Vinopolis Newsletter 1-29-25 PM

 

 
 

In the 1980’s and 90’s when the German wine industry was still in terrible disarray, the Loewen family began buying up the steepest, most dilapidated, and unwanted vineyards in Mosel and rehabilitating them. In addition, many of these vineyards still retained super low-yielding, ungrafted, plantings up to 120 years old!
 
These wines present an authenticity that simply cannot be found from younger plantings or upstart wineries still trying to find their sea-legs.
 
This Riesling is named for the year of its vineyard’s planting, 1896, making these vines 127 years old when they were picked. When we say “old vines” In the wine industry, we’re not usually talking about 127 years old… this is an absolute rarity and supplies will not last!
 
Carl Loewen ‘1896’ Longuicher Maximin Herrenberg Alte Reben Riesling (Gray Label), Mosel 2023 750ml $119 special, 12 bottles available
Stuart Pigott-James Suckling 100 Points “The beauty of this great dry Mosel wine is both overwhelming and seemingly timeless. Unbelievable concentration, yet everything about this wine is fine and precise, so that you wonder how such density and delicacy can coexist. And the brilliance of the finish is the most amazing thing about this great Mosel masterpiece. Vegan. Limited production. Drink or hold.”
 

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast

 
Looking for something on the more affordable side? We’ve got you covered!

Carl Loewen Herrenberg Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2023 750ml $27.50 special, 36 bottles available
James Suckling 94 Points “Very juicy and spicy, this light-bodied, off-dry Mosel riesling has terrific peachy fruit and slatey freshness. Such a beautifully clean finish. From a high-altitude parcel with 100-year-old vines. Vegan. Drink or hold.”
 
…also available from Carl Loewen:
 
Carl Loewen Herrenberg 1896 Riesling Trocken, Mosel  2021 750ml $46.50 special, 10 bottles available
Mosel Fine Wines 93 Points “The 2021er Maximin 1896 Herrenberg Alte Reben Trocken, as it is referred to on the front label, is a dry wine picked on un-grafted vines planted in 1896 in a plot at the lower end of the vineyard and was fermented and matured in Fuder. It proves quite smoky and herbal at first before delivering a pure nose of freshly cut pineapple, greengage, pear, and minty herbs, all wrapped into lime and may tree. The wine proves zesty and pure on the light-weighted yet complex palate. It leaves a very intense and smoky feel in the long and focused finish. The after-taste is all about lime, spices, and herbs, with a touch of salty elements in the background. This is a really great dry Riesling. 2025-2036.”
 
Carl Loewen Herrenberg Riesling Kabinett, Mosel  2023 750ml $27.50 special, 36 bottles available
James Suckling 94 Points “Very juicy and spicy, this light-bodied, off-dry Mosel riesling has terrific peachy fruit and slatey freshness. Such a beautifully clean finish. From a high-altitude parcel with 100-year-old vines. Vegan. Drink or hold.”
 
Carl Loewen Laurentiuslay Spatlese, Mosel  2022 750ml $31.90 special, 11 bottles available
James Suckling 94 Points “Wonderful nose of white peach, lemon zest and fresh mint. Very bright and zesty with impressive energy this is an extremely refreshing wine for a Spatlese with the conventional amount of unfermented grape sweetness, in fact it taste barely off-dry. Exciting purity and precision at the vibrant finish. Vegan. Drink or hold.”
 

We have 5 more wines from Carl Loewen to choose from. Click here to shop for them all!
 

 
 

 

 
The Loire Valley, known as the Garden of France, is a bountiful source of fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. It is also one of our favorite (and most versatile) wine regions. With wines that vary from excellent table wines to some of the very finest, most coveted bottles in the world, there is no occasion or budget that cannot be satisfied by the Loire.
 
This winery, Paris Simoneau, is a true find: a food friendly, handmade product from a centuries old family winery that emphasizes sustainability all while remaining a great value.
 
On top of all that, these are the only listings for these wines in the United States:
 
Paris Simoneau Oiso Touraine Sauvignon Blanc, Loire 2023 750ml $14 special, 24 bottles available
Wine Enthusiast” This crisp, tight wine is packed with young, vibrant fruits. It has lively acidity, a panoply of fresh fruit flavors and is ready to drink.”
 
Paris Simoneau Oiso Cabernet Franc, IGP Val de Loire 2023 750ml $14 special, 24 bottles available
Winery Note “Clearly fruity nose of violet, raspberry and redcurrant. A brilliant garnet colour with hints of purple. Typical character: balanced and fruity.”
 
 
California
 

 
Patz & Hall Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, California 2021 750ml $21.90 special, 36 bottles available
Wine Spectator 92 Points “Everything here fits together seamlessly, with pineapple, lemon curd and peach flavors backed by bright acidity, plus savory overtones of toasted, salted almond and a hint of candied ginger. There’s plenty of intensity on the fresh finish, where the flavors crescendo. Drink now. 7,400 cases made.”
 

 
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.”
 

Lowest listed price in the United States

 

Italy

 
“You can’t beat this value.” –Monica Lerner, Wine Advocate
 
“The true Beauty of Albe is the caress of the sun that rises three times every morning over our vineyards. It’s the exceptional simplicity of nature that makes the awakening of life an everyday miracle.” -Milena Vaira

#9 IN WINE SPECTATOR TOP 100
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.”

 

Collector’s Corner
 

Why does Kopke get so much love in our Newsletters? Because they’re great! So while Kopke is a truly iconic brand, they sometimes overshadow some of the other great wineries from the region.
 

 
#42 WINE OF THE YEAR – JAMES SUCKLING TOP 100 IN 2018
Quinta do Noval Vintage Port, Portugal 2016 750ml $119 special, 31 bottles available
James Suckling 98 Points “This is a superb baby Noval that reminds me of the 1966. Chewy yet so polished. The light sweetness suggests an overall dialing back of the sugar content. Stemmy and lightly green. A truly classic Noval. Almost all from Pinhao. Buy. Better in 2025.”
Neal Martin-Vinous 97 Points “The 2016 Vintage Port was picked mainly from 19 September in ideal conditions. It is more broody than the 2017 at the moment and demands a little more encouragement from the glass. I have been prudent with my reviews in the past, but this 2016 seems to have considerably improved in the four years since I last encountered it. More earthy in style, it offers lovely dusky black fruit, sage, a touch of menthol and star anise, unfolding in the glass with each swirl. The palate is medium-bodied with a velvety entry. Superb tension here, the acidity cuts through the richness of this Port with effortless ease. Linear, poised and mineral-driven, Vintage Port gets little better than this. Tasted at the Quinta do Noval tasting at Spring restaurant in London.”
Mark Squires-Wine Advocate 97 Points “The 2016 Vintage Port is a field blend, mostly Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinto Cão and Sousão, aged for 18 months in old wood” … “This was stunning from the first smell, promising concentration, intensity of fruit and great things to come. It had a 100-point nose that made me go “wow!” No wine I tasted had a better nose than this. Violets and blue fruits lead off, with a trace of eucalyptus. I tend to think Noval is a producer that always shows mid-palate finesse, but this seems pretty deep too. It is also intense. The tannins won’t sear your mouth because the balance is impeccable.”
 
#53 WINE SPECTATOR TOP 100 OF 2019
Quinta Do Noval Vintage Port, Portugal 2017 750ml $99 special, 22 bottles available
Wine Spectator 98 Points “This is well-packed, offering the vivid plum, boysenberry, cassis and açaí berry fruit profile of the vintage, along with a dark edge of tar, baker’s chocolate and salted licorice that courses underneath. The long finish lets the fruit play out, keeping singed alder and chai spice hints in the background. Smolderingly seductive. Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Cão, Sousão and Tinta Roriz. Best from 2035 through 2060. 3,500 cases made. — JM”
Neal Martin-Vinous 97 Points “The last time I tasted the 2017 Vintage Port, I posed the question of whether it was the best ever? Perhaps. Picked from 21 August to 28 September, it is beautifully-defined on the nose with layers of black cherries, allspice, violet and cassis, becoming more floral with time in the glass. Returning after 10 minutes and juxtaposed against the 2016, there is just a little more VA. The palate is well-balanced, very structured with wonderful tension. I love the texture of this Noval, which is slightly granular towards the finish and brims with life. Outstanding.”
 

 
Dow Vintage Port, Portugal 2016 750ml $99 special, 17 bottles available
Wine Spectator 98 Points “This packs a lot of fun, with a wallop of blackberry, fig, boysenberry and açai berry compote flavors working together, laced with a mouthwatering licorice snap note and driven by a fresh, well-detailed finish. A roasted apple wood accent is integrated as well, lending textural contrast through the vivacious finish. Best from 2030 through 2055.”
 
Dow Vintage Port, Portugal 2017 750ml $99 special, 16 bottles available
Dow Vintage Port 2017 1.5L $219 special, 3 magnums available
Dow Vintage Port 2017 375ml $59 special, 5 half bottles available
Neal Martin-Vinous 98 Points “The 2017 Dow’s Vintage Port showed a slight reduction and required more time to really open in the glass. Typical of Dow’s it has a more backward and introspective bouquet compared to its peers, scents of blackberry, clove, wild mint, cassis and vanilla, gradually gaining more intensity with aeration. The palate is simply glorious. It is built around a compelling tannic frame that seems finer than any Dow’s I have encountered apart from the ethereal 2011. There is so much energy coiled up in this Port, a sense of symmetry that is enthralling and yet you just know that it needs to be cellared for 15-20 years for it to reveal its full potential. For serious Port-lovers. One of the vintages most cerebral offerings. Total production is 5,250 cases.”
James Suckling 98 Points “Pure grape aromas that remind me of fermenting must but then goes to stems and dried flowers. Full-bodied, medium sweet with fine-grained tannins that coat your palate. Powerful and muscular yet remains agile and beautiful. Grows on your palate. Wonderful ripe fruit in the middle palate. Try after 2030.”
 

 
Cockburn Vintage Port, Portugal 2017 750ml $74 special, 16 bottles available
James Suckling 98 Points “Insane aromas of crushed berry, flowers and lifted ester like a fermenting lager. Full body, tannic yet so finely grained in texture. Extremely long and beautiful. It goes on for minutes. 2,500 cases. Try in 2026.”