Vinopolpick Mid-Week 5-19-21

Cliff Lede’s 2018 Sauvignon Blanc is the perfect blend of freshness, elegance and nuance. A blend of 85% Sauvignon Blanc, 12% Semillon and a splash of Sauvignon Vert, this is not the one-dimensional Sauv Blanc that we’ve all regretted ordering by the glass. Most of the blend comes from three vineyard sources in Napa Valley, the majority of which well-established, with old vines contributing complexity to the finished wine. So if you’re looking for a Sauvignon Blanc that offers character without sacrificing deliciousness, look no further. And at the just reduced price of $19/bottle, you won’t regret stocking up for the summer.

In Stock & Priced to Move:

Cliff Lede Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley 2018 750ML ($29.95) Was $24 Now $19, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 91 points “Succulent peach, melon and citrus flavors reveal pretty details of spice and dried floral notes in this stylish white, with crisp acidity and a drizzle of honey on the finish. Drink now. 10,420 cases made.”


Love California wine? We have over 75 different options from the Golden State in stock. Shop the entire selection, including staff favorites like Arnot-Roberts, Freemark Abbey, Pax and more, on our web store now.

After the explosive popularity of our exclusive Evening Land/Brasserie 19 offer last year, we jumped at the chance to offer a formerly-exclusive wine from Rajat Parr’s Sta. Rita Hills winery, Sandhi—this time crafted specifically for legendary San Francisco restaurant Zuni Café. While it sold for $72 on Zuni’s list, we’re able to offer it for just $21.90—and less than $20/bottle by the case.

Oregon wine fans probably know Parr for his Willamette Valley winery Evening Land and their pioneering Seven Springs vineyard. Some years before signing on to Evening Land, Parr’s founded Sandhi, an elite, small-production winery that highlights the terroirs of Santa Barbara County. He and co-founder Sashi Moorman eschew extremes of ripeness, oak, and alcohol, instead crafting wines of elegance and restraint. Vineyard sources for the Sandhi lineup include the legendary cool-climate Bien Nacido, best known by the single vineyard bottlings produced by the Bien Nacido estate, Au Bon Climat, and Qupe Winery, and the world-classic, historic Sanford & Benedict.

This Chardonnay is a barrel selection from these illustrious vineyards. It was crafted with the wine director at one of SF’s finest restaurants, Zuni Café. We knew it would be a charming and food-friendly wine, but we were stunned by the quality when we tasted a sample bottle last week. Fans of Evening Land will be dazzled by the beauty and elegance through a Californian lens, fans of Sandhi will be impressed by the price.

This is an exclusive deal and, like the Brasserie 19 offer folks still ask about, when it’s gone it’s gone for good.

In Stock Now:

Sandhi Zuni Café Chardonnay, Santa Barbara County 2016 750ML ($34.95) $21.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Sandhi Zuni Café Chardonnay, Santa Barbara County 2016 750ML ($399.95) $239 special
Winery note “If you’ve ever sat at San Francisco’s iconic Zuni Café with a plate of oysters in front of you while you wait for the iconic whole roast chicken, you may have had a glass or two of this collaboration between longtime friends Rajat Parr of Sandhi and Zuni wine director Thierry Lovato.  The wine is a barrel selection from some of Sandhi’s iconic Sta. Rita Hills sites, (think Mt. Carmel, Sanford & Benedict) with enough own-rooted, 1973 Wente selection Bien Nacido Chardonnay blended in to warrant a Santa Barbara County designation. Add to that the favorable 2016 vintage in which a very warm spring and early summer gave way to cool nights and moderate daytime temperatures in July & August.  These conditions allowed the medium-sized crop to mature perfectly with small berries in pristine condition and yield a remarkably balanced wine with fine depth and intensity.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Also in Stock Now:

Rotation Wines Chardonnay, Lodi 2019 750ML ($17.95) $12.50 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Rotation Wines Chardonnay, Lodi 2019 750ML ($199.95) $135 special
No reviews for the 2019. 2018 review provided for reference.
Jim Gordon – Wine Enthusiast “This well-balanced wine is medium bodied, nicely driven by citrus and crisp apple flavors, and showing little oak influence. Smooth and a bit lively in texture, it tastes clean and fresh.”


Dutton-Goldfield Dutton Ranch Chardonnay, Russian River Valley 2018 750ML ($39.95) $28 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Dutton-Goldfield Dutton Ranch Chardonnay, Russian River Valley 2018 750ML ($449.95) $299 special
Virginie Boone – Wine Enthusiast 93 points “This is a 100% barrel-fermented wine from such stellar sites as Mill Station, Sullivan and Walker Hill. Lively, fresh and focused, it has great acidity and tension, a pleasing energy and minerality that boosts lovely flavors of green apple, Meyer lemon and mango, finishing with balanced richness.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Eisele Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley 2018 750ML ($119.95) $89 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-3 Eisele Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley 2018 750ML ($349.95) $255 special
James Suckling 97 points “Sliced apples and limes on the nose with grassy and chamomile notes. But then it turns to honeysuckle, chalk and minerals. Full-bodied with papaya, sliced-pear and green-pineapple flavors. Tight and fresh at the end. Crunchy acidity. Solid density. Energetic finish. Drink now or hold.”

“The quality that this domaine consistently achieves is nothing short of remarkable… I have said this before but I would go so far as to say that Domaine Henri Prudhon is one of, and perhaps even the most under rated producer in all of Burgundy. The style is ultra-pure and completely classic. Moreover, the wines sell for very reasonable prices so if you don’t need a famous name on a label to be happy, try a bottle from Prudhon and in either color.” – Allen Meadows, Burghound

Most of the time when the phrase “cult wine” is used we think of small production, pricy wines with lots of points. But every now and then we see a wine that breaks that mold. The wines from Domain Henri Prudhon are prime examples. They aren’t expensive, but they are hard for us to source because they occupy a unique place in the Burgundy world. For one, they’re incredibly fairly priced, which seems to be rarer than ever before in Burgundy. But most of all, they’re mineral-driven wines, built on stone and not fruit.

The Prudhon wines seem to hold the essence of their stony terroirs inside of them. Both red and white have a minerality and precision that’s very old-school and completely captivating. We have a limited number of bottles remaining, and cannot recommend these wines highly enough for your spring drinking pleasure.

In Stock Now:

Henri Prudhon & Fils Bourgogne Les Charmeaux, Burgundy 2016 750ML ($27.95) $24 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Importer (Neal Rosenthal) Note “This cuvée is drawn from several parcels in Saint Aubin that comprise about 7/10 of a hectare. The vines are a mix of young (10 years) and old (40 years). Clay and limestone soils with a western exposure in the western most sector of the village of Saint Aubin. The wine is aged in small barrel for eight months but no new oak is used.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Henri Prudhon & Fils Saint-Aubin Les Argillers, Côte de Beaune 2015 750ML ($34.95) $28 special, 33 bottles in stock now
Case-12 Henri Prudhon & Fils Saint-Aubin Les Argillers, Côte de Beaune 2015 750ML ($379.95) $299 special
Importer (Neal Rosenthal) Note ““Les Argillers” sits on the upper reaches of the slope of Saint-Aubin, just south of “Le Ban” and bordering the forest. Prudhon farms two hectares of 30-to-60-year-old vines here, and the wine they produce tends to be snappy, mineral-driven, and floral—less about Pinot Noir plushness and more about the freshness and drive of a cool-climate red wine.”
Burghound “A pretty and fresh mix of red and dark raspberry aromas reveals earth and soft spice nuances. There is better volume to the sappy, round and succulent middle weight flavors that possess a bit more overall depth and length as well as slightly more supporting structure.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Henri Prudhon & Fils Les Castets, Saint-Aubin Premier Cru 2016 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 1 bottle in stock now
Burghound “Notes of green apples, matchstick and plenty of citrus elements introduce the round, caressing and utterly delicious medium weight flavors that possess good sap for such young vines, all wrapped in a sneaky long finish. This too should be enjoyable on the younger side.”
Importer (Neal Rosenthal) Note ““Les Castets” sits just underneath “Le Ban,” and it marks the beginning of a swath of premier crus that form the “fillet” of the slope above the village itself. Produced from a miniscule 0.3-hectare parcel, it shows more richness and breadth on the palate than “Le Ban” above, but with a similar vibrancy. Prudhon’s vines here are 15 years old, and they employ a modest 25% new oak, which the premier-cru density of the wine absorbs well.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Henri Prudhon & Fils Les Frionnes, Saint-Aubin Premier Cru 2015 750ML ($41.95) $36 special, 14 bottles in stock now
Importer (Neal Rosenthal) Note “The Prudhons own a solid hectare of vines between 30 and 60 years of age in this premier cru that lies just to the north of “Les Perrieres.” In keeping with the Prudhon house style, “Frionnes” emphasizes the freshness and raciness of Saint-Aubin—there is virtually no new oak used in its elevage, and there’s a certain restraint and brightness to the fruit that feels self-assured and very terroir-loyal.”
Burghound “A spicy and again attractively fresh nose offers up notes of red currant, black raspberry and a hint of violet. The mouth feel of the medium-bodied flavors is also sappy and round with reasonably good vibrancy to the naturally sweet finale. This should be enjoyable young if that’s your preference.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Henri Prudhon & Fils Les Rouges Gorges, Saint-Aubin Premier Cru 2015 750ML ($41.95) $36 special, 15 bottles in stock now
Importer (Neal Rosenthal) Note “his wine is produced from two separate parcels: one on a hillside above the hamlet of Gamay and the other from a parcel between Saint Aubin and Chassagne Montrachet. The average age of the vines is 50 years (as of 2011). A classic wine of this sector with compelling notes of animal and wild berries. The elevage is about 18 months before bottling; again, very little new oak is used.”
Burghound “Here the expressive nose is spicier still with its layered array of various red berries, soft earth and pretty floral nuances. There is a bit more volume to the slightly richer, seductive and caressing medium weight flavors that exude a subtle minerality onto the mildly austere and rustic finale. This could use a few years to round out.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Love the Côte de Beaune? We have 87 different reds in stock. Shop the entire selection, including famous names like Chandon Briailles, Coche-Dury, Montille and more, on our web store now.