Back in Stock: La Jota; New White Wines from Piedmont; Agusti Torello Mata New Arrivals; Trendy Wines & Trendy Pre-Arrivals (Hint, Hint – It Starts With ‘F’ and Ends with ‘elsina’); Bitouzet-Prieur New Arrivals; Muscadet; Staff Pick: Buil & Gine & More Great Spanish Picks; New Vinous Review: Von Winning; Epic Malbec
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Back in Stock
La Jota Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain 2013 750ML ($99.95) $77 special, 12 bottles available
La Jota Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain 2013 1.5L ($179.95) $136 special, 2 magnums available
Decanter 98 points “Resplendent aromas of voluptuous blackcurrant and plum. This is certainly rich and concentrated, yet it all seems to be in balance, with firm chocolatey tannins supporting the dense and solid fruit. (Feb 2017)”
Wine Enthusiast 95 points “This full-bodied, concentrated wine shows plenty of power in its bringing together of the variety with smaller percentages of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. With a huge presence on the palate that lingers and stays in one’s brain, it shows a reductive quality of toasted oak along with black pepper, bark and leather saddle,. It’s a wine to enjoy from a giant leather chaise, if possible.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
The average price nationally is $86
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A Substantial New Arrival
Charles Smith Substance Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley 2015 750ML ($19.95) $14.80 special
Jeb Dunnuck – Wine Advocate 92 points “One of the best values I’ve tasted in a long time, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon from the team at K Vintners was hand-harvested, natively fermented and aged all in French oak. Smoking good notes of cassis, black currants and hints of plum all emerge from this rich, beautifully textured, layered beauty that has solid tannic grip, a silky, elegant texture and a great finish. It has real elegance and finesse and is a dark fruited, unctuous beauty to drink over the coming 3-4 years.”
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Piedmont Breeze
Makes Me Feel Fine
Cool off with these chill-able new arrivals from Piedmont!
Giacomo Fenocchio Dolcetto d’Alba, Piedmont 2015 750ML ($17.95) $14.50 special
Wine Spectator 91 points “This is a touch earthy yet concentrated and dense, sporting blackberry, pomegranate and black pepper notes. The finish is fluid, with a lingering essence of graphite. Drink now through 2020.”
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Marco Porello ‘Camestri’, Roero Arneis DOCG 2016 750ML ($17.95) $14.50 special
“This unoaked Arneis has delicate fragrances of ripe fruits and flowers, while it has a fresh taste thanks to its balanced acidity, very well supported by a rich body and structure. Due to its fragrance the wine can be enjoyed young or left to age for two or three years.”–Winery note
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
San Matteo Gavi DOCG, Piedmont 2016 750ML ($17.95) $14 special
VinopolNote: This refreshing white wine is high in acidity with notes of fresh citrus, almonds and white flowers. A lovely wine to toast the end of this heat wave!
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
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New Arrivals From
Agusti Torello Mata
Divine Cava
“From a family of musicians and tailors, Agusti Torello Mata founded his winery in 1950, supporting this venture by constructing Penedes first dedicated wine laboratory. The winery now manages 100 hectares of organically farmed old vines, the youngest being 30 years. They are dedicated to producing reserva and gran reserva cavas from the traditional indigenous grape varities (Macabeo from the coast, Xarel·lo form the central area and Parellada from the pre-costal mountain range, together with the red Trepat and white Malvasia/Subirat Parent varieties). The wines are benchmarks for great cava.” –Importer note
New Arrivals from Agusti Torello Mata
Agusti Torello Mata Gran Reserva Brut Cava, Catalonia 2012 375ML ($19.95) $14 special
Macabeo, Xarel.lo and Parellada from the Penedès area.
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Agusti Torello Mata Kripta Gran Reserva Cava, Penedes 2008 750ML ($89.95) $79 special
Macabeu 45%, Xarel·lo 20% and Parellada 35% From very old vines in the Penedès region.
Wine Advocate 92 points “The current vintage of the special cuvée is the 2008 Kripta, a classical blend of the local grapes Macabeo, Xarello and Parellada aged in contact with the lees in bottle for a long time, no less than five years, during which time the bottle is closed with a cork (it’s usually a crown stopper). Apparently this gives the wine a different character and is the way it was traditionally done. This is a polished Cava with yeast and brioche aromas and a soft palate with clean, developed flavors and integrated acidity. A benchmark for the Cavas with five years in contact with lees. 24,300 bottles produced.”
Arriving Late August
Agusti Torello Mata Cava Brut Reserva, Catalonia 2013 750ML ($19.95) $18 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Agusti Torello Mata Cava Brut Reserva, Catalonia 2013 750ML ($239.95) $199 pre-arrival special (that’s only $16.58/bottle!)
Macabeu 39%, Xarel·lo 23% and Parellada 38%. From vines in the Penedès region.
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Agusti Torello Mata Gran Reserva Brut Nature Cava, Catalonia 2011 750ML ($31.95) $24 pre-arrival special
Macabeu 38%, Xarel·lo 28% and Parellada 34%. From vines in the Penedès region.
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Agusti Torello Mata Trepat Rosat Brut Cava, Catalonia 2014 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Agusti Torello Mata Trepat Rosat Brut Cava, Catalonia 2014 750ML ($279.95) $225 pre-arrival special (that’s only $18.75/bottle!)
100% Trepat
This is the only listing in the USA today!
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Some Like It Hot
Trendy Whites (and a Sparkler) for your Summer Soiree
Nicolas Maillart Brut Rose Grand Cru, Champagne NV 750ML ($71.95) $44 special, 28 bottles available
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 92 points “Pale orange. Deeply pitched scents of redcurrant, orange pith, musky rhubarb and buttered toast. Densely packed red berry flavors are underscored by a chalky mineral note and pick up a hint of white pepper as the wine opens up. This lithe rosé packs a serious punch, finishing with excellent cut and length and repeating minerality.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $51
Saint Cosme Condrieu, Rhone 2015 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 17 bottles available
Wine Spectator 95 points “Gorgeous, with papaya, white peach, mango, persimmon and Cavaillon melon notes seamlessly stitched together, lined with light honeysuckle and jasmine accents and backed by a twinge of bitter citrus oil and well-buried minerality. An exemplary display of large-scale fruit and precision. Drink now through 2019. 416 cases made”
Chateau de Montfaucon Lirac Blanc Comtesse Madeleine, Rhone 2015 750ML ($19.95) $16 special, 13 bottles available
Wine Advocate 90 points “I loved both of the whites from this terrific estate, and their 2015 Lirac Comtesse Madeleine Blanc (50% Marsanne, 20% Grenache Blanc and the rest Clairette and Picpoul) is a salty, medium-bodied, nicely concentrated white that makes you salivate. Pineapple, apple blossom, brioche and plenty of minerality emerge from the glass and it will shine on the dinner table over the coming year or two (or more).”
Wine Spectator 90 points “Offers a juicy, plump feel, with melon, green fig and apple notes bouncing off the ginger and heather accents. Macadamia nut notes caress the finish and echo pleasantly.”
Jean-Claude Dagueneau Domaine des Berthiers Pouilly-Fume, Loire 2015 750ML ($24.95) $20.90 special, 36+ bottles available
Case-12 Jean-Claude Dagueneau Domaine des Berthiers Pouilly-Fume, Loire 2015 750ML ($299.95) $219 special, 3 cases available (that’s only $18.25/bottle!)
Winery note “100% Sauvignon blanc from 20 to 30 year old vines grown in Silex and calcaire soils. Golden green reflections. Discreet aromas on the nose with a hint of ripe orange. A taste of fruit drops and lemon peel on the palate.”
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Terlato Family Vineyards Pinot Grigio Colli Orientali del Friuli, Friuli-Venezia Giulia 2015 750ML ($24.95) $14 special, 36+ bottles available
The Tasting Panel 93 points “No doubt this prestigious region in northeast Italy shines when it comes to white wines; an envious position on the world wine stage. This pretty, crisp white certainly shows ripeness in its concentrated notes of pear, peach and grapefruit but its stoney frame is a nod to the iconic mineral rich sloped terraced vineyards responsible for its pizazz and charm. The finish is clean, punctuated with an apricot accent.”
James Suckling 90 points “A rich and lightly oily pinot grigio with sliced mango and light banana aromas and flavors. Dense and flavorful. It’s a white that offers plenty of flavor and interest for the buck. Delicious finish. Drink now.”
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Kruger-Rumpf Munsterer Pittersberg Riesling Spatlese, Nahe 2004 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 12 bottles available
“Off-dry, this shows plenty of pepper and mineral notes, along with peach and citrus flavors. It’s elegant and balanced, showing the Mosel style of Nahe Riesling. Moderate length. Drink now through 2018. 140 cases made.” -Wine Spectator
Importer note “Pittersberg is the other of the top Crus, and this site is more classic and less mischievous than its neighbor. Stefan refers only to “slate” and very often the wine smells just like Mosel wine – in fact just like Graacher Himmelreich. “In parts dusty loam over slate,” according to the textbook. Pittersberg is related to the Rüdesheimer Berg Schlossberg, which is just over the Rhine less than two miles north, though without the Taunus-quartzite of the Rheingau site. Diel’s great Pittermännchen is also on slate; I’m sure the similar names are not coincidence. Pittersberg gives firm, nutty Rieslings.”
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Weingut Donnhoff Oberhauser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett, Nahe 2015 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special, 22 bottles available
Wine Advocate 91 points “Coming from argillaceous shale soils, the 2015 Oberhäuser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett opens with a very clear and coolish, slightly flinty bouquet with white Riesling and some refreshing lemon flavors. Full-flavored and intense on the palate, this is a lovely, light-hearted, piquant and racy Riesling with intensity and persistency. The 40+ grams of residual sugar are almost fully eaten by the minerality and piquancy of this picture book Kabinett.”
Weingut Keller Scheurebe Kabinett, Rheinhessen 2016 750ML ($34.95) $29 special, 20 bottles available
VinopolNote: Long live Scheurebe! Keller is a master of most things and this bundle of fun is no exception. We can think of no better wine to drink with spicy Thai or Indian food (or just on a back porch). It’s lightly sweet and one of those wines defies you to not smile while drinking. Grin and love it.
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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Just Arrived: New Releases From
Volnay’s Best Kept Secret
Blame the internet. It’s no longer possible for there to be secrets in Burgundy—the days of incredible wines that fly completely under the radar are gone. Mostly. There are a few names, most notably Bitouzet-Priuer, out there making wines that we love at prices and quantities that don’t match the quality coming out of the bottle, at least for now.
Bitouzet-Prieur is the product of a marriage which links two great winemaking families – the Bitouzets of Volnay and the Prieurs of Meursault. Their operations span six generations, with Vincent Bitouzet and his son Francois currently at the helm; they’re among the oldest in the region as well as one of the first family-owned domaines to bottle their wines.
What you can expect is nothing short of classic age-worthy wines that are genuinely reflective of the terroir in each of their parcels. The Bitouzet-Prieurs owns roughly 12 hectares of vineyards, all farmed organically. Grapes are harvested manually and only native yeasts are employed in fermentation. What one can expect from their efforts is classic, age-worthy wines which genuinely reflect their respective terroirs.
We’ve seen prices rise a little and allocations tighten for the Bitouzet-Priuer wines, from Volnay, which is new to us. The wines have always been great and more than fairly priced; but it seemed like we’d be able to get as much as we’d like and while this is/was true with the 2011’s and 12’s (the domain releases wines later than some), it looks like going forward they’re becoming more widely known.
Neil Rosenthal imports these (which really is all the quality stamp you need) and describes them in a way we totally agree with: “Based in Volnay and blessed with extensive holdings in Meursault as well, this domaine is a tried and true standard bearer for all that is fundamentally good and sound in Burgundy: conscientious and sensitive work in the vineyards, respect above all for the specific character of each lieu-dit, patience and attention to detail in the cellar, and a commitment to producing wines of depth and, of critical importance, longevity.”
Just Arrived:
Domaine Bitouzet-Prieur Les Cent Vignes, Beaune Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($49.95) $41.90 special
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 90 points “Bright red. Very primary, vibrant aromas of raspberry, rose petal and mint. Juicy and tightly wound, showing lovely intensity and energy but a medicinal reserve in the early going. I like the combination of density and airiness. Finishes with excellent cut and verve.”
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Domaine Bitouzet-Prieur Pitures, Volnay Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($59.95) $56 special
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 92+ points “Bright red. Classy but reticent nose hints at bitter cherry. Densely packed and seriously concentrated, showing superb stony lift to the flavors of black cherry, violet and licorice. Really wonderful 2013 energy and density here, along with sneaky sweetness of fruit. Shows a youthful medicinal aspect but this is a bomb of primary dark fruits (Bitouzet described it as “a Pommard that changed its sex”). Finishes broad and long, with ripe, dusty tannins.”
Domaine Bitouzet-Prieur Taillepieds, Volnay Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($59.95) $56 special
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 91+ points “Healthy dark red. Very primary nose hints at black cherry, menthol and bitter chocolate lifted by a floral topnote. Then sappy and saline on the palate, showing very good chewy concentration and medicinal reserve. Quite reticent today but displays a terrific balance between sweetness and firm minerality. Bitouzet wishes he made big bottles of this juice.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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Must-do?
Muscadet
Luneau-Papin & Pepiere, $18-$24. These wines should cost more. Period.
Do yourself a favor and stash some in your cellar for a year or two or ten. Muscadet ages gracefully (and the only regret you’ll have when you finally pop a bottle is that you didn’t buy more!)
Domaine Pierre Luneau-Papin Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine Sur Lie ‘Terre de Pierre’, Loire 2015 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special
David Schildknecht – Vinous 91-92 points “Last tasted in late July 2016, this was due for late October bottling (after a shorter time in tank than its 2014 predecessor was given). Generously scented with apple and lemon as well as a greenhouse-like diversity of flowering and leafing things, it delectably marries a rich mouthfeel with ample primary juiciness and refreshment, and finishes with a shimmering interaction of citrus, mineral salts and stone.”
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Domaine Pierre Luneau-Papin Muscadet Sevre et Maine Sur Lie Le L d’Or 2015 750ML ($29.95) $24 special
David Schildknecht – Vinous 93 points “Lemon, grapefruit, white currant and white peach backed by tinglingly bright acidity and wreathed in floral perfume and greenery put me unexpectedly in mind of Riesling aromatics and flavors. A firm, dense but buoyant palate is saturated with maritime salts and alkali, as well as harboring a mouthwateringly and intriguingly sardine-like animal-mineral savor. The finish practically detonates, leaving your salivary glands milked and your mouth shaken but consummately refreshed and invigorated. This beauty combines the fruity generosity typical of 2015 with brightness and decisive mineral impressions more familiar from 2014, and is almost certain to stand as a high point for its vintage.”
Domaine de la Pepiere Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine Clisson, Loire 2014 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special
Domaine de la Pepiere Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine Clisson, Loire 2014 1.5L ($59.95) $49 special
David Schildknecht – Vinous 92 points “Scents of flowers and foliage mingle with saline, alkaline intimations of sea breeze. A surprisingly rich, silken-textured midpalate offers pear and lemon liberally laced with saliva-liberating salinity and crushed stone, leading to a long finish loaded with intrigue as well as refreshment.”
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Domaine de la Pepiere Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine Sur Lie ‘Les Gras Moutons’, Loire 2015 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
David Schildknecht – Vinous 90 points “Scents of lime, grapefruit and apple signal a generosity of fruit unusual for Muscadet and confirmed on the silken-textured, expansive, yet exuberantly juicy palate. Subtle but efficacious salinity and crystalline “mineral” tactile tingle conspire to create a mouthwatering, fascinating finish. (With the migration of some fruit from this site to the estate’s Monnières-Saint Fiacre, this bottling now reflects vines averaging around 40 years of age, which Branger characterizes as “relatively young.” Reprehensibly, I neglected to taste the 2014.)”
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Staff Pick:
Buil & Gine 17XI Montsant 2011
Andy:
At a recent cook out with friends from Chicago, we looked to duplicate the spicy lamb dishes we loved from our favorite hole-in-the-wall done good, Pita Inn. The Kibbeh, Shwarma, and Kebabs were always seasoned just right, and it took some serious bribing to get the recipes from employees we’d gotten to know over the years. We love to pair these dishes with a Spanish Red with enough fruit and spice to tame the flavors of rich lamb and heavy doses of spice. The Buil & Gine 17-XI Montsant was perfect for this task.
Up front there is a pronounced fruit and floral bouquet. There is also a whiff of wild to the ripe fruit: something not quite gamy, but definitely meaty. Brown spice notes and snappy minerals round out the intriguing and seeming endless mix of aromas. For all of that, I imagined a lot more weight to the wine, but was pleasantly surprised at how easily this rolls around the palate bringing life to the food. As this was a summer evening by the grill, we served this with a light chill and I think this Montsant was well served by it. There was no heat or headiness to it, and the two bottles were gone a lot faster than I expected. At the case price, this could be my grilling red through fall!
Buil & Gine 17-XI, Montsant 2014 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 36+ bottles available
Case-12 Buil & Gine 17-XI, Montsant 2014 750ML ($249.95) $199 special, 4 cases available (that’s only $16.58/bottle!)
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 91 points “Brilliant ruby. Highly perfumed, evoking ripe cherry and blackcurrant that are complemented by slowly emerging aromas of cured meat, lavender and minerals. Enlivened by a spicy nuance, the silky, sweet and penetrating palate offers intense dark fruit and floral pastille flavors. Seamless and very nicely concentrated, with smooth tannins lending shape to a very long, fruit-driven finish.”
We offer 104 different wines from Spain, in stock now, including red, white, sparkling, sherry and dessert wines! Browse below for a few more highlights or visit our web store for the complete list.
Maior de Mendoza Eleusis Albarino, Rias Baixas 2016 750ML ($14.95) $11.90 special, 28 bottles available
Winery note “In ancient times, in the Mediterranean basin, mystery rites were held to have influence on heavenly bodies and elements whose aim was to favor harvests. The priestesses were named Eleusinians and the capital of the mentioned cults was Eleusis.”
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Sierra Cantabria Crianza, Rioja DOCa 2012 750ML ($19.95) $14 special, 36+ bottles available
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 90 points “Saturated ruby. Perfumed aromas of dark berries, cherry-cola, smoky oak and vanilla, lifted by a floral topnote. Smooth, appealingly sweet blackcurrant and cherry flavors show very good depth and energy, with a spicecake note coming up with aeration. The smoke and floral notes carry through on a long, broad finish that features fine-grained tannins and dark fruit character.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $17
Bodegas Marco Abella ‘Clos Abella’, Priorat DOCa 2009 750ML ($99.95) $49 special, 36+ bottles available
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 93 points “(50% carinena, 39% garnacha and 11% cabernet sauvignon; aged for two years in French oak): Saturated ruby. Heady aromas of cherry, cassis, mocha, Indian spices and underbrush are sharpened by a smoky mineral quality. Juicy, sappy and concentrated, showing excellent density to its smoke-tinged flavors of blueberry, cherry-vanilla and candied flowers. A fleshy, expansive, sexy wine that shows the warmth of the vintage to good effect, finishing with strong mineral cut, smooth tannins and lingering smokiness.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $79.81!
The average price is $81
Hacienda Solano ‘Finca Pena Lobera’, Ribera del Duero 2012 750ML ($67.95) $51.90 special, 24 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2012 Hacienda Ernestina Solano Finca Peña Lobera is a noteworthy follow-up of the 2010 vintage (the wine was not produced in the warm 2011). The grapes come from a single vineyard, a small plot of very old plants with a lot of white vines and some dead ones, so the yields are very low. The soil is very poor, very stony, and shallow with a calcareous subsoil equating to fresh soils and also a fresh climate, as the vineyard is surrounded by forests. The vines only yield two or three bunches per plant. The final blend includes 5% Albillo in the bottled wine. The wine was raised exclusively in used barrels in this vintage and there are bare traces of oak-related aromas after 18 months in barrel. The wine is ripe, aromatic, expressive and showy with notes of blueberries; it’s a little heady, with aromas of decayed violets and perhaps hints of malt whisky. The palate is powerful and elegant at the same time with a very fine, silky texture, great balance and length, plus a fresh, mineral finish. Great Ribera and a good value for the quality it delivers. There was only two barriques of this wine, so only 568 bottles were produced.”
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Clos i Terrasses Clos Erasmus, Priorat DOCa 2014 750ML ($219.95) $199 special, 6 bottles available
Wine Advocate 97 points “There is a little more Syrah in the blend of the 2014 Clos Erasmus, where it reached around 30% to complement the majority of Garnacha. As is the norm, the wine matured for some 18 months before bottling, with most of the volume in French oak barrels, 40% of which are renewed each vintage, but there are also one or two amphorae. I tasted it next to the 2013 and as the 2013 required so much attention, it took some time to get to the 2014. It showed a bit shy at first, but when I finally came back to it, I found that it had really blossomed with a mixture of violets, ground, smoky meat and black raspberries. The slight increase in Syrah was noticeable, but it somehow also seemed to increase the voice of the slate in the bottle. The palate is medium to full-bodied with terrible balance and elegance combined with inner strength. This is simply terrific. 3,000 bottles were filled at the end of May 2016.”
Arriving in September
Remelluri Granja Nuestra Senora de Remulleri Gran Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2010 750ML ($99.95) $66 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 95 points “I was really blown away by the 2010 Granja Remelluri Gran Reserva, their take on more classical Rioja; IT is aged in oak for a longer time, but not without having selected grapes from their very best plots that would benefit from the extended élevage. The varietal composition is approximately 75% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha and 5% Graciano. Like all of the wines here, it fermented in small stainless steel and oak vats with indigenous yeasts, and then matured in oak barrels for some 26 months. The nose is full of flowers, blood orange, sweet spices, violet pastille and curry. It’s very aromatic and perfumed, with the herbs that you find in the Remelluri mountains, rosemary especially. It is extremely attractive, with a nose that makes you go back to it over and over again. This is still very young, but terribly balanced. The tannins are refined and there is a fine thread of acidity going through its core and lifting it up. This could very well be the best vintage of Granja so far. And having seen the improvements in the vineyards, my feeling is that the best is yet to come.”
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New Review!
Arriving in August
Von Winning Deidesheimer Paradiesgarten Riesling Trocken, Pfalz 2015 750ML ($34.95) $24 pre-arrival special
David Schildknecht–Vinous 93 points “As usual, Von Winning’s Paradiesgarten leads with seductive, subtly bittersweet floral perfume calling to mind buddleia, iris and gentian. Musky inner-mouth perfume complements ripe white peach and fresh lime on a glossy, buoyant palate, leading to a refreshing finish, incisively ginger-tinged, coolingly laced with mint, and transparent to alkaline, stony and subtly saline nuances. One again, this site high up against the Haardt forests displays its class, and cellarmaster Attmann demonstrates his willingness and ability to let dry Pfalz Riesling unapologetically exude charm.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $26.95
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Catena’s Epic Malbecs
Catena is the standard bearer for what we think of as classical, high end Malbec, you know–the stuff that rivals Bordeaux and California. We scored an incredible deal on two of their top wines. The Wine Advocate and James Suckling loved them, and we think you will, too. The average prices on Wine Searcher are over $100 and we’re almost half that. These are a stupendous wines and, for the price, unbelievable values.
Arriving in September
Catena Zapata Nicasia Vineyards Malbec, La Consulta, Argentina 2012 750ML ($129.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2012 Malbec Catena Zapata Nicasia Vineyard feels fresher and more harmonious than the 2011, when in reality the vintage character is the opposite. It is sourced from the vineyard that names the wine and that is located in Altamira. The Malbec grapes fermented in open barrels and cement vats with 15% whole-cluster Cabernet Franc. There is one extra level of precision and harmony here. It has an elegant nose and the palate almost reflects the tension in the skin of the grapes with its a velvety texture and great acidity. This is really tasty and long, it could be the best Nicasia ever produced.”
James Suckling 95 points “Vivd aromas of currants and blackberries. So much dark fruit. Violets too. Full body, yet buttressed with a center palate of salty acidity and firm tannins. From grapes grown in Altamira. Persistent and vibrant. Drink or hold.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $109
Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino, Uco Valley, Argentina 2012 750ML ($129.95) $69 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 98 points “Very dense and powerful with a tight palate of blue fruit and raspberry undertones. Salty with wonderful length and intensity. A blend of malbec from Nicasia Vineyard in Altamira and Adrianna Vineyard in Gualtallary. Drink in 2022 but so great now.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $105
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Thanks for reading!