Subscriber-Only Special: New Belle Pente Single Vineyard; New May Sale Wine: Bow & Arrow Rhinestones; New Week – New Arrivals; New May Sale Wines – Your Pick of FX Pichler; SuperDeals Arriving Tomorrow; Meo-Camuzet Arriving Tomorrow; JJ Prum – Arriving Wednesday; Corliss’ Sister Estate Tranche Arriving Friday; May Sale Recap; Late Breaking Announcements: Il Poggione 2012 & Clos des Papes Pre-Arrivals
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Subscriber-Only Two Day Special
New 2014 Belle Pente Release!
Wine Arriving Thursday, May 4th
Subscriber-Only Discount Ends Wednesday, May 3rd at 11:59 PM
Buy any 3-5 bottles of 2014 Belle Pente Belle Pente Vineyard Pinot Noir,
your price will be $35/bottle!
Buy any 6+ bottles of 2014 Belle Pente Belle Pente Vineyard Pinot Noir,
your price will be $33/bottle!
Belle Pente Belle Pente Vineyard Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton District 2014 750ML ($41.95) Displayed price: $37; Your Price for 3-5 bottles: $35/bottle; Your Price for 6+ bottles: $33/bottle
Winery note “Look for flavors and aroma of ripe blackberry and wild black cherry, accented with licorice, rose petal and violet, and wild thyme. The wine is lush and supple on the palate, with lingering soft silky tannins balanced by vibrant acidity.
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Discount will not appear online
We will adjust your price before running your order
Subscriber-only discount ends Wednesday, May 3rd at 11:59 PM
Also arriving Thursday from Belle Pente:
Belle Pente Cuvee Contraire Rose, Willamette Valley 2014 750ML ($19.95) $16 pre-arrival special
Josh Raynolds 90 points “Light bright orange-pink. Aromas of fresh strawberry, blood orange and white flowers take on a hint of sweet butter with air. Silky and focused on the palate, showing good depth and vivacity to the juicy red berry and citrus fruit flavors. Lingers with very good, lively persistence, leaving notes of tangerine and strawberry behind. “
Winery note “The Willamette Valley Cuvee Contraire is a proprietary blend of 90% Pinot Noir and 10% Gamay Noir from selected Yamhill Country vineyards. The two varietals are fermented separately and blended just prior to bottling to create a unique rose-style wine.”
VinopolNote: Produced from Pinot Noir grapes vinified as a white wine. The Gamay creates the rose’s deep hue.
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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Happy Oregon Wine Month!
New May Sale Wine
Me and My Arrow:
Wherever We Go, Everyone Knows
It’s Bow & Arrow
“Scott Frank’s Rhinestones 2015 maybe the best under $25 wine I’ve ever tasted from Oregon” –Kerry Winslow, Grapelive
“This wine is way too easy to drink” –Josh Raynolds, Vinous
We can’t say enough good things about Bow & Arrow and the wines they make. Scott Frank seems to have cracked the code to do two things that are nearly impossible for other Oregon wineries. First, he makes wines that are vibrant, fresh and delicious in a truly old-world fashion. The wines are awesome. There’s a liveliness that we find in the Bow & Arrow wines that can often be lacking from lots of other wines from this state—a zippiness, if you will. As a result, the wines (especially the wines we’re featuring today) can be compulsively drinkable. We may have mentioned this already, but the wines are great.
The other major puzzle that Scott seems to have cracked is affordability. We often see wines from the US marketed as ‘daily drinkers’ in style but the wines are priced at $30++, well north of a comparable wine from Europe. With Bow & Arrow, though, we’re pleased as punch that a delicious local wine is cheaper than most of the competition from Europe. (and delicious—that’s important, too). We tasted a 2014 [Famous Redacted Burgundy Producer Imported by a Certain Berkeley-Based Import Company -ed.] Passetoutgrains the other day that was both more expensive and (more importantly) not as good as the Rhinestones that we’ve got on sale this month. Scott Frank’s pricing seems free of ego that can sometimes infect his domestic brethren. We should mention again that the wines are awesome. Don’t forget that part.
PS – Kerry Winslow from Grapelive may proclaim it the best under-$25 Oregon wine he’s ever tasted, but we’d like to raise the stakes a bit for our May Sale: it’s exclusively under $20 here!
Bow & Arrow Rhinestone Red, Willamette Valley 2015 750ML ($24.950 Was $21.90, Now $19.60
Case-12 Bow & Arrow Rhinestone Red, Willamette Valley 2015 750ML ($299.95) Was $239, Now $219 (that’s only $18.25/bottle!)
Grapelive 94 points “Scott Frank’s Rhinestones 2015 maybe the best under $25 wine I’ve ever tasted from Oregon. In fact the 2015 is so good I almost prefer it to some over $50 Pinot Noir offerings. This is serious stuff that really delivers the quality and depth you’d not maybe expect from this fun blend. Sourced from organic/biodynamic vineyards, mostly Johan Vineyards, and picked a bit early, Bow & Arrow gets detailed ripeness, but with zesty freshness of acidity. The fruit is very gently handled with partial whole cluster and, in traditional Loire Valley style, low oak winemaking is employed. Like Passetoutgrains in Burgundy or Cheverny in the Loire, this blend has long been an interesting marriage of varietals with the Pinot Noir giving beauty, depth and earthy charms while the Gamay gives color, vibrancy and fruitiness. This wine goes even further with this vintage taking to a new level: this Rhinestones will change all perception on what can be achieved with this blend of grapes and it should be honored as one of the great terroir wines of its generation. It redefines Oregon’s paradigm! The 2015 starts with a nose of dark roses, spice, truffle and blue fruits leading to a vivid palate of black cherry, blueberry, plum and tart currant fruits along with walnut/cedar, peppery stones, sage/mint/anise, cinnamon and iron/mineral tones finishing long and lingering with strawberry, earthy beet root and lavender. The texture is amazing and the mouth feel is exceptional considering how alive and bright this brilliant medium weight wine is. It is a satiny stunner with glorious vitality and grace. Don’t over think the grapes or label: this wine is the new Oregon and it deserves your open mind and attention. Drink this over the next 5 to 10 years. What a truly fantastic effort! I’m a huge fan of Frank’s wines, but this is by far the best vintage of Rhinestones. Also look for their straight Gamay Noir, Melon (think bone dry, leesy Muscadet) and Sauvignon Blanc. These Loire inspired wines are lovely Oregon surprises that will thrill and seduce the senses.”
John Gilman 92 points “The 2015 version of Rhinestones is a blend of sixty percent pinot noir and forty percent gamay. The wine is a tad tight when first opened, but with a bit of swirling offers up a lovely bouquet of red and black cherries, a touch of pepper, spit-roasted meats, fresh herbs and dark soil tones. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied and tangy, with a fine core, lovely focus and grip and a long, moderately tannic finish. This is 12.5 percent octane and absolutely laser-like on the palate, with superb backer energy. I am sure this is intended as an early quaffer for restaurants in Portland, but this has the balance and structure to also age very well indeed! 2016- 2030.”
This was the lowest listed price in the USA today,
Now it’s even lower!
The next best price is $23.95
The average price is $25
Bow & Arrow Melon Johan Vineyard, Willamette Valley 2015 750ML ($24.95) $18 special
Grapelive 91 points “Inspired by the Loire Valley’s Muscadet Sevre et Maine, the natural and stylish biodynamic Melon de Bourgogne by Bow & Arrow delivers brisk and bright salty flavors with a touch of New World richness, but remains faithful to the French version with driving acidity and steeliness making for a vibrant example of this varietal. Scott Frank’s Portland based micro winery has gained a great reputation for unique and interesting wines taking Bow & Arrow in its own direction, away from the only Burgundy influenced path that most of the Willamette Valley follows. The winery is enjoying success by paying homage to France’s Loire Valley (and especially the Touraine and Muscadet regions) with some stellar Gamay, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc wines as well as this pretty, very dry and slightly raw Melon de Bourgogne. Bow & Arrow’s Johan Vineyard Melon starts with an austere nose of saline, ether, crushed earthy stones, straw bale and zesty citrus leading to a pithy palate of lemon/lime, unripe melon and a core of stone fruit, making it a superb seafood companion. Frank’s touch is brilliant here, as with Johan’s fruit giving loads of energy and character. It opens to fleshy peach and kiwi along with some bitter herb and spice offering a fruity vs savory balance. The hint of brioche/lees offers mouth feel and substance. This white impresses for its zip and restraint while still giving texture and layers. The vintage shines through in all of the Bow & Arrow wines. These are wonderful efforts. Don’t miss them, in particular the Gamay/Pinot Rhinestones blend, the Gamay and the straight Pinot Noirs, all of which are standouts. Bow & Arrow’s Melon is a fun and refreshing white that will compliment oysters, clams, mussels as well as raw milk cheeses. It is a great alternative to the sea of less exciting whites out there.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 89 points “Bright straw. Aromas of lemon zest, green apple and quinine, along with subtle floral and herb nuances in the background. Juicy orchard and citrus fruit flavors unfurl slowly with air and show good delineation and lift. Finishes on a zesty lemon note, showing good cling and lingering florality.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $21
Bow & Arrow Rose 2016 750ML ($19.95) $17 special
VinopolNote: Pinot Noir with a touch of Gamay, this rosé has it all: crisp acidity, a creamy, textured body to complement food and the length of finish to make you want to open another bottle. Is it too early to call it the best pick for Thanksgiving?
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Bow & Arrow Time Machine NV 750ML ($17.95) $14 special
VinopolNote: A multi-vintage blend of Cab France, Gamay and Pinot Noir. The easy drinkability, vibrant acidity and lush earthy red fruit flavors will make you wish the bottle was bigger on the inside…
This is the only listing in the USA today!
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New Week – New Arrivals
Oregon
Timothy Malone Nebbiolo Rosato, Columbia Gorge 2016 750ML ($17.95) $14 special
VinopolNote: One of the lightest-colored rosés on the market right now, the palate is ethereally light and crisp. Mineral notes dominate with a red raspberry and subtle suggestion of red earth on the finish. We dare you to cellar a bottle for a few years to see how this develops. Or just drink it. It’s delicious, refreshing and a fascinating alternative to our local Pinot rosé.
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Crowley Pinot Noir Rosé, Willamette Valley 2016 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
VinopolNote: Block 9 from the Four Winds Vineyard. All Pommard clone. Whole cluster, barrel fermented, full malo. Expressive with inviting acidity, notes of red fruits and dark minerality.
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Crowley Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2015 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special
VinopolNote: No whole cluster this vintage (a marked change from the 2014 release). The stems were too green to include. The grapes are from the Tukwila, La Colina and Four Winds Vineyards. More clean & focused than the 2014 release with a vibrancy attributable to the strong diurnal temperature swings during the growing season.
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Matello ‘Souris’ Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2012 750ML ($41.95) Was $37, Now $29 special
Case-6 Matello ‘Souris’ Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2012 750ML (249.95) $166 special (that’s only $27.67/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Case-12 Matello ‘Souris’ Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2012 750ML ($449.95) $299 special (that’s only $24.92/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 93 points “Vivid ruby-red. Heady, complex scents of fresh red and dark berries, incense and Asian spices, with a bright mineral overtone. Intense black raspberry and spicecake flavors convey a shapely, seamless quality. Fleshes out and deepens with aeration and finishes sweet and extremely long, with lingering smokiness and harmonious tannins.”
The average price is $31
California
Talbott Vineyards ‘Logan’ Sleepy Hollow Vineyard Chardonnay, Santa Lucia Highlands 2014 750ML ($24.95) $18.80 special
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 91 points “Pale gold. Pungent aromas of poached pear, peach and honey take on a hint of buttered toast with air. Broad and fleshy on the palate, offering lush orchard and pit fruit flavors accented by a refreshingly bitter pear skin nuance. Finishes smooth and round, leaving sweet butter and peach notes behind.”
Louis M. Martini Monte Rosso Vineyard Gnarly Vine Zinfandel, Sonoma Valley 2014 750ML ($54.95) $41.90 special
Robert Parker 95 points “Another fabulous wine, although there’s not much of it, is the 2014 Zinfandel Gnarly Vine Monte Rosso Vineyard from this fabulous first-growth vineyard in Sonoma. This is a blend of 97% Zinfandel and 3% Petite Sirah aged in 66% new French oak, 16% new American oak and the rest used. Only 500 cases were made of this whopper, which is full-bodied, has great intensity with a stunning nose of black fruits, pepper, Mediterranean herbs and spice. Good natural acidity gives focus and vibrancy to this wine that comes from vines as old as 120 years. This is a full-bodied classic Zinfandel at its very best, from one of the great vineyards in California. Finished alcohol is 16.2%, so this is a heck of a mouthful.”
France – Burgundy
Maison Dujac Fils & Pere Gevrey-Chambertin 2009 750ML ($99.95) $89 special
Burghound 88-91 points “A cool, airy, pure and restrained nose that is very Gevrey in character offers up attractively fresh aromas of red and dark berry fruit plus a hint of the sauvage that precede the rich and complex middle weight flavors that culminate in a mildly austere but long finish. This is really quite good and worth a look.”
Domaine du Clos de Tart ‘La Forge de Tart’, Morey-Saint-Denis Premier Cru 2014 750ML ($299.95) $239 special
“This is aromatically quite similar to the grand vin but not quite as perfumed and complex. Otherwise there is good volume and punch to the slightly less concentrated flavors that still manage to retain solid power on the lightly mineral-inflected finish that delivers fine length.”-Burghound
“(from the estate’s young vines): Moderately saturated medium red. Fruity, high-pitched scents of red cherry and mint accented by white pepper. Tangy flavors of sour cherry candy, cranberry and flowers show a slightly green quality but little in the way of Morey earthiness, with the white pepper quality carrying through in the mouth. This vibrant wine is already quite seductive thanks to its nicely integrated tannins.”-Stephen Tanzer
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $259
Austria
Pichler-Krutzler Kellerberg Riesling, Wachau 2014 750ML ($69.95) $49 special
David Schildknecht–Vinous 95 points “White peach, fresh lemon and tangerine mingle with lemon grass, peach kernel and Szechuan peppercorn in an aromatic display that anticipates the complexity and pungency of this wine’s lusciously juicy, polished, palpably lees-enriched but piquant palate. A faint hint of sweetness from close to a dozen grams of residual sugar perfectly supports ripe fruit that carries into a long, vibrant, salivary-gland-milking finish, in which smoky Latakia tobacco is added to the aforementioned array. Palpably high extract and the influence of full lees through summer combine with the residual sugar to buffer a level of acidity, at nine grams, that would count as elevated even on the Mosel.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
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May the Sale Continue!
New May Sale Wines
Your Pick of FX Pichler
F.X. Pichler Loibner Oberhauser Riesling Smaragd, Wachau 2013 750ML ($41.95) Was $39, Now $33, 15 bottles available
David Schildknecht–Vinous 93 points “Site-typical pit-tinged apricot in the nose is joined by scents of honeysuckle and high-toned nut extracts. The silky palate offers a luscious evocation of apricot fruit laced with brightly fresh lime, an impression of great purity carrying into the impressively penetrating and exhilaratingly refreshing finish, in which the sheer abundance of fruit is more than up to the counterpoint of pit piquancy and liquid floral notes perfectly complement a sense of wafting buoyancy.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
F.X. Pichler Loibner Steinertal Riesling Smaragd, Wachau 2013 750ML ($69.95) Was $59, Now $49, 36+ bottles available
David Schildknecht–Vinous 95 points “Salt, white pepper and Szechuan peppercorn mouthwateringly and invigoratingly inflect luscious, juicy white peach, pineapple and lime. A sleek and refined texture contributes to this bottling’s overall sense of elegance. With a similar ringing clarity to that of the Oberhäuser, but with greater depth and complexity as befits its steep and stony origins, this projects liquid perfume of a bittersweet, iris-like sort; smoky black tea; crushed stone; and diverse peppercorns, finishing with phenomenal persistence. Interestingly and perhaps not coincidentally, at just 13% it is one of the alcoholically lightest wines of the present collection.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $61
F.X. Pichler Loibner Burgstall Riesling Federspiel, Wachau 2013 750ML ($44.95) Was $39, Now $29, 22 bottles available
David Schildknecht–Vinous 90 points “Bottled already in February of 2014, this offers scents and flavors of ripe apricot reminiscent of Riesling from the gravelly nearby Oberhäuser, wreathed in musky peony-like perfume and accompanied by a high-toned suggestion of pistachio extract. On a firm yet glossy and brightly juicy palate, it offers lemony-green tartness of sorrel allied to the pit-inflected but fleshy apricot, and finishes with persistent verve and invigorating tang.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
F.X. Pichler M Gruner Veltliner Smaragd, Wachau 2013 750ML ($99.95) Was $79, Now $69, 24 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94 points “Lucas Pichler’s monumental 2013 Grüner Veltliner Smaragd M opens with an ultra-ripe, concentrated and slightly speck-y yet still precise and even mineral-scented bouquet on the nose. Very rich and intense on the palate, this elegant, full-bodied, densely textured and powerful Veltliner from late-harvested grapes reveals an aromatic and juicy fruit core along with a stunningly vibrant acidity that gives structure, length and a lifting as well as lingering salinity and piquancy. Maracuya and other tropical fruit flavors dominate the aromatic aftertaste. Although I have no experience with matured samples of this Austrian icon Veltliner, I suspect it has an aging potential of 5-10 years and should be cellared at least for another 2 or 3 years.”
David Schildknecht–Vinous 93 points “Made with fruit from Loibenberg (a 50% share), Kellerberg, Liebenberg, with a small bit of Kollmütz, this installment of “M” enjoyed the longest pre-fermentation skin contact of any Pichler 2013, and was raised in a new large oval, then moved to tank shortly before bottling, which is when I last tasted it. Its impressive features include imposing richness of peach, melon and pineapple; an expansive and flatteringly creamy palate; high-toned inner-mouth allusions to almond extract; peach kernel piquancy; and pronounced smokiness and stoniness that suggest a mingling of Szechuan peppercorn, black tea and ash. The bright, Riesling-like juiciness characteristic of so many Grüner Veltliners from this vintage is absent here. But the finish of this static, statuesque wine (recall that “M,” after all, stands here for “monumental”) glows persistently in its evocation of peach kernel and pepper.”
This was the lowest listed price in the USA today,
Now it’s even lower!
The average price is $84
F.X. Pichler Durnsteiner Liebenberg Gruner Veltliner Smaragd, Wachau 2013 750ML ($69.95) Was $59, Now $49, 18 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94 points “Cool, concentrated and precise on the slightly flinty nose, the 2013 Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Dürnsteiner Liebenberg is a full-bodied, rich and almost smooth but elegant Veltliner with licorice flavors on the densely woven and silky textured palate. The finish reveals freshness, and rounds up a very well-balanced and already accessible wine.”
F.X. Pichler Loibner Klostersatz Gruner Veltliner Federspiel, Wachau 2013 750ML ($49.95) Was $39, Now $33, 16 bottles available
David Schildknecht–Vinous 90 points “Crunch and juiciness of lettuce, cucumber and apple, along with a bite of cress, render this more typical of Grüner Veltliner than the character displayed by the corresponding Frauenweingarten bottling, although there is a high-toned hint of almond extract reminiscent of that sibling. Metaphorically cooling, sleek and slippery, this goes down all too easily, leaving the palate refreshed and cleansed, but by no means bereft of finishing flavor. On the contrary: delightfully salad-like salinity and piquancy are understated but stubbornly persistent.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
F.X. Pichler Loibner Frauenweingarten Gruner Veltliner Federspiel, Wachau 2013 750ML ($41.95) Was $36, Now $29, 12 bottles available
David Schildknecht–Vinous 91 points “There is a delightful and unusual sweet nuttiness here suggestive of raw cashew and frangipane, beautifully integrated with juicy honeydew melon and cooling green herb infusion. High-toned aromatic suggestions of floral and herbal distillates as well as maraschino cherry add equally unexpected allure. “I’m happy that the acidity is a bit high,” remarked Lucas, but the thing is that this aspect is not really overt, but rather perceived as positive refreshment and animation, driving what is nonetheless a downright soothingly persistent performance.”
Wine Spectator 90 points “Intense minerality is the hallmark of this savory white, which features flavors of dried apple, kiwifruit and sage. Appealing earthy notes show on the finish. Drink now through 2019.”
This was the lowest listed price in the USA today,
Now it’s even lower!
For the complete list of all wines on sale now through the end of the month, see the bottom of this newsletter!
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SuperDeals
Arriving Tomorrow
Allegrini Valpolicella, Veneto 2015 750ML ($14.95) $11.90 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Allegrini Valpolicella, Veneto 2015 750ML ($159.95) $126 pre-arrival special (that’s only $10.50/bottle!)
Jancis Robinson 16.5/20 points “Mid garnet. Pale rim. Pure, whistle-clean Corvina fruit on the nose – so direct! What’s not to like? Such a rarity, a pure, well balanced local expression of Veneto red with very light bitter cherry notes on the end but without a hint of a dried grape. Made for the table – cheese? Something white and creamy?”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $15
Arriving Tomorrow
The Hottest ‘Crisp & Dry’ Rosé on Wine-Searcher
(At the Very Best Price on Wine-Searcher in the USA!)
“Always delicious” –James Suckling
“More palate grabbing by far from the Provencal Pink norm” –Jancis Robinson
“Loaded onto yachts on the Cote d’Azur and consumed in quantity by connoisseurs” –Serena Sutcliffe, Master of Wine, Head of Sotheby’s International Wine Department
“Dense and rich with lovely texture” –Anthony Dias Blue, The Tasting Panel
Chateau d’Esclans Cotes de Provence Whispering Angel Rose, Provence 2015 750ML ($21.95) $14 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Chateau d’Esclans Cotes de Provence Whispering Angel Rose, Provence 2015 750ML ($249.95) $149 pre-arrival special (that’s only $12.42/bottle!)
James Suckling 91 points “Aromas of chalk, stone, light strawberry and lemon follow through to a full body and tangy acidity with plenty of flavor at the finish. Lively and delicious. Drink now.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
(We even beat out some half-bottle listings)
The next best 750ML price is $16.97
The average price is $22
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Meo-Camuzet
Arriving Tuesday
Meo-Camuzet Saint-Romain Blanc 2013 750ML ($59.95) $39 pre-arrival special
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $46.60
Meo-Camuzet Bourgogne Rouge 2014 750ML ($39.95) $29 pre-arrival special
“Outstanding top value. All but invisible wood sets off the markedly earthy aromas of various red berries and a hint of cassis. There is fine intensity to the relatively precise middle weight flavors that possess a touch youthful austerity.”—Burghound
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $40
Meo-Camuzet Fixin 2014 750ML ($57.95) $41.90 pre-arrival special
Burghound 88-91 points “This is surprisingly elegant in the context of what is typical with its perfumed dark currant, spice and soft earth nuances. There is more volume and a bit more richness as well to the velvety but detailed medium-bodied flavors that exude a subtle minerality on the lingering finish that displays only a trace of rusticity. This is quite good and worth a look. From vines on the slope rather than the plain, which generally give substantially better fruit.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $52
Meo-Camuzet Gevrey-Chambertin 2014 750ML ($79.95) $69 pre-arrival special
“The 2014 Gevrey Chambertin Village, which is mostly from the lieu-dit “En Champs” in Brochon, has a forward bouquet with hints of dark chocolate infiltrating the red berry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, the 30% new oak neatly folded into the fruit, linear but balanced on the finish. This is a respectable village cru in the making.”–Wine Advocate
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $79.17
Meo-Camuzet Morey-Saint-Denis 2014 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
“A perfumed and quite pretty nose is composed of various red berries along with nuances of spice, earth and pomegranate. While the middle weight flavors are much more refined they aren’t nearly as concentrated as those of the Pommard though there is better balance on the lingering and slightly rustic finish.”—Burghound
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $73.99
Meo-Camuzet Aux Murgers, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($179.95) $149 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 90-93 points “Bright, dark red. Slightly reduced aromas of cherry, iron, red licorice and dried flowers. Sappy and sweet on the palate, and much easier to taste today than the Vosne-Romanée Les Chaumes despite its solid underlying structure. Finishes savory and lightly saline, with noteworthy subtle length.”
Meo-Camuzet Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru 2013 750ML ($279.95) $219 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 92+ points “Good dark red. Sexy aromas of dark cherry, minerals, licorice and smoke, plus a whiff of charred oak. Still a touch reduced but lush, deep and packed with dark cherry and dark berry fruit. The licorice note returns on the horizontal, rising finish, which features suave tannins and leaves the salivary glands vibrating.”
Arriving Wednesday, May 3rd
JJ Prum
There’s not a whole lot to say about the wines of JJ Prum that hasn’t already been said. Manfred and Katarina Prum make some of the finest and most sought after wines of the middle-Mosel. The wines are high-wire acts of tension between fruit and intense minerality and display their terroir in the most expressive way. Part of this is that their parcels have lots of old, ungrafted vines and part of it is spontaneous fermentation and whatever magic the Prum family uses in the cellar. No matter what, these are always some of the finest and longest lived wines in Germany.
Only a smattering of 2015s remain, so we’re offering a small assortment of 2012 and 2013 wines as well. These all arriving Wednesday, May 3rd:
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2015 1.5L ($219.95) $199 pre-arrival special
Mosel Fine Wines 95 points “This offers a gorgeous nose of melon, grapefruit, spices, herbs and honey. The wine develops a superbly clean feel of aniseed fruits, pear and a hint of apricot and honey on the palate, which gives way to a delicately creamy sense of fruits and herbs in the delicately honeyed finish. This is a beautifully elegant and superbly balanced wine in the making. 2030-2055”
This is the only listing in the USA today for the magnum!
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2012 750ML ($179.95) $149 pre-arrival special
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2012 375ML ($99.95) $79 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 96+ points “More reductive on the nose than the Himmelreich Auslese Gold Capsule, the 2012 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Gold Capsule (AP #19 13) combines its deeper mineral character with a perfect expression of highly noble botrytis. The finish is piquant and firm and also more grippy and stringent due to the reductive style. The wine lacks the finesse and elegance of the Himmelreich at the moment, but is provided with the density and complexity for a long flight over the years.”
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2013 750ML ($179.95) $149 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 97 points “Almost floral aromas open the pure and fresh 7% alcohol 2013 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Gold Capsule and intermixes flavors of wet stones, lemons and limes. On the palate this is an electrifying signature Riesling of 2013: sweet, lush and piquant and always precise, though super-concentrated. The finish is complex and long, always salty and stimulating. This is surely a wine made for decades.”
See the complete list of all in-stock wines from JJ Prum below or visit our web store to read reviews and shop online!
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More May Sale Wines!
Arriving Friday
Specially Sourced for You
Sister Winery to Corliss Estates, at an Incredible Price!
“Corliss is more timeless, Tranche more cutting edge and exploratory.” – from the winemakers, Michael and Lauri Corliss
Tranche Cellars Blue Mountain Vineyard Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2010 750ML ($39.95) $21.90 pre-arrival special, ETA May 5th
Case-12 Tranche Cellars Blue Mountain Vineyard Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2010 750ML ($419.95) $219 pre-arrival special (that’s only $18.25/bottle!), ETA May 5th
Wine Advocate 93 points “A gorgeous effort, the 2010 Syrah Blue Mountain Estate Vineyard offers up ripe, full throttle aromas of smoked black fruits, hints of chocolate, toast and spice to go with a full-bodied, rich and layered profile on the palate that has no hard edges, a great mid-palate and ripe tannin that emerges on the finish. A superb value, it will dish out loads of pleasure over the coming decade. Made by the team at Corliss, these Tranche Cellars releases are not only superb, they represent excellent value as well.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $31.20
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May Sale Recap
Sure, we started our May Sale early, but June will be here soon and these deals won’t last forever! Visit our web store to shop the sale!
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Late Breaking News
Arriving This Fall
Pre-Arrival Profundity
Clos des Papes Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Rhone 2015 750ML ($99.95) $79 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 94-96 points “The 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape is reminiscent of a slightly improved 2005 and has a fresh, classic style with beautiful concentration, notable freshness, first-rate tannin quality, and the classic spice and sweet red and black fruits this cuvee is known for. I suspect this beauty will close down relatively quickly after bottling and take 5-6 years to show at its best, but it will drink well for 15+ years.”
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 94-96 points “(raised in foudres) Deep ruby. Hugely aromatic red and dark berry, potpourri and floral scents are underscored by smoky minerality and an exotic suggestion of Asian spices. Sappy, focused and impressively deep yet lively, offering alluringly sweet raspberry, cherry compote and spicecake flavors and a refreshingly bitter touch of blood orange. Puts on weight and spreads out steadily with air, acquiring a succulent herb note that carries through the strikingly long, mineral-laced, gently tannic finish. This beauty is shaping up to be among the standouts of this extremely successful vintage.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $85
Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012 750ML ($79.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 95+ points “Il Poggione is a Brunello superstar and a vintage like this reveals every reason why that affirmation is true. From the second the 2012 Brunello di Montalcino pours into the glass, you know you are in for something special. The wine is darkly saturated and rich in appearance. Absent are those slightly amber or browning hues you often get with Sangiovese in a hot vintage. Nor does the wine show flat or tired characteristics. Instead, the quality of fruit is vibrant and rich. This is a healthy, generous and exuberant Brunello with dark density and succulent fruit flavors that are followed by integrated spice and tobacco. The balance is impressive and one thing you get here is fresh acidity. This is not to be underestimated, because the acidity quota in the 2012 vintage across the appellation is not as high or evident as usual. This is one of the year’s best Brunellos.”
Can’t wait? See the complete list of all in-stock Brunelli from Il Poggione below or visit our web store to read reviews and shop online!
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Thank you for reading!