February 12, 2015
Antonio Galloni “Servin’s 2013 Chablis Les Pargues presents attractive smoke and slate nuances, along with yellow orchard fruit, mint and spices. There is plenty to admire in this subtle, nicely layered village-level Chablis.” AG
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Burgundy Cellar Selections
Just Arrived This Week
Domaine Henri Boillot Les Chaumees, Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru 2010 750ML ($99.95) $79 special, 12 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 92 points “(these 2010s were bottled in January of 2012 after spending three months in cuve): Bright medium yellow. Pear, menthol and a salty nuance on the nose. Rich, ripe and supple but with its fat and sweetness nicely leavened by minerality. Offers a superb combination of volume and sappy, stony persistence.” ST
Domaine des Epeneaux Comte Armand Clos des Epeneaux Monopole, Pommard Premier Cru 2006 750ML ($179.95) $149 special, 6 bottles available
Fine Wine Review 93 points “Benjamin Leroux manages to turn out consistently fine wines, no matter what challenges the vintage poses. The Pommard-Clos des Epeneaux has truffly dark fruit aromas. The wine is smooth and harmonious in the mouth with iodide, dark fruit and plenty of round tannins. I’d expect to wait 5-8 years before drinking and the wine should then hold quite well for 15-20 years.”
Burghound 92 points “In contrast to the reticence displayed from barrel, now that the ’06 is in bottle it is surprisingly open and expressive with a beautifully layered nose of raspberry, cherry and red pinot fruit nuanced by hints of spice, earth, minerals and a dried herb component that introduces intense, balanced and pure flavors that culminate in a serious, mouth coating and well built finish where the tannins are solid but not rustic or aggressive. This will require the better part of a decade to arrive at its majority as the tannins are quite firm and despite the inviting openness of the nose, the finish is on the austere side at present. Comments: Outstanding. Drink: 2014+.” BH
Domaine Henri Boillot Les Fremiets, Volnay Premier Cru 2008 750ML ($89.95) $79 special, 12 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 91 points “Good deep red. Black cherry, licorice and herbs on the nose, given punch by strong peppery spices. Sweet, supple and nicely concentrated if a bit less complex and high-pitched than the 2009 version. Lovely black cherry fruit displays a tangy sweetness. The very long finish features dusty, fine-grained tannins. The crop level here was just 18 hectoliters per hectare, according to Boillot.” ST
Domaine Henri Boillot Les Chevrets, Volnay Premier Cru 2008 750ML ($99.95) $79 special, 12 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 91-94 points “Bright ruby-red. Expressive, very ripe nose combines black cherry, wild herbs, leather, smoke and earth. Wonderfully sweet and silky but bright, with a creamy small-berry character to the intense flavors of black cherry, iron, dark chocolate and minerals. For all its density, this conveys a juicy quality and considerable elegance.” ST
Domaine Henri Boillot Clos du Roi, Beaune Premier Cru 2009 750ML ($79.95) $69 special, 4 cases available
Stephen Tanzer 91-93 points “Saturated medium ruby. Deep aromas of kirsch, smoke, minerals, flowers and earth are reticent but pure. Big, rich and broad, with harmonious acidity framing the black cherry, chocolate and leather flavors. This classic, complete Beaune wine spreads out to saturate the palate, with lush tannins reaching the front teeth. Quite thick in the style of the vintage but without any excess weight.”ST
Domaine de la Vougeraie Les Cras, Vougeot Premier Cru 2010 750ML ($119.95) $89 special, 10 bottles available
Burghound 91 points –Outstanding–“Mild reduction reduces the expressiveness somewhat of the otherwise brooding nose that combines plenty of stone and soil tones with ripe wild red berries and floral nuances. There is excellent volume to the energetic, intense and overtly muscular medium weight plus flavors that benefit from the presence of plenty of dry extract that buffers the very firm and phenolically mature tannins on the balanced and impressively complex finish. This moderately robust yet lush effort is not without a certain refinement and overall, I very much like the depth of character.” BH
Domaine de la Vougeraie Pommard Les Petits Noizons 2010 750ML ($79.95) $66 special, 12 bottles available
Burghound 89-91 points –Outstanding–“This is the first wine to display any significant reduction but here it’s enough to block an evaluation of the nose. The rich, intense and energetic middle weight flavors possess fine precision and plenty of mineral nuances, all wrapped in a firm, mouth coating, dusty and well-balanced finish. Petits Noizons is arguably the best villages level vineyard in Pommard and the quality of this excellent effort merits consideration.” BH
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Arriving Tomorrow, February 13th
Tensley Wine
Joey Tensley launched Tensley wines while working at Beckmen Vineyards. He first fell in love with wine-making during a childhood visit to Bordeaux. His Syrahs quickly gained national recognition. Matt Kramer of the Wine Spectator named two of his 2001 releases on his Top Ten Wines in the World, Robert Parker gave all of his bottlings scores in the high 90s, and Food and Wine named his 2006 Colson Canyon Syrah as the “Top Syrah in America Over $20” (the 2008 vintage was #17 on Wine Spectator’s Top 100). We are pleased to offer the acclaimed 2013 edition of his Colson Canyon Syrah, arriving here tomorrow.
Tensley Colson Canyon Vineyard Syrah, Santa Barbara County 2013 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Case-12 Tensley Colson Canyon Vineyard Syrah ($499.95) $419 special
Wine Advocate 94-97 points “The largest-scaled Colson Canyon to date, the 2013 Syrah Colson Canyon is classic cassis, black raspberry, graphite and toasty notes to go with a full-bodied, concentrated and layered profile on the palate. This got a big “Wow” in the notes, and while it doesn’t pull any punches with regards to fruit or texture, it stays lively and elegant. It will have 10-15 years of longevity” WA
Round Pond Estate
Round Pond Estate was founded by Bob and Jan MacDonnell in the early 1980s. The Estate was named in honor of Bob’s favorite childhood summer vacation spot in West Point, New York. It is located in the esteemed Rutherford region of Napa Valley, known for its unique microclimate and alluvial soils that make it an ideal location for ripe and robust Cabernet Sauvignon. Today, the MacDonnells’ sons Ryan and Miles own and manage the 362 acre Estate. Their “Kith and Kin” bottling blends estate wine with wines selected from neighboring appellations, which is made to be approachable when young. The Estate wine is produced to showcase the unique terroir of Rutherford.
Round Pond Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2011 750ML ($29.95) $26 special
“Offers an easy-drinking allure, with vivid, snappy notes of berry, light oak, dried herb and fresh tannins. Drink now through 2022.”–Wine Spectator
Round Pond Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford 2011 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Antonio Galloni 94 points “Herbs, tobacco, cedar, iron, smoke and incense emerge from the glass in the 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate. A gorgeous, savory and totally expressive wine, the 2011 impresses for its balance and pedigree. This is without question one of the most beautiful wines of the year. The profile is decidedly European-influenced in its aromatics and structure, but the fruit is pure Napa Valley. There are only a handful of values left in first-class Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon; this is one of them.” AG
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48 Hour Sales
Ends Midnight on Friday!
Harlan Estate, Napa Valley 2002 750ML ($1,199.95) $899 sale price, previously $999, 6 bottles available
Robert Parker 100 points “The extraordinary Harlan Estate, which I awarded 100 points seven years ago, offers no justifiable reason to doubt its perfect score. It is still a baby, with an inky purple color and notes of smoky camphor intermixed with creme de cassis, Asian soy and a hint of cedar beginning to emerge as well as some espresso and subtle damp forest floor notes. The wine has awesome intensity, a full-bodied mouthfeel, a skyscraper-like texture, and a finish that goes on for close to a minute. This is a perfect wine, still youthful and young, and not even in full adolescence as of 2012. It has 40 or more years ahead of it, but should hit its plateau of full maturity in another 5-10 years. It is certainly one of the most showy, flamboyant and remarkable Harlan Estates made to date. (More recently, the 2007 tends to resemble this wine more than any other vintage I can think of.) Kudos to Bill Harlan!” RP
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $945
The average price is $1,060
Kapcsandy Family Winery State Lane Vineyard Roberta’s Reserve, Napa Valley 2008 750ML ($599.95) $419 sale price, previously $499, 6 bottles available
Robert Parker 99 points “The 2008 Robertas Reserve State Lane Vineyard is virtually perfect. This offering is just as strong as the 2007, but slightly more forward and irresistible than the backward 2007. It boasts a dense inky/purple color as well as an extraordinary nose of blackberry liqueur intermixed with cocoa, forest floor, graphite and subtle hints of smoke as well as camphor. The wine reveals fresh acids, laser-like precision and an extraordinary plump, fleshy mouthfeel. Already approachable, it should evolve for 20-25 years.” RP
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $589
Colgin Cellars Tychson Hill Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2010 750ML ($499.95) $358 sale price, previously $449, 3 bottles available
Robert Parker 96 points “The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Tychson Hill is virtually all Cabernet Sauvignon except for tiny dollops of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. It offers up gorgeous aromas of lavender, creme de cassis, violets, toast, incense and camphor. Layered, full-bodied and rich with great purity, focus and symmetry, this stunning effort from one of the tenderloin corridors of Napa Valley can be drunk early on or cellared for another 25-30 years.” RP
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $497/bottle
Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley 2004 750ML ($299.95) $199 sale price, previous $249, 6 bottles available
Robert Parker 98 points “Also offering off-the-charts richness, with a flamboyant, hedonistic profile, the 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon (96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc) possesses spice-laced aromas and flavors of cassis, smoke tobacco, roasted meats, dried licorice and wild herbs that are to die for. Full-bodied, incredibly layered, rich and textured it has no hard edges, masses of tannin and a finish that won’t quit. I’ve been lucky enough to taste this cuvee three times (rated 96 and 97) in the past handful of weeks and this was the best showing yet. From a cool vintage, it is still youthful and vibrant, and will continue to shine for another 15+ years. Drink now-2028.” RP
The average price is $242/bottle
Serafin Pere & Fils Les Baudes, Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru 2009 750ML ($159.95) $99 sale price, previously $109, 12 bottles available
Wine Advocate 91-93 points “The 2009 Les Baudes is one of the more open, radiant wines in this lineup. There is an unabashed sexiness to the fruit that is quite beautiful. This shows superb intensity and juiciness all the way through to the round, finish. The Baudes comes from a parcel next to de Vogue’s vineyards in Bonnes Mares. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2029.”WA
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $130/bottle
Louis Jadot Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2011 750ML ($279.95) $219 sale price, previously $249, 12 bottles available
John Gilman 94+ points “Vineyards such as Bonnes-Mares really have taken advantage of the elegant side of the 2011 vintage, and this is doubly true of this stunning wine from Maison Jadot. The deep, sappy and simply gorgeous nose wafts from the glass in a mélange of black cherries, dark berries, woodsmoke, game, espresso, fresh herbs, stunningly complex soil tones and cedar. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and quite plush on the attack, with great mid-palate depth, laser-like focus, ripe, firm tannins and simply stunning length and grip on the still very young finish. Profound juice….94+”
Stephen Tanzer 93 points “Bright, deep red. Initially explosive aromas and flavors of cherry, menthol, incense and spices subsided in favor of blueberry, crushed stone and peppermint tea: very Bonnes-Mares! Wonderfully silky and scented in the mouth, displaying very good breadth but a light touch. Finishes with a broad, fine dusting of tannins and excellent length and lift. A compellingly perfumed and pure wine: am I greedy for wanting the flesh and sweetness of a warmer year?” ST
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $271/bottle
Louis Jadot Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2011 750ML ($149.95) $98 sale price, previously $119, 11 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 92 points “Good medium red. Raspberry, redcurrant and strong spicy oak on the nose. Densely packed but a bit youthfully rough today, with raspberry and spicy oak flavors framed by sound acidity and substantial dusty tannins. Plenty of breadth and energy here but this grand cru will need at least a couple more years to harmonize in bottle.” ST
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $127/bottle
Biondi Santi Tenuta Greppo Annata, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2008 750ML ($178.95) $119 sale price, previously $139, 16 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 92 points “The 2008 Brunello di Montalcino Annata is quite pretty in this vintage. It displays a classic profile of underbrush, tobacco, smoke, licorice and black cherries. The tannins are firm but nicely balanced. I expect the 2008 will drink well with minimum cellaring. It is one of the more open Brunellos I can remember tasting here. Still, there is plenty of Biondi Santi kick in the wine’s acidity and tannin profile.” AG
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $185/bottle
Biondi Santi Tenuta Greppo Annata, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2007 750ML ($178.95) $129 sale price, previously $149, 11 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2007 Brunello di Montalcino is gorgeous. The estate’s preference for picking on the early side is one of the factors that help balance some of the fleshiness of the vintage. This is an especially silky, supple Brunello from Biondi-Santi. The overt personality of the year comes through, but not at the expense of the house’s style. Floral notes reappear to frame the elegant, expressive finish.” AG
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $187/bottle
Domaine Faiveley Bienvenues-Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune 2009 750ML ($279.95) $199 sale price, previously $219, 2 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 92 points “Palish green-yellow. Crushed stone, lemon-lime, hazelnut and a whiff of leesy complexity on the explosive nose. Boasts terrific density and sucrosite but with excellent acid backbone and firm minerality providing lift and shape. Best today on the long finish, which features palate-staining red grapefruit and crushed stone flavors. These 50-year-old vines are planted in deep soil, but there’s a lot of minerality in the subsoil, notes Hervet. Offers superb potential, but the 2008 may be even better.”ST
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $268/bottle
Domaine Faiveley Les Fuees, Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru 2010 750ML ($179.95) $133 sale price, previously $149, 12 bottles available
Burghound 91-93 points Stephen Tanzer & 90-92 points “Here the nose is more deeply pitched compared to that of the La Combe d’Orveau with ripe yet cool red berry liqueur, earth and wet stone aromas. There is outstanding delineation to the more powerful, intense and mineral-inflected flavors where the firm but ripe tannins are almost completely buffered by the copious dry extract that really coats the palate on the balanced and strikingly persistent finish. I very much like this.”BH
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The next best price is $165/bottle
Domaine Faiveley Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2011 750ML ($159.95) $119 sale price, previously $136, 9 bottles available
Burghound 92-94 points “An attractively complex and unusually refined nose speaks of red currant, kirsch, soft earth and a hint of wood spice. There is a refined mouth feel to the larger-scaled flavors thanks to the fine grain of the ripe and well-integrated tannins on the mildly austere and impressively long, indeed even explosive finish. This is terrific and the backend offers the same excellent depth the nose promises. Lovely stuff.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $174/bottle
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Just a reminder about our current shipping specials during this season:
We offer flat rate shipping on any size single order / single shipment
-to Oregon for $17,
-Washington & Idaho for $20,
-and California for $25
These rates do not apply to orders held in storage here for any reason. Multiple orders consolidated into one shipment do not qualify for flat rate shipping.
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In Case You Hadn’t Heard….
Case-3 Domenico Clerico Arte Rosso Langhe, Piedmont 2011 1.5L ($269.95) $189 special (that’s only $63/magnum!) 5 three-packs available
Stephen Tanzer 91 points “(90% nebbiolo and 10% barbera; aged for 18 months in new French oak): Good medium red. Perfumed aromas and flavors of plum, redcurrant, tobacco and spices. Intense and vibrant, with lovely inner-mouth aromatic lift. Very classy, delineated wine.” ST
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Case-6 Bollinger Special Cuvee Brut, Champagne 750ML ($359.95) $282 special (that’s only $47/bottle!) 3 six-packs available
Wine Spectator 93 points “This is firm and tightly knit, with a backbone of steely acidity, showing a fine, creamy texture that imparts an overall sense of finesse to the layers of poached apple, mille-feuille, black currant, kumquat and honey, showing hints of ground spice and smoky mineral. Drink now through 2020.” WS
Case-6 Vignobles Meyre Chateau Cap Leon Veyrin, Listrac-Medoc 2010 750ML ($179.95) $114 special (that’s only $19/bottle!) 2 six-packs available
James Suckling & Wine Enthusiast 91 points “Smooth and rich, this showcases both the structure and ripe black fruits of the vintage. It has wood-aging flavors, with a touch of caramel and fine acidity. This is for medium- to long-term aging.” WE
That’s the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $28/bottle
Case-12 Atalon Pauline’s Cuvee, Napa Valley 2010 750ML ($359.95) $199 special (that’s only $16.58/bottle!) 14 cases available
Wine Enthusiast 93 points “This Merlot-based blend is a huge success. It’s a big, tannic, tight wine, packed to bursting with black cherry liqueur, cola and spice flavors. Yet it maintains an exciting balance, with the tension between acids, tannins and oak in equilibrium. Seems like it wants 5-6 years in the cellar to let it throw some tannins and mellow.” WE
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $22.90/bottle.
Case-12 Erath Estate Selection Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2012 750ML ($419.95) $259 special (that’s only $21.58/bottle!) 4 cases available
Stephen Tanzer 89 points “Ruby-red. Pungent aromas of dark berry, cola and vanilla show good depth, with allspice and fresh rose notes providing lift. Supple and open-knit, offering sweet blackberry and cherry-cola flavors that spread out on the mid-palate. Closes smooth and subtly spicy, with velvety tannins building slowly and framing the sweet dark fruit notes.” ST
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $29.99/bottle
The average price is $34/bottle
Case-12 Antucura Cabernet Sauvignon, Vista Flores, Argentina 2012 750ML ($219.95) $159 special (that’s only $13.25/bottle!) 4 cases available
Stephen Tanzer 89 points “Good deep red. Musky aromas of redcurrant, raspberry, fresh herbs and tobacco leaf. Sweet, gentle and fat with fruit; more open-knit in the middle than the malbec. Then tightens up on the back end, finishing with a more classic dryness.” ST
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $17/bottle
Case-12 Alvear Pedro Ximenez de Anada, Montilla-Moriles 2011 375ML ($999.95) $499 special (that’s only $41.58/bottle!) 5 cases available
Robert Parker 100 points “Alvear’s 2011 Pedro Ximenez de Anada is the most amazing Pedro Ximenez I have ever tasted. It may also be one of the first to be vintage-dated. The grapes were hand-harvested in September, then allowed to dry in the sunshine until they began fermentation, which is ultimately arrested by the addition of spirits. The wine spent six months in large American oak prior to being bottled. It is an amazing effort that looks like molasses. Notes of macerated figs, chocolate and caramelized tropical fruits emerge from this full-bodied, unctuously-textured wine. While sweet, it has enough acidity to balance out its richness. This astonishing 2011 Pedro Ximenez will last as long as any reader of this newsletter.” RP
Rosé Preview
Arriving This Spring 2015
Case-12 Les Aphillanthes Cote du Rhone Rosé, Rhone 2014 750ML ($149.95) $119 special (that’s only $9.92/bottle!) 5 cases available
Case-12 Domaine Les Grands Bois Cotes du Rhone Cuvee Les Trois Soeurs Rosé, Rhone 2014 750ML ($149.95) $129 special (that’s only $10.75/bottle!) 5 cases available
Case-12 M. Plouzeau Chinon Rive Gauche Rosé, Loire 2014 750ML ($149.95) $129 special (that’s only $10.75/bottle!) 5 cases available
Case-12 Chateau de Calavon Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence Rosé, Provence 2014 750ML ($219.95) $169 special (that’s only $14.08/bottle!) 10 cases available
Case-12 Domaine Charvin Cotes du Rhone Rosé, Rhone 2014 750ML ($199.95) $169 special (that’s only $14.08/bottle!) 5 cases available
Case-12 Chateau de Manissy Tavel Rosé, Rhone 2014 750ML ($219.95) $169 special (that’s only $14.08/bottle!) 10 cases available
Case-12 Pierre-Marie Chermette Domaine du Vissoux Les Griottes Rosé, Beaujolais 2014 750ML ($219.95) $169 special (that’s only $14.08/bottle!) 5 cases available
Case-12 Domaine Collotte Marsannay Rosé, Cote de Nuits 2014 750ML ($219.95) $179 special (that’s only $14.92/bottle!) 5 cases available
Case-12 Domaine de la Bastide Blanche Bandol Rosé, Provence 2014 750ML ($279.95) $199 special (that’s only $16.58/bottle!) 10 cases available
Case-12 Pascal et Nicolas Reverdy Sancerre Terre de Maimbray Rosé, Loire 2014 750ML ($249.95) $199 special (that’s only $16.58/bottle!) 5 cases available
Case-12 Domaine Saint Damien Gigondas Rosé, Rhone 2014 750ML ($299.95) $249 special (that’s only $20.75/bottle!) 2 cases available