Vinopolis Wednesday Newsletter 2-8-23

 

Some new wines coming in Friday the 10th. 

Domaine Camille & Laurent Schaller 

At the heart of Chablis lies Domaine Camille & Laurent Schaller. They benefit from their soil composition of clay and limestone which adds noticeable minerality, leading to exceptionally pure wines. The wines are absolutely dazzling, classic Chablis. 

Domaine Camille et Laurent Schaller Chablis, Burgundy 2021 750ml $26 special, 36+ bottles in stock 
VinopolNote: 30 year old vines, 10 months on fine lees in inox, 100% Chardonnay.

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Domaine Camille et Laurent Schaller Chablis Vieilles Vignes, Burgundy 2021 750ml $29 special, 36 bottles in stock 
VinopolNote: 41 year old vines on Kimmeridgian soil. 30% oak and 70% stainless steel.

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Domaine Camille et Laurent Schaller Petit Chablis, Burgundy 2021 750ml $24 special, 60 bottles in stock 
VinopolNote: 20 year old vines, 8 months on fine lees in inox, 100% Chardonnay.

Kalin Cellars Cuvee DD Sonoma Pinot Noir, Alexander Valley 2000 750ml $69 special, 9 bottles in stock
John Gilman 96 points “My goodness, where has the time gone? Here is a pinot noir from Frances and Terry Leighton that actually has its roots in the twenty-first century! It happens to be from the Demostene Ranch, home to Kalin’s finest pinot bottlings since at least the 1978 vintage (please see below) and it is flat out stunning. The deep, pure and beautifully developed bouquet offers up a complex constellation of red and black cherries, roasted gamebird, forest floor, beautiful spice tones (cinnamon, cardamom and cloves), woodsmoke, an exotic hint of eucalyptus and cedary oak. On the palate the wine is focused, complex and beautifully wide open and refined on the attack, with an excellent core of fruit, superb soil signature, still excellent, tangy acids, ripe tannins and a long, perfectly balanced and complex finish. This is still a relatively young wine on the palate (even at age nineteen!) and could do with a bit more time to relax in the cellar, but with decanting, it is awfully easy to drink today. But, witness the 1978 version listed below, it is still early days for this stunning bottle of pinot. This is one of the best vintages of the Cuvée DD I have ever tasted! (Drink between 2019-2055)”
Wine Advocate 94+ points “The swan song vintage of Terry and Frances Leighton’s Pinot Noir from the Demostene Ranch, the 2000 Pinot Noir Cuvée DD is showing beautifully, unwinding in the glass with a complex bouquet of ripe cherries, exotic spices, grilled game and rich forest floor that evokes many of the aromatic tells one associates with the great wines of the Côte de Nuits, lent a gentle Californian accent by a subtle top note of eucalyptus. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with muscular structure, racy acids and considerable sapid and savory nuance, concluding with a long and penetrating finish. The most successful Cuvée DD since the 1997, the 2000 is still youthful and firm at the core and will reward further cellaring. This is a brilliant wine from one of California’s most idiosyncratic artisanal wineries.”

Pax The Bench Vineyard Syrah, Clements Hills 2021 750ml $36 special, 24 bottles in stock 
Vinous 93 points “The 2021 Syrah The Bench Vineyard is silky, layered and expceptionally beautiful. Inky blue/purplish fruit, licrorice, lavender, black pepper and mint all race out of the glass. The 2021 is a bit lighter than some of the other wines in the range. In exchange, though, it will drink well upon release.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

Our present price of $69 (and $64.83 on a six-pack) is by far the lowest price in the USA. In fact, the next best price in the USA is $84.80. Despite all that and until Friday Mid-Night you can grab some bottles for $59 or even go for a case-6 priced at $333, that’s only $55.50 a bottle. 

Act fast this is an incredible deal. 

Gaja Rossj-Bass Langhe, Piedmont 2019 750ml $59 special, 36+ bottles in stock 
Case-6 Gaja Rossj-Bass Langhe, Piedmont 2019 750ml $333 special (that’s only $55.5/bottle) 
Wilson Daniels importer note “The grapes come from different vineyards, including the Rossj vineyard named by Lucia and Angelo after their second daughter Rossana. 95% Chardonnay, 5% Sauvignon Blanc.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

 

“Making wine means understanding how to deal with nature and its peculiarities. In all modesty.”

Weingut Tement is a premier Austrian winery. The winery has been practicing organic farming for over 15 years and is in the process of transitioning to biodynamic farming. Their high standards resulted in Stephan Reinhardt of the Wine Advocate naming Tement among the best white wines in the world “I don’t see anybody else producing wine on this level in Austria, and even in other German-speaking countries, there is perhaps only Markus Molitor from the Mosel on those heights.”

Weingut Tement Grassnitzberg Sauvignon Blanc Erste STK Lage, Steiermark 2019 750ml $47 special, 36+ bottles in stock 
Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2019 Ried Grassnitzberg Sauvignon Blanc is sometimes quite reductive and needs a lot of air, but it is precise, deep and clear. A second bottle was far better and a clearer Grassnitzberg representative, with a deep, cool and intensely fruity nose with mango notes and fine, smoky spice. Complex, elegant and fine on the palate, this is a full-bodied, juicy, ripe, savory, salty and grippy Sauvignon from Grassnitzberg that is tartly bitter on the finish and needs plenty of time to shine. The 2019 is not at all for young-wine or brand drinkers, but for collectors and connoisseurs of demanding wines. This is a tightly knit, taut, big wine that needs around 10 years before its journey really begins. 13% stated alcohol. Glass stopper. Tasted in Grafenegg in September 2021.”

Weingut Tement Ried Rossberg Morillon, Sudsteiermark 2017 750ml $33 special, 24 bottles in stock 
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2017 Ried Rossberg Morillon is from a very calcareous marl soil rich in iron and manganese. Vinified in old Burgundian pièces, this is a deep, rich and round, wonderfully aromatic yet pure and flinty [Chardonnay] with very fine tannins and a very elegant and lush texture. The finish is powerful yet pure and persistently salty, with lots of mineral tension and grip. This is an excellent, perfectly balanced but thrilling white whose lush and iodine character is a bit like a Jura wine. Tasted in May 2019.”

This is the only listing in the USA today! 

 

“Hundred Suns, named after the number of sunrises conventionally required between flowering and harvest, is his own label, for wines he makes from vineyards he likes.” 

Hundred Suns is the masterpiece project of Grant Coulter, whose former stints had him making wine in Australia and California before settling in Oregon and working at Hamacher wines, Flaneaur Wines, and Beaux Freres. He intentionally keeps production small to give each wine the attention it needs to meet his quality standards and the results speak volumes. Hundred Suns is truly a special project, not one to pass over. 

Gamay 

Hundred Suns ‘Tualatin Estate’ Gamay Noir, Willamette Valley 2021 $31.90 special, 24 bottles in stock 
Winery note “An early spring kick-started the season, and yields were restricted by poor weather during cluster and flower development. Warm summer months brought this Gamay into full maturity and we hand-picked on September 25th. Hailing from Tualatin Estate Vineyard, this gamay was divided into three fermentation lots:  100% whole cluster, destemmed, and whole cluster in sealed tank. As a result, bright cranberry fruit and silky tannins marry with rich blueberry flavors and cocoa-like tannins to create balance and finish.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Syrah 

Hundred Suns Syrah, Columbia Gorge 2019 750ml $44 special, 29 bottles in stock 
Winery note “Reminiscent of wines from the northern Rhone in its complexity and structure. Initial aromas of flint and molasses give way to Asian plum, espresso, and hoisin. Vineyard: 2019 was a long growing season with moderate but dry days and cool nights blowing from the vast Columbia River. We were lucky to secure 1.5 tons of mixed clone Syrah from the Three Sleeps Vineyard located in Oregon’s Columbia Gorge AVA. This windswept vineyard located outside the town of Mosier consists of silty clay soils over basalt rocks formed from eons of floods, glacial movement, and volcanic activity. Planted in 2002 by Patrick Reuter and Leigh Bartholomew, it is farmed organically. Winemaking: 100% whole bunches were placed in an open-top fermenter and a 500 liter amphora and allowed to ferment untouched for ten days. Then, we foot stomped the clusters to release the dark juice from inside. After three days of maceracion the grapes were pressed to stainless steel where they finished primary fermentation. The wines were aged in a combination of terracotta and seasoned French oak. After 10 months they were racked to all neutral oak and left to age for an additional seven months. Bottled unfined and unfiltered in March of 2021.”

Hundred Suns The Rocks District Syrah 2020 750ml $44 special, 9 bottles in stock 
Grapelive 94 points “The open knit and pure Hundred Suns Syrah comes from The Rocks District, a sub appellation of the Walla Walla Valley, with intense stony soils, just on the Oregon side of the border with Washington State and made famous by Christophe Baron of Cayuse. Iit shows both the terroir and the unique winemaking employed by Grant Coulter, who is mostly known for his amazing set of Willamette Valley Pinots, who used a whole-cluster fermentation in terra-cotta amphora here… this wine is absolutely gorgeous with expressive layers of fresh crushed blackberries, plum, kirsch and blueberry compote, along with the whole-cluster crunch, spice and carbonic like roundness. The tannins are ripe, sweet and smooth, allowing youthful enjoyment already, while subtle earthiness, floral perfume and mineral notes adding to the pleasure here, reminding me quite a bit of Maxime Graillot’s Domaine des Lises Crozes-Hermitage. There’s a lot to like here and after a swirl or two you get even more dimension from this Syrah and it lingers on and on with hints of creme de cassis, anise and bitter dark chocolate… I’m super excited about the new 2021 releases that are just coming out now, as they look to be on the next level!” 

Chardonnay 

Hundred Suns ‘Old Eight Cut’ Chardonnay, Willamette Valley 2020 750ml $29 special, 4 bottles in stock
Owen Bargrenn “Sourced from mostly the Koosah and Three Cedars Vineyards, the 2020 ‘Old Eight Cut’ Chardonnay was aged in a small portion  (15%) of new oak barrels prior to bottling. Kumquat zest, vanilla cream and salted sourdough bread tones all brilliantly combine on the palate. Very smooth and opulent on the mouth, with loads of lip-smacking acidity. this is a spectacular effort considering the challenges of the vintage. Serve slightly warmer to take in the gorgeous range of flavors. Drink 2022-2030.”
Winery note “Golden straw with a hint of pale green at the edges, this wine has aromas of Meyer lemons, vanilla bean, and wet stone. Succulent flavors sail across brilliant networks of acidity and fine grain textures that keep your mouth watering for more. Winemaking: The 2020 vintage was a warm and consistent growing season. Our collection of vineyards was picked with an uncanny balance of acidity and flavor. The resulting grapes were immediately whole cluster pressed, and only the juice from the middle cut of the press cycle was selected and sent into stainless steel tanks to rest. Three to five days later native yeast fermentation took hold. The wines were then moved into a collection of 15% new and 85% seasoned French oak barrels where they were gently stirred once a week during primary fermentation. They remained on the lees until bottling. The composition of the three vineyards was blended into tanks after 11 months and bottled unfiltered in August of 2021.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

Hundred Suns ‘Old Eight Cut’ Chardonnay, Willamette Valley 2021 750ml $31.90 special, 26 bottles in stock 
Winery note “Old Eight Cut: A diamond cut dating back to the 1400s using simple tools and few cuts to enhance the natural brilliance of the stone without disguising its true nature. Layers of brioche, pear, and lemon bar with delicate richness and tense acidity. Winemaking: 2021 started with a warm spring and early bud break. Warm summer temperatures led into a cooler fall, and we harvested our collection of dry farmed vineyards starting on September 9th and finished the 12th. Grapes were pressed into French oak and fermented with indigenous yeast.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Pinot Noir

Hundred Suns ‘Old Eight Cut’ Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2021 750ml $33 special, 33 bottles in stock 
Winery note “Tasting Notes: Fresh Rainier cherries and vibrant strawberry form a juicy mid-palette wrapped with layers of tea leaf, citrus rind, and complex spice. Beautifully balanced acid and structure make this wine punch way above its pay grade. 2021 Vintage & Vintification: This cellar selection stitches together pieces from unique sites across the Willamette Valley. Lots are fermented with native yeast & a variety of traditional & experimental techniques to create a layered wine of great complexity, but that is, first and foremost, totally delicious. 2021 started with below-average rains, leading into a warm spring and early bud break. Moderate yields and a warm summer gave us perfectly ripe flavors from our collection of dry-farmed vineyards. Picking started September 10th and finished October 2nd. Fermented with indigenous yeast and 30% whole cluster. This wine will drink best from 2023-2028.”