Vinopolpick Monday Bonus 4-19-21

Phillipe Tessier has become one of the landmark ‘natural wine’ producers in the Loire valley. He turns out a number of exceptional renditions of Chevery and its satellites, all bright, fresh and impressively full of life.

The Cour-Cheverny Blanc is made from the rare grape Romorantin and has the razors edge of acidity you’d expect. His reds are fantastic as well, made from a blend of a number of grapes (Pinot, Gamay, Franc, Côt depending) and have the fresh juiciness that you want out of a natural producer.

What sets Tessier apart, though, is his craftsmanship—these are wines that are consistently excellent without much bottle variation. They are funky, but only a touch so, and are absolutely fantastic values. We have a couple in stock now and a few more arriving later this month.

Arriving in Late April:

Domaine Philippe Tessier Cheverny Rouge, Loire 2019 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 pre-arrival special
Importer Note “60% Gamay; 30% Pinot Noir; 10% Cot. Clay and limestone soils. Hand harvest, 15 days of carbonic maceration for the gamay, 30% of destemmed grapes for Pinot noir, destemmed grapes for Cot. Fermented separately in tank.”

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Domaine Philippe Tessier Cour-Cheverny Blanc, Loire 2019 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 pre-arrival special
Importer Note “Tessier’s Cheverny blanc is a blend of 80% Sauvignon, 15% Chardonnay and 5% de Orbois. Aged primarily in tank with some very neutral barrels.”VinopolNote “Mostly Sauvignon Blanc with Chardonnay and de Orbois (Arbois an obscure Loire varietal). From 20 year old vines grown in sandy/poor clay soil. Natural primary and malolactic fermentation. Aged in tank for 6 months.”

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In Stock Now:

Domaine Philippe Tessier Cheverny Coganis, Loire 2015 750ML ($31.95) $28 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Importer note “The Coganis 2015 was his first vintage of this wine, a blend of Côt, Gamay, and Pineau d’Aunis, thus the name CoGaNis. It was a tiny production: just two barrels. It’s a velvety blend, great texture, complexity and length.  Lots of violets and blue fruits, with great cut and subtle tannins.”

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Domaine Philippe Tessier Phil’en Bulle, Loire NV 750ML ($31.95) $29 special, 5 bottles in stock now
Importer note “Philipe’s fizzy ‘pet-nat’ is the least serious but perhaps the most fun wine in the Tessier lineup. To be enjoyed fresh and frothy. 90% Romorantin and 10% Orbois.”

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In Stock Now:

“Just. Magic”
Château Cos d’Estournel, Saint-Estèphe 2016 750ML ($319.95) $299 special, 36 bottles in stock now
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate 100 points “The 2016 Cos d’Estournel is blended of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc aged in 65% new and 35% two-year-old French oak for 15 months. Bottled in July 2018, it is deep garnet-purple colored and starts off a little closed and reticent, opening out slowly and seductively to reveal beautiful lilacs, rose hip tea, crushed stones and camphor nuances over a core of crème de cassis, kirsch, wild blueberries and mocha plus wafts of incense and wood smoke. The palate is simply electric, charged with an energy and depth of flavors that seem to defy the elegance and ethereal nature of its medium-bodied weight, featuring super ripe, densely pixelated tannins that firmly frame the myriad of fruit and floral sparks, finishing with epic length. Just. Magic.”
Neal Martin – Vinous 100 points “The 2016 Cos d’Estournel was a bona fide showstopper out of barrel, the best that I had encountered in over 20 years of visiting the estate during en primeur, so my expectations were piled high when I returned to find out how it performs in bottle. Deep, almost opaque in color, it sports a very intense but broody bouquet with fathomless deep black fruit tinged with blueberry and violet. The aromas almost seem to envelop the senses. The palate is medium-bodied with ultra-fine tannin that I have never witnessed in any other vintage of Cos d’Estournel. There is a beguiling symmetry to this Saint-Estèphe, as well as unerring mineralité. The persistent, tobacco-tinged finish can be felt 60 second after the wine has departed. This is a monumental, benchmark Cos d’Estournel that will give not years but decades of pleasure, though I suspect it will close down for a period in its youth, hence my drinking window. 13.07% alcohol.”


Pre-Arrival ETA May:

“A perennial overachiever”
Château Lilian Ladouys, Saint-Estèphe 2016 750ML ($41.95) $36 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Château Lilian Ladouys, Saint-Estèphe 2016 750ML ($239.95) $206 pre-arrival special (that’s only $34.33/bottle!)
James Suckling 93 points “The blueberry and blackberry aromas are certainly attractive here. Full-bodied and dense with a very velvety texture and a long, generous finish of ripe fruit and spice. Drink from 2022.”
Jeb Dunnuck 92 points “A perennial overachiever, the 2016 Château Lilian Ladouys brings the goods in 2016 and has a complex, medium to full-bodied, character-filled style to go with loads of blue fruits, incense, dried herbs, and a hint of violets. A blend of 62% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6% Petit Verdot all raised in 30% new barrels, this charming, front end-loaded effort is well worth seeking out. It should keep for 10-15 years.”
Neal Martin – Vinous 92 points “This is the third time I have tasted the 2016 Lilian Ladouys in bottle. It retains a very intense blackberry and boysenberry bouquet laced with minerals, but displays a little more amplitude than it did in August. The tightly knit palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin and still shows the graphite seam that I remarked upon previously. There is a little more persistence now, hence the slightly higher score. Good potential.”


Pre-Arrival ETA June:

“WOW!”
Château Léoville Poyferré, Saint-Julien 2016 750ML ($149.95) $135 pre-arrival special
Decanter 98 points “Relatively closed right now, as are all the St-Juliens, this takes time to open in the glass but does so to reveal lots of northern Médoc character in the liquorice and brambly fruit puree, with touches of caramel and sweet cassis. It’s hewn out of slate boulders with layers of tannin – a lovely construction that’s deepened even further during ageing. 2% Cabernet Franc finishes the blend. Matured in 80% new oak. Michel Rolland consults. Drinking Window 2024 – 2040.”
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate 97 points “Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Léoville Poyferré hits the ground running with intense cassis, violets, dark chocolate, menthol and fragrant earth notions complemented by nuances of cigar box and smoked meats. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is charged with energetic, super intense black fruit and floral layers, beautifully supported with super firm, ripe, grainy tannins and seamless freshness. This liquid is simply alive in the mouth, culminating in an epically long finish that will leave your mouth practically tingling. WOW!”
Antonio Galloni – Vinous 97 points “The 2016 Léoville-Poyferré is fabulous. Rich, ample and dramatic in bearing, the 2016 possesses striking intensity and vertical lift. The tannins certainly need at least a few years in bottle to soften, but there is so much to look forward to. Graphite, menthol, lavender and licorice complement the inky blue/purplish fruit beautifully. The bottled wine has a bit more Cabernet Sauvignon and less Merlot than the en primeur sample.”
James Molesworth – Wine Spectator 95-98 points “The deep well of gorgeous cassis, blueberry paste and blackberry puree flavors will carry this for the long haul. Shows a terrific graphite underpinning and a flash of cold charcoal. This is a big one.”


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Pedro Rodríguez is probably the foremost producer of Mencía in the world. His estate, Guímaro (meaning “rebel” in Galician), in Ribeira Sacra produces wines that exemplify why wine geeks love the region. From steep slate vineyards, the wines are reminiscent of Burgundy in their balance, but with a distinct minerality and flavor profile that’s entirely Galician.

Ribeira Sacra, Rodríguez’ home, is a cool climate region through and through. The closest analogue to the vineyards might be the Mosel, in Germany, as both have extremely steep slate vineyards that make you wonder who would think it would be reasonable to farm them. The best wines from here are lean and taut, but with enough fruit to give the structure definition and detail. Guímaro is clearly at the top of the heap and it’s always a treat to be able to offer their top wines, even better at reduced pricing.

In Stock Now & Priced to Move:

Guímaro A Ponte, Ribeira Sacra 2015 750ML ($59.95) Was $49 Now $45, 6 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 94 points “A wine that has surprised many when I’ve showed it in a couple of tastings, the 2015 A Ponte is from the first harvest of incredibly young vines. It has less color and is rather light and ethereal, and in a way, it’s not the same style as most of the wines from Guímaro. It’s a project that has taken a long time, because it involved buying many small plots that have belonged to the family since 1898 (they have records) but were in different hands, so they had to find all the different owners. The land didn’t have vines anymore, so they had to replant it in 2010. It’s like an amphitheatre on a 52% to 72% steep slope on slate soils with lots of quartz, iron and mica. The idea was to plant the five red varieties—Mencía, Caíño, Merenzao, Brancellao and Souson—with 2,000 plants of each, initially with the idea to produce varietal wines. But in 2014, they had very few grapes and decided to use all of the varieties together. In 2015, all of the varieties fermented together with 100% full clusters in an oak vat, and the wine matured in used oak barrels for some 17 months. It’s a young and tender red that’s very elegant and subtle, soft and elegant. It’s quite unusual, and the style might change in the future. The vineyard was hit hard by a terrible hailstorm in 2016, so they couldn’t produce it that year; thus, the following wine is from 2017, and it’s a little more structured and powerful than this 2015, even if they are both from warm and dry years. The nose here is beautiful, and what’s surprising is the complexity and depth produced by the extremely young vines. Pedro Guímaro thinks this is a little light on the palate, but I find it superb. This vineyard has been organically farmed from day one. There are some 2,000 bottles of this first year.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Guímaro A Ponte, Ribeira Sacra 2017 750ML ($69.95) Was $54.50 Now $49, 12 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 93+ points “The red 2017 A Ponte is a blend of equal parts of Mencía, Caíño, Merenzao, Brancellao and Souson from a vineyard planted in 2010. The full clusters fermented in a wooden vat with a maceration of 35 days (shorter than the average). I really like the nuance and complexity provided by the varietal blend, and the wine feels quite complete and harmonious, clean and balanced, with no traces of oak, very pure and more on the elegant side even if it has more concentration than the initial 2015. This is only the second vintage—they couldn’t produce it in 2016 since the vineyard was basically destroyed by a terrible hailstorm that even killed some 12% of the plants in the summer that year. This is going to be a reference in Ribeira Sacra, a clear indication of how the blend of grapes can provide an extra dimension. 3,500 bottles produced. It was bottled in September 2018.”
Importer Note “A Ponte is a new cuvée (2015 is the inaugural vintage) from a young plot planted above Finca Meixemán, comprised of Mencía, Sousón, Brancellao, Merenzao and Caiño grown on  granite,  slate  and  sand.  Grapes  are  hand-harvested,  fermented  whole-cluster  in  tank with  50  days  maceration,  then  raised  in  eight  used  Burgundy  barrels  for  around  14 months. The finished wine was bottled without fining or filtration.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Guímaro Camiño Real, Ribeira Sacra 2017 750ML ($37.95) Was $29 Now $24, 15 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2017 Camiño Real now contains all the plots that they intended to include in the initial 2016 but couldn’t because many vineyards in the Amandi zone were destroyed by a terrible hailstorm on August 15th that year. It fermented with 80% full clusters and the rest uncrushed grapes in oak vats with a maceration of 35 days and matured in those vats for seven to eight months. Half of the wine was then moved to barrique and was kept there for five months, while the rest continued maturing in the 10,000-liter vat. The wine has notes of wild berries, flowers and herbs, with good complexity and a medium-bodied palate with fine-grained tannins. It has more complexity and depth than the young, unoaked wine and the single-vineyard bottlings. It has a nice mouthfeel and is quite approachable, a round and somewhat immediate vintage. 25,000 bottles.”
Grapelive 92 points “One of my favorite producers and wines, Guímaro, made by Pedro Rodríguez, makes red and white wines in the Ribeira Sacra region of Spain’s Galicia provence….These steep vineyard sites are back-breaking hard to work, with everything done by hand, they look more like frightening slopes in Mosel than what you’d expect in Spain, looking down upon the Sil river. This 100% whole cluster 2017 is full flavored with flinty earthy tones showing briar accented raspberry, huckleberry, plum, cherry and cranberry fruits, a touch of smoke, leather, mineral iron and anise, along with a delicately sweet floral essence that balances out the savory elements and dusty dry tannins. Mencía has qualities that remind you of the northern Rhône, but is brighter like Pinot or Gamay with a similar lively personality. The 2017 vintage is ripe, but full of natural acidity and takes a few swirls in the glass to reveal its true depth and textural quality, it is a wine that certainly benefits from simple country cuisine and robust dishes. Pedro’s wines are real, honest and terroir driven with the reds being made mostly from Mencía and the white crafted from Godello, ancient native grapes that require extra care and TLC to make world class wines, which he does at this small winery set in this remote place that was once highly prized by the Romans, who named it the Sacred Banks (Ribeira Sacra) and planted vines on the historic terraces…the wines from Guímaro, which means “rebel” in Gallego (the local dialect)…are wines of rustic charm and character from a region that humbly respects and honors the power of nature, they are wines of place, especially the series of single parcel wines like this Camiño Real bottling, from all organic 40-60 year old vines set on the slate with a mix of sand, quartz and granite with a field blend of about 85% Menci´a plus tiny amounts of Merenzao, Mourato´n, Brancellao, Cain~o, Souso´n and Alicante Bouschet. In the cellar, Pedro, who was mentored by the legendary Raul Perez, keeps things simple, natural and non intervention in style, employing native or indigenous yeast, spontaneous fermentations in open-top wood vats and long macerations, with this Camiño Real seeing a 40 maceration and primary fermentation on the skins, after which the wine was raised in a combination of used oak from large foudre to small used barrique and bottled with ultra low sulfur, unfined and unfiltered.”

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Guímaro Finca Meixemán, Ribeira Sacra 2015 750ML ($49.95) Was $39 Now $33, 2 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 93 points “I tasted the 2015 Finca Meixemán, because the following vintage, 2017, will be bottled and released a little later. Like the rest of the single-vineyard bottlings, they were not able to produce this wine in 2016, as the grapes were hit by hail in August. It comes from vines planted in the 1940s, from the older part of a larger vineyard. The soil mixes slate and granite. They used 60% full clusters to ferment in oak vats with a long, 50-day maceration. The wine matured for five months in oak vats and then was put in used 225- and 500-liter oak barrels for some ten months. Despite the time it has already spent in bottle (almost two and a half years), the wine is still quite tannic and powerful. 2015 was a warm and dry year that delivered concentrated wines. It needs powerful food. 7,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in late 2016.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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Guímaro Finca Meixemán, Ribeira Sacra 2017 750ML ($54.95) Was $49 Now $39, 22 bottles in stock now
Importer Note “Finca Meixemán is a single 1.2 hectare southeast-facing plot of old Mencía vines. This is the original family-owned vineyard that helped create their adega. The grapes are hand-harvested, foot-trodden with 40% whole cluster, and fermented in open-top foudre with a long maceration. The wine is raised for 12-14 months in mostly used Burgundy barrels, and  bottled  without  fining  or  filtration.  With  a  core  of  kirsch-like  red  fruit,  spices,  and minerals,  this  is  a  serious  wine  to  pair  with  wild  game,  offal,  braises,  stews,  roasted  or grilled meats.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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Also in Stock from Guímaro:

Guímaro Finca Pombeiras, Ribeira Sacra 2017 750ML ($79.95) $69 special, 5 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 95+ points “There was no 2016 as the vineyards were hit by a terrible hailstorm the 15th of August 2016, so I only tasted the 2017 Finca Pombeiras. This is always more powerful and has a little more tannin than Finca Capeliños. This is from a south-facing plot on mainly schist soils (but there’s also a little granite), and it was fermented with 100% full clusters, which usually lends to a more powerful wine. In 2017, the character of the vineyard clearly comes through. It’s always a wine that takes longer than Capeliños to open up. They have been fine-tuning these single-plot wines, especially after 2013; they’ve been harvesting earlier, trying to get more freshness and improve the drinkability of the wines. This is still extremely young, primary and undeveloped and should blossom with one more year in bottle, but it’s not harsh at all and could be enjoyed young with powerful food. Some 800 bottles produced.”
Importer Note “Finca Pombeiras is a single 0.45 hectare south-facing plot of old Mencía vines. The grapes are hand-harvested, foot-trodden with 100% whole cluster, and fermented in open-top foudre with a long maceration. The wine is raised for 8-10 months in used 500 liter French oak barrels, and bottled without fining or filtration. This is the adega’s only cuvée fermented entirely with whole clusters, and is markedly more umami, savory, and earthy in comparison to the other single vineyard cuvées.”

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The Rhône’s best value?
M. Chapoutier Luberon La Ciboise Rouge, Rhône 2017 750ML ($19.95) $11.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now (that’s only $9.92/bottle!)
Case-12 M. Chapoutier Luberon La Ciboise Rouge, Rhône 2017 750ML ($149.95) $119 special (that’s only $9.92/bottle!) **in-store pick up only. Shipping not available**
Anna Lee C. Iijima-Wine Enthusiast 91 points “Notes of crisp raspberry, bramble and crushed stone introduce this full-bodied yet invigorating red. Blackberry and mulberry flavors are juicy yet vital, edged by hints of mineral and a zesty midpalate. Peppery, fine tannins linger on the finish. This lovely sip is ready now but should hold through 2023.”

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Great with Mediterranean food
Mas de Libian Côtes du Rhône Bout d’Zan, Rhône 2019 750ML ($19.95) $16.60 special, 10 bottles in stock now


An elegant Côtes du Rhône
Domaine la Réméjeanne Côtes du Rhône Un Air de Réméjeanne, Rhône 2019 750ML ($19.95) $17 special, 27 bottles in stock now
Importer note “Owned by the dynamic Oliver Klein, this certified organic domaine is located in the small high altitude village of Sabran, nestled in dramatic hills divided between forests of green oak and sun-soaked vineyards. All of the vines at the estate are found at high altitudes between 200 and 280 meters. This results in a cooler climate than most of the Southern Rhône, and endows the wines with a freshness and liveliness not often encountered in the region. Klein is an extremely conscientious winemaker, using very traditional methods to maintain the highest quality of wine. All the grapes are hand-harvested, undergoing long, slow fermentations with indigenous yeasts before being aged in concrete or older wood. This hands off approach creates wines of elegance and class.”

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A staff favorite
Domaine François Merlin Brocéliande Syrah, IGP Collines Rhodaniennes 2018 750ML ($27.95) $17 special, 29 bottles in stock now
VinopolNote “Shows dark fruit, spice, and warm iron on the nose. Leather and black cherries leads into gingerbread and dried cherries with air. On the palate, the wine is impactful with flavors of spice and black berries. The light astringency of the tannins and solid acidity keep everything in check. There’s an aroma of black tea, plum and dark chocolate on the finish. A fantastic wine to pair with roast meats, game, or ratatouille.”

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Certified organic!
Domaine la Réméjeanne Côtes du Rhône Les Chèvrefeuilles, Rhône 2017 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 14 bottles in stock now
Importer note “70% Syrah, 10% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, 5% Carignan, 5% Marselan. Grown on loess over limestone and sandstone on southeast-facing slopes at 250m of altitude.”


Our best-selling Rhône producer for a reason
Château de Saint Cosme Côtes du Rhône Les Deux Albion, Rhône 2018 750ML ($24.95) $18 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Importer note “Château de Saint Cosme Côtes-du-Rhône Les Deux Albion is a blend of Syrah, Grenache, Carignan, Mourvèdre, and Clairette from the three Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages communes of Plan de Dieu, Saint Maurice, and Cairanne. The whole clusters are co-fermented with indigenous yeasts and vinified in conical wooden vats and concrete tanks for 18 months. Les Deux Albions is one of the outstanding wines of Louis Barruol’s collection and highlights the exceptional value that can still be found in the Côtes-du-Rhône category. The wine combines depth, structure, and finesse with aromas and flavors of roasted game, mesquite, and olive, crushed plum, and black currants.”

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Classic Syrah spicy notes
Domaine Garon ‘Les Grandes Parcelles’ Syrah, IGP Collines Rhodaniennes 2017 750ML ($29.95) $24 special, 7 bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds-Vinous “Lurid violet. Aromas of fresh, spice-accented black and blue fruits and licorice are given a spicy edge by a peppery flourish. Silky and appealingly sweet, offering juicy blueberry and cassis flavors that firm up steadily on the back half. Finishes on a subtly tannic note, featuring lingering blue fruit and pepper notes.”

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The estate’s finest effort to date
Domaine Les Grands Bois Rasteau Cuvée Marc, Rhône 2017 750ML ($29.95) $24 special, 28 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 95 points “Also stunning, the 2017 Rasteau Marc checks in as 50% Grenache and 25% each of Syrah and Mourvèdre that spent just under a year in demi-muids. Gorgeous notes of cassis, blackberries, ground herbs, and earth all emerge from this rich, Provençal, full-bodied Rasteau. With ultra-fine tannins, incredible balance, and a great finish, it too is one of the finest wines I’ve tasted from this estate.”

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A cellar pick
Château de Saint Cosme Saint-Joseph, Rhône 2017 750ML ($37.95) $24 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 93 points “A step up, the 2017 Saint Joseph offers another level of class and purity. Beautiful blackberry, black raspberries, cured meats, and pepper notes give way to a medium to full-bodied Saint Joseph that has subtle oak, a seamless texture, and fine tannins. It’s going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age.”
Josh Raynolds 92 points “Deep magenta. Powerful, spice- and mineral-accented cherry and dark berry aromas show very good clarity and pick up smoky bacon and potpourri flourishes as the wine opens up. In a concentrated but lively style, offering appealingly sweet red and dark fruit and floral pastille flavors and a salty olive flourish. The floral and spice notes drive an impressively long finish that’s framed by fine-grained, harmonious tannins. From vines in Malleval.”

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