In This Newsletter:
Huge Price Reductions
Hubert Lignier’s Classic Burgundy
Il Poggione’s 2016 Brunello
Lands in September
Northern Rhône Case Specials
Delas, Merlin & More
Top Burgundy Picks
$50 – $60
Collector’s Corner
2019 Sequitur Arrives Friday
Huge Price Reductions
Hubert Lignier’s Classic Burgundy
Hubert Lignier’s Classic Burgundy
Hubert Lignier is one of the finest names in Burgundy. The wines have been a core of the Neal Rosenthal portfolio since the 1978 vintage and have always been one of its jewels. These are some of the defining wines of Morey-St. Denis, different from Dujac stylistically but no less profound.
We have an extensive collection of Lignier’s wines from some of Burgundy’s finest recent vintages. 2016 and 2017 were both fantastic across Burgundy, yielding fresh, balanced wines with purity and charm. Contrasting the two, the 2016s are generally more elegant, while the 2017s have more structure. Both vintages are expected to age gracefully, and Lignier’s wines are no exception.
There were initially some concerns about the 2018 vintage following a summer marked by heat spikes. However, in bottle the wines have shown more freshness than expected, with a plush, youthful appeal. This is the Burgundy vintage for impatient connoisseurs.
In an effort to get more of these enchanting bottles on tables, and in cellars, we’ve slashed prices (including a $300 drop on the 2017 Clos de la Roche “MCMLV”) and are now offering nearly all of our selection at national best pricing. So take advantage of these outstanding deals and acquaint (or reacquaint) yourself with the classic wines of Hubert Lignier.
In Stock & Priced to Move:
Domaine Hubert Lignier Bourgogne Pinot Noir Grand Chaliot, Burgundy 2018 750ML ($59.95) Was $49 Now $41.90, 2 bottles in stock now
Rosenthal Note “The “Grand Chaliot” lieu-dit is situated just south of Nuits-Saint-Georges, and the Ligniers work 1.25 hectares of vines there planted in 1987. Given its proximity to Nuits-Saint-Georges, this wine possesses a seriousness and mineral depth rare for a Bourgogne, particularly impressive in its amplitude and intensity. A mere 10% new oak allows the energetic and spice-tinged flavors to shine through unimpeded.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Hubert Lignier Bourgogne Passe-tout-grains, Burgundy 2018 750ML ($34.95) Was $29 Now $27, 25 bottles in stock now
Rosenthal Note “Lignier’s Passetoutgrain is benchmark of its category, offering the finesse of far loftier appellations and embodying the authoritative depth of the house style in miniature form. The wine comprises 0.4 hectares worth of vines: 60% Gamay (from 1960) and 40% Pinot Noir (from 1998), planted within the confines of Morey-Saint-Denis proper in a site called Aux Poirelots. Aged entirely in used barrels, this cuvée is bottled without fining or filtration just before the next harvest.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Hubert Lignier Chambolle-Musigny Les Bussieres, Cote du Nuits 2017 750ML ($149.95) Was $125 Now $108, 12 bottles in stock now
Domaine Hubert Lignier Chambolle-Musigny Les Bussieres, Cote du Nuits 2017 1.5L ($299.95) Was $279 Now $245, 1 bottle in stock now
Rosenthal Note ““Les Bussieres” sits just below the premier cru “Les Sentiers” (and just down-slope from grand cru Bonnes-Mares), hard on the border of Morey-Saint-Denis. The Ligniers exploit just under a half-hectare of vines here—a total of four parcels, planted between 1948 and 1988. This wine combines classic Chambolle elegance and mineral precision with the savory guts of Morey, with loads of spice and floral accents to the nose and a focused, linear palate that should soften and expand with a few years of cellaring.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Hubert Lignier Les Chabiots, Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru 2017 750ML ($299.95) Was $249 Now $219, 3 bottles in stock now
Rosenthal Note ““Les Chabiots” is a dreamily situated premier cru that lies just north of Musigny, perched just above the fabled “Les Amoureuses” on the slope in the southern sector of Chambolle. Hubert and Laurent began purchasing grapes from a parcel of 20-year-old vines here during their recent inheritance battle, and they have continued to produce wine from this great but tiny cru ever since. The wine is intoxicatingly ethereal on the nose—open, enveloping, and inviting. The palate is round but well structured, with generous, sappy fruit, and a hedonistically succulent finish.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Hubert Lignier Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru, Côte de Nuits 2017 750ML ($419.95) Was $379 Now $299, 3 bottles in stock now
Tim Atkin MW – Decanter 95 points “Laurent Lignier’s Charmes comes from a tiny 0.1ha parcel in Mazoyères, close to the Aux Combottes premier cru. It’s an intensely perfumed, come-hither Pinot that’s floral, silky and svelte, with 20% whole-bunch spice and 30% new wood adding further complexity. 2024-2029.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Hubert Lignier Clos de la Roche Grand Cru MCMLV, Côte de Nuits 2017 750ML ($1,499.95) Was $1,199 Now $899, 1 bottle in stock now
Neal Rosenthal note “For the first time, Laurent Lignier produced a separate cuvée of Clos de la Roche in 2017 in honor of his grandfather Henri. The Clos de la Roche “MCMLV” comes entirely from Henri’s first planting in 1955: 27 rows of Pinot Noir in the Monts Luisants climat, which he used to propagate the rest of his holdings during the 1960s. This original parcel is highly susceptible to millerandage, which results in small berries of immense concentration, and Laurent harnessed the full power and intensity of such fruit in this stupendous bottling—of which he produced a mere two barrels. A wine such as this embodies Burgundy’s most profound essence: the continuous spirit and presence of a family whose members’ very hands have worked these same vines, this same parcel, since the vines were planted. How could Henri Lignier, when he was breaking earth in 1955, have ever imagined the course his home region would take over the ensuing decades, or the global acclaim that would be heaped on his son’s and his grandsons’ wines? Yet, despite the incredible changes those ensuing 65 years have witnessed, a Lignier has steadfastly worked each vine among these 27 rows of Clos de la Roche, vintage after vintage, gradually building its reputation as one of red Burgundy’s pinnacles. “MCMLV” is not just a great wine, then; it is an emblem of all that makes Burgundy special.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Hubert Lignier Gevrey-Chambertin, Côte de Nuits 2017 750ML ($119.95) Was $89 Now $81.80, 26 bottles in stock now
Rosenthal Note “The Ligniers purchased the fruit for this wine, but they oversee the vineyard work from July onward, as well as the harvest itself. Produced from parcels in two lieu-dits—15-year-old vines in “Epointures” and 60-year-old vines in “Reniard”—this is pitch-perfect Gevrey-Chambertin: meaty and succulent, with classic Lignier poise and a long, mineral-drenched, driving finish.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $88.50
The next best price is $88.50
Domaine Hubert Lignier Gevrey-Chambertin Les Seuvrées, Côte de Nuits 2017 750ML ($119.95) Was $99 Now $89, 24 bottles in stock now
Domaine Hubert Lignier Gevrey-Chambertin Les Seuvrées, Côte de Nuits 2017 1.5L ($269.95) Was $219 Now $179, 1 magnum in stock now
Neal Martin – Vinous 89-91 points “The 2017 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Seuvrées contains around 20% whole bunch fruit. It has a fresh, generous bouquet, hints of brown spice infusing the red fruit. The palate is well balanced with sappy red fruit laced with orange peel, quite firm grip in the mouth and a slightly austere finish at the moment. Give this three or four years.”
William Kelley – Wine Advocate 89-91 points “The 2017 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Seuvrées is showing very well, unfurling in the glass with suggestions of cassis, raspberries, sweet soil tones and spices. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, ample and nicely concentrated, with good depth at the core and fine-grained but firm, even chalky, structuring tannins. This should evolve well in bottle.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Hubert Lignier Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru, Côte de Nuits 2017 750ML ($699.95) Was $599 Now $519, 1 bottle in stock now
Burghound 91-93 points “There is much more moderate oak influence framing the cool and perfumed nose that offers up essence of various red berries and floral nuances along with a hint of the sauvage. The well-detailed and solidly concentrated flavors possess fine size and weight as well as plenty of sleek muscle and minerality on the stylish and classy finish. This is built to age yet it’s not so structured that it couldn’t be approached after a few years of bottle age.”
Neal Martin – Vinous 91-93 points “The 2017 Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru comes from purchased fruit. It has a well-defined bouquet of blackberry, raspberry coulis and light cassis aromas, and the one-third new oak is neatly integrated. The fleshy, generous palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin and fine acidity, leading to a smooth, sensual finish. This might be earlier-drinking than Lignier’s other two Grand Crus.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $535
The next best price is $535
Domaine Hubert Lignier Les Chaffots, Morey-Saint-Denis Premier Cru 2017 750ML ($219.95) Was $179 Now $149, 6 bottles in stock now
Neal Martin – Vinous 91-93 points “The 2017 Morey-Saint-Denis Les Chaffots 1er Cru, from vines up to 90 years old, has a refined, quite floral bouquet, scents of peony tincturing the red fruit. The sorbet-fresh palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a citric line of acidity and a harmonious, elegant finish. Bon vin.”
William Kelley – Wine Advocate 91-93 points “The 2017 Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Les Chaffots reveals aromas of sweet cassis and cherries that mingle with nuances of cinnamon, licorice, dark chocolate and nori. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, layered and tangy, with a tauter, more acid-driven profile than the other premiers crus by virtue of its higher-altitude locate, displaying excellent concentration and high-quality structuring tannin.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $157.50
The next best price is $157.50
Domaine Hubert Lignier La Riotte, Morey St Denis Premier Cru 2017 750ML ($249.95) Was $199 Now $159, 3 bottles in stock now
William Kelley – Wine Advocate 90-93 points “The supplest, most open-knit of Lignier’s premiers crus from Morey, the 2017 Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru La Riotte bursts with aromas of plummy fruit, red currants, subtle spices and rose hip. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, supple and expansive, with a layered mid-palate, fine but chalky tannins and a saline finish. This will win friends in its youth.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Hubert Lignier Morey-Saint-Denis Très Girard, Côte de Nuits 2017 750ML ($119.95) Was $99 Now $89, 6 bottles in stock now
Neal Martin – Vinous 89-91 points “The 2017 Morey-Saint-Denis Très Girard has a refined bouquet of ample red berry fruit, nicely defined and revealing hints of orange blossom. The palate is well balanced with supple tannin, nice focus and a caressing texture toward the finish. Lovely.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Hubert Lignier Morey-Saint-Denis Trilogie, Côte de Nuits 2017 750ML ($149.95) Was $119 Now $85, 12 bottles in stock now
Tim Atkin MW – Decanter 93 points “As the name of his wine suggests, Laurent Lignier gets his fruit from three different parcels – Les Porroux, Clos Solon and Les Chenevery – to make a super village cuvée. Stylish and well balanced, it’s made with 25% stems and 20% new wood. It’s wonderfully scented and pure with a long, sappy finish. 2022-2028.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Hubert Lignier Morey-Saint-Denis Premier Cru Vieilles Vignes, Côte de Nuits 2017 750ML ($299.95) Was $249 Now $199, 4 bottles in stock now
William Kelley – Wine Advocate 92-94+ points “The 2017 Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Vieilles Vignes is superb, wafting from the glass with a complex bouquet of warm spices, raspberries, cherries, dark chocolate and candied peel. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, layered and textural, with the most depth and dimension of Lignier’s premiers crus, its deep core of fruit largely concealing the wine’s fine-grained structuring tannins, concluding with a saline finish. This cuvée hails from a parcel that straddles the climats Faconnières and Chenevery that was planted in 1936, 1942 and 1943, and which the Lignier family has always vinified as a single cuvée.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Hubert Lignier Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Poisets, Côte de Nuits 2017 750ML ($149.95) Was $110 Now $89, 6 bottles in stock now
Domaine Hubert Lignier Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Poisets, Côte de Nuits 2017 1.5L ($299.95) Was $249 Now $199, 1 bottle in stock now
Tim Atkin MW – Decanter 92 points “This is comparatively new to the Lignier portfolio as the family only bought this vineyard in 2010. The impressive village site sits below the Les Cailles premier cru on the south side of Nuits-St-Georges. Old-vine concentration, 25% whole bunches and 20% new wood all contribute to the quality of this sappy, intense, mineral-edged red. Drink between 2021-2027.”
Rosenthal Note “This, too, is a recent acquisition by the domaine. This small parcel is planted to vines that are fifty-five years of age (as of 2012). The site is in a superb location sitting just beneath the great 1er Cru “Les Cailles”. The first vintage produced by the Ligniers is 2010.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Hubert Lignier Pommard En Brescul, Côte de Beaune 2017 750ML ($119.95) Was $99 Now $89, 6 bottles in stock now
Rosenthal Note “Although the Lignier domaine is historically associated with the Côte de Nuits, their firmly classical house style melds beautifully with the mineral rigor of Pommard. Hubert and Laurent ventured into this zone during the period of uncertainty following Romain’s death, and this “En Brescul” comes from a 0.4-hectare parcel of 20-year-old vines on which the family has a 25-year lease.”
Domaine Hubert Lignier Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru, Côte de Nuits 2016 750ML ($599.95) Was $499 Now $459, 3 bottles in stock now
Stephen Tanzer 91-94 points “(the Ligniers do not do the harvest here; made from 50-year-old vines; 100% destemmed): Healthy full red. Pungent aromas of purple fruits, menthol and crushed rock. Quite pliant on entry, then precise and perfumed in the middle palate, showing noteworthy energy and lift to its flavors of small wild red fruits, minerals and spices. Not a particularly tannic wine but juicy, refined and long.”
William Kelley – Decanter 92 points “This year’s Griotte is an elegant middle-weight, offering up notes of creamy red cherry and meaty soil tones, followed by a supple, reserved wine with nice detail and a chalky, mineral finish. A pretty wine but, like the Charmes, this very much plays second fiddle to the superb Clos de la Roche in 2016.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Hubert Lignier Pommard En Brescul, Côte de Beaune 2016 750ML ($119.95) Was $89 Now $79, 2 bottles in stock now
Rosenthal Note “Although the Lignier domaine is historically associated with the Côte de Nuits, their firmly classical house style melds beautifully with the mineral rigor of Pommard. Hubert and Laurent ventured into this zone during the period of uncertainty following Romain’s death, and this “En Brescul” comes from a 0.4-hectare parcel of 20-year-old vines on which the family has a 25-year lease.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Love red Burgundy? We have over 200 different options from the Côte de Nuits and over 90 different options from the Côte de Beaune in stock. Shop the entire selection on our web store now, including famous names like Fourrier and Montille, as well as more from Hubert Lignier.
Il Poggione’s 2016 Brunello
Lands in September
Lands in September
For those unfamiliar with the wines of Il Poggione, let’s catch you up quickly. They’re a classic Brunello producer working with very traditional methods in the subzone of Sant’Angelo in Colle, a region that tends to produce wines with big, bold personalities. The results are both crowd pleasing (rich fruit, up front aromatics) and intellectually stimulating (age-worthy, not obstructed by new oak) in way that’s unique in Brunello –outside of names that trade for significantly more money per bottle.
Il Poggione’s Brunello is contradictory in all the best ways. It’s an age-worthy wine that doesn’t necessarily require aging. It’s also a wine that’s top-tier collectible, yet remains affordable. 2016 was a phenomenal vintage in Tuscany and Il Poggione’s Brunello feels destined for greatness. So take advantage of our case-6 special and stock up on a wine that’s sure to deliver.
Pre-Arrival ETA September:
Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2016 750ML ($89.95) $69 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2016 750ML ($519.95) $395 pre-arrival special (that’s only $65.83/bottle!)
Vinous 96 points “I’m not sure how Il Poggione manages to remain one of the largest producers of Brunello maintaining such a high level of quality and turning out some of the best wines of the vintage year after year – but they do. The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino is yet another stunning example. Depths of mineral-encased black cherries sage allspice licorice tobacco and crushed violets lift up from the glass. It’s seamlessly silky even as the palate is peppered with tart red and black berries nervous acids and savory exotic spices. This shows the density and weight of the vintage in a youthfully monolithic stance yet with all the necessary components to maintain perfect balance. The 2016 Il Poggione seems to fold in upon itself through the finish which is dark mysterious and structured with only hints of black tea and licorice to tempt the imagination. It’s a classic in the making. (Drink between 2026-2040)”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Other Highlights, in Stock Now:
Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2013 750ML ($89.95) $59 special, 27 bottles in stock now
Monica Larner – Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2013 Brunello di Montalcino lives up to the impeccable reputation garnered by this estate over the years. This is a profound and beautifully rendered Sangiovese that delivers bold and luscious fruit quality with black cherry and spicy plum at the start. The bouquet follows through with mild oak notes of smoke, tar and toasted nut. There is another aromatic component that includes crushed stone and dried herb or mint. This Brunello shows elegant evolution in the glass and promises a very long aging future ahead. Some 200,000 bottles were made, so it should be easy to locate this excellent wine.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $69.94
The next best price is $69.94
Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2015 750ML ($89.95) $62.50 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2015 750ML ($539.95) $359 special
Monica Larner – Wine Advocate 97 points “The Il Poggione 2015 Brunello di Montalcino shows a darker and more concentrated appearance than many of its peers. The wine is beautifully abundant and fragrant in the most exuberant and expressive manner. You will recognize aromas of moist soil, tobacco and smoke. Candied cherry hovers over the entire bouquet. Fruit is sourced from older vines (all over 25 years old). Il Poggione occupies a special spot within the Montalcino appellation, and the area always produces slightly more concentrated and powerful wines. I find that to be particularly true in this gorgeous 2015 vintage. I am also very attracted to that almost dusty note of crushed mineral that rides long on the full-bodied finish. Il Poggione’s Brunello is also distinguished by firm, youthful tannin that need a few more years to unwind. Luckily, there are quite a few bottles to go around, with some 200,000 made.”
Eric Guido – Vinous 97 points “Il Poggione 2015 Brunello di Montalcino offers up a dark, earthy, almost animal-like expression, showing black soil and undergrowth, giving way to crushed black cherry, dusty spice, and dried florals which lift the experience. On the palate, soft, fleshy textures usher in fresh cherry and strawberry, as brisk acids add energy, with savory herbs and minerals saturating, as the 2015 Il Poggione’s fruit nearly masks its structural core. The finish is long yet fresh, with classic, fine tannins, dried red fruits and pretty inner floral tones lingering throughout this perfectly balanced expression. The 2015 s pure class and built for the cellar.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Love Brunello? We have over 45 different options in stock. Shop the entire selection on our web store now, including famous names like Casanova di Neri and Sassetti, as well as more from Il Poggione.
Northern Rhône Case Specials
Delas, Merlin & More
Delas
Delas makes some of the most powerful, intense wines in the Northern Rhône at prices that make them one of the superior values in the region. Density and richness are a hallmark—there are no shrinking violets in the lineup. Star Champagne house Louis Roederer owns Delas and has been pushing the quality upwards each year. For whatever reason, the market has yet to catch up to the quality coming out of Delas’ cellar. The Northern Rhône has turned into one of the hottest markets in the wine world, with many wineries getting expensive overnight. That hasn’t happened to Delas—yet.
In Stock Now:
Delas Frères Saint-Joseph François de Tournon, Rhône 2015 750ML ($44.95) $28 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Delas Frères Saint-Joseph François de Tournon, Rhône 2015 750ML ($279.95) $156 special (that’s only $26/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 93 points “Inky and concentrated, the 2015 Saint-Joseph François de Tournon is no easy-drinking Saint-Joseph. It’s smoky, herbal and ashy all at once, yet it’s buoyed by ample black cherry fruit and vibrant acidity. This medium to full-bodied Syrah has plenty of tannins, but they’re ultimately silky and most apparent on the long, licorice-tinged finish. This is approachable now but should be even better in 3 years and should drink well for at least another 10 after that.”
Jeb Dunnuck 93 points “Both Saint Joseph releases are brilliant in 2015. The 2015 Saint Joseph François De Tournon comes vines around Tournon, Mauves, Saint-Jean-de-Muzols, and Vion, and is always destemmed and aged in 30% new barrels. This full-bodied, rounded, sexy beauty shows the power and fruit of the vintage. With classic notes of black and blue fruits, violets, incense and pepper, drink this textured, expansive, terrific Saint Joseph over the coming 10-15 years.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $39.99
The next best price is $39.99
Delas Frères Saint-Joseph François de Tournon, Rhône 2016 750ML ($44.95) $33 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Delas Frères Saint-Joseph François de Tournon, Rhône 2016 750ML ($279.95) $179 special (that’s only $29.83/bottle!)
Jeb Dunnuck 94 points “The 2016 Saint Joseph François De Tournon comes from more schist and gneiss soils and spent 10-14 months in mostly used barrels, with a small part in tank to preserve more freshness. It’s another ruby/purple-colored effort from this estate and gives up lots of blackberry and blueberry fruits intermixed with earthy minerality, ground pepper, and hints of damp earth. Rich, layered, and textured, it will be better in a year or two and keep for 8-10, if not longer.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Merlin
After studying under Rene Rostaing, François Merlin planted his first vineyard in the late 1980s. Since then, he’s been meticulously caring for his tiny acreage and making exquisite, if under-the-radar, Rhône wines. Preferring to let the grapes speak for themselves, he ages the wines in mostly neutral oak and steel. These are fresh and vibrant wines that, coming from the warm 2018 vintage, are beautiful now with grippy tannins and balanced acids indicating a long life ahead of them.
In Stock Now:
Domaine François Merlin Côte Rôtie, Rhône 2018 750ML ($79.95) $49 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Domaine François Merlin Côte Rôtie, Rhône 2018 750ML ($479.95) $279 special (that’s only $46.50/bottle!)
Decanter 93 points “A very soft style, very ripe and juicy. Fairly tannic, but they’re ripe and yielding with flavours of black fruit coulis and touch of liquorice. It has fairly high alcohol with a saline finish – there’s freshness despite the very ripe fruit. This is a palate-coating, fairly opulent style but will be good when it’s ready – has length.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine François Merlin Saint-Joseph, Rhône 2018 750ML ($39.95) $26 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Domaine François Merlin Saint-Joseph, Rhône2018 750ML ($479.95) $279 special (that’s only $23.25/bottle!)
Grapelive 93 points “The Domaine Merlin, based in St-Michel-sur-Rhône since 1989, a commune just south of Condrieu, is a small producer focused on Syrah and Viognier with good holdings in Condrieu, Côte-Rôtie and Saint-Joseph, where this beautiful wine comes from, it is a stylish and pure example of Northern Rhône Syrah that delivers a fine performance in the glass and is a stellar value. The Saint-Joseph Rouge is made from various small plots with a mix of sandy soils and granite, with a bit of limestone and was all de-stemmed to promote elegance and opulence in the wine, which was easily achieved here in this 2018 version. The wine saw a short cold soak maceration and gentle hand punch downs while fermenting after which this dark purple/garnet Syrah is raised in a combination of wood casks with about 20% being new 228L barrels with the majority seeing neutral oak in various sizes to allow for freshness and balance to shine here. This is quite impactful Saint-Joesph in the glass with more than expected density and presence, in fact it is almost as impressive as the winery’s top Côte-Rôtie with loads of blue and black fruits, delicate spices, perfume and textural pleasures. This is solid stuff with a classic medium to full bodied palate with lush layers of boysenberry, damson plum, kirsch and cedary wood notes, a touch of feral/earthy savoriness (the good kind of Syrah funk) and pretty violets, adding hints of anise, flinty mineral and a lingering sense of creme de cassis…With extended air, the 2018 Merlin Saint-Joseph gains depth and richness, but stays gracefully detailed and it is at its best with food, be sure to look for this bottling as it offers a ton of quality and personality for the price, this is a producer to add to your watch list, especially for Syrah lovers.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
More Case Specials, in Stock Now:
Domaine du Tunnel Cornas, Rhône 2018 750ML ($79.95) $69 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Domaine du Tunnel Cornas, Rhône 2018 750ML ($479.95) $389 special (that’s only $64.83/bottle!)
Jeb Dunnuck 95-97 points “Readers looking for the essence of Cornas would do well to pick up a case of the 2018 Cornas. Deep purple, with a heavenly bouquet of blueberries, raspberries, crushed violets, olives, ground pepper, and gamey meats, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a balanced, classy texture, building yet polished tannins, and a great finish. It’s a winner.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Paul Jaboulet Aîné Domaine de Thalabert Crozes-Hermitage, Rhône 2016 750ML ($47.95) $33 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Domaine de Thalabert Crozes-Hermitage, Rhône 2016 750ML ($279.95) $179 special (that’s only $29.83/bottle!)
Jeb Dunnuck 94 points “The 2016 Crozes Hermitage Domaine De Thalabert offers a rocking (and classic) bouquet of ripe black fruits intermixed with notions new saddle leather, pepper, garrigue, and hints of bacon fat. This ripe, medium to full-bodied, silky wine has remarkable purity, is already complex, and finishes with serious length. Drink it over the coming 10-15 years.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Love Rhône reds? We have over 150 different options in stock. Shop the entire selection on our web store now, including more from Delas, Merlin, Tunnel and Jaboulet.
Top Burgundy Picks
$50 – $60
In Stock Now:
Domaine Collotte Chambolle-Musigny Cuvée Vieilles Vignes, Côte de Nuits 2018 750ML ($79.95) $51.90 special, 30 bottles available
Weygandt-Metzler Importer note “The Chambolle-Musigny is from 40+ year old vines in the lieu-dit “Aux Echanges”. Aged in oak, 30% new, to round the tannins and aged another year in bottle. Deep color, black currant and blackberry aromas and flavors.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $62.99
The next best price is $62.99
Jérôme Chézeaux Nuits-Saint-Georges, Côte de Nuits 2017 750ML ($69.95) $52.50 special, 35 bottles available
Importer note “Chezeaux’s holdings of villages-level Nuits-Saint-Georges encompass 3.3 hectares spread throughout the appellation, with a significant proportion from the vineyards of Aux Saint Julien and Chaliots. In keeping with the spirit of the underlying terroir, this is wilder in character than the Vosne-Romanée, marked by notes of iron, and with a rambunctious bent to its tannins. Never deficient in fruit, it offers plenty of earth and sous-bois elements as well, all in a driving fashion.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Bernard & Thierry Glantenay Volnay, Côte de Beaune 2017 750ML ($67.95) $54.50 special, 31 bottles available
Neal Martin – Vinous 90-92 points “The 2017 Volnay Village comes from five parcels (including two small parcels of Premier Cru). It has a vibrant black cherry, bilberry scented bouquet with impressive vigour and neatly integrated oak. The palate is medium-bodied with light, supple tannin. Vibrant black cherries and raspberry, just a touch of salinity lending edginess towards the finish. Very fine.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Forey Père et Fils Nuits-Saint-Georges, Côte de Nuits 2013 750ML ($69.95) $55 special, 2 bottles available
Burghound “Here too there is a touch of herbal tea to the spicy nose of earth, red berries and sauvage hints. There is fine mid-palate density with obviously ripe supporting structure shaping the big and rich flavors that are very Nuits in basic character. This muscular and mildly austere effort should reward 7 to 9 years of cellar time.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $74.99
The next best price is $74.99
Domaine Fabrice Vigot Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes, Côte de Nuits 2013 750ML ($79.95) $59 special, 8 bottles available
Vinopolnote “Sourced from a trio of vineyards: Crais, Les Etelois, and Billards. Medium-bodied, with vibrant freshness and a suave finish; 100% destemmed.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Pierre Gelin Clos de Meixvelle, Gevrey-Chambertin 2014 750ML ($79.95) $59 special, 2 bottles available
Neal Martin – Wine Advocate “The 2014 Gevrey Chambertin Clos de Meixvelle is a monopole located in the middle of the village (the walled vineyard next to the Les Deux Chevres hotel for those that go there). It is a flat vineyard with clayey soil and stone deposits, and this vintage was destemmed. It has a tightly wound blackberry and briary-scented nose, broody at first but opening with time. The palate is smooth on the entry with quite fine tannin. This is well balanced with nicely integrated oak, sappy black fruit and iodine towards the easy going, gentle, flavorsome finish.”
Jean-Claude Boisset Pommard, Côte de Nuits 2016 750ML ($79.95) $59 special, 9 bottles available
James Suckling 94 points “A blend of two climats (Brescul and La Combotte). This draws on two very different parts of the appellation. A very upbeat style with ripe, red cherries and berries, as well as chocolate and light spices. The palate is very refined. Shows very long and detailed flavors of cherry compote. A long, succulent finish. Superb freshness and dense, fine tannins. Try from 2021”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Bernard & Thierry Glantenay Les Santenots, Volnay Premier Cru 2014 750ML ($99.95) $59 special, 19 bottles available
Winery note “[Translated] From 55-65 year old vines on clay-limestone and loamy soils. Appreciated for its finesse, the Volnay Santenots is considered the most feminine wine of the Côte de Beaune. Bright ruby, its aromas are delicate and complex: violet, currant, cherry, spices, game, and prune. The freshness, the texture and the tannins are harmoniously balanced to give a charming, suave and fleshy wine, endowed with a beautiful energy.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average listed price is $75
The average listed price is $75
Collector’s Corner
2019 Sequitur Arrives Friday
2019 Sequitur Arrives Friday
Mike Etzel, the founder and winemaker of Sequitur, is a living legend in the Willamette Valley. He co-founded Beaux Frères in the late 1980s and was the winemaker there until recently passing the duties to his son. Never one to rest on his laurels or stay still, though, he began planting a vineyard adjacent to Beaux Frères in 2010—a project that became what we know as Sequitur.
It’s helpful to think of Sequitur as a distillation of everything Mike Etzel learned while starting and producing Beaux Frères over the decades. The Sequitur vineyard sits right next to the Beaux Frères “Upper Terrace” but is planted to a wider array of clones at tighter spacing. It’s been farmed biodynamically since the beginning and is sheltered with Douglas Fir—in short, it’s the fully realized vision of a man who’s helped define Willamette Valley Pinot Noir.
The winemaking style is exactly what you’d expect—these are wines that are made by the same hand that delivered so many high scores to Beaux Frères. Big, powerful and bold, these nevertheless have energy and grace that we think comes from the extra-attentive farming and unique clonal selection in the vineyard. In short order, Sequitur has established itself as one of the very best producers in the Willamette Valley and deserves your attention as such.
We’ve been eagerly awaiting the 2019s for months, and they’re finally landing this Friday!
Arriving Friday, June 18th:
Sequitur Chardonnay, Ribbon Ridge 2019 750ML ($89.95) $69 pre-arrival special
Winery note “This year marked the 50th anniversary of the iconic music festival. As a tribute to the festival’s message of harmony, cooperation and hope—and as a nod to the persistent rains that helped define both this year’s harvest and the 1969 festival—we bring you Woodstock, Sequitur’s melodic, inspiring 2019 vintage.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Sequitur Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2019 750ML ($119.95) $79 pre-arrival special
Winery note “This year marked the 50th anniversary of the iconic music festival. As a tribute to the festival’s message of harmony, cooperation and hope—and as a nod to the persistent rains that helped define both this year’s harvest and the 1969 festival—we bring you Woodstock, Sequitur’s melodic, inspiring 2019 vintage.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Other Highlights, in Stock Now:
Sequitur Chardonnay, Ribbon Ridge 2016 750ML ($89.95) $69 special, 17 bottles available
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 94 points “Pale yellow-gold. Fresh and incisive on the nose, displaying intense citrus and orchard fruit scents complemented by suggestions of toasty lees, iodine and sweet butter. Sappy, penetrating and seamless in texture, offering concentrated pear nectar, peach, tangerine and honeysuckle flavors that deepen slowly on the back half while maintaining energy. Finishes with repeating pear and floral notes, with a late jolt of dusty minerality pulling things together.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Sequitur Chardonnay, Ribbon Ridge 2018 750ML ($89.95) $69 special, 20 bottles available
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 95 points “Glistening straw-yellow. Vibrant, mineral-accented aromas of white peach, Anjou pear, melon and Meyer lemon carry a bright floral overtone. Juicy and densely packed, displaying a suave blend of richness and vivacity to the mineral-drenched citrus and orchard fruit and floral flavors. Picks up smoky lees, honey and iodine notes with air and shows outstanding clarity on a strikingly long, penetrating finish that echoes the mineral and citrus fruit notes.”
Winery Note “The 2018 growing season was warm and dry, resulting in yet another remarkable vintage on Ribbon Ridge. Towards the end of the summer, just before harvest, Jack was born. With the arrival of our first grandchild, we felt for the first time the presence of a new generation on the farm, reminding us of the cycle of renewal and growth. This vintage has the bright freshness of new breath—we hope you enjoy it! “
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Sequitur Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2014 750ML ($119.95) $79 special, 14 bottles available
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 94 points “Limpid ruby-red. Smoky, mineral-accented aromas of black raspberry, cherry cola and incense carry a strong spicecake overtone. Stains the palate with sappy red berry liqueur, spicecake and floral pastille flavors that are lifted and given definition and tension by juicy acidity. At once rich and nervy, with no excess fat but showing excellent depth and intensity of flavor. Finishes with sexy notes of candied violet and smoky Indian spices and superb, gently tannic persistence. This wine’s Beaux Frères bloodline is very clear to see.”
Wine Spectator 94 points “Broad and spicy, open-textured and generous, with ripe plum and currant flavors, shaded by pepper, sage and coffee notes as the finish sails past fine-grained tannins. Completely harmonious and made to age. Drink now through 2024.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average listed price is $100
The average listed price is $100
Sequitur Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2017 750ML ($119.95) $79 special, 22 bottles available
Nick Stock – jamessuckling.com 96 points “Beautifully deep, blueberries and plums on offer with notes of fresh violets and moist, fresh-tilled earth. This is full of life and very pure. The palate has focused and fresh tannins that sit in very vibrant style with a deep push of concentrated blue fruit, holding the finish in superb style. So fresh and long, this will age well. Drink across the next decade or more.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Love Oregon Pinot Noir? We have over 130 different options in stock. Shop the entire selection on our web store now, including famous names like Cameron and Cristom, as well as more from Sequitur.
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