Featured New Arrivals; New Weekend – New Rosenthal Arrivals; Staff Pick; Canary Island Wine; Arriving Next Week: Fevre / Lilian Ladouys / Guy Breton; Arriving in August: Punset / Trimbach / Dal Forno & La Rioja Alta; Giuseppe Quintarelli: New Release Arriving in October; 2016 Domaine Huet
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Featured New Arrivals
Chateau Cos d’Estournel, Saint-Estephe, Bordeaux 2010 750ML ($249.95) $219 special
James Suckling 98 points “There’s clarity and beauty to this wine as always with pure dark berry, stones and spices. Some clove too. Full body, firm and silky tannins and a long finish. Pure and precise wine with so much class. Try in 2020.”
Robert Parker 97+ points “The 2010 is a more structured, restrained, less flamboyant version of the 2009. A final blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot that hit 14.5% natural alcohol, this wine (which represents only 55% of the estate’s production) is full-bodied, classic and built along the lines of the 2000 (although that wine was made before Reybier acquired the estate and upgraded quality significantly). This wine exhibits beautifully pure notes of creme de cassis, blueberry liqueur, pen ink, graphite and hints of toast and vanillin. The wine is full and rich, and although aged in 80% new oak, the wood is a subtle background component. This beauty will take longer to round into shape than the dramatic and compelling 2009. Forget it for 5-8 years, and drink it over the following three-plus decades.”
This is the lowest listed bottle price in the USA today!
The average price is $307
Domaine Paul Autard Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Cote Ronde, Rhone 2010 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Robert Parker 94 points “A sensational effort, the 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee La Cote Ronde reveals a touch of toasty oak in the aromatics, but it is beautifully integrated with kirsch, roasted Provencal herb, espresso and black currant aromas. This full-throttle, masculine and rich wine possesses sweet tannins as well as good integration of structure and acidity. It is built for the long haul, yet can be drunk in 2-3 years or cellared for two decades.”
Wine Spectator 93 points “This isn’t shy, with flashy mocha, toasted raisin, cinnamon and pastis aromas rushing forth, but there’s sleek, integrated structure and solid layers of linzer torte, plum pâte de fruit and bramble to fill it out. A tarry edge lingers on the finish. Best from 2014 through 2026.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $61.99
Produttori del Barbaresco Montefico, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG, Piedmont 2008 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2008 Barbaresco Riserva Montefico hits the palate with a blast of fruit intermingled with copious acidity and pure structure. Montefico shares a boundary with Ovello, and shows many of the structural elements typically associated with that side, but with more depth in its fruit, probably because of the southern exposure. The high altitude of these parcels ensures there is plenty of freshness and vibrancy. The Montefico is dazzling, but it will require considerable patience. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2048” AG
Produttori del Barbaresco Rabaja, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG, Piedmont 2008 750ML ($119.95) $89 special
Antonio Galloni 96+ points “The 2008 Barbaresco Riserva Rabaja is utterly magnificent in this vintage. Usually a powerhouse, the 2008 is incredibly refined to the point it seems to literally hover on the palate. It is a wine of exquisite grace and beauty. All the elements are in place. I could describe the aromas and flavors, but that would be doing this majestic Barbaresco a huge disservice. Ultimately, the 2008 Rabaja, is all about textural finesse and pure elegance. This is another breathtaking wine from the Produttori. A king among kings. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2048”
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New Weekend – New Rosenthal Arrivals
Neal Rosenthal may have the best selected portfolio of wines that are nationally distributed. While Kermit Lynch gets a lot of the hype, the Rosenthal book is meticulously selected and without any filler. While many importers rationalize bringing in substandard estates because “they’ll sell,” Neal Rosenthal has for a long time believed that if the wines aren’t good, he doesn’t want his name on them. The result is a long-running relationship with a select number of estates that he believes represent the apogee of traditional wines in their regions.
France – Burgundy
Domaine Cheveau Pouilly-Fuisse Trois Terroirs, Maconnais 2015 750ML ($34.95) $29 special
Importer note “This Fuissé is sourced from three separate parcels, two of which are in Pouilly with the third situated in Fuissé. The vines are between 25 and 40 years of age and produce a wine with the typical richness and power of this appellation. After fermentation, the elevage is done in a mix of barrel and foudre for one year. This is the classic cuvée of Pouilly-Fuissé from this domaine.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
The average price nationally is $33
France – Bordeaux
Chateau La Rame Rouge, Bordeaux 2015 750ML ($19.95) $16 special
Importer note “The vineyards for this lovely red are at the base of the hillside vineyards of the estate in the village of Sainte Croix du Mont and are composed of sand, limestone and clay. The grape varieties are Merlot (60%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (40%) and the average age of the vines is thirty (30) years. The wine is fermented and aged in temperature-controlled vats and is bottled usually one year after harvest.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
France – Loire
Chateau Soucherie Anjou Rouge Reliefs, Loire 2015 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
Importer note “This lively, fruity red retains a strong minerality to its finish that lends class and balance to this simple and reasonably priced wine. Cabernet Franc forms the backbone of this wine (90%) but is blended with a touch of Grolleau (10%). The vines are planted to gravel and schist soils. The elevage is in cuve on the fine lies for approximately eight months.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Chateau Soucherie ‘Patrimone’ Coteaux du Layon, Loire 2015 750ML ($29.95) $26 special
VinopolNote: A sweet wine made from 100% Chenin Blanc
Winery note “A wine with the sweetness of Anhou, whose palate is velvety and round, and the ending is dominated by a pleasant freshness with notes of exotic fruits. The development of Botrytis cinerea as noble rot is best produced by alternating dry and wet periods. The damp nights, dew and morning mists of the Layon valley will stimulate the fungus, while the autumn sun of the afternoon will restrict its growth. So the specific conditions are met to develop a great sweet wine.”
France – Alsace
Domaine Maurice Schoech Riesling Sonnenberg, Alsace 2015 750ML ($29.95) $24 special
Importer note “Riesling Sonnenberg: is sourced from a group of old-vine ‘selection massale’ parcels on a south-facing granite slope in the Sonnenberg lieu-dit.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Maurice Schoech Cotes d’Ammeschwihr, Alsace 2015 750ML ($19.95) $16.60 special
Importer note “Cotes d’Ammerschwihr: is harvested from hillside vineyards situated at the beginning of the valley that leads to the village of Les Trois Epis. This wine is primarily Pinot Blanc with a touch of Muscat … a fine, elegant wine of great value.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
France – Jura
Domaine de Montbourgeau Vins Blancs de L’Etoile, Jura 2013 750ML ($34.95) $28 special
Importer note “This cuvée is the classic white wine of Montbourgeau. It is usually bottled after 24 to 30 months of elevage in barrel. Chardonnay is the dominant grape but an occasional Savagnin vine is found within the Chardonnay plantings, an addition which adds a touch of complexity to the ultimate blend. The fermentation occurs in stainless steel but, after malolactic, the wine is racked into small barrel and demi-muids for two years. At that point, the entire production is assembled and left for several months in cuve before being bottled.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
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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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Staff Pick
Joseph Swan’s 2012 Zeigler Vineyard
and Mancini Ranch Zinfandels
Andy:
There are only three Zinfandels I’ve had that stand out in my memory for positive attributes: good fruit, great acidity, and actually paired remarkably well with food. These are Ridge, Easton, and, what is still my favorite, Joseph Swan.
Swan zins tend to throw some people for a loop. First, the wines are noticeably lighter in color than most Zinfandels. You can read through them for Pete’s sake. Second, the aromatics are much more nuanced and full of elegant secondary aromas as opposed to the typical fruit bombs that dominate the market. These subtle scents are not hidden behind a wall of alcohol, clocking in at 13% or less. Both of these vintages were stunning, showing pepper, baking spices, good berry and fig aromas that opened up and evolved with time. The Zeigler was showing beautiful floral notes that were more subtle in the Mancini; perhaps with time they’ll show up. The big differences between the wines showed up in the glass. The Zeigler was more tannic, with more structure, while the Mancini was brighter with cherry pie notes and higher ranges of acidity. Granted these were both extremely bright by Zin standards, and they’ll both age beautifully. 5 more years on the Zeigler and you’ll likely have an absolute classic wine that you never forget. The Mancini is more approachable now but could easily evolve into a stunner as the pieces integrate.
Decanting is certainly encouraged, as is a plate of charcuterie. The acidity will bring fatty sauccison sec to life, and the saltiness will make the fruit and pepper jump out. Quite honestly some of the best food wines I’ve had from California, ever.
Joseph Swan Mancini Ranch Zinfandel, Russian River Valley 2012 750ML ($34.95) $29 special, 20 bottles available
Wine Advocate 90 points “The 2012 Zinfandel Mancini Ranch has a medium garnet color and nose of raspberry preserves, cherry pie and baking spices, plus a waft of anise. Light to medium-bodied, soft, fresh and spicy on the palate, it has lovely poise and expression.”
“Blackberry, white pepper floral hints, bit of lushness. Complex balanced, elegant. A classic old style zinfandel made with new age sensibilities. And, it is under 13% alcohol!”—Winery Notes
Joseph Swan Zeigler Vineyard Zinfandel, Russian River Valley 2012 750ML ($34.95) $29 special, 21 bottles available
“Boysenberry and the usual black pepper aromas are there but there is also cardamom, a bit of allspice and dried rose petal. It is super complex. At only 13% alcohol, almost as low as Mancini, it is not lacking at all for body. Our favorite Zeigler in a long while.”–Winery Notes
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Canary Islands: Volcanic Majesty
The Canary Islands are about as perfect a manifestation of the power of wine as you could imagine. What would drive someone to farm grapes here, to dig pits for each grapevine and build a stone wall for each plant, other than the glory that is wine? In the Atlantic Ocean, 1,500 km from Spain on the island of Tenerife, where most of the best red wines are grown, the vineyards rise to over 1000 m of elevation straight out of the sea on walled, terraced vineyards to protect the grapevines from the harsh trade winds.
The wines we’re featuring today come from one of the top producers on Tenerife, Suertes del Marques, who makes wine primarily from the native Listan Negro grape. These are fascinating, compelling wines that have both richness and power combined with a delicacy and floral component that is reminiscent of Barolo or Côte Rôtie. The best way to describe the wines might be to say that they have some ineffable quality that you can’t put your finger on—which in our minds is a sign that they’re really something special. There’s a reason these wines have been making waves, and we’re excited to offer a pair to you today.
Suertes del Marques ‘El Ciruelo’ Listan Negro Vinas Viejas, Valle de la Orotava 2014 750ML ($59.95) $46 special, 32 bottles available
Wine Advocate 95 points “My favorite wine is always the one produced from a single 0.9-hectare plot of centenary, ungrafted vineyards that are planted with Listán Negro and some 2% Listán Blanco (Palomino); the vines are situated at 480 to 520 meters’ altitude and pruned in the traditional cordón trenzado style with a northwest orientation. They used 100% full clusters that were foot trodden in raw cement vats without temperature control and some 35 days of maceration, and as with all of their wines, with indigenous yeasts. The élevage lasted 14 months and was in neutral 500-liter French oak barrels. The old vines are planted in the middle of the slope on finer soils and always give very balanced wines. The nose is superb, really complex with aromas of freshly cracked peppercorns, violets and lilies, wet stones and that impossible pumice that cries Tenerife. I see more balance in this vintage, with a medium-bodied palate that shows a velvety texture with ultra-fine tannins. This is subtle, elegant, a much more powerful wine than you might think at first sight. However, it has a mysterious and ethereal quality. Elegant, balanced, precise, fresh and complex. This is awesome!”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Suertes del Marques El Esquilon, Valle de la Orotava 2011 750ML ($41.95) $37 special, 8 bottles available
Importer Note: “El Esquilón is a single vineyard site at Suertes del Marques where 80 year old Listán Negro is planted in el cordon trenzado on soils that range from clay to sand over volcanic subsoils. The final blend for El Esquilón sees about 30% Tintilla from younger vines averaging about 20 years old. Each variety is fermented and aged separately and the final blend is made after 14 months of aging in 500L French oak demi-muids.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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Arriving Next Week
William Fevre Bougros Cote Bouguerots, Chablis Grand Cru 2014 750ML ($119.95) $89 pre-arrival special
Burghound 96 points “Once again, based on the nose alone, this could be nothing else but Chablis with its mélange of tidal pool, mineral reduction, citrus blossom and discreet spice nuances. There is fantastic detail to the focused, mineral-driven and powerful middle weight plus flavors that do a slow build from the mid-palate all the way back to the explosively long, balanced and bone dry finish. This appears to be drawn directly from liquid Kimmeridgian and should also amply reward longer-term cellaring. In a word, brilliant.”
Chateau Lilian Ladouys, Saint-Estephe 2010 750ML ($39.95) $33 pre-arrival special
Wine Enthusiast 94 points “Obviously wood-aged, with a smoky toast flavor, this is a wine that shows the power of Saint-Estèphe tannins in full force. At the same time, there is a blackberry character that adds richness and juiciness, which cuts through the dry core.”
“A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, this wine displays deep black currant fruit along with some damp earth and forest notes intermixed with roasted herbs, licorice, and a touch of oak. The 2010 could well turn out to be the best this estate has made in nearly a generation. Drink it over the next 20-15 years.”–Robert Parker Jr.
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Guy Breton Morgon Vieilles Vignes, Beaujolais 2015 750ML ($34.95) $29 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Guy Breton Morgon Vieilles Vignes, Beaujolais 2015 75ML ($419.95) $319 pre-arrival special (that’s only $26.58/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Guy Breton Morgon Vieilles Vignes, Beaujolais 2015 1.5L ($79.95) $69 pre-arrival special
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 94 points “Limpid violet. A seductively perfumed bouquet evokes fresh red berries, Asian spices and potpourri, and subtle cola and licorice nuances emerge with aeration. Juicy and pure on the palate, offering intense raspberry, lavender pastille and spicecake flavors and a refreshingly bitter touch of blood orange. Delivers a serious payload of vibrant berry and spice character without excess weight, and finishes extremely long and nervy, displaying no rough edges and lingering florality.”
The average price is $33
Guy Breton Regnie, Beaujolais 2015 750ML ($31.95) $26 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Guy Breton Regnie, Beaujolais 2015 750ML ($359.95) $289 pre-arrival special (that’s only $24.08/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 92 points “Full ruby. Spice-tinged dark berries and a hint of violet on the fragrant nose. Supple and seamless in texture, offering pliant blackberry and cherry compote flavors that show impressive depth and power as well as vivacity. Closes velvety and broad, with gentle tannic grip, resonating florality and excellent persistence.”
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Arriving in August
Punset Campo Quadro, Barbaresco DOCG 2004 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Punset Campo Quadro, Barbaresco DOCG 2004 750ML ($399.95) $339 pre-arrival special (that’s only $56.50/bottle!)
Monica Larner – Wine Advocate 95 points “Going back one more year, the 2004 Barbaresco Campo Quadro opens with a lean, garnet color and pretty aromas of old spice and dried berry fruit. The wine is streamlined and thin in texture, but the tannins are still very present at the back. Aging-wise, the wine is on its way. But it’s not quite there yet. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025. In the 1980s, after graduating from high school, Marina Marcarino bet her father that she could run the family winery in Barbaresco at a profit. He gave her one year to try. If she won, she could take over management. If she lost, she’d enroll in civil engineering classes at the local university. After a grueling 12 months, she closed her accounting books with a profit of less than 100 Euros, or 100,000 Lira at the time. But she won the wager and became the first female vintner in the Langhe. [Tasted Jun 2013]”
Monica Larner – Wine Advocate 93+ points “This is the third or fourth time I have tasted the 2004 Barbaresco Campo Quadro. This is one of my favorite vintages of this single vineyard expression from Punset. The wine is harmonious and balanced with bright fruit flavors of cassis and pressed raspberry. You don’t always get this level of purity with Punset’s biodynamic wines. They tend to show less consistency overall. [Tasted Jan 2017]“
Trimbach Riesling Cuvee Frederic Emile, Alsace 2002 750ML ($79.95) $69 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 92 points “The superbly-concentrated 2002 Riesling Frederic Emile is now on the market – still a touch austere, but with strikingly refined complexity and sheer mineral mass. Broth-like carnal and chalky traits here put one in mind of Chablis. Here is a wine to strain through your teeth, and one possessed of vivacious, ripe acids, with lemon, grapefruit and faintly bitter black fruit notes over a foundation of chalk, leading to a long, juicy finish. Give this another year in your cellar and for it to be worth following for at least another decade thereafter.”
Dal Forno Romano Vigneto Monte Lodoletta Valpolicella Superiore, Veneto 2010 750ML ($99.95) $89 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2010 Valpolicella Superiore Monte Lodoletta is more precise and focused compared to the 2011 edition that I tasted at the estate at the same time. This was not an easy vintage in Valpolicella compared to other parts of Italy that enjoyed a classic growing season. Instead, this Northern corner of Italy suffered from heavy rains and some hail damage. Overall yields were lower as a result. But the wine sings in terms of its brightness and aromatic intensity today. The expressive bouquet covers all the bases from black fruit to spice to drying mineral or flint. All of these elements conspire to bring robust flavors together with smooth and seamless transitions.”
La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904, Rioja DOCa 2005 750ML ($69.95) $57.50 pre-arrival special
Case-12 La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904, Rioja DOCa 2005 750ML ($799.95) $619 pre-arrival special (that’s only $51.58/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2005 Gran Reserva 904 is a superb blend of Tempranillo from the villages of Briñas, Labastida and Villalba with 10% Graciano from Briones and Rodezno. The grapes were destemmed and crushed and fermented in stainless steel for 18 days at 25 C. Malolactic fermentation was spontaneous and lasted 38 days. These wines are marked by a long aging in used American oak barrels following the most strict Riojan tradition; four years during which time the wine was manually racked eight times. This is usually my favorite wine from La Rioja Alta and 2005 is one of its best showings, going back to the quality of the vintages of the 1950s and 60s. The nose is very balsamic with notes of camphor, hints of mint, leather and hung game wrapped around a core of cherries in liqueur. Together it is balanced, subtle, truly elegant and classical. The palate is only medium-bodied but with great concentration of flavors that are very tasty, mineral, almost salty and framed by ultra-fine tannins and smashing balance. A great classic. This wine will be released in October 2015, a full ten years after the vintage. At this quality level this is a bargain.” 4/2015
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Giuseppe Quintarelli
New Release Arriving in October
Giuseppe Quintarelli, the “Master of the Veneto,” established a fantastic reputation as the benchmark producer in the Veneto in the northeast of Italy and the inspiration for and instructor of many well-known producers in the region, including Romano Dal Forno. When he passed away at the age of 84 in 2012, he left behind a sixty-year legacy as the stalwart supporter of a traditional and conscientious approach to winemaking. His family now follows in his footsteps as the managers of the estate. Giuseppe’s attention to detail and quality in the vineyard and during the long process of winemaking are what set him apart. He encouraged drastically small yields and trained the vines in the traditional Pergola Veronese system. The Valpolicellas are intense with structure, finesse and great aging potential. Due to the limited production levels, the exacting production methods requiring almost a decade before release, and the high demand for these wines, they are often difficult to find.
Giuseppe Quintarelli Wine Arriving in October
Giuseppe Quintarelli Valpolicella Classico Superiore, Veneto 2009 750ML ($89.95) $73.50 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2009 Valpolicella Classico is a wine of pedigree and depth. The blend is Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella and Molinara, and other loose odds and ends found in the vineyards. Half the grapes are pressed as fresh fruit. The other half sees a brief two-month appassimento. The two are blended and macerated on the leftover skins of Amarone. The wine then goes into botte grande for six years and bottle for an additional six months for full integration. This classic vintage shows sweet fruit and black spice with lingering sweetness on the close. The wine imparts a round and slightly sweet flavor profile with earthy end notes of spice and campfire ash.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $90
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Arriving in November
A New Offering from the Bargain-Garden of France
2016 Huet — Amazing!
(We are loath to say it, but 2015 has been trumped.)
Domaine Huet’s majesty goes without saying. They’re one of the two top producers of Vouvray and one of a handful of the best producers of white wine in France. It’s both a blessing and a curse–the blessing being that offers for their wines are easy to write, but it also seems as though their greatness is taken for granted. In our world, we think of Huet right up there with Roulot, Leflaive or any other producer that you should buy every single year.
2016 looks to be a year to buy in quantity, though, even if you’re only a casual consumer of the wines. Although yields were down because of frosts, the quality in Vouvray is sky-high across the board. These look to be magical wines across sweetness levels. We’re offering these wines on pre-arrival and expect to sell out of a number of them before they arrive in Portland. As always, if it’s easier, please feel free to call or email to place an order!
Arriving in November from Domaine Huet:
Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Haut Lieu Sec 2016 750ML ($39.95) $33 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Haut Lieu Sec 2016 750ML ($229.95) $179 pre-arrival special (that’s only $29.83/bottle!)
Domaine Huet Vouvray Clos du Bourg Sec 2016 750ML ($47.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Domaine Huet Vouvray Clos du Bourg Sec 2016 750ML ($269.95) $219 pre-arrival special (that’s only $36.50/bottle!)
Wine Spectator 93 points “Bright and pure, with delightful pear, green almond and green plum notes laced with a fennel streak, ending with finely beaded acidity and a mineral echo through the finish. Very refined. Drink now through 2027.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $36.95
Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Mont Sec 2016 750ML ($47.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 94 points “Green plum and verbena notes lead the way for now, with a flash of quinine on the finish. This is juicy, but still a bit compact overall, with the core of ample pear, quince and ginger flavors in reserve. Just wait for everything to knit together and stretch out, as the purity and length are there. Best from 2018 through 2028.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Haut Lieu Demi-Sec 2016 750ML ($59.95) $46 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Haut Lieu Demi-Sec 2016 750ML ($299.95) $249 pre-arrival special (that’s only $41.50/bottle!)
Wine Spectator 96 points “This delivers a beautiful display of purity and grace, with creamed Jonagold apple, star fruit, white peach and chamomile notes flowing seamlessly, backed by wet stone and fresh verbena accents. Subtle but persistent energy ripples through the very long finish. Drink now through 2035.”
Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Mont Demi-Sec 2016 750ML ($59.95) $46 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Mont Demi-Sec 2016 750ML ($299.95) $249 pre-arrival special (that’s only $41.50/bottle!)
Wine Spectator 95 points “This tilts toward the flattering side of off-dry, showing a plump feel to the core of creamed pear, white peach and yellow apple fruit. Lovely verbena, honeysuckle and mineral accents keep this balanced and driven, with a long finish that lets the fruit echo. Drink now through 2032.”
Domaine Huet Vouvray Clos du Bourg Demi-Sec 2016 750ML ($59.95) $46 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Domaine Huet Vouvray Clos du Bourg Demi-Sec 2016 750ML ($299.95) $249 pre-arrival special (that’s only $41.50/bottle!)
Wine Spectator 95 points “Gorgeous, with creamy-edged nectarine, yellow and green apple, pear and quince flavors that are brightly defined from start to finish, flecked with verbena and honeysuckle hints and backed by an off-dry edge on the finish. Stays fresh and pure throughout. Tempting now but there’s no rush. Drink now through 2032.”
Domaine Huet Vouvray Moelleux Le Haut Lieu 2016 750ML ($59.95) $46 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Domaine Huet Vouvray Moelleux Le Haut Lieu 2016 750ML ($299.95) $249 pre-arrival special (that’s only $41.50/bottle!)
Wine Spectator 95 points “Gorgeous crystallized ginger, dried quince, glazed pear and warm persimmon notes are seamlessly interwoven here, gliding through a lengthy finish that picks up a lilting green tea accent. Frankly off-dry but wonderfully pure. Drink now through 2035.”
Domaine Huet Vouvray Moelleux Le Mont 2016 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Domaine Huet Vouvray Moelleux Le Mont 2016 750ML ($399.95) $319 pre-arrival special (that’s only $53.17/bottle!)
Wine Spectator 96 points “Bright, even exuberant in feel, with a parade of Jonagold apple, green melon, Bosc pear and quince flavors streaming through, gilded with heather, honeysuckle and verbena notes on the long, lithe finish. Remarkably elegant despite the off-dry style. Drink now through 2035.”
Domaine Huet Vouvray Moelleux Clos du Bourg 2016 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Domaine Huet Vouvray Moelleux Clos du Bourg 2016 750ML ($399.95) $319 pre-arrival special (that’s only $53.17/bottle!)
Wine Spectator 97 points “A stunner, with beautiful pear, green fig, yellow apple and quince notes that are creamy and flirtatiously sweet, yet seamless and refined in feel. The extremely long finish lets honeysuckle and verbena notes dance throughout, with a light echo of white ginger at the very end. Best from 2020 through 2040.”
Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Mont Moelleux Premiere Trie 2016 750ML ($89.95) $79 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Mont Moelleux Premiere Trie 2016 750ML ($499.95) $419 pre-arrival special (that’s only $69.83/bottle!)
Wine Spectator 96 points “Juicy in feel, with an intense beam of glazed peach, dried apricot, fresh ginger and heather honey notes, backed by baked mirabelle plum accents and a flash of almond cream on the long, rich finish. A wonderful balancing act, keeping the exotic fruit and sweetness fresh and delineated. Best from 2020 through 2035.”
Domaine Huet Vouvray Clos du Bourg Premiere Trie Moelleux, Loire 2016 750ML ($89.95) $79 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Domaine Huet Vouvray Clos du Bourg Premiere Trie Moelleux, Loire 2016 750ML ($499.95) $419 pre-arrival special (that’s only $69.83/bottle!)
Wine Spectator 96 points “This is ripe and broad, taking a slightly more power-driven approach, with a mix of tropical mango and papaya fruit, backed by orchard fruit accents of yellow apple and peach. The long, heather honey–accented finish has light piecrust and crystalized ginger hints. Best from 2020 through 2035.”
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Thank you for reading!