Vinopolis Newsletter 9-6-24

 

 
 
Oregon
 

 

So you’ve been a wine salesman in Colorado Springs for years, dreaming of starting your own winery. But where?
 
It was a detour onto a foreclosed pig farm while on a family road trip that sealed Mike Etzel’s fate. Once he’d found the vineyard that would become Beaux Freres everything else began to fall into place. He traded his suit for boots and a shovel and dug right into Oregon’s burgeoning wine industry.

“The Beaux Frères Vineyard is located on an 88-acre farm atop Ribbon Ridge near Newberg, Oregon. Tall and stately Douglas fir trees cover nearly 50 acres of the farm, with homestead and winery buildings occupying another 8 acres. The vineyard is situated on 30 acres (24 of which are planted) of steep, contiguous southeast, south and southwest facing hillsides of Willakenzie soils at elevations of around 400 feet.” -Winery Note
Beaux Freres ‘The Beaux Freres Vineyard’ Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge, USA 2021 750ml $124.95 special, just 6 bottles available
Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points “Layered and graceful, the 2021 Pinot Noir The Beaux Freres Vineyard pours a ripe ruby hue and reveals a beautiful perfume of orange rind, fresh red plum, clove spice, and rocky earth. Medium-bodied, with tremendous energy, fine tannins, a mineral texture, and a great, lightly toasty finish, it’s a gorgeous wine to drink over the next 10-12 years. Absolutely beautiful.”
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 95+ Points “Medium ruby-purple, the 2021 Pinot Noir The Beaux Frères Vineyard opens slowly on the nose to a core of wild blackberry and blueberry, revealing tones of forest floor, licorice, bitters and floral potpourri as it spends time in the glass. The light-bodied palate is soft and juicy with surprisingly concentrated flavors for its delicate frame, and it has a long, floral finish. This is elegant, expressive and easy to drink!”
 

 
One of the few Willamette wineries that rises to the level of Beaux Freres, Sequitur just happens to be Mike Etzel’s newest winery.
 
When Mike decided to step back from his winemaking duties at Beaux Freres, he and his son (Mikey Etzel) founded their next family winery, Sequitur, which translates to “It follows,” in French. Located on an old Douglas Fir tree farm, this smaller production winery has allowed the Etzels to focus intently on sustainable agriculture and terroir expression.
 
Sequitur “Triple Seven” Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge, USA 2022 750ml $85 special, 12 bottles available
Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points “The 2022 Pinot Noir Triple Seven was raised in 30% new French oak and fermented in concrete. A jeweled ruby color with a light magenta hue, it’s pure and spicy with a savory depth to its notes of ripe raspberry, preserved cherries, wild roses, and mossy earth. Medium-bodied, it has a wonderfully refreshing feel, with ripe, well-defined tannins and a long, tapered, spiced finish. It’s crispy and refreshing all the way through. Drink 2026-2040.”
Eric Guido-Vinous 96 Points “A cascade of violet and lavender florals gives way to blackberries, hints of wet stone and flowery underbrush as the 2022 Pinot Noir Sequitur Vineyard blossoms in the glass. This is vividly fresh and cool-toned in feel, with depths of ripe wild berry fruit that add a tart concentration towards the close. Zesty acidity maintains tremendous freshness despite the 2022’s tannic heft, finishing dramatically long and full of tension. There’s an energy and vibrancy here that I find wildly attractive.

Sequitur Amphora “Triple Seven” Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge, USA 2022 750ml $95 special, 6 bottles available
Eric Guido-Vinous 95 Points “Remarkably fresh, the 2022 Pinot Noir Triple Seven Amphora burst from the glass with a zesty bouquet of rose petals, spiced orange rinds, wet stone and crushed black raspberries. This possesses abundant energy, with crisp wild berry fruits and sweet inner herbal tones framed by crisp tannins that emerge toward the close. It leaves the palate saturated in primary concentration yet maintains fantastic freshness. Lightly structured on the finish, a resonance of violet inner florals and licorice lingers on and on. This is a joyride experience with perfect balance.”
 

 

 

France
 

 

Single-vineyard…single-varietal… biodynamic… san-soufre.
 
These are some of the concepts that inspired Dominique Moreau to start her own winery in 2005. Beyond the buzzwords, this is a stellar project with wines that will stand the test of time. Working out of the Aube in the Côte des Bars, a region famous for its Kimmeridgian soils and fantastic pinot noir, the wines of Marie-Courtin have a Chablis-like intensity prized by Champagne drinkers for their refreshing acidity and pronounced minerality.
 
The winery itself is named for Moreau’s Grandmother, who imbued Dominique with a sense of wonder in nature and the power of its energies. Beyond just organic or Biodynamic practices, Dominique uses pendulums in the vineyard to gauge the energy emitted from grapes and discern ripeness.
 
Her wines are becoming modern classics, cult-like in their draw… try them today and catch the buzz for yourself!
 
Marie Courtin Efflorescence Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut, Champagne, France 2018 750ml $89 special, 3 bottles available
Marie Courtin Efflorescence Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut 2018 1.5L $199 special, 1 magnum available
Marie Courtin Efflorescence Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut 2018 3L $449 special, 1 Jeroboam available
Importer Notes “This barrel fermented vintage cuvee is made from grapes from the bottom of the hill, which Dominique belives results in greater power and aging potential. Zero dosage.”

750ml bottle is lowest listed price on the west coast
3L is only listing in the USA!

Marie Courtin Concordance Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut, Champagne, France 2018 750ml $99 special, 3 bottles available
Importer Notes “Harvest from massale selection vines 35-40 years in age from a single, 2.5 hectares parcel located in Polisot (Cote des Bar) … Aged sur lie for three years … Dominique’s zero dosage, zero sulfur Pinot Noir is powerful and complex.”
 
Marie Courtin Presence Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, Champagne, France 2020 750ml $99 special, 3 bottles available
Importer Note “Dominique Moreau’s first Blanc de Blanc blend combines Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc grown in the unique kimmeridgian and portlandian soils of the Aube. This zero dosage, no sulfur added cuvee is rich and racy and has a commanding “presence”, if you will, just as we have come to expect from this rising star.”
 
…Beyond these standard bottlings, we have Marie’s Amphora Aged bottles:
 
Marie Courtin Amphora Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, Champagne, France 2020 750ml $149 special, 3 bottles available
Importer Notes “After years of fermentations in tank, foudre and barrel, Dominique Moreau has ventured into the foray of amphora vinification and ageing. The Blanc de Blancs is a unique blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Arbanne, all grown in the kimmeridgian-centric soils of Polisot. The resulting wine is textured, bursting with energy and goes down easy.”
 
Marie Courtin Amphora Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut, Champagne, France 2020 750ml $149 special, 3 bottles available
Importer Notes “After years of fermentations in tank, foudre and barrel, Dominique Moreau has ventured into the foray of amphora vinification and ageing. The Blanc de Noirs is 100% Pinot Noir grown in the kimmeridgian-centric soils of Polisot. The resulting wine is deep and focused with penetrating bubbles and real staying power.”
 
… and a Coteaux Champenois (still wine) she produces as well:
 
Marie Courtin Coteaux Champenois Le Blanc du Tremble, Champagne, France 2020 750ml $79 special, 6 bottles available
Importer Note “Dominique Moreau’s Coteaux Champenois “Blanc du Tremble” is made from 100% massale selection Pinot Noir. Aged in clay and sandstone amphoras with produced with zero sulfur added, this Coteaux Blanc is rich, racy and textured. Nose is reminiscent of Concordance Blanc de Noir sans soufre Champagne with its aromas of stonefruit and honey. An indulgent and classy Coteaux in very limited supply!”
 

 

Italy
 

 
“My only goal as a winemaker must be to highlight the potential of our land. Here each vineyard has its own particular characteristic. I want to express this as best as I can in my wines.” –Domenico Clerico
 
Domenico Clerico was among a wave of modernist Piedmont winemakers who brought Barolo to previously unimaginable heights critically and (judging by the price tags) financially in the 1980’s. Bucking Barolo traditions with longer maceration times in small French oak barrels, Clerico introduced a more international style of Barolo to Americans. However, as he grew older, Domenico eventually returned to his region’s traditions and embraced large format Slavonian oak casks.
 
What’s old is new again with Domenico Clerico and the wines taste better than ever.
 
Clerico Barolo Aeroplan Servaj DOCG 2020 750ml $125 special, 5 bottles available
Wine Advocate 97+ Points “The 2020 Barolo Aeroplan Servaj offers a bright and elegant fruit profile with tart fruit, blackcurrant, spice, cola, licorice and candied orange peel. It feels ironed out and smooth, folding softly over the palate initially yet ending with firm structure and framing. This wine normally represents a selection of fruit from Baudana in Serralunga d’Alba (planted in 1994), but the big change this year is that Aeroplan Servaj only sees fruit picked in the coolest parts of the vineyard.”
 
Clerico Barolo Bussia Bricotto DOCG 2020 750ml $149 special, 3 bottles available
Wine Advocate 97+ Points “This wine stands out for its elegance and ephemeral personality. The Domenico Clerico 2020 Barolo Bussia Bricotto has a pretty fruit profile with cherry cola, dried strawberry and a fragrant floral character of rose or hibiscus. The fruit takes center stage, and there is some light spice with shadings of cinnamon stick and nutmeg. The wine has good acidity and structure. This was the first vineyard purchased by the late Domenico Clerico in 1976, and this is the new, restyled version.”
 
Clerico Barolo Ginestra Ciabot Mentin 2020 750ml $119 special, 6 bottles available
Wine Advocate 97 Points “The Domenico Clerico 2020 Barolo Ginestra Ciabot Mentin shows really great balance in terms of the oak integration. For the first time, the estate has decided to use large oak casks (removing the barrique entirely), and the results are extraordinary. There is a lot of dark fruit, like cranberry and currant, that holds tight and defines the wine throughout. There is black tea and spice, but these tones work with the fruit not against it. It finishes smooth, with glossy tannins, pretty acidity and a much brighter and lighter overall personality.”
 
Clerico Barolo Del Comune Di Monforte d’Alba 2020 750ml $49 special, 12 bottles available
Wine Advocate 93 Points “Spiced cranberry and blood orange peel off the top of the Domenico Clerico 2020 Barolo del Comune di Monforte d’Alba. This vintage is open and front-loaded overall; however, it does touch on all the main elements atop the Nebbiolo playlist. The wine is lean with young tannins. All said and done, the oak is graciously underplayed, and all the wine needs is another year or two in bottle to allow the fruit to flesh out. It ages in large oak casks with about 10% in barrique.”
 

 

 GD Vajra

GD Vajra Barolo Albe 2019 750ml $33.50 special, 36 bottles available
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 94 Points “This is certainly one of the most popular and versatile wines made in Italy, and deservedly so. The well-priced G.D. Vajra 2019 Barolo Albe shows some ripe fruit and softness with cherry, dried raspberry and crushed rose. This vintage is similar in character to the 2016 release in that both vintages offer a linear style with good structure at the back. The mouthfeel is polished and long, affording accessibility and complexity too.”
James Suckling  93 Points “A firm and polished red with berries and spices, like nutmeg and pepper. Orange peel, too. Medium body. Fresh and energetic finish.”
 
GD Vajra Dolcetto d’Alba 2021 750ml $18 special, 36 bottles available
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 90 Points “Made only in stainless steel, the 2021 Dolcetto d’Alba shows a purplish color with inky concentration. The bouquet is simple and direct with loads of sweet candied cherry, crème de cassis and bitter almond. This is another terrific take on one of Piedmont’s most versatile grapes.”

 

 
Cappellano Barolo Chinato Vino Aromatizzato, Piedmont, Italy 2016 750ml $99 special, 6 bottles available
Importer’s Note “One cannot say much, certainly not enough, about the Chinato from Cappellano since the production and recipe are closely held secrets within the family. Suffice it to say that the family has produced an iconic version of this wine infused with spices, herbs and other earthly elements that make for a ravishing sensory experience! We use the Cappellano Chinato in cocktail recipes, but also while cooking to deglaze or to marinate, and it has proved to add fascinating savoury aspects to a growing list of dishes … another way to add this elixir to your life-style.”
 
 
Germany
 

 

Peter Lauer – the third in the family to coax wine from earth and into bottle – makes drop-dead gorgeous wines. It seems as though this was once a secret, known only by a spattering of sommeliers and retail nerds. In counting ourselves among the latter, we’re not too worried that the cat’s out of the bag with this one.
 
There’s enough to go around. Enjoy it.
 
These are the lowest prices on the West Coast for these wines:
 
 Staff Pick!  Peter Lauer ‘Barrel X’ Saar Riesling, Mosel, Germany 2023 750ml $21.90 special, 24 bottles available
Importer Notes ” ‘Barrel X’ is winemaker Florian Lauer’s Platonic ideal of what a slightly off-dry (feinherb) Saar Riesling should be … Regardless of what comes from where, this much is certain: dollar for dollar, I’m not sure there is a 750ml bottle that delivers as much joy and zing. This is the gateway drug to Lauer, to the Saar, to Riesling… be careful. Very addictive.”
 
Peter Lauer Ayler Riesling Fass 4 Feinherb, Mosel, Germany 2023 750ml $33 special, 6 bottles available
Importer Notes “As noted with Fass 25, yet more revelations of climate change, the “1er Cru” Scheidterberg and Sonnenberg hills that curl around the village of Ayl are beginning to turn out wines of real depth and complexity, yet they also still flaunt a bit of their even-more-cool-climate thing. Think of it as “Barrel X” with more punch and guts.”
 
Peter Lauer Ayler Fass 77 Riesling Spatlese, Mosel, Germany 2023 750ml $34.50 special, 12 bottles available
Importer Notes “While everyone yanks the wheel to the right, doing ever-more dry wines, Lauer holds his own course, providing for us new treasures for our campaign: “Spätlese is the new Kabinett.” Some say Spätlese is the heart of the vintage; I’m not 100% sure but this is delicious, light and zingy and refreshing. Dinner Spätlese – not for dessert.”
 
Peter Lauer Ayler Riesling Fass 25 Trocken, Mosel, Germany 2023 750ml $31.90 special, 6 bottles available
Importer Notes “The 2023er Ayler Riesling N°25 is a bone-dry wine (with less than 4 g/l of residual sugar) made from fruit picked on the Scheidterberg and Rauberg side hills. This yellow-colored wine offers a quite aromatic and subtly creamy nose made of fresh grapefruit puree, pear, white flowers, and smoky elements. It proves smooth and suave on the palate and leaves a creamy but nicely fruity feel in the long finish.”
 
Peter Lauer Ayler Kupp Fass 10 Riesling Auslese, Mosel, Germany 2023 375ml $41.90 special, 2 half-bottles available
Winery Notes “If the weather is good, overripe, golden-yellow berries will also develop a little botrytis. If there is fog in the morning and sun at midday, dried raisins will be found among the berries in the evening. We have “selected” precisely these grapes from our top location Ayler Kupp. One of the best aperitif wines in the world and a top cheese accompaniment. Gourmet tip: When matured, this wine is a true revelation with game dishes with strong sauces.”
 
Peter Lauer Ayler Kupp Fass 7 Riesling Spatlese, Mosel, Germany 2023 750ml $49 special, 10 bottles available
Importer Notes “The epitome of delicacy in a Spätlese. It is in no way a dry wine, yet the tart and salty vibrations might make parts of your brain think it is? This is supremely focused and clear, with a slim form attenuated into something almost gossamer. Just outrageous. Again, dinner Spätlese – not for dessert.”
 
Peter Lauer Fass 8 Ayler Kupp Riesling Kabinett, Mosel, Germany 2023 750ml $34.95 special, 6 bottles available
Mosel Fine Wines “This bright-white-yellow-colored wine offers a beautiful nose made of white flowers, grapefruit, bergamot, whipped cream, and strong smoky elements. It is full of tart grip and zest on the palate and leaves a nice tart yet also subtly creamy feel in the finish. The aftertaste reveals a riper side paired with fresher elements of grapefruit.”
 
Peter Lauer Ayler Kupp Unterstenberg – Unterstenbersch Fass 12 Riesling, Mosel, Germany 2023 750ml $44.10 special, 3 bottles available
Mosel Fine Wines “This bright hay- yellow-colored wine offers a very attractive nose made of pear, creamy elements, spices, grapefruit puree, white flowers, and smoke. It is nicely playful on the subtly creamy palate and leaves a smooth feel of herbs and minerals in the finish. The aftertaste develops more cut. Despite being open, we feel that this wine will benefit from a few years of bottle aging to integrate its elements and develop more cut.”

 

 
 

 
“The Dal Forno production is always an artful expression, as these are wines that can be made in no other hands. This is because of the unique qualities of the Lodoletta Vineyard, which has alluvial clay soils, and the proprietary technology used during fermentation and winemaking.” -Monica Larner, Wine Advocate
 
In a few wine regions throughout the world, there exists one individual or family that defines the style of the region. When it comes to Valpolicella, the Dal Forno family does just that, crafting deeply concentrated expressions for over thirty years.
 
Established in 1983 by Romano Dal Forno, the estate vaulted to the heights of perfection in the Veneto. The family employs traditional winemaking techniques, such as extended drying of the grapes before pressing, to craft their serious and seriously concentrated wines.
 
WAS $419
Dal Forno Romano Monte Lodoletta, Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG, Italy 2015 750ml $379 special, 12 bottles available
James Suckling 100 Points “This is black as pitch in the glass and, yes, there’s a light, tarry edge to the super-concentrated prune, date and currant fruit. But even more interesting are the complex notes of bitter-orange liqueur, aged balsamic, fresh roasting herbs, cinnamon, roasted chestnuts, black tea and licorice. The more you decant in advance, the more nuances will emerge. It’s full-bodied with huge concentration and lots of chewy tannin that is managing to hold the fruit back for now. This needs plenty of time to develop in the bottle. Just superb. One of the greatest Dal Forno’s ever.”

 

WAS $379
Dal Forno Romano Monte Lodoletta, Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG, Italy 2012 750ml $329 special, 12 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 97 points “A decadent nose of treacle tart, chocolate, tar, tons of black fruit such as blackberries and mulberries and even ash and licorice. A dense, layered mouthfeel makes for a full-bodied palate that’s explosive yet somehow so refined and pretty all at the same time. The finish goes on and on. Incredible now, but better to wait for this giant to settle well into 2020.”

WAS $449
Dal Forno Romano Vigneto Monte Lodoletta, Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG, Italy 2017 750ml $379 special, 6 bottles available
James Sucking 98 Points ” …A tour de force, despite the sheer morass of palate-staining fruit. The malty oak is evident, yet operates as a welcome adjunct to corral and compress the swashbuckle of coffee grinds, beef bouillon, mint, leather varnish and saturated dark cherry liqueur, into a sheath of tension as much as sheer power. Grapes are dried for 70-80 days. This may seem obvious initially, but as one works it out in the glass and across the inner gums, the multitudinous layers become evident. A wine that shape-shifts and beguiles, as much it wrestles with the senses.”
 

 
Not content to go into the family business, Jacques Seysses pursued his passions for wine and food to Burgundy, where he purchased an old estate in Morey-Saint-Denis, renamed it for himself (Domaine of Jacques) and got to work improving his new home and place of business. Domaine Dujac would quickly become synonymous with luxury and greatness.
 
These new Close-out wines provide a fantastic opportunity to sample some of the finest vineyards in all of Burgundy at some of the lowest prices in the United States!
 
WAS $1,449
Domaine Dujac Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits, France 2019 1.5L $1,199 special, 1 magnum available
Stephen Tanzer-Vinous 95-97 Points “The 2019 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru has an airy and generous bouquet with lifted black fruit, hoisin and light roasted chestnut aromas, all well defined. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, a beautiful line of acidity, svelte and harmonious with a slightly grainy-textured finish. I adore the discrete crescendo in this Grand Cru and the unimposing but long aftertaste. “It’s been growing in stature over the last 10 to 15 years,” remarked Alex Seysses. Proof of that is evident by tasting this superb Charmes-Chambertin.”
 
WAS $999
Domaine Dujac Clos De La Roche Grand Cru 2021 750ml $749 special, 1 bottle available
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 93-95 Points “More brooding than the Clos Saint-Denis, Dujac’s 2021 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru opens in the glass with aromas of dark berries, cherries, sweet forest floor and baking spices. Full-bodied, layered and muscular, with impressive concentration and a long, rose-inflected finish, it’s another of the range’s high-points.”
 
WAS $899
Domaine Dujac Clos St. Denis 2021 750ml $749 special, 1 bottle available
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 94-95 Points “The 2021 Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru is brilliant, wafting from the glass with aromas of sweet red berries, summer fruit compote, sweet spices, licorice, peony and coniferous forest floor. Full-bodied, ample and layered, it’s fleshy and textural, its satiny attack segueing into a deep, seamless mid-palate and a perfumed, penetrating finish.”