Keeping Up With Clearances
New to Our February Clearance Sale
David Schildknecht–Vinous 90-91 points “From old vines on a site near the Schablau, and featuring a similarly complex mix of sand, gravel, conglomerate and marl, this first-time Groiss offering was raised in older 500-liter Austrian oak barrels, with nearly one-third of the fruit having been destemmed by hand and its berries incorporated intact in the fermentation. When I tasted in June, the wine had only just been racked off its gross lees and berry remnants. Lime, rhubarb, white peach and fresh apple project a sense of brightness and primary juiciness that belie the effects of lees and skin contact, though there is also an impressive sense of midpalate density and finishing phenolic grip. Alkaline and chalky notes lend a certain austerity, but a succulent abundance of fresh fruit nicely complements that.”
Now it’s even lower!
The next best price is $51
David Schildknecht–Vinous 90-91 points “From a geologically diverse site, more of which Groiss has recently planted, this was raised in Austrian oak demi-muids and due to have been bottled at the end of summer 2016. At 13.5 percent, it’s the highest-alcohol among her 2015s, and a trace of warmth accompanies its textural richness and sumptuous meld of pear and mirabelle with caramelized parsnip and rutabaga. The resonant, low-toned finish is convincingly persistent and subtly underlain with wet stone.”
David Schildknecht–Vinous 92-93 points “Last tasted from tank soon after its June 2016 assemblage, and still on its fine lees, this was due to have been bottled in late summer. Pear, persimmon and green bean dominate the nose as well as a glycerol-rich and expansive midpalate that showcases the wine’s generous ripeness while preserving a crunch of green bean and introducing cooling inflections of mint and basil. Incisive white pepper, chalk, stone and savory blond tobacco add to the saliva-inducing complexity of a superbly sustained finish as mouth-cleansing and refreshing as it is succulently fruity.”
Now it’s even lower!
See more February Clearance Sale wines below or by clicking here!
But wait, there’s more
New February Clearance Sale Wines!
Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2014 Chardonnay Platt Vineyard has expressive pink grapefruit, warm peaches and brioche notes with hints of praline and ginger. Medium-bodied with great richness and depth in the mouth, it has a lovely creamy texture offset by a wicked backbone of freshness, finishing long with mineral and savory/yeasty layers.”Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2014 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard is the most exuberant and layered of David Ramey’s Chardonnays. It is also stylistically the wine that is closest in style to past. Rich, sumptuous and layered, the Ritchie expresses intensity in all of its dimensions. Even with all of its richness, the 2014 confers aromatic intensity and freshness. This, too, is very nicely done.”
Wine Advocate 95 points “Youthfully mute at this primary stage, the 2014 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard offers suggestions of lemon curd, white peaches and white grapefruit with underlying notes of honeyed toast and butterscotch. The palate is full-on seduction with an appealingly oily texture and tons of peaches and cream flavors, finishing long with a lively lift.”
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2014 Chardonnay Woolsey Road Vineyard is a powerful, intense wine with real phenolic intensity. This is an especially rich, deep and layered wine with exquisite finesse and pedigree. Readers should be prepared to cellar the 2014 for at least a few years. This is a special Chardonnay in the making.”
Wine Advocate 93 points ‘The 2014 Chardonnay Woolsey Road Vineyard has exotic jasmine, pineapple and guava notes with hints of crème brulee and croissant. Medium-bodied with plenty of finesse in the mouth, it gives a nice balance between the fruit and savory flavors, with a silken texture and finishing long and toasty.”
Emmanuel Darnaud
The Terroir of Crozes-Hermitage
Trending & Restocked
A passionate advocate for terroir-specific wines, Emmanuel Darnaud has been crafting robust reds from individual parcels in the northern Rhone since 2001. His six parcels are spread over 15 hectares, where the grapes are hand harvested. Each is vinified separately with differing oak aging and maturation practices depending upon the wine. The Saint Joseph is from a small, 1.7 hectare vineyard on a hillside in an area colloquially named ‘speared by the sun.’
Since announcing the new scores from Jeb Dunnuck, this under-the-radar estate has been the hottest thing on our shelves. We stocked up all the rest that was to be had of these wines, but act fast before we run out for good!
Emmanuel Darnaud Crozes-Hermitage Au Fil du Temps, Rhone 2015 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 96 points “Possibly the wine of the appellation and a true “wow” wine, the 2015 Crozes-Hermitage Au Fil Du Temps offers sensational notes of cassis, toasted spice, vanilla and blackberry jam. Full-bodied, concentrated and polished, with perfect balance, it’s a gorgeous, seamless beauty that ranks with the finest Crozes-Hermitage I’ve ever tasted. It should be capable of lasting for 10-15 years.”
Wine Advocate 93-95 points “The top cuvée of the estate (which isn’t made in every vintage) is the 2015 Crozes Hermitage Au Fil Du Temps, which is 100% Syrah from the Les Saviaux lieu-dit (near the village of Glun), raised in once-used demi-muids. Like all the cuvées here, it sports an inky purple/opaque color and has a sensational bouquet of blueberry, strawberry, black cherry, graphite and smoked herbs. Full-bodied, rounded, seamless and impeccably balanced, it’s hands down one of the most impressive Crozes out there.”
Jeb Dunnuck 94 points “The 2015 Crozes-Hermitage Les Trois Chênes is the entry-level wine from Darnaud, but man, what a wine! Cassis, toasted spice, licorice and hints of violets flow to a ripe, pure, polished Crozes-Hermitage that has sweet tannin, a pure texture, and a great finish. Drink it anytime over the coming decade.”Wine Spectator 93 points “Lovely, with warm, lush layers of fig, boysenberry and blackberry confiture coursing through, inlaid with a bolt of graphite and echoing warm fruitcake and licorice details through the finish. Best from 2018 through 2025. “
The average price is $28
Wine Advocate 90 points “His entry-level effort is the wonderfully fruity, rounded and sexy 2015 Crozes Hermitage Mise En Bouche, which is already hard to resist. It offers tons of black and blue fruits, peppery herbs and hints of cured meats. I love its purity and it’s ideal for drinking over the coming 6-7 years.”
The next best price is $20.84
Wine Advocate 94-96 points “A monster of a St Joseph, the 2015 Saint Joseph comes from the Dardouille lieu-dit (near Mauves) and was aged in demi-muids and second-fill barrels. It has a saturated purple/blue color as well as awesome notes of crème de cassis, freshly crushed rocks and cracked pepper. Rich, full-bodied, ultra-pure and with impeccably purity and balance, it’s another tour de force from this appellation.”
Looking for Love
In All the Right Places
Grand Champagnes / Grand Marques
Decanter 93 points “Perrier Jouët Belle Epoque 2008 reminds me somewhat of the grace of the exceptional 1995, Cellarmaster Hervé Deschamps’ first solo vintage and still one of his best. Though the two vintages 13 years apart share the same grace and class, the 2008 is more mineral, reflecting a quite sunless summer season. Only the return of warmer weather at the start of September imbued the vintage with a freshness of great Chardonnay in tune with the subtly restrained power of Pinot Noir and a soupçon of rounded Meunier – that final little touch making the wine more pleasurable to drink soon, unlike other wines from the Champagne 2008 vintage, which need a lot more time. Chardonnay is from Cramant, Avize, and Mesnil, Pinot Noir from Ay and Ambonnay in the Montagne de Reims, and Pinot Meunier from Dizy. Shimmering pale gold with green lights, radiant clarity; persistent tiny bubbles: riot of white flowers scents, hawthorn, then more stone-fruit than citrus, reine claude (greengage) and elderflower. Vibrant mouthfeel, invigorating, expansive – perfect with saline fruits de mer.”The next best price is $119.98
The average price is $147
Case-6 Dom Perignon Brut, Champagne 2009 750ML ($899.95) $799 special, 3 six-packs available (that’s only $133.17/bottle!)
James Suckling 97 points “This is a DP that shows the ripeness of the 2009 vintage yet remains full of energy. Gorgeous aromas of cream, apple, mango, honeysuckle, and chalk follow through to a full body and super fine, tight texture. Dense and agile. Vinous. It’s like a top grand cru white Burgundy. Think Batard-Montrachet. More depth than the 2006. Drink now.”
Decanter 96 points “Unbroken sun through August and early September helped to shape an idyllic harvest, on 12th September. Superb maturity of fruit in flawless health has produced a wine with wafting scents of both fresh and confit of spiced lemon and wild cherry. Despite the heat, the wine has freshness, vitality and length. Still a youngster, this will grow greatly by 2019. A more stylish son of the ’03, and cousin of the slender and charming ’06. Disgorged June 2016.”
Antonio Galloni 94+ points “The 2009 Dom Pérignon is a gorgeous, totally seductive Champagne that will drink well right out of the gate. Medium in body and unusually open-knit at this stage, the 2009 is one of the most accessible young Dom Pérignons I can remember tasting. It is an excellent choice to drink while waiting for the release of the stellar 2008 and some recent vintages that remain very young, including the 2006. Despite the warm, ripe personality of the 2009 Dom Pérignon is quite gracious, but there is plenty of depth underpinning the fruit. With each successive tasting, the 2009 seems to have gained more power and breadth, especially on the finish. Above all else, the 2009 is decidedly restrained for a warm, radiant vintage. It is not as overtly flamboyant as the 2002 nor as phenolically intense as years like 2003 and 2006. Instead, the 2009 is a beautifully balanced Champagne, with all of its elements in the right place. Tasted three times.”
The average price nationally is $171
Antonio Galloni 97 points “Krug’s NV Grand Cuvée 164 Edition is a total knockout. Based on the 2008 vintage, the 164th Edition shows all the crystalline tension and energy that is such a signature of the year. At times, the 164 reminds me of the 2008 vins clairs I tasted after harvest. The flavors are brisk, delineated and pulsing with energy, while the more oxidative notes that are such a signature of Krug Champagnes are not especially evident. A wine of total pedigree and class, the 164 reminds me of some of the great Grand Cuvées of the 1960s and 1970s I have been lucky to taste over the years. No Champagne lover will want to be without this spectacular, captivating wine. All that said, readers should be patient, as the 164 is painfully young, austere and in need of serious cellaring.”
A Sweet Secret for Your Sweetie
The Secret D’Yquem
Sauternes, Sauternes 2010 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
VinopolNote: Declassified d’Yquem
Arriving in March
“A phenomenal, awe-inspiring finish” – James Suckling
Domaine Drouhin RoseRock Zephirine Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2015 750ML ($59.95) $46 pre-arrival specialJames Suckling 98 points “Incredible aromas of chamomile, hibiscus, fruit tea, lavender, dried strawberries, cherries, lemons and light white chocolate. Medium-bodied but with crazily formed tannins that are like velvety strings and are surrounded by vivacious acidity. A phenomenal, awe-inspiring finish. An indisputably unique wine. Drink from 2020.”
The average price is $51
What’s the Most Exciting Set of Wines Arriving This Spring?
Produttori del Barbaresco 2013 Crus
Arriving in April
These are profound wines, capable of aging and maturation into jaw-droppingly good bottles. That they are priced at a ~30% discount relative to their peers in Barolo makes it even better when you open them up 15+ years down the road. We’ve been selling quite a few of these on pre-arrival and although now have access to a second tranche, we’ve sold through Asili already. If there are any you’ve your eyes on, now’s the time to grab them.
Arriving April 2018:
Produttori del Barbaresco Montefico, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2013 750ML ($99.95) $79 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 96+ points “The Barbaresco Riserva Montefico shows all the energy and focus that is typical of this great site, but there is so much depth to the fruit that some of the more angular contours have been softened. Bright saline-infused notes lead to wild flowers and an exotic melange of red fruits in this beautifully delineated, vivid Barbaresco. All the elements are simply in the right place.”
Produttori del Barbaresco Montestefano, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2013 750ML ($79.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Produttori del Barbaresco Montestefano, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2013 1.5L ($149.95) $119 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Produttori del Barbaresco Montestefano, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2013 750ML ($699.95) $619 pre-arrival special (that’s only $51.58/bottle!)
Antonio Galloni 95+ points “A dark, brooding wine, the 2013 Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano comes across as quite virile today, with huge tannins and equally imposing dark fruit. Smoke, leather, licorice and game add to an impression of raw, almost unrestrained, power. There is not a whole lot of finesse here at least not now. The Montestefano is a wine painted in broad brush strokes that emphasize power over elegance. Then again, that is Montestefano. Readers should be in no rush to open the 2013.”
Produttori del Barbaresco Muncagota, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2013 750ML ($79.95) $56 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Produttori del Barbaresco Muncagota, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2013 750ML ($669.95) $599 pre-arrival special (that’s only $49.91/bottle!)
Antonio Galloni 94 points “Like most of the wines in this lineup, the 2013 Barbaresco Riserva Muncagota is quite potent. A rush of raspberry jam, wild flowers, white pepper and mint make a strong opening statement. Succulent and yet also structured, the Muncagota has so much to offer. It should be one of the first wines in this range to start opening up, although when that will happen exactly is hard to say.”
Produttori del Barbaresco Ovello, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2013 750ML ($79.95) $69 pre-arrival special
Produttori del Barbaresco Ovello, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2013 1.5L ($149.95) $135 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 96 points “The Produttori’s 2013 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello is all power, tension and nerve. Even so, the 2013 is remarkably civilized and much less austere than young Ovello Barbarescos usually are. Scents of cranberry, white pepper and mint give the wine its signature high-toned aromatics. The Ovello has a Volnay-like purity to its fruit, with Nebbiolo tannins and structure, of course. If that sounds appealing, well, it is. Vivid, sculpted and impossibly beautiful, the Ovello is simply magnificent.”
Produttori del Barbaresco Paje, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2013 750ML ($79.95) $69 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 96 points “The 2013 Barbaresco Riserva Pajé is simply fabulous. Sweet floral notes soar from the glass as this deep, beautifully resonant Barbaresco shows off its compelling inner sweetness and total sense of poise. The flavors are deep yet fresh, with wonderful fragrance and impeccable balance throughout. A wine of total harmony, the 2013 is going to be nearly impossible to resist young. The 2013 is one of the best versions of the Pajé I can remember tasting.”
Produttori del Barbaresco Pora, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2013 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Produttori del Barbaresco Pora, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2013 750ML ($599.95) $519 pre-arrival special (that’s only $43.25/bottle!)
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2013 Barbaresco Riserva Pora is soft, pliant and enveloping. In many vintages, the Pora can be a bit light. Not in 2013. The wine is rich and deeply textured, with layers of fruit that continue to build with time in the glass. The tannins are present, but they are nearly buried by the sheer intensity of the fruit. This is an especially powerful, brooding edition of the Pora. Although impressive today, the 2013 will drink well for decades to come.”
Produttori del Barbaresco Rabaja, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2013 750ML ($89.95) $79 pre-arrival special
Produttori del Barbaresco Rabaja, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2013 1.5L ($179.95) $149 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 96 points “The 2013 Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà is shockingly seamless in this tasting. Deep layers of fruit virtually bury the tannins, something that is so unusual for a young Rabajà. A host of dark blue-tone fruits, lavender, mint, violet and spice race across the palate in an utterly vivid, compelling Barbaresco of the highest level. Perhaps I caught the Rabajà on an unusually open day, but it is terrific and also quite refined for such a young wine.”
Produttori del Barbaresco Rio Sordo, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2013 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Produttori del Barbaresco Rio Sordo, Barbaresco Riserva 2013 750ML ($599.95) $499 pre-arrival special (that’s only $41.58/bottle!)
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2013 Barbaresco Riserva Rio Sordo is one of the more gracious, approachable wines in this range. Medium in body, yet deep and beautifully resonant, the 2013 has so much to offer. It should open up a bit earlier than most of the other 2013s in the range. Succulent dark cherry, plum, tobacco, mint, licorice and lavender grace the effortless finish.”
Philippe Foreau
Domaine du Clos Naudin
I Sing of Chenin Electric
Vouvray was granted AOC status in 1936; landmark estates as Foreau and Huet have endured since those early days, producing wonderful and empirically age-worthy wines not to be overlooked. Philippe Foreau is the third generation of his family to run the Domaine du Clos Naudin, which was founded by his grandfather in 1923 and is just up the narrow, winding street from Domaine Huet. It is a small domaine with 11.5 acres of Chenin Blanc in the northeast corner of Vouvray (and entirely in the Le Mont terroir). The vineyards, the main two being Les Perruches and Les Ruettes, hold vines that average over 45 years in age in argile-silex (clay and flint) soil. The estate’s traditionally-made wines offer astonishingly aromatics with a remarkable ability to age.
We are excited to offer a range of styles and vintages on clearance for February:
Philippe Foreau Domaine du Clos Naudin Vouvray Sec, Loire 2015 750ML ($59.95) Was $44.50, Now $39 special, 26 bottles in stock now
Importer note “When Foreau issues a “Sec” (and the decision to do so relates entirely to the vintage conditions and the composition of the grapes at harvest), the wine can carry from 1 to 2 grams of residual sugar but never more than 6 grams. Because of the vibrant acidity that accompanies these wines, the sensation one experiences is of drinking a scintillatingly dry wine, although one with considerable body and a honeyed texture. We tend to have several vintages available at all times so that our clients can have the option of enjoying the Vouvray Sec in its youth but also with several years of bottle age.”
Now it’s even lower!
The average price is $48
Importer note “The Moelleux cuvées are made in vintages when at least a portion of the vineyards produce grapes that carry significant levels of natural sugar. Botrytis sometimes occurs but it is not necessary in order to declare a Moelleux. Conditions of “passerillage”, that is extended exposure of the grapes to sun and high luminosity, create the impetus to release wines as Moelleux. Wines so declared can carry formidable leves of residual sugar: 25 grams is perhaps the minimum but more often the Moelleux at the Foreau domaine has 35 or 50 or sometimes even 80 or 90 grams of sugar left in the wine. The goal is to create a wine that is in perfect balance, maintaining a proper level of acidity while keeping the ultimate alcohol level under control.”
The average price is $68
Wine Spectator 94 points “Jaw-dropping fruit—guava, quince, mango and persimmon—is extremely concentrated and lushly layered. That’s followed by ginger, cream, green almond and smoke notes on a superlong finish, which has a nice bit of earthy grip as well.” WS
The average price is $71
Wine Advocate 97 points “What there was in this vintage of botrytis, Foreau reports, essentially went into his 2009 Vouvray Moelleux Reserve. Brown-spiced pear liqueur and quince preserves dominate the proceedings – wreathed in perfume of freesia and lily – and there are buoyancy and elegance, despite viscosity, enormous richness of texture and residual sweetness, that indeed point to the magic nobility rot can convey. Its sense of lift – when combined with luscious, still juicy suggestions of grapefruit and blood orange familiar from the corresponding demi-sec – wards off any risk of palate fatigue. Mysterious botrytis manifestations of stale bread, truffle, and white raisin emerge from the empty glass. This extraordinary achievement will stand with such past great Foreau moelleux reserves as 2005, 2003, and 1989-90 and is likely to merit 30 or more years of consideration. In direct comparison, what strikes one about the 2005 today is its more obvious sense of botrytis and its slightly diminished sense of acidity and lift. But it maintains the edge in sheer complexity.” WANow it’s even lower!
The next best price is $84.99
The average price is $89
See the complete list of all February Clearance Sale wines by clicking here!
Thank you for reading!
