyard The Expedition Cabernet Sauvignon, Horse Heaven Hills 2015 750ML ($17.95) $11.90 special
Case-12 Canoe Ridge Vineyard The Expedition Cabernet Sauvignon, Horse Heaven Hills 2015 750ML ($179.95) $119 special (that’s only $9.92/bottle!)
“Spiced floral aromas lead to layered juicy flavors of red currant and smoky plum, with a deep, velvety finish.”–Winery note
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
California
Stonestreet Alexander Mountain Estate Chardonnay, Alexander Valley 2014 750ML ($31.95) $24 special
Case-12 Stonestreet Alexander Mountain Estate Chardonnay, Alexander Valley 2014 750ML ($359.95) $249 special (that’s only $20.75/bottle!)
Robert Parker 92 points “The 2014 Stonestreet Estate Chardonnay is superb, with plenty of white peach and poached pear notes, beautiful purity, a lusty, medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, subtle French oak, and terrific fruit and honeysuckle. Drink it over the next 5-7 years.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $30
Stonestreet Alexander Mountain Estate Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley 2014 750ML ($44.95) $29 special
Case-6 Stonestreet Alexander Mountain Estate Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley 2014 750ML ($239.95) $149 special (that’s only $24.83/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
“Stonestreet’s 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is a soft, immediate wine best suited for drinking over the next few years given its light to medium-bodied structure.”–Antonio Galloni
France – Champagne
Jacquesson Extra Brut Sillery Grand Cru, Champagne 1996 750ML ($249.95) $219 special
“Today, Jacquesson is among Champagne’s elite producers, that much is certain.” –Antonio Galloni
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Only one bottle available!
France – Bordeaux
Chateau Grand Puy Lacoste, Pauillac 2009 750ML ($149.95) $99 special
Robert Parker 95 points “Performing better from bottle than it did from cask (and comparable to their wines 2005, 2000, 1990 and 1982), this is a great classic from Xavier Borie’s estate situated on the back roads west of the town of Pauillac. Its dense ruby/purple color is followed by hints of spring flowers, crushed rocks, black currants, cedar and earth/underbrush. Precise and elegant as well as backward and foreboding, it should put on weight in the bottle and evolve for two decades. Very concentrated as well as velvety-textured, it is a beauty of finesse, balance, purity and nobility. It will benefit from 5-7 more years of bottle age.”RP
France – Burgundy
Domaine Roulot Les Boucheres, Meursault Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($349.95) $319 special
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 92 points “Pungent minerality on the nose and palate gives this wine an exhilarating light touch. Supple and refined, this lovely Meursault gained in sweetness as it opened in the glass, showing a honeyed quality to go with its saline minerality. Finishes very smooth and long, with noteworthy lift.”
Burghound 91-93 points “A more elegant, airy and slightly cooler nose displays notes of citrus, rose petal, essence of almost and a hint of jasmine tea. There is an equally good sense of refinement to the ultra-pure and more obviously mineral-inflected flavors that culminate in an understated, clean and beautifully focused and balanced finish that is positively Zen-like in its sense of harmony. This and the Porusot beautifully demonstrate the two extremes of the Meursault 1ers as they contrast power and punch with elegance and finesse. Note that while these are qualitative equals they could hardly be more different.”
Only two bottles available!
Domaine Ghislaine Barthod Aux Beaux Bruns, Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru 2014 750ML ($169.95) $149 special
Wine Advocate 91-93 points “The 2014 Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru les Beaux Bruns has a lilting nose of wild strawberry and redcurrant, nonchalant and precise, though not powerful in any way. The palate is elegant and fresh with crisp tannins, red merging into dark berry fruit towards the finish that is nicely structured, understated and with a faint marine influence. I just adore how the terroir comes through here.”
Only one bottle available!
France – Rhone
Domaine Alain Graillot Saint-Joseph Rouge, Rhone 2015 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 91-92 points “Opaque ruby. Mineral- and spice-accented black and blue fruit aromas are complemented by suggestions of olive, licorice and pungent flowers. Broad and fleshy on entry, offering concentrated blackberry, violet pastille and spicecake flavors and a smoky mineral flourish. Rich yet surprisingly energetic, showing very good balance and focus. Lingers with strong tenacity on the finish, which is given shape by youthfully chewy tannins.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
France – Beaujolais
Domaine de la Chapelle des Bois Morgon ‘Les Rontay’ 2014 750ML ($21.95) $19 special
“Chantal and Eric Coudert-Appert, the proprietors of the Domaine de la Chapelle des Bois, represent the seventh generation of this family line to work the vineyards of this estate in the heart of Fleurie. The domaine comprises 8.4 hectares of vineyards, all of which are hand-harvested. This energetic couple follows the precepts of “lutte raisonnée” when working the vineyards, which is to say they use an organic approach, treating the vines only when absolutely necessary to produce a healthy, ripe crop. At Domaine de la Chapelle des Bois, the wines are vinified in a traditional manner using a “semi-carbonic” maceration. The cuvaison extends for 10 to 15 days depending on the specific cuvée. A grill placed on top of the cuve and then partially submerged is often utilized during the fermentation period to keep the solid matter in continuous contact with the fermenting juice; this process of extraction is supplemented by a twice-a-day “remontage” or pumping of the juice over the solids during the cuvaison.”-Importer note
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine de la Chapelle des Bois Fleurie Cuvee Vieilles Vignes de la Cadole 2014 750ML ($21.95) $19 special
“This cuvée of Fleurie is sourced from a single parcel planted to vines eighty years old. In contrast to the other wines of the domaine, this special selection is aged 12 months in large, older foudres to best express its formidable character. Surprisingly, this structured wine is supremely elegant and fine; and, it is surely capable of providing pleasure over an extended period of time.”–Importer note
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
France – Loire
Hubert Rousseau Domaine des Trois Toits Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine Sur Lie, Loire 2015 750ML ($19.95) $16 special
Case-12 Hubert Rousseau Domaine des Trois Toits Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine Sur Lie, Loire 2015 750ML ($219.95) $169 special (that’s only $14.08/bottle!)
“After harvest the grapes are pressed and the juice is placed in underground cuves in typical and ancient fashion in the Muscadet district. The alcoholic fermentation proceeds at low temperatures for three to five weeks. Afterwards the wine is racked off the gross lies and is left to age on the fine lies until bottling. During the period of elevage, the wines are in constant contact with the lies, with frequent batonage. The result is a fresh, mineral-driven wine that occasionally carries an almost imperceptible effervescence. Bottling normally occurs during the period of March through May of the year following harvest.”–Importer note
France – Jura
Domaine Daniel Dugois Arbois Chardonnay, Jura 2014 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
Wine Spectator 90 points “This has the variety’s typically yellow apple and pear flavors, but with distinctive salted butter, quinine and wet straw notes adding range and character through the finish. Drink now through 2018.”
Domaine Daniel Dugois Arbois Savagnin, Jura 2012 750ML ($31.95) $28 special
Wine Spectator 92 points “Very distinctive, with singed Brazil nut aromas imparting a Sherry-like profile before revealing richer apple, melon and pear nuances midpalate. The long finish picks up paraffin, brioche, salted butter and dried lemon rind notes, with everything flowing harmoniously over a dry, nervy underpinning. Drink now through 2022.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Daniel Dugois Arbois Trousseau Grevilliere, Jura 2013 750ML ($27.95) $24 special
VinopolNote: 100% Trousseau from 60 year old vines grown in clay, marl and gravel soil in the village of Arsures, near Arbois.
Winery note “[Translated] Deep garnet color. Aromas of cherry, licorice and pepper. Opens with freshness on the palate, giving way to a powerful and full-bodied wine with fine tannins. Lingers with a signature varietal note of cherry and spices.”
“Light-bodied, with dried cherry and blood orange notes inlaid with gently singed cedar and sandalwood flavors. Dusty finish. Drink now”–Wine Spectator
Italy – Tuscany
Petrolo ‘Inarno’ Rosso Valdarno di Sopra, Tuscany 2012 750ML ($19.95) $14 special
Case-12 Petrolo ‘Inarno’ Rosso Valdarno di Sopra 2012 750ML ($219.95) $149 special (that’s only $12.42/bottle!)
Ian D’Agata–Vinous 89 points “(100% sangiovese): Good deep red. Expressive aromas of candied raspberry, licorice, tobacco and underbrush. Dense and sweet on the palate, with lovely depth to its raspberry and superripe red cherry flavors lifted by bright acidity. Finishes smooth, long and light on its feet.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $16.99
Petrolo Galatrona Valdarno di Sopra, Tuscany 2009 750ML ($99.95) $79 special
James Suckling 97 points “Amazing aromas of black truffles, crushed blackberries and dark chocolate. Dried flowers too. Full-bodied, with wonderful fruit that is layered and gorgeous. The finish is fruity, long and stylish. Give it three years to come together. Best after 2013.”
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2009 Galatrona is a beautifully centered wine. It shows terrific energy, freshness and vibrancy from start to finish. Cassis, blackberries, mint, spices and new leather are all woven together nicely in the 2009. Firm yet well-integrated tannins support the finish. Although quite overt today, the 2009 appears to have the structure to age well for a number of years. The 2009 is a serious wine with a bright future. Both bottles I tasted were immensely pleasing. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Italy – Friuili
Gravner Breg Anfora Venezia Giulia IGT, Friuli-Venezia Giulia 2008 750ML ($89.95) $77 special
“Grape blend obtained from different vine varieties (Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Pinot grigio and Riesling italico) which are fermented separately and aged together. While fermenting in Georgian amphorae buried underground, it underwent a long maceration with wild yeasts and no temperature control. After the drawing off and pressing phases the wine was poured back into amphorae for five more months before it started ageing in large oak barrels, where It was left for six years. Wine is bottled without fining or filtration.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Gravner Anfora Ribolla Gialla Venezia Giulia IGT, Friuli-Venezia Giulia 2008 750ML ($89.95) $79 special
“Made from Ribolla grapes which have been cultivated in this area for more than a thousand years. While fermenting in Georgian amphorae buried underground, it underwent a long maceration with wild yeasts and no temperature control. After the drawing off and pressing phases the wine was poured back into amphorae for at least five more months before it started ageing in large oak barrels, where it was left for six years. Wine is bottled without fining or filtration.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Germany
For new arrivals from Markus Molitor – see our special feature below!
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Back in Stock!
Produttori del Barbaresco ‘Barbaresco DOCG’, Piedmont 2013 1.5L ($79.95) $59 special
Antonio Galloni 90 points “The 2013 is a tasty, easygoing Barbaresco to drink over the next decade or more. There is good depth in the glass, with pretty notes of tobacco, licorice, herb and worn-in leather that add nuance. Sweet red cherry, pomegranate and a closing burst of acidity meld into the finish. The tannins are present, but they are also pretty much buried by the creaminess of the fruit. A lovely impeccably balanced, understated wine that offers considerable regional and varietal expression. In other words: textbook. The Produttori’s Barbaresco has a track record of aging well, but the 2013 is also surprisingly accessible. It should drink well with minimal cellaring.”
(And final case of:)
Beaux Freres Les Cousins Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2015 750ML ($29.95) $26 special
“The 2015 ‘Les Cousins’ represents an eclectic selection of barrels from our cellar.”–Winery note
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Trending
Cameron Winery Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2015 750ML ($31.95) $24 special
VinopolNote: Declassified barrels of Abbey Ridge and Clos Electrique. This is the budget-friendly wine to pour to show the world what Oregon can do. Year in, year out, it’s one of the best values from the Dundee Hills. There’s red & black fruits, loamy soil and spice. Drink it now, save a case for later. Just do yourself a favor and stock up before it’s gone. Because Cameron wines never last on the shelf for long.
Charles Smith K Vintners ‘M.C.K. Motor City Kitty’ Syrah, Washington 2014 750ML ($39.95) $33 special
Wine Enthusiast 93 points –Editors’ Choice–“This aromatically brooding wine brings aromas of brown stems, scorched earth, smoked meat, iron, violets, orange peel and blue and black fruit. The flavors coat the palate from end to end with silky soft, unabashedly appealing fruit and savory notes. It hits the delicious gong hard, with an enduring finish.”
Bedrock Wine Co. Pagani Ranch Heirloom-Heritage Wine, Sonoma Valley 2015 750ML ($51.95) $46 special
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2015 Pagani Heritage is the most overt and flamboyant of the Sonoma Valley wines. Inky red fruit, wild flowers, violet, mint and plum infuse this super-concentrated, dense Zinfandel-based wine.”
We offer 358 wines from Oregon, Washington and California in stock now from Cayuse to Reynvaan, Bedrock to Wind Gap, Bow & Arrow to Willakenzie and more. Find your favorite on our web store!
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Molitor Madness
It’s here and there’s no escape!
Here are the top-scoring wines that just arrived. See the full list of all 2015 Molitor Rieslings in stock now and arriving soon below!
Markus Molitor Kinheimer Hubertuslay Riesling Auslese *** GK, Mosel 2015 750ML ($99.95) $86 special
Wine Advocate 99 points “The 2015 Riesling Kinheimer Hubertuslay Auslese *** (Golden Capsule) is clear, deep and complex on the nose and opens with ripe but fresh fruit aromas intermixed with herbal notes. Highly elegant, precise and finessed but also rich and lush on the palate, this is a well textured Auslese with super finesse and present acidity but also some fine tannins. This wine is partly fermented in a small barrel, which gives it greater development and a silky textured complexity. It is more dense and concentrated than the Rosenberg, but it also has great finesse and precision. Highly digestible even today, but I wouldn’t waste its greatest talents before the wine is fully developed.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $105.99
Markus Molitor Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Auslese *** GK, Mosel 2015 750ML ($119.95) $99 special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 98+ points “The 2015 Riesling Ürziger Würzgarten Auslese *** (Golden Capsule) offers a very clear, deep, intense and complex stone fruit aroma with some very discreet toast and crushed stone flavors. Full-bodied, rich and powerful but enormously racy-piquant and mineral so that you don’t taste its sweetness, this is a great, expressive terroir wine with a huge inner concentration that comes from the soils rather than dried berries. It is based on grapes with dry raisins due to perfect botrytis combined with healthy berries that deliver the tremendous freshness in this gorgeous Auslese that also reveals some fine tannins from the aging partly in small oak.”
Markus Molitor Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese *** GK, Mosel 2015 750ML ($119.95) $99 special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 99 points “The 2015 Riesling Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Auslese *** (Golden Capsule) is clear, fresh and concentrated on the nose nose where deep and smoky flavors of crushed stones are displayed, giving just a hint of the true potential of this wine. Round and seamless on the palate, with perfectly ripe but vital and fresh fruit, this has a gorgeous mineral raciness and tension. There is also a quiet stream of perfectly balanced and concentrated melting stones and very fine salts that flows over the palate. This is an exciting, very well structured and tightly woven Riesling legend that will still fascinate wine lovers in 50, 60, maybe 70 years. This is a laser beam of great Riesling, tight and concentrated but still not that open like the corresponding Wehlener.”
See the complete list of all 2015 Markus Molitor Rieslings available here now and arriving soon below:
We offer 267 different Riesling options from Germany in stock now – see the complete list on our web store!
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Staff Picks
Saul:
This is an admittedly spendy staff pick, which is saying something because despite the glamourous image of working in a wine shop, most of the time yours truly drinks relatively humble bottles. This champagne is really something—unique and distinctive while remaining absolutely compelling and drinkable. Above around $50, I start to demand that Champagne be more than just delicious—I want it to have real character and possess the complexity and seriousness of high-end still wines. This does in spades. Benoît Déhu makes the base wine like a fine Burgundy and so once it has bubbles it shows all of that depth and class. Really special stuff.
Benoit Dehu ‘La Rue des Noyers’, Champagne NV (2012) ($119.95) $89 special, 18 bottles available
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93+ points “Benoît Déhu’s NV Extra Brut La Rue des Noyers is a 100% Meunier from a biodynamically farmed 1.7 hectare plot in Fossoy with dark limestone soils. Fermented and aged for ten months in used 228 liter barrels but with “no malolactic, no racking, no filtering, no cold stabilization and no fining,” says Benoît Déhu, when he presented me his wine at the presentation of the Origines Champagne group in Château de Pierry earlier this year. “We produce our wines like our colleagues in Burgundy.” It had two different Cuvées of this wine. Their first was entirely based on the 2011 vintage and was disgorged in June 2014 with a minimal dosage of one gram per liter. It is an impressively deep, intense and full-bodied Champagne that displays ripe fruit and slightly smoky flavors on the nose; it is very pure, complex and well structured on the palate. This stunningly powerful and persistent Champagne is surely made for a long distance run. The second wine is the successor and based on vintage 2012, but disgorged with no dosage. This is a very delicate and elegant release with a superbly refined mousse. However, it is also straight, firm and perhaps even finer than the 2011.”
Suzanne:
Tasted together with some Rhone reds, what was striking about the ’09 Prado Enea was oak profile: it was restrained, nay tame, by comparison to prior years. If there’s one thing to know about Muga (aside from how delicious the wines are across the board) it is that they’re proud of their oak. The barrels are actually crafted at the estate by their own cooper. So it’s not surprising that there’s always a distinct vanilla and spice note wrapped around the deep fruit aromas. This vintage, you get the dried cherry and balsamic notes I attribute to the warmer weather. The palate opens up to fresh ground coffee and melted dark chocolate. There’s a hint of an herbal note like the smell of fresh herbs that were roasted with pork. It’s a savory, full-bodied and delicious wine that shows the true skill of this estate at balancing a warm year. Certainly a candidate for the cellar, this was showing very well after being open for 4-5 hours.
Bodegas Muga ‘Prado Enea’ Gran Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2009 750ML ($89.95) $69 special
Wine Advocate 96 points “The most classic cuvée was not produced in 2007 or 2008, so we jumped to the phenomenal 2009 Prado Enea. It was produced with grapes from cooler vineyards that enjoyed 20 extra days of slow ripening compared with warmer zones, which provided them with perfect ripeness and deep flavors. This blend of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha and the remaining 10% between Mazuelo and Graciano had an extended élevage, in this case no less than three years (alternating newer and older barrels). This is still a baby and I know Winemaker Jorge Muga would like to keep it in bottle for longer before selling it, but the commercial pressure is tremendous, as there has been no wine since 2006. The wine has 14.1% alcohol and a surprising 3.34 pH, especially considering 2009 was generally a warm and ripe year. But somehow this cuvée seems to work very well in ripe vintages. The wine feels even younger on the palate, and it still needs to develop some further complexity and the silky texture for which this wine is famous. There is good balance here and all the elements are in place for a nice development in bottle. In fact, it feels like one of the great recent vintages of Prado Enea. There will be no Prado Enea in 2012 and 2013 either, but it’s produced in 2010, 2014 (small quantities) and 2015. At this quality level, the price seems like a real bargain.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 95 points “(aged for 16 months in large French oak vats, followed by three years in 85 percent French and 15 percent American oak barrels and then held in bottle for three years before release) Brilliant ruby-red. Heady aromas of smoke-accented red berries, potpourri, incense and vanilla show superb clarity and pick up cedar and pipe tobacco nuances in the glass. Sweet, seamless and broad in the mouth, offering concentrated yet vibrant red currant, cherry liqueur and floral pastille flavors that fan out steadily on the back half. A spicecake quality emerges on the impressively persistent, red-fruit- and floral-driven finish, which is given shape by smooth, harmonious tannins.”
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Cantine Lonardo
Our Favorite Campanian
When it comes to Italy, Tuscany gets all the glory. Part of the reason for that is where we (Americans) vacation, part of that is wealth and history, but we should be paying more attention to the wines of Southern Italy.
Campania, the area around Naples, has been famous for its wines since the Greeks settled it. There are numerous references to the quality of the wines in Roman writings and if more of the wines were at the level of Cantine Lonardo, the region would be famous again.
Sandro Lonardo is a schoolteacher who also makes wines, both from vineyards he farms and from grapes he buys from local farmers. Mostly he makes wines from the Aglianico grape, which is the “Barolo of the South” according to popular wisdom. Unlike some producers, he resists the temptation to use lots of barrique or new wood and yet the wines aren’t rustic monsters. There is a freshness and approachability that surprises, given the reputation of the grape and the warm climate. Lonardo also makes a white from a nearly extinct grape called Grecomusc, which is almost like a cross between Chenin Blanc in its texture and acidity and Muscat in terms of fruit and aromatics.
Cantine Lonardo Wines Available Here Now:
Cantine Lonardo – Contrade di Taurasi ‘Grecomusc’ Campania IGT 2014 750ML ($31.95) $26 special, 19 bottles available
Ian D’agata – Vinous Media 90 points “Bright straw. Lime and botanical herbs on the fresh nose. Rich and dense but juicy, showcasing precise fresh citrus and spicy flavors that linger long on the almost creamy aftertaste. Lovely Grecomusc’ from the producer who first rediscovered this long-forgotten aromatic variety that gives wines not unlike dry white Muscat wines. (Grecomusc’ is what the grape is called in dialect; the variety’s official name is Roviello.)”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Cantine Lonardo – Contrade di Taurasi Aglianico Rosso Irpinia, Campania 2013 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special, 2 bottles available
Winery note “Intense ruby red colored wine, dense and opaque. The nose is rich and lingering with hints of ripe fruits, balsamic notes and a spicy quality. The taste is warm, with austere tannins and some persistence.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Cantine Lonardo – Contrade di Taurasi Aglianico Rosso Irpinia, Campania 2014 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special, 17 bottles available
Ian D’agata – Vinous Media 89 points “Medium red. Reticent nose hints at red berries, licorice and wild herbs. Then bright and juicy, with excellent spine to the flavors of red fruits, licorice and minerals. Well-balanced wine with an echoing finish, if not the greatest complexity.”
Cantine Lonardo – Contrade di Taurasi Taurasi DOCG, Campania 2011 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 33 bottles available
Ian D’agata – Vinous Media 94 points “Deep ruby. Ripe black cherry, flint and herbs on the profound, complex nose. Bright, dense and rich; lively acidity lifts the almost decadently ripe red cherry fruit, nicely framed by sweet, polished tannins. Finishes long and ripe with a bright, refreshing floral nuance. Outstanding Taurasi that manages the neat trick of being remarkably concentrated yet very light on its feet. Bravo!”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Cantine Lonardo – Contrade di Taurasi Coste, Taurasi DOCG 2009 750ML ($89.95) $59 special, 2 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2009 Taurasi Coste will reward readers with glorious drinking over the next 15-20 years, perhaps longer. Rich, ample and racy on the palate, the 2009 shows the more voluptuous side of Taurasi, with layers of dark fruit that continue to open up in the glass. Earthy, leathery notes add nuance on the powerful finish. The 2009 is very much old school in style, but with a touch of early approachability that is a positive for such a big wine.” AG
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $65.99
Cantine Lonardo – Contrade di Taurasi Coste, Taurasi DOCG 2011 750ML ($89.95) $59 special, 19 bottles available
Ian D’agata – Vinous Media 94+ points “Deep ruby. Floral nuances complicate the red and dark berry, ink, sweet spice and flinty aromas and flavors. Dense and seamless, showing a multilayered personality and remarkable complexity of flavor. Finishes very long and with repeating, lingering hints of ink and flint.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $74.66
Cantine Lonardo – Contrade di Taurasi Vigne d’Alto, Taurasi DOCG 2011 750ML ($89.95) $59 special, 19 bottles available
Ian D’agata – Vinous Media 94+ points “Deep ruby with a purple tinge. Reticent nose at first, only hinting at dark cherry, sassafras and sandalwood. Then very concentrated and dense, displaying almost opulent, sweet nuances of oaky torrefaction to the coffee, cocoa and dark cherry flavors. This outstanding Taurasi finishes extremely long, rich and seamless. It’s virtually impossible to pick between Lonardo’s two crus in 2011, and both will have many admirers.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $74.99
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Lopez de Heredia
Lopez de Heredia is one of the world’s elite wine estates. This statement isn’t a surprise to anyone who reads at all about Spanish wines, but it bears repeating. “Why?” you might ask, “would you tell us something we already know?” 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. You can purchase the entry level wine from the greatest traditional Rioja estate for less than $30. You can buy their Riservas (for which the current releases are 2003/4!!) for under $40. Even their great wines–old Gran Riservas, with bottle age, will set you back less than the average bottle of 2010 Mouton.
How can this be? The idea that you can buy a bottle of Gran Riserva Tondonia from the 1960’s, directly from the winery’s cellar, for the same price or less than a current vintage of top-tier Bordeaux? We don’t think this will last that long. We’ve got some new wines from Lopez coming in–from up and down the range, price wise. They all over-deliver.
Lopez de Heredia Wines Available Here Now
R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva Blanco, Rioja DOCa 1973 750ML ($999.95) $799 special, 4 bottles available
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+”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Cubillo Crianza, Rioja DOCa 2007 750ML ($29.95) $24 special, 7 bottles available
Wine Advocate 91+ points “The 2007 Viña Cubillo Crianza is the most affordable red. It is a wine that was born to go with tapas and to be sold at local restaurants showing a combination of fruit and the earth where the vines grow. It is a blend of the usual 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacho, 5% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo fermented in old oak vats with natural yeasts and matured in barrel for three years. The intoxicating nose shows blood orange, bitter cherries, leather and spices in a subtle and balanced way. The palate is sinewy, polished, has good acidity and is not terribly complex nor powerful, but is built more on the subtlety and lightness.This could well be the best Cubillo of recent times.”
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R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Cubillo Crianza, Rioja DOCa 2008 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special, 29 bottles available
Wine Advocate 92 points “The first of the reds here is the 2008 Viña Cubillo Tinto Crianza from a cooler vintage that produced some austere and serious wines–a year with higher acidity and lively fruit. It feels effervescent and it makes you salivate. This is usually a blend of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha, 5% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo from 50-year-old vines that ferments in ancient oak vats, and ages in barrel for three years. This cuvée has increased its quality tremendously since the 1990s. These cooler years provide citric freshness, and a very fine texture and vibrant acidity. This is so easy to drink that it can be dangerous.This was the Rioja clarete fino–the everyday red. It’s both elegant and powerful. Very good value, too.”
R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Bosconia Gran Reserva, Rioja DOCa 1981 750ML ($249.95) $199 special, 1 bottle available
Winery-direct cellar release!
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 94 points “Faded red. Gorgeous, multidimensional aromas of dried red fruits, white flowers, spicecake, leather, underbrush, graphite and lavender sachet. Silky and seemingly weightless, with a haunting crystalline purity to the sweet strawberry and redcurrant flavors. Sweetly insinuating on the finish, with lingering mineral and strawberry flavors. A remarkable wine that’s completely out of step with today’s styles: this is the stuff that gets die-hard Rioja traditionalists all weepy.”
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R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva, Rioja DOCa 1961 750ML ($1,499.95) $1,289 special, 2 bottles available
Winery-direct cellar release!
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 94 points “Medium red. A highly perfumed bouquet displays red fruit preserves, smoked meat and potpourri. Deeply pitched redcurrant and bitter cherry flavors show a slight medicinal reserve, which makes this wine seem far younger than it is. The potpourri note builds with air and carries through a long, chewy, smoky finish. Definitely let this air out for an hour or so. Incidentally, I had the chance to drink two lithe and highly fragrant bottles of the 1961 Vina Bosconia at a restaurant in San Sebastian that had been in their cellar for at least the last 20 years. If you’re lucky enough to own that wine (like these older wines, it is still available from the winery) there’s absolutely no reason to hold off drinking it. I couldn’t hold off, twice.”
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R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva, Rioja DOCa 1964 750ML ($1,199.95) Was $999, Now $899, 3 bottles available
Winery-direct cellar release!
Decanter 98 points, Wine Spectator 95 points “Extraordinary. Sweet vanilla and dried berry aromas and flavors have an unexpected richness in this vibrant red. Impressive for its balance of concentration and elegance; firm tannins meld with a creamy texture. The long finish defines traditional Rioja at its best.”
R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva, Rioja DOCa 1981 750ML ($249.95) Was $199, Now $189, 7 bottles available
Winery-direct cellar release!
Wine Advocate 95 points “The 1981 Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva has a vibrant nose reminiscent of coeval Burgundy, with scents of citrus peel, orange rind, singed leather and a Tuscan delicatessen. The palate has a penetrating orange peel and tart cherry entry with potent earthy notes at its core. It is supremely well-balanced with an energetic finish underpinned by crisp dry tannins. This wonderful Rioja is drinking perfectly now and will age effortlessly. Drink now-2020+” (08/2012)
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The average price is $225
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The 2012 Brunello Vintage Arrives With A Bang
2012 is an ALL CAPS VINTAGE in Brunello. The hype train started early, but reached bullet-train type speeds with the publication of Ian D’Agata’s reviews for Vinous in March. All we know is that it’s been a while (2006?) since we’ve heard as much about the vintage on the whole as we have with 2012. We always get asked about when wines are coming in, but this seems like a new level of excitement, which is probably justified. Take what D’Agata wrote for Vinous, for example:
“Every once in a while, when visiting a specific wine region, I taste so many good bottles that I find myself thinking I might just turn in my author’s pen and start making wine… Most recently, this happened during my tastings of the 2012 Brunellos, when I tried one delicious example after another. Even more impressive, the 2012 vintage for Brunello stands out for its consistently high quality. I found more good to outstanding examples than in any past vintage”
He goes on to say that “2012 Brunellos are characterized by impeccable balance, vibrant acidity and fine-grained tannins.” Three of the biggest names of the 2012 vintage arrive next month and we couldn’t be more excited to offer them to you, with the only caveat that these are wines that serious collectors should and are buying them by the case, so it’s hard to know how long our quantities will last.
In Stock Now:
Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012 750ML ($79.95) $59 special
Case-6 Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012 750ML ($449.95) $333 special (that’s only $55.50/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 95+ points “Il Poggione is a Brunello superstar and a vintage like this reveals every reason why that affirmation is true. From the second the 2012 Brunello di Montalcino pours into the glass, you know you are in for something special. The wine is darkly saturated and rich in appearance. Absent are those slightly amber or browning hues you often get with Sangiovese in a hot vintage. Nor does the wine show flat or tired characteristics. Instead, the quality of fruit is vibrant and rich. This is a healthy, generous and exuberant Brunello with dark density and succulent fruit flavors that are followed by integrated spice and tobacco. The balance is impressive and one thing you get here is fresh acidity. This is not to be underestimated, because the acidity quota in the 2012 vintage across the appellation is not as high or evident as usual. This is one of the year’s best Brunellos.”
Il Marroneto Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012 750ML ($74.95) $64 special
Wine Advocate 96 points “Made strictly according to the Sangiovese playbook, the Il Marroneto 2012 Brunello di Montalcino shows that exacting Sangiovese precision and personality. This is Alessandro Mori’s greatest talent. He takes this workhorse grape and gives it a platform to articulate its most hidden and intricate inner feelings and sentiments. This is a bright and very tight red wine that will benefit from more years to flesh out further. All those budding aromas of wild berry, licorice, cola, and blue flower are strategically in place and ready to explode in time. The wine opens to a luminous dark ruby color and a compact mouthfeel that is spicy and fresh on the close. This is an impressive annata wine that shows the personal evolution of a man and his estate.”
Il Marroneto Madonna delle Grazie, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012 750ML ($219.95) $189 special
Wine Advocate 99 points “Alessandro Mori is the Sangiovese whisperer: l’uomo che sussurrava il Sangiovese. I need to say it in Italian, too, because it sounds so beautiful. The 2012 Brunello di Montalcino Madonna Delle Grazie is a phenomenal wine that speaks so highly of the potential of the mighty Tuscan grape, Sangiovese. This wine mirrors all the greatest attributes of the 100-point 2010 edition. Most significantly, it delivers profound purity and a most authentic varietal voice that sings both the high notes and the bass-baritone. First you have the wine’s dark ruby appearance that is brilliant and vibrant but beautifully concentrated. Then you have the multilayered bouquet that skillfully presents ethereal notes of wild berry and grilled herb on first nose. Those lighter tones lift gracefully to reveal substantial aromas of dark fruit, spice, tobacco and white truffle that form the wine’s lasting aromatic core. The mouthfeel is feather light in texture, but don’t underestimate its power or persistence. This is a true gem of Italian enology and sadly only 6,200 bottles were made.”
Flavio Fanti La Palazzetta Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2012 750ML ($39.95) $36 special
James Suckling 93 points “Aromas of tar and berries follow through to a medium to full body, firm and silky tannins and a chewy finish. Needs time to soften. Better in 2018.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Siro Pacenti PS Pelagrilli, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012 750ML ($49.95) $38 special
Ian D’agata–Vinous 92 points “Deep red with ruby tinges. Delicately flinty and herbal notes complicate sour red cherry, redcurrant and underbrush aromas. Fresh and juicy but with an almost austere quality to the crisp red berry and minty plum flavors. Finishes long and clean with a mineral nuance. The herbal note disapperars with aeration, so it’s of paramount importance to give this wine plenty of air. Pacenti makes 20,000 bottles a year of this Brunello from 25 to 35 year old vines with roughly 75-80% of the grapes grown in the northern Pellagrilli estate vineyards and the rest from the Piancornello vineyards in the southern reaches Montalcino.”
La Gerla Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2012 750ML ($47.95) $36 special
La Gerla Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012 1.5L ($99.95) $79 special
Ian D’agata–Vinous 92+ points “Deep red. Spicy aromas of redcurrant, cherry, mocha and licorice. Chewy and firmly tannic, offering spicy red cherry and milk chocolate flavors sexed up by a strongly flinty, almost smoky element. The noble tannins gain strength on the finish, which feature outstanding length and insidious sweetness.”
Wine Advocate 92+ points “The La Gerla 2012 Brunello di Montalcino reminds me of the vintage that precedes it (although I like this edition better). Like with the 2011 vintage, this estate has done a great job in capturing as much of the primary fruit as possible, given the warm vintage conditions. Dark fruit with black currant and wild blueberry come into focus. Those fruit tones are aged and evolved for sure, but they don’t show tired or flat characteristics at this point. Delicate notes of cola, licorice and blue flower add complexity. The tannic presence is reduced and the mouthfeel delivers silkiness and softness instead. La Gerla puts its Brunello annata into large oak casks for three years. This Brunello is ready to drink now.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price for the magnum is $139.98
Arriving This Month:
Argiano Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012 750ML ($47.95) $36 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 96 points “Fantastically complex aromas of spices, dried flowers and plums follow through to a full body, integrated and polished tannins and a superb finish. This is a 2012 Brunello with it all. Drink in 2018. (11/30/16)”
Wine Advocate 94 points “The Argiano 2012 Brunello di Montalcino does a great job of interpreting the vintage and of showcasing its special microclimate on the southern flank of the Montalcino appellation. Both these elements point to warm-climate Sangiovese. and Argiano accepts that challenge with creativity and expertise. This is a proud expression of the grape with thick texture, determination and a succulent approach. Aromas of dark cherry, moist earth, tobacco and grilled herb lift from the bouquet. Bright acidity marks the close. The wine still carries its baby fat and needs a few more years of cellar aging in order to fully express itself. Drink: 2018-2030. (Mar 2017)”
Altesino Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2012 750ML ($59.95) $46 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 96 points– Highly Recommended “Cherry, leather and iron notes mark this suave, elegant red. A bit reticent now, but the fruit is fresh and long on the finish. The dense tannins leave a mouthcoating impression, but this opens up beautifully over a few hours. Best from 2021 through 2035.”
Wine Enthusiast 94 points– Top 20 Brunello “Marking the winery’s 40th harvest, this vintage offers classic Sangiovese fragrance: wild berry, blue flower, baking spice and a whiff of new leather. The palate is sleek and elegant, doling out juicy red cherry, crushed raspberry, cinnamon and star anise, framed by lithe, polished tannins and fresh acidity. It’s loaded with finesse and tempting now but will be even better with a few more years in bottle. Drink 2019–2026.”
Castiglion del Bosco Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012 750ML ($54.95) $44 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 96 points “This shows pure and fresh fruit that many others don’t have. Also, there are plenty of linear tannins. Precise and beautiful. Medium to full body. Persistent finish. Better in 2019.”
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Azienda Agricola La Torre Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
“fermented in stainless steel for three weeks. It is then racked into large barrels (“botte” made by Gargalotto and of Slavonian origin) and left to age in cask for forty-two months. A small part of the wine (approximately 17%) destined for Brunello status spends 12 months in small barrel. The wine for the Brunello is selected from the oldest vines and the most well-positioned vineyards.”–Importer note
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Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2012 750ML ($39.95) $33 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2012 750ML ($229.95) $179 pre-arrival special (that’s only $29.83/bottle—the lowest price in the country!)
Wine Spectator 92 points “This is round and laced with cherry, currant, tobacco and iron flavors. Firms up quickly, with a fine matrix of tannins for support. Balanced overall, with a long finish of tobacco and iron. Best from 2020 through 2033.”
Wine Advocate 91+ points “Caparzo’s 2012 Brunello di Montalcino is a mid-weight expression with bright berry aromas and a traditional approach stylistically speaking. This Brunello aged in large oak casks made from Slavonian and French oak. In fact, it shows a streamlined and compact texture with buoyant aromatic intensity. The focus is on raspberry, cherry and plum with distinct shadings of spice, licorice, tar and blue flower at the back. The overall effect is inviting and genuine. The mouthfeel is thin, but the wine offers nice freshness instead.”
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Arriving This Fall:
Altesino Montosoli, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012 750ML ($99.95) $77 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 97 points “Fantastic aromas of blueberries, plums, bark and wet earth follow through to a full body, velvety and polished tannins and a wonderful finish. Refined and persistent on the finish. Drink in 2019 and onwards.”
Wine Enthusiast 97 points– Cellar Selection – Top 20 Brunello “Balancing power and grace, this wine delivers alluring aromas and flavors of ripe black cherry, raspberry compote, grilled herb, licorice and tar. Vibrant acidity and firm, velvety tannins provide freshness and structure, while a hint of pipe tobacco closes the lingering finish. Drink 2020–2032.”
Wine Spectator 95 points “This finds good equilibrium between the ripe berry, cherry, tobacco, iron and tea notes. Firm and chewy, with hints of leather and under-brush on the long aftertaste. Best from 2021 through 2035.”
Tenuta di Collosorbo Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012 750ML ($59.95) $39 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 95 points “Lots of balsamic and dried-cherry character. Full-bodied, rich and silky with beautiful fruit and intensity. Long and flavorful. Gorgeous wine. One of best from here in a long time.”
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San Filippo Le Lucere, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012 750ML ($89.95) $79 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 98 points “This is an incredible 2012 with fantastic depth, richness, focus and tension. Full body, polished tannins and a long and flavorful finish. Goes on for minutes. Better in 2020 but a joy to taste now. One of the wines of the vintage.”
Thank you for reading!