In This Newsletter:
Special Arrivals
Bereche’s Beautiful Bubbles
Arrivals
K Vintners, Bow & Arrow, St Innocent, Scharffenberger, and more!
Champagne Round-up
Tis the season for Sparkling!
Special Arrivals
Bereche’s Beautiful Bubbles
Arrivals
K Vintners, Bow & Arrow, St Innocent, Scharffenberger, and more!
Champagne Round-up
Tis the season for Sparkling!
Special Arrivals
France
Bereche et fils
Our favorite Champagne grower and ultimately our favorite NV Champagne. How in the world do they achieve such complexity in the blend year after year? Richness that’s as a light as a feather. Aromas that refresh and draw you in deeper. The most opulent of mousse that feels like it doesn’t have an end to the depth.
Bereche Brut Reserve NV (base 2020) 1.5L $159 special, 3 bottles available
Antonio Galloni-Vinous “The NV Brut Reserve is endowed with notable power and resonance, but it also needs at least 6-12 more months on the cork to be fully expressive. Bereche’s Brut Reserve has a track record of developing beautifully in bottle.”
Bereche Ay Grand Cru 2016 750ml $219 special, 6 bottles available
97 Points Antonio Galloni- Vinous “The 2016 Extra-Brut Aÿ Grand Cru is all class. Bright and focused to the core, with striking understated energy, the 2016 is a jewel of a wine. Crushed rocks, mint, slate, white flowers and white pepper soar out of the glass, supported by clean mineral notes that bring it all together on the vibrant finish. The blend of 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay on chalk is magical. Dosage is 2.95 grams per liter.”
Bereche Beaux Regards Blanc De Blancs 2020 750ml $124.50 special, 6 bottles available
93 Points Antonio Galloni- Vinous “The 2020 Extra-Brut Beaux Regards (100% Chardonnay) is bright, floral and lifted. Chalky soils in Ludes planted with 60-year-old vines yield a Champagne of exquisite finesse and nuance. White flowers, mint, crushed rocks, white pepper, chalk and slate are all beautifully delineated in this understated, sculpted Chardonnay from Bérêche. Dosage is 4 grams per liter. Disgorged: January 2023.”
Bereche Reflet d’Antan Brut NV (BASE 2018) 1.5L $849 special, 1 magnum available
Importer’s Note “Arguably the most original of all in this lineup of singular Champagnes is the Reflet d’Antan, one-third each of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay, drawn from a perpetual reserve of 600-liter barrels begun in 1985 by Raphaël’s and Vincent’s father, Jean- Pierre.”
Bereche Rive Gauche 2020 750ml $84.50 special, 6 bottles available
94 Points Antonio Galloni- Vinous “The 2020 Extra-Brut Rive Gauche (100% Pinot Meunier) is exquisite. Subtle, nuanced and understated, the 2020 is all class. Pear, mint, spice, dried herbs, plum and kirsch are some of the many notes that grace this polished edition of Bérêche’s Rive Gauche. There are few Meuniers out there that are this elegant. The mousse is incredibly refined, and that really elevates the overall feel.”
Bereche Brut Reserve NV (base 2020) 1.5L $159 special, 3 bottles available
Antonio Galloni-Vinous “The NV Brut Reserve is endowed with notable power and resonance, but it also needs at least 6-12 more months on the cork to be fully expressive. Bereche’s Brut Reserve has a track record of developing beautifully in bottle.”
Bereche Ay Grand Cru 2016 750ml $219 special, 6 bottles available
97 Points Antonio Galloni- Vinous “The 2016 Extra-Brut Aÿ Grand Cru is all class. Bright and focused to the core, with striking understated energy, the 2016 is a jewel of a wine. Crushed rocks, mint, slate, white flowers and white pepper soar out of the glass, supported by clean mineral notes that bring it all together on the vibrant finish. The blend of 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay on chalk is magical. Dosage is 2.95 grams per liter.”
Bereche Beaux Regards Blanc De Blancs 2020 750ml $124.50 special, 6 bottles available
93 Points Antonio Galloni- Vinous “The 2020 Extra-Brut Beaux Regards (100% Chardonnay) is bright, floral and lifted. Chalky soils in Ludes planted with 60-year-old vines yield a Champagne of exquisite finesse and nuance. White flowers, mint, crushed rocks, white pepper, chalk and slate are all beautifully delineated in this understated, sculpted Chardonnay from Bérêche. Dosage is 4 grams per liter. Disgorged: January 2023.”
Bereche Reflet d’Antan Brut NV (BASE 2018) 1.5L $849 special, 1 magnum available
Importer’s Note “Arguably the most original of all in this lineup of singular Champagnes is the Reflet d’Antan, one-third each of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay, drawn from a perpetual reserve of 600-liter barrels begun in 1985 by Raphaël’s and Vincent’s father, Jean- Pierre.”
Bereche Rive Gauche 2020 750ml $84.50 special, 6 bottles available
94 Points Antonio Galloni- Vinous “The 2020 Extra-Brut Rive Gauche (100% Pinot Meunier) is exquisite. Subtle, nuanced and understated, the 2020 is all class. Pear, mint, spice, dried herbs, plum and kirsch are some of the many notes that grace this polished edition of Bérêche’s Rive Gauche. There are few Meuniers out there that are this elegant. The mousse is incredibly refined, and that really elevates the overall feel.”
Arriving Tomorrow
Gerard Boulay
Given the crystalline purity of his Sauvignon Blancs, [Gerard Boulay] has become one of my favorite producers of the central Loire. If you want to know what true Sancerre tastes like, try one of his single-vineyard bottlings. It does not come any better!” – Joel Payne, Vinous
The Boulay family has farmed their famous and unique parcels of land in Chavignol since 1380 and it is their deep understanding of this land that lends their production such gravity and legitimacy. Chavignol, located in the Village of Sancerre, is famous for their “Terre Blanche” the same Kimmeridgian soils that run through Champagne and Chablis. It is these soils that give Boulay’s famed crus Monts Damnés, La Grande Côte, and Clos de Beaujeu their character. As a result, these wines are electric and high-minded like Chablis, with the earthiness and vivacity of the Loire.
hot deal! Gerard Boulay Sancerre Chavignol 2023 750ml $36.50 special, 36+ bottles available
Vinopolnote “This is a sharp-tongued devil of a wine. Grown in the same Kimmeridgian soils that cover Chablis and Champagne’s Côte-des-Bar, this is a Sancerre for those who love their wines bristling with intensity and minerality. An epic wine for cheeses or seafood. Try this with oysters, sashimi, or baked fish.”
Gerard Boulay Sancerre Clos de Beaujeu 2023 750ml $62.50 special, 24 bottles available
Gerard Boulay Sancerre Clos de Beaujeu 2023 1.5L $128 special, 3 magnums available
Importer Notes “The Clos de Beaujeu is among the most historic sites in the village of Chavignol. In the 14th century the Clos de Beaujeu supplied the Cathedral of Bourges with white wine. At that time, Sancerre was famous for its red wines. Boulay’s Clos de Beaujeu is a richer, denser step up from the Chavignol village wine.”
Gerard Boulay Sancerre Comtesse 2023 750ml $77.50 special, 12 bottles available
Gerard Boulay Sancerre Comtesse 2023 1.5L $159 special, 3 magnums available
Importer Notes “The most powerful and complex wine from Boulay’s lineup, with an incredible intensity of fruit and a strong mineral core. Definitely one to put away and follow for years to come.”
Gerard Boulay Sancerre La Cote 2023 750ml $66.50 special, 12 bottles available
Gerard Boulay Sancerre La Cote 2023 1.5L $136 special, 3 bottles available
Importer Notes “First crafted in the 2010 vintage, Gerard’s old vine parcel in La Cote (referred to by the Cotat brothers as La Grande Cote) produces a wine of incredible precision, power and lazer sharp minerality…Boulay’s signature style!”
Gerard Boulay Sancerre Mont Damnes 2023 750ml $66.50 special, 24 bottles available
Importer Notes “Old vines located on a steep slope in the Mont Damnes vineyard that Boulay began farming in 2004. Vines average 45 years old. Aged on the lees in a combination of barrel and tank then bottled unfiltered.
The Boulay family has farmed their famous and unique parcels of land in Chavignol since 1380 and it is their deep understanding of this land that lends their production such gravity and legitimacy. Chavignol, located in the Village of Sancerre, is famous for their “Terre Blanche” the same Kimmeridgian soils that run through Champagne and Chablis. It is these soils that give Boulay’s famed crus Monts Damnés, La Grande Côte, and Clos de Beaujeu their character. As a result, these wines are electric and high-minded like Chablis, with the earthiness and vivacity of the Loire.
hot deal! Gerard Boulay Sancerre Chavignol 2023 750ml $36.50 special, 36+ bottles available
Vinopolnote “This is a sharp-tongued devil of a wine. Grown in the same Kimmeridgian soils that cover Chablis and Champagne’s Côte-des-Bar, this is a Sancerre for those who love their wines bristling with intensity and minerality. An epic wine for cheeses or seafood. Try this with oysters, sashimi, or baked fish.”
Gerard Boulay Sancerre Clos de Beaujeu 2023 750ml $62.50 special, 24 bottles available
Gerard Boulay Sancerre Clos de Beaujeu 2023 1.5L $128 special, 3 magnums available
Importer Notes “The Clos de Beaujeu is among the most historic sites in the village of Chavignol. In the 14th century the Clos de Beaujeu supplied the Cathedral of Bourges with white wine. At that time, Sancerre was famous for its red wines. Boulay’s Clos de Beaujeu is a richer, denser step up from the Chavignol village wine.”
Gerard Boulay Sancerre Comtesse 2023 750ml $77.50 special, 12 bottles available
Gerard Boulay Sancerre Comtesse 2023 1.5L $159 special, 3 magnums available
Importer Notes “The most powerful and complex wine from Boulay’s lineup, with an incredible intensity of fruit and a strong mineral core. Definitely one to put away and follow for years to come.”
Gerard Boulay Sancerre La Cote 2023 750ml $66.50 special, 12 bottles available
Gerard Boulay Sancerre La Cote 2023 1.5L $136 special, 3 bottles available
Importer Notes “First crafted in the 2010 vintage, Gerard’s old vine parcel in La Cote (referred to by the Cotat brothers as La Grande Cote) produces a wine of incredible precision, power and lazer sharp minerality…Boulay’s signature style!”
Gerard Boulay Sancerre Mont Damnes 2023 750ml $66.50 special, 24 bottles available
Importer Notes “Old vines located on a steep slope in the Mont Damnes vineyard that Boulay began farming in 2004. Vines average 45 years old. Aged on the lees in a combination of barrel and tank then bottled unfiltered.
New Arrivals
Champagne
Gaston Chiquet Tradition Brut NV 750ml $46.50 special, 27 bottles available
Wine Spectator “[Reviewed 2023] A fresh, firm Champagne, with a crunchy texture as this carries notes of green pear, wet chalk, elderflower and almond biscotti along. Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.”
Pierre Gimonnet Cuis Blanc De Blancs 1er NV 750ml $59 special, 18 bottles available
Pierre Gimonnet Cuis Blanc de Blancs 1er NV 1.5L $159 special, 6 magnums available
Pierre Gimonnet Cuis Blanc De Blancs 1er NV 375ml $36 special, 11 half bottles available
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 91 Points “{Reviewed Nov 2023] The NV Brut Blanc de Blancs Cuis 1er Cru (2020 base) sizzles with energy. White flowers, chalk, mint, white pepper, green pear and lime all race across the palate. Medium in body and finely cut, the 1er Cru is a jewel of a wine. It will appeal most to readers who enjoy taut, airy Blancs de Blancs.”
Gimonnet Cuvee Oenophile Extra Brut 2018 750ml $99 special, 12 bottles available
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 94 Points “The 2018 Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Cuvée Oenophile Non-Dosé is a blend from the Grand Crus of Cramant, Chouilly and Oger and then Cuis, which is a 1er Cru. The 2018 offers lovely complexity in the vintage’s relatively soft, understated style but displays good depth and creaminess that add balance. Citrus confit, spice, hazelnut and dried flowers all meld together effortlessly. The non-dosé style is not especially evident, as the wine’s balance is impeccable.”
Savart L’Ouverture Brut 1er Cru NV 750ml $69 special, 14 bottles available
Savart L’Ouverture Brut 1er Cru NV 1.5L $159 special, 6 bottles available
Importer’s Note “L’Ouverture is Fred Savart’s entry level Champagne but it is far from one-dimensional. It is 100% Pinot Noir all from the village of Ecueil, half of which was fermented in mostly neutral barrel with the other half is fermented in stainless steel. The wine only sees partial malolactic fermentation. Fred doesn’t guide the malolactic fermentation, instead it is the inclusion of reserve wine that goes through malolactic fermentation because it has gone more temperature swings. The wine is in equal parts a blend of three successive vintages and aged under cork, not crown cap. Dosage is 7g/L.”
Washington
K Vintners Syrah The Deal Sundance Vineyard 2021 750ml $32.50 special, only 2 bottles left!
James Suckling 96 Points “Rich, fruity and generous, but also spicy, smoky and well-braced by acidity and moderate tannins. It’s a Syrah that has it all, deep blackberry and blueberry flavors laced with white pepper, singed rosemary and black cherries that expand on the palate and linger on the finish. Drinkable now, but best from 2028.”
Oregon
Bow & Arrow Chenin Blanc Union School Vineyard 2023 750ml $29 special, 12 bottles available
Winery Notes “2023 Chenin Blanc is 100% sourced from Union School Vineyard, the same place we get the Sauvignon Blanc for Fool’s Gold. I travelled to Matthew Rorick’s Heritage Vineyard a few years back and collected cuttings from his Chenin block after finding a grower willing to graft for me. The site is perfect for SB and Chenin – slightly warmer, good drainage, crotchety old German at the helm… I ripen till the fruit turns yellow and speckled like a bird’s egg and then direct press to large 500 liter casks for fermentation and aging. The elevage ranges from 12 to 18 months. The goal is to make a dry but extracted expression more akin to Savennière rather than say a Vouvray Sec.”
St Innocent Pinot Noir Villages Cuvee Willamette Valley 2022 750ml $28 special, 36+ bottles available
Winery Note “The Pinot noir, Villages Cuvée has robust sweet spice aromas with lovely black cherry, smoky berry and dark rose notes. Juicy and pungent flavors of dark cherry, wild strawberry, allspice, cinnamon with a touch of smoke fill your mouth. Beautifully balanced with soft tannins and fresh acidity, the finish slowly fades into supple dried fruit and spices. Still young now the wine will fill out through the winter and into the spring. This is my favorite wine for thanksgiving and flavorful white meat dishes. It is just as good with burgers, brats and pizza. Enjoy now through 2030.”
California
The perfect toasting bubbles!!!
Winery Notes “After approximately two years on the lees, there are notes of freshly baked bread and pastry that enhance the more fruit forward style of the wine. Finally, after several months on the cork, the wine develops additional complexity, featuring essences of caramel and hazelnut.”
Scharffenberger Brut NV 750ml $21.90 special, 36 bottles available
Tasting Panel 93 Points “A remarkable value with the poise and presence of wines twice the price. Composed of 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir, it rings clear and pure on a nose marked by toast, Asian pear, yellow apple, honeysuckle, and hazelnut; on the palate, lilting, lip-smacking acidity and a creamy tang usher in more orchard fruit enhanced by hints of white fig and apricot.”
Scharffenberger Brut Rose NV 750ml $24 special, 14 bottles available
Tasting Panel 93 Points “The poppy on the label of this suave blend of 55% Chardonnay and 45% Pinot Noir is a tribute to the superblooms that occur throughout California in springtime—but it also hints at the dry wine’s floral subtleties. There’s a faint touch of lilac on a nose brimming with fresh-baked sourdough, cherry, and blood orange, while rose graces the finish, preceded by splashes of wild strawberry, lemon rind, and Gala apple.”
France
Anne et Jean-François Ganevat
“Jean-François Ganevat is a master of his craft, one of the true magicians of the eclectic. To say that his grapes are spun into gold would not be far from the truth; his wines are entirely otherworldly.” -Kermit Lynch
Ganevat La Graviere Cotes Du Jura Chardonnay 2020 750ml $79 special, 3 bottles available
Not Reviewed, 2019 vintage provided for reference
Nicholas Greinacher-Vinous 90 Points “The 2019 Chardonnay Côtes du Jura La Gravière displays a complex perfume mingling with crushed flowers, flintstone, yellow apple and lemon peel. Medium-bodied at most, the 2019 offers sufficient flavor concentration and closes with ample freshness on the bright finish.”
Ganevat Cotes Du Jura Cuvee Julien Pinot Noir 2022 750ml $109 special, 6 bottles available
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 94 Points “The bottled 2022 Pinot Noir Cuvée Julien, from vines plated in 1952, is very expressive and shows ripeness, despite the contained 12% alcohol. It is tasty, with bright red fruit notes. It kept the structure and finesse, the floral notes and citrus notes that provide freshness and balance for the ripeness. It has depth, complexity and persistence, quite impressive for the tough conditions of the year.”
Ganevat Cotes Du Jura Plein Sud Trousseau 2022 750ml $108 special, 6 bottles available
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 93 Points “I tasted the bottled Trousseau 2022 Plein Sud, produced with grapes from a young vineyard planted in the year 2000 on stony and gray marl soils that come from the lieu-dit En Chaladigna. The grapes were picked from the 24th of August in the torrid 2022 vintage, and the wine has a moderate 10.5% alcohol; but the sensation is of higher ripeness, which winemaker Jocelyn Broncard attributed to the (almost one) year it has spent in bottle. He found it quite similar to the 2023, but I think the 2023 has more freshness and balance. This is very floral and pale, light, fresh and very clean with some varietal earthiness. There’s a change in the reds that I really noticed in the 2022s. It was bottled in August 2023.
Ganevat VDF Blanc Victor De La Combe 2019 750ml $69 special, 3 bottles available
Kermit Lynch “Many Chardonnays possess an orchard-fruit quality, but very few evoke autumnal bounty quite like this lively, delicious, and transportive cuvée made from Chardonnay from southern Burgundy.”
Ganevat VDF Rouge de Toute Beaute 2022 750ml $54.50 special, 6 bottles available
Kermit Lynch “Hold a glass of this aptly named cuvée, meaning “exceptional beauty,” up to the light to witness an incandescent red hue so luminous it glows. Supernatural, well-made reds of this caliber are such a thrill. One sip will chase you to the limit of a steep ledge, let you sway in the wind a bit while you savor the terroir, and then plant you firmly back on Earth with a vibrant burst. This blend of Gamay and Pinot Noir is best enjoyed when cool to the touch.”
Ganevat VDF Rouge La Colline Des Dames (gamay) 2022 750ml $79 special, 12 bottles available
Importer Notes “Grapes come from Frauenberg in Alsace… Native yeast fermentation … Semi-carbonic maceration … Aged in foudre”
Ganevat VDF Rouge Mon Rouge (gamay) 2022 750ml $59 special, 6 bottles available
Chateau Valentin
Chateau Valentin Haut Medoc 2016 750ml $24 special, 36 bottles available
Importer’s Note “A rarity- 80% Cabernet from 50+ year old vines, supplemented with 10% Merlot and 10% Petite Verdot. Fermented in concrete vats, finished in used barrels, and finally bottled unfiltered. Yes, old school Bordeaux well done and sold with a remarkably low cost.”
Italy
Vie di Romans
Vie Di Romans Chardonnay Friuli Isonzo 2020 750ml $44.50 special, 12 bottles available
Eric Guido-Vinous 94 Points “The 2022 Chardonnay mixes richness with energy and savory with sweetness, as crushed yellow apples and gingery spice combine with minty herbs and wet stone. This is soothingly round and enveloping, quite textural, with waves of ripe green melon and mineral-tinged apricots coasting across a stream of zesty acidity. The 2022 nishes youthfully tense, structured and spicy, with hints of baked pear and cardamom that resonate. While a bit backward today, the potential here is o the charts. Vie di Romans has decided to begin holding back their wines longer in the cellar to allow them to develop further before release, and I think this is a perfect example of how insightful that decision was.”
Vie Di Romans Chardonnay Ciampagnis 2022 750ml $39.50 special, 36 bottles available
Eric Guido-Vinous 93 Points “The 2022 Chardonnay Ciampagnis is a seductress, tempting the imagination with a beguiling array of crushed nectarines infused with tropical citrus, hints of curry leaves and sweet, sweet spice. It impresses further with a balance of contrasts, mixing tart orchard fruits and notes of green citrus with cooling acidity and a ourish of apricot toward the close. Incredibly fresh and dramatically long, the Ciampagnis nishes with staining length and gently tannic, leaving a pleasantly tart sensation that lingers.”
Vie Di Romans Dolee Friulano 2021 750ml $44.50 special, 12 bottles available
Eric Guido-Vinous 92 Points “The 2021 Friulano Dolée is exotically spiced and vibrant in the glass, with an intense burst of lemon meringue complemented by sweet mint and crystallized ginger. Silky and supple on the palate, this boasts ultra-ripe citrus and orchard fruits balanced by stimulating acidity. This nishes with outstanding length and is spicy with lingering tropical melon notes. While the 2021 comes across as sweet, it’s just a trick of the acidity and fruit, as this nished at only 1.2 grams of residual sugar.”
Vie Di Romans Flors Di Uis 2022 750ml $41.90 special, 24 bottles available
Eric Guido-Vinous 93 Points “Understated yet beautifully rened, the 2022 Bianco Flors di Uis keeps the taster coming back to the glass with its pretty blend of lime sorbet, chamomile, spring owers and white smoke. It ows across the palate with a sensation of liquid stone and minerals, elevated by lively acidity as a core of candied lemon is contrasted by tart green apple fruit. The 2022 nishes with a lingering concentration and tart citrus pith bitterness, yet through it all, the mouth is left salivating for more. Readers may have a hard time keeping their hands o in its youth, yet I advise patience. This Flors di Uis is still just a baby in its development and has bloomed beautifully with further bottle age. A fantastic showing. This is a blend of 55% Malvasia Istriana, 31% Rhein Riesling and 14% Friulano.”
Vie Di Romans Sauvignon Blanc Piere 2021 750ml $49 special, 18 bottles available
Eric Guido-Vinous 92 Points “The 2021 Sauvignon Blanc Piere is a spice bomb, holding my attention firm with a blast of ground ginger, cardamom, flint stone and curry before arriving at dried nectarines. It’s luxuriously silky yet lifted in style, with cooling minerality and acidity that motivates its floral-laced green citrus and melon tones. For all of its intensity, the 2021 finishes crisp and with a classically dry feel, as savory herbal tones resonate on. There is so much pleasure in this upfront, fruitfocused, yet truly seductive Sauvignon.”
Vie Di Romans Sauvignon Blanc Piere 2022 750ml $44.50 special, 12 bottles available
Eric Guido-Vinous 93 Points “The 2022 Sauvignon Blanc Piere is wildly fresh, with a vivid blend of crushed nectarines and lime zest complemented by hints of rosemary and crushed stone. It’s silky smooth yet full of zesty tension, with masses of mineral-drenched green apples and hints of spice propelled by vibrant acidity. The 2022 leaves the palate staining in primary concentration, youthfully intense and gently tannic, leaving a spicy sensation that lingers on and on. The balance here is otherworldly, as is its drinkability factor.”
Vie Di Romans Sauvignon Blanc Vieris 2021 750ml $44.50 special, 12 bottles available
Eric Guido-Vinous 94+ Points “The 2021 Sauvignon Blanc Vieris opens slowly in the glass, holding back in its youthful state, with hints of lemon oil, rosemary and wet stone accentuated by sweet spice. This is seamlessly silky, almost oily in feel, with sapid yellow citrus and savory herbal tones enriched by vibrant acidity. It nishes potent and spicy, leaving the palate saturated in an intense staining of primary concentration. The potential here is o the charts, but today, the Vieris is one of the most backward wines out of the 2021 portfolio.”