Sunday Newsletter 9-11-22

 In This Newsletter:

We’re offering a super price slash on one of your favorite Beaujolais. You loved it at $14/bottle, adored it at $11.90/bottle, now you can fall head over heels at $8.25/bottle by the case. Super case pricing ends Monday night!

Stephane Aviron Beaujolais-Villages 2018 750ml Was $14, Now $11.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Stephane Aviron Beaujolais-Villages 2018 750ml $99 special (that’s only $8.25/bottle!)
Frederick Wildman note “Terroir: The Stéphane Aviron Beaujolais Villages is sourced from two of the best terroirs of the appellation, both with old vines averaging at least 50 years in age. The vines in the commune of Quincié have sandy, granite soils and the commune of Lantignié has clay and limestone soils with favorable southwest exposure. Vinification: Whole clusters of grapes are fermented, and then macerated for six days to extract characters of fruit and finesse. The wine is aged in cement tanks to retain the purity of the fresh fruit. The wine shows great finesse, elegance and a very ‘easy drinking’ nature.”

This was the lowest listed price in the USA today, 
Now it’s even lower!
The next best price is $19.99/btl

Hundred Acre ‘Dark Ark’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain 2015 750ml $699 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate 99 points “Dark Ark is a selection of barrels from the Ark vineyard in 2015 that were bottled separately. It comes from a pre-blending selection of barrels that were notably denser and more powerful than the others this vintage. Some of these were blended into the single-vineyard Ark label, but when their contribution to the blend began to detract from the essence of that wine, the remaining barrels were bottled separately. Jayson Woodbridge dubbed the wine ‘Dark Ark’ and the name stuck.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Hundred Acre Kayli Morgan Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2017 750ml $499 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate 96 points “‘The cool clay at Kayli Morgan vineyard really weathered well the 2017 heat wave,’ said proprietor Jayson Woodbridge. Featuring a deep garnet-black color, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Kayli Morgan Vineyard has a profound nose of fruitcake, crème de cassis, baked plums and forest floor, with touches of hoisin, charcuterie and clove oil. The full-on, full-bodied palate is rich and seductive, offering a sturdy frame of chewy tannins and a lively backbone, finishing very spicy and long.”

Hundred Acre ‘Wraith’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2017 750ml $549 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate 98+ points “Deep garnet, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Wraith jumps with spicy scents of cumin seed, clove oil, cinnamon stick and fenugreek, leading to a core of prunes, blueberry pie and blackcurrant cordial, with touches of iron ore and red roses. The rich, full-bodied palate layers in red fruit nuances with a structure that is wonderfully elegant and ethereal, delivering silken tannins, seamless freshness and a long-lasting firework display for a finish.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Schrader Cellars Double Diamond Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2019 750ml $79 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 94 points “Released by Schrader as a separate brand, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon from Double Diamond (which is still 70% To Kalon) offers a forward, medium to full-bodied, incredibly sexy style as well as classy notes of cassis, tobacco, incense, orange blossom, and flowers. Readers looking for a touch of that Schrader magic at a slightly more affordable price are going to love this beauty. It’s already drinking nicely, and I see no need to delay gratification.”

Oregon

Cameron Winery Reserve Chardonnay, Dundee Hills 2020 750ml $36 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
A barrel selection of Clos Electrique and Abbey Ridge barrels.

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Flâneur Wines Aligoté (La Belle Promenade, Chehalem Mountains AVA) Willamette Valley 2021 750ml $39 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Winery note “Intense aromas of pear, white peach, marzipan, chamomile tea, and floral honeysuckle jump out of the glass. Flavors are reminiscent of aromas with added lemon, grapefruit rind and fresh cut grass. Beautiful richness and texture are built from native yeast fermentation in 60% neutral oak barrels. Crisp and mouth watering acidity to last leaves us with a balanced, fresh and lengthy finish. This versatile wine is ready to pair with every seasonal menu from raw summer crudité to rich fall fare. Vineyard Information: Dry Farmed Using Organic Principles La Belle Promenade Vineyard is comprised of 33 acres of vines planted in 2014. The vineyard is home to volcanic soils ranging in diversity from a thick layer of fractured basalt in our shallow rooted southwestern blocks and deeper volcanic Saum soils in the southeastern corner of the vineyard. The crops we harvest from La Belle Promenade produce characteristic floral notes that cling to acidity and tell the story of the orchard fruits that once grew here.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

J.K. Carriere Lucidité Chardonnay, Willamette Valley 2018 750ml $33 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Winery note “2018: Another warm growing year that gave thick skins and ample ripeness to the grapes, resulting in wines of immense frame and structure that will go the distance. The nose presents earth and bright ripe citrus in a lemon meringue kind of way with an accent of ginger. Pie-in-face lemon curd hits full force on your palate.”

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J.K. Carriere Provocateur Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley NV 750ml $26 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Winery note “The Cliff Notes: Red garnet is its color, and full ripe cherry is its flavor. Perhaps cherry mascarpone tart might well cover it. It’s a really full and striking beauty with a red-led, medium-plus fruit core and light, but firm structure, finishing on polished tannins. A Story: This wine is about scarcity. Normally vintage-dated 2020 would sit in its place, but we didn’t make much wine that fall. So, for the sake of volume and structure, we added big-shouldered 2018 Pinot. For the sake of additional volume and elegance we added 2019. We even added a skosh of 2021. At that, we only came up with a little under half of the cases we normally provide. It’s delightful, it’s clean, it’s delicious, it’s purposefully non-vintage and perfectly going, going, gone.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

J.K. Carriere Vespidae Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2019 750ml $39.50 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 93 points “Dark crimson. An array of red and blue fruit scents are complemented by suggestions of botanical herbs and pungent flowers. Spice-laced cherry cola and boysenberry flavors develop a touch of musky licorice. Turns sweeter with air and finishes very long and youthfully tannic, leaving repeating floral and cola notes behind. 14% new French oak.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $44

Patricia Green Cellars Sauvignon Blanc, Willamette Valley 2021 750ml $24 special, 5 bottles in stock now
Winery note “This has high-toned and heavily fruited aromatics along with the tinge of straw and minerals which is what ripe Sauvignon Blanc should have as its varietal typicity. The strength of the aromatics resounds in the glass as the wine is deeply fruited with citrus notes at the entry giving way to tropical fruit with extremely crisp acidity on the finish. The wine is bright and fresh but retains an enormous amount of texture and richness without being heavy or taking away from its “summertime drinking” sort of nature. This will pair easily with a very wide range of food ranging from summer salads to denser white fish, sushi rolls and nigiri to spicier Asian influenced dishes, risottos with summer vegetables to chicken and pork done on the grill (and while grilling).”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Nicolas-Jay ‘L’Ensemble’ Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2019 750ml $69 special, 6 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 93 points “Aromas of strawberries, spices and flowers follow through to a medium body with a firm and slightly chewy mouth-feel and a delicious finish. Give it time to come together and open. Unfined and unfiltered. Drink after 2025.”
Wine Enthusiast 92 points “Editor’s Choice. The aromas smell like a big bowl of fruit, with notes of raspberries and strawberries still on the vine. Peppermint and dried herb add accents. Medium-bodied flavors follow, coating the palate from end to end, with powdered cinnamon tannins and black-tea flavors. It’s completely captivating. -Sean P. Sullivan”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Beaux Freres Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2021 750ml $55 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Winery note “Our Willamette Valley cuvée features fruit grown on select vineyard sites in the Northern Willamette Valley. The wines benefit from the same integrity in the winemaking process as our estate wines.  The sites are farmed sustainably and managed to very low yields.  We age the wines in the same French oak barrels used in our estate bottling, however the percentage of new oak is intentionally lower.  This wine is not fined or filtered.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Winery cellared release!
Arterberry Maresh Old Vines Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2017 750ml $39 special, 11 bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds 96 points “Glistening scarlet. A highly complex bouquet evokes red berry and cherry preserves, along with building Asian spice, rose oil and smoky mineral flourishes. Shows fine delineation and seamless texture, offering concentrated, spice-tinged Chambord, cherry, cola and spicecake flavors that pick up a strong rose pastille nuance with air. Finishes extremely long and pure, with fine-grained tannins providing framework and gentle grip to lingering red fruit, five-spice powder and savory herb notes. 70% of this fruit comes from the estate Maresh vineyard and the other 30% is from the neighboring Weber vineyard; the vast majority of the vines were planted in the late 1970s.”
Winery note “The 2017 Arterberry Maresh Old Vines Pinot noir is a blend of Maresh and Weber fruit. Maresh vineyard was the first to be planted on Worden Hill road in 1970 and 1974, followed by Weber in 1983. The 2017 vintage is a change of pace from the last three years of early picks in the heat. A cold spring pushed picking dates into a classic Oregon October allowing flavors to run far ahead of sugars. The ’17 Old Vines is ultra complex balancing waves of electric red fruit with a savory polish. The chemistry numbers look very much like the ’16, however, the fruit is redder and brighter, with finer tannins, giving the wine more length and succulence. Bottled in December 2018.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Bergstrom Gregory Ranch Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton District 2019 750ml $69 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 94 points “Polished and expressive, with rose petal, black raspberry and spiced tea flavors that expand and flesh out on the savory finish. Drink now through 2029. 478 cases made. — TF”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 93 points “Dark, bright-rimmed red. Spice- and earth-tinged red and blue fruit scents show a suave floral overtone. Youthfully taut bitter cherry, blueberry and spicecake flavors flesh out and take a sweeter turn through the back half. Finishes very long and precise, with gently gripping tannins and a resonating cherry flourish.”
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 93 points “Medium ruby-purple, the 2019 Pinot Noir Gregory Ranch has pretty aromas of berry fruit, orange peel, wildflower and autumnal earthy accents. The palate has intense spicy fruits, bright freshness and polished tannins, gliding seamlessly into a long, layered finish.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
The average price nationally is $74

Bergstrom ‘Silice’ Pinot Noir, Chehalem Mountains 2018 750ml $91.90 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 93 points “Vibrantly structured and wiry with tension, yet polished, offering raspberry and cherry flavors, laced with basil and spice notes that take on mineral-tinged tannins on the long finish. Drink now through 2028. 1,250 cases made. — TF”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 93 points “Translucent ruby-red. A highly perfumed bouquet evokes candied cherry, raspberry, allspice and succulent herbs, and a sexy floral note emerges as the wine stretches out. Concentrated red fruit and floral pastille flavors are supported by a spine of juicy acidity and sharpened by an emerging mineral nuance. Smoothly marries power to finesse and finishes with strong, gently tannic persistence and lingering floral and spice notes. 10% new oak.”
Wine Enthusiast 93 points “Highlighted with scents of sweet baking spices and milk chocolate, this brings ripe red-berry fruit along with drying minerals. The flavors dive deeply down through the palate, and the mineral-soaked finish lingers in the throat a long time. Give this another year or two of bottle age for a better drinking window. -Paul Gregutt”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Germany – Nahe

Weingut Donnhoff Riesling, Nahe 2021 750ml $21.90 special, 11 bottles in stock now
Weingut Donnhoff Riesling, Nahe 2021 1.5L $59 special, 6 magnums in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 88 points “The 2021 Riesling is pure, clear and refined yet also intense on the nose that is immediately attractive. Lush on the palate, this is a round and charming yet also stimulating, piquant and grippy Riesling. 10% stated alcohol. Screw cap. Tasted in July 2022.”

This is the only listing in the USA today for the magnum!

Weingut Donnhoff Riesling Trocken, Nahe 2021 750ml $21.90 special, 21 bottles in stock now
Weingut Donnhoff Riesling Trocken, Nahe 2021 1.5L $59 special, 6 magnums in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 91 points “Predominantly from volcanic soils, the 2021 Riesling Trocken is super clear, fresh and flinty on the precise and reductive nose that shows ripe but focused fruit with white peach and apricot aromas. Light and highly stimulating on the palate, this is a salty, crisp and grippy Riesling with juicy fruit and the mineral expression of the Nahe. 11.5% stated alcohol. Diam cork. Tasted in July 2022.”

Weingut Donnhoff Weissburgunder Trocken, Nahe 2021 750ml $26 special, 9 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 89 points “The 2021 Weissburgunder Trocken opens with a clear, fresh and finely flinty bouquet of white and yellow fruits. Medium-bodied and fresh yet full in taste and flavors, this is an elegant, refined and mouth-filling Pinot Blanc with a stimulating saline and salivating finish. Good substance. 12% stated alcohol. Screw cap. Tasted in July 2022.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Weingut Donnhoff Grauburgunder Trocken, Nahe 2021 750ml $26 special, 9 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 90 points “The 2021 Grauburgunder Trocken offers a fully ripe and elegant bouquet with flinty and refreshing stony notes spicing the fully ripe and generous but pure and elegant fruit. Medium to full-bodied, this is a round and elegant, finely fresh, persistently saline and structured Pinot Gris with a long and stimulating finish. 12% stated alcohol. Screw cap. Tasted in July 2022.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

Weingut Donnhoff Tonschiefer Riesling Trocken, Nahe 2021 750ml $28 special, 9 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2021 Riesling Tonschiefer is from slate soils in Oberhausen (Leistenberg and Hermnnshöhle) and offers a clear, intense and salted bouquet of crushed rocks and white stone fruits. Supple yet light and fresh on the palate, this is a piquant and finely tannic, stimulatingly salty Riesling with lush fruit on the finish, which is still a bit edgy but only as rugged as the landscape around Oberhausen. 12% stated alcohol. Screw cap. Tasted at the domaine in July 2022.”

Weingut Donnhoff Kreuznacher Krotenpfuhl Riesling Kabinett, Nahe 2021 750ml $26 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2021 Kreuznacher Krötenpfuhl Riesling Kabinett is precise and stony on the intense and well-concentrated nose that shows ripe lemon and coolish gravel aromas. Lush, refined and elegant on the palate, this is a pure and salty, tensioned, piquant and grippy Riesling with mouth-filling fruit and juiciness. Not really a Kabinett but a feinherb Spätlese in style, this is a long-distance runner with lovely digestibility. 9% stated alcohol. Screw cap. Tasted in July 2022.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Weingut Donnhoff Oberhauser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett, Nahe 2021 750ml $28 special, 20 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2021 Oberhäuser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett is a pure, precise and coolish, piquant and slatey Riesling with lemon chutney and fermented green pepper notes. Lush, piquant and stimulating fresh, this is an intense, saline and crystalline Kabinett with gorgeous fruit and aging potential. 8.5% stated alcohol. Screw cap. Tasted in July 2022.”

Don’t miss our offer on 2021 Donnhoff Crus & delightful back-vintages in stock now!

Renaissance in the Rheinhessen:

Schätzel
 

Much like German wine in general, the Rheinhessen is in the midst of a wine renaissance. While being credited with the first established vineyard in the entire country dating back to the Roman era, the majority of the area was previously too cold to produce Riesling at a satisfying level of ripeness. As a result, the region became largely devoted to bulk wine production post-WW II (most notably the infamous Liebfraumilch). That has all changed largely due to Weingut Schätzel , a family producer that has been growing wine grapes since 1304. The vineyards managed by Schätzel in the Roter Hang (Red Slope) have been compared to the terraces of Côte-Rôtie and the Mosel due to their steepness and distinctive soil. Composed of bright red slate and quartzite that reflects and absorbs heat to assist in ripening, this is the “Grand Cru” of the Rheinhessen. 

In order to express the varietal character as well as the terroir differences, Schätzel bottles their wines by vineyard. Encompassing over five separate vineyards within the Rhineterasse, the resulting wines walk a tightrope of minerality between fleshy and austere fruit expression, encompassing a spectrum of flavor. In spite of drinking beautifully now, these are built to age and should only become more ethereal. These are fabulous examples of why Riesling is considered one of the rare “universal pairing” wines of the world.

“That the 2017 vintage set estate records for earliest harvest date is hardly surprising. But one has to bear in mind that since Kai Schätzel took the reins here in 2007, harvest has increasingly tended to start early in September. Schätzel is keen to dispel any notion that considerations of acid retention determine his choice of picking date. “I pick my grapes when they taste good to me,” he told me. “And if they have high acidity at that point, then the eventual wines will have correspondingly high acidity.” That said, the delicate Kabinett that has come to dominate production in terms of volume, and become a signature style chez Schätzel, not only demands that harvest take place at relatively low must weight, but also that there be ample acidity to offset 40 or more grams of residual sugar. Schätzel’s results with Riesling in 2017 perpetuate his justifiably growing reputation as a master of profoundly flavorful wines that are delightfully low in alcohol (meaning 10–11.5% in his dry bottlings and, less shockingly, 7–8% in the overtly sweet, Prädikat-designated Rieslings).” –David Schildknecht, Vinous

In Stock Now:

Weingut Schätzel Hipping Riesling Kabinett, Rheinhessen 2017 750ml $39 special, 13 bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott 94 points “Could a white wine be fresher than this? Fabulous white-peach and herbal character with lots of mineral power at the complex, racy finish.”
David Schildknecht-Vinous 90 points “There is a lemonade-limeade sense of sweet-sour tension to this exercise in delicacy and sugar/acid interaction. For all of this wine’s alcoholic levity, the palate evinces a not just vivid but almost pulpy impression of fresh fruit. Happily, there is an invigoratingly tingling sense of stony impingement to the impressively persistent finish. I suspect that greater complexity and harmony will emerge after this has had some time in bottle.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Weingut Schätzel Nierstein Riesling Kabinett, Rheinhessen 2017 750ml $29 special, 21 bottles in stock now
Decanter 92 points “This Riesling, from red slate soil on ultra-steep, south-facing slopes, ferments and matures in a 670-year-old cellar to produce a floral, fresh and pure vineyard wine, with just 7.5% abv, the 42g/l sugar and 11.5g/l acidity in perfect balance. Quite lovely.”
Stuart Pigott 92 points “So much freshness and energy with tons of elderflowers and white fruit. Super-crisp and very clean palate and a breathtaking finish. Drink or hold. Screw cap.”

 
This is the only listing in the USA today!

Weingut Schätzel Nierstein Silvaner, Rheinhessen 2017 750ml $29 special, 17 bottles in stock now
David Schildknecht-Vinous 90 points “This legally dry bottling essentially represents the Silvaner from Hipping that served as a major component of Schätzel’s “Naturweiss” cuvée. The nose is subtly inflected by the mineral and cereal notes that subsequently achieve prominence on the palate, but there are also hints of iris and lemon zest. Buoyant (at 11% alcohol) and caressingly polished, the wine brims with pear fruit and bittersweet inner-mouth floral perfume, accented by oregano, lemon peel, milled wheat and a characteristic Nierstein red slope smoky sense of stone suffusion. There is more than enough freshness and primary juiciness to the lingering finish, if marginally less sense of animation than displayed by Schätzel’s Querkopf Silvaner bottling sourced from ancient vines in the Nackenheimer Rotenberg.”
Winery note “Honeydew melon, white fruits and earthy undertones. Slightly reductive, herbal, nutty and mineral character. Bone dry and juicy on the palate. Extremely complex for 11% vol.”

  
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Weingut Schätzel Ölberg Riesling Grosses Gewächs, Rheinhessen 2017 750ml $49 special, 17 bottles in stock now
David Schildknecht-Vinous 94 points “At 11.5% alcohol, this mid-August bottling leads with hauntingly musky, bittersweet suggestions of iris, peony and narcissus, allied to whiffs of lemon and tangerine. The silken palate brims with peach and citrus, billowing with persistent floral perfume and proving strikingly transparent to the mineral nuances that supply smoky, stony and mouthwateringly saline complexity to a vibrant, delicate, umami-laden and sensationally persistent finish. Schätzel attributes his Ölberg’s animation and sheer juiciness and its immediate appeal to the fact that this site is relatively well-watered and moisture-retentive in comparison with other portions of Nierstein and Nackenheim’s famed Roter Hang.”
Stuart Pigott 94 points “Considering this has only 11.5 per cent alcohol, there is extraordinary depth and vitality. The long finish is sleek and fine-grained, without any hint of edginess. Attractive white-fruit aromas, too. Drink or hold.”

  
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Weingut Schätzel Pettenthal Riesling Kabinett “S”, Rheinhessen 2017 750ml $79 special, 15 bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott 95 points “Forget the rules, pack your bag, grab this bottle and leave your old life behind! Savage mineral beauty, combined with light body and enormous brightness. Drink or hold.”
David Schildknecht-Vinous 92 points “The ‘S’ here references south-facing slopes in the Pettenthal (whereas previous Schätzel Pettenthal Kabinetts have come from a portion of Pettenthal – arguably predestined for Kabinett – that turns north up against the Brudersberg). Pungent kumquat and tangerine on the nose translate into downright sizzling zest and grip on this wine’s alcoholically ultra-light yet concentrated and almost lushly fruity palate. A vibrantly sustained finish carries Pettenthal-typical smokiness as well as saliva-inducing salinity. High residual sugar – as reflected in a mere 7.5% alcohol – manages to engender only an engaging and supportive sense of sweetness.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

 
Weingut Schätzel Reinschiefer Riesling, Rheinhessen 2017 750ml $29 special, 14 bottles in stock now
David Schildknecht-Vinous 92 points “Like so many other Schätzel wines, this 10.5% alcohol cuvée, sourced from steep slopes in Hipping, Ölberg, Pettenthal and Schloss Schwabsburg, is legally Trocken, just not labeled as such. Zesty, bright lemon, lime and grapefruit are strikingly compatible with a silken texture, while white peach, marjoram and musky paperwhite narcissus add intrigue on the nose. Smoky, stony inflections contribute to the invigoration and complexity of a vibrant, soaring and consummately refreshing finish.”
Stuart Pigott 92 points “Delicate white-fruit character and a delightful lightness of touch make this rather charming, in spite of its slightly eccentric personality. Long, lemon and mineral finish. A blend of wines from the top sites in Hipping, Ölberg and Pettentha. Screw cap.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

 

Marqués de Murrieta is one of the great pillars of classical Rioja—a titan of the region that’s responsible for some of the greatest wines ever produced in Spain. They resemble more polished, powerful versions of López de Heredia while sharing their age-worthiness. However they also offer a distinctly more fruit driven profile in their youth. Murrieta’s wines have always been favorites amongst critics and consumers alike.

In Stock Now from Marqués de Murrieta:

Marqués de Murrieta ‘Dalmau’ Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2016 750ml $89 special, 7 bottles in stock now
Decanter 96 points “One of a very small number of wines in Rioja that includes Cabernet Sauvignon – for historic reasons – this is an elegant, distinguished red blend based on Tempranillo with 3% Graciano completing the cuvée. Aged in new French oak, it’s a Bordeaux-influenced style showing refined tannins, notes of cassis, blackberry, cedarwood and a fresh, mineral-edged core. Drinking Window 2023 – 2035.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 95 points “Opaque ruby. Expansive, oak-spiced cherry, black currant and floral oil aromas are complemented by suggestions of vanilla and licorice. Sweet, seamless and penetrating on the palate, offering intense dark berry, cherry preserve and spicecake flavors and a repeating vanilla note. Shows velvety texture and appealing sweetness on the impressively long, juicy finish, which features repeating florality and polished, slow-building tannins.”
Wine Enthusiast 95 points “Editor’s Choice. A fully ripe nose runs deep with balsamic black fruit aromas as well as complex notes of graphite and fine oak. A plush palate offers that elusive depth of character that great wines display, while this modern-style Rioja tastes of black fruits as well as chocolate. A silky smooth finish shows barely any grit or bite. Drink now through 2028. -Michael Schachner”
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 94-95 points “Exceptionally, I also tasted an unbottled sample of the 2016 Dalmau Reserva, which will be launched in January 2019, as they want to show the public the change in the 2016 vintage. 2016 saw a very good growing season, and the harvest was in late September. It feels like a very young Bordeaux blend, elegant and powerful. And as I saw in the other 2016 I sampled (the Reserva), this has gained in precision (it fermented at 24 degrees Celsius, quite cold for a red), avoiding too much extraction, and that seems noticeable in the texture and the quality of the tannins, sleek, velvety, more elegant, focused and sophisticated. This has all the traces to be the most elegant and finest vintage of Dalmau to date. There will be some 16,000 bottles of this, which should be bottled in June 2019.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
The average price nationally is $97

Marqués de Murrieta Finca Ygay Reserva, Rioja DOCa2017 750ml $26 special, 26 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 96 points “Incredible depth and intensity on the nose with chocolate, walnut, blackberry and wet-earth aromas. Some iodine, too. All this follows through to a full body with very silky tannins that give the wine depth and length. It’s really framed beautifully. Reserved and tight at the finish. A terrific wine for the cellar. Give this three to five years to open.”
Decanter 94 points “A great classic, with a unique Rioja character, bursting with chewy red fruits, counterpointed by minerality. Reconciling power and finesse, pleasure and style. Warm and intense. Benchmark for wines of style, high-end brands. Leaves a vibrant memory.”
Luis Gutierrez – Wine Advocate 93 points “The red 2017 Rioja Reserva is their flagship wine, of which they produce 900,000 bottles exclusively from grapes from their 300 hectares of estate vineyards. It’s a blend of 83% Tempranillo, 9% Graciano, 6% Mazuelo (Cariñena) and 2% Garnacha and has the character of the vintage, ripe and warm but without excess. The varieties fermented separately, even different plots fermented separately, and they also aged in barrel on their own. The blend is done at the end, after 20 months in American oak barrels. 2017 was a challenging year that they still consider a better vintage than 2018, as they see more concentration and power. The wine is quite lactic and creamy, still showing very young. It does feel undeveloped and in need of some time in bottle. The wine has concentration and clout, and I always consider it an ultimate example of an updated classical Reserva from Rioja. 2017 was the earliest harvest (started and finished in September), a warm and dry year when the Ygay estate miraculously escaped the terrible frost that decimated most of Europe. The challenge for this wine was to contain the ripeness and power, and they have done it. This will be released in spring 2021, so it should be a lot more integrated by then. This is always a sure value. Volumes are lower this year.”

Wine Spectator #1 of Top 100 2020 & Best Rioja Wine of 2021 by Wine & Spirits
Marqués de Murrieta Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial, Rioja DOCa 2010 750ml $219 special, 1 bottle in stock now
Wine Spectator 96 points “Maturing well, this round red is a lovely example of the traditional style. Orange peel, dried cherry, forest floor, vanilla and black tea flavors mingle harmoniously over round tannins and citrusy acidity. Generous but gentle, lively, balanced and harmonious. Tempranillo and Mazuelo. Drink now through 2030. From Spain. —T.M.”
Wine & Spirits 96 points “The city of Logroño is surrounded by several high mesas, pieces of the original plateau that still stand above the cliffs and the Ebro River valley below. The Pago La Plana is one of them, a flat mesa at an elevation of 1,590 feet, with close to 100 acres of vines at the top of Finca Ygay. On the north side of the plateau, the soil is limestone that hits solid rock five feet below, limiting the penetration of water; the soil shifts to round river stones to the southwest, where the tempranillo and mazuelo vines, planted in 1950, have been the exclusive source for Castillo Ygay since 2001 (prior to that, the wine included other parcels on the 740-acre estate). Great vintages of this wine can thrive for more than 50 years, and this vintage appears to be pretty great. It’s grand and dynamic, a youthful ten-year-old. Initially austere, gripped by bitter plum-skin tannins and mouthwatering strawberry acidity, the wine opens with exposure to air and the fruit begins to blossom with an energy that defines what is great about Rioja.”

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Dominus was founded by Christian Moueix, proprietor of the legendary Château Petrus in Pomerol and his vision has shaped Dominus into the force that it’s become. Despite its French heritage, the wine is definitely California in tone and style, combining waves of rich fruit and beautiful aromatics with enough tannin to ground the wine. Practicing both dry and organic farming, Christian Moueix’s Dominus Estate produces one of the most terroir expressive wines in the entirety of California. 

More stock secured!
Dominus Estate Christian Moueix, Napa Valley 2019 750ml $319 re-arrival special, re-arriving Friday!
Dominus Estate Christian Moueix, Napa Valley 2019 1.5L $649 special, 1 magnum in stock now
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent 100 points “Composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Petit Verdot, the 2019 Dominus was harvested from September 29 to October 10. It was aged in 40% new oak. Deep garnet-purple colored, the nose slowly unfurls to unveil beguiling floral notes of candied violets and rose oil over a core of crème de cassis, blackberry pie, and plum preserves, giving way to notions of licorice, Indian spices, iron ore, and crushed rocks. Full-bodied, the palate is jam-packed with taut, muscular black fruit layers, intertwined with gorgeous floral and exotic spice accents, and framed by firm, finely grained tannins with seamless freshness, finishing long and mineral-laced. Tightly coiled with so much latent energy waiting to explode, this is a spectacular expression of the vintage and Napanook vineyard. Still tightly coiled, give it a good 6-7 years in the cellar before broaching, and allow it a few hours in a decanter if consumed before 2032.”
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 98 points “The 2019 Dominus is blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc, aged in 40% new French oak. Impressively dark-hued in the glass, it yields scents of cherries and cassis on the nose—or is it black cherries and redcurrants? Subtle notes of mocha, pencil shavings and almost Graves-like earthiness wind through the concentrated, medium to full-bodied palate, giving it a sense of savory gravitas, while the finish is silky and long, leaving a lingering residue of soft tannins and mouthwatering freshness.”

Wine Spectator #1 Wine of the Year 2021!
Dominus Estate Christian Moueix, Napa Valley 2018 750ml $419 special, 10 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 100 points “The flagship 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon checks in as 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Petit Verdot brought up in 40% new French oak. With an essence of Cabernet-like character in its darker currants, green tobacco, cedar, graphite, and floral aromas and flavors, this gorgeous wine is full-bodied and has bright yet integrated acidity, polished tannins, and a great, great finish. It’s just gorgeously put together and a magical, flawless wine. It’s going to take a decade to hit maturity but will evolve for 40-50 years in cold cellars. It is as good as it gets in classic, age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon!”
James Suckling 100 points “This is incredible on the nose, offering hot stones, blackcurrants, iodine and wet earth. Full-bodied with a tight center palate, then it opens with a tannin structure that is weightless and spreads across the palate. Totally integrated on the palate. This is a magic-carpet wine. Really incredible. One of the reference points for the vintage. Drinkable now and please try a bottle, but it’s one for the cellar.”
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate 99+ points “Very deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Dominus slowly emerges from the glass with profound notes of blackcurrant cordial, ripe black plums, boysenberries and Black Forest cake with hints of violets, star anise, cracked black pepper, raspberry leaves and pencil lead, plus a touch of garrigue. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers impactful black fruit layers, creating a beguiling sense of richness that is beautifully countered by invigorating freshness and great poise, framed by super ripe, plush tannins and beautiful tension, finishing on a lingering fragrant earth note and, finally, lots of mineral sparks. For all that it is at the moment, one cannot help but feel that this 2018 is holding something back. Give it a good five years in bottle, at least, and then get set for what I suspect will be a mind-blowing transformation over the next 30 years+.-LPB”

Winery cellared release!
Dominus Estate Christian Moueix, Napa Valley 2013 750ml $619 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Robert Parker-Wine Advocate 100 points “The 2013 Dominus is, to my way of thinking, one of the most profound wines Christian Moueix has yet made in his rather brilliant winemaking history, both in France and in Napa Valley. This wine, with very low yields of only 3,500 cases and a final blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc, offers up notes of cedar wood, forest floor, loamy soil and oodles of blackberry and blackcurrant fruit. Very opaque purple in color, super-pure and intense, this wine has low acidity, but ripe, noticeable tannins. This is a 30- to 40-year wine and a profound effort from this famous vineyard in Yountville. Drink it over the next 40+ years.”
Antonio Galloni 100 points “The 2013 Dominus overwhelms all the senses with its magnificent overall balance and towering intensity. Deep and nearly impenetrable in the glass, the 2013 boasts off the charts dry extract and overall power. Violets, smoke, black cherries, menthol, incense, crème de cassis and dark spices are some of the many signatures that take shape in the glass. Even better in bottle than it was in barrel, the 2013 is utterly magnificent. This is a remarkably vivid, nuanced wine considering its sheer size.”
William Kelley-Decanter 100 points “A captivating bouquet of violets, lilac, black fruit, blood orange and meaty soil tones is striking for its extravagent range and amplitude; and on the palate, the wine is three-dimensional, sophisticatedly savoury, and massive but refined. Tod Mostero remarks that, having crafted the 2013 Dominus, he can die happy as a winemaker. Selection here was especially rigorous, as the team wanted to realise the vintage’s unparalleled potential as fully as possible, so only 3,500 cases were produced. A special label commemorates the 30th anniversary of Dominus Estate.”