Vinopolis Newsletter 11-25-24 PM

 
 
Champagne
 

 

“With his philosophy of “single vineyard, single vintage, single grape and no dosage”, Baron aims to create four unique and distinctive Champagnes from each of his vineyards – in magnum only.”- Skurnik Imports

It’s no secret that we’ve long adored Christophe Baron’s wines… and we’re not alone! This French born virtuoso helped put The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater on the map. Not satisfied with crafting some of the most famous and sought-after wines in Walla Walla for roughly twenty years, Christophe returned to his roots in the Marne Valley to craft these exquisite Champagnes from his family’s Pinot Meunier vines. Meunier is famed for contributing earthy spice flavors to wines and is gaining prominence as a single varietal, particularly amongst grower Champagne producers.
 

 
Christophe Baron ‘Les Alouettes’ Brut Nature, Champagne, France 2019 1.5L $269 special, 4 bottles available
James Suckling 97 Points “This is a supremely poised and elegant Champagne. Lots of grapefruit, honeycomb, white tea, citron peel, white apricots and salted almonds here, yet it’s linear and racy, with tight bubbles and a cool yet intense and very long finish. 100% pinot meunier from a vineyard planted in 1968. From organically grown grapes. In magnums only. Zero dosage. Disgorged May 2023. Drink or hold.”
 
Christophe Baron ‘Le Dessus du Bois Marie’ Brut Nature Millesime, Champagne, France 2019 1.5L $269 special, 4 bottles available
James Suckling 96 Points “This has a beautiful bouquet of pink grapefruit, almond croissants, frangipani flowers, nectarines and cherry stones. So fresh, silky and elegant on the palate, with a lovely interplay of just-ripe fruit, flowers and delicate pastry. It’s bone-dry, but very far from austere. 100% pinot meunier, from a vineyard planted in 1966. From organically grown grapes. In magnums only. Zero dosage. Disgorged May 2023. Drink or hold.”
 
Christophe Baron ‘Les Hautes Blanches Vignes’ Brut Nature, Champagne, France 2019 1.5L $269 special, 4 bottles available
James Suckling 95 Points “Very creamy and focused Champagne with notes of cherry blossoms, jasmine, pink grapefruit, white peaches, fennel and brioche. It’s medium-bodied with a very fine and delicate mousse that dances across the palate. Bone dry with beautiful balance and length. 100% pinot meunier from a vineyard planted in 1969. From organically grown grapes. In magnums only. Zero dosage. Disgorged May 2023. Drink or hold.”

 

 
Louis Roederer Cristal Millesime Brut, Champagne, France 2012 1.5L $749 special, 3 magnum bottles available
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 98 Points “The 2012 Cristal is the first made entirely from biodynamically farmed vineyards. Passionfruit, mango, spice and ginger open first, but it is the wine’s textural richness and volume that stand out most. The 2012 is one of the most opulent, flamboyant recent Cristals. Those qualities feel especially amplified in this tasting, perhaps because of the presence of wines from the surrounding vintages. It was a complicated season, as mildew reduced yields significantly, resulting in an especially rich Cristal that seems to be gaining intensity with time in bottle. Dosage is 7 grams per liter.”
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 97+ Points “Aromas of clear honey, crisp green orchard fruit, white peach, pastry cream and dried white flowers introduce the 2012 Cristal, a full-bodied, concentrated and powerful wine that’s built for the cellar. Broader, more textural and more muscular than the 2008 Cristal, with seemingly even greater reserves of structuring dry extract, the 2012 is incisive and searingly chalky. This is the first Cristal produced exclusively from organically farmed fruit, and it marks the opening of a new chapter for Louis Roderer. The blend is 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, vinified without malolactic fermentation and disgorged with 7.5 grams per liter dosage. Chef de Caves Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon has once again excelled himself.”
 

 

 
“Located in the Grand Cru village of Verzy, Sébastien Mouzon is the 9th generation to farm his family land. As one of the region’s pioneers of “Vitiforestry, he has over 1,300 trees interplanted among his vineyards. Chickens and herbal remedies are used to control cover crops and pests. Demeter certified Biodynamic Sébastien crafts exceptional, low intervention (natural fermentations, low to no SO2 and minimal dosage) wines from the unique Silex rich soils in Verzy. These are not hedonistic, fruit forward wines, but soulful, thoughtful, and satisfying wines that bring you back to the glass as they open and develop, displaying true transparency and expression of place.” –Polaner Imports
 
Mouzon-Leroux L’Atavique Grand Cru Brut, Champagne, France 750ml $64.50 special, 24 bottles available
Importer’s Note “Blend of all 65 parcels planted in the three sections (valleys) of Verzy; the easternmost has chalk very close to surface, in the middle valley chalk is 1 meter deep, and the westernmost valley is clay dominant. Uniquely strong presence of silex throughout the village. 65% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay.”
 

 
Louis Nicaise Premier Cru Reserve Brut, Champagne, France NV 750ml $49 special, 24 bottles available
Falstaff 92 Points “Light golden yellow, silver reflections, fine lively mousse. Delicate floral undertones, fine white tropical fruit, a touch of mango, fresh orange zest; an inviting bouquet. Juicy, elegant, white apple, finesse, rich acidity, lemony touch on the finish, balanced and fresh. Makes a second glass very desirable.”
 

Lowest Listed Price on the West Coast

 
Louis Nicaise Premier Cru Brut Rose, Champagne, France NV 750ml $51.90 special, 24 bottles available
Falstaff 91 Points “Bright salmon-pink, orange reflections; fine, vital mousse. Candied orange zest, a touch of honeydew melon, delicate wild red berry jam, floral scents. Taut, white apple, lemony mousse, mineral freshness, crisp acidity, a whisper of redcurrant on the finish; a lively aperitif.”

 

 
Oregon
 

“After convincing Oregon’s iconic maker of bubbles, Andrew Davis, to work exclusively with us, we invited our friend, South Africa’s sparkling wine legend Pieter Ferreira to help us apply the great tradition of method champenoise to the spirit of adventure and sense of place that we only found here in the Willamette Valley.” – Andy Lyttle, Co-founder
 
Lytle-Barnett Blanc de Noir, Eola Amity Hills, USA 2019 750ml $49 special, 24 bottles available
(not reviewed, 2019 vintage review provided for reference)
Owen Bargreen 93 Points “This outstanding 2019 ‘Blanc de Noirs’ hails from the Eola-Amity Hills AVA. It is quite complex and rich on the nose with buttered sourdough bread, baking spices and shades of ripe red raspberry. The palate is round and generous with a great combination of weight and underling tension. Tart melon and citrus fruits mingle well with yeasty undertones on the palate. Great to enjoy now with serious nerve, this will easily cellar for another eight plus years. Drink 2023-2031.
Winery Note “The wine expresses the warmth and richness of its full structure. With fresh strawberry and cream notes, pound cake, and rhubarb. The straw hue of the wine is punctuated by the fine and persistent mousse, as fruit and yeast notes linger through its long finish.”
 
Lytle-Barnett Brut, Willamette Valley, USA 2016 750ml $39 special, 24 bottles available
Owen Bargreen 93 Points “A blend of nearly all Pinot Noir (68%) with the remainder Chardonnay, this 2016 bottling is showing marvelously now at seven years of age. It is beautifully textured, with great poise and weight. Layers of guava and citrus fruits combine with salty and stony minerals, with hazelnut undertones on the palate. Very complex, don’t serve this too warm to take in the great range of flavors and aromatics.”
Winery Note “With undertones of baking spice with lemon curd, white flower, and delicate wild red fruits. The ethereal quality of the bubbles brings grace to the swirling flavors in the glass. The finish closes on a mix of fruit and yeast-derived flavors punctuated by dry, crisp acidity.”
 
 
California
 
#43 WINE SPECTATOR’S TOP 100 OF 2024
Flowers Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast, USA 2023 750ml $34.50 special, 36+ bottles available
Wine Spectator 93 Points “This distinctive white features a lively, mouthwatering and energetic mix of pomelo, yuzu and lemon sherbet flavors, with hints of sweetgrass, apple blossoms and lime zest. There’s also an appealing grip on the finish, reminiscent of the skin of roasted, salted almonds, while a whiff of wild fennel lingers. Drink now through 2033.”
 

Lowest listed price in the USA

#25 WINE SPECTATOR’S TOP 100 OF 2024
Rutherford Hill Merlot, Napa Valley, USA 2021 750ml $31.90 special, 22 bottles available
Wine Spectator 93 Points “Supple and sleek, with elegantly layered red currant, toasty mocha and tarragon flavors that glide on a long finish. Drink now through 2031. 10,489 cases made.”
 

Lowest price on the West Coast

Faust Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, USA 2022 750ml $49 special, 29 bottles available
No reviews for the 2022 vintage. 2021 review provided for reference.
James Suckling 95 Points “Inviting aromas of ripe blackcurrants and blackberries as well as crushed walnuts, cedar and bark. Full-bodied, creamy and structured with firm, polished tannins. Balanced and even with a lingering finish. Better after 2026.”
Wine Enthusiast 93 Points “Hefty and grippy, this full-bodied wine is sturdy in tannins, deep in black and blue fruits, and will come around nicely with more aging. Blackberries, blueberries, cocoa and hints of oak char make a good, complex expression on the palate. Best from 2027-2037.”

 
Italy
 

 
Fabio Chiarlotto is not a household name yet, but for lovers of Tuscan red blends, his wines are a must-try. For 25 years now Fabio, a historian turned winemaker, has focused on tapping into the true potential of his vineyards in Suvereto, near Bolgheri on the Tuscan coast. He’s replanted vines, grafted new ones, kept harvests small, and focused on preserving freshness and balance in a very hot climate.
 
Due to the winery’s proximity to Bolgheri, you might expect Montepeloso to craft a mean Cabernet Sauvignon… well, they do! Their savory 100% cabernet ‘Gabbro’ bottling is the perfect accompaniment for Bistecca alla Florentina, while their ‘a Quo’ and ‘Eneo’ are beautifully fresh and lifted Super Tuscan blends  blends for your favorite Bolognese or Ragout. Nardo, their most acclaimed wine features a blend of Montepulciano, Sangiovese, and Marsellan that is unlike anything else on the market!
 
Montepeloso A Quo Toscana IGT, Tuscany, Italy 2022 750ml $23.50 special, 30 bottles available
James Suckling 93 Points “A bright blend of 45% sangiovese, 20% malvasia nera, 20% cabernet sauvignon and 15% of other varieties that gives a complexity of fruit and spices such as cloves and nutmeg. Medium body, tight and crunchy. Drink and enjoy.”
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 91 Points “Just bottled, the 2022 A Quo is a bold, juicy wine to drink now and over the next few years. Succulent red cherry fruit, sweet spice, cedar, tobacco and new leather give this mid-weight, vinous red quite a bit of charm. Drink 2023-2030.”
 
Montepeloso Eneo Toscana IGT, Tuscany, Italy 2021 750ml $49 special, 18 bottles available
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 95 Points “The 2021 Eneo is superb. Bright and effusive, with tons of explosive energy, the 2021 is shaping up to be a gem. Crushed flowers, blood orange, cinnamon, cedar and spice are all finely delineated in an Eneo that exudes balance. Clean mineral notes extend the finish effortlessly. I very much admire the vibrancy here, something that is hard to achieve in this district of Suvereto.”
 
Montepeloso Nardo Toscana IGT, Tuscany, Italy 2021 750ml $89 special, 11 bottles available
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 97 Points “The 2021 Nardo is elegant, finessed and classy to the core. White pepper, chalk, mint, blood orange, dried flowers and cedar give the 2021 striking aromatic presence and energy. I don’t remember a Nardo with much translucent energy. Readers will want to cellar this for at least a few years.”
 

 
Poggio Scalette ‘Il Carbonaione’  Alta Valle della Greve IGT, Tuscany, Italy, 2010 750ml $89 special, 12 bottles available
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 97 Points “The 2010 Carbonaione (Sangiovese) is a stunner. Deep, rich and utterly impeccable, the 2010 boasts breathtaking richness, energy and power. The flavors remain incredibly primary in a wine that will require years to develop. Graphite, crushed rocks, blue/black fruit, plums and smoke emerge over time. As phenomenal as the 2010 is today, it really should be cellared for at least a few years. This is a drop dead gorgeous wine from Vittorio and Jurij Fiore.”
Winebow-Importer: “Il Carbonaione, Poggio Scalette’s signature wine, is the culmination of knowledge and experience and therefore an important message of quality. Vittorio Fiore dedicates this wine to Tuscany and to Sangiovese — the region and the variety that have allowed him to fulfill his aspirations to produce superb wine.”
 
 
Spain
 
 hot deal  Descendientes de J. Palacios ‘Petalos’, Bierzo, Spain 2021 750ml $21.90 special, 12 bottles available
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 93+ Points “2021 is clearly the finest vintage of the trio of 2020, 2021 and 2022, and the bottled 2021 Pétalos delivers what the unbottled samples promised: a wine with lower alcohol than ever (13.5%), lighter, a little narrower but with the juiciness of Mencía that seems to come back after some time in bottle. It has lots of notes of aromatic herbs, with some similar aromas to the La Faraona. It’s quite expressive and showy, very pleasant and easy to drink, very gourmand, with a velvety mouthfeel and very fine tannins. 320,000 bottles and 2,567 magnums produced. It was bottled between November 2022 and March 2023. Approachable now, very hedonistic.”
 
 
Portugal
 
Kopke Colheita Port, Portugal 1978 750ml $119 special, 6 bottles available
Nick Room-Iwsc 97 Points “Excellent in all aspects. Caramel and molasses on the nose, palate abundant with deeper toffee, vanilla and ripe prune. Cedar spices combine with fine citrus fruit around a red fruit core. Balanced and with further evolution still to come. Seriously good.”
 
Kopke Colheita Port, Portugal 1967 750ml $249 special, 6 bottles available
Mark Squires-Wine Advocate 95 Points “The 1967 Colheita Tawny Port comes in with 142 grams per liter of residual sugar. This is a nice step up compared to the younger parts of the lineup, elegant and focused, with a precise finish, a fresh feel, little discernible brandy and a long, long finish. The classic old tawny flavors of molasses and caramel wash over the palate. This isn’t big and thick, but some may very well prefer its elegant and brighter feel. In many ways, it is fresher than the 1981 or 1999 reviewed this issue, and it is better balanced than the 1937. It is very pretty.”

 

Dupeuble Beaujolais Nouveau,  2024 750ml $21.90 special, 36+ bottles available
Kerry Winslow-Grapelive “The 2024 Dupeble Nouveau is bright ruby and vibrantly fresh with good fruit and loads of spicy character, it is less bubble gum and cotton candy, with more traditional Village like flavors and subtle savory notes, starting with cherry, strawberry and tangy plum fruits, light florals, cinnamon, pepper and rosemary herbs. Light bodied, but texturally pleasing and easy to quaff, this is my kind of vintage, and it won’t be my last bottle of this stuff! I’ve always had good results with these Dupeuble Nouveau wines, with their juicy acidity and subtle concentration, in fact I’ve even lost a few bottles in the cellar that still drank delightfully well with many years of age on them, pretty impressive for a wine that is supposed to be polished off before the new year.