Vinopolis Newsletter 1-8-25 PM

 
 

Tell Everyone About Telmo
 

“Recovering regions, protecting traditions, head-pruning vines, helping those who are starting out. That’s what I’m talking about. Everything we’re doing is restoring; we’re not trying to invent anything new. In fact, our motto is: The Future Lies in the Past.” – Telmo Rodríguez
 

 
We love the wines of Telmo Rodriguez. He is one of Spanish wine’s great champions, having fought for regenerative farming and terroir-focused winemaking on both the micro and macro level. But after pushing for agricultural policy change in the “Terroir Manifesto” and bringing his father’s winery, Remelluri, in Rioja to new heights of purity and excellence, what else was one of the wine industry’s top minds to do but start a new winery?
 
Moving his attentions to Galicia, Telmo teamed with Pablo Eguzkiza and Jorge Saa to create a wine project of unparalleled quality in Ribeira Sacra, just across the river from Valdeorras. Named for the hills along the Sil River, Telmo’s Ladeiras Do Xil is dedicated to the revitalization of ancient vineyards, some dating back to Roman times, with organic viticulture and sustainable farming practices.
 
As Telmo has said “It’s been an emotional experience reliving how our ancestors worked the land, moving tons of earth and stone, shaping the landscape and carving out plots and terraces that now lie practically abandoned but which could become some of the best vineyards in the world.”
 
From where we’re standing, they’re well on their way. These wines are marked for greatness, we’re telling everyone about them.
 
Ladeiras Do Xil As Caborcas, Valdeorras, Spain 2021 750ml $96 special, 12 bottles available
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 96 Points “This wine that changed the perception of Galician reds in 2010, and the 2021 As Caborcas is lighter and more aromatic, reflecting a more Atlantic but challenging year when they had to work hard to deliver this beauty. The vines are over 80 years of age and are a mixture of varieties planted on poor granite soils in terraces overlooking the Bibei River. It fermented with indigenous yeasts in small stainless steel and oak vats and matured in 1,500- and 2,000-liter foudres for 15 months. This is the more serious of the 2021 reds; it is nuanced, elegant and insinuating and less aromatic than the others. It’s textured and elegant, fine-boned and fine-grained, with a sense of great harmony. 1,950 bottles were filled in July 2023.”
 

This is the only listing for this wine in the USA!

 
Ladeiras Do Xil ‘LG Valbuxan,’ Valdeorras, Spain 2020 750ml $49 special, 18 bottles available
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 93 Points “The second vintage of the red from Valdeorras is the 2020 Lg. Valbuxan (Lugar de Valbuxan, a place from O Bolo). It comes through as austere and serious, a little closed but unmistakably Valdeorras with that combination of wild berries, flowers and herbs. The wine has contained ripeness at 13% alcohol, with restraint and balance. It was produced with a blend of grapes—Mencía, Merenzao, Sousón (a little more this year; it’s a grape with very good acidity, the only one fermented separately), Garnacha, Godello and Brancellao—from different vineyards in different zones of the banks of the Bibei River. It’s medium-bodied with fine-gained tannins and has a gentle mouthfeel. It’s an improvement over the previous vintage. After the wine spent 15 months in 1,500- and 2,000-liter oak foudres, 9,165 bottles were filled in June 2022.”
 

This is the only listing for this wine in the USA!

 
Ladeiras Do Xil Branco de Sta. Cruz, Valdeorras, Spain 2021 750ml $59 special, 12 bottles available
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 93+ Points “The village white 2021 Branco de Santa Cruz, mostly Godello from a number of vineyards at 600 meters above sea level on granite soils, fermented and matured in barrel and foudres for 10 months. It has moderate ripeness, 13% alcohol and a pH of 3.32 denoting good freshness. It has notes of white flowers, pollen and some spiciness and is serious, harmonious and elegant. It has a dry palate with the granite granularity and a dry, tasty finish. It’s elegant and sophisticated. Harvesting early paid off. 6,132 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2023.”
 

Lowest listed price in the USA

 
Ladeiras Do Xil ‘Falcoeira’ Branco, Valdeorras, Spain 2021 750ml $133 special, 6 bottles available
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 95+ Points “They started picking the grapes for the 2021 Falcoeira Branco on the last day of August, slightly earlier, and the field blend of white grapes (Godello, Doña Branca, Palomino and others) in the lower terraces of this historical place fermented in 225- and 500-liter barrels where it matured for 10 months. It has 13% alcohol and a pH of 3.44, with a lemony character that transmits freshness. It is citrusy and floral, with a refinement and lightness I didn’t see in the other whites. It’s seamless, silky, harmonious and textured, with a neat combination of volume and tenderness, a tactile wine with a much more refined side, fine-grained and elegant. 968 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2023.”
 

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Oregon
 

 

It’s no big secret that Kelley Fox is one of our favorite Winemakers. After years as a hired gun for such notable wineries as Eyrie, Torii Mor, and Hamacher, Kelley reinvented herself as the Queen of the Oregon natural wine scene. As she says, her wines reflect “the land, the vines, the fruit of the vines, the year, and everything else unknown and unseen that comes with those things.” Esoteric as these proclamations may sound, the consistence of quality in her wine is second to none. In both the playfulness and precision of her winemaking, she remains an unparalleled grape whisperer, coaxing terroir with ease and bringing accessibility to even the most inscrutable of varietals.
 
Winery Note “This wine was produced from the storied Freedom Hill Vineyard in Dallas (bordering the Eola-Hills A.V.A.) and was planted, owned, and farmed by the Dusschee family. The soil here is Bellpine, a marine sedimentary silt clay loam that is well-drained. The Pinot blanc was whole cluster-pressed after picking. It settled in tank for a couple of days before racking and this year, after primary, it was racked into a stainless tank for élevage until bottling. This wine is dry and ML-complete.”
Kelley Fox Wines Canary Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2021 750ml $89 special, 6 bottles available
Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points “Moving over to the Eola-Amity Hills, the 2021 Pinot Noir Canary Hill Vineyard is packed with energetic tension, opening to notes of crushed stone, ripe pomegranate, and rosemary. Focused, with balanced ripeness and even-keeled acidity, it’s seamless and long on the palate, with sweet tannins and a refined feel. It has fantastic energy, with delicate incense on the long finish, and will be an age-worthy wine to enjoy over the coming 10-12 years.”
 
Winemaker’s Note “2023 is the third vintage of this Chardonnay bottling produced from a vineyard I love and respect tremendously: Freedom Hill Vineyard. Because these vines are young, I’ve put them in a label drawn by my younger daughter, Violet, depicting a snowy owl about to light onto a Western hemlock branch. As these vines mature, they will increasingly transmit the unique place on earth that they are in relationship with.”
Kelley Fox Wines Willamette Valley Chardonnay, Oregon 2023 750ml $26 special, 23 bottles available
Eric Guido-Vinous 93+ Points “The 2023 Chardonnay Willamette Valley is more savory than sweet, with crushed almonds and yellow florals accentuating green apples. This is sweetly spiced with silken textures and ripe orchard fruits, all offset by a tinge of saline minerals and sour citrus. Depths of lemony concentration linger as this finishes with tremendous length. The 2023 is just a baby today and seems to evolve further with each tilt of the glass. This is fabulous.”
 
Winemaker’s Note “Metaphorically, this year’s Durant is more like a Puligny than the rich 2021. This Chardonnay tastes and drinks as 100% Oregon- I’m using these terms only to very loosely describe their characters to help you decide. The 2022 is pale pastel yellow with shining pale golden tones and is brilliantly transparent. The nose begins with powdery minerals, delicate tropical fruits, and creamy citrus. These aromas are repeated in the mouth that has beautiful texture and a lasting finish. When we racked it towards the end of harvest, the overhead doors open, a friend walked into the building asking what in the world smelled this good. There is something heavenly about this one.”
Kelley Fox Wines ‘Durant Vineyard’ Lark Block Chardonnay, Dundee Hills 2022 750ml $44.50 special, 5 bottles available
Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points “A bright yellow hue with green highlights, the 2022 Chardonnay Durant Vineyard is expressive in its lacy perfume of jasmine, tarragon, salty earth, and bright green apple. Medium-bodied, it offers beautiful, pristine, ripe fruit, a pithy texture, and a delicate arch to its rounded mouthfeel, with no harshness. It’s refined and graceful, with a floral flourish of lemon blossoms lasting long on the finish. Drink 2024-2034.”
 
There’s a new Dundee Hills farm for Kelley Fox Wines: Stater Vineyard. It borders the The Eyrie Vineyards’ original vines vineyard on one side and Durant Vineyard (higher up near Bishop Block) on the other. I lease the vines at this enchanting little vineyard encircled by a towering grove that has a Pacific northwest nod to Avalon (i.e. fairies, etc.) in its energy.
Kelley Fox Stater Vineyard Pinot Blanc, Dundee Hills 2023 750ml $36 special, 12 bottles available
Winery Note “This is a dry Pinot Blanc produced from a small block of vines at Stater Vineyard, founded by and home to the late Wayne Stater and his wife Sylvia. Red-tailed Hawks soar over this enchanting vineyard enclosed within a grove of towering cedars, firs, and other mixed trees in the hills of Dundee.”
 
Winemaker’s Note “The Gruner is always a really fun wine to produce, and I’m happy every year that I can offer this bottling to you. Finally, there’s a bit more! This wine was tank-fermented and is ML-complete. It’s the colour of sunshine and is highly transparent. I love looking at it in the glass. The nose is full of fresh, creamy citrus, melon, delicious warming spices and minerals.
Kelley Fox Wines Gruner Veltliner, Willamette Valley 2023 750ml $26 special, 12 bottles available
Eric Guido-Vinous 91 Points “Wet stone, mint leaf and sage complement sweet citrus and kiwi as the 2023 Grüner Veltliner lifts up from the glass. This opens with a pretty inner sweetness, displaying soft, round textures, citrus-tinged melon and hints of confectionary spice. It tapers off remarkably fresh, completely cleansing the senses while leaving behind perfumed florals and a gently grippy tinge of youthful tension.”
 
Winemaker’s Notes “The Mirabai 2023 is medium-dark, deep youthful red with blue undertones and brilliant transparency. The nose is a heady mix of minerals, subtle spices, ripe strawberries, and other dark red berries and cherries. The mouth is juicy and classic Dundee Hills silky with forever strawberries that end in a long finish. This Mirabai has depth, richness and power without any heaviness. It’s full of movement.”
Kelley Fox Wines ‘Mirabai’ Pinot Noir, McMinnville 2023 750ml $41.90 special, 12 bottles available
(Not reviewed yet… 2022 review provided for reference)
Eric Guido-Vinous 92 Points “The woodland-inspired 2022 Pinot Noir Mirabai blossoms in the glass with hints of cedar and pine complementing dried strawberries. It is fleshy in feel yet expertly balanced with masses of tart raspberry and exotic spice under an air of violets and lavender. The finish is long with a raspberry tinge and repleting florals. Anyone looking for Oregon Pinot Noir purity and transparent communication of terroir from the soil to the vine to the bottle must explore Kelley Fox Wines.”
 
Winemaker’s Notes “This is my third Pinot produced from Weber Vineyard, a beautiful vineyard just down Worden Hill Road from Maresh Vineyard that I have prized for a very long time. The vines in this block were planted in 1983 on their own roots. Strong, old Oregon oak trees and towering old maples guard the southern part of my block for this wine, while the eastern border of my block is a wild, mixed forest filled with unseen songbirds singing during the light hours.
Kelley Fox Wines Weber Vineyard Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2021 750ml $89 special, 6 bottles available
Jeb Dunnuck 96 Points “The jeweled ruby 2021 Pinot Noir Weber Vineyard takes on a riper though equally pristine character, with wild raspberry liqueur, pressed roses, forest herbs, and blood orange. On the palate, it has a rounded mouthfeel with more concentration and delivers ripe tannins as well as a pure, long, earth-toned finish with beetroot spice. Drink 2025-2035.”
 
 
Italy
 
Castell’in Villa Chianti Classico DOCG, Tuscany 2019 750ml $33 special, 24 bottles available
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 94 Points “The 2019 Chianti Classico has changed dramatically since I last tasted it, either because of more time in bottle, or because this is a later bottling. In any event, the 2019 is dense, ample and resonant in feel. Readers will find a serious, texturally intense Chianti Classico that delivers the goods, big time.”
 
Calabretta ‘Gaio Gaio’ Rosso, Sicily 2022 750ml $21.90 special, 12 bottles available
 
Calabretta Nerello Mascalese Vigne Vecchie Sicilia IGT, Sicily 2015 750ml $34.50 special, 12 bottles available
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 93 Points “The 2015 Nerello Mascalese Vigne Vecchie is simply stunning, erupting from the glass with a burst of crushed black cherries, cloves, blood orange and hints of dusty earth. This is soft-textured, nearly eshy in feel, with a core of tart redberry fruits oset by sour citrus as rosy inner orals form toward the close. It nishes with staining length and concentration, just lightly structured, leaving a sensation of hard red candies to fade. This is a vibrant vintage of Vigne Vecchie, but it possesses the balance for further evolution.”
 
 
Germany
 
Donnhoff Norheimer Dellchen Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Nahe 2023 750ml $104.50 special, 13 bottles available
James Suckling 100 Points “This dry riesling has a hypnotic beauty that leaves no doubt how this wine redefines what peachy means in the context of this grape variety. As it aerates, a wealth of wild berry and flower nuances develop and expand. Given the mind-bending concentration of this wine, it is staggeringly fresh and absolutely precise. Then comes the finish, which is like a prima ballerina dancing on pointe off into the distance. Drink from release.”
 
Donnhoff ‘Felsenturmchen’ Schlossbockelheimer Felsenberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Nahe 2023 750ml $79 special, 24 bottles available
Anne Krebiehl MW- Vinous 96-98 Points “The 2022 Riesling Schlossböckelheimer Felsenberg Felsentürmchen Grosses Gewächs is from a steep site of volcanic origin with porphyry and melaphyr. A touch of yeastiness still plays on the shy, tentative nose. The palate comes in with stony saltiness, a tingling sense of juicy lemon intensifying the salty impression even more. Great concentration aligns with lightness and energetic linearity. The bright acidity has a serene luminosity and ripe yet crystal clear smoothness that seems to stretch away into eternity, lighting the way, gliding along, dynamic, optimistic, promising and full of light. (Bone-dry)”
 
Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Nahe 2023 750ml $104.50 special, 24 bottles available
James Suckling 100 Points “Incredibly refined and precise, yet with Grand Canyon-like depths and layers, this incredible dry riesling has a horizon-to-horizon spectrum of stone fruit, citrus and wild berry aromas, plus a touch of dusty hot soil as rain starts to fall on it. On the compact, medium-bodied palate, this side of the wine builds and builds to a giant crescendo in the almost endless finish. Drink or hold.” 

 

 

 
 

 

“Champagne Ulysse Collin is one of the great success stories in Champagne of the last twenty years.” –Antonio Galloni
  
Olivier Collin was supposed to be a lawyer, not a farmer. His family had owned and cultivated grapes  in the village of Congy in the Marne Valley for centuries, though much of their land had been leased out with long-term contracts to large Champagne houses like Pommery. He was halfway through law school before he realized he wanted to go into the wine business. In 2003 Olivier saved up enough money to buy back some of his family’s vineyards and rent a tractor… Champagne Ulysse Collin was born.
 
Olivier has always prioritizes organic and sustainable farming methods and, revolutionary for the time, bottled single vineyard wines exclusively to explore and express the terroir of his family’s land. Other techniques, such as the extended aging of his wines in old Burgundy barrels, result in distinctive Champagnes, as complex as they are pure.
 
Olivier’s meticulously crafted Champagnes are a testament to modern innovation and sustainable practices with a deep respect for tradition. His production is small and these wines are extremely limited.
 

 
Ulysse Collin Blanc De Blancs Enfers, Champagne NV (2017) 750ml $599 special, 2 bottles available
(Not Reviewed yet, 2016 base vintage review provided for context)
96 Points Antonio Galloni- Vinous “The Blanc de Blancs Les Enfers, based 2016, is superb. It marries all the signatures of the house style, namely intensely vinous fruit, searing minerality and tremendous persistence. Power with no excess weight. Readers who can find the Enfers should not hesitate, as it is fabulous. It is quite simply one of the most magical Champagnes I have tasted from Olivier Collin.”
 
Ulysse Collin Blanc De Blancs Pierrieres, Champagne NV (2019) 750ml $399 special, 2 bottles available
(Not Reviewed yet, 2018 base vintage review provided for context)
96 Points Antonio Galloni- Vinous “The NV Blanc de Blancs Les Pierrières (40% 2018 base, 60% reserve wines) is a rich, layered wine that shows all the explosive energy that makes these Ulysses Colin Champagnes so alluring. Peach, apricot, crushed rocks, chamomile, hazelnut and a touch of reduction race across the palate. This is an especially dense, heady vintage for the Pierrières. This only needs a few more months to recover from its relatively recent disgorgement. Time in the glass brings out notable crystalline purity. This is so impressive. Dosage is 1-2 grams per liter. Disgorged February, 2023.”

Ulysse Collin Blanc De Noirs Maillons, Champagne NV (2019) 750ml $319 special, 2 bottles available
(Not Reviewed yet, 2017 base vintage review provided for context)
93 Points Antonio Galloni- Vinous “The NV (2017) Blanc de Noirs Les Maillons is ample and expressive on the palate, with plenty of Pinot character coming through. Red berry, crushed flowers, incense, anise and baking spices infuse the 2017 with notable creaminess and resonance that builds into the substantial finish.”
 
Ulysse Collin Blanc De Blancs Les Roises, Champagne NV (2017) 750ml $549 special, 2 bottles available
(Not Reviewed yet, 2015 base vintage review provided for context)
95 Points Antonio Galloni- Vinous “The NV (2015) Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Les Roises oers a beguiling mix of textural depth and energy. Rich and quite structured, the 2016 is a wine for the dinner table, where its considerable presence will work well with just about anything. There’s a seriousness to the 2016 that is impossible to miss. It’s a style I find deeply intriguing. Here, too, the purity of flavors and textures is compelling. This release spent 60 months on the lees.”