Category Archives: Newsletter Archive

Riesling, Right Now!

Back to School Edition: Chapter Two of Three

Well, I’ve really leapt down a rabbit hole with this one…

This second selection of Back to School wines hits the peak of the technical complexity I’ll dive into for now. No promises about what kind of nerdiness the future holds, but that is a promise that the third set will be the most accessible.

Experiment two, takes us to Zeltinger Sonnenuhr in the year 2018.

All three wines presented here come from a vineyard that happens to neighbor the site presented in the previous post. For this study, we’ll taste how winemaker Markus Molitor approaches a few layers of the Prädikats.

About Prädikat:

German wine uses a four-tier quality framework based on the German Wine Classification:

  • Deutscher Wein: Basic table wine with no specific geographic origin required on the label.
… Read the rest

From the Piedmont Files: A Special Offer

Elvio Cogno Barolo

2015 Ravera Bricco Pernice

Regular Price: $149.95 Vinopolis Price: $106.50

97 POINTS WINE ENTHUSIAST “Cellar Selection. Enticing scents of rose, iris, perfumed berry and an earthy whiff of truffle shape the fragrant nose on this dazzling wine. The delicious, full-bodied palate boasts structure and a weightless elegance, delivering juicy Marasca cherry, cherry compote, cinnamon and star anise. Taut polished tannins and fresh acidity provide balance and an elegant structure. It’s already irresistible but will also age well for years.

2017 Ravera Bricco Pernice

Regular Price: $159.95 Vinopolis Price: $144.50

95 POINTS WINE ADVOCATE “This is a medium-bodied Nebbiolo from a hot vintage with a ruby-tinged appearance. The 2017 Barolo Ravera Bricco Pernice shows generous inner fiber and richness with dried cherry, blackberry, plum and dark spice.… Read the rest

Riesling, Right Now!

A SPECIAL OFFER ON 2025 FALKENSTEIN RIESLINGS 

This installment of Riesling, Right Now! comes with the addition of a special offer, as we take a look at the wines of Hofgut Falkenstein, and announce newly stocked wine from the 2025 vintage.

There is no shortage of superlatives to be found when looking for information about Hofgut Falkenstein. The wines are spectacular!

 

The father-son estate was founded in 1985 when Erich Weber bought what was then, the worn out “Falkensteinerhof” winery facility, and undertook its labor intensive restoration.  If their location of Tälchen, a small side-valley of the Saar, in western Germany, doesn’t come up clearly in your mental map, there’s good reason for that. The Weber’s estate is comprised of many historic vineyards whose once storied reputations all but vanished as a result of the Weingesetz (German Wine Law)of 1971.… Read the rest

New Envinate Arrivals

The highly rated 2024 vintage has just landed, and we have an outstanding selection to offer.

The team behind Envinate

Envínate (translates as “wine yourself”.. imagine a fencer declaring “en garde!”) is the brainchild of 4 friends, winemakers Roberto Santana, Alfonso Torrente, Laura Ramos, and José Martínez.  This gang of 4 formed back in 2005 while studying enology at the University of Miguel Hernandez in Alicante. Upon graduation, they formed a winemaking consultancy, which evolved into Envínate, a project that focuses on exploring distinctive parcels mainly in the Atlantic-inflected regions of Ribeira Sacra and the Canary Islands. Their collective aim is to make profoundly pure and authentic wines that express the terruño of each parcel in a clear and concise manner. To this end, no chemicals are used in any of the Envínate vineyards, all parcels are picked by hand, the grapes are foot-trodden, and the wines are fermented exclusively with wild yeasts, with a varying proportion of whole grape clusters included.… Read the rest

Riesling, Right Now!

Nahe River

“Riesling, Right Now!” is new ongoing feature here at Vinopolis. Every few weeks, we’ll put a spotlight on a single Riesling producer we have in stock. There are many. Some are easily found because we have row upon row of offerings (lookin’ at you Markus Molitor), while others are much easier to miss in the mix.

Riesling is a category of wine that inspires obsession as much as it can induce fear and intimidation. There are at least a few of us here at the shop who identify as Riesling True Believers, in case you couldn’t already tell, I’m one of them. We’ll be delighted to share why we can’t discuss the wines made from this noble grape without eventually making mention of light sabers, Valerian steel swords, honey drenched flowers, and David Bowie…  

For now, I’ll try not to get ahead of myself.… Read the rest