In This Newsletter:
Sancerre Sale
Close-Out Featurette: Castello di Volpaia
Sancerre Sale
Close-Out Featurette: Castello di Volpaia
Get Ready for Spring
Stock Up & Save On
Sancerre
Stock Up & Save On
Sancerre
It’s a bit odd to acknowledge that the phylloxera louse, which devastated vineyards around the world and nearly obliterated winemaking as we know it, must also be credited with turning Sancerre into an international wine superstar. Were it not for phylloxera, Sancerre would still be planted solely to Gamay and Pinot Noir, producing forgettable lithe reds.
To combat phylloxera, grape growers had to graft their precious Vitis vinifera vines onto American grapevine rootstock. After the microscopic pest swept through the Loire Valley, it was Sauvignon Blanc that took most readily to grafting in the village. It proved an ideal match to the limestone-rich terroir. Soon wine lovers became enamored with the mineral-drenched and highly perfumed whites.
The terroir has a palpable impact on the wines, giving these whites their bright acidity, gooseberry-laced perfume, and chalky and stony minerality. The soils here are mostly Kimmeridgian chalk, the same found in the surprisingly close-by region of Chablis. There are pockets, too, of silex (flint) soils. Though the village of Pouilly-Fumé is better known for these soils, the silex imparts a distinctive smoky gunflint aroma to some Sancerre wines, too.
Despite the ravages of phylloxera, Sancerre is still home to Pinot Noir reds and rosés. Inspired by Burgundian winemaking techniques, the modern wines are bone-dry with floral, berry, and rich mineral notes.
Sancerre offers lovely wines for your table that show remarkable flexibility with food. This is the preferred white at Parisian bistros, after all. During our three-day sale, these wines are must-buys for serious wine lovers. Don’t sleep on our magnums on offer from Gerard Boulay, either. We offer these at the lowest prices in the country – and they’ll be perfect for sharing at your next spring or summer soiree.
So, lift a glass of sunshine and stock up!
To combat phylloxera, grape growers had to graft their precious Vitis vinifera vines onto American grapevine rootstock. After the microscopic pest swept through the Loire Valley, it was Sauvignon Blanc that took most readily to grafting in the village. It proved an ideal match to the limestone-rich terroir. Soon wine lovers became enamored with the mineral-drenched and highly perfumed whites.
The terroir has a palpable impact on the wines, giving these whites their bright acidity, gooseberry-laced perfume, and chalky and stony minerality. The soils here are mostly Kimmeridgian chalk, the same found in the surprisingly close-by region of Chablis. There are pockets, too, of silex (flint) soils. Though the village of Pouilly-Fumé is better known for these soils, the silex imparts a distinctive smoky gunflint aroma to some Sancerre wines, too.
Despite the ravages of phylloxera, Sancerre is still home to Pinot Noir reds and rosés. Inspired by Burgundian winemaking techniques, the modern wines are bone-dry with floral, berry, and rich mineral notes.
Sancerre offers lovely wines for your table that show remarkable flexibility with food. This is the preferred white at Parisian bistros, after all. During our three-day sale, these wines are must-buys for serious wine lovers. Don’t sleep on our magnums on offer from Gerard Boulay, either. We offer these at the lowest prices in the country – and they’ll be perfect for sharing at your next spring or summer soiree.
So, lift a glass of sunshine and stock up!
5% off any 3-5 in-stock bottles of Sancerre
10% off any 6 or more in-stock bottles of Sancerre
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Sale ends Tuesday, March 11th at 9 am Pacific.
10% off any 6 or more in-stock bottles of Sancerre
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Sale ends Tuesday, March 11th at 9 am Pacific.
We offer twenty-three in-stock Sancerre options on sale now, including:
This tiny estate is rarely available outside of France. It’s one of the more austere examples of Sancerre, offering a glimpse at a style that is deeply admired at home yet often overlooked on the international stage due to its subtly.
Alphonse Mellot Sancerre Le Paradis 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $79, that’s $75.05 at 5% off and $71.10 at 10% off, 2 bottles in stock now
Rebecca Gibb MW-Vinous 90-92 points “Tasted in tank in July 2022 with an anticipation of bottling later in the year, the 2021 Le Paradis is a precise wine with firm line and sinew that requires the drinker to like acid; 2021 was a cool season, and this also shows the vintage conditions in its fresh pineapple and elderflower flavors. But don’t think that means greenness, this is ripe but tangy.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $120.99 (ouch!)
The next best price is $120.99 (ouch!)
Gerard Boulay makes some of the best aromatic white wines in France from his vineyards in Chavignol, the beating heart of Sancerre. The wines of Gerard Boulay are exceptionally age-worthy, profound, and well-priced: a rare combination in Sauvignon Blanc. Gerard Boulay constantly strives for perfection with minimal intervention and farms organically. Production is classic, with wines fermented using natural yeast and aged in a mix of oak foudres and used 300L barrels. If that isn’t enough, he also makes incredible rosé and red wine from Pinot Noir small plantings on his holdings.
Gerard Boulay Sancerre Clos de Beaujeu 2023 750ml Displayed Price: $62.50, that’s $59.38 at 5% off and $56.25 at 10% off, 21 bottles in stock now
Gerard Boulay Sancerre Clos de Beaujeu 2023 1.5L Displayed Price: $128, that’s $121.60 at 5% off and $115.20 at 10% off, 2 magnums in stock now
Importer Note “The Clos de Beaujeu is among the most historic sites in the village of Chavignol. In the 14th century the Clos de Beaujeu supplied the Cathedral of Bourges with white wine. At that time, Sancerre was famous for its red wines. Boulay’s Clos de Beaujeu is a richer, denser step up from the Chavignol village wine.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast for the 750ml!
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today for the magnum!
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today for the magnum!
Gerard Boulay Sancerre Comtesse 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $74.50, that’s $70.78 at 5% off and $67.05 at 10% off, 4 bottles in stock now
Gerard Boulay Sancerre Comtesse 2022 1.5L Displayed Price: $149, that’s $141.55 at 5% off and $134.10 at 10% off, 1 magnum in stock now
Importer Note “From 50-75-year-old vines located in the sweet spot of the Mont Damnés vineyard (bottom of the slope, near Clos La Neore of Vatan), this is often the most powerful wine from Boulay’s lineup. Vintage 2005 was the inaugural release.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Gerard Boulay Sancerre Comtesse 2023 750ml Displayed Price: $77.50, that’s $73.63 at 5% off and $69.75 at 10% off, 8 bottles in stock now
Gerard Boulay Sancerre Comtesse 2023 1.5L Displayed Price: $159, that’s $151.05 at 5% off and $143.10 at 10% off, 2 magnums in stock now
Importer Note “The most powerful and complex wine from Boulay’s lineup, with an incredible intensity of fruit and a strong mineral core. Definitely one to put away and follow for years to come.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast for the 750ml!
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today for the magnum!
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today for the magnum!
Gerard Boulay Sancerre La Cote 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $64.50, that’s $61.28 at 5% off and $58.05 at 10% off, 7 bottles in stock now
Gerard Boulay Sancerre La Cote 2022 1.5L Displayed Price: $129, that’s $122.55 at 5% off and $116.10 at 10% off, 2 magnums in stock now
Importer Note “Boulay’s parcel in “La Grande Côte,” which is partially owned and partically rented, is one of three designated Crus of Chavignol and is reputed for producing wines of incredible precision. Vintage 2010 was the inaugural release. Overall, Gerard Boulay’s “terre blanche” vineyards produce some of the most distinctive and soil-inflected Sauvignon Blancs in the Loire, with a delineation and minerality often reminiscent of a top Chablis. Boulay is certainly among the top examples of the appellation, including Boulay’s neighbors (Cotat Bros., Vatan). These are gorgeous, highly complex wines that are a clear step above “regular” Sancerre, and can age easily for 10-20 years or more. In fact, we have had them all the way back to the 1959 which was magnificent! They confirm Boulay’s place in the top ranks of Loire Valley vignerons. (referred to by the Cotat brothers as La Grande Cote)”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast for the 750ml!
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today for the magnum!
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today for the magnum!
Gerard Boulay Sancerre La Cote 2023 750ml Displayed Price: $66.50, that’s $63.18 at 5% off and $59.85 at 10% off, 7 bottles in stock now
Gerard Boulay Sancerre La Cote 2023 1.5L Displayed Price: $136, that’s $129.20 at 5% off and $122.40 at 10% off, 2 magnums in stock now
Importer Note “First crafted in the 2010 vintage, Gerard’s old vine parcel in La Cote (referred to by the Cotat brothers as La Grande Cote) produces a wine of incredible precision, power and laser sharp minerality…Boulay’s signature style!”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast for the 750ml!
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today for the magnum!
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today for the magnum!
Gerard Boulay Sancerre Monts Damnés 2023 750ml Displayed Price: $66.50, that’s $63.18 at 5% off and $59.85 at 10% off, 19 bottles in stock now
Gerard Boulay Sancerre Monts Damnés 2023 1.5L Displayed Price: $128, that’s $121.60 at 5% off and $115.20 at 10% off, 2 magnums in stock now
Importer Note “Old vines located on a steep slope in the Mont Damnes vineyard that Boulay began farming in 2004. Vines average 45 years old. Aged on the lees in a combination of barrel and tank then bottled unfiltered.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast for the 750ml!
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today for the magnum!
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today for the magnum!
Thomas-Labaille is a long-time favorite at the shop though admittedly we’ve done little more than hand-sell the bottles in person. Consistently classic in style, this Louis Dressner import offers stunning quality for the money. The old-vine Monts Damnés bottling, from Sancerre’s steepest and most famous vineyard, is a treasure. Though rarely reviewed, Decanter’s notes on the 2020 release offer a good insight into the experience you can expect: “A complex Monts Damnés which has been fermented in concrete tanks before nine months ageing on fine lees in steel tanks and older wood. Golden hints in the glass, exotic fruit notes and a creamy texture are complemented by the mineral thread on the palate, with acidity providing structure for further bottle development.”
Thomas-Labaille Sancerre L’Authentique 2023 750ml Displayed Price: $28, that’s $26.60 at 5% off and $25.20 at 10% off, 24 bottles in stock now
Importer Note “100% Sauvignon Blanc. Originally labeled simply as “Sancerre”, L’Authentique is Thomas-Labaille’s multi-parcel estate bottling. All of the vines are on the Kimmeridgian limestone soils of Chavignol and average twenty-five years old; they are sustainably farmed and harvested by hand. The wine is fermented with native yeasts in fiberglass and cement tanks, aged on its lees in stainless steel tanks for four to six months and bottled without filtration.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Thomas-Labaille Sancerre Les Monts Damnés 2023 750ml Displayed Price: $34.50, that’s $32.78 at 5% off and $31.05 at 10% off, 24 bottles in stock now
Importer Note “100% Sauvignon Blanc. Thomas-Labaille has vines averaging thirty years old with some much older on the famously steep slope of Monts Damnés in Chavignol. They are sustainably farmed and harvested by hand. The wine is fermented with native yeasts in fiberglass and cement tanks, aged on its lees in stainless steel tanks (with a small proportion of used barrel in some vintages) for four to six months and bottled without filtration. “
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
We like to say Vatan needs no introduction, but perhaps that is a bit presumptuous. Vatan is a benchmark producer in Sancerre while also a pioneer in dramatic style. Our favorite French clients buy this from us by the case, so we know it’s worth seeking out. The 2018 vintage was warm, so the resulting wine is broad-shouldered and bold. It is an ideal vintage in magnum as this format offers you an exceedingly long opportunity for aging in the cellar yet promises jaw-dropping drinking experience whenever you decide to pop the cork.
Edmond Vatan Sancerre Clos la Néore 2018 1.5L Was $799, Displayed Price: $699, that’s $664.05 at 5% off and $629.10 at 10% off, 2 magnums in stock now
Rebecca Gibb MW-Vinous 96 points “Clarity is a term that accurately describes the 2018 Sancerre Clos La Neore. It has a pure and intense core of fruit. But it’s not fruity. It’s a sophisticated style with a distinctive aromatic profile- chamomile tea, lemon, honey, and almond meal and an almost tonic-like edge. While showing the ripeness of the 2018 season, it retains its shape with a corset of acidity and phenolics that guide the wine on and on.”
What’s this? A red Sancerre? Though best known for its near exclusive production of white Sauvignon Blanc wines, Sancerre is also a superb if unexpected home for Pinot Noir. Like other Loire Valley reds, red Sancerre wines have a refreshing vibrancy. The Kimmeridgian soils impart lush mineral aromatics. The resulting wines are fuller-bodied than one might expect. The 2020 has plenty of cellaring potential.
Gerard Boulay Sancerre Oriane Rouge 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $49, that’s $46.55 at 5% off and $44.10 at 10% off, 12 bottles in stock now
Rebecca Gibb MW-Vinous 91 points “The 2020 Oriane is a young, richly fruited mouthful of suave, aromatic Pinot Noir. It is somewhat atypical on the nose with agave and wormwood-like characters – a result of half of the wine undergoing whole bunch fermentation – joining cola, wood smoke and licorice. Round with good concentration and a veil of powdery, chalky tannins coating all sides of the palate, reflecting the Kimmeridgian soils of the vineyards. Fine length and line.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Shop our twenty-three Sancerre selections now!
Vinopolis Close-Out Sale Featurette:
Castello di Volpaia
With a winemaking history spanning nearly ten centuries, Castello di Volpaia is now helmed by the Mascheroni-Stianti family. Organically farmed, the 46 hectares of grapevines on the verdant property are still hand-picked today.
One of the most fascinating features of the wineries is its literal integration into the walled village of Volpaia: pipes run from the winemaking facilities at the highest points in the village to fermentation tanks and the Slovenian oak aging casks in the cellars down below. These pipes run beneath the ancient streets of the city, employing temperature-control for the gentle gravity flow trip. Not only is this system utterly unique, but it helps to preserve the historic nature of the area by giving new purpose to the once abandoned buildings employed.
Their “Super-Tuscan” single-vineyard blend “Balifico” is also a nod to the historic yet innovative journey of this estate. It is a blend of one of Italy’s most famous grapes, Sangiovese, international superstar, Cabernet Sauvignon, grown on one of the highest-elevation vineyards in all of Tuscany. First crafted in 1983, Balifico was one of the forerunners of the movement that saw some of Chianti’s greatest wines bottled under the vino da tavola classification in protest of the detrimental winemaking requirements in the region.
The soils here are sandstone, yielding gentle yet rich tannins. Coupled with the wide diurnal temperature swings of the high elevation, the resulting wine is full of class, energy, and depth. 2018 was a particularly remarkable vintage given its lateness. The resulting wine is, to quote Italian expert, Antonio Galloni, “fabulous.” We have just a handful of bottles remaining at this best-on-the-West-Coast pricing. Experience this youthful beauty today.
“Volpaia is a great source for elegant, fragrant Chiantis made in a mid-weight style. The estate’s vineyards are among the highest of the Chianti Classico zone and in warm vintages… the property excels in making wines of superb balance.” -Antonio Galloni
In Stock and On Close-Out Sale Now:
Castello di Volpaia Balifico, Toscana IGT 2018 750ml Was $85, Now $74.50, 5 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 96 points “The 2018 Balifico, Volpaia’s Sangiovese/ Cabernet Sauvignon blend, is fabulous. Rich and inky, the 2018 offers up a compelling mélange of dark berry fruit, dark spice, licorice and espresso. I especially admire the wine’s textural richness. I imagine the 2018 will drink well for many, many years to come. In this tasting it is a total knock-out.”
One of the most fascinating features of the wineries is its literal integration into the walled village of Volpaia: pipes run from the winemaking facilities at the highest points in the village to fermentation tanks and the Slovenian oak aging casks in the cellars down below. These pipes run beneath the ancient streets of the city, employing temperature-control for the gentle gravity flow trip. Not only is this system utterly unique, but it helps to preserve the historic nature of the area by giving new purpose to the once abandoned buildings employed.
Their “Super-Tuscan” single-vineyard blend “Balifico” is also a nod to the historic yet innovative journey of this estate. It is a blend of one of Italy’s most famous grapes, Sangiovese, international superstar, Cabernet Sauvignon, grown on one of the highest-elevation vineyards in all of Tuscany. First crafted in 1983, Balifico was one of the forerunners of the movement that saw some of Chianti’s greatest wines bottled under the vino da tavola classification in protest of the detrimental winemaking requirements in the region.
The soils here are sandstone, yielding gentle yet rich tannins. Coupled with the wide diurnal temperature swings of the high elevation, the resulting wine is full of class, energy, and depth. 2018 was a particularly remarkable vintage given its lateness. The resulting wine is, to quote Italian expert, Antonio Galloni, “fabulous.” We have just a handful of bottles remaining at this best-on-the-West-Coast pricing. Experience this youthful beauty today.
“Volpaia is a great source for elegant, fragrant Chiantis made in a mid-weight style. The estate’s vineyards are among the highest of the Chianti Classico zone and in warm vintages… the property excels in making wines of superb balance.” -Antonio Galloni
In Stock and On Close-Out Sale Now:
Castello di Volpaia Balifico, Toscana IGT 2018 750ml Was $85, Now $74.50, 5 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 96 points “The 2018 Balifico, Volpaia’s Sangiovese/ Cabernet Sauvignon blend, is fabulous. Rich and inky, the 2018 offers up a compelling mélange of dark berry fruit, dark spice, licorice and espresso. I especially admire the wine’s textural richness. I imagine the 2018 will drink well for many, many years to come. In this tasting it is a total knock-out.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
We offer 160 wines on our Close-Out Sale in stock now.
Shop the sale on our webstore now!
Don’t miss our additional sale going on now:
Dominus & Failla
5% off any 3-5 in-stock bottles of Dominus & Failla
10% off any 6 or more in-stock bottles of Dominus & Failla
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Dominus & Failla sale ends Sunday, March 9th at 9 am Pacific.