In This Newsletter:
Featured Arrival
Marlborough Man: Kevin Judd of Cloudy Bay strikes out on his own
Arrivals
Falkenstein and Von Winning!
Close-Out Sales
More discounts from Brunello, Alto Adige, Germany, and Tavel
All Week Sale
“L’Aventure” in Savings
Collector’s Corner
Champagne from Veuve and Venoge
Featured Arrival
“Greywacke (Pronounced Greywacky)”
“With 25 years at Cloudy Bay, Kevin Judd was key to the global renown of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Today his Greywacke wines are standard bearers in their own right. This elegant, textural vintage brims with zippy pineapple sorbet, elderflower blossom and green mango freshness, with bracing lime acidity and a creamy passionfruit curd finish.”
-Decanter
Greywacke Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2022 750ml $21.90 special, 36+ bottles available
Wine Spectator 95 Points “Distinctive, succulent and wonderfully complex, offering stone fruit flavors on a rich, smooth and mouthwateringly juicy frame, with notes of honeysuckle, honey-preserved ginger, creamy lemon curd, ripe mango and flowers. Hints of spices linger on the long, expressive finish.”
New Arrivals
“Falkenstein”
Hofgut Falkenstein produces very traditional Saar Rieslings. Relying on ambient yeasts they ferment the musts in old oak casks in a deep, cool, and damp cellar with moldy stone walls, and most of the wines end up either naturally dry or off-dry. Falkenstein specializes in these distinctive, bracing, ripe and racy, Rieslings from low yields and old vines which have made them a cult favorite among Somms and collectors. These are rare releases and they never last long.Grab yours today!
| Vintage | Wine | Price | Availability |
| 2022 | Falkenstein Mutter Anna Kabinett Trocken Ap1 750ml | $33 special | 12 bottles available |
| 2022 | Falkenstein Spatlese Feinherb AP3 750ml | $36 special | 15 bottles available |
| 2022 | Falkenstein Egon Kabinett Trocken Ap19 750ml | $33 special | 12 bottles available |
| 2022 | Falkenstein Euchariusberg Kabinett Gisela Ap8 750ml | $50 special | 18 bottles available |
| 2022 | Falkenstein Herbert Kabinett Feinherb Ap15 750ml | $33 special | 15 bottles available |
| 2022 | Falkenstein Nieder Herrenberg Spat Feinherb 1.5L | $79 special | 3 magnum bottles available |
| 2022 | Falkenstein Krett Auf Holzchen Kab Trocken AP21 750ml | $33 special | 12 bottles available |
| 2022 | Falkenstein Kugel Peter Kabinett Ap12 750ml | $33 special | 18 bottles available |
| 2022 | Falkenstein Spatlese Trocken Lorenz Manni Ap18 750ml | $39 special | 12 bottles available |
| 2022 | Falkenstein Spatlese Feinherb Meyer Nepal Ap11 750ml | $36 special | 18 bottles available |
| 2022 | Falkenstein Munny Kabinett Trocken AP9 750ml | $33 special | 12 bottles available |
| 2022 | Falkenstein Spatlese Feinherb Onkel Peter Ap4 750ml | $39.95 special | 18 bottles available |
| 2022 | Falkenstein Pet Nat 750ml | $33 special | 12 bottles available |
If you like Falkenstein Rieslings You might like…
Falkenstein Rose Trocken 2021 750ml $29 special, just 10 more bottles available
Mosel Fine Wines “The 2021er Niedermenniger Herrenberg Rosé Trocken is made from fruit picked on what was planted by the Webers as Spätburgunder 25 years ago but which the authorities now say is a mutation and not legally Spätburgunder. It offers a very playful nose of pomegranate, cooked raspberry, and spices. The wine is still quite tart and firm on the palate and leaves an almost white wine feel in the long finish.”
Arriving Friday
“True and Pfalz: The Grand Crus of Germany”
Named for the actual historic figure Leopold Von Winning who was one of the early figures involved in the modernization of the Pfalz wine industry. Like Leopold before them, Von Winning has concerned itself with harnessing the very best that the Pfalz has to offer in order to bring the industry into the modern world. This selection of their wines represents the cream of the crop of the entire region, as “Grosses Gewachs,” aka Great Growths or Grand Crus, like their namesakes in Burgundy, are a heavily regulated system of the best sites in the region.
Von Winning Kieselberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs 2021 750ml $74.50 special, 6 bottles available
Wine Advocate 93-95 Points “The 2021 Kieselberg Riesling trocken VDP. Grosse Lage comes from a plateau above Deidesheim with sandstone and limestone in the soil. Fermented spontaneously in 500-liter oak vats and still maturing in them, the barrel sample shows a clear, elegant and savory nose of bright and ripe fruit aromas intertwined with oaky and yeasty notes. Creamy textured and very elegant on the palate, this is a full-bodied, tight and saline-finishing Riesling with fine and grippy tannins and lingering salinity and mineral tension. It’s still very young but worthy to be cellared for at least a decade.”
Von Winning Langenmorgen Grosses Gewachs 2021 750ml $74.50 special, 6 bottles available
Wine Advocate 93-94 Points “The 2021 Langenmorgen Riesling trocken VDP. Grosse Lage is grown in a cool area up by the forest on a light sandstone soil. It fermented spontaneously in 500-liter oak barrels, in which the wine is aging until today. The nose shows a brilliantly clear, fresh and flinty, very elegant GG with herbal and soil-driven, flinty-scented intensity and the coolish aromas of slow-ripening Riesling. Very elegant and refined on the palate, this is a round, lush and salty-savory Riesling classic that reveals a long, tight, saline and finely grippy finish. As per the vintage, this is a rather lean, straightforward but tensioned Riesling that will show its class in the years to come.
Von Winning Kalkofen Riesling Grosses Gewach 2021 750ml $74.50 special, 6 bottles available
Wine Advocate 95-96 Points “The 2021 Kalkofen Riesling trocken VDP. Grosse Lage comes from the plateau above Deidesheim and owes its density and complexity to 65-year-old vines growing on sandstone and limestone. The must is fermented spontaneously in 500-liter oak barrels, and the wine is maturing on the lees. The brilliantly clear and radiant sample opens with a deep, intense and elegant, still oaky but complex and fruit-intense bouquet that gives rise to the highest hopes. Rich and intense but also fresh and elegant on the palate, this is a full-bodied, mineral and textured Kalkofen that obviously wants to be a Meursault or Montrachet yet with the weapons of Riesling and also Buntsandstein. Whatever it is, this is an excellent and promising Kalkofen whose development and capacity I’d love to follow for at least a decade. The wine is dense and tight but also fresh and juicy and provided with very fine tannins and sustainable mineral acidity.”
Von Winning Grainhubel Riesling Grosses Gewach 2021 750ml $59 special, 6 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94 Points “The 2021 Grainhübel Riesling trocken VDP. Grosse Lage comes from a south-facing slope with red sandstone and tertiary limestone in the soil. Fermented spontaneously in 500-liter oak barrels and aged in them to the present day, this barrel sample opens with a clear, elegant, very aromatic nose of tropical fruits intertwined with flinty tones as well as spicy oak notes. Round and elegant on the palate, this is a full-bodied, intense and fruity Riesling with very attractive lush fruit that is taken to a long and aromatic finish by stimulating saline acidity. The finish is tight, intense and provided with fine tannins. An excellent grand cru that will be released sometime next year.”
Von Winning Ungeheuer Riesling GG 2021 750ml $74.50 special, 6 bottles available
Wine Advocate 95-96 Points “Tasted as barrel sample in November of this year, von Winning’s 2021 Ungeheuer Riesling trocken VDP. Grosse Lage is deep, very fine and clear on the elegant and balanced saline nose that is nothing less than spectacular in its seamless and pure appearance. Round and lush on the palate, with a salty piquancy and a dense, still yeasty texture with very fine tannins, this is a generous and complex Riesling from the famous Forster Ungeheuer that has been appreciated from wine geeks such as Johann Wolfgang Goethe, Otto von Bismarck and Robert M. Parker Jr.”
Von Winning Pechstein Riesling GG 2021 750ml $119 special, 6 bottles available
Importer’s Note: “The name of “Pechstein” stems from the black basalt rubble that is found there together with weathered red sandstone, sandy loam and friable clay. The extinct volcano, Pechsteinkopf, which is seen above the forest, distributed large quantities of volcanic rock over the area in ancient times. For this reason, the subsoil of the Pechstein also contains several basalt veins. The basalt rubble that contributes to easy warming of this site actually does not stem from the site’s subsoil, but rather from an old stone quarry just a couple hundred meters away. As was common in the 19th century, the basalt from the quarry was distributed in the vineyard and ploughed into the soil to improve it. The 17.1 hectare Pechstein is located at 120 to 150 meters a.s.l. and has a gentle 6 to 10 % slope gradient. The clay and loam in the Pechstein contribute to the excellent water storage capacity of the soil.”
Von Winning Kieselberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs 2021 750ml $74.50 special, 6 bottles available
Wine Advocate 93-95 Points “The 2021 Kieselberg Riesling trocken VDP. Grosse Lage comes from a plateau above Deidesheim with sandstone and limestone in the soil. Fermented spontaneously in 500-liter oak vats and still maturing in them, the barrel sample shows a clear, elegant and savory nose of bright and ripe fruit aromas intertwined with oaky and yeasty notes. Creamy textured and very elegant on the palate, this is a full-bodied, tight and saline-finishing Riesling with fine and grippy tannins and lingering salinity and mineral tension. It’s still very young but worthy to be cellared for at least a decade.”
Von Winning Langenmorgen Grosses Gewachs 2021 750ml $74.50 special, 6 bottles available
Wine Advocate 93-94 Points “The 2021 Langenmorgen Riesling trocken VDP. Grosse Lage is grown in a cool area up by the forest on a light sandstone soil. It fermented spontaneously in 500-liter oak barrels, in which the wine is aging until today. The nose shows a brilliantly clear, fresh and flinty, very elegant GG with herbal and soil-driven, flinty-scented intensity and the coolish aromas of slow-ripening Riesling. Very elegant and refined on the palate, this is a round, lush and salty-savory Riesling classic that reveals a long, tight, saline and finely grippy finish. As per the vintage, this is a rather lean, straightforward but tensioned Riesling that will show its class in the years to come.
Von Winning Kalkofen Riesling Grosses Gewach 2021 750ml $74.50 special, 6 bottles available
Wine Advocate 95-96 Points “The 2021 Kalkofen Riesling trocken VDP. Grosse Lage comes from the plateau above Deidesheim and owes its density and complexity to 65-year-old vines growing on sandstone and limestone. The must is fermented spontaneously in 500-liter oak barrels, and the wine is maturing on the lees. The brilliantly clear and radiant sample opens with a deep, intense and elegant, still oaky but complex and fruit-intense bouquet that gives rise to the highest hopes. Rich and intense but also fresh and elegant on the palate, this is a full-bodied, mineral and textured Kalkofen that obviously wants to be a Meursault or Montrachet yet with the weapons of Riesling and also Buntsandstein. Whatever it is, this is an excellent and promising Kalkofen whose development and capacity I’d love to follow for at least a decade. The wine is dense and tight but also fresh and juicy and provided with very fine tannins and sustainable mineral acidity.”
Von Winning Grainhubel Riesling Grosses Gewach 2021 750ml $59 special, 6 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94 Points “The 2021 Grainhübel Riesling trocken VDP. Grosse Lage comes from a south-facing slope with red sandstone and tertiary limestone in the soil. Fermented spontaneously in 500-liter oak barrels and aged in them to the present day, this barrel sample opens with a clear, elegant, very aromatic nose of tropical fruits intertwined with flinty tones as well as spicy oak notes. Round and elegant on the palate, this is a full-bodied, intense and fruity Riesling with very attractive lush fruit that is taken to a long and aromatic finish by stimulating saline acidity. The finish is tight, intense and provided with fine tannins. An excellent grand cru that will be released sometime next year.”
Von Winning Ungeheuer Riesling GG 2021 750ml $74.50 special, 6 bottles available
Wine Advocate 95-96 Points “Tasted as barrel sample in November of this year, von Winning’s 2021 Ungeheuer Riesling trocken VDP. Grosse Lage is deep, very fine and clear on the elegant and balanced saline nose that is nothing less than spectacular in its seamless and pure appearance. Round and lush on the palate, with a salty piquancy and a dense, still yeasty texture with very fine tannins, this is a generous and complex Riesling from the famous Forster Ungeheuer that has been appreciated from wine geeks such as Johann Wolfgang Goethe, Otto von Bismarck and Robert M. Parker Jr.”
Von Winning Pechstein Riesling GG 2021 750ml $119 special, 6 bottles available
Importer’s Note: “The name of “Pechstein” stems from the black basalt rubble that is found there together with weathered red sandstone, sandy loam and friable clay. The extinct volcano, Pechsteinkopf, which is seen above the forest, distributed large quantities of volcanic rock over the area in ancient times. For this reason, the subsoil of the Pechstein also contains several basalt veins. The basalt rubble that contributes to easy warming of this site actually does not stem from the site’s subsoil, but rather from an old stone quarry just a couple hundred meters away. As was common in the 19th century, the basalt from the quarry was distributed in the vineyard and ploughed into the soil to improve it. The 17.1 hectare Pechstein is located at 120 to 150 meters a.s.l. and has a gentle 6 to 10 % slope gradient. The clay and loam in the Pechstein contribute to the excellent water storage capacity of the soil.”
Close-out Sale – Price Reductions
Italy
Brunello?! At these low prices?!
La Fortuna Brunello Di Montalcino 2017 750ml WAS $59 NOW $49 special, 35 bottles available
Wine Advocate 93 Points “The mid-weight 2017 Brunello di Montalcino shows a smooth approach with cherry fruit and cassis. No part of this wine is overblown, and in fact, this Brunello maintains a silky personality overall. The alcohol is high at 15% in this hot vintage, although it feels relatively well tucked into the subtle fiber of this accessible Brunello. Production is 30,000 bottles.”
La Gerla Brunello Riserva Gli Angeli 2015 750ml WAS $99 NOW $89 special, 25 bottles available
Wine Spectator 96 Points “Rich and round, here is a red full of macerated plum and cherry flavors, with almond, leather, spice and earth accents. Firms up on the finish, where the vibrant fruit echoes.”
High-toned, high-altitude wines from Alto Adige
Kellerei Kaltern Quintessenz Classico Superiore 2017 750ml WAS $16 NOW $11.90 Special, 29 bottles available
Vinous 91 Points “Bright red. Spicy herbal red berries and flinty red cherry on the nose, then brisk and easygoing in the mouth, with smooth flavors and a hint of peppery bite on the long back end. Not the last word in complexity but juicy and full of early appeal. Try it lightly chilled.”
Kellerei Kaltern Saleit Chardonnay 2018 750ml WAS $16 NOW $11.90 Special, 24 bottles available
Wine Advocate 93 Points “The mid-weight 2017 Brunello di Montalcino shows a smooth approach with cherry fruit and cassis. No part of this wine is overblown, and in fact, this Brunello maintains a silky personality overall. The alcohol is high at 15% in this hot vintage, although it feels relatively well tucked into the subtle fiber of this accessible Brunello. Production is 30,000 bottles.”
La Gerla Brunello Riserva Gli Angeli 2015 750ml WAS $99 NOW $89 special, 25 bottles available
Wine Spectator 96 Points “Rich and round, here is a red full of macerated plum and cherry flavors, with almond, leather, spice and earth accents. Firms up on the finish, where the vibrant fruit echoes.”
High-toned, high-altitude wines from Alto Adige
Kellerei Kaltern Quintessenz Classico Superiore 2017 750ml WAS $16 NOW $11.90 Special, 29 bottles available
Vinous 91 Points “Bright red. Spicy herbal red berries and flinty red cherry on the nose, then brisk and easygoing in the mouth, with smooth flavors and a hint of peppery bite on the long back end. Not the last word in complexity but juicy and full of early appeal. Try it lightly chilled.”
Kellerei Kaltern Saleit Chardonnay 2018 750ml WAS $16 NOW $11.90 Special, 24 bottles available
Germany
One of Mosel’s finest since the Napoleonic Era
Karlsmuhle Kaseler Nies’ Chen Auslese LGC 17 750ml WAS $41.90 NOW $33 special, 22 bottles available
James Suckling 93 Points “Stand back as this riesling fireball arrives! Full of energy with a dynamic interplay of citrusy acidity and aromatic sweetness, which ranges from peaches and blackcurrants to mint. With more length, this would have been rated even higher. Drink or hold.”
Karlsmuhle Kaseler Nies’chen Kabinett 2019 750ml WAS $19 NOW $16 special, 33 bottles available
Karlsmuhle Lorenzhofer TBA 2007 375ml WAS $119 NOW $99, 22 bottles available
93+ Points Wine Advocate “…Dried peach, apricot, and date mingle with quince preserves, licorice and further suggestions of herbal concentrate both on the nose and palate. While impressively viscous, this preserves a welcome lightness of touch and vivacity illustrative of the best aspects of the vintage, and its residual sugar is remarkably restrained in expression…”
James Suckling 93 Points “Stand back as this riesling fireball arrives! Full of energy with a dynamic interplay of citrusy acidity and aromatic sweetness, which ranges from peaches and blackcurrants to mint. With more length, this would have been rated even higher. Drink or hold.”
Karlsmuhle Kaseler Nies’chen Kabinett 2019 750ml WAS $19 NOW $16 special, 33 bottles available
Karlsmuhle Lorenzhofer TBA 2007 375ml WAS $119 NOW $99, 22 bottles available
93+ Points Wine Advocate “…Dried peach, apricot, and date mingle with quince preserves, licorice and further suggestions of herbal concentrate both on the nose and palate. While impressively viscous, this preserves a welcome lightness of touch and vivacity illustrative of the best aspects of the vintage, and its residual sugar is remarkably restrained in expression…”
From the Nahe region and a patchwork of soils along the Nahe river that is thought of as Germany’s answer to Burgundy.
Korrell Paradies Riesling Trocken Nahe 2017 3L WAS $179 NOW $149 special, 3 bottles available
Grapelive 94 Points “The radiant and graceful Korrell Paradies Trocken leads with expressive pure apple tones. [It] impresses for its elegance and subtle character. It’s a wine of great poise and delicacy, especially admirable for such a young Riesling. The monopole estate vineyard, Paradies, is the oldest single site Korrell has and is the flagship wine from winemaker Martin Korrell.”
Korrell Von Den Grossen Lagen Ries Trocken Nahe 2017 750ml WAS $33 NOW $29 special, 36 bottles available
James Suckling 94 Points “What a beautiful nose of leaves and white flowers, dripping after rain. With aeration, peach, nectarine and mandarin-orange notes emerge. Concentrated, racy and very polished, this is a stunning dry riesling with a long, mineral finish. Drink or hold. Screw cap.”
Grapelive 94 Points “The radiant and graceful Korrell Paradies Trocken leads with expressive pure apple tones. [It] impresses for its elegance and subtle character. It’s a wine of great poise and delicacy, especially admirable for such a young Riesling. The monopole estate vineyard, Paradies, is the oldest single site Korrell has and is the flagship wine from winemaker Martin Korrell.”
Korrell Von Den Grossen Lagen Ries Trocken Nahe 2017 750ml WAS $33 NOW $29 special, 36 bottles available
James Suckling 94 Points “What a beautiful nose of leaves and white flowers, dripping after rain. With aeration, peach, nectarine and mandarin-orange notes emerge. Concentrated, racy and very polished, this is a stunning dry riesling with a long, mineral finish. Drink or hold. Screw cap.”
A wholly unique terroir at the intersection of four major German wine regions: the Nahe where the winery is located, the Rheingau and Mittelrhein to the north, Rheinhessen to the east.
Kruger-Rumpf Abtei “1937” Riesling (Reserv) 2018 750ml WAS $39 NOW $33 special, 36+ bottles available
Grapelive 94-96 Points “The 2018 barrel sample of Kruger-Rumpf’s Abtei 1937 was stunningly gorgeous with brilliant details, ripe extract density, vivid mineral tones and vibrant acidity showing a purity and vitality of youth, but with the complexity and length of its old vine material. Georg Rumpf has crafted a Trocken beauty here with layers of delicacy and substance. This juice is on par with almost any GG, making it an incredible value already.”
Grapelive 94-96 Points “The 2018 barrel sample of Kruger-Rumpf’s Abtei 1937 was stunningly gorgeous with brilliant details, ripe extract density, vivid mineral tones and vibrant acidity showing a purity and vitality of youth, but with the complexity and length of its old vine material. Georg Rumpf has crafted a Trocken beauty here with layers of delicacy and substance. This juice is on par with almost any GG, making it an incredible value already.”
France
One of the world’s most famous and prestigious wine-making Cooperatives
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 available
Le 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.”
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 available
Le 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.”
All Week Sale
L’Aventure
L’Aventure
In 1996 the respected Bordeaux winemaker Stephan Asseo wanted to break out of a creative rut and moved his family to California. Now in Paso Robles, about as far west as he could possibly move he began mixing Bordeaux and Rhone varietals, aging wines in clay amphora as well as oak barrels, and many new adventures that strict French winemaking regulations had prevented in the past. His new project became a runaway hit with collectors and was quickly followed by accolades from top wine reviewers.
Buy 3-5 bottles for a 5% discount
Buy 6+ bottles for a 10% discount
L’Aventure Estate Cuvee Paso Robles 2019 750ml $119 special, 20 bottles available
Jeb Dunnuck 100 Points “Pure perfection from Paso Robles […] Incredible cassis and black berry fruits as well as violets, chocolate, graphite, and who knows what else emerges from the glass, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a concentrated yet weightless mouthfeel, building tannins, and a great finish. It’s more seamless and approachable than the more backward, structured 2018 and will have two decades of prime drinking.”
L’Aventure Estate Cuvee Paso Robles Red 2020 750ml $119 special, 12 bottles available
Wine Advocate 99 Points “Deep ruby-purple, it has a pure core of cassis and slowly unfolding accents of licorice, cured meats, tobacco leaves, cedar and truffle. Full-bodied, juicy and alluring, it floods the mouth with layers of blue fruit, floral perfume and spice. It is supported by powdery tannins and boasts a tremendously long, detailed finish.”
L’Aventure Cote A Cote Paso Robles Red 2020 750ml $109 special, 12 bottles available
Wine Advocate 98 Points “The 2020 Côte a Côte is a beautiful blend of 45% Grenache, 30% Syrah and 25% Mourvèdre and one of the most successful wines I tasted from the challenging 2020 vintage. Deep ruby-purple, it offers pure aromas of blackcurrant, boysenberry, tar and pipe tobacco, continually unfolding with each return to the glass. The full-bodied palate offers wave after wave of perfumed fruit and tremendous spicy accents. It’s powerful yet harmoniously structured with powdery tannins and seamless acidity, and it offers a very long, detailed finish.”
Jeb Dunnuck 100 Points “Pure perfection from Paso Robles […] Incredible cassis and black berry fruits as well as violets, chocolate, graphite, and who knows what else emerges from the glass, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a concentrated yet weightless mouthfeel, building tannins, and a great finish. It’s more seamless and approachable than the more backward, structured 2018 and will have two decades of prime drinking.”
L’Aventure Estate Cuvee Paso Robles Red 2020 750ml $119 special, 12 bottles available
Wine Advocate 99 Points “Deep ruby-purple, it has a pure core of cassis and slowly unfolding accents of licorice, cured meats, tobacco leaves, cedar and truffle. Full-bodied, juicy and alluring, it floods the mouth with layers of blue fruit, floral perfume and spice. It is supported by powdery tannins and boasts a tremendously long, detailed finish.”
L’Aventure Cote A Cote Paso Robles Red 2020 750ml $109 special, 12 bottles available
Wine Advocate 98 Points “The 2020 Côte a Côte is a beautiful blend of 45% Grenache, 30% Syrah and 25% Mourvèdre and one of the most successful wines I tasted from the challenging 2020 vintage. Deep ruby-purple, it offers pure aromas of blackcurrant, boysenberry, tar and pipe tobacco, continually unfolding with each return to the glass. The full-bodied palate offers wave after wave of perfumed fruit and tremendous spicy accents. It’s powerful yet harmoniously structured with powdery tannins and seamless acidity, and it offers a very long, detailed finish.”
SALE ENDS @6PM FRIDAY
Collector’s Corner
“Veuve Clicquot”
A poem written for this special collaborative bottling:
A poem written for this special collaborative bottling:
My Heart That Blooms in the Darkness of the Night
From all my heart,
the life of flowers flew away.
My everlasting affection for the flowers,
flew off beyond the universe
to show its vitality,
to gaze at the extremes of life.
– Yayoi Kusama
Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame Yayoi Kusama 2012 750ml $189 special, 12 bottles available
(Yayoi Kusama Limited Edition)
Wine Enthusiast “#3 Wine Of The Year (2020) – With a slight preponderance of Pinot Noir in the blend, this wine is rich and impressive. It is still young, with a crisp edge that makes the fruit shine. Apple and citrus flavors are integrated into a mineral vein.”
Decanter 96 Points “A generous golden colour betrays the dominance of Pinot Noir in the blend; this theme thereafter maintained by aromatics of fig, wild strawberries and Mirabelle plums; behind that, jasmine, red apples and a distant whiff of woodsmoke. Engaging already, in other words. One’s impressions are confirmed and amplified on the palate, with the aspiration voiced by both chef de caves Dominique and Didier, to allow the ‘cooler’ Pinot Noir sites full rein. This is eloquently evidenced by a subtle and deftly textured structure, the primary fruit notes of nectarine and citrus peel underscored by a richer, still somewhat reticent, core, darker and more savoury of intent and oh, so subtle at the moment. I have every confidence that this characteristic will come into its own over the longer term and mark the 2012 as one of the more successful outings for this outstanding cuvée.”
(Yayoi Kusama Limited Edition)
Wine Enthusiast “#3 Wine Of The Year (2020) – With a slight preponderance of Pinot Noir in the blend, this wine is rich and impressive. It is still young, with a crisp edge that makes the fruit shine. Apple and citrus flavors are integrated into a mineral vein.”
Decanter 96 Points “A generous golden colour betrays the dominance of Pinot Noir in the blend; this theme thereafter maintained by aromatics of fig, wild strawberries and Mirabelle plums; behind that, jasmine, red apples and a distant whiff of woodsmoke. Engaging already, in other words. One’s impressions are confirmed and amplified on the palate, with the aspiration voiced by both chef de caves Dominique and Didier, to allow the ‘cooler’ Pinot Noir sites full rein. This is eloquently evidenced by a subtle and deftly textured structure, the primary fruit notes of nectarine and citrus peel underscored by a richer, still somewhat reticent, core, darker and more savoury of intent and oh, so subtle at the moment. I have every confidence that this characteristic will come into its own over the longer term and mark the 2012 as one of the more successful outings for this outstanding cuvée.”
De Venoge
It is our pleasure to offer these wines from one of the most exclusive Champagne houses in France. Founded in 1825 by Henri-Marc de Venoge, a Swiss immigrant to the region, these wines are still made in a traditional style rarely seen in modern Champagnes. While most champagnes these days are made in a crisp, fresh, but brittle style, the champagnes of De Venoge undergo Malolactic fermentation, resulting in a rounder, fatter, elegant style that can age for decades. Luckily, the winery has done the hard work already (resisting the temptation to pop the cork) and aged these wines for immediate consumption.
Most of the bottles produced by De Venoge never leave their country of origin, most that does leave France is allocated to high end restaurants in London. This is a rare opportunity to drink a wine with a longer history than many countries!
Most of the bottles produced by De Venoge never leave their country of origin, most that does leave France is allocated to high end restaurants in London. This is a rare opportunity to drink a wine with a longer history than many countries!
De Venoge Cordon Bleu Brut 2002 750ml $79 special, 7 bottles in stock
Wine Spectator 93 points “A core of mineral-accented smoke, spice and honey notes is wrapped with flavors of glazed apricot, lemon preserves and candied ginger in this vibrant and well-balanced version. Creamy, with a lasting finish. Drink now through 2025.” Only 3,000 cases made.
De Venoge Louis XV Brut 2006 750ml $189 special, 18 bottles in stock
Wine Advocate 96 points “The assemblage of the 2006 Louis XV Brut Millésimé is about the same as the 1995 and 1996—composed of 50/50 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, all from grand cru villages. The only difference is that the Chardonnay from Le Mesnil-sur-Oger (10% of the assemblage) spent 12 months in oak barrels … the 2006 has a golden color and opens with a deep, ripe, elegant and vinous bouquet with toasty and chalky lemon and fresh.”
De Venoge Louis XV Brut 2008 750ml $249 special, 33 bottles in stock
James Suckling 95 points “This is really punchy and broad-shouldered with muscular structure and citrusy undertones. Full body. Lightly tannic and a fresh and vivid finish. This is the first vintage without malolactic Fermentation ever. One for the cellar. Better in 2022“
De Venoge Louis XV Brut Rose 2002 750ml $189 special, 21 bottles in stock
Wine Spectator 93 points “Harmonious, with fine intensity, offering rich notes of spice cake, toasted almond, dried cherry, grilled plum and smoky mineral. Almost velvety in texture, with juicy acidity that brings you back for another sip. Delicious. Drink now through 2022.” Only 54 cases made.
Wine Spectator 93 points “A core of mineral-accented smoke, spice and honey notes is wrapped with flavors of glazed apricot, lemon preserves and candied ginger in this vibrant and well-balanced version. Creamy, with a lasting finish. Drink now through 2025.” Only 3,000 cases made.
De Venoge Louis XV Brut 2006 750ml $189 special, 18 bottles in stock
Wine Advocate 96 points “The assemblage of the 2006 Louis XV Brut Millésimé is about the same as the 1995 and 1996—composed of 50/50 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, all from grand cru villages. The only difference is that the Chardonnay from Le Mesnil-sur-Oger (10% of the assemblage) spent 12 months in oak barrels … the 2006 has a golden color and opens with a deep, ripe, elegant and vinous bouquet with toasty and chalky lemon and fresh.”
De Venoge Louis XV Brut 2008 750ml $249 special, 33 bottles in stock
James Suckling 95 points “This is really punchy and broad-shouldered with muscular structure and citrusy undertones. Full body. Lightly tannic and a fresh and vivid finish. This is the first vintage without malolactic Fermentation ever. One for the cellar. Better in 2022“
De Venoge Louis XV Brut Rose 2002 750ml $189 special, 21 bottles in stock
Wine Spectator 93 points “Harmonious, with fine intensity, offering rich notes of spice cake, toasted almond, dried cherry, grilled plum and smoky mineral. Almost velvety in texture, with juicy acidity that brings you back for another sip. Delicious. Drink now through 2022.” Only 54 cases made.
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