Thanksgiving & Black Friday Newsletter 11-24-21

 

Vinopolis Wine Shop
will be closed 
Thursday the 25th 
in observation of Thanksgiving

We will reopen for our regular hours (10:00 AM to 6:00 PM) on Friday the 26th.  

This Shop Never Closes: www.vinopoliswineshop.com

Paul Hobbs needs little in the way of introduction to anyone who pays attention to the top tier of California wines.  He’s been at the top of the game in Napa and Sonoma for several decades and based on recent releases, doesn’t seem to be slipping any time soon.  These are bold, powerful wines, with the rich textures and intense fruit you expect from some of the best vineyards in the state. We’re excited to offer the 2015 and 2013 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Cabs – both winery cellared releases with oodles of class and potential.

Paul Hobbs Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, St Helena 2015 750ML ($319.95) $269 special, 18 bottles in stock now
Winery cellared release!
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate 98+ points “Inky purple-black in color, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard gives up notes of blueberry compote, preserved plums and ripe blackberries with touches of incense, dried Mediterranean herbs, menthol and aniseed plus a waft of mossy bark. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is very fine and wonderfully elegant, with incredibly ripe, silt-like tannins and just enough freshness to support the black and blue fruit layers, finishing on a lingering exotic spice note. This beauty should age very well indeed. 353 cases were made.”
James Suckling 96 points “Blueberries, orange rind, pressed violets and lavender. Very savory on the palate, showing notes of licorice and citrus rind. Polished and fine-grained tannins, a fine, tangible streak of acidity and a very long, blue-fruited finish. The structure is so refined, presenting all the riper flavors in a compact, layered package. Better in 2021.”
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard is powerful, deep and explosive. Graphite, smoke, leather and tobacco open up, but only with reluctance. As always, the interplay of fruit richness and structured at Las Piedras can yield thrilling, powerful wine endowed with tons of personality. That is very much the case here.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $311

Paul Hobbs Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, St Helena 2013 750ML ($319.95) $259 special, 18 bottles in stock now
Winery cellared release!
Robert Parker-Wine Advocate 98 points “The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard displays loads of charcoal, barbecue smoke, blueberry and blackberry fruit, an opulent, full-bodied mouthfeel, and hints of charcoal and subtle oak in a full-bodied, multi-dimensional style. Drink it over the next 20 years.”
James Suckling 98 points “Fabulous aromas of sweet tobacco in a curing barn, black currants, stones and spices. Full body, ultra-fine tannins and superb length. Graphite. Very, very complex. Super structure. Better in 2020.”
Antonio Galloni 96 points “The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard is rich, powerful and explosive. The underlying minerality and intensity of this site comes through in spades. Lavender, crushed rocks, graphite, smoke and incense add shades of dimension. Readers will have to give the 2013 a few years to soften, but there is plenty to like.”
Wine Spectator 94 points “Refreshingly taut, dense and vibrant, this is well-built, with dark berry, currant, plum and blueberry flavors, broadening midpalate and ending with a lingering aftertaste where the fine-grained tannins capture and hold the flavors. Drink now through 2032. 836 cases made. — JL”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
The average price nationally is $285

 

Wine Spectator’s Wine of the Year 2021:

“One of the reference points for the vintage.”-James Suckling
Dominus Estate Christian Moueix, Napa Valley 2018 750ML ($449.95) $369 special, 20 bottles in stock now
Dominus Estate Christian Moueix, Napa Valley 2018 375ML ($249.95) $219 special, 18 half-bottles in stock now
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.”
Wine Spectator 97 points “This is tightly packed, with sleek, pure, driven notes of cassis, plum reduction and blackberry puree allied to an iron spine, while subtle alder, juniper, sweet bay leaf and tobacco notes peek in throughout. Very fine-grained, but impressively sturdy in feel, with a long, lingering note of iron piercing the finish. For the cellar. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best for 2024 through 2040.”

New Offers – In Stock Now:

#14 Wine Spectator Top 100 in 2021
Alexana Estate Revana Vineyard Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2018 750ML ($59.95) $54.50 special, only 5 bottles available
Wine Spectator 94 points “This vibrant red is coiled with tension, offering dynamic raspberry and blueberry flavors that gather notes of spiced cinnamon and orange oil, building toward medium-grained tannins. Drink now through 2030. 1,858 cases made. — TF”
Wine Enthusiast 94 points “Editor’s Choice. The estate vineyard delivers the goods in this new vintage. A deep, dense purple-blue wine, it’s packed with plum and blueberry fruit, along with sweet touches of maraschino cherries. Barrel aging laces the finish with coffee and cream. It’s a sexy, irresistible young wine. -Paul Gregutt”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

#20 Wine Spectator Top 100 in 2021
Badia a Coltibuono Chianti Classico DOCG, Tuscany 2018 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special, 36 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 93 points “Though ripe and lush, this is also dense, with pointed tannins giving a physical sensation and lifting the cherry, strawberry and floral flavors. Finds a nice youthful equilibrium in the end, where mouthwatering acidity roams. Best from 2023 through 2038. 24,150 cases made, 5,295 cases imported. — BS”
Antonio Galloni 91 points “The 2018 Chianti Classico is a very pretty, enticing wine. Crushed flowers, sweet red cherry, pipe tobacco, cedar and mint all grace this exquisite, ethereal Chianti Classico from Coltibuono. All the elements simply fall into place effortlessly. Silky tannins round things out in style. This is such a beguiling Chianti Classico.”

#22 Wine Spectator Top 100 in 2021
Arterberry Maresh Old Vines Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2018 750ML ($47.95) $37 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 94+ points “Pale ruby-purple, the 2018 Pinot Noir Old Vines has an alluring perfume of blueberries, violets and dark cherries with accents of earth and amaro. The medium-bodied palate offers intense, broody fruits framed by muscular tannins and bright freshness, and it finishes long and full of flavor. It’s still youthfully coiled and may improve with another year or two in bottle.”
Wine Spectator 93 points “Structured yet elegantly layered, with pretty violet, raspberry and spiced tea accents that build tension and toward polished, medium-grained tannins. Drink now through 2029. —T.F.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

#24 Wine Spectator Top 100 in 2021
Ridge Vineyards Geyserville, Alexander Valley 2019 750ML ($54.95) $44.50 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 93 points “Deeply structured, yet nimble on its feet. Blackberry, fresh fennel and brown baking spices build richness and layers toward medium-grained tannins. Zinfandel, Carignane, Petite Sirah and Alicante Bouschet. Drink now through 2030. 11,000 cases made. — TF”
Wine Enthusiast 93 points “Cellar Selection. Deep and rich in flavor, this full-bodied wine will continue improving with age. It shows generous, late-picked blackberry flavors along with accents of vanilla, milk chocolate and black pepper, while mild tannins give it some nice heft in the texture. Best through 2030. -Jim Gordon”
Wine & Spirits 93 points “The oldest vines at Ridge’s Geyserville Vineyard were planted 130 years ago in a gravel wash off the Russian River. Today, the wine layers the fruit of successive generations of vines while combining zinfandel (71 percent) and carignane (19 percent) with petite sirah and alicante Bouschet. All those elements come together in a complex tapestry of flavor, smoky in its concentration, lasting on scents of herbs, flowers and berries. As elegant as the wine may be, it is not shy in its rich power. Geyserville often reaches its peak between ten and 20 years from the vintage and this one should age well. —J.G.”

Chateau De Pez

Looking for a classic producer or an introduction into exceptional Bordeaux? Consider Chateau De Pez, the oldest estate in Saint-Estèphe. Originally part of the first growth Haut-Brion, the estate was sold to the Pontac family before being acquired by Roederer in 1995. The house style is defined by two primary factors: 100% French oak aging and Cabernet Sauvignon dominance in the final blend. These factors pay off in spades during warmer years like 2018, where comparisons are already being drawn to the legendary years 2009 and 2010. True to the character of the estate, these are wines that require years of bottle aging before fully revealing themselves. For those patient or handy enough with a decanter, the Chateau de Pez promises an experience.

Chateau de Pez, Saint-Estephe 2018 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 27 bottles in stock now
Chateau de Pez, Saint-Estephe 2018 375ML ($34.95) $29 special, 24 half-bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 94 points “From the team of Nicolas Glumineau at Pichon Comtesse de Lalande, the 2018 Château De Pez is a gorgeous 2018 that should be on every Bordeaux lover’s radar (and should be a great value as well). Notes of blackcurrants, blueberries, candied violets, and graphite define the bouquet, and it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, rockingly polished tannins, terrific purity, and a great finish. It’s terrific and is going to have 15-20 years or more of longevity. The blend is 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 49% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc.”
Wine Enthusiast 94 points “Under the same Rouzaud family ownership as Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande in Pauillac, this estate has produced a structured wine. It offers dense and solid tannins, rich with a firm texture and black currant fruits. The wine has weight and density that need aging. Drink from 2026. -Roger Voss”
Antonio Galloni 92 points “The 2018 de Pez is even more impressive from bottle than it was from barrel. Time has given the Pez gorgeous finesse, softening the contours, to match the natural radiance of the year. Silky tannins wrap around a core of inky red/purplish fruit, pipe tobacco, cedar, mint, spice and leather. The en primeur sample was decidedly flashier, but, then again, that wine was presented in 100% new oak. The finished wine, with one-third each new, one year-old and two year-old barrels, is wonderfully refined and poised.”
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate 92 points “A blend of 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 49% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, the deep garnet-purple colored 2018 de Pez leaps from the glass with vibrant black cherries, ripe blackberries and blackcurrant pastilles notes, giving way to nuances of black olives, lavender and forest floor. The medium-bodied palate offers nicely rounded tannins and a lively backbone to counter the bold fruit, finishing savory.”
Wine Spectator 92 points “Fresh red currant and bitter cherry notes are laced with floral and chalk notes. Piercing in feel through the finish, with the fruit and minerality in lockstep as a touch of cedar appears, leaving a mouthwatering edge. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2032. — JM”
Decanter 92 points “Always an extremely classy St-Estèphe, and this is an excellent wine that has restraint but punch, and plenty of cassis and blackberry fruits, with a governing hand of tannins that are never overdone. Drinking Window 2023 – 2036.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Chateau Mangot

Organic, with a focus on sustainable agriculture and biodiversity, this estate puts quality first through careful farming of their old vines and a long and hands-off winemaking process. To quote the winery, “All this rigor and precision reduces yields but rewards us year after year with grapes possessing a genuine identity that are characteristic of their terroir.”

“Located in eastern Saint-Emilion, in the commune of Saint Etienne de Lisse, the chateau dates back to the mid-1500s (pretty old even by Bordeaux standards) and remains family-owned by Jean-Guy and Anne-Marie Todeschini, whose parents purchased the property in the mid-1980s (and also own Ch. La Brande). Their 35ha of strictly sustainably-farmed vineyards feature 40 year-old average vines (some Merlot vines up to 60 years old) planted on clay and limestone soil atop very diverse terrain in the far eastern and cooler Saint Emilion, right before Cotes Castillon and near Ch. Faugeres, Fleur Cardinale and Valandraud, to name a few… This increased presence of limestone gives Mangot density and richness while preserving real freshness, tension and minerality.

“Interestingly, 15% of their non-vineyard property surface is dedicated to ecological reserves (hedges, woods, wild grass, embankments) making biodiversity a real asset of their land and terroir.  South facing vineyards occupy the highest elevation of this appellation (35-86m above sea level) and contain incredibly diverse terrain.  Vineyards are divided into 21 parcels, and each parcel is hand-harvested and vinified separately, the diversity of these terroirs adding incredible interest to the final blend while also preserving the identity of their unique terroir.” –Importer note

Chateau Mangot, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2015 750ML ($37.95) $28 special
James Suckling 93 points “A dense and rich red with driedberry and plum character. Full body, round and chewy tannins and a flavorful finish. Lots of intensity. Drink in 2020.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $32

Chateau de Chantegrive 

“Chateau de Chantegrive was created in 1966 by Henri and Françoise Lévêque thanks to the sale of their [apparently very precious] stamp collection.  Vineyards were cobbled together by purchasing several parcels in the beautiful and picturesque southern Graves, primarily near the village of Podensac.  Aside from its truly beautiful setting, the perfectly-situated south-facing vines are surrounded by a low stone wall and soak up sun on warm summer days.  Terroir is a mix of gravel, sand, limestone, and there are small, quartz stones in the soil – former river stones ranging in color from pink to beige throughout the vineyard’s fine sandy soil.  In true Graves fashion, Chantegrive’s vineyards are exceptionally suited – and planted to – reds and whites.  While red vines are planted to an even split of 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, for the white, vines are planted to interestingly enough, an even split again 50% Sauvignon Blanc and 50% Semillon.  This exceptional blend from 30+ year average vines offers immense pleasure and complexity.

“While relatively young (by Bordeaux standards), this estate has developed an undeniably strong reputation for reliable quality; wines are expertly blended, elegant, refined, and impressively complex.  Especially when properly aged a few years…” –Importer note 

In Stock Now:

Chateau de Chantegrive ‘Benjamin de Chantegrive’, Graves 2015 750ML ($34.95) $26 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Chateau de Chantegrive ‘Benjamin de Chantegrive’, Graves 2015 750ML ($199.95) $149 special (that’s only $24.83/bottle!)
Importer note “Another beautiful 2015, seductive, complex bouquet, ripe fruit balanced with earth, leather and spice and all things Bordeaux.  Medium to full bodied, yet silky smooth tannins – very well balanced, not a fruit bomb.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Chateau de Chantegrive Blanc, Graves 2018 750ML ($29.95) $21.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Chateau de Chantegrive Blanc, Graves 2018 750ML ($359.95) $239 special (that’s only $19.92/bottle!)
Wine Enthusiast 92 points “Editor’s Choice. This ripe wine shows yellow fruits as well as layers of citrus. The rich texture gives weight and brings out a buttery element. This wine will age well and should not be drunk before 2021. -Roger Voss”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Arriving Friday, November 26th:

Chateau de Chantegrive Henri Leveque, Graves 2010 750ML ($41.95) $33 pre-arrival special
“A stunning vintage / aged release.  This near perfect 50/50 Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot blend is the ‘flagship’ cuvee from their very best vineyard plots, paying homage to Henri Leveque, founder of Château de Chantegrive. Cold pre-fermentation followed by alcoholic fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats. Malo-lactic fermentation in 100% new oak then barrel aged at least 15+ months, and obviously aged in bottle for several additional years in accordance with their desire to offer an ‘aged release.’    As a result, immediately present is a beautiful intense ruby color with a touch of dark plum. On the nose, lots of fruits with hints of chocolate and a slight suggestion of vanilla. Full-bodied and polished on the palate, a rich, generous wine with refined silky tannins.” –Importer note

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Also Arriving Friday, November 26th:

“This legendary Pauillac chateau’s second wine is often compared to a flower coming into bloom and is irresistibly tender, mellow and silky.  Garnet in colour and has a very elegant aromatic bouquet, as notes of red fruits combine with mild tobacco and liquorice. The silky palate culminates in a lingering and elegantly wooded finish.  Notably, this ‘second’ wine is sourced entirely from Pedesclaux’s Pauillac appellated vineyards, literally sandwiched between Chateau Lafite and Chateau Mouton Rothschild. Let alone the fact this parcel happens to be from the epic 2016 vintage, which is the very same vintage where those neighboring vineyards of Mouton and Lafite each received 100point scores…” –Importer note

Chateau Pedesclaux Fleur de Pedesclaux, Pauillac 2016 750ML ($69.95) $44.50 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 92 points “Sweet tobacco, currant and dark-berry aromas follow through to a full body, soft and juicy tannins and a flavorful finish. Second wine of Pédesclaux. Drink in 2023.”
Neal Martin-Vinous 90 points “The 2016 Fleur de Pédesclaux has a generous, rounded bouquet of wild strawberry and blackberry fruit mixed with briar and tobacco aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with a pastille-like purity on the entry, displaying fine tannin and light grip but offering ebullient red berry fruit on the detailed finish. This is impressive for a second wine and will probably drink well after a couple of years.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
The average price nationally is $52

 

“Readers who can find the 2012 should not hesitate, as it is truly magical.” -Antonio Galloni
Louis Roederer Cristal Brut Rosé, Champagne 2012 750ML ($699.95) $599 pre-arrival special, only 6 bottles available!
James Suckling 99 points “This is a great vintage for Cristal Rosé. The pinot noir finds a band of power and expressiveness. The power here is impressive, very assertive and rich, really mouth-filling and super deep. This is exceptional and has intense, chalky and fresh, white-peach and nectarine aromas, underpinning red flowers and pink fruit. The palate has a scintillating blend of flesh and mineral cut, packed with such sweet, pristine, white-strawberry flavor and texture. This has such incredible potential. So exciting. Will take another two or threw years to resolve. Look out for this! Drink from 2025.”
Jeb Dunnuck 99 points “Just about as good as it gets, the 2012 Cristal Rosé is a magical effort based on 56% Pinot Noir and 44% Chardonnay. It’s a powerful, medium to full-bodied, incredibly textured rosé offering a huge amount of salty, chalky minerality as well as awesome notes of white cherries, orange blossom, caramelized apples, and toasted bread. It shows the ripe, rounded richness of the 2012 vintage yet has bright, racy acidity, perfect balance, and a great, great finish. It opens up nicely with air and will ideally be given 2-4 years of bottle age, and it should evolve for 2-3 decades.”
Antonio Galloni 98+ points “The 2012 Cristal Rosé is magnificent. When Chef de Caves Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon started to move Roederer towards organically farmed fruit, he started with Cristal Rosé, Roederer’s smallest production cuveé. Because of that, Cristal Rosé is the wine in this range that shows the current Roederer style in its fullest expression. Rich, vivid and crystalline in the glass, the 2012 Cristal Rosé is a Champagne of tremendous gravitas. Chalk, white flowers, sweet red berry fruit, mint and blood orange are all beautifully delineated. The 2012 is 55% Pinot from Ay and 45% Chardonnay from Mesnil and Avize. The Pinot fruit gets a 7-10 day cold soak an is the infused into the fermenting Chardonnay musts. Readers who can find the 2012 should not hesitate, as it is truly magical. Dosage is 8 grams per liter.”
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 98 points “The 2012 Cristal Rosé is showing brilliantly, unwinding in the glass with a beautiful bouquet of fresh peach, bergamot, strawberries, tangerine and blanched almonds that’s still quite reserved. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, deep and strikingly complete, its vinous attack segueing into a multidimensional core that exemplifies the ideal of power without weight, built around a racy but integrated spine of animating acidity and complemented by an exquisitely refined mousse. All the concentration of the 2012 vintage is on display, but it’s rendered with terrific finesse. Decidedly youthful and introverted—indeed, I spent several hours with a bottle to compose this note—the 2012 will really come into its own with five or six years in the cellar and displays all the attributes necessary for considerable longevity. It’s a blend of 56% Pinot Noir and 44% Chardonnay that saw no malolactic fermentation, and it was disgorged with eight grams per liter dosage.”
Wine Enthusiast 97 points “Years in the making, this is the first fully biodynamic Cristal rosé. The very fine 2012 vintage is a good starting point for this new era. The Champagne is just right, beautifully rich and showing some maturity while also having tension and crispness from the golden-apple and spice flavors. The wine could be drunk now but its future is assured. Organic and biodynamic. -Roger Voss.”
Wine Spectator 96 points “An elegant rosé Champagne, starting quietly with a subtle range of white cherry, Marcona almond, pink grapefruit zest and saffron flavors that gain momentum and volume as they expand, gliding across the palate’s fine, raw silk–like texture. This is mouthwatering and minerally, the symphony concluding with accents of oyster shell and chalk that echo on the finish. Drink now through 2032. — AN”

“shows its richness to perfection” -Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast
Dom Perignon Brut Champagne 2010 750ML ($219.95) $199 pre-arrival special, 12 bottles available
James Suckling 98 points “A firm and vivid Champagne with a precise, focused palate. Full-bodied and dry. It’s very layered and bright with light pineapple, peach, praline, cooked-apple and stone aromas and flavors. It’s very subtle and focused at the end. Integrated with richness and high acidity. Good depth. Reminds me of the 1995. Very clean. Solid. Lovely to drink already, but will age nicely.”
Wine Spectator 96 points “A graceful Champagne, featuring fragrant notes of toasted brioche and grilled nut that are more subtle on the palate, with a rich underpinning layered with a pure chime of tangerine and accents of candied ginger, toasted saffron and lime blossom. This bundles a lot of concentrated flavor into a lithe frame, with the fine mousse caressing the palate through to the lasting finish. Drink now through 2035. — AN”
Wine Enthusiast 96 points “The new release of this iconic Champagne shows its richness to perfection. The floral aromas lead to a wine that has weight and density as well as a balance that encompasses ripe fruits that have now matured to reveal nuttiness, toast and a tight salinity at the end. Drink through 2028. -Roger Voss”
John Gilman 95 points “The 2010 vintage of Dom Pérignon is a beautiful wine, and rather uncharacteristically for this long-distance runner of a Tête de Cuvée, the wine is quite flattering to drink out of the blocks, as its customary steely structure is more giving than usual at such a young age. The bouquet wafts from the glass in a very refined blend of apple, lime, menthol, chalky minerality, gentle smokiness, a delightful touch of DP’s signature botanicals and a topnote of citrus peel. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, focused and complex, with a fine core of fruit, excellent mineral drive, bright, bouncy acids and a very long, very complex and surprisingly wide open finish. This is the rare vintage of Dom Perignon that drinks well out of the blocks, and of all the recent vintage releases of this wine, the 2010 is unequivocally the one I would choose for drinking over the next decade! That said, it is also very well-balanced and may well surprise us with how well it ages! 2021-2050.”

Can’t Wait?

We offer 170 Champagnes in stock now, including Krug 169th, Bereche, and Bollinger on our web store!

 

“Florian’s general style is exactly the opposite of his famous Saar neighbors Egon Müller and Hanno Zilliken. At Lauer, the focus is on dry-tasting Rieslings as opposed to the residual sugar wines of the latter two. Employing natural-yeast fermentations, Lauer’s wines find their own balance. They tend to be more textural, deeper and more masculine. They have a preternatural sense of balance, an energy that is singular. Yet the hallmarks of the Saar are there: purity, precision, rigor, mineral.

“Florian’s playground is the breathtaking hillside of the Kupp… Though the many vineyards of this mountain were unified (obliterated?) under the single name “Kupp” with the 1971 German wine law, it has been Florian’s life’s work to keep the old vineyard names alive, to keep these voices alive. He has been fighting this fight since his first vintage in 2005 and only with an update to the law in 2014 can he now legally use the older vineyard names such as Unterstenberg, Stirn, Kern and Neuenberg.” –Vom Boden Imports

“The 2020 growing season was hot and dry and the harvest season mostly cloudy and rainy: The result is a unique vintage with incredible lightness, filigreed precision, subtlety, and a dash of ripeness.” –Mosel Fine Wines, 2020 Vintage Overview

Arriving Friday, December 3rd

Peter Lauer Ayler Riesling Fass 25 Trocken, Saar, Mosel 2020 750ML ($34.95) $27 pre-arrival special, only 12 bottles available
Stuart Pigott 93 points “Beautiful nose of sliced pear with hints of rose and freshly baked bread. Very racy and focused on the medium-bodied palate with a diamond-bright, mineral finish. Drink or hold.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Peter Lauer Ayler Kupp Fass 3 Riesling, Saar, Mosel 2020 750ML ($37.95) $33 pre-arrival special, only 12 bottles available
Stuart Pigott 95 points “An amazing village wine with intense yellow-grapefruit and lime-zest aromas. Serious concentration, but so cool and precise, the apricot ripeness and herbal freshness exactly matched. Very long, pure finish with tons of slate character! On paper this is medium-dry, but for us its easily dry enough. Drink or hold.”

Peter Lauer Ayler Riesling Fass 4 Feinherb, Saar, Mosel 2020 750ML ($31.95) $25.50 pre-arrival special, only 12 bottles available
Stuart Pigott 93 points “With its nose of yellow and summer flowers, this sleek dry riesling is a very striking wine. Super refreshing and you can almost hear the bees buzzing! Drink or hold.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Peter Lauer Ayler Kupp Fass 2 Riesling Trocken, Saar, Mosel 2020 750ML ($37.95) $33 pre-arrival special, only 12 bottles available
Stuart Pigott 92 points “Tart pear, white peach and a hint of gooseberry makes this sleek and slightly austere dry riesling both very fresh and expressive. Intensely lemony finish. Drink or hold.”

Peter Lauer Ayler Fass 87 Riesling Kabinett “Special Edition”, Saar, Mosel 2020 750ML ($39.95) $31.90 pre-arrival special, only 12 bottles available
Stuart Pigott 92 points “The effusive, spring-meadow nose pulls you into this super-crisp Kabinett that’s dangerously refreshing. There must be a bunch of unfermented grape sweetness in here, but you barely feel it, because of the driving acidity. Drink now.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Peter Lauer ‘Kern’ Ayler Kupp Fass 9 Riesling, Saar, Mosel 2020 750ML ($49.95) $44 pre-arrival special, only 12 bottles available
Stuart Pigott 96 points “I love the nose of leaves and flowers that are dripping with rainwater after a tropical storm. Great interplay of power and freshness, ripeness and delicacy, tropical fruit and fine-grained minerality through the very long finish. Drink or hold.”

Peter Lauer Fass 8 Ayler Kupp Riesling Kabinett, Saar, Mosel 2020 750ML ($41.95) $36 pre-arrival special, only 12 bottles available
Stuart Pigott 93 points “Very cool and reserved with mint and basil notes, this is a very elegant Kabinett with plenty of wet-stone minerality and a long, super-clean finish with only a hint of natural grape sweetness. Drink now.”

Peter Lauer ‘Neuenberg’ Fass 17 Riesling, Saar, Mosel 2020 750ML ($67.95) $54.50 pre-arrival special, only 12 bottles available
Stuart Pigott 95 points “Still a bit shy, the peach and apricot aromas of this dry riesling steadily expand in the glass. However, that doesn’t prepare you for the major concentration and structure on the palate, or the very long finish with its intense wet-stone minerality. Drinkable now, but best from 2022.”

Peter Lauer ‘Stirn’ Ayler Kupp Fass 15 Riesling, Saar, Mosel 2020 750ML ($49.95) $44 pre-arrival special, only 12 bottles available
Stuart Pigott 95 points “So fresh and floral, this is already so effusive and joyful, the juiciness seeming to float weightlessly on the mid-palate, but its anchored by plenty of fine tannins that precisely match the full wet-stone character. Mountain-stream freshness at the totally vibrant finish. Great aging potential! Drink or hold.”

Peter Lauer Ayler Kupp ‘Unterstenberg’ Fass 12 Riesling, Saar, Mosel 2020 750ML ($44.95) $38 pre-arrival special, only 12 bottles available
Stuart Pigott 94 points “Brimming with stone fruit and ripe melon with just a whiff of smoked bacon. Powerful and well-structured, but the generous fruit dominates until you reach the bold, mineral finish, which is pretty dry. Drink or hold.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

Can’t Wait?

2020 Peter Lauers in stock now:

Peter Lauer ‘Barrel X’ Saar Riesling, Mosel 2020 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special, 34 bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott 91 points “Full ripe-apricot nose and a juicy, rather full palate with lively acidity and some natural spritz make this easy to enjoy. Then, at the finish, a pronounced mineral note is neatly underlined by a touch of fine tannin. Drink now.”
Vom Boden note “The most important category of Lauer wines we’ll call the “terroir” wines. These are the Rieslings that have made Lauer so famous. These wines eschew the whole Prädikat system (Kabinett, Spätlese, etc) completely. They ferment spontaneously with natural yeasts and thus they find their own balance. In most cases they have a bit more residual sugar than a purely dry wine, yet not nearly enough sugar to be considered sweet. Let’s call them dry-tasting to off dry. First, there is the appellation-level Barrel X. This is Lauer’s Platonic ideal of what a Saar Riesling should be. If we were in Burgundy this would be the equivalent of a Bourgogne Blanc. As an appellation-level wine, it is sourced from multiple vineyards in three different villages of the Saar. This is always a thrilling off-dry and a silly value.”

Peter Lauer Senior Fass 6 Riesling, Saar, Mosel 2020 750ML ($31.95) $28 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott 94 points “Tons of wild-herb aromas, plus a note that reminds me of the red-fleshed vineyard peach, this medium-bodied dry riesling is simultaneously so juicy and so precise. Serious elegance for a village wine, then a very long, crystalline finish. Drink or hold.”
Mosel Fine Wines 92 points “The 2020er Ayler Riesling “Senior” N°6 is a barely off-dry wine (with 13 g/l of residual sugar) made from fruit harvested from the original Kupp hill on a west-facing section towards Wawern. It offers a beautifully reductive and refreshing nose of grapefruit zest, herbs, cassis, lime, herbs, nettle, and smoke. The wine proves full of grip and energy on the superbly balanced palate and leaves a beautifully precise, spicy, and refreshing feel in the nicely dry-tasting finish. This dry-tasting Riesling proves a huge success and has more in common with a Grand Cru that its nominative ranking as Ortswein (Village)! 2023-2035.”

Bonus 2020 New Arrivals:

A delicious QPR that’s off the charts, ungrafted, old vines from a classic region for under $22
Stein Blauschiefer (“Blue Slate”) Riesling, Mosel 2020 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special, 24 bottles in stock now
“Sourced from old vines (up to and over 75+ yo ungrafted vines) in and around the St. Aldegunder Himmelreich” –Vom Boden Imports

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Stein Riesling Palmberg Spatlese Feinherb, Mosel 2020 750ML ($49.95) $44 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Importer note “The Palmberg is Stein’s “Grand Cru” and a vineyard to measure against any other vineyard in the Mosel, period. It is an awesome site, an ancient wall of vines filled with ungrafted plantings that are 90+ years old. The Palmberg is cut on one side by a stream, so the vineyard angles away from the Mosel. In former times this was likely a liability, the cool wind pouring down the valley and the distance from the river keeping optimum ripeness in all but the top vintages just beyond grasp. This is no longer an issue and these cooler vineyards, especially when they have old vines, are a massive asset.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!