Vinopolpick Thursday – October World Tour

Winemaking couple Patrick and Leigh Reuter is at the heart of Dominio IV, Latin for a feast or celebration. After studying at UC Davis and learning about wine as they traveled all over the world from Chile to Burgundy, these two talented winemakers chose Oregon as their home. Along with Leigh’s parents (Liz and Glenn Bartholomew are owners of the Three Sleeps Vineyard, where much of their wine is sourced), Patrick and Leigh work to produce delicious Oregon Pinot Noirs, as well as embracing varietals less common to the area: Tempranillo, Syrah and Viognier. With much success, Dominio IV is a small winery celebrated for its unique wines that provide quality with each coming year.

Founded in 2002, Domino IV is a name based on fours: the year has four seasons, they make their wines from four varieties, a labyrinth with four quadrants is on the label, a tribute to the real life labyrinth constructed at Three Sleeps Vineyard, and the wines are released four times a year. Most of the grapes are grown at the estate Three Sleeps Vineyard in Mosier, and currently 8 of the 14 viable acres are planted and farmed biodynamically by the family. Their Pinot Noir is sourced from several Yamhill Valley sites including the Stermer, Bella Vida and Maresh vineyards. The Dominio IV winery resides in the thriving Granary District of McMinnville, Oregon, housed in what was once an agricultural storage building that has been renovated into their winemaking facilities and tasting room.

Dominio IV Wines Arriving Tomorrow

Dominio IV ‘Still Life’ Viognier 2013 ($21.95) $18 special
Dominio IV ‘Technicolor Bat’ Tempranillo/Syrah Blend 2010 ($21.95) $18 special
Dominio IV ‘Midnight Skies’ Tempranillo 2009 ($24.95) $21.90 special
Dominio IV ‘Love Lies Bleeding’ Pinot Noir 2011 ($24.95) $21.90 special
Dominio IV ‘Pondering Ptolemy’ Pinot Noir 2009 ($31.95) $28 special

Dominio IV ‘Rain on Leaves’ Pinot Noir 2010 ($31.95) $28 special
Stephen Tanzer 91 points “Bright red.  Sexy, spice-accented aromas of raspberry and candied rose, with a subtle blood orange nuance gaining strength with air.  Juicy, focused and floral in the mouth, showing a silky, seamless quality to the sweet red fruit flavors.  Closes with good spicy cut and impressive persistence, leaving floral and white pepper notes behind.”

Dominio IV ‘Tango’ Reserve Tempranillo 2006 ($49.95) $41.90 special
Wine Advocate 92 points “From Dominio IV’s Three Sleep Estate in the Columbia Gorge, their 2006 Tempranillo Reserve The Tango was vinified with a high percentage of whole berries, but no stems; and was given 18 months elevage, though not released until earlier this year. If it doesn’t convince you that this grape belongs in this part of Oregon, I don’t know what would! A ravishingly complex and varietally-typical nose of candied cherry, cigar ash, vanilla, licorice and sweat, anticipates the diversity and intrigue of a rich mid-palate with fine-grained tannin. Hints of peat and burley tobacco further inflect a sappy and sustained finish. My guess is that this will be worth following through at least 2016 and quite possibly well beyond. ”

Domaine Ostertag

A pioneer, a revolutionary winemaker, an environmentalist… so many terms can be used to describe André Ostertag, the owner and operator of his family’s 14 hectare Alsacian domaine.  After training in Burgundy, he drastically improved estate practices by introducing such grape-growing and winemaking techniques as reducing yields and converting to biodynamic.

He produces three levels of wines: fruit-driven, terroir-driven (Vins de Pierre) and time-driven.  The Vins de Pierre include single-vineyard bottlings from the Fronholz vineyard, Heissenberg vineyard and the Muenchberg Grand Cru vineyard.  Fronholz has white sand and quartz soils, and all varietals except the Pinot Gris are sourced from vines over 40 years old.  These wines show the most minerality and acidity, and are more reserved in youth.  Heissenberg is composed of pink sandstone and granite with an average vine age of over 25 years.  These wines are more forward and exotic from this warmer site.  The Grand Cru vineyard, Muenchberg, has volcanic soils.  It is named for the Cistercian monks that were the first to plant vines in the area.  The vineyard produces wines of great elegance, purity and depth of flavors.

Domaine Ostertag Wines Arriving in Late October

Domaine Ostertag Gewurztraminer Vignoble d’E 2013 ($41.95) $33 pre-arrival special
Domaine Ostertag Muscat Fronholz 2012 ($39.95) $29 pre-arrival special 
Domaine Ostertag Pinot Blanc Barriques 2013 ($27.95) $21.90 pre-arrival special      
Domaine Ostertag Pinot Gris Fronholz 2012 ($59.95) $44 pre-arrival special   
Domaine Ostertag Les Vieilles Vignes de Sylvaner 2012 ($24.95) $19 pre-arrival special 
Domaine Ostertag Riesling Vignoble d’E 2012 ($29.95) $24 pre-arrival special
Domaine Ostertag Fronholz Riesling 2012 ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Domaine Ostertag Riesling Heissenberg 2012 ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Domaine Ostertag Riesling Muenchberg, Alsace Grand Cru 2012 ($69.95) $49 pre-arrival special

Domaine Ostertag Riesling Muenchberg, Alsace Grand Cru 2011 ($69.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 94 points “Ostertag’s 2011 Riesling Muenchberg mingles fresh, very ripe apple and pear with candied grapefruit and kumquat rinds, caramelized parsnip, caraway, and fresh ginger, all wreathed in peat-like and charred smokiness, and putting me in mind of a Riesling dosed with Gewurztraminer. There is an uncanny combination of body and high glycerol with brightness here, leading to a finish of exuberant juiciness, zesty cut, interactive complexity and formidable sheer grip. I would anticipate this meriting return visits though at least 2025.” WA

Domaine Ostertag Pinot Noir Vignoble d’E 2013 ($29.95) $27 pre-arrival special 
Domaine Ostertag Pinot Noir Fronholz 2012 ($59.95) $44 pre-arrival special

Domaine Ostertag Wine Arriving October 7th

Domaine Ostertag Riesling Vignoble d’E 2011 ($29.95) $19 pre-arrival special, best price in the USA
Wine Advocate 93 points “Ostertag’s 2011 Riesling Vignoble d’E displays a remarkable combination of lushness, glycerol-richness and textural tenderness with clarity and exuberantly bright refreshment. Representing as usual the first grapes of this variety that he picked, which was however not until September 30. Luscious white peach and honeydew melon are mingled with nut oils and saliva-drawing saline-sweet, iodine-tinged lobster shell reduction, garlanded in peony, and dusted with invigoratingly biting white pepper, leading to gloriously mouthwatering and vibrantly interactive finish. It’s hard to imagine a village-level Riesling getting much more exciting than this phenomenal value. Plan to revisit it through at least 2020.” WA

Domaine Ostertag Wines Available Here Now

Domaine Ostertag Pinot Gris A360 G.C. 2008 ($67.95) $53 special, 3 bottles available
Wine Advocate 91 points “Winter pear and a hint of litchi; smoked meat and musky floral perfume follow the Ostertag 2008 Pinot Gris Muenchberg A360P from its striking nose onto a deeply-rich, glossy-textured palate, and into a long finish whose undulating layers of fruit, flower, meat, and mineral matter are tinged with vanilla. A faint hint of heat from 14.5% alcohol detracts only slightly from the effect of a wine unusually lush if less vivacious than usual for its vintage. This should show well for a half dozen or more years.” WA

Domaine Ostertag Fronholz Riesling 2010 ($44.95) $36 special, 2 bottles available
Wine Advocate 92 points “The Ostertag 2010 Riesling Fronholz leads with bittersweet, perfumed iris; then delivers piquant walnut, juicy grapefruit and pip-tinged fresh apple on an expansive and glycerol-rich palate, finishing with vibrantly interactive complexity, eye-opening invigoration, mouthwatering salinity, as well as ample sheer refreshment. Plan to follow this beauty through at least 2022.”

Domaine Ostertag Riesling Heissenberg 2010 ($44.95) $36 special, 4 bottles available
Wine Advocate 90 points “Lemon and kumquat deliver scents and flavors so brightly intense that one imagines wanting to don sunglasses to taste Ostertag’s 2010 Riesling Heissenberg. Oily in texture and exuberantly zesty while retaining an admirable degree of primary juiciness, this bottling finishes with forceful intensity as befits what went before, though along with a bright glow of citrus oils is generated just a bit of alcoholic heat. While not notable for its complexity or refinement, it’s impossible not to be impressed with this bottling, and it should be fascinating to witness what comes of it through at least 2018.”

Domaine Ostertag Pinot Noir Fronholz 2010 ($49.95) $41.90 special, 9 bottles available
Importer note: Fronholz vineyard. Vines average 40+ years old, soil is White Sand, Quartz, Clay, Marl

Daniel Bouland: Old-school Morgon

On his four hectares of vineyards in the Morgon lieu-dits of Douby, Cote de Py and Delys, Daniel Bouland has crafted a reputation as a serious and respected Beaujolais producer.  His estate in Corcelette was created from a division of his family’s estate with his brother.  The work is done by hand by himself, his daughter and a seasonal worker.  He does not use tractors or heavy machinery that would disturb the soil.   His younger vines are massal selections taken from older vineyards, some of which are 85 years old or more.  His yields are very low.  In the winery, had does 100% whole cluster fermentation in open vats with naturally present yeast.  The wines are aged in old wood and are bottled unfiltered.  Bouland suggests aging these dark and rich wines at least five years before drinking, though his wines can age up to twenty years.  The wines are densely structured Gamay and with an impressive aging potential.

Daniel Bouland Wines Arriving October 10th

Daniel Bouland Morgon Corcelette Vieilles Vignes 2012 ($29.95) $24 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 90 points “The 2012 Morgon Corcelette comes from 60-year-old vines and IS aged in foudres. It has a broodier nose than the Cote de Brouilly with dusky blackberry and briary scents, touches of wild hedgerow and woodland. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins. It is very well-balanced, but there is something introspective toward the finish that is very engaging and urges you to take another sip. Drink now-2020.” WA

Bouland Morgon Cuvee Delys 2012 ($29.95) $24 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2012 Morgon Vieilles Vignes comes courtesy of 60-year-old vines. It has an understated bouquet of raspberry, tilled earth and briary scents that unfold in the glass. The palate is crisp and fresh with a slightly higher acidity than the Corcelette, but with more tension and vibrancy on the finish. This is another superb Morgon from Daniel Bouland. Drink now-2020.” WA

Ca del Baio

This winery is managed by the fourth generation of the Grasso family, Giulio and Luciana and their three daughters.  The holdings date to the 1880s when the family owned the entire Asili vineyard.  In the 1950s, the family built the winery.  They take a naturalistic approach to winemaking: no chemical fertilizers or herbicides are used in the vineyards, fermentation is with naturally present yeasts and no manipulation is performed that interferes with vintage variations.

All wines are produced exclusively from estate grown fruit from vines averaging 25 to 40 years old.  They oversee 14 hectares of Nebbiolo fruit and smaller holdings of other varietals.  The Valgrande is from the village of Treiso and the Asili is from the village of Barbaresco.  The Valgrande is their most traditional and elegant bottling, showing notes of ripe fruits, flowers and dried herbs.  It is aged for 30 months in large Slavonian oak casks.  The Asili is produced from the oldest vines on the estate and is aged in oak casks and small French barrels for 24 months.  It typically shows notes of red cherries and violets with touches of black pepper and spices.

Ca del Baio Wines Available Here Now

Ca’ del Baio Asili, Barbaresco DOCG 2005 1.5L ($119.95) $99 special, 2 magnums available
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The estate’s 2005 Barbaresco Asili opens with a beguiling profile of dried roses, spices and raspberries. It possesses a compelling inner sweetness supported by finessed, silky-textured tannins. This bottling offers notable elegance and class, but then again, it is Asili. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2020.”

Ca’ del Baio Asili, Barbaresco DOCG 2009 1.5L ($89.95) $69 special, 5 magnums available
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2009 Barbaresco Asili caresses the palate with soft, open fruit and a resonant personality that is quite striking. The essence of red berries, rose petals and sweet spices blossom in the glass. This is an especially vibrant style for the year, with excellent freshness, color and balance. Firm tannins support a highly attractive, delineated finish. The 2009 should be an absolute beauty in another few years, once the tannins soften. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024. I was deeply impressed with the wines I tasted from Ca’del Baio this year. As always, the house style favors a juicy, fruit-forward expression of Nebbiolo.” WA

Ca’ del Baio Valgrande, Barbaresco DOCG 2010 ($37.95) $29 special, 3+ cases available
Wine Advocate 94 points “Of course, the Nebbiolos are nothing to sneeze at. The 2010 Barbaresco Valgrande, on the other hand, delivers a heightened sense of elegance and feminine restraint. The bouquet is redolent of cola, tar, blue flower, rosehip with faint hints of exotic spice. The tight grip of the tannins–firm without being astringent–gives this wine the attributes needed for longer cellar time. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2026” WA

Pierre Chainier

Pierre Chainier manages several estates in the Loire Valley regions of Vouvray, Amboise and Touraine.  His family has a long history of producing wine in Bordeaux.  He became fascinated with the Loire and founded his business in 1960s in Amboise.  Today, his wife manages the estates, his eldest son manages the company and owns several vineyards in Vouvray, and his younger sons manage the export aspect of the business.  The vineyards from which the grapes and wines are sourced are sustainably farmed.  Each parcel of land or vat of wine purchased by the estate is inspected for quality of product.

His Quintessence Chinon is 100% Cabernet Franc.  It is a rich, full-bodied and fully structured wine with notes of black fruits.  The Quintessence Pouilly Fume is 100% Sauvignon Blanc from limestone, silex and clay soils.  The wine is refreshingly aromatic with notes of fresh flowers, white peaches and a hint of smoke on the creamy palate.

Chainier Quintessence Pouilly Fume 2011 ($21.95) $11.90 special, 3+ cases available
Chainier Quintessence Chinon Rouge 2012 ($24.95) $11.90 special, 3 cases available

Ismael Arroyo was the leading force behind the creation of the Ribera del Duero DO in 1982.  His family has produced wine in the region for over 400 years.  The winery was founded in 1979 over a sixteenth century wine cellar.  The cellar is composed of almost 4,000 square feet of tunnels due into the rocks that were expanded in 1992 to add additional space for barrels and wine racks.  They are naturally vibration-free and stay at around 52 degrees Fahrenheit.  Wines are aged in 225 liter American oak barrels.

Bodegas Ismael Arroyo Val Sotillo Crianza, Ribera del Duero 2006 ($34.95) $19 special, 40 bottles available
Case-12 Bodegas Ismael Arroyo Val Sotillo Crianza, Ribera del Duero 2006 ($249.95) $199 special, four cases available, that’s only $16.58 a bottle!
Wine Enthusiast 91 points “Vibrant and honest, with expressive raspberry and cherry aromas and flavors accented by mint leaf, liqueur and cassis. Really hits the spot and then fades away in no hurry. A smoking-good crianza that hammers home the fact that Ismael Arroyo’s wines are still leaders in RDD. Drink now-2015” WE

Decanters – In-store pick up only

Riedel Vinum Decanter ($149.95) $99 closeout special, 2 available
Riedel Item Code 416/14 – best price in the USA!  Expect to pay double elsewhere!

Riedel Vinum Extreme Decanter ($329.95) $199 closeout special, 1 available
Riedel Item Code 1800/14 – best price in the USA!  Expect to pay at least $100 more elsewhere!

Crystal/Glassware Sets – In-store pick up only

Spiegelau “St. Claire” Flute Champagne Wine Glass 6 pack ($59.95) $39 closeout special, 5 boxes available

Spiegelau Authentis Champagne Glass 6 pack ($49.95) $29 closeout special, 8 packs available
Best price in the USA!

Glassware Singles – In-store pick up only

Riedel Vinum Brandy / Cognac snifter ($27.95) $19 closeout special, 3 glasses available
Item description “The Riedel Bar Vinum brandy glass is made of 24 percent lead crystal. The rounded balloon-style bowl on this Riedel brandy snifter is specifically shaped for brandy or cognac drinkers to cup the bottom with their palm to warm the beverage with one hand. Coupled with the narrower rim on the glass, the bowl is also designed to direct the liquors’ aroma to the nose with each sip. Riedel Vinum Cognac/Brandy Snifter is recommended for Cognac XO or Mature Armagnac.”
Best price in the USA!