Sunday Night Newsletter 4-10-22

In This Newsletter:

Featured New Arrival:
Lingua Franca

New Week – New Arrivals


López de Heredia

Domaine Durand’s Distinguished Northern Rhônes
 
  

Featured New Arrivals & Restocks from

Lingua Franca

Lingua Franca has made quite the name for itself in a very short period of time and has spared no expense in pursuit of quality. The wines show this. The Estate Pinot hails from the heart of the Eola-Amity hills (and right next to famed sites like Seven Springs).  Like its neighbors, the vineyard shows classic Eola-Amity structure, perfume and concentration.

Newly Arrived & In Stock Now from Lingua Franca:

Lingua Franca ‘Avni’ Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2019 750ML ($39.95) $31.90 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds 93 points “Deep, shimmering red. A highly aromatic bouquet evokes fresh red fruits, licorice and Asian spices, along with a smoky mineral overtone. Juicy, lithe and focused on the palate, offering appealingly sweet, mineral-tinged raspberry, rose pastille and spicecake flavors that deepen slowly with air. Finishes with harmonious tannins, sharp clarity and strong persistence, leaving cherry and spice notes behind.”
Wine & Spirits 92 points “Avni, Larry Stone’s entry-level wine is hardly that; this feels highly structured, tense, sophisticated and layered. It’s squared off by spicy scents of anise and pluml sassafras and rose petal, opening to an airy and lifted wine with firm acids on the finish. It’s still some years from its peak. If you open now, decant.”

Lingua Franca Estate Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2019 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 13 bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds 94 points “Brilliant ruby. Pungent cherry and blackberry aromas are complemented by suggestions of candied licorice, violet and allspice. Gently chewy and focused on the palate, offering bitter cherry, dark berry preserve and floral pastille flavors that turn livelier as the wine stretches out. Deep but energetic as well, showing fine detail and spicy lift on an impressively long finish framed by fine-grained tannins. 20% whole clusters and 25% new French oak.”
Wine & Spirits 94 points “[Wine & Spirits Winery of the Year in 2021 Featured Wine] The soils at Lingua Franca are shallow, impoverished and challenging. Most of what goes into the Estate wine is from the upper blocks where topsoil is at its shallowest, the vine roots reach basalt that much more quickly. Larry Stone thinks that’s one reason for the power in this wine, derived from such small berries, with a skin-to-juice ratio that leads to uncanny concentration. This took days to open, evolving toward smoky, foresty pinot noir fruit that’s darker than almost any in Oregon. And yet there’s a vinous savor here to brush against the fruit. Built to cellar. —P.J.C.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Lingua Franca Mimi’s Mind Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2019 750ML ($99.95) $89 special, 15 bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds 97 points “Vivid ruby-red. Highly perfumed aromas of ripe red and dark fruits, incense and potpourri, along with an exotic spice nuance and a hint of smoky minerality. Palate-staining black raspberry, cherry and fruitcake flavors show sharp definition and deepen steadily as the wine stretches out. Deftly plays richness off elegance and finishes impressively long and chewy, with repeating cherry and floral character and building tannins adding final grip. 8% whole clusters and 26% new French oak.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $99

Lingua Franca ‘The Plow’ Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2019 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 16 bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds 95 points “Deep magenta. Expansive red and dark berry and floral aromas are complemented by hints of star anise, sassafras and cola. Sappy, seamless and fleshy on the palate, offering intense black raspberry, cherry cola, candied lavender and mocha flavors underscored by a vein of smoky minerality. Seductive in character, finishing with powerful thrust and supple tannins that meld smoothly with the sappy, persistent fruit.”
Wine & Spirits 95 points “Lingua Franca’s The Plow is taken from blocks 1 and 2 at the top of Larry Stone’s estate vineyard, set on relatively shallow Gelderman and not so shallow Jory soils. Those volcanics yield a wine of pure velvet, firmly planted but silky and sensuous in the mouth. This leads with scents of horhound, sassafras, red and black cherry, a hint of plum and tobacco, all of it firmly expressed, growing more layered and complex over the course of several days. Give it time in the cellar to develop before serving with something substantial, like roast beef.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Lingua Franca Tongue’n Cheek Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2018 750ML ($69.95) $55 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Wine & Spirits 94 points “Tongue ’n Cheek is blended from two blocks with shallow soil at the estate’s hilltop, on a soil series known as Gelderman (drawn from Jory with additional basalt gravels). Of the four Lingua Franca pinots in 2018, this might be the tightest, with the most bound tension and reserved intensity. While it’s still years from peak expression, there is a propulsive energy and power that opens the dark fruit to a hint of red-tinged, cranberry brightness. Give it time. —P.J.C.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 93 points “Deep garnet. Expansive cherry and red currant scents, along with hints of botanical herbs and candied flowers. Juicy and penetrating in the mouth, offering black raspberry and bitter cherry flavors that take a sweeter turn through the back half. Finishes very long and subtly chewy, with repeating florality and sneaky, framing tannins. All destemmed fruit; 20% new French oak.”
Wine Enthusiast 93 points “A mix of Pommard and Calera clones, this is a blend that attempts to forge a common ground between sweetly spicy pie-cherry fruit and the more herbal, tannic, austere nature of the Calera fruit. All the parts are there to build a complete and interesting wine. Just add some bottle age—another two or three years at least. -Paul Gregutt”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

We’re Open for In-Store Shopping!

10 AM – 6 PM Daily

Masks are no longer mandatory
But they are appreciated, thanks!

We also offer Curbside Pickup & Shipping

Order Online / By Phone / By Email
Thank you from the team at Vinopolis!

Be well & drink well.


New Week – New Arrivals

Rosé

Crisp and steely, this is a wonderful aperitif style rosé
Ayres Estate Rosé of Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2021 750ML ($21.95) $17.70 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Winery note “Bright and lively! The best part of our Rosé of Pinot Noir is that the Pinot Noir really shines through.”
VinopolNote: This rosé is produced from a single block grown exclusively for rosé production.

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Staff pick! Our favorite vintage yet.
Pago Casa Gran ‘Casa Benasal’ Rosado, Valencia 2020 750ML ($14.95) $11.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Winery note “Refreshing wine, young and dry. It’s pleasant with enough body to sustain it. Great acidity. 60% Monastrell and 40% Syrah.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Bodegas Bleda Castillo de Jumilla Rosado, Jumilla 2020 750ML ($12.95) $10.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Winery note “From a harvest in early September, this Monastrell rosé displays an intense array of strawberry and rose notes, woven between a harmony of crisp, blood-orange acidity and a giving, mineral texture. Fresh, tasty and well balanced. Good acidic structure. Excellent with seafood and all types of fish and light meats.”
100% Monastrell

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

Domaine de la Chapelle Saint Victor Rosé, Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence 2020 750ML ($19.95) $14 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
No reviews for the 2020 vintage. 2018 review provided for reference.
“Shimmering orange-pink. Racy and focused on the nose, displaying mineral-tinged strawberry and orange pith aromas and a subtle floral overtone. Dry, tangy and precise on the palate, offering taut red fruit flavors and a touch of bitter blood orange. Finishes with firm cut and good, mineral-driven tenacity.” -Josh Raynolds, Vinous

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!


Oregon

Evesham Wood Blanc du Puits Sec, Eola-Amity Hills 2021 750ML ($21.95) $19 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Winemaker notes “These are always the last of our old vines Le Puits Sec to be picked. We coferment the harvest of the 1986 Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer along with our 2001 planting of trace amounts of Pinot Blanc, Traminer, Rieslaner, and Kerner. Since all of those varietals ripen at slightly different times my goal was to find the happy time when the subtle differences in ripeness form each varietal would add complexity. Honeysuckle and tropical notes on the nose lead to a richly textured – owing to the barrel ferment – fruited and spiced palate. This pinot grigio based wine’s acidity adds zip of gewurz’s body.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!


France – Champagne

R.H. Coutier Grand Cru Brut Rosé, Champagne NV 750ML ($54.95) $41.90 special, 36 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The NV Brut Rosé Grand Cru is pretty and elegant, while showing a bit of a lighter hand relative to the other wines in the range. Then again, this is a Chardonnay-based Rosé, so that makes sense. Bright floral, blood orange and red berry fruit all open in the glass. Medium in body and taut, with striking energy, the Rosé is exquisitely beautiful and so delicious. I loved it. Disgorged: November, 2019.”
Wine Spectator 91 points “A pure note of macerated cherry is backed by a firm acidity in this lively rosé Champagne, while a subtle, smoky underpinning and hints of pink grapefruit peel and grated ginger ride the creamy bead. Disgorged December 2019. Drink now through 2023.”
[Disgorgement date may vary]


France – Loire

Though Baudry ranks among top-flight producers of Loire Valley Cabernet Franc, pricing has never seemed to catch up with the likes of Clos Rougeard and Guiberteau, to our benefit. Though only recently certified organic, it has been more or less farmed organically since the beginning. From the low to the high end, everything Matthieu Baudry makes is beautiful, expressive and delicious.  At the higher end are his single vineyard bottlings (Croix Boissee, Clos Guillot and Grezeaux) which are all ageworthy and delicious.  His entry-level wine, Les Granges, is a wonderful value bottling, and in the middle, you can find his best bang for the buck, the Domaine.

Bernard Baudry Chinon Blanc 2020 750ML ($34.95) $29 special, 8 bottles in stock now
Winery note “The white Domaine is a charming wine with notes of white fruit and citrus. Though totally dry, its roundness makes it pleasant in its youth. Quantity is limited. 5-15 year old vines. Slow fermentation in large oak barrels of 500L until the wine is dry (less than 2g residual sugar).”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

Bernard Baudry Chinon Les Granges 2020 750ML ($25.95) $20.90 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Rebecca Gibb MW-Vinous 89 points “Sourced from a single block on the valley floor, where the vines have their feet in free-draining sandy/gravel soils, the 2020 Chinon Les Granges is made a lighter, fruit-driven style with a fine-grained tannic profile. This flows easily with no sense of anything being forced. It’s full of bright raspberry, violets and a hint of blackberries and cream; there’s a mere whiff of reduction on opening, so give it a little bit of air. Easy to like, bright and fresh and can be enjoyed in youth.”

“The Baudry Estate Chinon comes 80% from millarges (soils composed of sand flecked with yellow and red quartz and mixed with sandstone and iron-rich cement) on the plains and plateaus of Chinon and 20% from young vines on the gravelly soils in Cravant. It is an intense, pure and refreshing red that is pretty irresistible.” –Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate
Bernard Baudry Chinon Cuvee Domaine 2019 750ML ($27.95) $24 special, 9 bottles in stock now
Rebecca Gibb MW-Vinous 90 points “The 2019 Chinon Le Domaine provides excellent concentration of fruit while remaining light on its feet. As well as bright primary fruit, it offers smoky bacon, spice and medicinal characters. There’s lovely sappy texture on the finish, which Baudry puts down to the limestone soils of the Chinon plateau that typically grip the side of the mouth. You can enjoy this in its youth, but it has an additional element of seriousness that means its future will stretch out to the medium term.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

“The Grézeaux comes from a lieu-dit whose vines are over 60 years old and cultivated on a mix of gravel and large stones. Aged in old barriques for a year, this is a full-bodied, concentrated and generous yet silky textured and elegant Chinon with remarkable finesse and mineral freshness. The wine ages terrifically well.” –Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate
Bernard Baudry Chinon Les Grezeaux 2019 750ML ($45.95) $31.90 special
Rebecca Gibb MW-Vinous 93 points “Sourced from a single vineyard located at the bottom of Chinon’s slope on alluvial/clay soils, the 2019 Chinon Les Grézeaux is currently a bit shy in terms of revealing its fruit flavors. It’s also a hint reductive with its smoky bacon characters, but that’s unimportant. What matters is the core of fruit and excellent focus. It’s very relaxed and fluid with mouthwatering acidity. The tannins are more serious than the front and midpalate would have suggested and betray a little grittiness. Aged 15 months in cement, this could be opened in one to two years, but the concentration and structure offer drinking over a decade.”


France – Bordeaux

Chateau de Fieuzal Blanc, Pessac-Leognan 2018 750ML ($79.95) $69 special, 12 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 94 points “This has a rich, toasty nose of cooked pear, dried pineapple, hazelnut and marmalade. It’s full-bodied with bright acidity. Dense and powerful. Better from 2022.”
Wine Enthusiast 94 points “A wine that will take time to balance out, this has dense, dark and dry tannins at this stage. These underline the richness of the black fruits and acidity, giving a wine that will need to age to lose its firm edge. Drink from 2025. -Roger Voss”

Chateau Pape Clement Blanc, Pessac-Leognan 2012 750ML ($249.95) $189 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Robert Parker-Wine Advocate 96 points “I am not sure what the exact blend is for the 2012 Pape Clément, but it has a light gold color and is a gorgeously full-bodied, multi-dimensional wine with great texture in its notes of rose petal, honeysuckle, crystallized/caramelized tropical fruits, mandarin orange and honeyed lemon. Aged 15 months in mostly new French oak, this is another brilliant achievement for proprietor Bernard Magrez from this tiny white wine vineyard, although I would rate it slightly below his perfect 2009. Anticipated maturity: now-2030.”
45% Sauvignon Blanc, 44% Semillon, 6% Muscadelle & 5% Sauvignon Gris

Chateau Angelus, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2015 750ML ($479.95) $419 special, only 5 bottles available
Jeb Dunnuck 97+ points “A total blockbuster is the 2015 Angelus and it’s reminiscent of a slightly more elegant 2009. Made from 62% Merlot and 38% Cabernet Franc brought up in new barrels, this rich, opulent beauty boast killer notes of blackcurrants, blackberry liqueur, truffle, chocolate and scorched earth. With full-bodied richness, building, ripe tannin and a stacked profile on the palate, this hedonistic Bomb of a wine from Hubert de Boüard needs 4-5 years of cellaring and will keep for three decades or more.”

Esprit de Pavie, Bordeaux 2016 750ML ($34.95) $28 special, 36 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 91 points “Extremely aromatic with kir, cherries and flowers. Medium to full body, firm and silky tannins. Juicy fruit. So round and inviting now. Drink and enjoy.”
Jeb Dunnuck 90 points “The entry-level wine of the estate is the 2016 Esprit de Pavie, which is primarily Merlot blended with 30% Cabernet Franc, coming from Saint Emilion and the Castillon region. This total charmer has a sweet bouquet of black cherries, licorice, and spice to go with a mouthfilling, pure, balanced style on the palate that’s already delicious. It certainly has estate character and is ideal for enjoying over the coming decade or so. I’d happily drink bottles.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!


Italy – Tuscany

Felsina has been a major leader in the Chianti quality revolution, with their single vineyard Riservas being among the most collectible in the appellation, as well as age worthy. Their Riserva offering, called “Rancia” is sourced from a single vineyard formerly used to supply Benedictine monks with sacramental wine in the Middle Ages. Felsina rehabilitated the site and cloned the best vines throughout the vineyard, eventually spreading them throughout their other holdings. The dominant soil type of the vineyard is albarese, a type of limestone-infused sandstone that’s famous for the aromatic punch it contributes to the wine.  Unlike the Rancia bottling, the Fontalloro is a blend between two sub regions just outside of the borders of Chianti Classico. Still entirely sourced from Sangiovese like her Riserva sister, the Fontalloro is meant to offer a snapshot of Tuscan Sangiovese as a whole. The magnums just arrived, which promise to have a long life ahead in your cellar!

Felsina Berardenga Rancia, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2018 1.5L ($129.95) $115 special, 12 magnums in stock now
Felsina Berardenga Rancia, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2018 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Felsina Berardenga Rancia, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2018 750ML ($359.95) $285 special (that’s only $47.50/bottle!)
Case-12 Felsina Berardenga Rancia, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2018 750ML ($719.95) $549 special (that’s only $45.75/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!) 
Antonio Galloni 97 points “The 2018 Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia is an absolutely stunning wine. The archetype of Rancia in the past has been of a big, potent Chianti Classico but in 2018, Rancia is a wine of mind-blowing elegance and finesse. Silky, perfumed and indescribably finessed, the 2018 dazzles from start to finish. It’s a magical wine in every way.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2018 is an unusual vintage that shows an especially austere character. Off the bat, it must be said that the Fèlsina 2018 Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia would certainly benefit from more cellar time and a long drinking window. The Rancia is elegant and streamlined with a medium-bodied style that breaks from some of the more concentrated vintages we’ve seen in the past. The bouquet reveals a lot of dark or black character with blackcurrant, tar, resin, iron ore and a dusty hint of dry graham cracker (which reminds us of the vintage heat). Structurally, the wine offers a solid and firm footing, but it would benefit from further evolution.”

The average price is $57
 
Felsina Berardenga Fontalloro, Toscana IGT 2018 1.5L ($149.95) $128 special, 12 magnums in stock now
Felsina Berardenga Fontalloro, Toscana IGT 2018 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Felsina Berardenga Fontalloro, Toscana IGT 2018 750ML ($419.95) $343 special (that’s only $57.17/bottle!) 
Case-12 Felsina Berardenga Fontalloro, Toscana IGT 2018 750ML ($839.95) $663 special (that’s only $55.25/bottle!)
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2018 Fontalloro is bright, floral and full of energy. In most vintages, Fontalloro is quite open, but the 2018 is especially nervy and taut. That won’t be an issue in time, of course, but readers should plan on being patient. Sangiovese is so expressive here. A whole range of floral and savory accents lingers on the close.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95 points “To my palate, the 2018 vintage sometimes feels a little too ripe or baked. I was reminded of those characteristics when tasting the Fèlsina 2018 Fontalloro. There is plenty of dark fruit at its core, but this wine also reveals dry tones of jarred oregano, grilled Mediterranean herb, crushed aspirin and graham cracker. The mouthfeel is pleasantly lean and silky, and perhaps the wine delivers more in terms of length than it does weight or texture. A little more bottle age should help flesh out and soften these results.”


Spain

Most Albariño is industrial wine.  Not that it’s bad, but there’s a formula to your basic $10-$20 bottle of Galician white.  The wine is picked earlyish, before rain can risk the harvest, and fermented with a selection of commercial yeasts that give the generic white wine a lot of fruitiness (especially on the nose) and a little bit more body. It’s aged very briefly in stainless steel tanks and sent to market as fast as possible to be a delicious, if simple, quaffer.

By contrast, Alberto Nanclares does things very differently in pursuit of excellent wine.  He uses indigenous yeasts with his old vine fruit, eschewing the quick and fruity fermentations for ones that last longer and produce distinct mineral notes in the wines.  Those mineral notes are what separates the great (or as they’d argue, true) Albariño from the commodity stuff.  In his hands (and those of Gerardo Mendez of Do Ferreiro), Albariño has more in common with great Chablis or a GG from Keller than it does with something like Torrontes. Few are willing to work this way anymore and as a result, few make wines like these.  If you love deeply soulful, mineral drenched whites, you owe it to yourself to pick some up and see what true Albariño really tastes like. Act fast, though. The 2020 vintage was one of the smallest on record with yields at about 20% of normal.

Nanclares y Prieto ‘Dandelion’ Albariño, Rias Baixas 2020 750ML ($29.95) $23.50 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Importer note “100% Albarino from 15 organically farmed inland plots of 24-45-year-old Albarino vines in the Val do Salnes, planted on sandy, decomposed granite soils. 2020 was a warm vintage in Rias Baixas: the winter was rainy and warm, which continued into April and May.”

Nanclares y Prieto ‘Alberto Nanclares’ Albariño, Rias Baixas 2020 750ML ($54.95) $44 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 94 points “I like the palate of the 2020 Alberto Nanclares a little better than the 2019. There is more freshness here, and the wine feels a little more complete; it’s tasty but not as saline as the Tempus Vivendi. Only 1,915 bottles were produced. It was a very low-yielding year; in the past, they produced close to 10,000 bottles. They will go to some 8,000 bottles in 2021.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Nanclares y Prieto ‘A Graña’, Galicia 2020 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2020 A Graña has a more fruit-driven nose and a round palate, perhaps because it has retained some five grams of residual sugar and the wine has less acidity. It might have had some partial malolactic. 1,200 bottles were produced. It feels like a 2020 nose and a 2019 palate.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Nanclares y Prieto ‘Soverribas de Nanclares’ Albariño, Rias Baixas 2020 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 93 points “The nose of the 2020 Soverribas is explosive with aromas of Galician forest, mint and eucalyptus, very balsamic. There is a big change in 2020; the wine goes back to using the Manzaniña vineyard, but the yields were also low, so it fermented in the oak cask but matured in a 1,000-liter stainless steel vat. The other thing that obviously changes the wine is the fact that the wine retained some eight grams of residual sugar, which gives it a bit of a ‘German’ touch. Atypical. 1,200 bottles produced.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
 


López de Heredia

One of the world’s elite wine estates, this is an historical estate that is held in the highest esteem among insiders. The most shocking secret about the winery? For all the extraordinary grace, complexity and age-worthiness of the wines these are simply the best value in wine money can buy.

In Stock Now from López de Heredia

R. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva Rosado, Rioja DOCa 2010 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Luis Guiterrez-Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2010 Viña Tondonia Rosado Gran Reserva was hitting on all cylinders. It was produced with 60% Garnacho (they use the masculine of the name here), 30% Tempranillo and 10% white Viura from vines averaging 91 years of age. Like all the wines, it fermented with indigenous yeasts (they have never used selected yeasts) in the 142 oak vats they have used since the beginning and then matured in old American oak barrels for four years. There is tons of complexity and nuance here; it’s super elegant and layered, and as the wine sat in the glass, it developed more and more complex aromas, a subtle combination of balsam, red acid berries, a hint of medicine, fennel and wet chalk, a diesel-like touch, old wood and mushroom (beetroot?), licorice and yellow flowers, sweet spices…  There’s a lot more of everything. It’s clean and crystalline, fresh and long, with terrific balance and depth. This has to be the finest rosado of recent times… 25,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in April 2016.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $123

R. López de Heredia Viña Bosconia Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2009 750ML ($49.95) $37.50 special, 6 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 96 points “Very ripe still, with crushed berry and light jam. Vanilla undertones to the fruit. Turns to flowers, both fresh and dried. Complex cedar, tobacco and walnut. It’s full-bodied with round, soft tannins and a flavorful finish. Richer than past vintages, but turns linear and refined at the finish. Drink now.”
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2009 Viña Bosconia Reserva shows the ripeness of the very warm and dry year. It’s structured and concentrated, quite different from the finesse of the Tondonia. Bosconia has always been more rustic and powerful and Tondonia all about finesse and nuance. There are dark plums and baking spices, a touch of singed leather, the fruit very strong to counterbalance the aging in barrel. This is a powerful Bosconia. 80,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2016.”
Wine & Spirits 92 points “Bosconia is 80 percent tempranillo, fleshed out with garnacha, graciano and mazuelo, a smooth, chocolatey Rioja in 2009 with plump blueberry, plum and rosehip flavors. It’s riper and a little rustic, as compared to the 2009 Tondonia, with overtones of anise and peach. For roast squab with a cranberry stuffing.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

R. López de Heredia Viña Cubillo Crianza, Rioja DOCa 2012 750ML ($39.95) $28 special, 12+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 R. López de Heredia Viña Cubillo Crianza, Rioja DOCa 2012 750ML ($229.95) $159 special (that’s only $26.50/bottle!)
James Suckling 95 points “Wonderful aromas of mushrooms, bark, cigar tobacco and plums with just a hint of citrus. Full-bodied with incredible softness and complexity. Subtle chocolate, fruit and walnut in the aftertaste. Goes on for minutes. Fantastic wine. Classic, textbook Rioja. A joy. Incredible value! Drink or hold.”
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 93 points “I was quite impressed by the 2012 Viña Cubillo Tinto Crianza, a classical Rioja that is nicely crafted, with less aging in barrel than the rest of reds and therefore with more fruit character and less López de Heredia signature. This was born as a red for tapas, a blend of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacho and 5% each Graciano and Mazuelo with 13.5% alcohol. It matured in well-seasoned American oak barrels for three years. It has ripe fruit (black rather than red) without excess and a pinch of spices and a twist of oak. 94,500 bottles produced. There are seven lots of this. I tasted a bottled that was filled in May 2018.”

R. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2004 750ML ($119.95) $95 special, 1 bottle in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2004 Viña Tondonia Reserva is a completely different story. It is a worthy follower of the 2001, the greatest of the Viña Tondonia Reservas of recent times. It has the usual blend and usual levels of alcohol and acidity, bottled after six years in oak barrels. The nose feels savory (if that’s possible–umami?) and developed, with tertiary aromas and good balance between spices, leathery notes, cherries and balsamic notes of cigar box and incense. The palate is both round and crisp, with refined tannins. It has very good balance with subtle acidity and very good persistence. 260,000 bottles produced.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

Arriving Friday, April 15th

R. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2005 750ML ($79.95) $69 pre-arrival special
Case-6 R. Lopez de Heredia Viña Tondonia Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2005 750ML ($479.95) $389 pre-arrival special (that’s only $64.83/bottle!)
Decanter 96 points “Traditional Rioja at its ageworthy best, the Tondonia red is a cuvée of Tempranillo with 20% Garnacha and 5% each of Graciano and Mazuelo. Leafy, gamey and sweet, with tangy acidity and a volatile lift. Drinking Window 2018 – 2025.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 94 points “(aged for six years in American oak barrels and four years in bottle) Bright red. Vibrant, spice-tinged red currant and cherry aromas are complemented by suggestions of pipe tobacco, vanilla and incense, and a spicy nuance gains volume with air. Sweet and seamless on the palate, offering energetic red fruit and spicecake flavors that pick up a hint of smokiness on the back half. Concentrated yet lively, showing impressive delineation and a sexy floral quality on the extremely long, seamless finish. While this wine is quite seductive right now, I’ve little doubt that it will cruise along nicely for at least another decade or more, and probably quite a bit longer.”
James Suckling 94 points “Lovely depth of fruit to this mature red with chocolate, dark tea and bark. Purple flowers and violets. Full and very silky and refined. A beautiful traditional wine to get to know. Drink now.”
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2005 Viña Tondonia Reserva is a blend of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacho, 5% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo from their vineyards in the meander of the Ebro River, where they have some 100 hectares of vineyards. The wine fermented in the original oak vats that are now some 140 years of age. There is no temperature control and malolactic was also in the vat. The wine was transferred to oak barrels where it slowly matured in their deep, humid caves for no less than six years. After this, it was bottled unfiltered after being fined with egg whites. I think the quality gap between the Reserva and Gran Reserva has been getting smaller since the 2001 vintage and this 2005 is nothing short of exceptional. It’s clean and complex, with more freshness. The wine is very spicy and with a palate that feels very balanced, livelier than in the past. It has a long finish where the flavors are clean. Easy to drink and very pleasurable.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $87

Arriving in May from López de Heredia

R. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2010 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special, only 36 bottles available
Tim Atkin MW 94 points “The Tondonia red may not quite hit the sublime heights of the white, but it’s still a special wine in its own way. Featuring the time-honoured blend of Tempranillo with 20% Garnacha and 10% Graciano and Mazuelo for extra structure and longevity, it has notes of black cherry and black olive, racy acidity, very little apparent oak and tannins that wouldn’t look out of place in a Barolo. 2023-32.”

Shop our complete selection of Spanish red and white wines on our web store now!



Domaine Durand’s Distinguished Northern Rhônes

The Durand brothers are making it look easy. It’s hard to find Northern Rhône wines that combine soul and polish—it seems as if most of the new wines we taste are either hyper glossy or very rustic. To hit that sweet spot, crafting wines that speak very loudly of place but are elegant, drinkable and age-worthy—that’s special indeed.

“Consistently brilliant wines emerge from Domaine Durand, which is run with incredible talent and passion by Eric and Joël Durand… The brothers took over the estate in 1991, and while the winemaking is relatively modern, these are classic, pure, beautifully made wines that speak clearly to their region and terroir.” – Jeb Dunnuck

“Among the under-the-radar producers in the northern Rhône, this 20-hectare domaine, has been run by brothers Eric and Joël Durand since 1996. It’s a shame because the wines warrant more attention while pricing is quite friendly given the quality delivered. Domaine Durand produces a collection of generous, fruit-driven and polished wines that’s led by four Cornas bottlings consistently among the most approachable of the appellation…” – Josh Raynolds, Vinous

“Located in the tiny village of Châteaubourg, Joël and Eric Durand are quietly turning out some impressive wines from their family holdings in Saint-Joseph and Cornas.” – Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate

New Releases Arriving in June from Domaine Durand:

Domaine Eric et Joel Durand Saint-Peray 2020 750ML ($31.95) $24 pre-arrival special
Jeb Dunnuck 92 points “Readers looking for a great Saint-Péray that will offer pleasure any time over the coming 5-7 years or more should check out the 2020 Saint-Péray, an evenly split blend of Marsanne and Roussanne. Clean, pure pineapple and citrus fruits, some honeysuckle, sappy flower, and obvious chalky minerality all emerge from the glass, and this is medium-bodied, nicely textured, and impeccably balanced. It’s not a blockbuster, but it shows the more focused, fresh, salty style of this appellation beautifully.”
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 90 points “A seriously refreshing Saint-Péray, the 2020 Saint Peray features more citrus and chalk notes than most. A 50-50 blend of Marsanne and Roussanne fermented in a mix of stainless steel tank (70%) and barrique (30%), it’s medium to full-bodied but zesty, clean and charming, with a bright, lively finish marked by notes of lime and tangerine. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $31.99

Domaine Eric et Joel Durand Saint-Joseph Blanc 2020 750ML ($34.95) $26 pre-arrival special, only 12 bottles available
Jeb Dunnuck 93 points “Caramelized peach, quince, honeyed flowers, and spice all emerge from the 2020 Saint Joseph Blanc, a medium to full-bodied, mouth-filling, pleasure-bent white that has notable purity, building richness, and a great finish. It’s another impeccably made wine from this terrific estate. The blend is 60% Marsanne and 40% Roussanne, aged in 15% new barrels, 15% once used barrels, and the rest in tank.”
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 90 points “Honeyed pineapple and pear aromas dominate the nose of the 2020 Saint Joseph Blanc, a 60-40 blend of Marsanne and Roussanne. It’s full-bodied and well-rounded but balances those attributes with ample citrus, a touch of bitterness and a silky feel on the long finish. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Domaine Eric et Joel Durand Cornas Empreintes 2019 750ML ($49.95) $44.50 pre-arrival special
Domaine Eric et Joel Durand Cornas Empreintes 2019 1.5L ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special, only 12 magnums available
Jeb Dunnuck 95 points “Iron, peppered game, smoked black and blue fruits, and new leather notes emerge from the 2019 Cornas Empreintes, and it’s medium to full-bodied and wonderfully balanced, with ripe tannins and one hell of a great finish. It’s another pure, balanced, fruit-loaded beauty from this estate that has tons of character. This cuvée comes from hillside parcels (a mix of granite and limestone) and 30-year-old vines. It was 75% destemmed and spent a year in 20% new barrels.”
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 95 points “Sure, the 2019 Cornas Empreintes is lightly cedary up front, but those notes are more than balanced by crushed stone, salted licorice, and bold cassis and blueberry flavors. Full-bodied and concentrated, this is a rock-solid Cornas with a long, dusty finish, capable of aging and improving up to two decades. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.”
Wine Spectator 94 points “Youthfully compact, but it’s all there, with a core of steeped red and black currant and cherry fruit inlaid with a chalky spine that stays in the background while black tea, sanguine and alder notes linger. There’s good latent energy too. Best from 2023 through 2036. 950 cases made, 150 cases imported.  –JM”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Domaine Eric et Joel Durand Cornas Premices 2019 750ML ($41.95) $34.50 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 94 points “This is packed with dark fig and blackberry paste flavors that roll through slowly but steadily, unveiling extra dark olive, sweet bay leaf, singed alder and juniper accents along the way. There’s buried minerality that should rise to prominence with cellaring. Best from 2023 through 2035. 900 cases made, 140 cases imported.  –JM”
Jeb Dunnuck 93 points “The base cuvée from this estate, the 2019 Cornas Prémices is all Syrah that was 80% destemmed. Up-front plum, blackberry, and blueberry fruits, graphite, and peppery herbs all emerge from the glass, and this medium to full-bodied beauty offers a wealth of fruit, no hard edges, and a great finish. It’s a perfect introduction to the wines of this high-quality estate.”
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 92 points “Almost liquourous, with concentrated notes of salted licorice, violets and cassis, the 2019 Cornas Premices is a much more serious wine than its entry-level positioning would suggest. Full-bodied and concentrated, it’s richly textured and tannic, with ample fruit to balance things out and a long, velvety finish. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Domaine Eric et Joel Durand Saint-Joseph Lautaret 2019 750ML ($41.95) $34.50 pre-arrival special
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 94 points “Hints of mocha and roast meat add interest to the cassis and licorice in the 2019 Saint Joseph Lautaret. Big, tannic and concentrated, this full-bodied effort looks likely to improve with short-term cellaring and drink well for at least a decade thereafter. Plentiful ripe tannins frame the palate and linger in velvety-textured form on the finish. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.”
Jeb Dunnuck 93 points “The 2019 Saint Joseph Lautaret is terrific, and one of the top vintages of this cuvée I can remember. Revealing a deep purple hue as well as a textbook nose of blackberry fruits, ground pepper, violets, and subtle smoke, it shows a touch of gravelly earth on the palate, full body, and considerable depth and richness. All Syrah that was 85% destemmed, it saw a standard 3-week maceration and aging in just 15% new barrels.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

In Stock Now from Domaine Durand:

Domaine Eric et Joel Durand Cornas Confidence 2018 750ML ($69.95) $54.50 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 96 points “One of my favorite Cornas, the 2018 Cornas Confidence comes from pure granite soils and was partially destemmed and brought up in 30% new French oak. The 2018 is a head-turner, revealing a dense purple color as well as sensational notes of crème de cassis, smoked bacon, graphite, bouquet garni, and liquid rock-like minerality. Rich, full-bodied, and opulent, with sweet tannins, this is one sexy Cornas that’s going to benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and cruise for 10-15 years in cold cellars.”
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 94 points “From the family’s mature vines (average of 30 years old) on granitic sites, the 2018 Cornas Confidence matured in 30% new oak, yet that has been “soaked up” by the wine to the point that nearly no cedar notes are discernible. Instead, there are scents of crushed stone, dark plum and dusty earth. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it’s concentrated and tannic but not unapproachable, with a silky, lingering finish and a sprinkling of ground pepper and aniseed.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Domaine Eric et Joel Durand Cornas Empreintes 2017 1.5L ($99.95) $89 special, 5 magnums in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 95 points “One of the flagship releases is the 2017 Cornas Empreintes, which comes from the steep, granite hillsides of Cornas, sees 25% stems, and is brought up in 20% new French oak. This full-bodied, concentrated effort boasts a deep purple hue, notes of peppery herbs, plums, blackberries, and smoked game, building tannins, and just about overflowing amounts of character. It’s a stunning, brilliant Cornas that’s going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and cruise for 15+ years. Bravo!”
Wine Spectator 93 points “Solidly built, with a strong chalky spine buried deep in the core of dark plum and blackberry fruit. Smoldering tobacco, dark olive and warm cast iron accents fill in throughout. Frankly grippy, so some patience in the cellar is required. Best from 2022 through 2040. 800 cases made, 90 cases imported.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Domaine Eric et Joel Durand Cornas Empreintes 2018 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 23 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 93+ points “The 2018 Cornas Empreintes offers a riper, more concentrated style, delivering lots of plum and darker currant fruits intermixed with notions of smoked herbs, ground pepper, violets, lavender, and spice box. It’s rich, full-bodied, and concentrated, yet the tannins here are more present, and it has a closed, angular style that’s going to benefit from bottle age. Give bottles 3-4 years at a minimum and it should have a solid decade of longevity after that.”
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 92-94 points “Nearly as good as the Confidence, the Durands’ 2018 Cornas Empreintes is more open and approachable, with sexy blueberry, blackberry and vanilla nuances. It’s full-bodied, creamy and plush, with a long, vibrant finish.”
Wine Spectator 92 points “Lush and inviting, with crushed plum and warm blackberry compote notes leading the way, along with sweet bay, anise and violet accents. Has a buried iron hint but this is fairly plush overall for a Cornas. Drink now through 2032. 800 cases made, 90 cases imported.  –JM”

Domaine Eric et Joel Durand Cornas Premices 2017 750ML ($39.95) $29.70 special, 14 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 93 points “Lots of blueberries, jammy blackberries, violets, licorice, and floral notes emerge from the 2017 Cornas Prémices. This fleshy, sexy, full-bodied beauty is a quintessential, hedonistic Cornas that’s already hard to resist. Nevertheless, it has enough sweet tannins to keep for over a decade. This cuvée comes from slightly younger vines (15 to 30-year-old vines) and is aged in 20% new French oak.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Domaine Eric et Joel Durand Saint-Joseph Les Coteaux 2018 750ML ($36.95) $29 special, 27 bottles in stock now
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 92 points “If the Lauteret bottling is a lovable puppy dog of a wine, the 2018 Saint Joseph Les Coteaux is a veteran bird dog—cool, taut and contained, with coiled energy and terrific poise. Scents of cedar and crushed stone appear on the nose alongside hints of mint, black cherries and cassis. It’s medium to full-bodied and sleek on the palate, with a lithe musculature and a graceful movement as it eases into a long, cool finish.”
Jeb Dunnuck 92 points “Starting off the two Saint Joseph releases, the 2018 Saint Joseph Les Coteaux is a deeply colored, ripe, opulent effort with rocking levels of black and blue fruits, peppery herbs, game, and violet aromas and flavors. Textured, medium to full-bodied, and balanced, it already offers pleasure yet should evolve for a decade.”
Wine Spectator 92 points “Bright, pure style, with a beam of cassis and plum purée racing through, lined with violet and iron notes, ending with a dash of anise amidst an encore of fruit. Yummy. Best from 2021 through 2029. 2,000 cases made, 400 cases imported.  –JM”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Domaine Eric et Joel Durand Saint-Joseph Lautaret 2018 750ML ($41.95) $33 special, 11 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 94 points “Slightly more expensive, the 2018 Saint Joseph Lautaret offers more smoky minerality as well as impressive darker currants, blackberries, violets, and barbecued meat-like aromas and flavors. These carry to a rich, meaty, almost bloody/iron-laced Saint-Joseph that has full-bodied richness, ripe, polished tannins, wonderful balance, and a great finish. With moderate acidity and a fleshy, already hard to resist style, enjoy bottles over the coming 10-15 years.”
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 92+ points “The 2018 Saint Joseph Lautaret comes across as intense but slightly jammy, giving up scents of blueberry pie balanced against more savory notes of black olives and cracked pepper. Medium to full-bodied, with a ripe, supple feel and a long, silky finish, it’s a sexy Saint Joseph to drink over the near term, yet one that should also develop more complexity and improve over the next decade.”
Wine Spectator 92 points “Alluring, with blackberry and raspberry pâte de fruit notes forming the core while anise, black tea and singed woodspice hints fill in throughout. Subtle floral and bay accents on the finish. Seductive style. Drink now through 2028. 340 cases made, 50 cases imported.  –JM”

This is the only listing in the USA today!