Vinopolis Newsletter 1-27-25 PM

 
 

 
 

“You can’t beat this value.” –Monica Lerner, Wine Advocate

G.D. Vajra Albe, Barolo DOCG, Italy 2020 750ml $39 special, 36+ bottles available
Wine Spectator 94 Points “This effusive red displays cherry, raspberry, rose, iron, juniper and hay flavors, underscored by vibrant acidity. Harmonious and supple in texture, with a long aftertaste of red fruit, mineral and floral elements. Best from 2028 through 2049. 7,000 cases made, 3,500 cases imported.”

 

 
France
 

 
Boasting seven generations of winemaking experience in the Côtes de Catalanes sub region of the Languedoc-Roussillon. Vinopolis Loyalists will recognize these wines as some of the best values on the market!
 
Domaine Lafage Bastide Miraflors, IGP Cotes Catalanes 2020 750ml $16 special, 36 bottles available
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate “Tasted twice, two months apart, with consistent notes, the 2020 Côtes du Roussillon Bastide Miraflors is a 70-30 blend of Syrah and Grenache, aged in demi-muids and concrete tanks, respectively. There’s a hint of peppermint, but the primary focus here is on the fruit, ranging from blueberries and mulberries into darker notes of plum and dark chocolate. It’s full-bodied and creamy in texture, with deliciously supple, soft tannins, which make it exceptionally easy to drink now, but maybe not particularly long-lived.”
 
Domaine Lafage Cote Est Blanc, IGP Cotes Catalanes 2021 750ml $16 special, 36 bottles available
Winemaker Notes “Côté Est, as the name suggests, comes from vineyards planted on the gentle slopes facing the Mediterranean just a few kilometers inland from the sea. Benefiting from the thermal breezes that refresh these vineyards every afternoon in the summer— which preserves a high level of natural acidity in the grapes—this is a lively blend of old vine Grenache Blanc with Chardonnay and Rolle. Floral and aromatic, it is an excellent example of the open and friendly whites you can find all along the Catalan coast from Perpignan to the Penedès.”
 
Domaine Lafage Novellum Chardonnay, IGP Cotes Catalanes 2022 750ml $16 special, 36 bottles available
(Not reviewed yet, 2020 review provided for reference)
Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points “…the 2020 Chardonnay Novellum has a medium gold hue as well as a rich, powerful bouquet of caramelized lemon, honeyed almonds, candle wax, and toasted bread. Rich, medium to full-bodied, beautifully textured, and balanced, this is another no brainer purchase.”
 
Domaine Lafage Cotes du Roussillon ‘Tessellae’ Old Vines GSM, France 2021 750ml $16 special, 36 bottles available
James Suckling 93 Points “Grilled spices, stones and hints of graphite and wild herbs to the red and black berry fruit. Excellent intensity and freshness to the center-palate with svelte but supportive tannins. Really poised. Grenache, syrah and mourvedre. Drink now or hold.”

 

 
 
Oregon
 
Lingua Franca ‘Avni’ Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2022 750ml $39 special, 12 bottles available
Wine Spectator 94 Points “Dynamic and precise, this features a core of steely acidity that frames expressive flavors of raspberry and guava, laced with crushed stone, forest floor and dusky spice notes that gather tension and richness toward fine-grained tannins. Drink now through 2033. 18,000 cases made.”
Decanter 94 Points “The Avni Pinot Noir delivers on precision and freshness all with a savoury lift. Sourced from both the Lingua Franca estates and a variety of neighbouring Eola-Amity Hills vineyards, as well as those from south of the AVA and north to Yamhill-Carlton. It’s reflective of the volcanic soils that make the appellation perfectly paired with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Crushed stone minerality and a vibrant note of marine air float alongside spicy notes of blood orange. The palate is concentrated in its savoury lift as dried lavender, smoky clove and sea salt lift notes of cherry flesh and a herbaceous kiss of raspberry leaf. A wine of great complexity at a very approachable price point.”
 
Cameron Winery Dundee Hills Chardonnay, Willamette Valley 2023 750ml $24 special, 35 bottles available
Winery Notes “Vinified from Abbey Ridge & Clos Electrique fruit, this is the best Chardonnay in its price range on the market. Lime leaf and orange blossom aromatics with a light touch of vanilla make me think of lemon tart! A lovely rich mouth with some tartness and a long, mineral finish allows it to be both an aperitif while you’re cooking and it will go with the meal afterward, though if you drink enough while you’re cooking, this latter point will be unimportant!”

 

 

 
“The 2021 Monte Bello is right up there with the greats, benefitting from a drought-riddled growing season and developing superior concentration and mid-palate density.” -Vinous Media
 
Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello, Santa Cruz Mountains 2021 750ml $269 special, 6 bottles available
Jim Gordon-Jamessuckling.com 100 Points “Tightly wound at this stage, the wine is massively concentrated, taut, yet trim and medium-bodied. Aged in 100% new oak, predominantly American, it offers espresso, blackberry, black cherry and vanilla bean flavors with a linear intensity and drive. Known to age and improve for several decades, this is one of California’s most collectible cabs and from a classic, age-worthy vintage. Best from 2031.”
 
 
France
 
Domaine Renardat-Fache Bugey Cerdon Rose, Savoie 2023 750ml $27 special, 12 bottles available
Producer Note “Delicate, fresh berry-scented, with a soft kiss of sweetness, low alcohol: refreshing and mineral! The wine pours a pleasing shade of magenta in the glass and offers up vivid aromas of purple wild flowers, raspberry patch, and mouth-watering grapefruit zest. The palate is light and fresh with flavors of sweet strawberries, raspberries and crunchy blueberries on the attack then finishes with thirst-quenching mineral acidity. It shows remarkable purity of flavor and balance of sweetness and lightness. 100% gamay – 8% alc. – Méthode ancestrale.”
 
Clos du Tue-Boeuf Vin Rouge, Loire, Vin de France 2023 750ml $21.90 special, 7 bottles available
Importer’s Note “60% Gamay/40% Côt. The Vin Rouge is typically mainly from locally sourced, organically farmed Gamay; in 2022, there is Tue Boeuf estate Côt as well, thanks to a bumper crop. As for all Tue B reds, the whole clusters go through a semi-carbonic maceration and spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts and without sulfur in vat. The wine is briefly aged in tanks and bottled unfiltered and–as for the entry-level Vins Blanc & Rosé–with a tiny dose of sulfur.”
 
Ruppert-Leroy Puzzle Brut Nature, Champagne NV 750ml $89 special, 6 bottles available
Importer’s Note “An ephemeral cuvée, made with grapes from the domaines own plots and those kindly donated by our organic winegrower friends on the Cote des Bar following a devastating spring frost.”
 
 
Germany
 
Donnhoff Roxheimer Hollenpfad Riesling Trocken, Nahe 2023 750ml $49 special, 24 bottles available
Grapelive 94 Points “The pristine and steely medium bodied palate shows of lime blossom, green apple, tart apricot, quince and tangerine, along with quinine, chamomile, almond, herb, flinty mineral spice, wet rock, lemon oil and saline. Zingy and youthfully energetic this Riesling also has the signature purity and elegance you’d expect of a Dönnhoff and it is complex enough to thrill the most jaded of Riesling lovers. There’s more to come with patience I believe and while I might be hard pressed not to enjoy this one right away, there should be extra rewards for those who wait, it should get another few years in bottle to fully express itself.”
 
Donnhoff Weissburgunder Trocken, Nahe 2023 750ml $24 special, 12 bottles available
No reviews for the 2022 vintage. 2020 review provided for reference.
Stuart Pigott 91 Points (JamesSuckling.com) “Excellent interplay of citrus and pear fruit with some nice creaminess on the medium-bodied palate, all this supported by a touch of tannin. Nice citrusy freshness at the bright, elegant finish. From organically grown grapes with Fair’n Green certification. “
 

 Portugal
 
Kopke Colheita Port, Porto 2013 750ml $39 special, 15 bottles available
Importer Notes “Red hue with brownish tones. Rich and intense nose where the aromas of ripe fruit combine with notes of nuts and spice. In the mouth it is intense and full of flavours, where the sweetest flavours combine with notes of nuts and some white pepper. Fresh and intense aftertaste.”

 

 

 

Deeply rooted in Barbaresco since the 1850’s, Gaja is one of Piedmont’s most celebrated and groundbreaking wineries. Angelo Gaja was among Barbaresco’s earliest adopters of French oak and varietals. In the vineyard, he reduced yields to concentrate flavor and began producing only single estate bottlings to bring a greater focus to the terroir of their sites.
 
Now producing wines in Barbaresco, Barolo, and even Tuscany, several generations of forward thinking Gajas have transformed the winery from a regional innovator into a winemaking empire— and all without sacrificing quality or integrity.
 
WAS $125
Gaja Dagromis Barolo 2019 750ml $108 special, 3 bottles available
Winery Note “2019 Dagromis has a garnet color with violet highlights. On the nose, this wine showcases floral and fruity notes of violet, cherry, plum, sweet licorice, ginger, and marzipan. On the palate, delicate showing juicy, cherry-like mouthfeel leads to a savory, yet sweet entry with a subtle tannin structure all characteristics of the vintage. This is a classic Barolo with great aging potential.”
 
WAS $249
Gaja Darmagi Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 750ml $219 special, 2 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer-Vinous 94+ Points “The 2017 Darmagi (Cabernet Sauvignon) is gorgeous. Ample, silky and voluptuous to its core, Darmagi offers tons of immediacy and sheer appeal. Today, the 2017 is all about fruit richness and texture. Readers who prefer to see a full range of Cabernet aromatics should plan on cellaring the 2017 for at least a few years. Hints of blackberry jam, mocha, licorice and spice linger, but more than anything else, the 2017 is all about flamboyance. This is an especially strong vintage.”
 
WAS $259
Gaja Pieve Santa Restituta Brunello Sugarille 2018 750ml $219 special, 5 bottles available
Wine Spectator 95 Points “A dark, brooding 2018, with accents of smoke, vanilla, iron and tar surrounding a core of cherry and plum flavors. Reveals balsamic elements of eucalyptus and wild herbs on the lingering finish. On the austere side now, with a core of fruit and mineral. Best from 2025 through 2043.”
 
WAS $115
Gaja Santa Restituta Brunello di Montalcino 2018 750ml $89 special, 1 bottle available
Wine & Spirits Magazine 92 Points “This is the most high-toned of Gaja’s three 2018 Brunellos, a portion of the fruit coming from the Torrenieri vineyard in Montalcino’s cooler northeastern corner. Hints of oregano and citrus peel accent the tangy red cherry flavors, with lingering hints of smoke and spice on the finish.”
 
WAS $236
Gaja Pieve Santa Restituta Brunello Rennina 2018 750ml $199 special, 5 bottles available
Wine Spectator 94 Points “Harmonious and bordering on creamy in texture, this red features cherry, raspberry, plum, loam, almond and black pepper aromas and flavors. Reveals pleasant bitterness as this winds down on the lingering aftertaste. Best from 2026 through 2045.”
 
WAS $75
Gaja Sito Moresco Rosso Langhe 2021 750ml $64.50 special, 4 bottles available
Importer Note “A beautiful violet color atypical of Nebbiolo but reflective of the 2021 vintage where fullness and richness are even present to the eye. The wine has bold notes of blackberry, cherry, blood orange, and bergamot with a touch of flintiness. Medium-structured with lots of juiciness and harmony on the palate all lead to well-balanced acidity and tannin structure with a long finish.”