Vinopolpick Monday Bonus 3-29-21

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Vinyes d’en Gabriel Mans de Samsó, Montsant 2014 750ML ($99.95) $79 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Winery note “Brilliant intense colour with shades of violet indicating long life, with an intense nose in which the montsant terroir predominates.  Presence of balsamic aromas from pine trees to honeycomb, touches of liquorice, mineral notes, aniseed with hints of fennel, cherry. In the mouth it is seductively moreish, full-bodied and well structured. The retronasal perception is of great aromatic complexity, with mineral notes alongside preserved fruit and fruits of the forest.”

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Granja Nuestra Señora de Remelluri ‘Remelluri’ Gran Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2012 750ML ($99.95) $89 special, 23 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 96 points “The DNA of Remelluri is here. Wild mountain herb character, structured and firm, these tannins are succulent and deeply expressive. Powerful and assertive red plums, wild cherries and roasting herbs with the oak sitting well. Power and balance. Try from 2021.”
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 94+ points “A blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha and Graciano, the 2012 Granja Remelluri Gran Reserva represents what they are aiming for with this wine, a classical expression of the place, the quintessence of the vineyards. The select their oldest vineyards and age the wine for a long time, coming back to those early years of a modern Rioja that has now turned into a classic. It has some dusty tannins, with good grip and length. It was bottled in 24,238 bottles after an élevage of 26 months. It has been in bottle since May 2015.”

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Compañía de Vinos Telmo Rodríguez ‘As Caborcas’ Single Vineyard Ladeiras do Bibei, Valdeorras 2016 750ML ($99.95) $89 special, 10 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2.5 hectares of north- and west-facing terraces planted with old vines produced the 2016 As Caborcas, a wine of unusual intensity, elegance and balance in 2016. The cooler year seems to have worked wonders for the reds here, and the wine is expressive and open, floral and aromatic, developing nuances of moss and fern, with a textured palate where the tannins have the granite mark of stony austerity that is then coated by the glycerin and the fruit, making a wine that is both elegant and powerful, with a very Galician feeling to it. 2,619 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2017.”
Importer note “As Caborcas is a unique vineyard, full of different varieties, of different ages, from different strains, growing at different altitudes and exposures. Among the native grapes planted are mencía, merenzao, sousón, godello, and brancellao. Indigenous yeasts cause spontaneous fermentation in small wooden barrels of various sizes, with light foudre aging for 12 months to preserve the “Atlantic” delicacy of this wine of inland Galicia. True to the origins, As Caborcas could be made nowhere else. As Caborcas is extremely Límited, with less than 3,000 bottles produced in a good year.”
Importer note on the winery “Ladeiras do Xil takes its name from the hillsides of the Sil River, which is the lifeblood of the region. The pioneering duo of Pablo Eguzkiza (who gained his winemaking chops at Château Pétrus) and his partner Telmo Rodríguez (of Remelluri fame, among many others) started working here in 2002. Recognizing the potential to make world-class wines in this incredibly important valley, they began a project that would take decades to come to fruition. The philosophy of their company has always been vineyard first, winery second. The most crucial piece of the puzzle is the vineyard, and we are now just beginning to see the unfolding of the grandeur of their vision. They have been quietly doing heroic work in the face of incredible obstacles, as the climate in Galicia is unforgiving.”

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Daniel Gómez Jiménez-Landi ‘Cantos del Diablo’, Méntrida 2016 750ML ($119.95) $95 special, 4 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 95+ points “The 2016 Cantos del Diablo, single vineyard from the village of Real de San Vicente, the one plot that is bottled separately from within the Méntrida zone of Gredos, had notes of pomegranate, blood orange and wild cherries, showing elements of ripeness and restraint. It’s much more mineral, with a chalky sensation on the nose and palate. In fact, it started with a reductive personality, so decanting in advance might not be a bad idea. This cool year is quite pale and sharp, at times closer to a white than a red that is wild in nature and has a sharp palate. This is going to be phenomenal in four or five years. 1,737 bottles and 50 magnums were filled in March 2018.”


Daniel Gómez Jiménez Landi ‘El Reventón’, Cebreros 2016 750ML ($119.95) $95 special, 5 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 95 points “The Cebreros vineyard was divided into two sections in 2016.  In fact, there are two different wines bottled, differentiated by a small code on the lower right corner of the labels, RVL and RV, Reventón Ladera (slope) and Reventón proper, the names they have been using in the winery. The 2016 El Reventón RVL corresponds to the slope on the right-hand side, a west-facing plot in a very narrow valley that has more clay and achieves higher ripeness. Grapes there ripen up to 15 days earlier than the ones in the other, cooler plot. This has a more Mediterranean character within the style of the vintage, cool and fresh, with plenty of aromatic herbs and the classical Cebreros character, lavender, thyme, even curry. A more powerful Garnacha from Gredos.”

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Daniel Gómez Jiménez-Landi ‘Cantos del Diablo’, Mentrida 2017 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 94+ points “The single-vineyard 2017 Cantos del Diablo was produced with the grapes from 0.35 hectares in the village of El Real de San Vicente (Toledo), the highest vineyard in the Méntrida appellation. It’s a north-facing plot at 900 meters in altitude that was planted some 70 years ago on sandy granite soils rich in silt and is worked biodynamically. The grapes, with all the stems, fermented with indigenous yeasts in oak vats, and the wine matured in a 1,200-liter oak foudre for 12 months. This was one of the few villages from Gredos that escaped the hail and frost, and it was a dry year, so harvesting was early (10 to 15 days earlier compared with a “normal” vintage!). It’s aromatic and floral but has the austerity of the wines from El Real de San Vicente as well as a texture like liquid chalk and very fine, powdery tannins. It’s clean and ripe without excess, with a nice combination of fruit and minerality, really balanced, with intensity and finesse. Excellent 2017! 1,362 bottles were filled in March 2019.”

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Daniel Gómez Jiménez Landi ‘Las Iruelas’ El Tiemblo, Castilla y León 2016 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 4 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 97 points “As a result of a soil study, the 2016 Las Iruelas comes only from the higher altitude part of the vineyard, a stonier and convex part that deliver more subtle wines with positive intensity, subtleness and detail. It felt a little shy and reticent, with finesse, tons of white pepper, wildflowers, herbs and berries with a depth and clout, which I had not seen in previous years. This can feel a little tight, even reductive at first and decanting it in advance can be a good idea. This character tells me that this wine might behave brilliantly in the bottle and have a long and positive evolution. 2,821 bottles and 50 magnums were filled in February 2018.”


Terroir al Límit Soc. Lda. l’Arbossar, Priorat DOCa 2015 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 10 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 95 points “The old-vine Cariñena 2015 Arbossar has a distinct note of licorice that grows in the glass. By working the vineyard with compost, they have managed to increase yields around 15%, and they feel the grapes achieve better balance, which is very difficult to see in the very poor llicorella slate soils that have almost no organic matter. It’s a north-facing slope planted some 90 years ago, and the grapes are very concentrated, so it’s a challenge to achieve a floral and fresh Cariñena like this, with notes of blue fruit and violets, quite different from the majority of Cariñena from Priorat. It matured in Stockinger oak foudres for 16 months, and like the majority of wines here, it shows perfectly integrated oak, with just faint spices nicely intermixed with the fruit. There is no heat at all; it’s a cool vineyard, and that freshness is translated into the wine and is especially noticeable in a warm and ripe year like 2015. Superb showing for the Arbossar—it has to be one of the best vintages ever. 3,900 bottles were filled in April 2017.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 95 points “Brilliant violet color. An intensely perfumed bouquet evokes ripe red/blue fruits, Moroccan spices, candied licorice, espresso and smoky minerals, with a sexy floral nuance emerging as the wine stretches out. Appealingly sweet, seamless and penetrating on the palate, offering concentrated yet lively raspberry liqueur, boysenberry lavender pastille and spicecake flavors that are sharpened by a hint of white pepper on the back half. Harmonious tannins build slowly on a strikingly long, mineral- and floral driven finish that shows outstanding definition and vibrant lift.”


Familia Nin-Ortiz ‘Nit de Nin’ Mas d’en Caçador, Priorat DOCa 2017 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 97+ points “The 2017 Nit de Nin Mas d’en Caçador is a vintage they talk about like this: “We will remember this vintage as one of the most extreme of the decade, along with that of 2012. It is in years like these that the work we do in the field is rewarded. In spite of the climatic exceptionality, we have acidity and pH that seem like a miracle to us. Our vines did not suffer the severe frosts of this 2017.” The wine has lower alcohol than the 2016 but the same pH of 3.3; insultingly young and tender, it doesn’t feel like the wine had a long élevage in oak. It has kept very good freshness and great balance. It’s tasty, pungent and long, with power and elegance and all the components to develop nicely in bottle. 1,440 bottles were filled in April 2019.”

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Bodegas Muga Torre Muga, Rioja DOCa 2016 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 6 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 98 points “The purity of fruit to this is very, very intriguing with blackberries, graphite, and charcoal. Full-bodied. It radiates intense fruit with perfectly polished tannins. Subtle asphalt and blue fruit. Very long and beautiful. Racy. Tempranillo with graciano and mazuelo. Needs two to four years of bottle age. Try after 2021.”
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 96 points “I tasted a super young 2016 Torre Muga that had only been in bottle for some four months. But even so, the year seems to be approachable and open. Even if the wine has concentration and power, it has great balance and freshness. And it’s drinkable now, even if it’s going to get polished with some more time in bottle, where it should have a long life. This was the most modern of the wines in the portfolio, but I think the modern and traditional styles have been converging over the years, and nowadays there is not a huge difference between them. And for its age, it feels quite round, and it doesn’t have edges or any harsh tannins; the oak is present but it’s neatly integrated in the wine. It has to be one of the finest vintages for Torre Muga. 36,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in early 2019.”
Wine Spectator 95 points “This bold red is assertive, yet holds power in reserve. A thick texture, supported by muscular tannins, supports ripe flavors of currant, fig, cocoa, loamy earth and tar. Concentrated, but remains harmonious. Impressive, in the modern style. Best from 2022 through 2036. 3,000 cases made, 400 cases imported.”


Love Spanish reds? We have over 100 different options in stock. Shop the entire selection, including staff favorites like Bodegas Marañones, Daterra Lorenzo, Guímaro and more, on our web store now.

In a category that has become increasingly judged by power and polish (often at the expense of finesse), producers like Le Ragnaie seem to get overlooked. Fortunately there remains a cohort of stubborn connoisseurs of traditionally made, terroir-driven Sangiovese that appreciate the holdouts.

As is true of most producers making old-school Brunello, Le Ragnaie takes advantage of thoughtfully farmed (in this case certified organic), high elevation vineyards to craft elegant wines that taste less influenced by our changing climate. But the work doesn’t stop in the vineyard; concrete fermentation vessels, long macerations, and large oak botti all contribute to Le Ragnaie’s classically fashioned Brunello. Set to land this spring, Le Ragnaie’s charming Brunello is sure to excite even the most jaded fans of old-school Sangiovese.

Pre-Arrival ETA May:

Le Ragnaie Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2016 750ML ($79.95) $69 pre-arrival special
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 94 points “The only new releases from Le Ragnaie fitted with a white label instead of a black one, the 2016 Brunello di Montalcino is the most accessible and near-term in the portfolio. This is a very elegant and perfumed expression of Sangiovese with lifted floral aromas that recall blue flower and wild rose. Beyond those delicate tones, you get cherry, cassis and other classic aromas linked to Sangiovese. This wine draws on a blend of fruit from various vineyard sites with high and low elevations. Production is 27,700 bottles.”
Eric Guido-Vinous 94 points “The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino from Le Ragnaie mixes nuances of wild herbs and stone dust with bright notions of strawberry and dried roses. It’s silky and pliant upon entry yet quickly gains tactile depths through salty mineral tones, as floral-laced red berries cascade across the palate. The symmetry here is impeccable, as is its purity of fruit, with fine tannins that result in a structured finale. That said, it should only take a few years of cellaring to bring this fully into focus. Often referred to as the “White Label,” this blends fruit from Le Ragnaie’s vineyards located throughout Montalcino to create a balanced expression of each vintage. It’s a wonderful introduction to the Le Ragnaie style.”
Jeb Dunnuck 94 points “The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino is perfumed with high-toned aromatics of fresh rosehip, fresh red cherry, and anise. The palate is crisp and energetic with cherry pit, dried red plum, and fresh tomato leaf, with fine-grained tannins with linear acidity. A vibrant wine to enjoy 2023-2033. Le Ragnaie is perched at high elevation just south of the hill of Montalcino and led by the estate owners, Riccardo and Jennifer Campinoti.”
James Suckling 94 points “Orange peel scents to the aromas of cherries, mahogany, wet earth and cedar. It’s full-bodied, yet rather tight and reserved with pretty, dusty tannins that are fine-grained. Lots of citrus and red fruit at the end. From organically grown grapes. Better after 2023.”

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“Super-delicious…and dangerously drinkable”
Weingut Leitz Riesling Feinherb, Rheingau 2019 750ML ($18.95) $15.50 special, 17 bottles in stock now
Importer note “This is essentially the off-dry counterpart to the Eins Zwei Dry. This is a super-delicious, entry-level feinherb style riesling that has crisp acidity, juicy aromatics and is dangerously drinkable. A ridiculously great value!”
VinopolNote “Sustainable, Fair ‘N Green”

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An “electric Kabinett”
Elektrisch Riesling Kabinett, Germany 2019 750ML ($19.95) $16 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Importer note “This gorgeous Rheinhessen sipper is finally back!  “Elektrisch” translates to, yup you guessed it, electric – and that’s how we like our Kabinetts. Which is to say, lighter, more delicate, less sweet and more acid-driven than a lot of the Kabinetts on the market, which are really little more than de-classified Spätlese. The 2019 is, as one might gather from the vintage of which Keller has written, “…one of the best vintages of the last 20 years,” AWESOME. It is electric with vivid and mouth watering granny smith apple and citrus and a live-wire of minerality and acidity nearly pulsating through it. For those of you who like the numbers: the mere 36 grams of residual sugar is easily countered and lifted by 7.4 grams of acidity. This is not only a true Kabinett, it is an “electric Kabinett.””

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