In Today’s Newsletter:
Subscriber Special #1
Nicolas Maillart: Staff Favorite Champagne
Ulysses Vineyard Oakville Cabernet
Lands Next Week
Subscriber Special #2
Huet’s Outstanding 2016s
Featured Pre-Arrival
Lebanon’s Chateau Musar
Brilliance in Rioja
Sierra Cantabria
Great Sparkling Wine Values
All Under $20
Collector’s Corner
Oregon Icon: Sequitur
Subscriber Special #1
Nicolas Maillart: Staff Favorite Champagne
Nicolas Maillart’s family has a grape-growing tradition in Champagne that dates back to at least the 18th century -some documents indicate the family has been farming grapes since the 1500s. However it wasn’t until 2003 that Nicolas started his namesake winery. Based in the Montagne de Reims, the winery has a variety of excellent holdings in premier and grand cru villages, including an ungrafted parcel of Pinot Noir that informs their top wine. Maillart is clearly a man with drive and ambition, and the wines seem like they’re destined for stardom.
The house style is bright, linear and resolutely dry—they marry the inherent power of the Pinot Noir they farm with a tendency to reinforce the bracing side of their Champagnes. The resulting wines are fantastic to taste, with clean, mineral-drenched profiles, and a serious side that makes them excellent with food. Everything here is worth your time and money, from their entry-level “Platine” to their top-end wines (made only in the best years). We’re so convinced that these wines will captivate you as well, we’re offering several at Subscriber Special pricing. So now is the time to discover your new favorite Champagne producer.
In Stock & Priced to Move:
Nicolas Maillart Brut Rosé Grand Cru, Champagne NV 750ML ($69.95) Was $51.90 Now $48, 36 bottles in stock now
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 92 points “The new release of Maillart’s NV Brut Rosé Grand Cru is based on the 2015 vintage, complemented by one-third reserve wines, and was disgorged in October 2019 with six grams per liter dosage. Bursting from the glass with expressive aromas of ripe red apples, pears, plums and fresh bread, it’s fleshy and enveloping, with an ample core of fruit, ripe but racy acids and a nicely defined finish. Vinous and charming, it’s a blend of 60% Pinot Noir (some 7% of which is still red wine) and 40% Chardonnay, all from Bouzy.”
Winery Note “Salmon-pink in colour with a fine, lingering bead Nose: Intense with notes of fruit (ripe and from the forest floor) Palate: The initial impact is wonderfully fresh and vinous, followed by great finesse. Maceration on skins for 52 hours Slow, gentle pressing using gravity-flow techniques. Vinification in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats and a period in the barrel for a certain volume of reserve wines. Average two-year maturing period in the bottle. Disgorged by hand and laid down for at least three months before sale.”
VinopolNote “60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay. 60% aged in oak. Disgorged 12/2019.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Nicolas Maillart ‘Les Loges’ Premier Cru, Champagne NV 750ML ($79.95) Was $66 Now $61.90, 3 bottles in stock now
VinopolNote “100% Pinot Noir Extra-Brut Blanc de Noirs. A complex and balanced mineral-driven Champagne.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Nicolas Maillart Montchenot Premier Cru Extra Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($57.95) Was $51.90 Now $48, 3 bottles in stock now
VinopolNote “85% Pinot Noir and 15% Pinot Meunier. Drinking beautifully in its youth.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Also in Stock Now:
Nicolas Maillart ‘Les Chaillots Gillis’ Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, Champagne 2012 750ML ($119.95) $89 special, 11 bottles in stock now
Winery Note “Champagne from a specific area from old vines of Chardonnay. Produced only in great years, this Champagne is produced with limited quantity. A wine of Champagne before being a Champagne. Origin of the grapes: Ecueil 1er cru . Sourced from different parcels of old vines only, exposed on the south hills and different plots in the middle of the vineyard. Winemaking and aging: Slow, gentle pressing using gravity flow techniques. This wine is vinified exclusively in wooden vats. This Champagne has had a long maturation on wooden vats and no filtration took place before the bottling. Disgorged by hand and laid down at least six months before sale. Dosage : 0 g/L Tasting notes Eye : Golden yellow with a fine, lingering bead Nose : really delicate with notes of minerality and toasty notes. Palate: A lovely fresh, vinous attack. This is an intense Champagne that will do great justice to a meal.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Nicolas Maillart ‘Mont Martin’ Premier Cru Brut, Champagne 2016 750ML ($89.95) $69 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Winery Note “A champagne that reveals clearly the notes of Meunier. You have in the same time a great salinity, due to the terroir expression”
Nicolas Maillart Premier Cru Extra Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($54.95) $45 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 90 points “A blend of equal parts Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the NV Extra-Brut Premier Cru was disgorged in February 2019 with three grams per liter dosage. Offering up aromas of crisp green orchard fruit, dried white flowers and citrus oil, it’s medium to full-bodied, racy and incisive, with a perceptibly drier, tangier profile than Maillart’s more enveloping Brut Platine.”
Winery Note “Golden in colour with a fine, lingering bead. Aroma: Intense with notes of fruit and hazelnuts and a sligth toastiness. Taste: The initial impact is wonderfully fresh and vinous, followed by great finesse. Food and wine: Aperitif, white fish like haddock or cod. Pinot Noir is dominant, with a complement of Chardonnay that brings freshness to the blend. The high percentage of reserve wines (30 to 40%), aged in barrels, confers a high regularity and style to this Brut Platine. Only “Grand” and premier crus are used in this wine, with origins in the Montagne de Reims, on vineyards managed by us. With a very gentle process, we keep all the richness of the grapes. Aged around three years on its lees, this Brut Platine develops all its richness. A natural balance and freshness allows a low dosage (3 g/l).”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Nicolas Maillart Platine Premier Cru Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 14 bottles in stock now
Nicolas Maillart Platine Premier Cru Brut, Champagne NV 375ML ($29.95) $24 special, 36+ half-bottles in stock now
Nicolas Maillart Platine Premier Cru Brut, Champagne NV 1.5L ($99.95) $89 special, 5 magnums in stock now
Nicolas Maillart Platine Premier Cru Brut, Champagne NV 3L ($349.95) $299 special, 1 double magnum in stock now
Importer Note “63% Pinot Noir, 23% Chardonnay, 14% Pinot Meunier. 50% 2015 and 50% 2014. Dosage 5.5 grams. 70% Villers Allerand, 20% Ecueil, 10% Bouzy.”
Winery Note “Golden in colour with a fine, lingering bead Nose: Intense with notes of fruit and hazelnuts and a slight toastiness Palate: The initial impact is wonderfully fresh and vinous, followed by great finesse. Slow, gentle pressing using gravity-flow techniques. Vinification in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats and a period in the barrel for a certain volume of reserve wines. Average two-year maturing period in the bottle. Disgorged by hand and laid down for at least three months before sale.”
Love Champagne? We have 156 different options in stock. Shop the entire selection, including staff favorites like Lilbert, Pierre Gimonnet, Pierre Péters and more, on our web store now.
Vinopolis Wine Shop Curbside Pick Up
Order Online / By Phone / By Email
When you’re ready to pick up, just park in our lot,
give us a call, & we’ll bring your order to your car.
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please let us know their name when placing your order.)
www.vinopoliswineshop.com
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503-223-6002
Ulysses Vineyard Oakville Cabernet
Lands Next Week
Lands Next Week
Arriving Tuesday, June 1st:
Ulysses Vineyard Oakville, Napa Valley 2017 750ML ($179.95) $149 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 96 points “Extremely aromatic with crushed berries, currants, flowers and hints of uncured tobacco leaf. Carnations. Medium to full body and extremely fine tannins that are firm and polished. Vertical tannins draw you down. Some blanched-walnut character to the blue fruit. Fresh and clean at the finish… So beautiful to drink now.”
Winemaker Note “With black tea leaf and brioche, Ulysses 2017 delivers dense layers of deep cherry, balsamic, peat, forest berries and fresh walnut, woven through a finely grained texture, and a lingering warm cacao powder finish.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Love California Cabernet? We have over 30 different options in stock. Shop the entire selection, including famous names like Bevan Cellars, Clos du Val, Diamond Creek and more, on our web store now.
Subscriber Special #2
Huet’s Outstanding 2016s
“Domaine Huet’ means ‘I make the best damn Chenin Blanc on the planet’…” – Mike Steinberger, Wine Diarist
Huet makes some of the most undervalued great wine in the world. Take any metric you’d use to adjudicate greatness (complexity, age-worthiness, terroir, aromatic intensity, world-wide praise, etc) and Huet’s Vouvray is on the list, at prices far below almost anything else in their class.
The estate has long been ahead of its time. This is one of France’s pioneers in biodynamic viticulture. Today, horses still plough between the rows, and in the winery the recipe remains relatively simple. Fermentation takes place half in stainless steel, half in old oak, without malolactic fermentation. After only six months, the wines are bottled and then laid to age in a cellar dug from tuffeau rock, no air conditioning required. From here the Huet work is done: the rest is up to nature, and what eventually tastes like divine intervention.
2016 was an exceptional vintage across much of Europe, and the Loire also enjoyed ideal harvest weather that year. Although the Loire produced solid wines across the board, 5 years on it appears that the region’s (and especially Vouvray’s) sweet white wines will be the standouts from 2016.
Few producers anywhere in the world make better off-dry to sweet white wines than Domaine Huet. These are wines that offer near-unmatched flexibility at the table, and Domaine Huet’s reputation guarantees long ageing potential. Made according to tradition and terroir, with utmost respect for nature, Huet wines can keep for decades. Fortunately, the 2016s are already entering their first (likely of many) fantastic drinking window, so now if the perfect time to take advantage of our Subscriber Special pricing and see what you’ve been missing.
In Stock Now:
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Clos du Bourg’ Demi-Sec, Loire 2016 750ML ($59.95) $39 Subscriber Special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 95 points “Gorgeous, with creamy-edged nectarine, yellow and green apple, pear and quince flavors that are brightly defined from start to finish, flecked with verbena and honeysuckle hints and backed by a off-dry edge on the finish. Stays fresh and pure throughout. Tempting now but there’s no rush. Drink now through 2032.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Le Haut Lieu’ Demi-Sec, Loire 2016 750ML ($59.95) $39 Subscriber Special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 96 points “This delivers a beautiful display of purity and grace, with creamed Jonagold apple, star fruit, white peach and chamomile notes flowing seamlessly, backed by wet stone and fresh verbena accents. Subtle but persistent energy ripples through the very long finish. Drink now through 2035.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
#6 Wine of the Year – Wine Spectator Top 100 2017
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Le Mont’ Demi-Sec, Loire 2016 750ML ($59.95) $41.90 Subscriber Special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 95 points “This tilts toward the flattering side of off-dry, showing a plump feel to the core of creamed pear, white peach and yellow apple fruit. Lovely verbena, honeysuckle and mineral accents keep this balanced and driven, with a long finish that lets the fruit echo. Drink now through 2032.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Clos du Bourg’ Moelleux, Loire 2016 750ML ($69.95) $59 Subscriber Special, 36 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 97 points “A stunner, with beautiful pear, green fig, yellow apple and quince notes that are creamy and flirtatiously sweet, yet seamless and refined in feel. The extremely long finish lets honeysuckle and verbena notes dance throughout, with a light echo of white ginger at the very end. Best from 2020 through 2040.”
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Clos du Bourg’ Première Trie Moelleux, Loire 2016 750ML ($89.95) $59 Subscriber Special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 96 points “This is ripe and broad, taking a slightly more power-driven approach, with a mix of tropical mango and papaya fruit, backed by orchard fruit accents of yellow apple and peach. The long, heather honey–accented finish has light piecrust and crystalized ginger hints. Best from 2020 through 2035.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Le Haut Lieu’ Moelleux, Loire 2016 750ML ($59.95) $39 Subscriber Special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 95 points “Gorgeous crystallized ginger, dried quince, glazed pear and warm persimmon notes are seamlessly interwoven here, gliding through a lengthy finish that picks up a lilting green tea accent. Frankly off-dry but wonderfully pure. Drink now through 2035.”
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Le Mont’ Moelleux, Loire 2016 750ML ($69.95) $49 Subscriber Special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 96 points “Bright, even exuberant in feel, with a parade of Jonagold apple, green melon, Bosc pear and quince flavors streaming through, gilded with heather, honeysuckle and verbena notes on the long, lithe finish. Remarkably elegant despite the off-dry style. Drink now through 2035.”
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Le Mont’ Première Trie Moelleux, Loire 2016 750ML ($89.95) $69 Subscriber Special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 97 points “The 2016 Vouvray Le Mont Moelleux Première Trie opens with a very clear, deep and flinty/herbal bouquet of ripe concentrated stone fruits intermixed with chalky/smoky aromas, very complex and truly exciting! Light, fresh and tensioned on the palate, that is very pure and salty but also tight and concentrated. The 2016 Le Mont reveals crystalline acidity, delicate but serious tannin grip and a long, complex, stimulating finish. This is Chenin Blanc full of energy and aging potential, provided with concentration, lingering salinity and vibrancy. This is a fascinating Le Mont, surely the top wine of Huet’s excellent 2016 series. Bottled with 92 grams of residual sugar, it tastes less sweet than the corresponding Clos du Bourg. Tasted February 2018.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Also in Stock & Priced to Move:
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Cuvée Constance’ Moelleux, Loire 2015 500ML ($249.95) $159 Subscriber Special, 14 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 99 points “Stunning from the start, with a silky and refined feel despite the panoply of dried quince, fig, pear and apricot flavors that are exotic in nature. Lovely green tea, orange blossom and persimmon notes fill in the background. Obviously sweet, but with persistent dry almond and orange extract details that lend latent tension through the seamless and nearly endless finish. The first Cuvee Constance bottling since the 2009 vintage. Drink now through 2060.”
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Le Mont’ Moelleux, Loire 2015 750ML ($59.95) $49 Subscriber Special, 6 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 96 points “The apricot/golden colored 2015 Vouvray Le Mont Moelleux shows a very intense, elegant and also subtle bouquet of ripe fruit intermixed with flinty aromas. Dense, piquant and concentrated on the palate, this is a great and tension-filled Chenin with grip and persistence, but also great finesse and elegance. This is a highly complex and energetic, but also light-footed and stimulating wine with lots of mouthwatering salinity. A fascinating Chenin with great aging potential.”
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Le Mont’ Moelleux, Loire 2017 750ML ($59.95) $49 Subscriber Special, 12 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 96 points “A beauty, with an inviting display of succulent yellow apple, green plum, pear, persimmon and quince flavors that ripples lengthily through the finish, while light verbena, ginger and honeysuckle notes dart around. A long green tea echo runs through the finish. Shows terrific range and purity, with the sweetness easily harnessed for balance. Best from 2019 through 2040.”
Jeb Dunnuck 96 points “The 2017 Le Mont Moelleux shows the classic progression from the vibrancy of the Sec to the more layered, slightly honeyed Demi-Sec to this richer, sweeter, yet no less impressive Moelleux release. Brilliant notes of quince, honeyed tangerines, apple peel, and orange liqueur all emerge from this full-bodied, layered Vouvray that has a stacked, dense, concentrated mid-palate, high yet integrated acidity, impeccable balance, and a great finish. I couldn’t pick a favorite between this and the Demi-Sec, and both are brilliant wines. Smart readers will buy a handful of bottles of each (a six pack of each is what I intend to do) for drinking over the coming 2-3 decades.”
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Clos du Bourg’ Sec, Loire 2016 750ML ($47.95) $39 Subscriber Special, 17 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 93 points “Bright and pure, with delightful pear, green almond and green plum notes laced with a fennel streak, ending with finely beaded acidity and a mineral echo through the finish. Very refined. Drink now through 2027.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next lowest listed price is $48.99
The next lowest listed price is $48.99
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Le Mont’ Sec, Loire 2016 750ML ($47.95) $39 Subscriber Special, 14 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 94 points “Green plum and verbena notes lead the way for now, with a flash of quinine on the finish. This is juicy, but still a bit compact overall, with the core of ample pear, quince and ginger flavors in reserve. Just wait for everything to knit together and stretch out, as the purity and length are there. Best from 2018 through 2028.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Love the Loire? We have 85 different options in stock now. Shop the entire selection on our web store, including famous names like Clos Rougeard and Dagueneau, as well as more from Domaine Huet.
Featured Pre-Arrival
Lebanon’s Chateau Musar
Lebanon’s Chateau Musar
Fast approaching the 100-year anniversary of its founding, this Lebanese wine estate has in recent years developed a cult-like following amongst wine insiders. With a taste profile that described as a mix of Rhône, Tuscany and Bordeaux, Chateau Musar’s wines offer unique and profound experiences for even the most jaded of palates. So if you’re looking to expand your wine horizons with something both novel and delicious, we’re thrilled to offer for the first time the pride of Lebanon, Chateau Musar.
“The newly released 2013 got a glowing review…while no fewer than 16 vintages were recently reviewed in 50 years of Chateau Musar, achieving the praise more usually associated with top-shelf bordeaux…whichever vintage you can find will, I am quite certain, provide a memorable experience.” – Richard Hemming MW – jancisrobinson.com
Pre-Arrival ETA Early June:
Chateau Musar, Bekaa Valley 2013 750ML ($69.95) $51.90 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2013 Chateau Musar is bold, punchy and intensely perfumed. Rose petal, ripe red fruit, sage, mint, cinnamon and sweet tobacco give the 2013 a very strong aromatic presence that continues to build. Medium in body, with lovely red fruit character, the 2013 Musar could use a few years in bottle to fully come together. I expect it will always have a strong pungent signature.”
Decanter 92 points “This wine needs vigorous decanting otherwise it appears reduced. It shows evidence of French oak ageing: notes of vanilla with a cedar touch along with the plum fruit. Slightly meaty flavours suggest development. Amazingly balanced, with some volatile acidity providing additional freshness. With time it picks up hints of liquorice like an old Hermitage. Impressive volume yet a suave touch – a classic Musar!”
Pre-Arrival ETA July:
Chateau Musar ‘Hochar Pere et Fils’ Red, Bekaa Valley 2017 750ML ($34.95) $28 pre-arrival special
Decanter 91 points “This single-vineyard wine, from Aana, is made in a modern style: concentrated and slightly reductive. It shows notes of new oak barrels, lovely red berry fruit (reminiscent of Grenache) and garrigue aromas. So Mediterranean on the palate, with sweet tannins, spices and a meaty hint on the aftertaste. A very friendly, easy-to-drink and enjoyable wine. It becomes even better and more refined a day after the bottle is opened. I would recommend decanting it.”
Antonio Galloni 90 points “The 2017 Hochar is powerful and dense in the glass. Ripe flavors and incisive tannins give the 2017 much of its brooding personality. Readers should plan on opening the 2017 at least an hour or two in advance, as the tannins are rather grainy at the outset. With time ripe black cherry, spice, leather and licorice flavors emerge nicely. The blend is 55% Cinsault, 35% Grenache and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.”
Brilliance in Rioja
Sierra Cantabria
Sierra Cantabria is one of the landmark modern producers of Rioja—a name known both for excellent value, as well as some of the region’s true pinnacle bottlings. From top to bottom, these are some of the richest and most voluptuous wines in Rioja. They’re really special wines, aged in French rather than American oak, and are given a tremendous amount of care during the production process.
That care isn’t surprising for wines that are (deservedly) $500+, but to find that same attention to detail in wines that retail for $30 or $50 is a testament to the single-minded focus of the Eguren family’s winemaking team. There’s a reason these wines have excellent scores from critics with very diverse palates (Luis Guiterrez’s traditionalism vs. James Suckling’s love of richness)—these are bottles that appeal to anyone who’s serious about Spanish wines.
In Stock Now:
Sierra Cantabria ‘Mágico’, Rioja DOCa 2016 750ML ($749.95) Was $619 Now $545 special, 5 bottles in stock now
Individual Hinged Wooden Box Package
James Suckling 100 points “A wine with incredible soul and purity, reflecting the land and history. Blackberries, black olives and hot stone and gun metal. Full and layered with incredibly polished and refined tannins. Old bark and mushrooms. It’s like holding an old and special book. Phenomenal. Drink or hold.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next lowest listed price is $689.99
The next lowest listed price is $689.99
Sierra Cantabria Garnacha, Rioja DOCa 2016 750ML ($27.95) $22.75 special, 24 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 95 points “This is a phenomenal wine with blood-orange and blueberry aromas. Hints of wet earth. Medium to full body. Chewy tannins, yet integrated and gorgeous. Fantastic value. From vines planted in 1927. Drink or hold.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Sierra Cantabria Finca El Bosque, Rioja DOCa 2016 750ML ($149.95) $119 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 96 points “2016 was a cool and slow-ripening year, and the 2016 El Bosque reflects those qualities, combining power and elegance. It’s Tempranillo from only one vineyard, planted in 1973. It fermented in new French and central European oak barrels for 18 months. It’s a serious and structured wine that has a subtle nose, with integrated oak, combining power and elegance. It has very good freshness, and it has the floral and red fruit character of the 2016 vintage. This wine should have a long life in bottle. I love the 2016 vintage here. 5,000 bottles were filled in July 2018.”
James Suckling 95 points “The depth and focus to this is so unique with fantastic blackberries, blueberries and licorice. Full body. Powerful and intense. This needs four to five years to soften and open.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
“Putting my nose in the glass of the 2007 El Puntido Gran Reserva transported me to the classical Riojas from yesteryear…It has what I love about the best red wine—it’s salty rather than sweet, there is no room for sweetness here, and it’s sapid and tasty and has great balance and freshness. This is developing at a very slow pace and should continue doing so for a very long time. A great Gran Reserva in the making!” – Luis Gutierrez, Wine Advocate (June 2019)
Viñedos de Páganos El Puntido Gran Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2007 750ML ($69.95) $49 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Viñedos de Páganos El Puntido Gran Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2007 750ML ($399.95) $279 special (that’s only $46.50/bottle!)
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 96 points “Putting my nose in the glass of the 2007 El Puntido Gran Reserva transported me to the classical Riojas from yesteryear. The wine has a fully developed nose with all the textbook descriptors of a good aged Rioja—forest floor, cigar ash, cold bonfire, truffle, cherries in liqueur, blonde tobacco, spices and iodine. But this is a classical Gran Reserva that has something that was not that traditional, and it comes from a single vineyard and matured in brand new French oak barrels for 28 months. But time in bottle has polished it (it was bottled in June 2010, almost nine years ago); the tannins are mostly resolved and it’s nicely textured. It has what I love about the best red wine—it’s salty rather than sweet, there is no room for sweetness here, and it’s sapid and tasty and has great balance and freshness. This is developing at a very slow pace and should continue doing so for a very long time. A great Gran Reserva in the making. Only 5,000 bottles were produced from 2007, a very cold vintage, when the grapes were harvested the last three days of October, and it snowed the first of November!”
Jeb Dunnuck 94 points “A much smaller production that was aged longer (28 months) in new French oak, the 2007 El Puntido Gran Reserva comes from the same vineyard as the El Puntido but is a parcel selection. Blackcurrants, plums, smoked earth, incense, and violet notes all emerge from this elegant, silky, beautifully polished wine that’s full-bodied, has fine tannins, no hard edges, and a great finish. It has power, but this is more about finesse and elegance.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Pre-Arrival ETA June:
Viñedos de Páganos La Nieta, Rioja DOCa 2018 750ML ($179.95) $149 pre-arrival special, only 6 bottles available
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 95 points “Dark, brilliant ruby. A highly perfumed bouquet evokes red and blue fruit preserves, incense and potpourri, along with building mineral and exotic spice nuances. Juicy, appealingly sweet and concentrated on the palate, offering intense black raspberry, cherry liqueur and spicecake flavors that become livelier with air. Smoothly blends power and delicacy and finishes extremely long and smooth, with well-knit tannins and resonating florality.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Sierra Cantabria Finca El Bosque, Rioja DOCa 2018 750ML ($149.59) $135 pre-arrival special, only 6 bottles available
Wine Spectator 93 points “Boysenberry and blackberry flavors are ripe and juicy in this broad-shouldered red. Espresso, cocoa and loamy earth notes add depth. Muscular tannins are well-integrated, with bright acidity for balance. Shows depth and concentration. Drink now through 2032. 415 cases made, 50 cases imported.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Love Rioja? We have 23 different options in stock. Shop the entire selection, including famous names like López de Heredia, Marqués de Murrieta, Muga and more, on our web store now.
Great Sparkling Wine Values
All Under $20
All Under $20
France
In Stock Now:
Domaine Brazilier Méthode Trad Brut Rosé, Loire NV 750ML ($21.95) $17 special, 8 bottles in stock now
Winery Note “This quality sparkling wine comes from a long aging process: after fermentation, it spends about 12 months sur lattes to give it its fine bubbles and the typical aromas of Pineau d’Aunis such as peony.”
VinopolNote “Pineau d’Aunis from 25+ year old vines grown in chalky limestone soil.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Bruno Cormerais Méthode Traditionnelle Brut, Loire NV 750ML ($19.95) $18 special, 31 bottles in stock now
VinopolNote “Mostly Folle Blanche, from an assortment of terroirs in Muscadet. Aged 2-3 years on the lees in bottle before disgorgement, low dosage.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Caves Louis de Grenelle Saumur Corail Brut Rosé, Loire NV 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Roger Voss – Wine Enthusiast “This palest pink-colored wine is equally light and fresh to taste. It has a crisp raspberry flavor with a zest of orange squeezed over it. It’s delicious.”
Chéreau-Carre Vices & Vertus ‘Orgueil’ Brut NV 750ML ($24.95) $19.90 special, 17 bottles in stock now
Importer note “As the voice of the new generation at the Chéreau Carré winery in France’s Loire Valley, Louise Chéreau is shaking things up by creating fresh new expressions of traditional grapes and terroirs. In this spirit, she’s releasing a bottle-fermented sparkling wine made with melon de bourgogne, the traditional grape of Muscadet. The fruit comes from 40-year-old vines at the winery’s Chasseloir estate, a prime location on the Maine river on schist soils. This shows off a different side of the muscadet and hints at the immense potential of this region for sparkling wines.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Italy
In Stock Now:
Conte Loredan Gasparini Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG, Veneto NV 750ML ($17.95) $13.50 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
James Suckling 90 points “Delicious combination of pear and biscuit on the palate with medium body, bright acidity and a fresh finish. Fresh and satisfying. A different style of Prosecco that you should check out.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Oregon
In Stock Now:
Cameron Winery Spritz Rosé, Willamette Valley NV 250ML Can ($9.95) $6.60 special, 36+ cans in stock now
Case-6 Cameron Winery Spritz Rosé, Willamette Valley NV 250ML Can ($59.95) $35 special (that’s only $5.83/can!)
VinopolNote “What do you get when you take some of the finest dry-farmed Dundee Hills Pinot Noir fruit, add a dash of Pinot Blanc, a smidge of carbonation, and a splash of wizardry? The best can of wine money can buy. 90% La Colina Vineyard Pinot Noir, 10% Pinot Blanc from the Coast Range.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Illahe ‘Capitol Fizz’ Sparkling Wine, Willamette Valley NV 750ML ($21.95) $19.90 special, 29 bottles in stock now
Winery Note “Capitol Fizz is a dry, pink bubbly bottle of refreshment for workers, picnickers, fishers, makers, singers, and watchers of the western sunset. Picked early at harvest, it has lively acid and a pretty aroma enhanced by its sparkle and joined together with the feeling of seeing a rainbow behind a waterfall. Capitol Fizz comes in two sizes–individual enjoyment, and friendly gathering. This is a sparkling wine that you can drink like a beer. Just pop the crown cap. No pontification required.”
VinopolNote “A light pink blend of Pinot Noir, Gruner, Pinot Gris, Viognier and Chardonnay.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Spain
In Stock Now:
Torre Oria Brut Reserva Cava, Requena NV 750ML ($14.95) $11.90 special, 4 bottles in stock now
Decanter World Wine Awards “80% Macabeo, 20% Chardonnay. Fresh green apple with pear and apricot nose. Creamy mousse with tension on the palate.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Conquilla Brut Cava, Catalonia NV 750ML ($17.95) $14 special, 27 bottles in stock now
Case-12 Conquilla Brut Cava, Catalonia NV 750ML ($219.95) $149 special (that’s only $12.42/bottle!)
Importer Note “Conquilla is Catalan for ‘shell’ referencing the sedimentary limestone soils of Spain’s Penedes Valley. With all estate fruit this Champagne-method sparkler has fine bubbles, a bright citrus nose, and a hint of almond on the zippy finish.”
Jaume Giró I Giró Brut Rosat Cava, Catalonia NV 750ML ($24.95) $16 special, 9 bottles in stock now
Distributor Note “Trepat. Organic. The son of Jaume Giró i Giró and current proprietor is Ramon Giró y Gramona; he has a great sense of humor, is a world traveler, and makes friends wherever he goes. His family has been involved in growing Cava, producing the base wines or making and aging Cava since at least 1836, although that is just the earliest found documentation. They have likely been involved even longer. Ramon learned how to make Cava from his grandfather, the Gramona. His Cavas are aged on the lees for extended periods of time (for some bottlings, over 100 months), and he does not disgorge until he receives an order. The result are elegant, lees driven Cavas, with great intricacy, value and food friendliness.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
AA Alta Alella Mirgin Reserva Brut Nature Cava, Catalonia 2017 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 27 bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 91 points “Light, bright yellow-gold. Displays pungent, mineral-accented aromas of dried pear, lemon pith, fennel and chamomile that show very good clarity and spicy lift. Weighty, focused and dry on the palate, which displays refreshingly bitter citrus pith, pear skin and quinine flavors and a hint of peachiness. Manages to come off hefty as well as graceful and finishes long and taut, with resonating stoniness and a touch of spicy ginger. (disgorged after 15 months on its lees).”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Collector’s Corner
Oregon Icon: Sequitur
Mike Etzel, the founder and winemaker of Sequitur, is a living legend in the Willamette Valley. He co-founded Beaux Frères in the late 1980s and was the winemaker there until recently passing the duties to his son. Never one to rest on his laurels or stay still, though, he began planting a vineyard adjacent to Beaux Frères in 2010—a project that became what we know as Sequitur.
It’s helpful to think of Sequitur as a distillation of everything Mike Etzel learned while starting and producing Beaux Frères over the decades. The Sequitur vineyard sits right next to the Beaux Frères “Upper Terrace” but is planted to a wider array of clones at tighter spacing. It’s been farmed biodynamically since the beginning and is sheltered with Douglas Fir—in short, it’s the fully realized vision of a man who’s helped define Willamette Valley Pinot Noir.
The winemaking style is exactly what you’d expect—these are wines that are made by the same hand that delivered so many high scores to Beaux Frères. Big, powerful and bold, these nevertheless have energy and grace that we think comes from the extra-attentive farming and unique clonal selection in the vineyard. In short order, Sequitur has established itself as one of the very best producers in the Willamette Valley and deserves your attention as such.
In Stock Now:
Sequitur Chardonnay, Ribbon Ridge 2015 750ML ($89.95) $69 special, 18 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 94+ points “The 2015 Sequitur Chardonnay delivers toasted almonds, baker’s yeast, fresh ginger and coriander seed on the nose with a core of grapefruit, white peaches and spiced apples. Light to medium-bodied, it gives a great intensity of savory flavor layers intermingled with stone fruit and citrus notions, finishing long with great freshness and mineral notes.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Sequitur Chardonnay, Ribbon Ridge 2016 750ML ($89.95) $69 special, 18 bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 94 points “Pale yellow-gold. Fresh and incisive on the nose, displaying intense citrus and orchard fruit scents complemented by suggestions of toasty lees, iodine and sweet butter. Sappy, penetrating and seamless in texture, offering concentrated pear nectar, peach, tangerine and honeysuckle flavors that deepen slowly on the back half while maintaining energy. Finishes with repeating pear and floral notes, with a late jolt of dusty minerality pulling things together.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Sequitur Chardonnay, Ribbon Ridge 2017 750ML ($89.95) $69 special, 1 bottle in stock now
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 95 points “Translucent yellow. A highly complex, oak-spice-laced bouquet evokes fresh citrus and orchard fruits, iodine, toasted brioche and white flowers, and a tarragon nuance emerges with air. Shows superb depth and fine delineation, offering vibrant orange, pear, honeysuckle, sweet butter and anise flavors that tighten up slowly on the back half. Powerful yet graceful in character, displaying superb focus and thrust on an impressively long finish that features lingering floral, spice and mineral flourishes.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Sequitur Chardonnay, Ribbon Ridge 2018 750ML ($89.95) $69 special, 20 bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 95 points “Glistening straw-yellow. Vibrant, mineral-accented aromas of white peach, Anjou pear, melon and Meyer lemon carry a bright floral overtone. Juicy and densely packed, displaying a suave blend of richness and vivacity to the mineral-drenched citrus and orchard fruit and floral flavors. Picks up smoky lees, honey and iodine notes with air and shows outstanding clarity on a strikingly long, penetrating finish that echoes the mineral and citrus fruit notes.”
Winery Note “The 2018 growing season was warm and dry, resulting in yet another remarkable vintage on Ribbon Ridge. Towards the end of the summer, just before harvest, Jack was born. With the arrival of our first grandchild, we felt for the first time the presence of a new generation on the farm, reminding us of the cycle of renewal and growth. This vintage has the bright freshness of new breath—we hope you enjoy it!”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Sequitur Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2014 750ML ($119.95) $79 special, 16 bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 94 points “Limpid ruby-red. Smoky, mineral-accented aromas of black raspberry, cherry cola and incense carry a strong spicecake overtone. Stains the palate with sappy red berry liqueur, spicecake and floral pastille flavors that are lifted and given definition and tension by juicy acidity. At once rich and nervy, with no excess fat but showing excellent depth and intensity of flavor. Finishes with sexy notes of candied violet and smoky Indian spices and superb, gently tannic persistence. This wine’s Beaux Frères bloodline is very clear to see.”
Wine Spectator 94 points “Broad and spicy, open-textured and generous, with ripe plum and currant flavors, shaded by pepper, sage and coffee notes as the finish sails past fine-grained tannins. Completely harmonious and made to age. Drink now through 2024.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Sequitur Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2015 750ML ($119.95) $79 special, 16 bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 95 points “Deep brilliant red. A strikingly complex bouquet evokes ripe, mineral-accented red berries, cherry cola, vanilla, five-spice powder and sandalwood. Alluringly sweet, seamless and expansive on the palate, offering concentrated black raspberry, cherry liqueur, spicecake and lavender pastille flavors that are given spine and lift by a core of juicy acidity. Delivers a compelling blend of power and delicacy and finishes extremely long and smooth; rounded tannins frame the lingering red fruit preserve notes.”
Winery note “Sequitur 2015 Pinot Noir “Two fold,” a collaboration between our Mother, the earth, those of us who “play” in the vineyard and winery, and you, the wine lover.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next lowest listed price is $95
The next lowest listed price is $95
Sequitur Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2016 750ML ($119.95) $79 special, 16 bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 96 points “Glimmering red. A hugely aromatic bouquet evokes fresh red fruits, Asian spices and potpourri, along with a bright mineral overtone and a touch of smokiness. Juicy, seamless and precise on the palate, offering potent, mineral-laced raspberry preserve, rose pastille and spicecake flavors that deepen and spread out steadily on the back half. Delivers a compelling blend of power and finesse and finishes with silky tannins, outstanding clarity and floral- and mineral-driven persistence.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next lowest listed price is $89.99
The next lowest listed price is $89.99
Sequitur Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2017 750ML ($119.95) $79 special, 23 bottles in stock now
Nick Stock-JamesSuckling 96 points “Beautifully deep, blueberries and plums on offer with notes of fresh violets and moist, fresh-tilled earth. This is full of life and very pure. The palate has focused and fresh tannins that sit in very vibrant style with a deep push of concentrated blue fruit, holding the finish in superb style. So fresh and long, this will age well. Drink across the next decade or more.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Sequitur Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2018 750ML ($99.95) $79 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
James Suckling 97 points “A very succulent, concentrated pinot with a strong (40%) whole-cluster influence, delivering sappy, fresh and aromatic lift to the blueberry and ripe-cherry aromas. The palate has such succulent and assertive tannin drive, yet the textural interface remains silky and fluid. It has depth and volume and a very commanding finish. Give this some time. Try from 2024.”
Winery Note “The 2018 growing season was warm and dry, resulting in yet another remarkable vintage on Ribbon Ridge. Towards the end of the summer, just before harvest, Jack was born. With the arrival of our first grandchild, we felt for the first time the presence of a new generation on the farm, reminding us of the cycle of renewal and growth. This vintage has the bright freshness of new breath—we hope you enjoy it! “
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Love Oregon Pinot Noir? We have over 135 options in stock. Shop the entire selection, including famous names like Beaux Frères, Cameron, White Rose Estate and more, on our web store now.
Vinopolis is an independent wine shop in Portland that opened in 2004. Our goal has always been to offer the finest, broadest, and largest selection of wines at the best prices to our customers in Portland, in Oregon, across the West Coast, and throughout the United States.
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