3/30/16
Jeb Dunnuck-Wine Advocate 96-98 points “One of the most impressive barrels samples I was able to taste during my trip through the region, the Galitzin’s 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon (100% Cabernet Sauvignon) has a classic, structured feel, as well as sensational purity of fruit. Giving up lots of cassis, currants, spicy oak and bouquet garni, with subtle violet qualities with air, it hits the palate with serious richness, a full, layered mid-palate and masses of sweet tannin. Like most of Paul’s wines, I think they have the fruit and texture to offer plenty of pleasure in their youth, yet they don’t hit their stride until at least 5-7 years after the vintage.”
The average price is $222
Domaine Servin Chablis
The Lowest Prices Just Got Lower!
Domaine Servin Bougerots, Chablis Grand Cru 2013 750ML ($79.95) Was $59, Now $49, 21 bottles available
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2013 Chablis Grand Cru Bougros has a very welcoming nose with superb mineralite and transparency. There is great intensity here that even overshadows the Les Preuses. The palate is medium-bodied with fine acidity, gorgeous light peach and apricot notes with great tension on the harmony on the finish. Superb! Drink 2015-2025.”
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 91 points “(100% oak; 13.4% alcohol): Pale yellow-green. Lovely spicy lift to the aromas of lime, white peach and powdered stone. Juicy, dense and lightly saline; conveys strong Chablis character in a somewhat sweet way. A rich, fruit-driven wine of obvious power. Finishes with very good length and grip.” JR
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 90+ points “(30% oak): Bright pale yellow with a green tinge. Spicy, slightly high-toned aromas of orange oil and white peach. Pliant and concentrated, offering good inner-mouth energy and minerality to the intense soft citrus and floral flavors. Very rich but in need of a couple years in the bottle to gain in complexity. Slightly phenolic on the back end, showing subtle chalk and saline qualities.” JR
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Case-12 Domaine Servin Vaillons, Chablis Premier Cru 2014 750ML ($419.95) $299 pre-arrival special (that’s only $24.92/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 90-92 points “The 2014 Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons comes from the vineyard that Marc Cameron believes has improved the most in recent years. It has a fragrant bouquet with touches of yellow flowers and cold flint, opening up with hints of orange blossom with aeration. The palate is well balanced with an almost shrill opening that needs to calm down by the time of bottling, though there is good weight and fruit intensity to soak that up. Good potential here, though it needs to tame that initial feisty side of its personality.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Sale Expires Sunday at Midnight
The wines are all made the same manner, with only the degree of new oak varying between the villages and 1er Crus. The domaine sticks with 30% new wood for the 1er Crus, the villages normally being brought-up in something closer to 20% new wood, the remainder a blend of 2-3 year-old barrels. There are no tricks or shortcuts Chez Chevillon; rows are regularly plowed, with naturally low yields and careful vineyard treatments only when necessary.
Domaine Robert Chevillon produces benchmark for Nuit St George and Burgundy-at-large. Famous for the transparency and consistency of their winemaking–Chevillon finds a way to let the vintage and the terroir speak for itself every year. These wines are values to begin with, and only more so now!
We’re offering the following Chevillon wines at big savings; sale prices expire Sunday at midnight. Don’t hestitate!
Domaine Robert Chevillon Les Bousselots, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($99.95) Was $69, Now $59, 18 bottles available
Burghound 89-91 points “The well-layered mélange of red currant, blue berry and wet stone nuances marries seamlessly into slightly earthy, precise and energetic flavors that possess a firm but not hard tannic spine, all wrapped in a delicious and saline-infused finish. This is also quite understated yet stylish and I very much like the purity of expression.” BH
The average price is $87
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 90-92 points “Good bright, dark red. Deep aromas of black raspberry, minerals, smoke and flowers, along with notes of licorice and dark chocolate; ripe and sexy. A step up in density and finesse of texture from the Chaignots, offering good acid spine to its wild dark fruit flavors. Quite dry and uncompromising today, finishing bright and long, with serious tannins and a juicy character. A very good showing.” ST
The average price is $99
Burghound 92-94 points “As complex as the Pruliers is, the Les Cailles ratchets it up yet another notch with its spicy and pure blend of cassis, plum, violet and distinct iron-infused earth. There is excellent richness to the cool and equally pure medium-bodied flavors that possess excellent focus on the explosively long finish. The tannins are dense but quite fine and this offers outstanding upside development potential.” BH
The average price is $123
Domaine Robert Chevillon Les Cailles, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($179.95) Was $149, Now $119, 9 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer—Vinous 93-95 points “Bright, deep red. Pungent crushed-stone minerality accents musky black cherry and red berries on the almost liqueur-like nose. Juicy, supple and energetic on the palate, communicating a sappy, youthfully imploded character and a magically light touch for such a rich wine. The tactile, slowly building finish saturates the mouth with red fruits and crushed stone. Great potential here.” ST
Domaine Robert Chevillon Aux Chaignots, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($99.95) Was $69, Now $59, 23 bottles available
Burghound 89-91 points “Here too discreet wood spice frames a pretty and cool mix of red and dark pinot fruit that is trimmed in warm earth nuances that are also reflected by the refined, pure and silky middle weight flavors. There is fine complexity and verve to the well-defined and persistent finish. A classic Chaignots of grace and harmony with no lack of aging potential.” BH
Domaine Robert Chevillon Aux Chaignots, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($119.95) Was $99, Now $79, 3 bottles available
Antonio Galloni–Vinous 90-92 points “The 2012 Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Chaignots is one of the more supple wines in this range. As such, it won’t demand as much cellar time as many of the other Chevillon 2012s. Gently spiced notes open up in the glass, followed by sweet red berries, flowers and cinnamon. The 2012 is soft and understated, with lovely overall balance and tons of medium-term appeal. This is another gracious, totally inviting wine from Chevillon.” AG
Domaine Robert Chevillon Les Perrieres, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($109.95) Was $89, Now $69, 4 bottles available
Burghound 90-92 points “Here the nose just soars from the glass to reveal strikingly fresh and pure red berry fruit, wet stone and discreet earth hints. There is an equally striking sense of energy to the precise, intense and stony middle weight flavors that possess very fine balance and depth, all wrapped in a lingering and notably firm finish that suggests that this will need 10 to 12 years to reach its apogee.” BH
Domaine Robert Chevillon Les Roncieres, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($99.95) Was $69, Now $59, 16 bottles available
Burghound 90-93 points “There is a trace of herbal tea that adds breadth to the otherwise exceptionally fresh and equally pure red currant and wild cherry aromas. There is really beautiful intensity to the precise flavors that are on the lighter side yet deliver that wonderful quality of power without weight. This is first rate as it’s balanced, harmonious and offers excellent depth and length.”BH
The average price is $84
Domaine Robert Chevillon Nuits-Saint-Georges Vieilles Vignes 2011 750ML ($69.95) Was $51.90, Now $39, 23 bottles available
Burghound 87-89 points “A discreet touch of wood sets off equally fresh and bright red berry fruit and soft earth aromas that give way to mouth coating, delicious and vibrant medium-bodied flavors that possess good mid-palate concentration, all wrapped in a seductively textured, balanced and solidly persistent finish.”BH
The average price is $67
Antonio Galloni – “The 2012 Nuits-Saint-Georges is another wine with considerable near and medium term appeal. There is a lovely immediacy and juiciness in the glass. Hints of red stone fruits and spices inform the pliant, supple finish.”
The average price is $80
The Third Sale’s The Charm
Donnhoff’s Delight Sale
Dönnhoff is one of the finest representations of classic German Riesling. The Dönnhoff family first arrived in the Nahe region over 250 years ago, and the current head of the family, Helmut Dönnhoff, has been recognized as a living legend for German winemaking. In June, Helmut finished the process of handing off the estate to his son Cornelius, who since 2007 has worked alongside in the winery and in their 25 hectares of Erste Lage (Grand Cru) vineyards. The wines show true Nahe minerality and elegance, rather than big fruit and opulence. While there are beautiful fruit components, these wines are deeply rooted (literally) and have continuously shown a sense of place. Helmut explains that the aging potential of his wines are phenomenal, with many having the capability of aging for 20+ years depending on the vintage and the vineyard.
This delightful sale pricing ends Friday at midnight…
Weingut Donnhoff Norheimer Dellchen Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Nahe 2014 750ML ($79.95) Was $69, Now $59, 22 bottles available
Wine Advocate 95 points “Coolish, very clear, subtle but multi-layered on the highly elegant, finesse-full and flinty nose starts the 2014 Riesling Dellchen GG. This is a full-bodied, pure, very elegant, highly complex and frisky Riesling of great finesse and lots of salt. The wine is bone dry, but so intense, pure and mineral… so fine and so intense. This is probably the finest Dellchen I have tasted. Extraordinary! “We have picked the Dellchen earlier than we used to do in former years, when we tended to wait and to wait…” says Helmut Dönnhoff. “In 2014, botrytis forced us to pick earlier and now we are very happy with the result because we aim for clarity and precision.”
John Gilman 94+ points “The 2014 Dellchen GG is another really stunningly focused young wine, with superb aromatic and flavor precision to go along with excellent structural elements and impeccable balance. The bouquet is a mix of grapefruit, tart orange, wild yeasts, plenty of smokiness, a fine base of slate and again, a distinct topnote of lemongrass. On the palate the wine is pure, fullbodied and rock solid at the core, with lovely focus and balance, racy acids and a long, refined and utterly seamless finish. Outstanding juice this year. 2022-2060+.” JG
Terry Theise notes “All of these had remarkable aspects and potentials but none of them was ready to rock. Felsenberg has tremendous aroma, almost fiercely smoky, with lemon and Indonesian peppers. Dellchen is fleshier but also, as is its wont, more inscrutable. Hermannshöhle was still on its first lees but was already showing depth and fragrance. If my “plusses” matter to you, and if I let myself prognosticate, it’s two for Felsenberg and Hermannshöhle and one for Dellchen. The wines will surely make a fool of me.”
The average price is $64
Wine Advocate 94 points “Deep, very clear and stony/smoky on the coolish and aristocratic nose opens the 2014 Riesling Felsenberg GG ‘Felsentürmchen’. Medium to full-bodied, very mineral and highly elegant on the palate, with ripe and well balanced fruit, and a long and salty finish, this is a great and quite flowing Felsenberg from the volcanic Felsentürmchen plot straight under the restored tower.”
John Gilman 93+ points ‘The 2014 Felsenberg Grosses Gewächs bottling form the Türmchen section of the vineyard this year has turned out beautifully, wafting from the glass in a classic constellation of white cherries, pink grapefruit, complex floral tones, a fine base of slate, wild yeasts, lemongrass and orange peel. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and very refined, with a rock solid core, ripe, zesty acids, laser-like focus and a long, youthful and energetic finish. A beautiful bottle of dry Riesling in the making. 2020-2055″ JG
Terry Theise notes “All of these had remarkable aspects and potentials but none of them was ready to rock. Felsenberg has tremendous aroma, almost fiercely smoky, with lemon and Indonesian peppers. Dellchen is fleshier but also, as is its wont, more inscrutable. Hermannshöhle was still on its first lees but was already showing depth and fragrance. If my “plusses” matter to you, and if I let myself prognosticate, it’s two for Felsenberg and Hermannshöhle and one for Dellchen. The wines will surely make a fool of me.”
The next best price is $57.99
Weingut Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Nahe 2014 750ML ($79.95) Was $69, Now $59, 21 bottles available
Wine Advocate 96 points “Dönnhoff’s iconic 2014 Riesling Hermannshöhle GG opens with a beautifully clear, coolish and smoky/fumy bouquet of great purity, precision and aromatic complexity. Think of intermingling lemon and slate aromas. The attack on the palate is racy and clear, and the wine starts straightly dancing over the palate. This is concentrated, perfectly ripe Riesling on the knife’s edge; it’s nicely piquant, highly mineral and endlessly salty. There are notes of melting stones and mineral, with great tension. “The vines are older in the Hermannshöhle, one plot is as old as I am,” says Dönnhoff, who was born in 1949.”
John Gilman 94+ points “The Grosses Gewächs from the Hermannshöhle in 2014 is another outstanding wine in the making, offering up a superb and utterly suave aromatic mélange of grapefruit, tart orange, slate, wild yeasts, citrus peel and a lovely, discreet topnote of white flowers. On the palate the wine is deep, pure and full-bodied, with a superb core of fruit, ripe, seamless acids and superb length and grip on the tightly-knit finish. A really superb and suave young Hermannshöhle GG. 2022-2060+” JG
Terry Theise notes “All of these had remarkable aspects and potentials but none of them was ready to rock. Felsenberg has tremendous aroma, almost fiercely smoky, with lemon and Indonesian peppers. Dellchen is fleshier but also, as is its wont, more inscrutable. Hermannshöhle was still on its first lees but was already showing depth and fragrance. If my “plusses” matter to you, and if I let myself prognosticate, it’s two for Felsenberg and Hermannshöhle and one for Dellchen. The wines will surely make a fool of me.”
The next best price is $64.99
John Gilman 91 points “The 2014 Kahlenberg Trocken hails from grapes with Spätlese must weights this year and is a notable step up from the first two, very good wines. The bouquet wafts from the glass in a classy blend of white cherries, apple, spring flowers, a lovely base of soil and a youthful topnote of orange peel. On the palate the wine is medium-full, bright and nicely reserved on the attack, with a fine core, bright acids and superb backend energy and cut on the long finish. This is really high class juice that would age long and happily under cork, though I cannot remember which closure it was destined to receive. 2017-2035.” JG
Terry Theise notes “The Kreuznach site is a gentle slope on gravelly loam, but has long been regarded as an excellent vineyard. I’d been leaving it out of the offering in a fruitless attempt to keep it tidy, but tidiness has no place in either rock & roll or the fine wine business. So: I found this ’14 to be really deft, stern but breathy, wonderfully fragrant, mineral, hint of maize or wet cereal; a determined finish but really, only 70% of this note has any chance of being accurate six months from now.”
The next best price is $31.12
John Gilman 89-90+ points “The 2014 Krötenpfuhl Kabinett had just been bottled as well- this time only a few days before my visit and was a bit out of sorts as a result. The nose is open and juicy at the present time, offering up scents of apple, peach, lovely soil tones, a touch of beeswax and a topnote of citrus blossoms. On the palate the wine is medium-full, accessible and succulent on the attack, with a nice core of fruit, good complexity and a slightly pinched finish at the present time, from the very, very recent bottling. I am sure this will be very tasty, but it was not entirely on form at the time of my visit. 2015-2025.”
Terry Theise notes “Best! Ever! Vintage! Spritzy, brilliant, seeming to show every green thing (lime-zest, verbena, anise hyssop, wintergreen) atop the salumeria savor. Somehow this has fallen in love and is telling everyone in the world.”
The average price is $24
Wine Advocate 96 points “Intriguingly musky and subtly fungal as well as piercing in its evocation of distilled pit fruits and botanicals, the nose of Donnhoff’s 2011 Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Beerenauslese – which was picked alongside its Auslese counterpart – promises an intense palate experience that the wine very much delivers. Distilled extracts of wormwood, woodruff and anisette; maraschino and serviceberry seem to lace the amalgam of quince jelly with pear and white peach nectars in a lusciously multi-layered yet animated palate performance. A spicy and tropical suggestion of mango chutney compounds the vibrantly penetrating effect of pungent herbal and pit fruit essences in a tonsil-gripping, mouth-shaking finish.” WA
The average price is $175
Weingut Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Spatlese, Nahe 2014 750ML ($69.95) Was $59, Now $49, 22 bottles available
Wine Advocate 95 points “In 2014 the Dönnhoffs bottled two different Spätlese Rieslings from their family cru Hermannshöhle. The regular 2014 Riesling Spätlese Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle shows a clear and aristocratic bouquet of great finesse. On the palate, this wine is so deliciously ripe, piquant, fine and elegant that it is almost mind-blowing. This is great and extremely cool, precise, finesse-full, frisky, filigreed and light-hearted, though still a serious Spätlese with a stimulatingly piquant finish. A great Spätlese — one of the finest I had in 2015.”
John Gilman 94+ points “As is the case with the Brücke Spätlese, the 2014 Hermannshöhle Spätlese is a superb bottle that may always live just a bit on the shadow of the pure magic of the 2013 version. The wine offers up an excellent and complex aromatic constellation of pink grapefruit, white cherries, slate, a hint of petrol, wild yeasts, orange peel and a topnote of lemongrass. On the palate the wine is medium-full, focused and very suave on the attack, with a fine core, ripe acids and outstanding length and grip on the still very primary, but utterly seamless finish. Fine, fine juice. 2020-2050.” JG
Terry Theise notes “A loving beaming grinning-like-a-dope vintage of this perennial masterpiece, transparent and lucid; indeed it’s a dialectical explication of Hermannshöhle; it reminded me of the ’08 but it’s more Eiswein-y, that sorcerous syrup.”
The average price is $61
Wine Advocate 91 points “The 2014 Riesling Spätlese Norheimer Kirschheck is pure and salty on the nose, which displays sweet cherry and very fine botrytis aromas. It’s just a perfect combination of slate and fine Riesling flavors. Dönnhoff estimates the botrytis part around 30%. Round and sweet on the plate, very juicy and sensual, but with a piquant and salty finish, this is a lovely, stimulating Spätlese with some super ripe banana flavors. The finish is fine, salty and really stimulating.”
Terry Theise notes “Not so girlish or sweet-natured as usual; this is serious and wants to make a point—how strong and proud this terroir can be. A megalith of mineral here! Its cherry-dimples are discreet. Seems drier than usual, less comely, more complex, and utterly vivid and dazzling.”
The average price is $37
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2014 Riesling Spätlese Oberhäuser Brücke–from Dönnhoff’s famous Eiswein, Auslese and Spätlese vineyard–opens very fine, pure and coolish on the slate-like/flinty nose. Piquant, sweet and juicy on the palate, this is a highly elegant and minerally structured Spätlese with a perfectly ripe acidity. It’s always the latest vineyard that has been picked. If there is a vineyard in Dönnhoff’s portfolio that is similar to the Saar, it is the Brücke, and especially the 2014 vintage. It’s just great.”
John Gilman 93 points “The 2014 Brücke Spätlese is really a lovely wine this year, but it cannot quite compete with the really classic example of this bottling crafted here in 2013. The wine offers up a lovely and quite complex bouquet of tangerine, apple, a classy base of slate, wild yeasts, a nice touch of Brücke spice tones and a topnote of apple blossoms. On the palate the wine is deep, fullish, pure and seamless, with a rock solid core, ripe acids and excellent length and grip on the focused and vibrant finish. This is really a lovely bottle of Spätlese. 2020-2050.” JG
Terry Theise notes “It’s usually their ur-riesling, the one that feels Edenic or primordial, and the one that’s often inscrutable in its youth. Not this year. I’ve never experienced a young Brücke that’s so psychedelic and in-your-face, perhaps because it’s the only wine from Brücke this year (no Auslese nor Eiswein) and so all the best fruit is in here. After four weeks of tasting, hundreds if not thousands of wines, it is this one that haunts me, like the very map of your soul that you put down somewhere and now can’t locate.”
The average price is $53
Weingut Donnhoff Oberhauser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett, Nahe 2014 750ML ($29.95) Was $24, Now $19, 36+ bottles available
Wine Advocate 90 points “The 2014 Riesling Kabinett Oberhäuser Leistenberg is cool, fresh and just ripe on the pure and elegant nose. Gentle and smooth, but also piquant and salty on the palate, this is a light and fruity, well balanced Kabinett with ripe acidity and a pure and salty, very stimulating finish. In a few words: round and juicy, but extremely stimulating and light. As father Hermann Dönnhoff once said, “The Leistenberg is not the wine with the highest must weight, but it’s always our finest wine.”
John Gilman 90-92 points “In the past there has been versions of the Leistenberg Kabinett under both screwcap and natural cork, but this year, it is all under the screw, and this wine too had only been bottled for a few days prior to my visit. The bouquet is a very stylish blend of apple, pear, slate, lilacs and a touch of wild yeasts in the upper register. On the palate the wine is medium-full, long and succulent, with a good core, beautiful balance, ripe acids and very good length and grip on the
finish. This too is a bit unsettled from its recent bottling, but will be very good. Pity about the closure…2015-2025.” JG
Terry Theise notes “God what fragrance! And the palate is so racy, mineral, charming and complex, begging drink-me! A stunning finish, green-silver-herb-citrus-rock-dust—again I don’t recall a better vintage of this.”
John Gilman 89+ points “The 2014 Tonschiefer is a lovely wine, with a bit different expression of minerality than the Estate Trocken, as these grapes hail entirely from the Leistenberg and are a on a bed of carbon-slate that is geological outlier of the coal beds in the Saar. The nose offers up a lovely constellation of tangerine, a hint of white cherry, wild yeasts, slate, citrus peel and a gentle topnote of lemongrass. On the palate the wine is medium-full, crisp and quite suave on the attack, with lovely focus and grip, ripe, well-integrated acids and a long, balanced and quite classy finish. Lovely juice and a fine value. 2015-2025+.” JG
Wine Advocate 88 points “From the carbon slate of the southeast-facing Oberhäuser Leistenberg, the 2014 Riesling Trocken Tonschiefer offers a lovely, clear and coolish stony slate bouquet. Round and light to medium-bodied, this silky-textured wine offers very juicy fruit combined with a stimulating salinity in the finish. Very good length. Very authentic and cool.”
Now even lower!
The average price is $27
Bodegas Olivares Altos de la Hoya Monastrell, Jumilla 2013 ($14.95) $10.90 special, 36+ bottles available
Case-12 Bodegas Olivares Altos de la Hoya Monastrell, Jumilla 2013 ($149.95) $109 special, 8 cases available (that’s only $9.08/bottle!)
Olivares’ estate vineyard, Finca Hoya de Santa Ana, is located in the northern part of Jumilla, which resides due west of the historical city of Alicante, in southeastern Spain. Compared to the rest of the appellation, this zone lies at over 800 meters in elevation. Nights cool down quickly, resulting in wines with nice fruit and great balance. This wine isn’t over the top or over-oaked – an outstanding buy for $10.90! – Troy
Domaine Lafage Cotes du Roussillon Cuvee Centenaire, Languedoc-Roussillon 2014 750ML ($19.95) $16 special, 12 bottles available
I’m going to use two of my least favorite wine descriptors for this one: likeable and drinkable. They’re lazy truisms that leave me shuddering, but I can’t help but call Lafage’s ‘Centenaire’ just that. Truly likeable and really drinkable. There, I said it!
As the namesake suggests, the grapes are grown from hundred-year-old vines – Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, and a touch of Rousanne, in this instance. The wine has considerable body without ever overstaying its welcome. Round, somewhat tropical, and with this brilliant salinity which has me wanting more. Preferably outdoors, near a coastline. With seafood! I’m stumped in thinking who wouldn’t enjoy Cuvee Centenaire; it’s a killer wine at the moment and will only become more crucial as the summer months draw closer.
I like this wine. You should drink it! – Tyler
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Produttori 2011 RiservasArriving April 16th!
“Overall, the 2011 Barbarescos are racy and seductive. The richness and intensity of the year are perceptible, but the wines retain plenty of site-specific signatures, albeit with softer edges than is typically the case. My impression is that the 2011s will drink well pretty much out of the gate, which should be welcomed by readers cellaring wines from more structured Barbaresco and Barolo vintages.”– Antonio Galloni – Vinous
“In Barbaresco, the 2011s combine opulent textures and mostly refined tannins. From what I’ve tasted to date, they have more personality than the 2009s.” – Stephen Tanzer
Case-12 Produttori del Barbaresco Asili, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($699.95) $649 pre-arrival special (that’s only $54.08/bottle!)
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2011 Barbaresco Riserva Asili is one of the most refined wines in this range. Here the fruit shows more distinctly red-toned notes, with plenty of Asili creaminess, silkiness and overall texture, not to mention considerable density. There is plenty of Asili sexiness and radiance, but at the same time, there is also more tannin and overall brightness than I expected. Not that those things are bad. Far from it. I imagine the 2011 will reward readers with many years of exceptional drinking. This is one of the most polished wines in the range of 2011 Riservas. Then again, it’s Asili.” AG
VinopolNote: In Asili, the grapes are from calcium-rich limestone vineyard land. The vineyard produces exceptionally rich and age-worthy wines.
Produttori del Barbaresco Montefico, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Produttori del Barbaresco Montefico, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($699.95) $619 pre-arrival special (that’s only $51.58/bottle!)
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2011 Barbaresco Riserva Montefico is another of the highlights in this range from the Produttori. Imagine the precision of Ovello, but with slightly darker fruit and more density and power through the middle. That’s the Montefico. A regal, towering Barbaresco, the Montefico should provide thrilling drinking for the next several decades. A rush of dark cherry, plum, smoke, licorice and tobacco add nuance on the powerful, structured finish.” AG
VinopolNote: The Montefico vineyard produces intensely mineral wines with spicy fruit and exceptional ageing potential from the calcareous limestone.
Produttori del Barbaresco Montestefano, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Produttori del Barbaresco Montestefano, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 1.5L ($149.95) $119 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Produttori del Barbaresco Montestefano, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($599.95) $519 pre-arrival special (that’s only $43.25/bottle!)
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2011 Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano is one of the least expressive of these wines. Inward, powerful and explosive, the 2011 is not in a mood to show much today, that is pretty clear. Still, there is an obvious energy here that is impossible to miss. A firm spine of tannin gives the wine much of its signature power. Dark red cherry, smoke, pomegranate and scorched earth blossom on the dramatic finish. A wine of real density and gravitas, the 2011 Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano stands out for its pure, unbridled energy and overall intensity.” AG
VinopolNote: The Montestefano vineyard produces a dark, ripe and rich wine with thick texture.
Case-12 Produttori del Barbaresco Muncagota, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($469.95) $419 pre-arrival special (that’s only $34.92/bottle!)
Antonio Galloni 90 points “Soft, caressing and voluptuous, the 2011 Barbaresco Riserva Muncagota is the sweetest and most open of these 2011 Riservas. Hard candy, wild flowers, mint and sweet spices meld together in a sensual, inviting Barbaresco that will drink nicely pretty much upon release. The 2011 strikes an attractive middle ground of raciness, texture and structure. As such, it will be one of the best early drinkers in this range. This is a gorgeous Muncagota.” AG
VinopolNote: Muncagota has a South-Eastern exposure and produces elegant and floral wines with lingering tannins.
The next best price is $49.75
Produttori del Barbaresco Ovello, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Produttori del Barbaresco Ovello, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 1.5 ($149.95) $119 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Produttori del Barbaresco Ovello, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($599.95) $519 pre-arrival special (that’s only $43.25/bottle!)
Antonio Galloni 94+ points “The 2011 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello, from one of the coolest zones in Barbaresco, is superb. Here it is the wine’s precision and energy – both hard to come by in 2011 – that really stand out. Pine, mint, chalk, bright red berries, blood orange and white pepper are some of the signatures in a brilliant, finely-cut Barbaresco that captures the best of both the vintage and this site. Don’t miss it!” AG
VinopolNote: Expect the Ovello wines to be full with rich red fruit.
Produttori del Barbaresco Paje, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Produttori del Barbaresco Paje, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($599.95) $519 pre-arrival special (that’s only $43.25/bottle!)
Antonio Galloni 95 points “One of the highlights in this range, the 2011 Barbaresco Riserva Pajè is also one of the most classic of these 2011 Riservas. Beams of underlying acidity and minerality give the flavors considerable thrust and brightness. Sweet mentholated notes wrap around a core of plush, red-fleshed plum and pomegranate fruit, leading to a brisk, refreshing finish. What is left to say? The 2011 Pajè is absolutely gorgeous. It’s as simple as that. Pajè is one of the cooler micro-climates the Produttori work with, and that was a help in 2011.” AG
VinopolNote: With its South-Western and Western exposure, the Paje vineyard produces complex wines with bright fruit aromas.
Produttori del Barbaresco Pora, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($59.95) $44 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Produttori del Barbaresco Pora, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($519.95) $459 pre-arrival special (that’s only $38.25/bottle!)
Antonio Galloni 92 points “The 2011 Barbaresco Riserva Pora is sweet, round and sensual. Beautifully layered in the glass, the Pora is absolutely exquisite, with plenty of sweet red cherry, plum, mint and spice notes woven throughout. The Pora is typically the most open of the Produttori’s nine Riservas, as it is once again this year. There is so much to like here.” AG
VinopolNote: Pora vineyard wines are lighter, with rich fruit and earthy notes, and integrates tannin more quickly.
The next best price is $49.75
Produttori del Barbaresco Rabaja, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 1.5L ($179.95) $149 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Produttori del Barbaresco Rabaja, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($699.95) $679 pre-arrival special (that’s only $56.58/bottle!)
Antonio Galloni 95+ points “The 2011 Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà is quite backward today, with intense, salivating tannins that cut through the fruit. The trademark Rabajà balsamic flavor profile is there, with notable darkness and plenty of structure that add complexity to a core of crystalline fruit. Energetic and powerful, with searing tannin and exceptional balance, the Rabajà is going to require considerable patience. The only question is how much.” AG
VinopolNote: Wines from the Rabaja vineyard are complex with silky tannins and dark fruit aromas.
Produttori del Barbaresco Rio Sordo, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($59.95) $44 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Produttori del Barbaresco Rio Sordo, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($519.95) $459 pre-arrival special (that’s only $38.25/bottle!)
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2011 Barbaresco Riserva Rio Sordo is a bit darker and more ample than it usually is, a signature of the year. With time in the glass, the typical soaring floral/spiced Rio Sordo bouquet emerges. Dark, sensual and beautifully expressive, the Rio Sordo is another wine that will drink well with minimal cellaring.”
VinopolNote: The Rio Sordo vineyard produces elegant, lingering wines with silky tannins and medium body.
Why Stop There?
Finish With Some Bubbles!
Antonio Galloni 96+ points “A mysterious, beguiling beauty, the 2002 Dom Ruinart Rosé boasts fabulous intensity and pure resonance. Tangerine, exotic spices, mint, crushed rose petals and sweet red berries blossom in the glass. Still, my impression is that the 2002 is holding back much of its ultimate potential, as it remains tight and much less expressive than so many other wines of the year. When the 2002 finally emerges fully, it is going to be truly monumental.”
The average price is $295
Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs Millesime Brut 2004 750ML ($179.95) Was $139, Now $119, 27 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 97 points “The 2004 Dom Ruinart is just as brilliant and viscerally thrilling as it has always been. If anything, the 2004 has shut down considerably over the last six months. Tightly coiled and exceptionally beautiful, the 2004 boasts fabulous intensity, class and pedigree. The flavors are vibrant, chiseled and crystalline in their precision. Time in bottle is doing wonders for the 2004. This is a tremendous showing.” AG
The next best price is $127.50
The average price is $157
“i shall drink no wine before it’s time!
…okay, it’s time.”
– groucho marx