Special Arrivals
Austria
Weingut Alzinger
Based in the village of Unterloiben, the Alzinger house farms some of the steepest Wachau vineyards in Austria. If you traded the granite for slate, you’d think you were in a Mosel village like the Saar or Terrassenmosel. Converging with the relatively high elevation of the site, Alzinger creates some of the most powerful expressions of Riesling in the country. Leo Alzinger took over his family’s estate after apprenticing in Marlborough, New Zealand and the Pfalz, Germany where he crafted his house style. This technical knowledge is evident in his wines, which he vinifies whole cluster with a touch of skin contact and extended lees aging.
Alzinger Durnstein Gruner Veltliner Federspiel 2023 750ml $36 special, 16 bottles available
James Suckling 92 Points “Bright and fruity gruner showing aromas of pineapples, papayas and peaches. Medium-bodied, juicy and vibrant. Excellent length, too, with citrus zest and nutmeg notes at the end. Drink now. Screw cap.”
Alzinger Loibner Loibenberg Gruner Veltliner Smaragd 2023 750ml $61.90 special, 6 bottles available
Anne Kriebiehl MW-Vinous 95-97 Points “The 2023 Riesling Loibenberg Smaragd is picked in one parcel of poor soil that is steep and a complete suntrap that becomes shaded in the afternoon, mixing the warm site with a cooler element. Yeast and a touch of passion fruit foliage set the tone on the nose. The palate is a picture of slenderness, tautness, citric tension and freshness. A stony backdrop heightens that sleekness and has the name Alzinger printed all over it. Taut, fresh and zesty. (Bone-dry)”
Alzinger Gruner Veltliner Muhlpoint 2023 750ml $49 special, 6 bottles available
Anne Kriebiehl MW-Vinous 93 Points “The 2023 Grüner Veltliner Mühlpoint Smaragd is harvested in this site’s upper, stonier part, directly bordering Steinertal. Beautiful fern, gentle yeast and fresh moss send green signals of freshness. The palate is a picture of smooth yeast, calm concentration and elongated freshness. This Grüner exemplifies the house style, peppery, smooth and long with serene subtlety and more pepper on the finish. (Bone-dry)”
Alzinger Gruner Steinertal Smaragd 2023 750ml $79 special, 6 bottles available
Anne Kriebiehl MW-Vinous 95-97 Points “The 2023 Grüner Veltliner Steinertal Smaragd is picked on this terraced gneiss site, cooled by cold Waldviertel air that is channeled through gullies. Spicy ferns are open and enticing on the nose. A lovely frisson of white pepper is carried on lemony juiciness. The palate has the customary cut, the usual precision and exquisite tension. This is masterful, yet it has the mellower creaminess of 2023 without sacrificing its essential, cool character. The mid-palate concentrates pepper and yeast. Great work. (Bone-dry)”
Alzinger Riesling Durnsteiner Federspiel 2023 750ml $31.90 special, 16 bottles available
James Suckling 92 Points “Clear and linear riesling showing aromas of lime peel, gooseberries, kumquats and wet stones. It’s medium-bodied, lively and energetic, with zippy acidity and a crisp, dry finish. Drink or hold. Screw cap.’
Alzinger Riesling Loibenberg Smaragd 2023 750ml $64.50 special, 6 bottles available
Anne Kriebiehl MW-Vinous 95-97 Points “The 2023 Riesling Loibenberg Smaragd is picked in one parcel of poor soil that is steep and a complete suntrap that becomes shaded in the afternoon, mixing the warm site with a cooler element. Yeast and a touch of passion fruit foliage set the tone on the nose. The palate is a picture of slenderness, tautness, citric tension and freshness. A stony backdrop heightens that sleekness and has the name Alzinger printed all over it. Taut, fresh and zesty. (Bone-dry)”
New Arrivals
Oregon
Arterberry Maresh Dundee Pinot Noir 2023 750ml $30.90 special, 36+ bottles available
(Not reviewed yet, 2022 review provided for context)
Eric Guido-Vinous “A deep magenta, the 2022 Pinot Noir Dundee Hills is lifted and floral, with fruit verging more toward raspberry than strawberry, with dusty rose and hints of spice. It’s sleek and racy, with supple textures and crisp wild berries cascading across a core of juicy acidity. This finishes long and staining yet remarkably fresh, leaving a lingering whisper of licorice and a gentle tension.”
Italy
Terre Nere
“The Etna is the Burgundy of the Mediterranean,” says the man whose career as an importer of fine Italian wines is legendary. Marc De Grazia is one of the original ‘Barolo Boys,’ and his beloved Tenuta delle Terre Nere was more than 20 years in the making. Today, he farms 29 parcels on the northern flank, and his portfolio of wines is the gold standard for Etna wine.” -Wine Advocate
The fact that Etna is a wine producing region at all is miraculous. So dramatic and imposing was the oft-smoking, lava spewing, village destroying active volcano that towers above their vineyards that ancient Greeks thought it home of the fire god Hephaestus.
But as unfortunate as the volcano has been for generations of Sicilians, it has been an absolute boon to Sicily’s terroir, creating unique patchworks of field and soil perfectly suited to the Burgundian approach Marc De Grazia brings his farming and winemaking.
Terre Nere Bianco Superiore Salice 2023 750ml $46.50 special, 12 bottles available
James Suckling 95 Points “This super white is really focused, featuring a linear line of salty fruit with apple and lime undertones. Full but tight, it has great length and presence. Drink now or hold.”
Terre Nere Etna Bianco Calderara Sottana 2023 750ml $54.50 special, 12 bottles available
James Suckling 97 Points “The phenolic tension and focus spreads on and on across the integrated palate. Medium- to full-bodied, this is flavorful with sliced apples and light pie-crust. Fermented and aged in a 10-hectoliter cask. Great finish. Drink or hold.”
Terre Nere Bianco Contrada Montalto 2023 750ml $49 special, 12 bottles available
James Suckling 96 Points “Limes, lemons and grapefruit with white flowers. Medium- to full-bodied, this has a solid core of fruit, a mineral intensity and a tight, integrated mouthfeel. Long and flavorful. The high-altitude vineyard stands at 950 meters. Drink now.”
Terre Nere Bianco Santo Spirito 2023 750ml $46.50 special, 12 bottles available
James Suckling 95 Points “This has beautiful freshness and honey character with sliced apples and pears as well as lemons and honey. Medium- to full-bodied, it has depth of fruit, minerals and a long finish with cement undertones. Drink or hold.”
France
Winemaker Notes: A lovely, brilliant crimson color. A very earthy Nuits nose with some vanilla bean, too. On the palate, smoky, velvet-textured fruit without any tannin, but acids take their place, so the wine is nicely balanced. Not heavy, but a very elegant Pinot expression at the end.
Henri Gouges Nuits St Georges 2021 375ml $59 special, 8 bottles available
Wine Spectator 94 Points “Perfumed and silky, featuring rose, sandalwood, orange peel and oak spice aromas that frame strawberry, cherry and saline mineral flavors. With an almost seamless structure even at this stage in its evolution, this wine blossoms mid-palate, building to the complex and persistent aftertaste.”
California
James Suckling 95 Points “This super white is really focused, featuring a linear line of salty fruit with apple and lime undertones. Full but tight, it has great length and presence. Drink now or hold.”
Terre Nere Etna Bianco Calderara Sottana 2023 750ml $54.50 special, 12 bottles available
James Suckling 97 Points “The phenolic tension and focus spreads on and on across the integrated palate. Medium- to full-bodied, this is flavorful with sliced apples and light pie-crust. Fermented and aged in a 10-hectoliter cask. Great finish. Drink or hold.”
Terre Nere Bianco Contrada Montalto 2023 750ml $49 special, 12 bottles available
James Suckling 96 Points “Limes, lemons and grapefruit with white flowers. Medium- to full-bodied, this has a solid core of fruit, a mineral intensity and a tight, integrated mouthfeel. Long and flavorful. The high-altitude vineyard stands at 950 meters. Drink now.”
Terre Nere Bianco Santo Spirito 2023 750ml $46.50 special, 12 bottles available
James Suckling 95 Points “This has beautiful freshness and honey character with sliced apples and pears as well as lemons and honey. Medium- to full-bodied, it has depth of fruit, minerals and a long finish with cement undertones. Drink or hold.”
France
Winemaker Notes: A lovely, brilliant crimson color. A very earthy Nuits nose with some vanilla bean, too. On the palate, smoky, velvet-textured fruit without any tannin, but acids take their place, so the wine is nicely balanced. Not heavy, but a very elegant Pinot expression at the end.
Henri Gouges Nuits St Georges 2021 375ml $59 special, 8 bottles available
Wine Spectator 94 Points “Perfumed and silky, featuring rose, sandalwood, orange peel and oak spice aromas that frame strawberry, cherry and saline mineral flavors. With an almost seamless structure even at this stage in its evolution, this wine blossoms mid-palate, building to the complex and persistent aftertaste.”
California
Ridge
Ridge Lytton Springs Dry Creek Valley 2022 750ml $51.50 special, 12 bottles available
James Suckling 95 Points “This is the kingpin of Ridge’s Sonoma County heritage blends and it doesn’t disappoint. Equal parts fruity, spicy and savory on a full body braced by moderate tannins. Judicious oak spices like cedar and cigar box complement pure, ripe blackberries and raspberries and a dash of black pepper. Known to age well for decades. Drinkable now, but best from 2030.”
Ridge Grenache Blanc Paso Robles 2023 750ml $36 special, 12 bottles available
James Suckling 93 Points “Brilliant acidity backs up subtle, savory and fresh citrus flavors in this full-bodied and well-balanced Rhone-style white. Aromas like a hay field, lanolin and dry earth meet tangy apricot, lime zest, mineral and almond flavors on a broad but lively texture. Includes 14% picpoul and 2% roussanne grapes. Drink now or hold.”
Alpha Omega
Alpha Omega Two Squared Red 2018 750ml $29 special, 24 bottles available
Winery Notes “Two Squared winemakers acquire fruit from younger Napa Valley vineyards that display a silky tannin profile and opulent texture which allow for early accessibility. We have unearthed a range of privately-owned boutique vineyards, hidden gems tucked in secret pockets of Napa Valley, that only Mother Nature and our winemaking team are fortunate enough to touch.”
Alpha Omega Two Squared Sauvignon Blanc 2019 750ml $16 special, 36 bottles available
Winery Notes “The 2020 Hudson Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc offers a sophisticated exploration of Napa Valley’s Carneros AVA. As the only Sauvignon Blanc produced from this prestigious vineyard, it reflects the vineyard’s unique character. Sourced from the esteemed Hudson Vineyard, which benefits from cool marine influences and sedimentary soils, this wine captures the essence of its terroir. Aromas of papaya, Fuji apple, and lime zest combine with floral notes of citrus blossom and hints of shortbread cookies. On the palate, flavors of lemon oil, nectarine, and nutmeg are complemented by a refreshing wet slate minerality and lively acidity.”
Germany
Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Spatlese 2023 750ml $59 special, 36 bottles available
Stuart Pigott-JamesSuckling.com 99 Points “Welcome to the Bladerunner of Nahe riesling Spatlese. This is also extremely fine and complex, with a cornucopia of stone fruit, exotic fruit and spices. Radical stony minerality and racy acidity, yet with a feather-light mouthfeel on the barely medium-bodied palate. Then you wonder if the wine will ever leave you, so long is the almost endless farewell. Drink or hold.”
Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Auslese GK 2023 750ml $119 special, 12 bottles available
Stuart Pigott-JamesSuckling.com 99 Points “Enormous finesse and subtlety make this sensational riesling Auslese stand out. There’s terrific concentration and power, but all this is underplayed. So graceful and delightful, this makes you want to linger and wander through its innumerable lanes and alleys. Just a hint of floral honey, but that wraps everything up in a glaze of ravishing beauty. Drink or hold.”
Donnhoff Oberhauser Brucke Auslese GK 2023 375ml $59 special, 6 bottles available
Stuart Pigott-JamesSuckling.com 99 Points “Auslese might sound cuddly to some, but this is a very radical wine with gigantic concentration of cool tropical fruit and mineral acidity. Electric glide on the medium- to full-bodied palate. The finish is all blue and green in spite of the extraordinary yellow fruit on the nose and front palate. And with that, only the most basic characteristics of this extraordinary wine are adequately described. Drink or hold.”