The Best Faiveley Vintage Ever?
The Highly Rated 2013 Ulysses at the Best Price in the Country
Janasse Rosé Joins the September Sale
2015 Opus One at the Lowest Price in the US!
Collector’s Corner Spotlight: Prum Sonnenuhr Goldkapsel
Perfect and Nearly So – The Pride of South America
The September Sale, Recapped
The Immaculate 2016’s Arrive This Fall
So take notice and act fast.
The modern incarnation of Faiveley began in 2007 when Francois Faiveley retired and his son Erwan took over the management of the Domaine. Erwan has transformed the winemaking, holding onto the age-worthiness the domaine was known for, but also giving them significantly more youthful charm. (Under his father’s regime, one didn’t think about opening a Faiveley for the first 15-20 years, now they can be quite tasty young.) The holdings have expanded (especially on the white side) and the overall quality levels are higher than they’ve ever been.
The inbound 2016’s are a testament to the current quality of the winery (Faiveley thinks they’re one of the three strongest in decade+). They represent everything we love about Burgundy and are priced exceptionally well for wines of their tier. Yields were down considerably in 2016 and 2017 and we’re anticipating big price hikes in 2017’s and beyond, so this may be your last chance to stock up at a reasonable tariff.
We have some highlights below (and there are lots of highlights!) but there are even more gems available on our website and you can see all of the 2016 Faiveley wines by clicking here!
Arriving This Fall:
Only 9 bottles available at this price! (A second tranche is available @ $238)
Domaine Faiveley Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2016 750ML ($279.95) $225 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer 92-95 points “(malo finished): Bright yellow. Candied lime, underripe pineapple and white peach on the nose, complicated by notes of bergamot and crushed stone. Plush and intense but youthfully reserved, conveying savory crushed-stone minerality; little oak showing despite the fact that nearly 50% was new. The almost painful rising back end features an element of medicinal herbs. A superb wine without any excess weight but still a bit disjointed. (The Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet and Bâtard-Montrachet were just starting their malolactic fermentations at the time of my visit.)”
The next best price is $249.94
The average price is $275
Domaine Faiveley Corton ‘Clos des Cortons’ Faiveley Monopole Grand Cru 2016 750ML ($249.95) $219 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer 95-98 points “Bright ruby. Fruit-driven aromas of crushed black cherry and dark raspberry convey outstanding pungent lift. Incredibly concentrated, sappy and primary, conveying outstanding juicy purity and compelling thickness to its dark fruit and violet flavors. At once hugely powerful and utterly seamless, this wine finishes with great spicy length and lift. A real essence of Burgundy–and likely to evolve gracefully for 25 years or more.”
Burghound 92-95 points “Touches of wood and menthol can be found on the brooding and inexpressive nose of plum, dark cherry liqueur, freshly turned earth and a gamy note. There is an appealing sense of underlying tension to the concentrated big-bodied flavors that also coat the palate with dry extract while exhibiting excellent length on the balanced and very firmly structured finale. Patience strongly advised. (92-95)/2036+”
Domaine Faiveley La Combe d’Orveau, Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru 2016 750ML ($199.95) $169 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer 92-94 points “(technical director Flous noted that due to the tiny production in 2016–nearly 90% lower than normal– this wine was made in exactly the same way as Faiveley’s Musigny: 50% destemmed by hand, vinified in a small tank and aging in a new feuillette): Bright ruby-red. Slightly grilled, reduced nose dominated today by smoky minerality, with hints of fresh blood and mocha. Plush, sweet and voluminous; a powerful, saline, smoky wine with outstanding solidity and unflagging length, but in need of a racking. Very impressive if a bit of a freak; this wine will be bottled direct from the barrel but will it have enough lift?”
Burghound 91-93 points “ (only one-half barrel produced as the yields were 10 hl/ha; vinified with 100% whole cluster and raised in a new feuillette). The effect of the new barrel is evident even though the nose is firmly reduced. The supple and attractively velvet-textured flavors exude a lovely bead of minerality on the lacy and racy finish where notes of both wood and mocha arise. Not surprisingly this is noticeably marked by its wood but it appears to have the intrinsic stuffing to eventually absorb and my predicted range implicitly assumes that it will do so. (91-93)/2026+”
Domaine Faiveley Chambertin Clos de Beze Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2016 750ML ($449.95) $379 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer 94-97 points “Bright, dark red-ruby. Knockout sappy nose combines black raspberry, crushed rock and white pepper. Boasts remarkable intensity and clarity–not to mention class–to its flavors of raspberry, spices and pungent minerals. Wonderfully sappy and dense but almost magically light on its feet. This sharply delineated wine finishes with ineffable rising perfume and outstanding length. This wine manages to combine the best traits of Faiveley’s other Gevrey grand crus–not to mention the finest qualities of the 2016 vintage–in an utterly weightless package.”
Burghound 93-96 points “(from a 1.29 ha parcel). This is softly oaky with a wonderfully spicy array of black cherry, pungent earth and evident sauvage nuances that can be found on the impressively rich and seductively textured broad-shouldered and concentrated flavors that coat the palate with extract, all wrapped in a balanced, long and deep finish. I very much like the way this fans out on the strikingly persistent finish. Note that plenty of patience is a requisite here and it would be largely pointless to open a bottle before its 10th anniversary. (93-96)/2036+.”
“boasts excellent old-vines intensity and plenty of verve”
Domaine Faiveley Lavaux Saint-Jacques, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru 2016 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 92-93 points “Flint, spices and black fruits on the nose, making this an exuberant one. An exciting wine that combines earthy power with a racy elegance, which is what makes it stand out. The serious tannic structure at the finish suggests that this has great aging potential. Only the third vintage of wine. Try in 2021.”
Burghound 91-94 points “This is aromatically interesting, and particularly so for LSJ, as there is an exotic character of dried yellow fruit to the otherwise more typical aromas of earth, humus, game and wild dark berries. There is a relatively refined mouthfeel to the tension-filled, muscular and mineral-driven flavors that culminate in a beautifully persistent finish that is moderately austere but not strict. Patience required. (91-94)/2031+.”
Stephen Tanzer 91-93 points “Bright dark red. Deeper pitched and more musky than the Clos des Issarts on the nose, showing more dark fruits and violet than raspberry and minerals today. Then plush and fresh in the mouth, offering surprising early appeal and sweetness to its flavors of dark berries and flowers. Can’t quite match the Clos des Issarts for its tightly coiled spring, but boasts excellent old-vines intensity and plenty of verve. Despite its firm tannins, I suspect this wine will give relatively early pleasure. The yield here was less than 30 hectoliters per hectare, according to technical director Jérôme Flous.”
At the Best Pricing in the Country
Christian Moueix, of the family behind Petrus and individually the driving force behind the Dominus Estate in Oakville, La Fleur-Petrus and Trotanoy in Pomeral, and Belair-Monange in St Emilion, acquired this century-old estate at the foot of the Mayacamas Range in Oakville in 2008. He has meticulously transformed it into a world-class vineyard, having renovating the vineyards and converting to dry farming.
The result is an important new player in the high-end Napa Cabernet market. This is more of a truly Napa-styled wine compared to Dominus, his other project (which has always been Bordeaux inspired). This is big, rich and flamboyant and in its first few vintages has already established itself as a wine to watch in the scene. Luckily, pricing has yet to explode (for now—though the same could have been said about Dominus for quite a while…) but we have a suspicion that this could become a very hard wine to find over the next few years.
In Stock Now:
“absolutely mind-boggling”
Ulysses Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2013 750ML ($189.95) $149 special, 18 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 98 points “Fabulous subtle aromas of black currants, violets and lilacs with a hot stone undertone. Full-bodied and dense, it shows such wonderful energy and synergy that delivers a firm yet gentle tannin backbone and complex mouthfeel that seduces you. Evolves wonderfully. Second wine from this new estate, which is owned by Christian Moueix of Dominus and Bordeaux.”
Robert Parker 96 points “The 2013 Ulysses is absolutely mind-boggling, as so many wines from this vintage are. Gorgeous blueberry and blackberry fruit, along with the telltale cassis and floral notes, jump from the glass. Again, this is Pauillac-like, with some cedar wood and subtle barrique smells. Again produced nearly all from Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine is full-bodied, powerful, rich and long, with slightly sweeter tannins than the 2012. Production in 2013 was 960 cases, and Moueix told me that the entire growing season averaged about two and half weeks ahead of schedule from bloom break to harvest. This is a prodigious effort and will certainly stand as the great Ulysses of the first trio to be released. I suspect it will be drinkable in 3-4 years and keep for 30 or more, given the Moueix track record.”
Antonio Galloni 95+ points “Gravel, smoke, graphite, savory herbs, tobacco and iron are some of the signatures in the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon. A typical wine from the eastern sector of Oakville on the border with Yountville, the 2013 is loaded with feral, savory notes, while the expression of blue/blackish fruit lies a bit more in the background. In 2013, the main signature is an expression of structure that is both vertical but also incredibly insistent through to the finish. In other words, this is a super-classic 2013 built for the cellar.”
The average price is $182
New to Our September Sale!
Domaine de la Janasse is one of the top producers in the Southern Rhone. They make some of the most sought after Chateaunuefs in the AOC as well as high quality wines up and down the line, including a delicious rosé that we’re dropping the price on for the rest of September. This is now an outright steal and a brilliant Tavel replacement at the table. Get it while the gettin’s good!
In Stock Now:
Domaine de la Janasse Cotes du Rhone Rose, Rhone 2016 750ML ($19.95) Was $16, Now $11.90 Clearance Price, 36+ bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 90 points “Made in a more Tavel than Côtes du Rhône style, the raspberry colored 2016 Côtes du Rhône Rose offers lots of strawberry fruit, medium-bodied richness, a supple, textured style and clean finish. It too has the freshness and purity to handle a summer day, but will also shine on the dinner table.”
Importer notes “The Côtes-du-Rhône Rosé from Domaine de la Janasse is made by bleeding the tanks and vats of the Côtes-du-Rhône Rouge. It is a blend of mainly Grenache, with Cinsault, Syrah and Counoise. After the wine is bled, it finished fermentation and aging in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks.”
Now it’s even lower!
2015 Opus One
At the Lowest Price in the Country
Arriving ETA October:
Opus One, Napa Valley 2015 750ML ($369.95) $328 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 97+ points “Composed of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot and 2% Malbec, Opus One’s 2015 Proprietary Red Wine is truly an iron fist in a velvet glove, delivering a powerhouse of flavors and structure with a seductively plush texture. It opens with a deep garnet-purple color and wonderfully spicy notes of cinnamon stick, cloves and fenugreek with a core of cherry preserves, redcurrant jelly, blackberry pie and warm plums plus hints of camphor, lavender and cigar box. Full-bodied, rich and bold in the mouth, it fills the palate with exotic spice-laced black and red fruits, framed by firm, beautifully ripe, grainy tannins and great freshness, finishing with epic persistence. Although it is already approachable, allow it another 3-5 years in bottle for its myriad of subtle accents to fully blossom and then drink it over the next 30+ years.”
JJ Prum’s Wehlener Auslese Goldkapsel
J.J. Prum makes the most sought after, collectible wines in the Mosel that aren’t Egon Müller. The height of their range is the electric, sweet Goldkapsel Auslese from the legendary Wehlener Sonnenuhr vineyard. Richer, sweeter and much rarer than the standard Auslese (white capsule) bottling, the Goldkapsel is a limited selection, made from the best grapes in the best vintages.
These are wines that stand toe to toe with d’Yquem at half the price and age for as long as you can bear not to drink them. They’re a perfect wine for birth/wedding years or just as a highlight of a very special dinner. We source as many as we can from any vintage they’re produced and have a small vertical that we’re offering here today. The highlight is clearly the 2015—one of the best German vintages ever (and the best since 2001, certainly), though the 2016 is intriguing from an early drinkability perspective. Unfortunately quantities are limited (as you’d expect with a wine like this) especially on the older wines.
In Stock Now:
“What a beauty!”
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2015 750ML ($169.95) $149 special, 24 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 97 points “The most exotic and succulent of the 2015 Auslese Gold Caps from J.J., but also blessed with dazzling finesse and brilliance that you rarely encounter in sweet wines of any kind. What a finish! Best from 2020 and almost limitless aging potential. ”
Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2015 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese Gold Capsule (AP 20) is still pretty reductive and flinty on the nose and needs a lot of aeration. Sweet and concentrated, with a fine botrytis and grapefruit flavor, this Riesling has tight structure, mouth-watering fruit and good acidity. There is also an endless flow of salts and stones. This is a very promising Auslese, whose structure and mineral expression give the wine an almost dry taste. This is great Riesling to be served no earlier than 2027.”
Mosel Fine Wines 96 points “This delivers a stunning nose of infused pear, slate and white flowers which give way to coconut and pineapple. A deliciously exotic side runs through the wine on the palate. This, combined with zesty acidity, gives the wine great freshness, vibrancy and finesse. The finish is all about whipped cream, pear puree and candied grapefruit. What a beauty! 2030-2055”
David Schildknecht-Vinous 95 points “Apple jelly, pear preserves and caramel studded with white raisin and candied citrus peels make for an aromatic display of head-turning intensity and a creamy, glycerol-rich palate of similarly remarkable concentration and allure. A vein of fresh apple and grapefruit is tapped to introduce unexpected primary juiciness into the layers of confitured, lightly torrefied and desiccated fruit concentrates, and the extraordinarily long, mouthwateringly salt-tinged finish also affords glimpses of smoky and stony mineral nuances rare in a Riesling this rich. There’s no youthful reticence to this Wehlener! The share of botrytis here was minimal, according to Katharina Prüm.”
Wine Spectator 95 points “Offering apricot, peach and Honeycrisp apple flavors accented by floral and mineral notes, this rich and expansive Riesling has lively acidity and impeccable balance, with a long, spicy finish. Best from 2020 through 2036. 130 cases made.”
“Stunning on the palate, featuring different nuances that keep emerging with each sip.”
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2016 750ML ($129.95) $119 special, 23 bottles in stock now
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2016 375ML ($279.95) $249 special, 2 magnums in stock now
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2016 375ML ($79.95) $66 special, 22 half-bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2016 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese (Gold Capsule) is clear, fine and subtle yet concentrated, with vegetal and ripe fruit aromas. Rich, round and piquant, this is an intense and densely woven Auslese (AP 14 17) with a long, tensioned and refreshing mineral finish that lifts the sweet fruit. Gorgeous but made for another decade.”
Wine Spectator 95 points “Lush and thick in texture, combining power and grace, with a firm backbone of acidity and mineral details. Stunning on the palate, featuring different nuances that keep emerging with each sip. Slate, apricot jam, flan, honeysuckle and kumquat fruit notes are the most prominent, leading to a long, mineral-laced finish. Drink now through 2040.”
Mosel Fine Wines 94 points “This delivers an absolutely gorgeous and multi-layered nose including pineapple, candied apricot, honeyed exotic fruits, almond paste, tangerine flower and a touch of minty smoke. The wine is superbly smooth and exotic on the palate. The complex and refined delicacy of fruits is simply stunning. The finish is all about honey and creamy exotic fruits, and while not extremely expressive at this time, grows by the minute in the glass. One is left with a great and very subtle sense of almond, passion fruit and tangerine blossom in the after-taste. This will need time to integrate all its components but should then prove a cracker of a wine!”
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2012 750ML ($179.95) $149 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2012 375ML ($99.95) $79 special, 6 half-bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 96+ points “More reductive on the nose than the Himmelreich Auslese Gold Capsule, the 2012 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Gold Capsule (AP #19 13) combines its deeper mineral character with a perfect expression of highly noble botrytis. The finish is piquant and firm and also more grippy and stringent due to the reductive style. The wine lacks the finesse and elegance of the Himmelreich at the moment, but is provided with the density and complexity for a long flight over the years.”
“This is surely a wine made for decades.”
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2013 750ML ($179.95) $149 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 97 points “Almost floral aromas open the pure and fresh 7% alcohol 2013 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Gold Capsule and intermixes flavors of wet stones, lemons and limes. On the palate this is an electrifying signature Riesling of 2013: sweet, lush and piquant and always precise, though super-concentrated. The finish is complex and long, always salty and stimulating. This is surely a wine made for decades. “
Perfect and Nearly So
The Pride of South America
The top wines coming out of the Argentina and Chile need to be tasted to be believed. Long gone are the days when the high end wines from South America were pale imitations of Bordeaux or Napa. No, these days the best wines from top Chilean and Argentine wineries combine the richness of a modern Napa Cab with a terroir that’s uniquely their own and the results are stunning.
We’ve been working hard to source the crème de la crème of the wines coming from South America and are excited to offer multiple wines with 100 point scores from top critics as well as a number that scored in the very high nineties. While points aren’t everything, they do point to the overall quality level of these wines, as well as the style of production, which will appeal to lovers of Napa Cabernet and modern Bordeaux. If you like those wines you owe it to yourself to grab up as many of these wines as you can—by the standards of more established regions they’re absolute steals.
In Stock Now:
“the most polished and beautiful definition of this wine ever”
Casa Lapostolle Clos Apalta, Apalta 2014 750ML ($159.95) $119 special, 21 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 100 points “An extremely aromatic and focused Clos Apalta with blackberry, blueberry, floral and hot stone character. Full body, very linear and ultra-fine tannins. Focused and tight. Precise and long. This is the most polished and beautiful definition of this wine ever. You want to drink it now but better in 2020. A blend of carmenere, cabernet sauvignon and merlot.”
“could be the best Nicasia ever produced”
Catena Zapata Nicasia Vineyards Malbec, La Consulta Argentina 2012 750ML ($129.95) $69 special, 26 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2012 Malbec Catena Zapata Nicasia Vineyard feels fresher and more harmonious than the 2011, when in reality the vintage character is the opposite. It is sourced from the vineyard that names the wine and that is located in Altamira. The Malbec grapes fermented in open barrels and cement vats with 15% whole-cluster Cabernet Franc. There is one extra level of precision and harmony here. It has an elegant nose and the palate almost reflects the tension in the skin of the grapes with its a velvety texture and great acidity. This is really tasty and long, it could be the best Nicasia ever produced.”
James Suckling 95 points “Vivd aromas of currants and blackberries. So much dark fruit. Violets too. Full body, yet buttressed with a center palate of salty acidity and firm tannins. From grapes grown in Altamira. Persistent and vibrant. Drink or hold.”
Bodega Aleanna ‘Gran Enemigo’ Gualtallary Single Vineyard Cabernet Franc, Tupungato 2012 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 26 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 98+ points “The nose of the 2012 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard almost made me fall from my chair. It is the expression of elegance and austerity coupled with strong minerality. It is mostly Cabernet Franc from a very chalky vineyard in Gualtallary at 1,430 meters altitude that fermented together with a small percentage of Malbec. In 2012 they fine tuned the élevage and fermentation, which was in rolling 500-liter barrels that were new in 2006 (so by then quite neutral), where the wine was kept for one more year and then transferred to 1,000-liter egg-shaped cement vats for one further year. This reminded me of my favorite Bordeaux, Lafleur, because of the elegance, the refinement of the tannins and length. It has citric, effervescent acidity that makes you salivate. Winemaker and Owner Alejandro Vigil has done a very strict selection of the soils in the field, and only kept the very center of the vineyard where the high density (12,000 plants per hectare) generates a lot of competition, because the plants from the borders have more space in the sides, which means in 2012 he could only fill 1,800 bottles. Awesome, and ultra fresh for a vintage like 2012. Bravo!”
Sena, Aconcagua Valley 2015 750ML ($179.95) $138 special, 2 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 100 points “Stunning aromas of blackcurrant, stone, blueberry and licorice. Also iodine. Floral. Perfumed. Full body, fantastic density of fruit and ripe tannins. It goes on for minutes on the palate with such energy and focus. Touch of chewiness on the finish. A complex and complete wine that delivers a generosity with firmness. Drink in 2021 but already a classic to drink.”
“A magnificent red”
Bodega Aleanna ‘Gran Enemigo’ Gualtallary Single Vineyard Cabernet Franc, Tupungato 2013 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 11 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 99 points “This is a fabulous wine with blackberry, dark mushroom, blueberry and white pepper character. Full body, fine tannins and fantastic depth and length. Goes on for minutes. A magnificent red. Beautiful encore to the superb 2012. Drink or hold.”
James Suckling 100 points “A glorious and complex nose of tobacco, blackberries and hints of stones and flowers. Hints of bitter chocolate. Full-bodied, very tight and compacted. Linear backbone gives this form and tension. It has the same character on the palate as well as cayenne and other spice. Loved the 2014 but this shows more fine-grained tannins. So balanced and harmonious. A blend of 69% cabernet sauvignon, 24% carmenere, 5% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot. Needs four or five years in bottle but a joy to taste now.”
Wine Spectator 95 points “Powerful, rich and full of juicy dark plum, cherry tart and berry compote flavors that are creamy and lush. Hints of French roast and spice emerge midpalate, with a long finish that is elegant and savory. Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2023.”
Just head to our website or check out the full list below!
