Vinopolis September Clearance Sale
Massive Discounts on 37 Wines from Around the World!
2016 JJ Prum
Newly Reviewed & In Stock Now!
The Calling Pinot Noir: Half-Price Sale
Clos de la Roilette New Releases
New Arrival / New Review:
Isole e Olena Chianti Classico
New Jeb Dunnuck Reviews:
2016 Rhone Wines
“One of the Brunellos of the vintage”:
Piancornello
Staff Pick
The Tuscan ’13s Have It: Luce Luce 2013
Benoit Dehu
Lopez de Heredia Round Two!
September Clearance Sale Recap
Jump Start Champagne Offers:Vintage Moet / Ruinart / Dom / Veuve / Krug!
Wine Spectator 94 points “A sleek, creamy Champagne, with an expressive range of toast, apricot, candied Meyer lemon zest, cassis and pastry cream set in a tightly knit and racy frame. This offers personality now, but the focus and concentration recommends it to the cellar as well. Disgorged February 2017. Drink now through 2030.”
Antonio Galloni 97+ points “The 2006 Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs Brut is simply fabulous. In most vintages, Dom Ruinart is a big, ample Champagne that shows the structure of the Montagne de Reims Chardonnay in the blend. The 2006 has plenty of textural resonance and richness, and yet I am also struck by its tension. Both bottles I tasted point to a Dom Ruinart that is quite a bit more polished and sophisticated than it often is at this stage.”
Wine Spectator 97 points “A statuesque Champagne, firm and finely knit, with a beautiful array of baked white peach, almond biscotti, pastry cream and crystallized honey flavors riding the silky mousse. A rich and smoky note of toasted brioche echoes on the chiseled finish. Drink now through 2031.”Dom Perignon Rose, Champagne 2005 750ML ($379.95) $248 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 99 points “A mind-blowing wine. This is super subtle and intense with aromas of peaches, light strawberry and cream. Also shows rose petal and cooked peaches. Medium to full body, with ultra-fine tannins that feel like fine silk. The finish goes on for mintutes. It floats across the palate. The winemaker says the closet vintage to this is the 1990, but I think this is better.”
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2005 Dom Pérignon Rosé is intriguing, complex and multi-faceted. Brisk and refreshing, with a slightly herbal (but not unpleasant character), the 2005 is superb today. Over time, the wine has acquired a bit more depth and body than it showed at the outset. Even with all of its depth, though, I would not suggest cellaring the 2005 too long given the challenges of the year. Hints of blood orange, mint, sage and dried flowers add the closing shades of nuance.”
Wine Spectator 95 points “This rosé Champagne is rich and vinous, offering smoky minerality up front, expanding to show dried raspberry, mandarin orange zest, brioche and espresso crème flavors that ride the fine, lacy mousse. Spice and mineral details persist on the racy finish. Drink now through 2027.”
Wine Enthusiast 95 points “This Champagne is beautifully mature, its ripe fruit and soft texture magnified by toast and yeast. Rich and full bodied, its fine acidity keeps it in great condition. With a crisp aftertaste that gives it a delicious lift, it’s ready to drink now.”
The average price is $326
James Suckling 97 points “This is a DP that shows the ripeness of the 2009 vintage yet remains full of energy. Gorgeous aromas of cream, apple, mango, honeysuckle, and chalk follow through to a full body and super fine, tight texture. Dense and agile. Vinous. It’s like a top grand cru white Burgundy. Think Batard-Montrachet. More depth than the 2006. Drink now.”
Decanter 96 points “Unbroken sun through August and early September helped to shape an idyllic harvest, on 12th September. Superb maturity of fruit in flawless health has produced a wine with wafting scents of both fresh and confit of spiced lemon and wild cherry. Despite the heat, the wine has freshness, vitality and length. Still a youngster, this will grow greatly by 2019. A more stylish son of the ’03, and cousin of the slender and charming ’06. Disgorged June 2016.”
Antonio Galloni 94+ points “The 2009 Dom Pérignon is a gorgeous, totally seductive Champagne that will drink well right out of the gate. Medium in body and unusually open-knit at this stage, the 2009 is one of the most accessible young Dom Pérignons I can remember tasting. It is an excellent choice to drink while waiting for the release of the stellar 2008 and some recent vintages that remain very young, including the 2006. Despite the warm, ripe personality of the 2009 Dom Pérignon is quite gracious, but there is plenty of depth underpinning the fruit. With each successive tasting, the 2009 seems to have gained more power and breadth, especially on the finish. Above all else, the 2009 is decidedly restrained for a warm, radiant vintage. It is not as overtly flamboyant as the 2002 nor as phenolically intense as years like 2003 and 2006. Instead, the 2009 is a beautifully balanced Champagne, with all of its elements in the right place. Tasted three times.”
Gilbert & Gaillard 97 points “Coppery orange-pink. The nose is shy on first pour then delivers delicate red fruit, dried fruit and mild spice notes after swirling. Fleshy attack, fine bubbles and superb freshness. A tense, elegant rose. Hugely successful, almost a foregone conclusion.”
Decanter 96 points “It is quite something to be invited to the launch of Champagne Veuve Clicquot 2008 at Clos des Lambrays, one of the finest grands crus of Burgundy’s Côte de Nuits and acquired by LVMH in April 2014. It was rumoured to have paid close to €100m. The Veuve Clicquot 2008 is VC Chef de Caves Dominique Demarville’s first solo vintage. What fascinated him at Lambrays was winemaker Thierry Brouin’s consummate talent in capturing from the red iron-rich soil a wonderfully bright character in the wine- so fresh, rich yet elegant, density and delicacy in magical harmony. The same can be said for my two coups de coeur in Clicquot 2008. — Veuve Clicquot 2008 (Magnum) — Shimmering green-gold. Easily up several notches from the bottle. Perfect balance of freshness, ripe acidity and complex vinosity to come. Near perfect wine, patina of seasoned spice of subtle oak. — Elegant and complex Champagne with plenty of fine mousse and flavours of toast, smoke and roasted fruit notes to balance the fresh acidity. A refined and refreshing fullbodied wine in a gastronomic style with the potential to drink well for many years.”
Wine Spectator 93 points “Very elegant, this is chiseled by racy acidity that’s swathed in the refined, creamy mousse and flavors of crème de cassis, preserved lemon, biscuit and dried apricot. Long and lacy on the smoke-tinged, minerally finish.”
Gilbert & Gaillard 93 points “Light yellow. Refined nose showing subtle notes of stone fruits and brioche. Lovely refined texture and bubbles, ethereal freshness and a tense profile on the palate. Precise yet streamlined. A beautiful rendition of minimalist elegance.”
Antonio Galloni 97+ points “Krug’s 2004 Vintage is absolutely mesmerizing. Layers of bright, chiseled fruit open up effortlessly as the wine fleshes out with time in the glass. Persistent and beautifully focused, with a translucent sense of energy, the 2004 captures all the best qualities of the year. Moreover, the 2004 is clearly superior to the consistently underwhelming 2002 and the best Krug Vintage since 1996. Readers who can find it should not hesitate, as it is a magical bottle.”
Decanter 97 points “This is the current and latest vintage release from Krug, and is a fitting successor to 2002, though it’s very different in style – unusually, the blend contains more Chardonnay than Pinot Noir. Despite this, it is hallmark Krug with its oxidative profile. It has a luminous freshness and good density without heaviness. There’s a controlled power to this poised, vinous, linear 2004, displaying candied fruits, minerals, gingerbread, white chocolate, caramel and marzipan. This has a long, dry autolytic finish, great balance and lovely bead. Disgorged just after the next, and very different, vintage we tasted, the Krug 2003. Drinking Window 2017-2037.”
John Gilman 97 points “The new release of 2004 Krug is absolutely beautiful and is already quite elegant and open on both the nose and palate and is drinking with great finesse. I had expected this wine to be a bit more steely in structure out of the blocks, but the refinement of the blend this year has produced a wine that is already a joy to drink at age thirteen, though it will continue age gracefully for many, many decades to come. The cépages in 2004 is thirty-nine percent Chardonnay, thirty-seven percent Pinot Noir and twenty-four percent Pinot Meunier, with the wine having been disgorged in the winter of 2016. The bouquet jumps from the glass in a refined mix of apple, a touch of walnut, warm bread, lavender, a superb base of soil tones and a topnote of smokiness. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and utterly seamless, with vibrant acids, great focus and grip, a lovely core, refined mousse and a very long, complex, racy and energetic finish. There is marvelous precision here on both the nose and palate, not to mention a sense of harmony and grace that is fairly rare in the 2004 vintage. Chapeau! 2017-2060.”
The average price is $287
Ending Sunday
Vinopolis September Clearance Sale
Massive Discounts on 37 Wines from Around the World!
Including Selections From:
Bow & Arrow
Orin Swift
Eisele Vineyard
Colgin Estate
Philippe Charlopin
Selbach-Oster
Schloss Gobelsburg
Only Two Days Remaining!
Highlights:
Cristom Jessie Vineyard Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2015 750ML ($69.95) Was $59, Now $49 September Clearance Price
Josh Raynolds 94 points “Vivid red. Ripe red fruits, potpourri and a hint of blood orange on the assertively perfumed nose, lifted by a vibrant mineral quality. Silky and precise on the palate, offering alluringly sweet, spice-tinged cherry and raspberry liqueur flavors and a hint of five-spice powder. Becomes richer with air, with no loss of vibrancy, and finishes with powerful, spicy thrust, fine-grained tannins and an exotic floral pastille note that lingers with serious tenacity.”
Wine Advocate 94 points “Pale to medium ruby-purple, the 2015 Pinot Noir Jessie Vineyard is scented of kirsch, mulberries and raspberry tart with underlying Chinese five spice, hoisin and mossy bark hints. Medium-bodied, there’s a very seductive mid-palate of red berry and exotic spice flavors, supported by velvety tannins and just enough freshness, finishing with spicy layers.”
The average price is $60
Diamond Creek Red Rock Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2015 750ML ($249.95) Was $225, Now $199 September Clearance Price
James Suckling 97 points “This has amazing aromas of red licorice, tar, lead pencil, dark berries and blackberries. Full body, a very soft texture and fine-grained tannins. Lovely freshness and brightness. Sweet and sour underneath. A wine that gives such enjoyment already but it will improve nicely in the bottle.”
Connoisseurs Guide 97 points “One of the most consistent producers of collectable Cabernets over the years, Diamond Creek has come up big in 2015 with a brace of truly outstanding wines. At the very top of the list, the Red Rock Terrace bottling is a beautifully composed effort of extraordinary depth and focus. Its incisive, pure cassis qualities merge with perfectly fit elements of loam, stony soils, creamy oak and accents of raspberries, and never once does it trade in flamboyant ripeness. It is, in fact, a wine of remarkable polish and cohesion right down to the fine, seamlessly integrated tannins that afford it the structure to age for two decades if not more, and those fortunate few who manage to hide a few bottles away should not consider drinking even one until another six to ten years have passed”
Winery notes “Red Rock Terrace, a warm microclimate, is 7 acres of north facing vineyard. The red tinted soil is high in iron content. The wine from Red Rock Terrace is the most accessible and earliest drinkable of all our wines. Our winemaker describes Red Rock Terrace as “having velvety tannins, rich and well balanced, medium dark ruby color with cherry, mint and black currant flavors.”
The average price nationally is $223
Domaine Perrot-Minot Les Beaux Monts Vieilles Vignes, Vosne-Romanee Premier Cru 2010 750ML ($199.95) Was $179, Now $159 September Clearance Price
Antonio Galloni 91-93 points “The 2010 Vosne-Romanée Les Beaux Monts is deep, dark and sensual. It currently comes across as young, but there is gorgeous fleshiness and mid-palate pliancy that makes the Beaux Monts totally irresistible.”
Now it’s even lower!
The next best price is $186
Domaine de la Janasse Cotes du Rhone Rose, Rhone 2016 750ML ($19.95) Was $16, Now $11.90 September Clearance Price
Jeb Dunnuck 90 points “Made in a more Tavel than Côtes du Rhône style, the raspberry colored 2016 Côtes du Rhône Rose offers lots of strawberry fruit, medium-bodied richness, a supple, textured style and clean finish. It too has the freshness and purity to handle a summer day, but will also shine on the dinner table.”
Importer notes “The Côtes-du-Rhône Rosé from Domaine de la Janasse is made by bleeding the tanks and vats of the Côtes-du-Rhône Rouge. It is a blend of mainly Grenache, with Cinsault, Syrah and Counoise. After the wine is bled, it finished fermentation and aging in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks.”
Importer note “The VV bottling is the entry bottling, but the vines are over 60 years old, thus the VV designation. He does two bottlings and I always wait for the 2nd bottling so that the wine has more lees time. At the 2nd bottling the wine has spent 8-9 months on the lees. The wine has great texture and mouthfeel, closer to Muscadet than most Jacquere. On the palate you get citrus and herbs.”
VinopolNote: The Massons own some of the highest and oldest vines in the appellation, including some planted by Jean-Claude’s grandfather that are over 100 years old. At a whopping 450 meters above sea level, the family is always the last to harvest in the area. The resulting wines are fermented with native yeasts in stainless steel.
VinopolNote: Erderner Prälat occupies a mere 2.2 hectares. Entirely south-facing, the vineyard is surrounded by cliffs which insulate the vines – as a result, Prälat is one of the warmest plots in the region. Over time, it has also become one of the most sought-after vineyards. Given the limited space, only a few winemakers have access to the vineyard.
2016 JJ Prum
Newly Reviewed & In Stock Now!
A Drink Now, Classic Vintage
The JJ Prum wines are reference points for Mosel Riesling. No other producer in the middle Mosel is as respected or collectible. These are some of the most profound and age-worthy white wines in the world and, given the status Prum enjoys, are almost miraculous in their pricing.
The 2016 vintage is another marked success for the estate, producing Riesling of beautiful charm and deliciousness. There’s no reason to think that these won’t be wines that improve for three decades, but they’re uncommonly tasty for young JJ Prum. From top to bottom, these are brilliant wines and with the stern 2017’s in the pipeline, definitely the most immediately delicious vintage in many years.
Newly Reviewed by Stuart Pigott of JamesSuckling.com
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2016 750ML ($37.95) $30.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2016 1.5L ($79.95) $69 special, 24 magnums in stock now
Stuart Pigott – JamesSuckling.com 93 points “Very youthful, but brimming with white fruits and minerals. This is easy to enjoy right now. However, in the background of this sleek beauty, there’s a note of wet stones that grows through the long and cool finish. Drink or hold.”
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2016 750ML ($39.95) $31.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2016 1.5L ($89.95) $77 special, 11 magnums in stock now
Stuart Pigott – JamesSuckling.com 94 points “Still a little funky from the wild ferment, but there are also beautiful notes of floras and ripe white peaches. Very elegant and polished with a super vibrant finish that makes you reach out for the glass again. Drink or hold.”
The average price nationally is $35
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2016 1.5L ($119.95) $89 special, 6 magnums in stock now
Stuart Pigott – JamesSuckling.com 94 points “Juicy but super elegant and refined with great mineral freshness, making this an extremely attractive wine. And yes, this has some sweetness but you’d hardly think so. Where are those spicy prawns? Drink or hold.”Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2016 750ML ($49.95) $41.90 special, 36 bottles in stock now
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2016 1.5L ($119.95) $96 special, 6 magnums in stock now
Stuart Pigott – JamesSuckling.com 95 points “Welcome to the heart of the Mosel! A great floral beauty with an extremely precise balance of delicate fruit sweetness and filigree acidity. Drink or hold.”Joh. Jos. Prum Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2016 750ML ($41.95) $36 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott – JamesSuckling.com 93 points “There are delicate spices and very attractive succulence to this Spätlese. The acidity is very much in the background until the finish lifts off. Drink or hold.”
The average price nationally is $38
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2016 375ML ($39.95) $33 special, 12 half-bottles in stock now
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2016 1.5L ($149.95) $119 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott – JamesSuckling.com 95 points “Stunning succulence and subtlety. The concentration and power are completely underplayed until you get to the brain-rattling finish of this Mosel masterpiece. Drink or hold.”Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2016 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 24 Bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott – JamesSuckling.com 96 points “A stunning Auslese with a delicate floral-honey character and a slew of yellow fruits. This is very seductive. The finish is very long and creamy. Drink or hold.”
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2016 375ML ($79.95) $66 special, 22 half-bottles in stock now
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2016 1.5L ($279.95) $249 special, 2 magnums in stock now
Stuart Pigott – JamesSuckling.com 96 points “Super elegant and filigree with a delicacy that you don’t find in many other high-end white wines regardless of grape variety and region of origin. A very long and clean finish. Drink or hold.”
Half-Price Sale!(It’s Calling Your Name)
New Arrival
Case-12 The Calling Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley 2014 750ML ($419.95) $199 special (that’s only $16.58/bottle!)
Wine Enthusiast 91 points “A generously fruity, just-ripe and refined wine, this offers classic notions of the appellation in a warm, welcoming vintage, from rhubarb, cranberry and cherry to cola spice and clove. Still young, it shows an intensity that should meld and mellow in the bottle in short order.”
The average price is $35!!
Clos de la Roilette New ReleasesThe demand for Coudert’s wines is ever growing; the supply is not.
These wines are some of the most Burgundian in nature and worthy of following over a few years if not decades. Especially considering the vintage – 2017 splits the difference between the legendary concentration and structure of the 2015s and the classic vibrancy and elegance from the 2016s. Clos de la Roilette is always one of the most cherished Beaujolais producers in the shop. We’re offering the newest releases to you at prices that will make you reminiscence about what you used to pay for wines from their northern neighbors…
Newly Arrived from Clos de la Roilette Wines
Clos de la Roilette Fleurie, Beaujolais 2017 750ML ($24.95) $19 special
Wine Advocate 92+ points “The youthful 2017 Fleurie wafts from the glass with aromas of red cherries, raspberries and potpourri. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with firm but fine-grained structuring tannins and a long, tangy finish. It will demand a couple years of bottle age. In this year’s rendition, the grapes of the Clos de la Roilette are supplemented by some purchased fruit, something that was authorized by the authorities in the aftermath of the hailstorms that struck Fleurie on the 10th and 30th of July.”
The average price nationally is $24
Clos de la Roilette Fleurie Cuvee Tardive, Beaujolais 2017 1.5L ($69.95) $49 special
Wine Advocate 93+ points “The 2017 Fleurie Cuvée Tardive reveals a deeper, richer bouquet of dark cherries, red fruit compote, quince and rose petal. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, ample and lavish, with a deep, concentrated core and rich structuring tannins. This is a decidedly serious Fleurie, its name alluding to its aging potential and not to a later harvest, and it will demand 3 or 4 years of cellaring at a minimum.”
The average price for the 750ml is $30
The next best price for the magnum is $54.99
VinopolNote: This wine is always a selection of some of the finest of Alain Coudert’s wines, aged in smaller (used) casks and left in barrel for a longer time. Darker and richer than the Fleurie or Cuvee Tardive, this wine will age magnificently and always bears a stronger resemblance to its neighbors in the Cote d’Or.
Importer note “Griffe du Marquis comes from the same two parcels of eighty-plus-year-old vines that go into Roilette’s Tardive wines. It is aged in old Burgundy barrels and structured to develop with age. From Alain Coudert: ‘The name comes from my parents’ surname in the village, which was Marquis. It’s definitely not from past lineage, so don’t think we’re royalists! I think it started with a good family friend who used to come over to drink a glass with my dad every day. He’d see my mom on the balcony and salute her, then tell people he’d seen the Marquise when he’d get back to the village. It stuck!’”
The average price is $43
New Arrival / New Review!
Case-12 Isole e Olena Chianti Classico DOCG, Tuscany 2015 750ML ($319.95) $259 special (that’s only $21.58/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Isole e Olena Chianti Classico DOCG, Tuscany 2015 1.5L ($59.95) $49 special
Grapelive 92 points “A deep and rich Chianti Classico by Isole e Olena that delivers a smooth and ripe palate showing layers of black and red fruits, a sense of vintage warmth, fine tannins and an almost chocolate/lush textural mouth feel. This wine impresses for its impact and substance. Paolo De Marchi’s all estate grown Chianti Classico is flashy style giving the vintage a luxurious expression and a modern clean elegance. This Chianti is usually a blend of about 80% Sangiovese, 15% Canaiolo, 5% Syrah. It shows a pure Tuscan focus in character in its profile, even though it is really dark in color and exotic in the glass with a crimson/garnet color. The Sangiovese drives the wine with blackberries, cherry, plum and anise as well as hints of sweet tobacco, minty herb, cedar and vanilla. It feels and flows seamlessly and has excellent length adding spice, dried flowers and mocha notes. This Isole e Olena drinks bigger and broader than expected, it even comes across like a more expensive wine, maybe a Super Tuscan. It certainly doesn’t shy away from its opulence, but it does offer a surprising degree of balance, and while subtle, the acidity gives a sense of energy that helps provide a platform for the complexity to shine through and keeps the full body from being overt or flabby. This wine with its power deserves a robust meal to complement its distinct presence. It should provide wonderful drinking pleasure for many years to come, drink from 2018 to 2025.”
New Jeb Dunnuck Reviews2016 Rhone Wines
Jeb Dunnuck 95 points “The 2016 Condrieu is straight-up brilliant stuff, the finest Condrieu I’ve tasted from Luis Barruol. Awesome notes of orange blossom, white flowers, citrus oil, and crushed rocks all flow to a deep, rich, textured effort that has fabulous purity and precision. It’s a great example of Viognier from these steep, granite soils and is well worth seeking out.”
The next best price is $70.29
Saint Cosme Cote Rotie, Rhone 2016 750ML ($64.95) $52.50 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 95 points “The 2016 Côte-Rôtie comes all from the Côte Brune side of the appellation, which is all schist soils. Fermented with no destemming and aged mostly in older barrels, it’s a rock star Côte-Rôtie and offers loads of blackberry fruits, spice, tapenade, cured meats, and pepper. With medium to full body, a deep, layered mid-palate, present tannins, and a huge finish, it needs short-term cellaring but is an undeniably gorgeous Syrah that will have two decades of longevity.”
The next best price is $57.89
The average price is $75
Saint Cosme Crozes-Hermitage, Rhone 2016 750ML ($27.95) $24 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 93 points “I loved the 2016 Crozes Hermitage, which comes from granite terroirs located behind Hermitage hill. It offers layers of blackberry fruit, olive tapenade, ground pepper, and violet aromas and flavors. Deep, medium to full-bodied, and seamless, it shows the purity and finesse that’s the hallmark of this vintage.”
The average price is $33
Saint Cosme Saint-Joseph, Rhone 2016 750ML ($29.95) $26 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 92 points “From the northern part of the appellation (closer to Côte-Rôtie), the 2016 St. Joseph offers fresh, perfumed notes of black and blue fruits, pepper, and ample minerality. It’s more focused and chiseled than the Crozes Hermitage, with slightly less density, but is beautifully balanced, elegant and seamless. It’s another classic Northern Rhône from this estate.”
The average price is $35Newly Reviewed & Arriving in October
Famille Brechet Domaine des Bosquets Gigondas, Rhone 2016 750ML ($31.95) $26 pre-arrival special
Jeb Dunnuck 92 points “Leading off the wines from bottle, the 2016 Gigondas is a classic wine from this estate, offering a deeper ruby/purple color as well as tons of garrigue, peppery spice, and earth intermixed with ample red and black fruits. Polished, rounded and sexy, with sweet tannin, it has a modern style that won’t appeal to traditionalists yet is beautifully done. The blend is 60% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, and the rest Cinsault.”
The average price is $29
Famille Brechet Domaine des Bosquets Gigondas La Colline, Rhone 2016 750ML ($89.95) $69 pre-arrival special
Jeb Dunnuck 97+ points “The 2016 Gigondas La Colline (100% Grenache from a tiny corner of the La Colline vineyard) gives a big blast of blackberry and kirsch fruit to go with complex garrigue, toasted spice, and dried earth. This full-bodied beauty packs an incredible amount of richness and depth into a seamless, silky, elegant, thrilling package. It’s going to benefit from 1-2 years of bottle age and knock your socks off over the following decade or more.”
Famille Brechet Domaine des Bosquets Gigondas Le Lieu Dit 2016 750ML ($79.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Jeb Dunnuck 97 points “From a cooler terroir of sandy soils just beside the domaine, the 2016 Gigondas Le Lieu Dit is another tour de force from this brilliant estate. It sports a medium ruby color as well as a rocking bouquet of kirsch, blackberry liqueur, rose petals, damp earth, incense, and spice. Ultra-fine, seamless, elegant, and pure, it’s nevertheless powerful and rich, with awesome intensity. Readers need to snatch up this blockbuster.”
Alain Jaume & Fils Domaine Grand Veneur Gigondas Terrasses de Montmirail, Rhone 2016 750ML ($39.95) $29 pre-arrival special
Jeb Dunnuck 93 points “The 2016 Gigondas Terrasses de Montmirail from the Jaume family is 65% Grenache and the balance Mourvèdre and Syrah, aged mostly in tank with a small part in smaller barrels. Its deep ruby color is followed by a pretty, elegant, seamless wine that has great notes of red fruits, white flowers, spices, and a limestone-like minerality. Silky and polished, it shines for its elegance and purity.”
The next best price is $34.99
“Two thousand thirteen is an excellent vintage for Brunello di Montalcino. If it is not quite the epic vintage that it appeared to be from cask, it is undoubtedly one of the better years for Brunello in some time – along with 2010, 2001, 2006 and 2004 in that order.” –Ian d’Agata, Vinous Media
Piancornello Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2013 750ML ($69.95) $48 special
Ian D’Agata-Vinous 96 points “Deep red-ruby. Highly perfumed, mineral aromas of raspberry, red cherry, violet and iron. Wonderfully sappy but youthfully imploded in the mouth, this remarkably precise and well-delineated Brunello offers an extremely refined set of flinty red and black fruit herbal flavors. Finishes with a firm edge of tannins and very good floral and spicy lift. An outstanding, very pure and deep wine that really needs about a decade of patience. One of the Brunellos of the vintage.”
Il Carbonaione is made from a single vineyard planted to 80 year old vines in the hills of Greve in Chianti Classico. The 2013 is already showing layers of dark ripe fruit intermixed with spice, and leathery earth. It’s a true tightrope walk between the richness of fruit and bright acidity of Sangiovese. Everything is in harmony and the balance and length are truly impressive. A great match for grilled or roasted meat but versatile enough to drink with light pasta or pizza! The 2013 is dangerously drinkable now but will surely be better in 5-10 years.Poggio Scalette Il Carbonaione Alta Valle della Greve IGT, Tuscany 2013 750ML ($69.95) $41.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 95+ points “The 2013 Il Carbonaione is compelling. That’s the good news. The bad news, if you can call it that, is that the 2013 is going to take the better part of the next decade to be at its best. Black cherry, plum, licorice and menthol are all fused together. Today, the 2013 is rich, deep and unctuous, with superb depth and striking balance. Opening a bottle anytime soon, though, is likely to be a mostly academic exercise, as the Carbonaione is so primary, it almost tastes like a barrel sample!”
Wine Advocate 94+ points “Vittorio Fiore’s 2013 Il Carbonaione is a softly integrated and well-composed expression of Sangiovese. It shows enormous richness and makes a lasting impression on all the senses, from eyes to nose to palate. The appearance is inky dark, and the bouquet offers a balanced medley of ripe fruit, backing spice, leather, chocolate and tart berry aromas. It needs a few more years to unwind and lose some of its nervous energy. This is a beautiful and unique expression of the grape that will show its best in about five years.”
The next best price is $44.99
The average price is $53
The Tuscan ’13s Have ItArriving October 11th
Case-6 Luce della Vite ‘Luce’ Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2013 750ML ($599.95) $359 pre-arrival special (that’s only $59.83/bottle!)
James Suckling 97 points “The beauty and polish to this are very impressive on the nose and the palate. Blackberry, blueberry and sandalwood character. Full body, ultra-fine tannins and an elegant finish. So crafted and fine.”
The next best price is $74.94
The average price is $103
Pinot Meunier is so frequently overlooked as the third grape of Champagne. At the hands of a rarified few (Prevost and Mignon come to mind alongside Dehu) the glory of this grape comes into its own. Think of it as Gamay: derided and overlooked in favor of Pinot and Chard, yet so full of minerality and charm. The ability of this grape to express terroir is so often ignored by grower, producer and drinker alike. Here, in these single-parcel Champagnes, one can truly appreciate the depth and complexity achieved in the hands(-off approach) of masters.Benoit Dehu Champagnes Arriving October 12th:
Benoit Dehu Rose De Saignee, Champagne NV (2015) 750ML ($149.95) $128 pre-arrival special
Winery note “82% Pinot Meunier, 18% Chardonnay + 17% red wine (mainly Pinot Meunier); aged for three years on the lees. On the palate, it is an explosion of crushed raspberry, wild strawberry and fresh mango. It is broad in the mouth and surprisingly smooth and fresh. As it warms, its aromas open into notes of pear and quince.”
Benoit Dehu La Rue des Noyers, Champagne NV (2014) 750ML ($119.95) $89 pre-arrival special
Importer note “Benoit is an eighth generation vigneron that returned to the family estate after working for Bollinger. He is committed to natural farming and aims to craft unadultered, pure Pinot Meunier. He purchased this 1.7 hectare vineyard and farms it biodynamically. The results are exceptional and we are thrilled to introduce Benoit’s work to our clients. The Cuvee La Rue de Noyers, named for the walnut trees that line the parcel, is a wine that will keep you intrigued and coming back for more. Organically farmed Pinot Meunier, 1.7 hectares farmed biodynamically. A quarter of the property is worked with a horse named Violette. Vinified in oak barrels, many of which are made from trees from the forest of Fossoy. No malo, no dosage, unfined and unfiltered.”
Benoit Dehu Champagne Initiation Brut, Champagne NV (2015) 750ML ($99.95) $79 pre-arrival special
Importer note “Cuvée Initiation is the newest addition to the Déhu lineup. Made from his signature variety Pinot Meunier and 25% Pinot Noir, which Benoît planted using massale selection of Pommard clone from Burgundy. Oak vinification and ageing, unfined and unfiltered, low dosage. The wines is zippy and round with a persistent finish. Sourced from a small parcel at the bottom of the hill which Benoît planted using massale selection of Pommard clone from Burgundy.
Lopez de Heredia
Round Two!
Arriving in February 2019
Case-6 Lopez de Heredia Vina Cubillo Crianza, Rioja DOCa 2009 750ML ($179.95) $133 pre-arrival special (that’s only $22.17/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 92 points “The red they say was born to go with tapas and sold in local restaurants is the 2009 Viña Cubillo Tinto Crianza. 2009 was a warm and ripe year, and this blend of Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha (or the masculine Garnacho they like to use) plus 5% each Graciano and Mazuelo from limestone soils with quite a lot of clay, feels juicy and soft. It fermented with natural yeasts in large oak vats and matured in used barriques for three years. This is a bottling that has grown and improved a lot since 2004-2005. It shows very good balance between fruit and more developed aromas, with hints of leather and cherries, spices and smoke, very clean and with good volume in the palate. It’s usually a little riper and with higher alcohol than Tondonia or Bosconia, with the character, finesse and elegance of a classical Reserva. 93,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in April 2013.”
Also Arriving in February 2019…The Amazing 2006 Tondonia
For all the extraordinary grace, complexity and age-worthiness of the wines these are simply the best value in wine money can buy.
Obscenely under-priced & arriving February 2019
Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2006 750ML ($41.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2006 750ML ($249.95) $199 pre-arrival special (that’s only $33.17/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Wine Advocate 95 points “The red flagship 2006 Viña Tondonia Reserva was inspired by the vineyards of the Médoc but produced with local grapes, 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacho, 5% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo, which achieved 13% alcohol in 2006. It always matures in used American oak barriques for some six years. The oldest of all the reds I tasted, it was also the one with more freshness, which speaks to the quality of the vineyard. This takes the lion’s share of the 400,000 bottles the winery produces, with some 220,000 bottles filled over a period of 12 consecutive days in May 2014.”
James Suckling 94 points “This is a remarkably lively wine for a 12-year-old Rioja with notes of licorice and dried cherries and a very elegant tannin structure that runs through the medium to full body of this red like a silk thread. The dry finish is long and polished. Drink or hold.”
September Clearance Sale
Final Two Days!
Sale Ends This Sunday at 11:59 PM
Just click here for all the wines in our web store or view the full list below:
