In Today’s Newsletter:
Vinopolis’ Oregon Pinot Offer of the Year:
New In-Stock Offers from Scott Paul
New Offers from Scott Paul
Your Second Chance at the Best Values in Oregon Pinot:
A new, extensive collection of winery-cellared library wines at incredible discounts!
In Stock Now!
Kelley Fox makes the most captivating wines in all of the Willamette Valley—fresh and delicate with a palate-pleasing intricacy. While her own label is well known now, she was the winemaker at Scott Paul for the 2005-2014 vintages, and it’s a few of the best of the wines we wanted to highlight today. We are offering a superb deal on several back vintages of Scott Paul “Audrey,” “Azana,” “La Paulee,” and additional single-vineyard bottlings from the Kelley Fox era (and a couple from 2015).
Audrey was the top wine Kelley made under the Scott Paul label and is sourced almost entirely from the old vines at Maresh vineyard—these are wines that were allocated on release and retailed north of $60. La Paulee was their workhorse wine—it traded for ~$28-$35 on release and was based on Maresh and Nysa vineyard fruit with a bit of Ribbon Ridge thrown in. Although less expensive than the Audrey, these have aged beautifully, especially from vintages like 2012 and 2009. There are a few other single vintage bottlings on offer as well (including some 2015’s made by Ian Burch, who’s now the winemaker at Archery Summit). These display the level of quality you’d expect from this crack winemaking team.
We blew through last week’s offering (everything sold out in less than 48 hours) and we were excited to offer more at these incredible closeout prices.
Newly Arrived Scott Paul Wines – In Stock For Now:
Scott Paul Audrey Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2013 750ML ($69.95) $21.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Scott Paul Audrey Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2013 1.5L ($89.95) $49 special, only 24 magnums available!
Josh Raynolds 93 points “Vivid ruby-red. Sexy, oak-spiced blackberry and cherry cola scents, along with hints of five-spice powder, lavender and mocha. Lively and precise on entry, then deeper and broader in the midpalate, offering sappy berry and bitter cherry flavors and a sweetening suggestion of candied flowers. Shows excellent focus and energy on the impressively persistent, spice-laced finish, which is given shape by fine-grained tannins.”
Wine Enthusiast 93 points “This is sourced from the Maresh vineyard, which dates back to 1970. These older vines deliver that extra dollop of texture and mouthfeel that elevates the drinking experience. Powerful and yet elegant, it brings a panoply of berries, baking spices, Asian spices, nougat, caramel and milk chocolate. It delivers all of this and more, without feeling heavy or overblown. It drank even better after being open a full 24 hours.”
Neal Martin 92 points “The 2013 Pinot Noir Audrey is a selection of six barrels from the Maresh Vineyard in the Dundee Hills and is matured for ten months in neutral oak. It really encapsulates how Oregon Pinot Noir could succeed in this vintage and shows a clever selection of barrels. It has relatively light in color (not far from Maggie Harrison’s Rosé at Antica Terra!). The nose is very well defined, fresh and “transparent” with slightly leafy dark cherries and bergamot scents that are full of energy. That is also true for the palate, balancing high wire on the acidity. Not a powerful Pinot Noir, but classic, Old World inspired and adorned with a slightly ferrous finish. This is a delicious Pinot to drink now and over the next 8-10 years, though personally I would not begrudge anyone popping this open straight away.”
The next best price is $33.24!
The average price is $48
Josh Raynolds 92 points “Brilliant red. Fresh red berries, cherry compote and a hint of blood orange on the highly perfumed nose and in the mouth. Juicy and lithe in character, with no rough edges; a suave floral pastille nuance emerges on the back half. Shows excellent clarity and spicy cut on the finish, which hangs on with strong, floral tenacity.”
The next best price is $33.24
Wine Spectator 92 points “Broad and spicy, open-textured and appealing, showing balletic balance and featuring black cherry, rose petal and white pepper character that glides into a long and inviting finish. Drink now through 2024. 141 cases made.”
The next best price is $33.24
Josh Raynolds 92 points “Vivid red. Sexy, intensely perfumed bouquet of red berries, incense and Asian spices, with a suave floral topnote. Offers deeply pitched raspberry and cherry flavors lifted by zesty acidity and a touch of blood orange. The spicy quality comes back on the finish, which shows impressive energy and closing thrust. This wine was sourced from an older block of the Nysa vineyard.”
David Schildknecht 92 points “Representing a four-barrel selection from relatively old vines in Nysa Vineyard (on the eastern edge of Domaine Drouhin), the Scott Paul 2010 Pinot Noir Les Gourmandises smells of smoky black tea, incense, gentian, cherry, purple plum, and red currant accompanied by spirit-like overtones, all of which mingle with multi-boned meat stock on a richly-textured yet uncannily buoyant and brightly fresh-fruited palate. There’s a stony or chalky undertone as well as invigorating impingement of fresh ginger to the long, savory, mouthwatering, downright refreshing finish. This beauty – which hasn’t yet been released – should prove delightfully versatile and well worth following for at least the better part of a decade.”
Wine Enthusiast 94 points “Editor’s Choice. ($32) A selection of the best lots of the vintage, here sourced entirely from biodynamically-farmed blocks of the Maresh Vineyard in the Dundee Hills. Among the most Burgundian of all Oregon Pinots, this complex, cellar-ready wine shows ripe red and black fruits, old vine hints of dried leaves, light herb and autumnal profundity.”
Josh Raynolds 92 points “Bright red. Exotic, spice-laced red berry and floral pastille aromas pick up a smoky quality with air, showing a pure, nervy character and a hint of musky earth. Sappy, incisive and focused on the palate, offering intense raspberry and cola flavors and a palate-numbing peppery kick. Gains in sweetness with air, picking up a bitter cherry note that carries through the long, gently tannic finish.”
The average price is $34
Scott Paul The Long Run Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2011 750ML ($59.95) $33 special, only 36 bottles in stock nowJosh Raynolds 92 points “(12.9% alcohol; 20% new oak): Light, bright red. Sexy, high-pitched red berry and floral scents, with notes of star anise, underbrush and sassafras adding complexity. Offers intense raspberry and bitter cherry flavors, along with notes of rhubarb, candied flowers and orange zest. This lithe, focused, pure pinot finishes linear and very long, with echoing floral and spice notes. Pinot purists should definitely check this one out.”
Wine Enthusiast 92 points “($45) Previously labeled as Les Gourmandises, this is now The Long Run in honor of Scott Wright’s completing his first full-length marathon in 2011. It’s all Nysa vineyard fruit, graceful and delicate, scented with rose water and satin smooth. Cranberry and wild strawberry fruit accents lead into a mouthful of cherry soda, delicate but lingering.”
Wine Enthusiast 94 points “Editor’s Choice. This cuvée, sourced from Maresh vineyard old vines, was formerly called Audrey. This vintage, the vineyard gets its due. The old vines contribute both texture and mouthfeel, elevating the overall experience. A lush mix of raspberry, cherry and blackberries flavors unfolds on the palate. Underbrush and mushroom scents and accents emerge as it winds gracefully into the finish.”
Wine Enthusiast 92 points “The famous vineyard is showing well here. Winemaker Ian Burch has a fine ability to provide a distinct focus for each of the winery’s single vineyard selections. This bottling is refined, with an intriguing mix of flavors, from grapefruit and Bing cherry, to chicken broth and milk chocolate. As odd as it sounds, it all knits together quite well.”
Josh Raynolds 92 points “Brilliant ruby-red. Assertive red berry and incense aromas, along with suggestions of Asian spices, sassafras and minerals. Spicy, focused and racy on entry, then fleshier in the mid-palate, with vibrant raspberry and bitter cherry flavors gaining sweetness with air. Distinctly lithe for the vintage, with a whiplash of juicy red fruit defining the lively, persistent finish. This fruit was grown in the Nysa vineyard.”
Burghound 92 points “Outstanding. A beautifully layered and admirably pure nose is composed of plum, violets, spice and discreet sandalwood hints. There is more volume to the slightly bigger and richer medium-bodied flavors that also possess good verve on the dusty, compact and moderately firm finish. This is clearly built to age and it will need at least 4 to 5 years and reward 8 to 10. In a word, impressive.”
Josh Raynolds 93 points “Vivid ruby-red. Drop-dead gorgeous, highly perfumed aromas of red berry preserves, Asian spices, sassafras and smoky minerals, with an intense floral nuance. Sweet, penetrating and pure, offering nervy red fruit and rose pastille flavors complemented by deeper notes of mocha and licorice. Shows outstanding balance and clarity, with smooth tannins building slowly through a long spice- and mineral-inflected finish.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 91 points “Deep red. Bright and energetic on the nose, displaying intense red berry and blood orange scents, along with candied rose and allspice highlights. Silky, sweet and incisive on the palate, offering juicy strawberry and floral pastille flavors and a spicy kick of white pepper. Closes very long and nervy; fine-grained tannins lend shape and closing grip.”
Wine Enthusiast 91 points “Sophisticated and subtle, this lovely wine expresses varietal elegance, with a bouquet of roses and raspberries to begin. The jumble of pretty fruits is framed with citrus peel and a dusting of chocolate.”
Neal Martin-Wine Advocate 90 points “The 2013 Pinot Noir la Paulee comes from fruit sourced from Maresh and Nysa in the Dundee Hills, Azana in Chehalem and from the Ribbon Ridge, matured for ten months in neutral oak. It has a very natural, Côte de Beaune-like bouquet with ample brambly red fruit with hints of black tea developing with aeration. I appreciate the focus and definition here. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, smooth in the mouth with just a faint honeyed note. Tart red cherries mingle with redcurrant and strawberry, segueing into a poised and fulsome finish. This should drink well over the next 7-10 years and represents great value.”Scott Paul La Paulee Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2014 750ML ($39.95) $18 special, 34 bottles in stock now
Winery Note “Brilliant red in color. The spicy nose starts with being savory and leads into an array of fresh raspberry, brambleberry, and marionberry. Finely pronounced tannins combine with layers of fresh elderberry and a great balance of acid are folded into razor focused tannins which has the palate finishing with class. Our home in Carlton, Oregon (a 1915 brick creamery) is an ideal spot to revel in the virtues of Pinot Noir, as we pursue Pinot Perfection. Our sustainably farmed vineyards are among the Willamette Valley’s finest (and dare we say, most perfect). Our 2014 bottling is a selection of superior lots from our blocks of Maresh and Nysa Vineyards in the Dundee Hills and Ribbon Ridge and Azana Vineyards on the Chehalem Mountains. Bold, bright berry flavors unite with a bounty of rose, spice and cherry aromas. Pure Oregon Pinot Noir.”
The average price is $29