Vinopolis Newsletter 1-22-25 PM

Special Arrivals
 
 
Austria
 
Weingut Alzinger
 

Based in the village of Unterloiben, the Alzinger house farms some of the steepest Wachau vineyards in Austria. If you traded the granite for slate, you’d think you were in a Mosel village like the Saar or Terrassenmosel. Converging with the relatively high elevation of the site, Alzinger creates some of the most powerful expressions of Riesling in the country. Leo Alzinger took over his family’s estate after apprenticing in Marlborough, New Zealand and the Pfalz, Germany where he crafted his house style. This technical knowledge is evident in his wines, which he vinifies whole cluster with a touch of skin contact and extended lees aging.
 
Alzinger Durnstein Gruner Veltliner Federspiel 2023 750ml $36 special, 16 bottles available
James Suckling 92 Points “Bright and fruity gruner showing aromas of pineapples, papayas and peaches.
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Produttori del Barbaresco Sale 1-22-25

In This Newsletter:
 
Produttori del Barbaresco
Close-Out Featurette: Molitor

 
“[Produttori del Barbaresco is] one of the most important and quality-minded co-operatives in the world…” – Jeb Dunnuck
 
Stock Up & Save On
 
Produttori del Barbaresco

 
Revered for producing classically-styled Barbaresco Riservas of uncompromising quality and transparency, you’d be hard-pressed to find such an extensive range of complex, single-vineyard Nebbiolos anywhere else.
 
Oregon was the first state to import the wines, and they’ve been beloved by many for decades. We’ve admired the producer and its director, Aldo Vacca (cousin of the late Renato Vacca of Cantina del Pino), since the shop first opened. We’ve pleased to continue to offer some of Barbaresco’s finest line up. These still offer incredible value for the money, especially on our three-day sale.
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Jerome Chezeaux Sale 1-21-25

In This Newsletter:
 
Jérôme Chezeaux
Close-Out Featurette: Familia Nin-Ortiz

 
Grace and Purity in the Nuits-Saint-Georges
 
Stock Up & Save On

 
Jérôme Chezeaux

 
Jérôme Chezeaux makes wines that epitomize our favorite sort of Burgundy. Age-worthy, full of character, and built on a core of minerality, but priced a tier below what the wines deliver. Make no mistake about it—Chézeaux makes wines that can be poured with the finest producers in Nuits, but cost 25% less. In warmer vintages he really shines, as the heat buttresses his mineral style with broader shoulders and more generous fruit. The three Premier Cru Nuits-St. George wines are of particular note—they’re incredible values and are only slightly more expensive than some producer’s village bottlings.
 
“From the moment we encountered Chézeaux’s 2017s, shortly after they completed malolactic fermentation, we knew this was a special, potentially career-making collection.
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Newsletter 1-20-25

Featured Arrivals
 
 
Ayres
 

Brad McLeroy had a dream but he also had a problem. While he and his wife owned a popular wine shop, what he really wanted was to be a winemaker. Unfortunately, their wine shop was in Kansas City… far from any wine regions of note. So they sold their business and moved west and moved out to the Willamette Valley. Brad got a job at working with Veronique Drouhin, one of the greatest winemakers in the world, and six years later opened his own winery.
 
While they may not receive the level of attention that some Oregon wineries get, they are beloved by industry vets and wine geeks alike. Coupled with their pure and transportative style, these wines are delicious and are truly fantastic values
 
Ayres Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2023 750ml $24 special, 35 bottles available
CS-12 Ayres Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2023 750ml $259 special, 3 cases available
Winemaker’s Note “The Ayres Willamette Valley Pinot is sourced from the Ayres Estate in Ribbon Ridge at 474 feet elevation, and the Oliver Vineyard in Yamhill Carlton at 600 feet elevation.
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Arnot-Roberts Sale 1-20-25

In This Newsletter:
 
Arnot-Roberts
Close-Out Featurette: Saint Cosme

 
“Arnot-Roberts has become a leading force in producing understated, charming wines from some of California’s most prized vineyard sources.” –Matthew Luczy, Wine Advocate
 
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Arnot-Roberts

 
Small producers such as Arnot-Roberts are the pioneers of the “New California” movement. Started by childhood friends Duncan Arnot Meyers and Nathan Lee Roberts in 2001, they’ve quickly established themselves as some of the best producers of restrained and elegant small-parcel wines. In 2013 the San Francisco Chronicle named them “Winemakers of the Year” in recognition of the quality and consistency of the wines they’re producing, and they’ve racked up professional accolades ever since.
 
So, what is the “New California” movement? Started more or less around the beginning of the century, it rejects industrialized, oaky, plush, and sweetened wines with no sense of place.  
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