In This Newsletter:Special ArrivalCult Aussie ShirazNew ArrivalsBurklin-Wolf, GD Vajra, Arnaud Lambert, Lingua Franca, and more!Recent AccoladesWine & Spirits Top 100 Wineries: Luigi BaudanaClose-out SalesSave on select German and Italian winesCollector’s CornerSpecial Library Offerings– Very Rare!
Special Arrival
Standish Wine Company
It all began in 1999 when Dan and Nicole Standish acquired a block of 96-year-old-old Shiraz in the Vine Vale region of the Barossa Valley and “The Standish,” an Aussie cult wine was born. A third generation winemaker, Dan has embraced low intervention wine-making and natural fermentations paired with basket-pressed grapes to create an old-fashioned wine with a style that is still impeccably modern. Standish ‘The Standish’ Shiraz, Barossa Valley 2018 750ml $149 special, 6 bottles availableWine Advocate 98-100 Points “The 2018 The Standish Shiraz (a sample blend from barrel) is a bit stalky (it’s about 50% whole cluster), but it’s gorgeously perfumed, with hints of herbal tea, raspberries, blackberries and licorice. It just exudes complexity, while also being full-bodied, plush and creamy, with a long, elegant finish. This seamless beauty is a candidate for perfection.”
New Arrivals
Oregon
Lingua Franca Tongue N Cheek Pinot Noir 2019 750ml $69 special, 6 bottles availableWine Advocate 96 Points “The 2019 Pinot Noir Tongue ‘N Cheek takes some air to open from tar and graphite to expressive raspberry preserves, blood orange and lavender. The palate is light-bodied with a fine, dusty texture, seamless lift and particularly detailed, ethereal, floral flavors. Give it a few hours in a decanter or 2-3 more years in the bottle.”
California
Arnot-Roberts Syrah California 2022 750ml $44.50 special, 12 bottles available2020 Review provided for context.Vinous 93 Points “One of the highlights in this range, the 2020 Syrah (California) is bright, punchy and explosive. Inky dark fruit, spice, licorice and leather are all kicked up in this juicy, exuberant Syrah. In 2020, a large percentage of the fruit is from Santa Maria, hence the broader California designation this year. Floral and savory accents linger.” Arnot-Roberts Chardonnay Watson Ranch Napa 2022 750ml $44.50 special, 12 bottles availableWinery Note “The Watson Ranch vineyard is perched on a steep hillside overlooking the San Pablo Bay in the southernmost end of the Napa Valley. The vineyard can be seen on the top of the hill just east of the Green Island Vineyard which we sourced fruit from 2007-09. Exposed and austere, the Watson Ranch is a wind whipped site planted in 1993 by the talented grower Salvador Ramos on marine deposits over limestone. This soil type is extremely rare on the North Coast and lends itself perfectly to growing world class Chardonnay. This soil coupled with organic farming techniques and cool windy conditions give this parcel great potential to produce Chardonnay of singular character.”
Champagne
“Champagne Andre Clouet”
Andre Clouet is a Champagne house known for many things, chief among them being some of the best values in the appellation. The wines they’re making are fantastic, from their base non-vintage blend all the way through the prestige “1911” cuvee which is perpetually one of the best under $100 Champagnes out there. The wines, on the whole, tend to be Pinot based, which makes our offering today a bit of a departure: it is 100% Chardonnay. Andre Clouet calls this new release “Dream Vintage” and like everything else they make, it’s a steal for the price. Made with Grand Cru fruit, it’s bottled a year after vintage and then disgorged to order. Let that sink in for a second. The wines have been on the lees for a long time and well, they’re from great vintages to begin with. Andre Clouet Brut Dream Vintage 2006 750ml $75 special, 28 bottle s availableAndre Clouet Brut Dream Vintage 2009 750ml $54.50 special, 28 bottles available
Also Arriving:
Andre Clouet Brut Grande Reserve NV 1.5L $89 special, 36 bottles availableWine Advocate 90 Points “… a nicely integrated bouquet of red apple, ripe citrus fruit, honeycomb and blanched almonds, followed by a medium to full-bodied, enveloping palate with a fine mousse, ripe but racy acids and an elegant, understated profile, concluding with a well-defined finish. This is a stylish, harmonious wine that makes for a fine introduction to the Clouet portfolio.”
France
“Domaine Giachino, Savoie”
Giachino ‘Black Giac’ Mondeuse 750ml $24 special, 16 bottles availableDecanter 92 Points “Despite being the secondary label from the fine Ardoisières estate, the quality of this organic blend is exemplary. The Mondeuse and Persan were aged in large foudres, and blended with Gamay from tank. The nose is expressively floral, plummy and lightly spiced, while on the palate these flavours are held together by great acidity and soft, fine tannins.”
New Arrivals from the Loire:
“Domaine Bernard Baudry”
Bernard Baudry Chinon Croix Boissee Rouge 2016 750ml $54.50 special, 12 bottles availableWine Advocate 92+ Points “The 2016 Chinon La Croix Boissée is transparent, pure and fresh as well as tight and salty on the palate, which reveals mealy tannins. A straight and expressive Chinon that was bottled in March 2019.”
“Domaine Arnaud Lambert”
Lambert ‘Breze’ Clos de Midi Saumur Blanc 2022 750ml $23.50 special, 26 bottles availableStaff Pick: “The Return of a staff favorite! This vineyard, planted in 1985 is southeast facing with sandy clay soil atop softer Turonian limestone rock. Certified Organic, Indigenous yeast fermentation in stainless steel tanks and older Burgundian barrels. Aged for 12 months.” Lambert Cremant de Loire Blanc NV $21.90 special, 26 bottles available50% Chardonnay / 50% Chenin BlancImporter Note “Vine Age: Planted in 1990. Terroir: From the Clos of the Château, 60 cm deep silt and clay sand soil on a soft Turonian limestone bedrock. Viticulture: Organic (certified). Vinification: Indigenous yeast fermentation. Aged for 24 months.” Lambert Chateau de Breze Cremant De Loire Rose NV $21.90 special, 24 bottles availableBecky Wasserman Note “Vine Age: Planted in 1981. Terroir: Lower part of the Clos du Midi, silty sand soil on 1 meter of soft Turonian limestone bedrock. Viticulture: Organic (certified). Vinification: Indigenous yeast fermentation, traditional Champagne method. Aged for 24 months.” Winery Note “100% Cabernet Franc.”
“Domaine Vacheron”
Here is a domaine that goes from strength to strength. And shows no signs of stopping.
–Jacqueline Friedrich, author of The Wine and Food Guide to the Loire.
Vacheron Sancerre Blanc 2020 750ml $54.50 special, 12 bottles availableVinous “Most producers can only dream of an “entry-level” wine that’s this good. The 2020 Sancerre is a touch flinty on the nose right now, and offers pure fruit reminiscent of gooseberry, nettle and boxwood. This has a certain ease to it, conveying a mellow texture within its light-bodied frame.” Vacheron Sancerre Rose 2020 750ml $39 special, 2 bottles availableKermit Lynch “Domaine Vacheron is arguably one of the three greatest names in Sancerre. In a region not typically known for its wines’ longevity in the cellar, this domaine manages to produce some of the most age-worthy Sauvignon Blanc in the world, and their Pinot Noir wines can often stand toe-to-toe with many producers in Burgundy. It’s this wonderful Pinot Noir fruit that forms the basis for this outstanding rosé. The region has been a strong go-to recently for outlandishly good rosé, and this one just might take the whole category to another level.”
Italy
“GD Vajra, Piedmont”
GD Vajra Barolo Albe 2019 750ml $33.50 special, 36+ bottles availableWine 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.” GD Vajra Langhe Rosso 2021 750ml $16 special, 36+ bottles availableWine & Spirits 91 Points “This wine’s flavors of cherry, raspberry and pomegranate are light, allowing nuanced notes of sage, thyme and licorice to shine through. Snappy but substantive, it’s the kind of versatile wine you could drink every night.”
Two Italian wines from an underrated and versatile varietal:
Casale Falchini ‘Vigna a Solatio’ Vernaccia Di San Gimignano 2021 750ml $13.50 special, 22 bottles availableWinery Notes “Using exclusively Vernaccia DOCG grapes from San Gimignano, from the Vigna a Solatìo of Casale Falchini this wine is produced: it is distinguished by the pleasant freshness on the palate, and the light notes of green apple and white flowers. The Vigna a Solatìo is an ideal choice for every type of cuisine, adapting very well; the character of this wine has great finesse and a good structure.” Teruzzi And Puthod ‘Isola Bianca’ Vernaccia Di San Gimignano 2021 750ml $17.50 special, 24 bottles availableAll About Wine “Elegant nose of apple and mineral, followed by an engagingly intense palate, full of green apple and almond, leading to an appetizing Chablis-like finish.”
Spain
“Agusti Torello, Penedes”
Agusti Torello Mata Cava Brut Reserva Cava 2018 750ml $21.90 special, 12 bottles availableNo reviews available for the 2018. 2017 review provided for reference.Decanter 90 Points “A blend of Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel·lo from organic vines aged 30-40 years. Subtle aromas of green apple, apricot pastries and ripe lemon. Evolved honeyed notes on the palate, alongside fresh apple and lemon citrus, with a creamy texture, gentle bubbles and a fresh lift of grapefruit acidity on the finish. Good value for money. Organic and suitable for vegans. Drinking Window 2021 – 2023.” Agusti Torello Mata ‘Kripta’ Gran Reserva Brut Natura Cava 2016 750ml $89 special, 9 bottles availableImporter’s Notes “Description: Pale yellow with golden highlights. Fine and persistent bubbles, with slow evolution. The aroma features creamy notes, ripe fruit, vanilla and soft toasty nuances and a slight balsamic note. Fine and elegant on the palate with a soft, silky texture and a background of vanilla, ripe fruit, toast and truffle. Very long and complex finish. Due to its structure and aging it is ideal to accompany rich foods: caviar, fish, meat, foie gras and semi-cured cheese. Serve at 7ºC.”
Germany
“Burklin-Wolf, Pfalz”
Burklin-Wolf Deidesheimer Riesling 2020 750ml $24 special, 24 bottles availableJames Suckling 93 Points “Such a classic Pfalz dry riesling, with all the juiciness of the region, thanks to the ripe white-peach and guava aromas. Yet, there’s nothing loud about it at all. Real finesse and elegance, the animating acidity, subtle minerality and a touch of tannins melding together beautifully in the long, properly dry finish. From biodynamically grown grapes.” Burklin-Wolf Gaisbohl Riesling Monopol GC 2020 750ml $69 special, 12 bottles availableNot yet reviewed, 2019 review supplied for referenceJames Suckling 95 Points “The 2019 Gaisböhl G.C. is pure, fresh and flinty on the lemon-scented nose that is the youngest of all the 2019s of the domain at this early stage. Juicy, piquant and salty on the palate, this is an intense but pure, linear and almost weightless dry Riesling with a crystalline structure, salinity and decent finesse. The finish is intense and mineral but also juicy, with concentrated fruit flavors. A promising classic, perhaps the coolest style of the 2019 vintage here. Tasted as a barrel sample in April 2020.” Burklin-Wolf Goldbachel Riesling Trocken PC 2020 750ml $49 special, 6 bottles availableJames Suckling 94 Points “Am immediately attractive, elegant dry white that’s got a wonderful interplay between juicy stone-fruit character and very bright, refreshing acidity that drives the long, delicately chalky finish. From biodynamically grown grapes.” Burklin-Wolf Hoheburg Riesling Trocken PC 2021 750ml $49 special, 6 bottles availableJames Suckling 92+ Points “Blood orange and yellow grapefruit aromas are married to a sleek and firmly structured body. Still tightly wound with very racy acidity, this is a wine for riesling acid freaks. Long and pointed finish. From biodynamically grown grapes. Vegan. Drink or hold.” Burklin-Wolf Wachenheimer Riesling Trocken 2020 750ml $24 special, 24 bottles availableJames Suckling 93 Points “Still slightly yeasty from lees contact, but this has lovely mirabelle and nectarine aromas that expand with aeration. Excellent interplay of citrusy freshness, juicy stone fruit and chalky minerality. Elegant and expressive, long finish. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold. Screw cap.” Burklin-Wolf Reiterpfad Riesling GC 2020 750ml $89 special, 28 bottles availableJames Suckling 96 Points “This powerful dry white has an enormously expressive personality. The fine-grained minerality drives this very concentrated riesling along at a very brisk clip. Very intense and slightly austere finish. Great aging potential! From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold.”
2021 Vintage Reports- Patricia Greene Wines 
“The short one-liner on 2021 is that this is a stellar vintage, with the wines displaying an outstanding balance of ripeness, depth, and tension, with the top wines offering broad drinking windows.”
-Audrey Frick, JebDunnuck.com
Whether you’ve tried these wines or not (and I really hope you have) if you’re a fan of Willamette wines, your favorite wineries have probably reaped the benefit of Patricia’s work in the industry. Patricia Green Chehalem Mountain Pinot Noir 2021 750ml $33 special, 22 bottles availableJeb Dunnuck 92 Points “A deep youthful ruby, the 2021 Pinot Noir Chehalem Mountain Vineyard is ripe and attractive, with primary notes of mixed berries, fresh violets, and wet stone. Medium-bodied, with mouth-filling fruit, it’s highly appealing now, with velvety tannins and a great lift of freshness on the finish. It is drinking great today and will be solid drinking over the coming 4-6 years.” -Audrey Frick. Patricia Green Estate Pinot Noir 2021 750ml $33 special, 18 bottles availableJeb Dunnuck “The fruit for the 2021 Pinot Noir Estate Vineyard was grown in erosion-prone soils (sandstone on top of shale), which means that it takes far longer for plants to establish themselves. From vines planted between 1998 and 2010, this 2021 is expressive on opening, with dusty earth, ripe raspberry, attractive spices, and a hint of blue flowers. Juicy and plush, it’s medium to full-bodied with generous fruit that fills the palate and feels approachable and delicious now. Drink 2023-2030.” -Audrey Frick. Patricia Green Freedom Hill Wadensvil Pinot 2021 750ml $42.50 special, 15 bottles availableJeb Dunnuck 96 Points “The ruby-purple 2021 Pinot Noir Freedom Hill Vineyard Wadensvil Clone Block takes on notes of wild herbs, blackberry, and pine sap. Richly textured, with deep concentration ripe tannins, and a long finish, it feels complete. Drink 2025-2040.” -Audrey Frick. Patricia Green Freedom Hill Pinot Noir 2021 $33 special, 11 bottles availableJeb Dunnuck 93 Points “From vines planted in 1982, the 2021 Pinot Noir Freedom Hill Vineyard pours a jeweled ruby color and could use a decant if opening any time soon, as it is holding onto some reductive tones. They do blow off in the glass, revealing aromas of kirsch, candied flowers, sage, and pine. The palate is more reserved, with medium to full body, and takes on ripe tannins, but demands time to open. It‘s an age-worthy wine at a ridiculously good price. Drink 2024-2030.” -Audrey Frick. Patricia Green Old Vine Estate Pinot 2021 750ml $39 special, 22 bottles availableJeb Dunnuck 94 Points “From vines planted between 1984 and 1997, the 2021 Pinot Noir Estate Vineyard Old Vine moves to a savory realm. Initially the aromatics are more reserved, but it has an intense texture, with great structure, significant persistence, and mineral accents throughout. It’s long on the palate and demands 3-5 years of cellar time. Mouthwatering and long, it’s an incredible wine to drink 2026-2046. It seems insane that this wine and the Pinot Noir Estate Vineyard are from the same vineyard.” -Audrey Frick. Patricia Green Weber Vineyard Pinot Noir 2021 750ml $42.50 special, 22 bottles availableJeb Dunnuck 95 Points “From a 1983 planting of Pommard, the 2021 Pinot Noir Weber Vineyard is a transparent ruby color and is energetic and lifted with aromas of orange zest, pomegranate, and salty earth. Medium-bodied, with a note of iron-rich earth, it offers a soft mineral texture and reveals a deceptive depth of fruit that lasts through the palate. It’s weightless but persistent. Drink 2023-2033.” -Audrey Frick.
Close-out Sales
Germany
Emrich-Schonleber Fruhtau Riesling Trocken 2020 750ml WAS $41.90 NOW $33 special, 36+ bottles availableWine Advocate 93 Points “The 2020 Monzingen Riesling trocken Frühtau comes from younger vines in the Frühlingsplätzchen and opens with a clear, fine and reductive bouquet with coolish stony and herbal notes. Crystalline and very elegant on the palate, this is a tight, straight and still challenging, very mineral dry Riesling that will benefit from longer bottle aging. The finish is long and enormously salty. A wine to keep.” Emrich-Schonleber Halenberg Spatlese Riesling 2018 750ml WAS $41.90 NOW $33 special, 18 bottles availableVinous 93 Points “Lightly poached pear and white peach gain a welcome bit of brightness from fresh lime, so that an effusively ripe and soothingly creamy Riesling still delivers animation and refreshment. At the same time, there is a sense of lift and delicacy here that goes beyond what was exhibited by this year’s Kabinett, and which perfectly fits the floral perfume that wafts through this wine’s entire performance. A bittersweet hint of cassis and subtle piquancy of fruit pit add counterpoint to the complexly layered, bell-clear finish.” Emrich-Schonleber Halenberg TBA Riesling 2018 375ml WAS $299 NOW $249 special, 21 Bottles AvailableWine Advocate 98+ Points “The 2018 Halenberg Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese is incredibly pure and aromatic on the nose where super ripe but clear peach aromas are displayed. Extremely rich and refined on the palate, this is a ripe, terribly sweet but refined, fresh and salty-piquant TBA with a stimulating finish. A fabulous wine.” Emrich-Schonleber Monzinger Kabinett Riesling 2018 750ml WAS $28 NOW $21.90 special, 17 Bottles availableVinous 90 Points “This wine’s 10% alcohol is a tip-off not just to its modest level of residual sugar but also to the extreme ripeness of the 2018 vintage, which, as Schönleber acknowledged, represented a challenge to the Kabinett genre. It was picked in the last days of September. It manages in fact to display more than enough delicacy and refreshment to justify its labeling.”
Italy
Giovanni Rosso Cerretta Barolo 2016 750ml WAS $89 NOW $79 special, 22 bottles availableWine Enthusiast 97 Points “Rose, red-berry, camphor and dark-spice aromas slowly emerge in the glass. Showing Serralunga’s hallmark of firm structure and finesse, the full-bodied, youthfully tense palate delivers juicy red cherry, raspberry compote, dried mint and licorice set against a backbone of noble tannins. Bright acidity keeps it impeccably balanced. Drink 2026–2056. -Kerin O’Keefe” Giovanni Rosso Comune di Serralunga Barolo 2016 750ml WAS $59 NOW $49 special, 31 bottles availableWine Enthusiast 96 Points “Iris, woodland-berry and pine-forest aromas shape the nose. On the focused, vibrant palate, mint and star anise notes accent a core juicy Marasca cherry. Taut polished tannins and bright acidity provide balance and a firm lithe structure.” Cantina Horus Vittoria Frappato Sole E Terra 2021 750ml WAS $28 NOW $24 special, 12 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.” Cantina Horus Corda Pazza Rosso 2020 750ml WAS $29 NOW $24 special, 24 bottles availableImporter Notes “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.”
Collector’s Corner
Special Library Offerings– Rare Editions!
When these rarities are gone they are gone for good!
California
France
Italy
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Thank you from the team at Vinopolis!
Be well & drink well.
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