In This Newsletter:ArrivalsDomaine Tempier, Bedrock Wine Co, Droin, and moreStaff PickAn Alpine Stunner for The SummerSicilian Wines
Like the Mediterranean In A Glass
Close Out SalesBarolo, Beaujolais, and Burgundy oh my!
One Week SaleJJ Prum: The Rhine Stuff– LAST DAY
Collector’s Corner
White Gold
New ArrivalsUSA
“Bedrock Wine Co.”
Bedrock is first and foremost a mission-driven operation dedicated to preserving and rehabilitating old vineyards around California. These vineyards, planted by California’s viticultural pioneers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, are living pieces of history. From their humble beginnings in 2007 making wine in an old chicken coop to the world of high scores in major wine publications they have remained focused on coaxing high-quality terroir driven wines from their eclectic vineyards. Bedrock Evangelho Heritage Red 2021 750ml $44.50 special, 24 bottles availableJeb Dunnuck 96 Points “From Zinfandel grown in the pure sand soils of this incredible site, the 2021 Evangelho Vineyard Heritage is lifted and pure with raspberry liqueur, fresh flowers, and brushy earth. Medium-bodied, with a highly refined structure, it reveals a floral perfume of herbes de Provence and rose petals that lasts long after the wine has dissipated. With fine tannins and a gorgeous, sandy mineral texture, it’s a beautiful wine to drink over the next 10 or more years.” Bedrock The Bedrock Heritage Sonoma Red 2021 750ml $51.90 special, 24 bottles availableJeb Dunnuck 96 Points “A deep but transparent red, the 2021 The Bedrock Heritage is about 50% Zinfandel and offers aromas of fresh pencil shavings, black cherry, roasted herbs, and fresh flowers. Full-bodied, it has fine sweet tannins and note of ripe berries, mocha, and turned soil. Drink over the next 10 years.” Bedrock Rose Of Mourvedre ‘Ode To Lulu’ 2022 750ml $21.90 special, 24 bottles availableWinery Note “The 2022 Ode to Lulu Rose features a blend 60% Mourvedre, 35% Grenache, and 5% Syrah. Ode to Lulu is Bedrock’s love letter to Lulu Peynaud from the great Bandol estate Domaine Tempier they love so much. Sourced from vines averaging 60 years old. As always, the winemakers aim for a balance between ethereal lightness combined with straight-up delicious fruit qualities.”
Also Available from Bedrock
Bedrock Alta Vista Gewurztraminer 2019 750ml $29 special, 18 bottles availableAntonio Galloni 93 Points “The 2019 Gewürztraminer Alta Vista Vineyard Old Vine is another compelling wine in this range. Readers will find a dry Gewürztraminer that emphasizes a whole range of savory and floral notes. Even so, the 2019 exudes richness and the layers open with time in the glass, bringing out the wine’s creaminess.” Bedrock Old Hill Ranch Heritage Red 2018 750ml $59 special, 1 bottle still availableVinous 96 Points “The 2018 Old Hill Heritage Wine is one of the many drop-dead gorgeous wines in the Bedrock range this year. The field blend of 30 varieties confers unusual complexity and nuance. Lavender, mint and sweet red cherry fruit develop, but it is the balance of power and finesse that I find most compelling. There are just so many layers of the Old Hill. Readers lucky enough to find it are in for a real treat.”
France
Domaine Des Bosquets Gigondas Le Plateau 2019 750ml $69 special, 30 bottles availableWine Advocate 95-97 Points “The nearly 100-year-old Mourvèdre vines cropped a mere 10 hectoliters per hectare for the 2019 Gigondas Le Plateau, meaning there are just three demi-muids. It’s a powerful, richly tannic version of this wine, full-bodied but not inelegant, marrying plummy fruit with spicy complexities reminiscent of tree bark, star anise, clove and more. While reasonably open as a barrel sample, I suspect it will close down and require several years of aging after release yet be capable of drinking well for two decades.” Wine Spectator 96 Points “This shows a prominent leather-wrapped and cassis-soaked rosemary flavor profile, while bitter cherry and plum fruit notes make a bid for attention. The finish is paved with warm stone and smoldering garrigue accents, along with a long, lingering tobacco edge. A Bandol-esque version of Gigondas. Mourvèdre, Syrah, Cinsault, Grenache and Clairette. Best from 2025 through 2040. 180 cases made, 15 cases imported.”
Jean-Paul And Benoit Droin Chablis 2021 750ml $34.50 special, 36+ bottles available92 Points Decanter “Droin owns 10ha of AP Chablis. Much more interest here with a deeper hue in the glass and much more interest on the nose. Some greengage on the palate, together with a hint of pear and white peach. Pretty much a benchmark example of what village Chablis should be. Concentration and a lengthy mineral character to finish.”
Staff PickAlto Adige
Kellerei Kaltern Quintessenz Classico Superiore 2017 750ml $16 special, 35 bottles available“Looking for the perfect summer red? This wine is so crisp and refreshing it should be handed out like Gatorade to marathoners at the finish line. A light, but structured Schiava-based wine from the foothills of the Italian Alps, this will appeal to pinot fans, gamay enthusiasts, and cool-climate cab franc freaks. For best results, put this in the fridge for at least 20 minutes and drink in the sunshine with grilled meats or veggies.” -Tracy
Sicilian Wines
Sicily: The Mediterranean In Your Glass
“The Etna is the Burgundy of the Mediterranean,” says the man whose career as an importer of fine Italian wines is legendary. Marc De Grazia is one of the original ‘Barolo Boys,’ and his beloved Tenuta delle Terre Nere was more than 20 years in the making. Today, he farms 29 parcels on the northern flank, and his portfolio of wines is the gold standard for Etna wine.”
-Wine Advocate
Shaking off decades in the popular imagination as a land of organized crime and violent natural disasters, Sicily has quietly become a destination for international tourism and wine lovers alike. In the shadow of Mount Etna, Sicily’s climate is typically Mediterranean but wholly unique, featuring mineral rich volcanic soils and dramatic, mountainous vineyard aspects perfectly suited to viticulture. With star producers like Occhipinti, Feudo Montoni, and Terre Nerre, Sicily has quickly become one of the most unique and exciting wine regions in Europe.
Donnafugata Sherazade Nero D’avola Sicilia 2020 750ml $21.90 special, 18 bottles availableVinous “The 2020 Nero d’Avola Sherazade wafts up with a smoky mix of grilled herbs and crushed blackberries. It’s soft and enveloping, enlivened by a tart twang of acidity, while showing red and blue wild berry fruits. This tapers off perfumed, and it leaves a gentle tug of tannin as hints of licorice slowly fade.” Feudo Montoni Perricone Del Core Sicilia 2016 750ml $19.50 special, 12 bottles availableVinous 93 Points “Deep ruby-red. Perfumed aromas of red cherry, raspberry, sweet spices, and fresh flowers. Clean, suave and round, ripe red cherry and vanilla flavors are complicated by hints of grilled nuts and marzipan. Finishes very clean, not to mention juicy, on the very long, very bright back end.” Feudo Montoni Passito Rosso NV 375ml $39 special, 28 half bottles availableVinous 94 Points “Bright deep red with an orange rim. The nose really opens with aeration to offer sweet red plum, dehydrated red cherry, cinnamon and raisins. Then similar flavors to the aromas lifted by juicy, harmonious acidity. Finishes very long and suave with saline nuances and repeating notes of raisins. Lovely, light on its feet dessert wine that seems less sweet than it really is thanks to its piercing acidity. One of the best sweet wines I have tasted so far this year. This is a blend of air-dried Nero d’Avola and Perricone aged in wood barrels for seven months and then twelve months in bottle prior to going on sale.” Feudo Montoni Vrucara Nero D’avola Prephyllox 2015 750ml $49 special, 2 bottles availableWine Advocate 94 Points “Tasted from magnum, the 2015 Sicilia Nero d’Avola Vrucara is a dark and penetrating wine with a chiseled and pungent side that delivers dried cherry and blackberry preserves. There is a point of ripeness, maybe even jammy cherry with lots of inky dark fruit. I knocked off a point or two compared to the previous edition because I am less a fan of that ripeness. You get cherry liqueur or cherry syrup sweetness on the close. However, this remains one of the benchmark bottles for Sicily’s banner grape Nero d’Avola.” Vinous 93+ Points “Good full ruby-red. Aromas and flavors of red/dark berries, plum, smoke, coriander and herbs. Juicy, taut and precise, with musky notes that extend onto the long, very smooth back end.” Feudo Montoni Vrucara Nero D’avola Prephyllox 2016 750ml $49 special, 22 bottles availableWine Enthusiast 93 Points “Made with bush-trained pre-phylloxera vines, this fascinating wine needs time to breathe before releasing intense aromas of menthol, dried earth, ripe black-skinned berry and star anise. The aromas carry on to the smooth, juicy palate along with ripe plum, black cherry, vanilla and a hint of iron. Soft tannins provide gentle support.” Feudo Montoni Vrucara Nero D’avola Sicily 2018 750ml $59 special, 12 bottles availableVinous 94 Points “The 2019 Etna Rosso Calderara Sottana slowly blossoms in the glass, unfurling with a layered and deep display of black cherries, licorice camphor and pine. Further swirling unlocks balsam herbs, plum sauce and dusty rose. It rushes the palate with a wave of silken textures, filling the senses with red currants, blueberry and hints of candied citrus. Fine tannins emerge through the finale, previously masked by ripe inner fruits, making for a lightly structured finish. A salty flourish gives way to hints of graphite and black licorice that linger on and on. While I’m accustomed to Calderara Sottana being one of the more structured and backward wines from the Terre Nere portfolio, the 2019 possesses an early appeal that I find quite attractive. That said, there’s an underlying power here that only cellaring will unlock.” Wine & Spirits 94 Points “Vines up to a century old yielded the fruit for this smoky and meaty wine. Its black-cherry and plum flavors are deep and dense, laced with notes of roasted fennel and warm spice. A cool layer of graphite balances the wine’s peppery spice notes, the flavors all riding above a core of bristling minerality. The tannins were still smoothing out after three days, suggesting this has the structure and intensity to age gracefully.” Gulfi Cerasuolo Di Vittoria Classico 2017 750ml $48 special, 17 bottles availableVinous 93 Points “Deep ruby. Intense violet/black cherry on the very perfumed nose. Then big dense and juicy, with ripe black cherry and candied violet flavors complicated by flint and aromatic spices. Finishes long with building tannins and a strong floral note derived from the Frappato. An outstanding Cerasuolo di Vittoria.” Gulfi Cerasuolo Di Vittoria 2019 750ml $21.90 special, 8 bottles availableVinous 90 Points “The 2019 Cerasuolo di Vittoria is lifted, presenting a pure display of sweet violets, black cherries and hints of wet stone. It impresses further with silky textures that envelop the palate in bright red and blue fruits, along with a refreshing wave of juicy acidity. Hints of spiced orange and inner florals linger long through the lightly structured finale. This is an equal-parts blend of Nero d’Avola and Frappato that is aimed at immediate satisfaction, but in a nicely balanced style.” Gulfi Nerosanlore 2016 750ml $59 special, 36 bottles availableVinous 97 Points “Luminous red. Precise, brooding aromas of ripe red cherry, flint, orange rind, cinnamon, lavender and violet, complicated by iodine and earth. Silky and sappy with refined but very concentrated extract, this smothers the taste buds but stays vibrant and not at all heavy, offering lovely definition and lift to the red cherry, raspberry, floral and mineral flavors. Finishes extremely deep and long, with ultra-suave tannins, mesmerizing inner-mouth perfume and extreme refinement; very Barolo-like. A lovely multilayered wine showcasing the elegant side of Nero d’Avola that very few producers ever manage to showcase.” Cantina Horus Corda Pazza Rosso 2020 750ml $29 special, 24 bottles availableImporter Notes- “La Corda Pazza” was the title of a book published in 1970 by Leonardo Sciascia, a Sicilian by birth who was an influential critic, public intellectual, and playwright. It is an in-depth exploration of Sicily’s unique history and culture, one made more exceptional (and insular) due to its island geography “a crazy chord,” or corda pazza, of influences exerted by generations of invaders and colonizers. What the wine version of La Corda Pazza is meant to express is a proud, inimitable Sicilian-ness, or what Sciascia called Sicilitudine. So, that’s our word of the day, friends: Sicilitudine (see-chee-lee-TU-dee-nay). It means Sicilian first, Italian second, and, despite the presence of Syrah in the blend, “international” a very distant third. It’s a wine that, like the essay it’s named for, dives deep into what it means to be Sicilian. Giuseppe used a third each of Nero d’Avola, Frappato, and Syrah and aged the wine only in tank to preserve its freshness and soil character. For those accustomed to bigger, darker, sappier expressions of Nero d’Avola (many in the ’90s and 2000s aimed for Shiraz-level intensity), this will be a revelation: It is medium-bodied, silky, and bright, more Burgundian in scale but resolutely Mediterranean in its flavor profile”. Cantina Horus Grillo Sole E Terra 2021 750ml $26 special, 12 bottles availableImporter Notes – “First time we’ve brought in this wine but the response to the reds was so great we had to try the Grillo. From hillside vineyards at 170 meters in Ragusa. He sneaks about 10% of the wine into barrel to facilitate the aging potential of Grillo and give it just enough texture to reach escape velocity. (Love my Sicialian tank reds but the tank whites sometimes leave me wanting). The timing of the arrival is perfect. Just look outside your window and you’ll see. Go ahead.. take a look. It’s nice, isn’t it?” Cantina Horus Vittoria Frappato Sole E Terra 2021 $28 special, 20 bottles availableImporter Notes “Giuseppe Romano is the grower-winemaker — he’s the in-between neighbor of Giusto (COS) and Arianna Occhipinti, and many folks feel he is “the guy” who put Valle dell’Acate and Frappato on the map in decades past. And, as I most amusingly learned, anytime you go out in public with this geezer in Sicily, many people literally bow to him and say “Domo Arigato, Mr. Frappato”. It’s a trip…but that’s apparently the story. Before COS, before Ari, he put Frappato on the map. Giusseppe has always been a hired hand — he’s in his 60’s now, and this is the first time he’s been behind the wheel of his own operation. The wines are just pure expressions of the style that yanked Sicily into the current era.” Occhipinti Il Frappato Sicilia 2020 750ml $44.50 special, 33 bottles availableJames Suckling 93 Points “Aromas of suede, dried rose and dried strawberry. Medium-bodied with slightly firm tannins. Linear on the palate and rather pretty, fresh and long. Drink or hold.” Tenute Bosco Piano Dei Daini Etna Bianco 2019 750ml $19 special, 28 bottles availableWine Enthusiast “A blend of organically farmed grapes composed of 90% Carricante and 10% Catarratto, Grecanico, Minella and Inzolia, this has delicate but enticing aromas of white spring flowers, botanical herbs and citrus. The radiant, tangy, mineral-driven palate is lean but elegant, suggesting Meyer lemon, saline and yellow apple accompanied by racy acidity.” Tenute Bosco Piano Dei Daini Etna Rosso 2018 750ml $19 special, 12 bottles availableFalstaff 92 Points “Clear garnet red with a brick edge. A delicate scent of herbs fills the air, along with tobacco and cedar wood, behind them ripe blueberries, a hint graft. Describes a lively arc, a lot of freshness, velvety interwoven tannins, medium-bodied in the body, stretches with fine pressure over the palate, mineral in the finish.” Terre Nere Etna Rosso 2021 750ml $24 special, 30 bottles availableWine Spectator 91 Points “A lively red that dances across the palate, with juicy wild cherry and strawberry fruit, light, fine tannins and fragrant accents of tea leaves, violet, graphite and spices. Drink now through 2028.”
Close-out Sale – Price Reductions
France
Guy Breton Chiroubles 2018 750ml WAS $33 NOW $28 special, 20 bottles availableWine Advocate 92 Points “The 2018 Chiroubles is a particular success, bursting with aromas of cherries, strawberries, dried flowers and licorice. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, melting and succulent, with an ample core of mouthwatering fruit and only the most ephemeral of structuring tannins, making for unimpeded drinkability—indeed, in a dark glass, this might be mistaken for a white wine.” Joseph Faiveley Bourgogne Rouge 2020 750ml WAS $26 NOW $21.90 36+ bottles availableFalstaff Magazine 90 Points “[Translated] Medium ruby garnet and violet reflections. Fine herbal spices, dark wild berries, a hint of cranberries, tobacco nuances. Medium body, red fruit, integrated tannins, mineral aftertaste, versatile and fresh.” Frederick Wildman importer note “Domaine Faiveley combines the principles of modern winemaking methods with the time honored traditions that have been practiced for centuries within their 19th century cellars. Each terroir and each vintage, benefits from special attention which makes the cuvées unique. Each bottle therefore becomes the faithful reflection of its terroir. Terroir: Joseph Faiveley Bourgogne Rouge is is sourced from vineyards spread throughout the terroirs of the Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune and the Côte Chalonnaise. Vinification: The Bourgogne Rouge is vinified in the cellars of Domaine Faiveley for 12 to 14 months in the same manner as their broad selection of reds from the Côte de Nuits.” Garreliere Le Rouge Des Cornus Touraine 2018 WAS $24 NOW $21.90 special, 14 bottles availableImporter Note “Classic, delicious Loire Cabernet Franc that goes down so easy in the summer with a slight chill on it.” Garreliere Sauvignon Blanc De La Mariee 2021 750ml WAS $21.90 NOW $19 special, 16 bottles availableVinopolnote “100% Sauvignon Blanc from 20-25 year old vines on wind-deposited sand and silex soils.”
Dagueneau Asteroide 2019 750ml WAS $1499 NOW $1,199 special, 2 bottles availableVinous 92 Points “Just 400 bottles of Pouilly Fumé Asteroide were made in 2019 from the same vineyard as Pur Sang, but the winemaking is different: half of the wine goes in a glass wine globe (a bit like a bonbonne), the other half in a barrel. This is a more varietal expression of the grape and the vineyard with nettle tea, dill and boxwood. Winemaker Jean-Philippe Agisson suggests this varietal character might be down to the influence of the wine globe. There’s a firm, tangy finish and a touch of savory, nuttiness on the length.” Roc Des Boutires Pouilly-Fuisse Bertilionne 2020 750ml WAS $61.90 NOW $49 special, 23 bottles availableImporter’s Note “In the village of Pouilly, in the middle of the Pouilly-Fuissé AOC lies Domaine du Roc des Boutires. The winery’s name draws on both terroir and tradition: its proximity with the Roche de Solutré, an emblem of the appellation and a testament to the extraordinary geologic richness of this vineyard; as well as the domaine’s settlement in the very heart of one of the best terroirs of the appellation —“Aux Bouthières.” In the ancient French vocabulary, a “boutière” was a secondary road that mule skinners used for the transportation of oils and wines in remote parts of the country. The Wine’s color can be described as vibrant straw with green-gold reflections. Complex aromas of citrus and orchard fruit, lemon, pear, peach and honey with layers of minerality and subtle oak. Classic and elegant.” Chateau Du Moulin-A-Vent Moulin-A-Vent 2019 750ml WAS $33 NOW $29, 36+ bottles availableWine Enthusiast 93 Points “Cellar Selection. A selection of fruit from the three best parcels of the estate, this wine shows great ripeness, solid tannins and impressive berry fruits. It is developing into a fine wine that needs more aging. Drink from 2024.” Chevalerie Bourgueil Diptyque 2018 750ml WAS $24 NOW $19 special, 19 bottles availableVinopolNote “The “bistro” wine of the bunch, easy-drinking with crushed berry notes. Serve lightly chilled with just about any food you can think of. Like all of the estate’s wines, this is farmed biodynamically.” Chevalerie Bourgueil Breteche 2015 750ml WAS $31.90 NOW $26, 27 bottles availableImporter Note “Bretêche is an old word referring to a window or entrance to a fortified building, often above a gate to enable defenders to rain arrows or what have you upon attackers. It can also refer to entrances and exits in general, and this particular vineyard grows on the edge of the Restigné commune, where a road comes in. Pierre Caslot planted his parcel between 1988 and 1992 after his wife inherited the rights to rent it from her family. They farm just over 13 acres here. The soils are young limestone and a little clay, and this makes for a long, more linear wine than Galichets or Chevalerie, one with evident stony aromatics, lift and focus given by the limestone.” Coche-Dury Hospices Cuvee Chaudron Pommard 2019 750ml WAS $899 NOW $799 special, 1 bottle availableImporter Note “Hospices de Civiles de Beaune is a former charitable almshouse founded in 1443 in the town of Beaune. It is now a modern hospital, with the original buildings serving as a museum. Since 1859, a charity wine auction has raised funds for the hospital with the wines produced being released under the Hospice’s umbrella label.” Burghound 90 points “An attractively fresh nose is comprised by notes of both red and dark currant, earth and a whiff of oak. The medium weight flavors possess reasonably good underlying tension and complexity though the finish, while reasonably persistent, is slightly drying. There are aspects to admire but it would be fair to say that the balance isn’t quite completely dialed in. In sum, this is good but not really distinguished.” Collotte Marsannay Le Clos De Jeu 2018 750ml WAS $33 NOW $29 special, 36+ bottles availableWeygandt-Metzler Importer Note “The Clos de Jeu Marsannay comes from several parcels of 50 year old vines from Clos de Jeu on soft limestone crinoidal soil. Aged in oak, 25% new, this wine is harmonious in its flavors and tannins.” Clos Des Fees Roussillon Villages 2015 750ml WAS $54.50 NOW $49 special, 12 bottles availableClos Des Fees Roussillon Villages 2015 750m Case of 6 750ml bottles WAS $299 NOW $279 special, 3 availableWine Advocate 96 Points “Eighteen months in new French oak barrels has given the 2015 Côtes du Roussillon Villages le Clos des Fées a certain tightness and discipline lacking in the Vieilles Vignes bottling. There’s still massive fruit and buried complexity, full body and rich tannins, but there’s also firmness of structure that shows the serious, age-worthy side of Bizeul’s winemaking. Vanilla and baking spices accent deep, dark cherries and plums, ending in a long, velvety finish.” Denis Chaput Noir de Jade Champagne Blanc de Noir Extra-Brut NV WAS $49 NOW $39 special, 24 bottles
Le Guide Hachette “Construit sur la récolte 2014, ce pur pinot noir or rose mêle au nez la mie de pain à des nuances délicates d’acacia et de pêche. La fleur miellée, le fruit et le coulis de fruits s’épanouissent dans une bouche équilibrée entre fraîcheur et rondeur, qui finit sur une touche mentholée. Du caractère et de l’élégance.” La Chablisienne Les Clos Chablis 2018 WAS $69 NOW $59 special, 21 bottles available Le Guide Hachette “The Chablis Grand Cru are complete wines, with strong personality, and never cease improving with age. These nectars with their elegant colour and strong nose are particularly racy on the palate, offering a gloriously long finish and a remarkable keeping potential.” La Chablisienne L’Homme Mort Chablis 2019 WAS $39 NOW $34.50 special, 30 bottles availableLe Guide Hachette “Pale gold in color, a limpid and brilliant wine. Initially fresh and deliciously floral on the nose, enhanced by a touch of minerality. Becomes more intense on aeration. Nicely fresh, taut and immediate in the mouth with fine precision. Long, finely mineral finish. A Chablis 1er Cru designed for keeping.”
Italy
Franco Serra Barbaresco 2018 750ml WAS $33 NOW $29 22 bottles availableJames Suckling 91 Points “Red berries with a clay-like mineral note. Some flowers, too. Medium-to full-bodied with clean fruit and soft, fine-grained tannins. More minerally finish. Best after 2022.” Gaja Rossj Bass Chardonnay Langhe 2019 750ml WAS $79 NOW $59 27 bottles availableGaja Rossj Bass Chardonnay Langhe 2019 Case of 6 750ml bottles WAS $419 NOW $333 (That’s $55.50 per bottle)Wilson Daniels Importer Note “The grapes come from different vineyards, including the Rossj vineyard named by Lucia and Angelo after their second daughter Rossana. 95% Chardonnay, 5% Sauvignon Blanc.” Luigi Giordano Barbaresco Asili 2015 750ml WAS $59 NOW $49 special, 17 bottles availableDecanter 92 Points “From vines planted in 2000, this has a red fruit nose that’s not very expressive presently, but the palate is fresh and limpid with very ripe fruits but with no sweetness showing, thanks to the lively acidity. It has some tension, persistence and style, with a long finish.” Importer Note “Definite garnet red colour enriched with delicate orange highlights on ageing; ample and intense perfume with good floral and fruit jammy notes plus ethereal hints of spices. The flavour is dry, full, elegant and aristocratic. Traditional red wine maceration for 12-15 days with fermentation in temperature controlled stainless steel vats using frequent pumping-over.” Aldo Conterno Barolo Bussia 2017 750ml WAS $89 NOW $79 special, 9 bottles availableWine Advocate 92 Points “The Poderi Aldo Conterno 2017 Barolo Bussia shows a dark but busy quality of fruit that speaks more to the power of this hot vintage than it does the nuanced side of Nebbiolo. In this respect, the wine is quite typical of the 2017 growing season. It takes a while before the wine finds focus in the glass, but it does slowly come together to reveal broad layers of dark cherry, cassis and plum. There is some tannic tightness that leads to sour berry. A bit awkward at this young stage, it needs a few more years of cellar age to flesh out and reach balance.” Aldo Conterno Barolo Cicala 2017 750ml WAS $179 NOW $149, 10 bottles availableWine Spectator 95 Points “A solid, powerful style, this expressive red is well-marked by new oak, with plum, cherry, cigar box, menthol and sun-kissed hay flavors. Balanced and lively, with refined tannins and a long, spice-infused finish. Best from 2025 through 2042.” Aldo Conterno Barolo Colonnello 2017 750ml WAS $179 NOW $149, 11 bottles availableWine Advocate 94+ Points “The Poderi Aldo Conterno 2017 Barolo Bussia Colonnello shows good focus, structure and a sharper character that is often the distinguishing factor in this wine. The bouquet is redolent of dark fruit and plum, but it also shows a solid framing of iron ore and dark stony mineral. These give the wine greater lift and contoured edges. This is not the first time that Colonnello is my favorite wine in this lineup, and I suspect it won’t be the last.” Wine Spectator 94 Points “Offering plum, cherry, iron, eucalyptus and black pepper aromas and flavors, this broad red has absorbed the oak treatment pretty well already, with a dense matrix of tannins and lively acidity. Balanced and long, ending with elements of mineral and spice. Best from 2025 through 2043.” Casa Emma Chianti Gran Selezione 2015 750ml WAS $54.50 NOW $49 special, 35 bottles availableWine Advocate 94 Points “I love the manner in which this wine hits the palate, showing velvety softness and firm structure at the same time. The Casa Emma 2016 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione is bright and true with a dark center of gravity and lots of luscious fruit. Dark cherry, wild berry and plum are framed by soft tones of earth, spice and blue flower. This balanced wine emits fine notes of candied cherry and tart fruit, giving it a punchy, genuine personality. This is a knockout vintage from organic farmer Casa Emma to try with pasta made with polvere di Sangiovese, the estate’s unique pomace flour from Sangiovese.” Casa Emma Harenae Amphora Aged 2018 750ml WAS $49 NOW $44.50 special, 21 bottles availableWine Enthusiast 94 Points “Made entirely in amphora, this delicious Sangiovese has inviting, earthy aromas of ripe black plum, truffle, blackberry, baking spice and blue flower. Reflecting the nose, the enveloping, chewy palate doles out mouthfuls of fleshy Marasca cherry, raspberry compote, cinnamon and tobacco. Velvety tannins provide the almost lush framework while fresh acidity picks up the finish. Drink through 2025.” James Suckling 94 Points “Aromas of dark plums, mulberries, black tea and black licorice. It’s full-bodied with chewy tannins. Structured and focused with rich, intense layers of dark fruit. Pure fruit here. Sangiovese. Made in amphorae. Drink or hold.” Wine Advocate 93 Points “A dark and sultry expression of Sangiovese fermented in spherical amphorae, the Casa Emma 2018 Harenae doles out plenty of dried blackberry, plum, tobacco, spice and grilled herb. This is a full and generous expression that reflects the soft hills of Tuscany in its generous, mid-weight style and the sunshine of Italy in the textural darkness and richness of the fruit. This is a lovely wine with punchy bright fruit aromas to pair with a gilled, fatty steak. This is a terrific discovery I am very happy to recommend.”
SPECIAL FOR 8 MORE HOURS!
JJ Prum: The Rhine Stuff
Buy 6-11 bottles for a 5% discount
Buy 12+ bottles for a 10% discount
SALE ENDS @6PM FRIDAY July 28th
“To drink a Riesling from Joh Jos Prüm is to enjoy a springtime of the heart and mind.”
-Stephan Rheinhardt, “The Finest Wine of Germany”
Joh. Jos. Prum needs no introduction to Riesling lovers, having already become a Mosel icon during the nearly five decades during which its namesake’s son Sebastien was in charge. Their house style has itself become a Mosel archetype: delicacy and restrained sweetness, often strongly marked in youth by yeasty and otherwise fermentative aromas. Their longevity is legendary, and even the Kabinetts can spend many more, years in bottle. These are uncompromising, benchmark Mosel wines. JJ Prum Graacher Himmelreich Spatlese 2020 750ml $49.90 special, 16 bottles availableMosel Fine Wines 92+ Points “The 2020er Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese offers a quite rich and even slightly ripe nose of almond cream and bakery products as well as honeyed yellow peach, William’s pear, apricot, and anise, all wrapped into smoky and refined elements. The wine coats the palate with ample and sweet fruits, which give a smoother and ampler structure to the wine. The finish has however more presence and intensity, but still needs to integrate its tale of initial sweetness. This clearly has some upside potential as it gains finesse and elegance over time. 2028-2045.” JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese 2021 375ml $46 special, 36+ bottles availableMosel Fine Wines 96 Points “The 2021er Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese offers a superbly complex and pure fresh nose of candied grapefruit, vineyard peach, verbena, almond cream, smoke, and a hint of cassis. The wine proves superbly honeyed and creamy on the palate, where riper elements of pineapple, honeyed peach, and apricot are wrapped in candied citrusy fruits. The wine is intense and still quite broad but the finish is already pure and hugely long. This is a splendid refined Auslese, which just needs time to develop all its facets. JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese 2020 375ml $41.90 special, 35 half bottles availableMosel Fine Wines 94 Points “The 2020er Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese offers a gorgeously attractive and ripe nose of almond cream, honeyed peach, smoke, tangerine, orange zest, candied grapefruit, and apricot. The wine is luscious and proves well on the sweet side on the palate. There is presence and intensity, yet the finish is already airier and more refined than what one could initially expect. Patience will be required, as usual, for the wine to develop its full complexity and integrate all its elements. 2035-2050.” JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese GK 2016 375ml $66 special, 14 bottles availableJJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese GK 2016 1.5L $229 special, Only 1 bottle leftWine Advocate 96 Points “The 2016 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese (Gold Capsule) is clear, fine and subtle yet concentrated, with vegetal and ripe fruit aromas. Rich, round and piquant, this is an intense and densely woven Auslese (AP 14 17) with a long, tensioned and refreshing mineral finish that lifts the sweet fruit. Gorgeous but made for another decade.” JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese GK 2017 375ml $69 special, 6 bottles availableWine Advocate 98 Points “The 2017 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese (Gold Capsule), AP 17 18, is deep and flinty on the perfectly ripe, intense and tropical-scented nose with its ripe yellow nectarine and peach aromas. The wine exhibits very fine botrytis with crunchy-salty slate features on the palate and is racy-piquant, highly stimulating, crisp and crunchy on the finish, with lingering salinity. This 2017 Sonnenuhr is still very young and needs time to calm down but is still lush and fresh, and the bottle will be emptied before you have even thought about the wine. It’s very long, complex and tensioned—just fabulous.”
| Vintage |
Wine |
Points |
Price and Availability |
| 2021 |
JJ Prum Bernkasteler Badstube Kabinett 750ml |
|
$41.90 special, 18 bottles available |
| 2017 |
JJ Prum Bernkasteler Lay Auslese LGK 375ml |
Wine Advocate 97 Points |
$99 special, 9 half bottles available |
| 2017 |
JJ Prum Bernkasteler Lay Auslese LGK 750ml |
Wine Advocate 97 Points |
$189 special, 4 bottles available |
| 2014 |
JJ Prum Graacher Himmelreich Auslese 750ml |
Wine Advocate 93 Points |
$69 special, 2 bottles available |
| 2020 |
JJ Prum Graacher Himmelreich Auslese 375ml |
Wine Spectator 94 Points |
$39 special, 21 bottles available |
| 2015 |
JJ Prum Graacher Himmelreich Auslese GK 750ml |
Mosel Fine Wines 95 Points |
$119 special, only 1 bottle left |
| 2016 |
JJ Prum Graacher Himmelreich Auslese GK 750ml |
Wine Advocate 97 Points |
$99 special, 8 bottles available |
| 2020 |
JJ Prum Graacher Himmelreich Auslese GK 750ml |
Wine Spectator 95 Points |
$125 special, 10 bottles available |
| 2016 |
JJ Prum Graacher Himmelreich Kabinett 750ml |
Wine Advocate 93 Points |
$39 special, only 1 bottle left |
| 2020 |
JJ Prum Graacher Himmelreich Kabinett 1.5L |
Wine Advocate 94 Points |
$129 special, 7 Magnum bottles available |
| 2012 |
JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese GK 1.5L |
Wine Advocate 96+ Points |
$279 special, 2 Magnum bottles available |
| 2020 |
JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett 750ml |
Mosel Fine Wines 92 Points |
$49 special, 23 bottles available |
| 2021 |
JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett 750ml |
|
$54.50 special, 13 bottles available |
| 2021 |
JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spatlese 750ml |
|
$59 special, 14 bottles available |
| 2020 |
JJ Prum Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Spatlese 750ml |
Mosel Fine Wines 93 Points |
$45 special, 29 bottles available |
Collector’s Corner
White Gold: The World’s Best White Wines
Germany
Molitor Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Auslese*** GK 2017 750ml $299 special, 12 bottles availableWine Advocate 100 Points “As always, Molitor’s 2017 Riesling Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Auslese *** (Golden Capsule) is one of the ripest and most concentrated Auslesen of the vintage. Incredibly clear and intense notes of ripe peaches and mangoes on the nonetheless delicate and fresh nose intertwine with noble slate, fine oak and nougat aromas. The wine is round and elegant on the palate, with stunning vivacious, filigreed acidity that gives it lightness, great finesse, lots of salt and tension and stimulating grip. This is still a baby, but in terms of complexity and finesse, it’s one of the finest wines Markus Molitor has produced in 2017. I cannot remember having tasted a three-starred Auslese from the Zeltinger Sonnenuhr that was so fresh, lean and filigreed. This 2017 Sonnenuhr is precise as a Swiss watch. Tasted at the domain in April 2019.” Molitor Zeltinger Sonnenhuhr Beerenauslese * 2017 750ml $399 special, 12 bottles availableWine Advocate 100 Points “The 2017 Riesling Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Beerenauslese * (Golden Capsule) is intense, fine and flinty on the highly precise nose with crunchy slate and grapefruit notes. Dense and concentrated on the palate, it has sweet but elegant and highly refined fruit intertwined with salty-finessed slate salinity and delicate acidity. This is a beautifully balanced BA from Molitor’s most important grand cru vineyard. Many readers might prefer its sweet and charming richness to the delicate finesse and crystallinity of the Würzgarten BA, which will be ready to drink sooner. But this Zeltinger Sonnenuhr in turn will gain even more finesse and drinkability over the years. Tasted at the domain in April 2019.” Molitor Zelt Sonnenuhr TBA GK 2019 750ml $499 special, 12 bottles available
Molitor Zelt Sonnenuhr TBA GK 2019 375ml $249 special, 18 bottles availableWine Advocate 97 Points “The 2019 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Trockenbeerenauslese is deep, intense and flinty on the nose that exhibits clear, ripe and concentrated fruit with very fine botrytis notes intertwined with aromas of crushed slate and candied lemon rind. Round and elegant on the seamless palate, this is a rich yet finessed and elegant, super tensioned and mineral TBA with electrifying acidity and a highly stimulating finish. There are not many TBAs around that are as digestible as this one, which is really extraordinary. 6.5% alcohol. Tasted in May 2021 (AP 29 20).” Keller Rieslaner Monsheimer Silberberg Riesling Beerenauslese Goldkapsel 2018 375ml $219 special, 6 half bottles available
France
Chapoutier Ermitage Le Meal Blanc 2011 750ml $279 special, 2 bottles availableWine Advocate 99 Points “Surprisingly, I preferred the 2011 Ermitage le Meal Blanc over the 2012 on this occasion and it showed a more flamboyant, sexy style in its caramelized pineapple, tropical, honeyed and floral personality. Big, rich and decadent, with fabulous fruit intensity and length, this rock star flirts with perfection and will keep for another 3-4 decades.” Dagueneau Asteroide 2019 750ml $1199 special, 2 bottles availableVinous 92 Points “Just 400 bottles of Pouilly Fumé Asteroide were made in 2019 from the same vineyard as Pur Sang, but the winemaking is different: half of the wine goes in a glass wine globe (a bit like a bonbonne), the other half in a barrel. This is a more varietal expression of the grape and the vineyard with nettle tea, dill and boxwood. Winemaker Jean-Philippe Agisson suggests this varietal character might be down to the influence of the wine globe. There’s a firm, tangy finish and a touch of savory, nuttiness on the length. The Pur Sang is a more complete wine than the Asteroide despite the latter having the rarity X factor due to being ungrafted. Certainly doesn’t represent good value!” Domaine Leflaive Batard Montrachet 2020 750ml $1899 special, 1 bottle availableBurghound 95-97 Points “Don’t Miss! A wonderfully floral-suffused nose reflects additional notes of petrol, citrus, white orchard and a hint of oak toast. The bigger and richer flavors also possess a gorgeous mouthfeel that is almost delicate yet racy with excellent delineation on the youthfully austere and beautifully balanced finish that just goes on and on. This is potentially a magnificent Bâtard and it’s going to be interesting to compare this with the Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet in a decade’s or so time. In sum, I would offer the same advice – if you can find it, buy it.” Domaine Leflaive Chevalier-Montrachet 2020 750ml $2499 special, 1 bottle availableBurghound 96-98 Points “Don’t Miss! Strikingly elegant, cool and restrained aromas are comprised by notes of citrus confit, mineral reduction, anise, exotic tea and the classic acacia blossom nuances. The almost painfully intense medium-bodied flavors are at once succulent yet chiseled while the practically pungent minerality adds a sense of lift to the hugely long finish that is youthfully austere and Zen-like in its harmony. This is quite simply majestic in its class and grace and is a wine that should age effortlessly for years.” Dujac Puligny Montrachet Folatieres 2019 1.5L $599 special, 1 bottle availableBurghound 91-93 Points “Outstanding! Smoky reduction currently overshadows the underlying fruit though there is fine freshness and verve to the nicely delineated middle weight flavors that are supported by firm acidity on the clean, dry and linear finale. Like the 2018 version, this attractively persistent effort could use better depth, but the underlying material appears to be present for that to occur.” Louis Jadot Corton Charlemagne Heretiers 2016 750ml $249 special, 17 bottlesWine Enthusiast 96 Points “From vineyards owned by the inheritors of the Louis Jadot estate, this wine has all the power expected from this vineyard. Its density and richness are palpable, even when crispened by a fresh citrus edge. Wood aging adds spice and enhances the aging potential. Drink from 2024.” Vatan Sancerre Clos Neore 2016 750ml $449 special, 5 bottles availableVinous 98 Points “Clos La Néore is one of the world’s most sophisticated Sauvignon Blancs. It is always pure and attractively austere with enormous substance. Produced from a 1 hectare parcel of mass-selected vines that were planted by Edmond Vatan in 1970 on clay-limestone.” Vatan Sancerre Clos Neore 2018 1.5L $799 special, 3 bottles availableVinous 96 points “Clarity is a term that accurately describes the 2018 Sancerre Clos La Neore. It has a pure and intense core of fruit. But it’s not fruity. It’s a sophisticated style with a distinctive aromatic profile- chamomile tea, lemon, honey, and almond meal and an almost tonic-like edge. While showing the ripeness of the 2018 season, it 0retains its shape with a corset of acidity and phenolics that guide the wine on and on.”
USA
Sine Qua Non White “Distenta II” 2020 750ml $228 special, 2 bottles availableWine Advocate 98 Points “The 2020 White Wine Distenta II could be a polarizing wine due to its unique style, intense aromatics and powerful structure, but I can’t get enough of this blend of 32% Roussanne, 26% Viognier, 25% Chardonnay, 12% Gelber Muskateller and 5% Petit Manseng. Grapes were sourced from Santa Babara County and beyond, including Eleven Confessions Estate Vineyard (52%), The Third Twin Estate Vineyard (22%), Cumulus Estate Vineyard (13%) and Chardonnay from Bien Nacido (13%). On day one, the wine is overt and bold, while day two reveals a fresher, livelier white with finer detail, as if the wine is coming into focus. In the mouth, it’s expansive and luxuriously satiny. Despite its powerful style and unabashed ripeness, it carries its 15.8% alcohol expertly and maintains a focused streak of tangy acidity. The finish is especially unique, offering touches of butterscotch that complement its perfumed fruit—a rare combination of aromatic grape varieties and classy new wood that works surprisingly well! If you’re a fan of aromatic, textural whites, purchase as many bottles as you can so that you can follow what’s sure to be unique savory development in bottle over the next 10 to 15+ years”
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