In This Newsletter:ArrivalsBrovia, Kelley Fox, Domaine du Bagnol, Domaine Pradeaux, and more!Close-OutsFancy drinking: Strike a pose, drink VenogeLandi and Nin-Ortiz: Prizes of Priorat 
New Arrivals
FRANCE
Domaine Tempier Bandol, Provence, France 2021 750ml $59 special, 36+ bottles availableFalstaff 93 Points “Vivid notes of ripe strawberry immediately hit the nose with red-fruited charm, opening up into aromatic notes of summer pudding. The palate is smooth and just as fruity. This is rounded and medium bodied, brimming with that ripe, fresh berry fruit and an ample, full-fruited yet utterly fresh, summery richness.”
Best Price on the West Coast!
R.H. Coutier Grand Cru Brut Rose, Champagne, France 750ml $49 special, 12 bottles availableWinery Notes “Our cuvee Rose express fineness and elegance due to a higher proportion of Chardonnay in the blend. It is brisk, fresh and full of energy, the Rosé offers a striking interplay of Ambonnay richness and verve. Dried flowers, cranberry, mint and blood orange.”
Best Price on the West Coast!
SOUTH AFRICA MAN Vintners ‘Ou Kalant’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Coastal Region, South Africa 2021 750ml $11.90 special, 12 bottles availableWinery Note “A perfect marriage of new world vibrant fruit and old world elegance. Deep garnet in colour, this wine has aromas of dark cherries followed by cassis and red-currant fruit on the palate. Silky tannins and a long smooth finish characterize this versatile Cabernet Sauvignon.” MAN Vintners ‘Padstal’ Chardonnay, Coastal Region, South Africa 2022 750ml $11.90 special, 11 bottles availableWinery Note “This delicate Chardonnay strikes the perfect balance between fruit flavours and a light touch of oak. Pale straw in appearance, this wine has marmalade, pineapple and butterscotch aromas on the nose, with hints of citrus, lime and peach flavours on the palate.” MAN Vintners ‘Bosstok’ Pinotage, Paarl, South Africa 2021 750ml $11.90 special, 11 bottles availableNo reviews for the 2021 vintage. 2020 review provided for reference.Decanter 90 Points “Bright polished nose of spices, liquorice, juicy red cherries and white chocolate. Powerful and fruit-forward with supple tannins.” Winery Note “A clean, modern-style Pinotage with enticing aromas of mocha, chocolate and roasted coffee beans, coupled with well-integrated flavours of berries, nutmeg and vanilla spice on the palate. Bush-vine vineyards contribute to exceptionally flavourful grapes.” MAN Vintners ‘Warrelwind’ Sauvignon Blanc, Western Cape, South Africa 2023 750ml $11.90 special, 12 bottles availableWinery Note “A refreshing and balanced wine with an abundance of flavors from both sides of the Sauvignon Blanc spectrum. This wine has tropical fruit aromas with just a hint of herbaceousness. Rich tropical fruit on the palate complemented by a crisp and well integrated acidity.”
Arriving Friday, June 7th
OREGON Kelley Fox Wines ‘Durant Vineyard’ Chardonnay, Dundee Hills, USA 2022 750ml $44.50 special, 12 bottles availableJeb Dunnuck 95 Points “A bright yellow hue with green highlights, the 2022 Chardonnay Durant Vineyard is expressive in its lacy perfume of jasmine, tarragon, salty earth, and bright green apple. Medium-bodied, it offers beautiful, pristine, ripe fruit, a pithy texture, and a delicate arch to its rounded mouthfeel, with no harshness. It’s refined and graceful, with a floral flourish of lemon blossoms lasting long on the finish. Drink 2024-2034.” FRANCE Domaine du Bagnol Cassis Rose, Provence, France 2023 750ml $26.50 special, 36 bottles availableImporter’s Note “No estate expresses the salt-kissed limestone-driven terroir of the idyllic Provençal seaside village of Cassis like Domaine du Bagnol, and the current generation, Sébastien Genovesi, crafts a rosé of scintillating energy, chiseled calcareous musculature, and gleaming red fruits. Comprising 50% Grenache, 30% Cinsault, and 20% Mourvèdre, Bagnol’s Cassis Rosé is pressed directly and rapidly (in under two hours) to extract as little color as possible, and the bottled wine (certified organic) contains only 20 milligrams per liter of total sulfur—a factor which contributes to its gorgeous purity of texture and intense evocation of limestone soil.” Chateau Pradeaux Cotes de Provence Rose, France 2023 750ml $21.90 special, 36 bottles availableNot Reviewed Yet, Previous vintage provided for referenceWine Spectator 91 Points “A bold and formidable style that leans to the savory side, showing a strapping mix of grilled peach flavors and a lashing of grilled herbs. A serious rosé, with great texture and serious depth. Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Grenache.” Winery Notes “A core of sappy, glycerol red-cherry fruit anchors a firm, punchy minerality, and the finish is remarkably persistent. The vineyards that comprise this wine were, in fact, classified as Bandol AOC as recently as 2012, and this wine clearly distinguishes itself from among the vast ocean of Côtes de Provence rose by virtue of its terroir’s unique pedigree.” Chateau Pradeaux Bandol Rose, Provence, France 2023 750ml $31.90 special, 18 bottles availableRobert Parker’s Wine Advocate 91-93 Points “Not bottled yet at the time of my spring visit to the region, the 2021 Bandol Rose nevertheless showed exceptional promise in my blind tasting. A blend of 80% Mourvèdre and 20% Cinsault, it’s a coppery flamingo-pink in color, with more extraction and tannin than your typical Bandol rosé. It’s round and ripe on the palate, medium to full-bodied, with cherry and lime notes and a long, softly dusty finish. The 2020 version, tried at the estate, is still going strong and might be even a little bit better. Don’t skip it just because it’s not called out on this list.”
This is the best price on the West Coast
Mas de Valeriole ‘Ve’ Rose, IGP Mediterranee, France 2023 750ml $14.50 special, 36+ bottles availableDistributor’s Note “‘Vé’a local Provençal expression meaning “Look at that!”– is a blend of 80% Caladoc (a crossing of Grenache and Malbec) and 20% Merlot and Syrah (2023 marks the first vintage a splash of Syrah is included), from soils of sand and loam, pressed directly without maceration. Clocking in at a modest 12.5% alcohol, it offers bright, salt-tinged flavors of raspberry and ripe citrus fruits, with a sneakily long finish given its modest price.”
This is the Lowest listed price in the USA!
ITALY
Brovia Barolo.
EXTREMELY LIMITED! These are first come first served:
Brovia Barolo DOCG, Piedmont, Italy 2018 750ml $54.50 special, 18 bottles availableWine Advocate 90 Points “The Brovia 2018 Barolo is a classic wine with a smooth and silky mouthfeel that is brightened by cassis, dried cherry, tar, licorice and campfire ash. The firm tannins give ample support and contribute to the wine’s considerable length.” Brovia ‘Brea Vigna Ca’ Mia’, Barolo DOCG, Italy 2018 1.5L $219 special, 1 bottle availableKerin O’Keefe- Wine Enthusiast 98 Points “Fragrant and loaded with finesse, this beauty opens with heady scents of woodland berry, new leather, violet, spice and the barest whiff of truffle. The full-bodied, delicious palate features juicy Marasca cherry, crushed raspberry and baking spice before a long licorice close. Bright acidity and taut but ultrarefined tannins provide seamless support. Drink 2026-2038.” Brovia ‘Brea Vigna Ca’ Mia’, Barolo DOCG, Italy 2019 750ml $149 special, 1 bottle availableWine Advocate 98 Points “With the cream-colored label, the 2019 Barolo Brea Vigna Ca’ Mia is another standout wine from one of the most collectible producers in the appellation. The wine from vintners Elena Brovia and Alex Sanchez is especially sharp, focused and polished. You get a lot of satisfaction here and sophistication too, with an amazing sense of clarity and depth. Wild berry, cassis, blood orange, iris and campfire ash emerge from the bouquet. There is drying mineral on the silky close. This is one of my favorite wines of the vintage.” Brovia Garblet Sue Barolo DOCG, Piedmont, Italy 2018 750ml $89 special, 2 bottles availableKerin-O’Keefe-Wine Enthusiast 97 Points “Aromas of camphor, rose and violet mingle with woodland berry and forest floor on this fragrant, gorgeous wine. Full-bodied and all about elegance, the savory palate features strawberry compote, juicy red cherry and licorice alongside taut, refined tannins. Bright acidity keeps it vibrant and well balanced. Drink 2023-2030.”
This is the lowest price in the United States!
Brovia Villero, Barolo DOCG, Italy 2018 750ml $99 special, 12 bottles availableKerin O’Keefe-Wine Enthusiast 97 Points “Aromas of forest berry, new leather, dark spice and camphor come to the forefront on this gorgeous red. Full-bodied and delicious, the elegantly structured palate doles out crushed raspberry, licorice, orange zest and mint while bright acidity lends youthful, nervous tension. Taut, refined tannins provide structure and impeccable balance. Drink 2026-2038.”
This is the lowest price in the United States!
Close Outs De Venoge.
WAS $189De Venoge Louis XV Brut 2006 750ml $169 special, 12+ bottles availableWine Advocate 96 Points “The assemblage of the 2006 Louis XV Brut Millésimé is about the same as the 1995 and 1996—composed of 50/50 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, all from grand cru villages. The only difference is that the Chardonnay from Le Mesnil-sur-Oger (10% of the assemblage) spent 12 months in oak barrels. Disgorged in January 2017 (dosage: six grams per liter), the 2006 has a golden color and opens with a deep, ripe, elegant and vinous bouquet with toasty and chalky lemon and fresh white fruit flavors. On the palate, this is an intense, round, fresh and complex Louis XV with great purity and finesse … The 2006 shows a lot of Chardonnay features right now and drinks perfectly today; however, it can be kept under perfect conditions for decades.” WAS $249De Venoge Louis XV Brut 2008 750ml $219 special, 12+ bottles availableJames Suckling 95 Points “This is really punchy and broad-shouldered with muscular structure and citrusy undertones. Full body. Lightly tannic and a fresh and vivid finish. This is the first vintage without malolactic fermentation ever. One for the cellar. Better in 2022.” WAS $189De Venoge Louis XV Extra Brut Rose 2002 750ml $159 special, 12+ bottles availableWine Spectator 93 Points “Harmonious, with fine intensity, offering rich notes of spice cake, toasted almond, dried cherry, grilled plum and smoky mineral. Almost velvety in texture, with juicy acidity that brings you back for another sip. Delicious. Drink now through 2022. 54 cases made.”
Priorat: Daniel Landi and Nin-Ortiz.
WAS $39 Daniel Gomez Jimenez-Landi ‘Las Uvas de la Ira’ Garnacha, Mentrida, Spain 2018 750ml $31.90 special, 14 bottles availableLuis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 93 Points “The red 2018 Las Uvas de la Ira has been produced with Garnacha from the same five vineyards since the initial vintage (2012) in the village of El Real de San Vicente, which is one of the villages from Méntrida (Toledo) that are part of the Gredos Mountains. The vines range between 40 and 65 years of age, and they are located at around 750 meters in altitude on sandy granite soils with lots of silt. The different vineyards are fermented separately in oak vats with indigenous yeasts and a very gentle vinification, one-third with very long macerations to provide structure and depth, one-third with a very short maceration to provide fragrance, and the remaining third finished the fermentation without skins (like a white) to add juiciness. The élevage is in oak foudres of different sizes, from 1,500 to 4,000 liters. This is a little less aromatic and more austere but very focused and bright, from a village where the wines are serious and have a chalky texture, less floral but more citrus, a bit more backward. It has a compact palate, with very fine tannins and a more chalky finish. It’s interesting to taste it next to wines from other villages, as you clearly see the difference. 18,700 bottles produced. It was bottled in August 2019.” WAS $49Familia Nin-Ortiz ‘Planetes de Nin’, Priorat DOCa, Spain 2017 750ml $44.50 special, 36+ bottles availableLuis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 95 Points “The 2017 Planetes de Nin comes from the four hectares of 20-year-old Garnacha and 11-year-old Cariñena in the Planetes vineyard in Porrera at 450 meters in altitude. It’s 60% Garnacha (some of it Peluda) and the rest Cariñena, harvested early. It fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in 3,200-liter oak vats and one 1,000-liter amphora for 17 months. It has depth and harmony, and the vines are getting older and seem to be better and better balanced. This is not that different from the 2016; it feels quite stable and has its style and character, especially since the 2015 vintage. 9,704 bottles were filled in April 2019.”
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