48 Hour Delas Sale; New Washington State Reviews from Vinous; Staff Pick Barbaresco; Bursin’s Brilliance; New Thanksgiving Sales; New Clouet Arrivals; #Trending Pre-Arrivals
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48 Hour Sale
Sale Ends Saturday at Midnight
Delas Freres 2013 Hermitage
Delas Freres Hermitage Les Bessards, Rhone 2013 750ML ($249.95) Was $199, Now $159, 9 bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 95 points “(aged in 70% new oak for 18 months): Inky ruby. Sexy, highly perfumed aromas of ripe dark berries, cherry liqueur, peppery spices and fresh flowers, backed by a hint of olive. Supple and appealingly sweet, offering intense, deeply concentrated blackberry and violet pastille flavors and a suggestion of star anise. Finishes pure, sweet and energetic on the penetrating finish, showing outstanding focus and slow-building tannins.”
Wine Advocate 94+ points “Closed, tight and backwards, the 2013 Hermitage les Bessards is a big, full-bodied, burly wine that offers first rate purity in its black raspberry, ozone, liquid rock, and creosote-like bouquet. It has plenty of material and density, but will need 7-8 years of bottle age to become approachable. As normal, it comes all from the “Bas de Coteau” portion of the Bessards lieu-dit, was completely destemmed and saw 18 months in 30% new French oak.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $207
Delas Freres Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes-Marquise de la Tourette, Rhone 2013 750ML ($119.95) Was $59, Now $49, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Delas Freres Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes-Marquise de la Tourette, Rhone 2013 750ML ($549.95) Was $319, Now $279, 8 six-packs in stock now (that’s only $46.50/bottle!)
Jancis Robinson 18/20 points “Very dark purple indeed. Altogether broader and less focused than the Côte Rôties on the nose. Peppery and subtle. Very glossy, layered, complex and magnificent. I would reproach this only very slightly on the finish but it’s a pretty magnificent wine”
Wine Advocate 94 points “One of the gems in the vintage is the 2013 Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes, which comes from both the Bessards and Grandes Vignes lieux-dits on Hermitage Hill. Completely destemmed, then vinified in stainless steel and concrete tanks, the wine is aged 18 months in 30% new French oak; it offers terrific notes of dark fruits, graphite and ample minerality in a full-bodied, layered, ripe profile. It’s more approachable than the Les Bessards, yet will still have three decades of longevity.”
James Suckling 93 points “This has a refined, fragrant and very composed character with inherent aromatic spices and a stony edge, in addition to licorice and some star anise. The fruits are in the dried-plum and dried-cherry spectrum, but this also hints at plenty of cloves, cardamom and pepper. The palate’s succulent, powerful, even and really finely layered. The tannins are most definitely a feature now, and this has plenty of ageing potential. Enjoy the dark-plum and black-cherry finish. Best from 2020 and for a decade after that. Fom 100% granitic soils.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $85
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New Reviews for Washington Wines
From Stephen Tanzer – Vinous Media
“Due to the early-season heat, berry size was typically small, setting the stage for a crop of highly concentrated, powerful, tannic wines. The finest 2015s show uncanny purity and sweetness of fruit and terrific depth of flavor, and although most of them will give pleasure relatively early, the best of them appear to have the balance and material to surprise with their longevity.” –Stephen Tanzer, Vinous Media, on the 2015 vintage
Charles Smith K Vintners The Deal Sundance Vineyard Syrah 2014 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Stephen Tanzer—Vinous 92 points “(14.5%; all of the K Vintners red Rhône varieties are done entirely with whole clusters; this one was vinified in concrete tanks, then aged in 30% new puncheons): Good dark red. Lovely dried rose and violet topnotes to the aromas of raspberry and cherry. Juicy, spicy and penetrating, conveying a light touch and a captivating floral quality to its red fruit flavors. Not a fat or particularly expansive style of Syrah but boasts terrific intensity and finishes with fine-grained tannins and excellent rising length. This is one of K’s rare “flood” wines (i.e., from a vineyard situated below about 1,250 feet, the maximum height reached by the water during the Missoula Floods), featuring black volcanic sand under sandy loam topsoil, according to Brennon Leighton.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Reynvaan Family Vineyards In The Hills Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2015 750ML ($79.95) $69 special, 22 bottles in stock now
Stephen Tanzer – Vinous 92 points “(14.4% alcohol): Dark ruby-red. Explosive nose offers scents of black raspberry, licorice, smoked meat and pepper, plus a sexy suggestion of white stone fruits from the Viognier component. Plush, layered and sweet; more opulent than the 2014 version. Perhaps a touch warm on the back end but displays noteworthy slowly building length. This is actually Reynvaan’s introductory Syrah, meant to be aromatic and approachable early. It’s bottled prior to the next harvest, whereas the other Syrahs here typically get an élevage of 18 months.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $74
Reynvaan Family Vineyards ‘Foothills in the Sun’ Reserve Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2015 750ML ($79.95) $69 special, 20 bottles in stock now
Stephen Tanzer – Vinous 93 points “(14.2% alcohol): Dark ruby. Wonderfully deep, complex yet brooding aromas of blackberry, black raspberry, duck fat, smoked meat and fruity black peppercorn; smells like a butcher shop. Wonderfully dense, savory wine with a seamless texture and little easy sweetness. There’s lurking dark berry fruit here but today the wine is dominated by its salty meaty qualities and an earthy suggestion of mushroom. The slowly rising, very long finish features serious horizontal tannins and plenty of supporting fruit.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $74
Long Shadows ‘Feather’, Columbia Valley 2014 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 1 bottle in stock now
Stephen Tanzer – Vinous 93 points “(14.7% alcohol): Bright red-ruby. Inviting, fully ripe aromas of red- and blackcurrant, menthol, licorice and minerals. A juicy, shapely wine with dark berry and graphite flavors complicated by a captivating herbal quality. I love the combination of sweetness and floral lift. Finishes with firm but suave tannins, a strong mineral impression lifting the wine’s intense fruit. In a rather Napa Valley style.”
Soos Creek Wine Cellars Soleil Red, Columbia Valley 2014 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Stephen Tanzer – Vinous 89 points “(this is actually a third wine, as Sundance is David Larsen’s second wine): Bright medium ruby. Mellow, inviting aromas of plum, coffee and graphite minerality. Fat, supple and sweet, offering good depth to its flavors of dark fruits, bitter chocolate and licorice. Supple tannins will not get in the way of enjoying this wine now. Very nicely done.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Soos Creek Wine Cellars Palisade, Columbia Valley 2014 750ML ($31.95) $28 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Stephen Tanzer – Vinous 91 points “Bright medium red-ruby. Slightly high-toned aromas of plum, cherry, chocolate and spices, plus a note of graphite minerality. Densely packed and sweet but juicy too, conveying a light touch to its very supple flavors of red and purple fruits, tobacco and violet. This seamless midweight offers lovely palate presence without heaviness. Finishes with sweet tannins and subtle, slowly building length and lingering perfume. Superb Washington Merlot with a well-judged Cabernet contribution.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Soos Creek Wine Cellars Artist Series #14 Red Blend, Columbia Valley 2014 750ML ($31.95) $28 special, 22 bottles in stock now
Stephen Tanzer – Vinous 92 points “(a barrel selection; Larsen told me he looks for “you name it: flavors, balance, mouth feel”): Bright medium ruby. Captivating aromas of blackberry, cassis, licorice, violet, leather and minerals; the Cabernet Franc lift is obvious here. Sweet, fine-grained and broad, with its plush dark berry fruit accented by a mineral quality. Finishes velvety and broad, with sweet, building tannins and clinging flavors of purple fruits and violet.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Soos Creek Wine Cellars Terrible Beauty, Columbia Valley 2014 750ML ($31.95) $28 special, 35 bottles in stock now
Stephen Tanzer – Vinous 92 points “Bright medium ruby. Classic Cabernet Sauvignon aromas of cassis, black plum, licorice and spices. Juicy and youthfully tight but already conveys lovely inner-mouth lift and floral high tones to its flavors of blackcurrant, spices and graphite minerality. There’s a saline complexity here, as well as the subtle sweetness that the Stampede Pass Cabernet Franc lacks. Still a bit youthfully clenched but already saturates the palate with dark berry and mineral flavors. Finishes with serious but well-buffered horizontal tannins and excellent energy and length. The graphite note repeats on the aftertaste.”
Soos Creek Wine Cellars Champoux Vineyard Red, Horse Heaven Hills 2014 750ML ($41.95) $33 special, 23 bottles in stock now
Stephen Tanzer – Vinous 91+ points “(this is mostly from the replanted Circle Block at Champoux, which was frozen in 2010): Healthy bright ruby. Aromas of plum, cherry, tobacco and alluring brown spices. More red fruits than black on the palate, with redcurrant, herb and licorice flavors complemented by a sexy earth note; with aeration, darker notes of blueberry, licorice and lavender emerged. The young-vines tannins are a bit edgier than those of the Terrible Beauty Cabernet but make their presence felt later. This savory, reasonably fine-grained wine should be a late bloomer.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $39.99
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Staff Pick
Suzanne:
I first encountered the Barbarescos from Punset at a mass tasting of Piedmont wines. Of the hundred or so on hand, her ’06 Reserva stood out for its unapologetic classicism. Tightly wound tannins enveloped a core of red cherries, dark minerality and dried orange peel. No notes of new oak or over-extraction to hide behind. I was excited to try a release with more age to it. Though still quite young, the ’04 Campo Quadro from the San Cristoforo vineyard had a similar rustic feel with a greater depth and complexity. 13 years after the vintage, this is beginning to show wisps of old leather and wild mushrooms (Black Trumpets, perhaps?). It opens with aromas of crushed black raspberries, allspice and autumn leaves. The mature notes of leather and mushrooms show on the palate beneath a bright acidity and fine, grippy tannins alongside a charming note of violets and loam. The wine paired beautifully with lightly spiced lamb stew after sitting in my decanter for an hour or two. Drink now with a hearty meal or cellar another 5-10 years.
Punset Campo Quadro, Barbaresco DOCG 2004 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Case-6 Punset Campo Quadro, Barbaresco DOCG 2004 750ML ($399.95) $339 special (that’s only $56.50/bottle!)
Monica Larner – Wine Advocate 95 points “Going back one more year, the 2004 Barbaresco Campo Quadro opens with a lean, garnet color and pretty aromas of old spice and dried berry fruit. The wine is streamlined and thin in texture, but the tannins are still very present at the back. Aging-wise, the wine is on its way. But it’s not quite there yet. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025. In the 1980s, after graduating from high school, Marina Marcarino bet her father that she could run the family winery in Barbaresco at a profit. He gave her one year to try. If she won, she could take over management. If she lost, she’d enroll in civil engineering classes at the local university. After a grueling 12 months, she closed her accounting books with a profit of less than 100 Euros, or 100,000 Lira at the time. But she won the wager and became the first female vintner in the Langhe. [Tasted Jun 2013]”
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New Review from Grapelive
Agathe Bursin
Crystalline Alsatian Riesling
Agathe Bursin Riesling Dirstelberg, Alsace 2016 750ML ($26.95) $21.90 special, 34 bottles in stock now
Grapelive 91 points “Brilliantly dry and dusty crisp the pale golden/straw hued 2016 Agathe Bursin Dirstelberg Riesling sings a sirens song with a haunting and alluring beauty with lithe vibrancy, textured mouth feel and mineral charms. I have been trying to get my hands on Bursin’s wines for years. They have been difficult to find in the states, especially in California. I had heard good things, and I was not disappointed. I know I’ll be ordering more. The style is brisk and sharp with loads of inner energy and delicacy of form, but with good dry extract and depth of flavor. Impressively austere in an age of over the top fruitiness, Agathe’s Distelberg is very lifted and tangy fresh with clear and transparent focus and intensity. Grown on pink sandstone this Riesling reminds me of trocken (dry) Muller-Catoir (Riesling) from the Pfalz (also on sandstone) over the border in Germany in some ways with its chalky/stony elements and its lean profile. The nose is still shy at this point with citrus, saline, loam and faint rose water start things here before a light bodied palate of lime, white peach, spring melon, unripe apple, earthy loam and verbena as well as wet rock, briny/salty oyster shell and lemongrass. Picks up a bit of tangerine, tart apricot and spicy chamomile with air, but stays racy with lots of verve from fine acidity that pumps from start to finish in this great value single vineyard wine. Agatha Bursin has been making wine since 2000 and is proving herself to be a huge talent, and is an exciting small producer in the Alsace region. She tends and farms by hand and uses organic methods as well as leaning towards biodynamic treatments in the vines. As far as I can tell she is a traditionally minded winemaker and cares deeply for terroir expression in her lovely wine(s). This 2016 Distelberg Riesling is a soulful and wonderful with food, I really enjoyed it with sushi, but it would great also with oysters, mussels and clams and or cheeses, cured meats or as an aperitif even. Drink over the next 3 to 5 years.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $23.99
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Thanksgiving Sales Continue!
Robust Roses
If you’re a long-time subscriber, you’ll know we love drinking fuller-bodied rosés with Thanksgiving meals. They offer delightful pairings to the seemingly infinite dishes that crowd your plate that day from cranberry sauce to sliced turkey and gravy all the way to pumpkin pie! We’re curated a list of options that won’t break your budget and will set off that green bean casserole in style:
Domaine de la Janasse Cotes du Rhone Rose, Rhone 2015 750ML ($19.95) Was $16, Now $11.90, 36+ bottles in stock now
VinopolNote: A versatile rose with savory, herbal notes from a legendary Chateauneuf producer. A blend of Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault grown in clay limestone, galets and sandy soil. Practicing organic & biodynamic.
Importer note “Hand harvested and fermentation in tank, vines are between 10 and 60 years old. Wine is aged for 4 months in tank. A fruity and generous rosé with strawberry and clay aromas. Drink within the next two years.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $14.95
Domaine Saint Damien Gigondas Rose, Rhone 2016 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 91 points “Bright orange-pink. Ripe red berries and blood orange on the fragrant nose. In a warm, fleshy style, offering juicy, nicely concentrated raspberry and orange zest flavors that turn livelier on the back half. Smooth and seamless on the impressively persistent and penetrating finish, which leaves a sappy red berry note behind.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Chateau de Manissy Tavel Cuvee des Lys Rose, Rhone 2016 750ML ($17.95) $14 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 90 points “Brilliant orange-pink. Powerful, mineral-accented aromas of ripe red berries and citrus fruits, joined by a suave floral topnote that builds in the glass. Sappy and concentrated on the palate, offering fresh raspberry, bitter cherry and blood orange flavors and a hint of honeysuckle. Finishes long, chewy and precise, delivering strong mineral cut and lingering florality.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $16.99
Castello di Ama Rosato Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2015 750ML ($17.95) Was $11.90, Now $9.90, 28 bottles in stock now
Ian D’Agata–Vinous 91 points “Pale pink-red. Apricot, peach and flowers on the nose. Fresh and savory in the mouth; hints of pomegranate and vanilla complicate the stone fruit and sweet spice flavors. Finishes long and tactile, with insidiousness sweetness. One of the best Rosatos from Ama in memory.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Chateau de Calavon Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence Rose, Provence 2015 750ML ($21.95) Was $18, Now $14, 36+ bottles in stock now
Winery note “[Translated] This Rose, made mostly from Grenache and Cinsault, is obtained by saignee and undergoes temperature-controlled fermentation. It has discreet aromas of red fruits, fuller body and a long finish. It is an ideal wine for light summer dishes.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
The average price nationally is $17
Don’t forget that our #1 and #2 Thanksgiving Day sale wines from Marcus Goodfellow will be arriving tomorrow!
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Andre Clouet
Our Go-To Budget Friendly Bubbles
Arriving Tomorrow:
Andre Clouet is a Champagne house known for many things, chief among them being some of the best values in the appellation. The wines they’re making are fantastic, from their base non-vintage blend all the way through the prestige “1911” cuvee, which is perpetually one of the best under $100 Champagnes out there.
Andre Clouet Grande Reserve Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($47.95) $33 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Andre Clouet Grande Reserve Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($519.95) $359 pre-arrival special (that’s only $29.92/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Andre Clouet Grande Reserve Brut, Champagne NV 3L ($319.95) $269 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 90 points “The NV Brut Grande Reserve emerges from the glass with layers of hazelnut, pear, spice and dried flower aromas. This rich, creamy wine impresses for its balance and sheer richness. I loved it.” AG
This is the only listing in the USA today for the jeroboam!
The average price is $47
Andre Clouet Grand Cru Brut Rose, Champagne NV 3L ($299.95) $279 pre-arrival special
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 92 points “Vivid orange-pink. Aromas and flavors of ripe red berries, candied rose and toasty lees. Fleshy but nervy and focused, with strong mineral cut and hints of bitter herbs on the very long, energetic finish. Smoothly blends richness and vivacity, making it extremely flexible with food or without.”
This is the only listing in the USA today for the jeroboam!
Andre Clouet Silver Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs Brut Nature, Champagne NV 750ML ($47.95) $33 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Andre Clouet Silver Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs Brut Nature, Champagne NV 750ML ($519.95) $359 pre-arrival special (that’s only $29.92/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Antonio Galloni 91 points “The NV Brut Nature Silver is naturally a very focused, driven wine given the no-dosage style. This shows wonderful nuance and depth all the way through to the long finish, with bright aromas and flavors but less of the toastiness than some of the house’s other wines. The mousse and finish are both utterly impeccable in their elegance.” AG
The average price is $44
Andre Clouet Brut Millesime, Champagne 2008 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 92 points “Clouet’s 2008 Brut Millesime shows quite a bit more tension and focus than the 2007, hardly a surprise given then personality of the vintage. Bright, saline notes frame expressive red fruits, flowers and sweet spices. The 2008 Brut is a gorgeous wine with plenty of appeal today, but it will also develop beautifully in bottle. Stylistically it is less overt than the 2007 but places more emphasis on length. Brut Millesime is mostly Pinot, with 30-40% Chardonnay.” AG
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $53.78
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#Trending Pre-Arrival
Arriving Mid-November
Marques de Caceres
Rioja rides the balancing act between young and old very carefully. There are the old-guard traditionalists, who eschew any sort of stainless steel and strive for firm wines that can reach into nearly oxidative states upon release. And there are the young guns who look to showcase the incredible fruit, first and foremost, bringing modern materials and techniques into their gleaming wineries. Marques de Caceras falls somewhere in between the two poles, and this could well explain why their wines are found on thousands of wine lists around the world. The wines can indeed be structured and solid, but they are also inherently drinkable without cellaring required.
This offer is taking off, so don’t miss your chance at it!
Marques de Caceres Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2012 750ML ($29.95) $18.50 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Marques de Caceres Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2012 750ML ($299.95) $199 pre-arrival special (that’s only $16.58/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Wine Spectator 93 points “Black cherry, currant and floral notes are expressive and alluring, balanced by loamy earth, tobacco and mineral elements that add a savory quality. Firm, well-integrated tannins give support to the polished texture, while orange peel acidity fuels the fresh finish. Drink now through 2027.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
The average price nationally is $20
Thank you for reading!