Vinopolis Newsletter 3-19-25PM

In This Newsletter:


Arriving Friday, March 21st
Champagne Agrapart et fils
Domaine des Heritiers du Comte Lafon

New Arrivals
R.H. Coutier, Fichet, Steinmetz, and more!

Women Winemakers We love
Alpine Magic

Special Arrival
The Kings of Walla Walla
 

 
 

 

You know these champagnes already. Or else you should.
 
Champagne Agrapart is one of the most important names in the world of Grower Champagne. Started in 1894, they have bottled their own wines since the very beginning, one of just a handful of smaller domaines to do so. Located in the village of Avize in the Côte des Blancs region of Champagne, this historic estate is managed by fourth generation owner Pascal Agrapart.  A talented farmer and acclaimed winemaker, Pascal’s dedication to the minutia of terroir has led the winery on a pilgrimage toward organic viticulture and a focus on sustainable practices in the vineyards, featuring some of the oldest vines in the region.
 
As Antonio Galloni of Vinous has said, “For readers who want to discover what the Côte des Blancs is all about, I can’t think of a better place to start than here.” We can only agree. For our money, Agrapart bottles some of the best Chardonnay dominant wines in all of Champagne.
 
Agrapart Les 7 Crus Brut, Champagne, France NV 750ml $89 special, 6 bottles available
James Suckling 93 Points “Vibrant fruit here, with peaches, apricots, lemons, pears, almonds and spicy anise notes. Fresh and crisp with very fine bubbles. Textured, with wonderful purity of fruit. 90% chardonnay and 10% pinot noir from 7 villages. Fruit 60% from 2019 and 40% from 2018. Bottled 2020. Disgorged May 2022. 5g/L dosage. Drink now. (7/18/22)”
Decanter 93 Points “Agrapart describes this as its ‘entry-level’ wine, but it’s far from your normal non-vintage Champagne. A blend of premier and grand cru grapes from two different vintages, its super-fresh, lemony nose segues into a tight, steely palate with delicious stone-fruit ripeness. It’s light on its feet and very vital, with delightful juiciness balancing mineral inclusions. Very impressive. (Oct 2019)”
 
Agrapart Terroirs Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Extra Brut, Champagne, France NV 750ml $99 special, 6 bottles available
James Suckling 95 Points ” Creamy and flavorful, yet it remains precise and vertical, with an array of lemons, green apples, pie crust, almonds, hazelnuts and chalk. Medium-bodied with creamy, fine bubbles. Lots of energy, with zesty citrus notes at the end. Layered blanc de blancs. 100% chardonnay from 4 Grand Cru villages. 40% from 2018 and 60% from 2017. Disgorged May 2022. Drink now or hold.”
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 93 Points “The latest rendition of Agrapart’s NV Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Terroirs is excellent. Based on the 2018 vintage, with fully 80% reserve wines from 2017 (some 40% of which mature in wood), it’s medium to full-bodied, seamless and chiseled, evocative of citrus oil, buttered toast, mint and fresh bread. It derives from holdings in Avize, Oger, Cramant and Oiry. Drink: 2022-2040.”
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 93 Points “The NV Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Terroirs Grand Cru is another terrific wine in the lineup this year. Chalk, white pepper, sage and mint meld into a core of lemon peel and crushed rocks. All the elements are so well balanced. An equal blend of 2019 and 2018 juice from 100% Grand Cru sites in Avize, Oger, Cramant and Oiry, the Terroirs saw natural fermentation and 100% malolactic fermentation. Dosage is 5 grams per liter. Disgorged: June, 2023. Drink: 2023-2031.”
 

 
Dominique Lafon took over his family estate in Meursault, Domaine des Comte Lafon, in 1984 and within a few short years, his wines were some of the most prized in Burgundy. Moving from success to success, he founded a new biodynamic winery in 1999, Héritiers du Comte Lafon, in Macon.
 
A longtime proponent of Organic and sustainable viticulture, Héritiers (meaning “inheritors” in French) is a project he runs with his daughter and nephew. His belief in and passion for the Macon region has made Héritiers a towering beacon for fine wine in this previously undervalued Chardonnay mecca. On top of creating higher quality wines, he believes that his commitment to sustainable viticulture is a commitment to the next generation of the Lafon family, the future “héritiers” of the estate.
 
Domaine des Heritiers du Comte Lafon Macon Chardonnay Clos de la Crochette, Burgundy, France 2023 1.5L $99 special, only 2 magnums available
Neal Martin-Vinous 91 Points “The 2023 Mâcon-Chardonnay Clos de la Crochette has one of the best aromatics of the range: crushed stone, sea cave and light Granny Smith scents with good focus. The palate is well balanced with a crisp entry. This has fine weight and density but is more backward and perhaps befits a couple of years in bottle.”
 

Lowest listed Magnum price in the country

 
 

 
 

 

 

 

“Coutier is one of Champagne’s under-the-radar gems. With prices skyrocketing throughout the region, these wines offer tremendous quality and value. The Blanc de Blancs shows just how compelling Chardonnay can be in Ambonnay, which is very much Pinot Noir country, while the Henri III, the top cuvée, is especially refined in its new release. The wines are all done in steel and undergo full malolactic fermentation, except the Henri III, which is vinified in oak, with the malo blocked. I can’t recommend these wines highly enough.” –Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
 
R.H. Coutier Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut, Champagne, France NV 750ml $49 special, 12 bottles available
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 92 Points “The NV Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru is fabulous. Rich and quite dense, the Blanc de Blancs is decidedly powerful, maybe a bit more than usual. This release is based on 2018, and the richness of the year really comes through in the wine’s layered, expansive feel. Tangerine oil, lemon confit, white flowers, spice and chamomile build effortlessly. This is an especially heady, vinous Champagne with all the elements very much in balance. The Blanc de Blancs is a blend of 60% 2018 and 40% reserve wines.” [Disgorgement & base vintages may vary]
 
R.H. Coutier Grand Cru Brut Rose, Champagne, France NV 750ml $49 special, 12 bottles available
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 90 Points “The NV Brut Rosé Grand Cru is super-expressive from the first taste. Dried rose petals, mint, orange peel, jasmine and bright saline notes abound. This mid-weight nervy rose has a ton to offer. There’s plenty of depth, but it is expressed in an understated way. This is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay from Ambonnay.”
 
R.H. Coutier Cuvee Tradition Grand Cru Brut, Champagne, France NV 750ml $44.50 special, 12 bottles available
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 91 Points “The NV Brut Tradition Grand Cru is stellar. Kirsch, dried flowers, spice, dried pear and mint all show a slightly burnished quality that makes me think it is best suited to near term drinking. I don’t imagine ageability will be a problem, however, as most bottles will likely be long gone before that is an issue. The richness and breadth of Ambonnay Pinot are very much in evidence. There are no hard edges to this vinous, heady Champagne from Coutier. This release is 60% 2015 and 40% reserve wines. Dosage is 6 grams per liter. Disgorged: July, 2022.”
 
…also available from Coutier:
 
R.H. Coutier Millesime Extra Brut, Champagne, France 2015 750ml $69 special, 3 bottles available
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 92 Points “From the 2015 vintage, the Extra Brut Cuvée Millésime Grand Cru is a very good wine for the year. Bright and sculpted, the 2015 impresses with its energy and cut. Citrus peel, mint, white pepper and crushed rocks all race across the palate. This cuvée, only produced in the best vintages, is a blend of 75% Chardonnay and 25% Pinot Noir, with the Chardonnay very much in the driver’s seat. Aged for 96 months sur latte. Dosage is 3 grams per liter. (Drink between 2023-2030).”
 

 

 
“[This is] real Meursault, if so unlike the buttery cliché that I and my contemporaries were brought up to expect.”– Jancis Robinson
 
“As I have said repeatedly, the Fichet wines are among the very best and purest in Burgundy.”– Allen Meadows, Burghound
 
Importer’s Note “Produced from two parcels of 40-year-old vines; one across a narrow road from Meursault-Charmes and another within the Meursault appellation. This wine has more Meursault character than the vast majority of Meursault Villages wines.”
JP Fichet Bourgogne Cote d’Or Blanc, Burgundy, France 2022 750ml $39.50 special, 6 bottles available
Jasper Morris-Inside Burgundy “Pale lemon, very light and indeed attractive reduction. White fruit, fattens out a little on the palate, harmonious, just enough acidity. Very pretty fruit reappears to finish.”
 

Lowest listed Magnum price in the country

 
Importer’s Note “Based on three beautifully situated parcels on the southern slopes of the village: les Cloux (60-year-old vines); les Chaumes de Narvaux, just above Bouchères and Gouttes d’Or; Limouzin, directly below Genevrières, plus a little Criots.”
JP Fichet Meursault, Cote de Beaune, France 2022 750ml $99 special, 15 bottles available
Neal Martin-Vinous 90 Points “The 2022 Meursault Village has a lively struck flint- and petrichor-tinged bouquet, demonstrating good vigor—quite Puligny-like in style. The palate is fresh on the entry with just a touch of mint. There’s fine extract here, with ample weight and a pleasant, waxy texture on the finish. Recommended. Tasted at merchants’ 2022 Burgundy tastings in London.”
 
Importer’s Note “Gruyaches is a small plot of 77-year-old vines enclosed on two sides by Meursault-Charmes. This is the richest and fullest of the Fichet lieux-dits, yet it shares their common focus, minerality and length.”
JP Fichet Meursault Les Gruyaches, Cote de Beaune, France 2022 750ml $128 special, 3 bottles available
Burghound 90-92 Points “A more floral array of white orchard fruit, including a whiff of passion fruit, just sliced fennel and an interesting hint of exotic tea is trimmed in moderate oak. The dense, delicious and caressing medium-bodied flavors possess a gorgeous texture, all wrapped in a bone-dry, tightly wound and striking long finale marked by prominent citrus elements. This is an excellent Meursault villages and worth considering.”
 
Importer’s Note “The vines in this lieu-dit were planted in 1953. This tiny, steep, west facing site in the middle of the village is classically Meursault in character, with citrus and mineral notes, beautifully pure fruit in the mid-palate and fine length.”
JP Fichet Meursault Meix Sous le Chateau, Cote de Beaune, France 2022 750ml $128 special, 7 bottles available
Neal Martin-Vinous 92 Points “The 2022 Meursault Meix Sous le Château has a little more reduction and intensity on the nose compared to the Village, with aromas of smoke and apple peel. The palate is where the real quality is, very focused and intense, with a killer line of acidity and real tension and “bite” toward the finish. Excellent. Tasted at merchants’ 2022 Burgundy tastings in London. (Drink between 2025-2040).”
 
Italy
 
Pio Cesare ‘Mosconi’, Barolo DOCG, Italy 2020 750ml $219 special, 2 bottles available
James Suckling 99 Points “Enchanting aromas of flowers like violets and lemon blossom, with raspberries and cranberries. Full-bodied yet focused and framed with a structure that builds on your palate and grows and grows, yet it remains fresh and vivid. The tannins are energetic and so, so long. A contemporary jewel. Fascinating. Thoughtful wine. Only the oldest vines are used in this from the 1940s and 1960s.”
 
 

 
 

 

“We transform the fruits of our earth for the wellbeing of those who reap its goodness … Our ultimate goal is to create harmony between man and nature.” –Elizabetta Foradori
 
We love Elisabetta Foradori and her wines.
 
Founded by her Grandfather in 1901, Azienda Agricola Foradori is finally hitting its stride under Elisabetta’s stewardship. High up in the Alpine Dolomites of Trentino, she is producing biodynamic, biodiverse, and culturally relevant bottlings. Foradori has championed the use of indigenous varietals such as Teroldego, with the help of Massale selection, bringing the grape back to its former glory and undo centuries of what they considered poor clonal selection. This approach has not only enhanced the quality of the wines but also ensured the preservation of the local ecosystem for generations to come.
 
These wines are an absolute must for natural wine geeks and fans of all things alpine!
 
 NEW ARRIVAL!  Foradori Teroldego Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy 2022 750ml $29 special, 24 bottles available
James Suckling 95 Points “Exquisite mix of dark fruit and earthy notes wrapped up with violets. Great fruit concentration and tension on the palate, with an extra dimension of blood orange fruit, a medium body and tight tannins that are polished on the finish. It shows sucrosity and is very crunchy. Drink or hold.”
 

Lowest listed price on the west coast

 
Foradori Fontanasanta Manzoni Bianco Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy 2023 750ml $34.50 special, 13 bottles available
James Suckling 95 Points “Amazing aromas of white flowers, beeswax, tangerines and ripe apples. Full and intense with dried lemons and apples and fascinating honey and floral notes. Phenolic texture. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drink or hold.”
 
 

 
 

 

“The 2021s from Leonetti Cellar are to die for.” –Eric Guido, Vinous Media
 
Although winemakers like Christoph Baron of Cayuse have brought more critical focus to “The Rocks” on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla AVA, Leonetti Cellar helped build the region entire. It was today’s owner Chris Figgins’ father who proved that the quality of Walla Walla grown Cabernet Sauvignon could rival that of Napa. Alongside names like Quilceda Creek, Leonetti is one Washington State’s fine wine pioneers.
 
Chris has arguably brought the wines to new heights, taking perfect advantage of Walla Walla’s hot summer days, cool nights, and iron rich soils, to creating concentrated, elegance, and mineral-rich, age worthy wines.
 
Leonetti Cabernet, Walla Walla, USA 2021 750ml $119 special, 19 bottles available
Jeb Dunnuck 97+ Points “The classic 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon from this reference point estate checks in as 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot, 5% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and the balance Malbec raised 22 months in once-filled oak and neutral oval botti. Its vivid purple hue is followed by a perfumed, youthful bouquet of cassis and blue fruits that give way to more graphite, chalky minerality, violets, and spicy oak. It’s deep, rich, and medium to full-bodied on the palate, with a gorgeous mid-palate, ripe, building, polished tannins, and fabulous length on the finish. This absolutely brilliant Cabernet Sauvignon needs to be forgotten for 2-4 years and will evolve gracefully over the following two decades. It’s another sensational wine from the talents of Chris Figgins.”
Eric Guido-Vinous 96 Points “The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is intense, smoldering up with a dark blend of blackcurrants, crushed rocks, hints of graphite and sage. This is cool-toned and crisp, with crunchy red and black fruits that cascade across the palate as a saturation of primary concentration adds inner tension. A web of finegrained tannins penetrates deeply, yet the 2021 maintains a fresh persona, tapering off long, staining and truly classic. A mineral tinge lingers on the finish.”
 
Leonetti Cellar Merlot, Walla Walla, USA 2022 750ml $95 special, 8 bottles available
Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points “All Merlot aged in once-filled and neutral oak, the 2022 Merlot sports a vivid ruby/purple hue as well as solid aromatics of ripe black cherries, cedary herbs, dried flowers, and a kiss of background oak. It’s medium to full-bodied, has a pure, elegant mouthfeel, polished tannins, and a great finish. It will keep from 10-12 years with ease.”
Anthony Mueller-Wine Advocate 93+ Points “Deeply colored and extracted for a Merlot, the 2022 Walla Walla Merlot displays mocha notes with plum and blackberry compote with soft notions of brown baking spices that sway from the glass with a firm, mineral essence. Full-bodied, the palate is still tight with firm, gripping tannins that will release with additional years in the cellar yet will remain food-friendly for the next decade. The wine spent 15 months in a mix of new and used French oak and neutral botti. 23,448 bottles were made.