Vinopolis Tuesday Newsletter 3-16-2021

These are do-not-miss wines for anyone who loves the K Vintners, or old-school, Rhône-inflected Washington State reds. Full of generous fruit and beautiful earthy and floral tones, these are wines that are powerful and delicious on release, but have the track record and pedigree to age.

In Stock Now:

B. Leighton Olsen’s Brothers Vineyard Gratitude, Yakima Valley 2017 750ML ($59.95) $45 special, 23 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 96 points “A cuvée made for winemaker Brennen Leighton’s wife and a field blend of 70% Mourvèdre, 25% Grenache, and 5% Syrah, the 2017 Gratitude ranks with the finest Mourvèdres to come from the state. Awesome notes of black raspberry liqueur, incense, ground pepper, and forest floor give way to a medium to full-bodied, ripe, powerful yet weightless 2017 that does everything right. It’s already just about impossible to resist, yet my money is on it evolving for a solid decade.”


B. Leighton Olsen’s Brothers Vineyard Petit Verdot, Yakima Valley 2016 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 94 points “Lastly, the 2016 Petit Verdot comes from a higher elevation block and was brought up in 40% new French oak. It has a great bouquet of white pepper, chocolatey dark fruits, tobacco, and a kiss of violets to go with a full-bodied, incredible elegant profile on the palate. You don’t find Petit Verdot with this level of finesse very often, and it has silky tannins, good mid-palate concentration, and a great finish. It’s another stunning wine from Leighton I’d be thrilled to drink over the coming 10-15 years.”

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B. Leighton Olsen Brothers Vineyard Syrah, Yakima Valley 2017 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 30 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 94 points “The 2017 Syrah comes all from the Olsen Brothers Vineyard in the Yakima Valley and is a mix of the 383 and Phelps clones of Syrah. It was not destemmed and was brought up in just 15% new French oak. Ground pepper, meat, smoked game, and decayed flower notes all emerge from this Northern Rhône look-alike. It’s beautifully balanced, medium to full-bodied, and a rock star expression of Syrah to enjoy over the coming 8-10 years.”

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Love supporting local wineries? We have over 275 options from Washington and Oregon in stock. Shop the entire selection, including famous names like Cayuse, Leonetti, Quilceda Creek and more, on our web store now.

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“This is a great bottle of bubbly in the making”
Georges Laval Cumières Les Chênes Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru Brut Nature Millésimé, Champagne 2016 750ML ($199.95) $179 special, 7 bottles in stock now
John Gilman 95 points “Vincent Laval’s 2016 version of les Chênes was disgorged at the end of February of 2020 and shows enormous potential. The bouquet is already very expressive, jumping from the glass in a complex blend of pear, golden delicious apple, brioche, complex soil tones, macadamia nut, a bit of buttery oak and a topnote of gently musky floral tones. On the palate the wine is deep, beautifully balanced and full-bodied, with a lovely core of fruit, fine mineral drive and grip, elegant mousse and outstanding length and grip on the brisk, but nicely buffered finish. I really like the structure of the 2016 les Chênes, which will age for decades, but may not demand the customary ten years in the cellar before it really starts to drink with generosity. This is a great bottle of bubbly in the making. 2025-2065.”
Importer note “100% Chardonnay. Premier Cru.”

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A field blend of the seven varieties permitted in Champagne
Rene Geoffroy ‘Les Houtrants Complantés Premier Cru Brut Nature, Champagne NV 750ML ($219.95) $188 special, 3 bottles in stock now
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 94 points “Disgorged in February 2017 with no dosage, this bottle of the NV Brut Nature Premier Cru Les Houtrants Complantés derives from the 2012 triage, and consists of a blend of reserve wines from 2008 to 2011 that were aged in magnum. Les Houtrants is a precocious lieu-dit in Cumières that Geoffroy planted with a field blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay, Arbanne and Petit Meslier in 2004. The wine wafts from the glass with a subtle but complex bouquet of white currants, smoke, wet stones, warm biscuits and verb, followed by a medium to full-bodied, fine-boned and tensile palate that’s exquisitely balanced, its bright spine of acidity cloaked in just enough vibrant flesh and texture to avoid any hint of asperity, concluding with a searingly chalky finish. Intellectually stimulating and compulsively drinkable in equal measure, it’s a pity that only a tiny number of bottles are produced.”
James Suckling 94 points “The nose offers subtly spiced brioche with a light, toasty layer and bright citrus fruit. The palate has a more complex array of fruit and deep, silky texture, laced with salty minerals and grilled nuts at the finish. A non-vintage blend of pinot noir, pinot meunier, chardonnay, arbanne and petit meslier. Drink now.”

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“This is really complex”
De Venoge Louis XV de Venoge Brut Millésimé, Champagne 1996 750ML ($219.95) $189 special, 24 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 96 points “This is really complex, old Champagne with puff-pastry, dried-apple, spice and salted-nut aromas and flavors. Full body. Ultra fine bubbles with an extremely fine and creamy mouth feel. Extreme edge to it. This spent 21 years on the lees. Disgorged in 2018. Every year they disgorge 3,000 bottles”


One bottle left!
Jacques Lassaigne Clos Sainte-Sophie Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature, Champagne 2012 750ML ($219.95) $189 special, 1 bottle in stock now
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 96 points “Notes of citrus oil and crisp yellow orchard fruit mingle with nuances of saffron, anise, dried white flowers and warm bread in a complex bouquet, introducing Lassaigne’s 2012 Brut Nature Blanc de Blancs Clos Sainte-Sophie, a full-bodied, layered and concentrated wine that’s deep and muscular, with racy acids and a finish that’s simultaneously intensely saline and searingly chalky.”

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“Seamless and complete”
Marguet Père & Fils ‘Sapience’ Premier Cru Extra-Brut, Champagne 2009 750ML ($269.95) $189 special, 4 bottles in stock now
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 96 points “This is the fourth vintage of Benoît Marguet’s Sapience, Champagne’s first organic prestige cuvée, which he began producing before he took over his family vineyards, using purchased grapes: Bouzy Pinot Noir from  Benoît Lahaye, Cumières Pinot Meunier from Vincent Laval and Trépail Chardonnay from David Leclapart. Disgorged in June 2019 without dosage, the 2009 Brut Nature Premier Cru is showing brilliantly, wafting from the glass with a complex bouquet of citrus oil, dried orange peel, white flowers and subtle hints of praline. Full-bodied, layered and textural, it’s seamless and complete, with a deep core, ripe but racy acids and a long, intense finish.”
Peter Liem note “Since 2006, Marguet has been working with Hervé Jestin, the former chef de cave of Duval-Leroy who is now a consultant to many wine estates around Europe. Marguet has gradually integrated Jestin’s homeopathic and biodynamic practices into his own winemaking, and the two of them have collaborated to create a special, naturally grown champagne that encapsulates and expresses Jestin’s philosophies. The first vintage of this super-cuvée was 2006, released in 2013, and the production was divided: half of it was sold under the Jestin label, with the other half under the label Sapience, which Marguet has indicated is a separate brand from the Marguet label.”

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“A joy to taste”
Pommery Cuvée Louise Brut Rosé Millésimé, Champagne 2004 750ML ($299.95) $219 special, 16 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 95 points “This is a new release and shows wonderful finesse and beauty. You know that the moment you see the pale-amber color. It’s medium bodied with freshness and energy and a long, vivid finish. A joy to taste. Drink now.”

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An iconic wine from an celebrated vintage
Louis Roederer Cristal Millésimé Brut, Champagne 2012 750ML ($299.95) $249 special, 13 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 98 points “The 2012 Cristal is another absolutely stellar wine this flight of recent releases. Rich, vinous and beautifully textured, the 2012 has been nothing short of magnificent on the three occasions I have tasted it so far. In the glass, the 2012 is radiant and luscious, yet it possesses remarkable transparency and striking aromatic depth. Light tropical notes develop in the glass, giving the 2012 a real feeling of exotic beauty. The 2012 is the first vintage of Cristal done with 100% organically-farmed fruit, an approach introduced gradually starting with the 2007 that has profoundly changes Cristal, especially in its aromatic breadth. Two thousand twelve is the vintage where endless trials and experiments in farming and winemaking are fully realized. The 2012 is just stunning. It’s as simple as that. Dosage is just over 7 grams per liter, the lowest it has even been for Cristal.”
Roger Voss-Wine Enthusiast 98 points “As the first 100% biodynamic Cristal, entirely from Roederer-owned vineyards, this is an important milestone. This latest incarnation is a great Champagne with its density, elegance and poise. Still impressively young, the wine is taut, tightly wound and textured. At the same time, it has pure, ripe white and citrus fruits that are perfumed, and an important part of this wine’s long-term future. Drink at the earliest from 2023.”
James Suckling 98 points “Such attractive, fresh, floral aromas here with fine bread, hints of white almonds and a lemon edge. White cherries and strong, chalky minerals, too. The palate has a very composed feel. Seamless and quite silky texture with effortless length and flow. Very fluid and composed. Very late, warming almond flavors. This is very long and smooth with a velvety finish. Super long pinot weight. Resolved and drinkable, but will age so well..”


“Beautiful complexity and nuance you only get from top rosé Champagnes”
Piper-Heidsieck Rare Brut Rosé Millésimé, Champagne 2007 750ML ($499.95) $379 special, 5 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 96 points “The salmon colored 2007 Rosé Millesimé Rare has a clear, fresh, slightly oaky-nougat and pretty vinous bouquet. It is a rich and slightly sweetish yet pure, refined, elegant and well-structured Rosé Champagne with good grip and tension as well as a long, intensely aromatic and powerful finish. This is great and enormously complex Champagne with an extraordinary, complex finish. The 2007 is based on 56% Chardonnay and 44% Pinot Noir. Tasted in November 2017.”
Jeb Dunnuck 96+ points “Another sensational Champagne, as well as the first vintage for the Cuvée, the 2007 Rare Rosé (56% Chardonnay and 44% Pinot Noir) offers that beautiful complexity and nuance you only get from top rosé Champagnes. Orange blossom, strawberries, spice, dried flowers, toasted bread, and orange peel notes all emerge from this richly concentrated, medium to full-bodied, beautifully textured 2007. With a fine, yet layered mousse, incredible complexity, and a great finish, this blockbuster effort will be better with 2-3 years of bottle age and shine for 10-15 years or more.”

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“A stunning, totally drop-dead gorgeous wine”
Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Brut Rosé, Champagne 1993 750ML ($499.95) $399 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 95 points “[Reviewed July 2014] A stunning, totally drop-dead gorgeous wine, the 1993 Comtes de Champagne Rosé is intense and deep to the core. Even at 21 years of age, the 1993 possesses stunning richness and tons of pure resonance. Blood orange, spices, dried flowers and anise blossom from the glass in an effortless, totally gracious Champagne. The 1993 won’t live forever, but it is striking now and should continue to deliver the goods for another 5-10 years. Hints of truffle, dried cherry and spice linger on the exquisite finish.”
Wine Enthusiast 95 points “This is an explosion of chocolate and cherries, lifted gloriously on an ocean of tiny bubbles. Copper colored and Pinot-scented, its rich fruit tastes like ripe cherries rolled in milk chocolate, decadent and elegant at the same time. Exceptional length and depth of flavor.”


Still youthful at 30+
Grand Siècle par Laurent-Perrier, Champagne 1990 750ML ($599.95) $499 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Stephen Tanzer 94 points ” Medium orange-gold color. Musky, wild aromas of strawberry, raspberry, smoke and earth; rather pinot noir-like and expressive of its soil. Rich, ripe and dense with material but not at all heavy; red berry flavors offer a compellingly tangy quality. Very concentrated and still very young. Finishes with superb lift and length.”


“Beautifully done”
Laurent-Perrier Alexandra Rosé, Champagne 1990 750ML ($699.95) $599 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 94 points “Beautifully done. Vigorous and almost chewy, this intense, full-bodied rosé exudes mint, berry and wood aromas and flavors. Muscular and dense, with a character that engages the palate and needs contemplation or food.”
Wine Enthusiast 94 points “It’s a pale wine, on the rose side of gold, a beautiful visual introduction to a stunning wine. The strawberry flavors are wrapped in a silvery texture, crisply dry, and despite the intensity of fruit, the wine seems weightless on the palate. It’s gorgeous now, but, amazingly, just a baby. It’s long-term future is assured. Twenty years from now, this will be heavenly.”
Robert Parker 94 points “This wine was recommended, but no tasting note was given.”

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“A triumph for the vintage”
Philipponnat Clos des Goisses Extra Brut, Champagne 1991 750ML ($699.95) $599 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Stephen Tanzer 93+ points “Very strong mousse Idiosyncratic nose of yellow fruits, minerals, ginger, honey, lily and magnolia; like a grand cru white Burgundy. Very intensely flavored but subtle and light on its feet. A vivid wine with great vinosity and penetration. Strong acids give it a brisk, firm-edged finish. Not as creamy or thick as the 1990, but I find this more stylish. A triumph for the vintage.”

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“Perfectly matured Champagne”
Salon Cuvée ‘S’ Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs Brut, Champagne 1997 (’17 Disgorgement) 750ML ($999.95) $899 special, 4 bottles in stock now
No reviews for the 2017 disgorgement. Review is for the 2018 disgorgement.
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 95 points “Disgorged earlier this year (2018), the Salon 1997 Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil Brut opens with a deep, intense and concentrated yet pure, fine and complex bouquet of chalk intertwined with ripe yellow-fleshed fruit, brioche and hazelnut notes. This is a bright, perfectly matured Champagne from Mesnil-sur-Oger with hints of caramel, white mushrooms, parsley root and a beautiful varnish on the nevertheless fresh nose with its characteristic chalky Mesnil expressions. The palate is full and intense, almost rich in the first moment compared the the 2007, but then the 1997 proceeds as pure, elegant and fresh as a Salon should be. Yes, there are some similarities to the 2007 in terms of finesse, with the linear, mineral and vinous style fortified by the complexity of 21 years of age. This is a really fine Champagne but not as ripe as the 2007. The rigid taster will find some drying green apple phenolics in the aftertaste, but the hedonist (who doesn’t look at the price) won’t get that. So enjoy! The late disgorgement of the 1997 Salon (which spent nearly 20 years on the lees) combines the elegance and finesse of the house style with the vinous complexity of a matured Champagne…”

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The next lowest listed price is $937.99

Re-Arriving Friday, March 18th:

#5 Wine of the Year – Wine Spectator Top 100 in 2018
Dom Pérignon Luminous Collection Brut Millésimé, Champagne 2008 750ML ($279.95) $199 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 98+ points “The 2008 Dom Pérignon is fabulous, but quite remarkably, it was even more open when I tasted it a year ago. Bright, focused and crystalline in its precision, the 2008 is going to need a number of years before it is at its best. Lemon peel, white flowers, mint and white pepper give the 2008 its chiseled, bright profile. Several recent bottles have all been magnificent. What I admire most about the 2008 is the way it shows all the focus, translucence and energy that is such a signature of the year, and yet it is also remarkably deep and vertical. In other words, the 2008 is a Champagne that plays in three dimensions.”
John Gilman 98 points “The 2008 vintage of Dom Pérignon is an absolute classic in the making and this is destined to be one of the great recent years for this iconic cuvée. It is far more classically structured out of the blocks than the relatively generous 2009 version, offering up a deep, complex and very youthful bouquet of menthol, green apple, a touch of tangerine, a very complex base of minerality and notes of dried flowers in the upper register. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and rock solid at the core, with precise mousse, brisk acids and stunning length and grip on the primary and laser-like finish. This will demand some cellaring to start to really stir and should prove to be an extremely long-lived vintage of DP. Stellar juice.”
James Suckling 98 points “The best Dom since 2002. A vintage with very restrained, powerful style that has been released non-sequentially after the 2009. This has a lighter stamp of highly curated, autolytic, toasty aromas than many recent releases. Instead, this delivers super fresh and intense aromas of lemons, grapefruit and blood-orange peel. Incredible freshness here. The palate has a very smoothly delivered, berry-pastry thread with light, sweet spices, stone fruit and fine citrus fruit. This really delivers. Drink now or hold.”

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Love Champagne? We have over 190 different options in stock. Shop the entire selection, including staff favorites like Bérêche, Eric Rodez, Pierre Péters and more, on our web store now.