Special Announcement: Only Two Days Remain!; Jump Start Sale: Feudi di San Gregorio; Haut-Brion 1989; Featured New Arrivals: Screaming Eagle Second Flight, Bartolo Mascarello, Coulet 2009; Karthauserhof Sale; Take a Look – It’s Inglenook; New Wine Advocate & Robert Parker Reviews for CaliforniaNewly Arrived: Vincent Pinot Noir; Dominus Estate’s Triple Perfection; Cayuse – New Offers Arriving Friday; Joseph Swan Zinfandel – New Releases Arriving Next Week; Coutier Champagne; Isole e Olena: New Offers; October Sales Recap
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Special Announcement:
Only Two Days Remain for our October Sales
Produttori del Barbaresco ‘Barbaresco DOCG’, Piedmont 2011 750ML ($37.95) Was $29, Now $26
Wine Spectator 93 points “Marked by ripe cherry, strawberry, floral and tar flavors, this red is graceful and detailed, with the fruit intensity persisting on the finish. This is well-integrated, and just needs time for the tannins to soften. Excellent length. Best from 2018 through 2030.” WS
Round Pond Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford 2013 750ML ($59.95) Was $49, Now $44, 36+ bottles available
Robert Parker 92 points “The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford, a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Petit Verdot and 4% Malbec, is a beauty. It’s also realistically priced by Napa standards. The wine reveals toasty oak, blackberry and cassis fruit, beautiful texture, purity and length. This is a big-time winner and should drink well for 12-15 years.”
Antonio Galloni 92 points “Round Pond’s 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is fabulous. Aromatic, pliant and expressive, the 2013 is incredibly nuanced for such a young wine. Sweet red plum, wild flowers, mint and cinnamon meld together in a medium-bodied, gracious Cabernet that will drink well with minimal cellaring.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $55
Bodegas Hacienda Monasterio, Ribera del Duero 2012 750ML ($44.95) Was $36.60, Now $33, 36+ bottles available
Wine Advocate 94 points “The current vintage for the crianza is 2012. The 2012 Crianza, from a dry vintage, resulted much fresher than expected, fresher than 2009 and 2011 in fact. The vines are dry-farmed and were planted some 22 years ago, and you might say they have matured by now. The approximate mixture of grapes in their vineyards is mostly Tempranillo with some 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot and 2% Malbec, and it’s more or less the blend in this wine. The Cabernet works well, providing finesse and some acidity to the Tempranillo….The wine matured in 20% new French oak barrels for some 20 months. There are no traces of the barriques and the nose took me to the Riberas of yesteryear, with some subtle rusticity; it’s ripe without excess and there’s good balance between fruit, spices and perhaps something earthy. The palate is extremely balanced, medium-bodied with very fine tannins, tasty, approachable and long. This could very well be the best crianza ever produced at Monasterio. This has to be one of the bargains of the vintage in Ribera, given the quality it deliver.”
Tenute del Cerro ‘La Poderina’ Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2006 750ML ($74.95) Was $59, Now $39, 26 bottles available
James Suckling 95 points “Blueberries, flowers and raspberries. Love the nose, like so many others. Full body, with fine tannins and a silky textured finish. So much going on here. Class”JS
Browse to the bottom of this newsletter for the entire list of October sales!
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Jump Start Sale
96 Point Wine!
Wine arrives in February 2017
Best price anywhere!
Feudi di San Gregorio Piano di Montevergine Riserva,Taurasi DOCG 2010 750ML ($34.95) $29 pre-arrival super special
Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2010 Taurasi Riserva Piano di Montevergine is a standout wine that excels on all fronts. The bouquet delivers an enormous level of harmony and intensity with well-articulated tones of spice, dark fruit, pressed blackberry, clove, cola and balsam herb. Nuanced mineral notes stand out very nicely and render a great sense of definition and focus. Equally impressive is the mouthfeel that moves over the palate with determination and elegance. The tannins are finessed, silky but extra firm. Thanks to the balanced acidity and its natural structure, this wine promises long cellar aging potential. It should evolve over the next 20 years.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
New Arrival from Feudi di San Gregorio:
Feudi di San Gregorio Serpico Rosso Irpinia, Campania 2010 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Wine Advocate 95+ points “The outstanding 2010 Irpinia Aglianico Serpico is Aglianico from a pre-phylloxera vineyard that sees 18 months of medium toast oak. This vintage reveals an impressive sense of balance and inner harmony with dark fruit tones that are enhanced by bright accents of cherry and dried blueberry. Extra focus and intensity is achieved thanks to the dusty mineral shadings that give pretty contours to the plump fruit. There are distant endnotes of crushed white pepper as well. The tannins offer both firmness and texture. This is a beautiful expression of Aglianico.”
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The Glory of the Glory of Bordeaux,
One bottle, perfect in every respect:
A wine of firsts. Haut Brion was Bordeaux’s original grand vin: the first Bordeaux to be grown, branded, and marketed as a single-estate, château wine; the first to receive written mention as such, in Samuel Pepys’ famous 1663 diary; and the first on the 1855 classification list. Even oenophile/diplomat Thomas Jefferson visited Haut Brion in 1787, to sample and purchase one of his favorite wines. Quality has always remained the passion at this 111-acre estate in Pessac. Arnaud de Pontac, Haut Brion’s 17th-century savior, and president of Bordeaux’s parliament, could afford low yields, new oak, and elimination of moldy grapes and inferior wines. The rest of the Médoc gradually followed suit, creating the classed growths we know today, with wine estates around the world eventually embracing the same pursuit of absolute quality.
Haut Brion long ago established perfection… and then came 1989. Robert Parker calls the ‘89 “immortal” and “a modern-day legend,” while other elite critics agree that this was Bordeaux’s wine of the (excellent) vintage. Considered the most aromatic of the first growths, Haut Brion is also known to age flawlessly. Which means it’s ready for drinking today, or could even wait another decade in bottle. This 100-point wine truly deserves more points! Accolades aside, Haut Brion serves as one of the greatest wonders in the world of fine wine—sure to astonish even the most experienced palate—and it represents the distinguished history of almighty Bordeaux. What a pity we all can’t have a sip.
Chateau Haut-Brion, Pessac-Leognan 1989 750ML ($1,699.95) $1,299 special, 1 bottle available
Robert Parker 100 points “This continues to be one of the immortal wines and one of the greatest young Bordeaux wines of the last half-century. Consistently prodigious and almost a sure bet to top the scoring card of any blind tasting of this vintage as well as other years, the 1989 Haut-Brion is a seamless, majestic classic, and a tribute to this phenomenal terroir and its singular characteristics. The wine still has a very thick, viscous-looking ruby/purple color, a spectacular, young but awesome smorgasbord of aromas ranging from scorched earth, liquid minerals, graphite, blackberry and black currant jam to toast, licorice, and spice box. The levels of fruit, extract, and glycerin in this viscous, full-bodied, low-acid wine are awe-inspiring. The brilliant symmetry of the wine, extraordinary purity, and seamlessness are the hallmarks of a modern-day legend. It is still in its pre-adolescent stage of development, and I would not expect it to hit its full plateau of maturity for another 3-5 years, but this should be an Haut-Brion that rivals the greatest ever made at this estate. Life is too short not to drink this wine as many times as possible! A modern day clone of the 1959? Anticipated maturity: 2005-2030. Last tasted, 1/03.”
Wine Spectator 100 points “What a gorgeous, seductive and beautiful wine, as always. I can’t get over the perfumed aromas of subtle milk chocolate, cedar and sweet tobacco. Full-bodied, yet so refined and silky, lasting for minutes on the palate. Everything is in just the right proportion. This is a wine that will go on forever. I love it. One of my great loves in the wine world.—’89/’99 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2009).”
Our bottle comes from an American importer who acquired it on original release and cellared until now.
The bottle is pristine and features a fill in the neck.
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $1,687
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Burgundy Lovers (and Dreamers):
Special New Arrival
Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Richebourg Grand Cru 1993 750ML ($1,799.95) $1,349 special, 1 bottle available
Neal Martin (with Wine Advocate) 91 points “[reviewed 2013] It has been several years since I last tasted this vintage of Aubert de Villaine’s Richebourg. This bottle has a pretty, generous bouquet with small dark cherries, iodine and raspberry preserve, the mineral component only becoming apparent with time in the glass. The palate is structured, more masculine than the nose suggests, supple and pure with a cohesive, rather sinewy finish. This is not a flamboyant Richebourg: more strict and unyielding, so I would give it another three or four years in the cellar.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $1,899
Pristine condition
Fill is 1/2” below capsule
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The Eagle Has Landed
Screaming Eagle ‘Second Flight’, Napa Valley 2013 750ML ($599.95) $519 special, 5 bottles available
James Suckling 97 points “Very bright and aromatic with dark purple fruits on the nose. Mint, floral and vine bark. Spearmint. Full body, very firm tannins, wonderful savoriness. Flavorful finish. A fabulous mouthfeel. Very, very long. Mostly merlot with cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc. Drink or hold.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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Shipping Season Has Arrived
Don’t miss out!
If you have wine being held for cooler weather, please contact us to arrange shipping at this time. Email or call today!
Newly Arrived
Bartolo Mascarello & Matthieu Barret
Matthieu Barret Domaine du Coulet Cornas Les Terrasses du Serre, Rhone 2009 750ML ($79.95) $59 special, 24 bottles available
Wine Advocate 95 points “While they didn’t present this cuvee in 2012, I sourced a bottle of 2009 Cornas les Terrasses du Serre locally to see a slightly older vintage. Classic Cornas, with chewy, meaty, bloody notes of black fruits, lavender, olive tapenade and violets, this beauty has everything you could want from a Syrah from these steep granite slopes. Full-bodied, concentrated and beautifully textured, with integrated acidity and plenty of tannin, drink it anytime over the coming decade or more.”
Bartolo Mascarello Barolo DOCG, Piedmont 2007 750ML ($149.95) $119 special, 9 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 97 points “Mascarello’s 2007 Barolo shows just how compelling this vintage can be, even now. Sensual, layered and totally voluptuous in the glass, the 2007 shows the more flamboyant side of Barolo. I find the wine’s voluptuous, engaging personality impossible to resist. Sure, 2007 is not a classic vintage, but when a wine is this good, I say: Who cares?”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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Karthauserhof
We’re kick starting our November sales early by slashing prices on all Karthauserhof wines in stock!
Karthauserhof is a special and unique winery even in a region with an abundance of magical producers—the combination of unique, historical sites, own-rooted vines and visionary ownership has created an iconic producer whose wines bear attention year in and out.
The winery dates back to at least the 13th century and takes its name from the original use of the building and plantings as a Carthusian monastery. In the centuries since its establishment, Karthauserhof has become one of the two vanguard producers of the Ruwer valley, a small, colder tributary of the Mosel. With history like that, it would be easy for a winery to rest on its laurels, but the Tyrell family (owners of the winery) have been forward looking in both the farming (no pesticides are used in the vineyards) and in the winemaking (Karthauserhof was a one of the most prominent Mosel wineries to begin focusing on dry wines).
The resulting wines combine the power and complexity of old vineyards, often own-rooted, in great soils with a modern eye toward polish and raciness. The Ruwer tends to be cooler than the middle Mosel, so the wines are naturally bright, crunchy and mineral-driven no matter how dry or sweet they are. Our offering this week highlights these estate wines in a variety of styles and formats (including some incredibly rare magnums) over a trio of very successful vintages for the Mosel.
Karthauserhof Wines On Sale & Available Here Now:
Weingut Karthauserhof Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs Trocken, Mosel 2013 750ML ($69.95) Was $59, Now $49, 35 bottles available
Weingut Karthauserhof Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs Trocken, Mosel 2013 375ML ($39.95) Was $28, Now $24, 10 half-bottles available
Case-6 Weingut Karthauserhof Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs Trocken, Mosel 2013 750ML ($359.95) Was $299, Now $269, 6 six-packs available (that’s only $44.83/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 93 points “Very clear, discreet and refined on the nose – where the 2013 Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg Riesling GG displays fine stone and fruit aromas of lemons and green apples. Lean and vital but also intense, rich and juicy on the palate, this is a lovely pure, straightforward, piquant and very salty expression of the Karthäuserhofberg terroir and the 2013 vintage. This long-distance runner has more fruit intensity than the Edition and reveals a very fine raciness and a complex finish with lingering lemon aromas.” WA
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $64.99 for the 750ML
Weingut Karthauserhof ‘Ruwer’ Riesling Trocken, Mosel 2014 750ML ($29.95) Was $26, Now $21.90 special, 26 bottles available
Jean Fisch & David Rayer, Mosel Fine Wines #28: “This delivers a clean feel of grapefruit, herbs, spices and fresh fruits. The wine is still on the sharp and reduced side on the palate and is best left alone until next year to give it a chance to flesh out and gain in aromatic zest and fruity presence. 2016-2018”
John Gilman, View From The Cellar #56: “The basic estate Riesling Trocken from Karthäuserhof is really an excellent basic bottling from the 2014 vintage, as it offers up impressive focus and cut in its medium-bodied, dry and quite complex format. The lovely nose is still on the young side, but deep and pure, as it wafts from the glass in a mix of grapefruit, wild yeasts, lemongrass, petrol, slate and dried flowers. On the palate the wine is medium-bodied, crisp and still fairly primary in personality, with an impressive core of fruit, excellent cut and grip for the vintage and a long, youthful and beautifully balanced finish. 2015-2035.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $39.99
Weingut Karthauserhof Tyrells Edition Riesling Trocken, Mosel 2014 750ML ($49.95) Was $39, Now $36, 24 bottles available
Jean Fisch & David Rayer, Mosel Fine Wines #28: “Already at this early stage, this gorgeously light wine (with only 11.5% of alcohol) delivers beautiful scents of cassis, white flowers and minerals on the nose and a superbly playful feel on the palate. The finish is long and deliciously tart. Despite the hint of fruits, this is still only at the beginning of its life and lovers of racy Riesling will really enjoy this most in a few years’ time. 2019-2029”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $44.99
Weingut Karthauserhof Alte Reben Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg Riesling Spatlese Trocken, Mosel 2014 750ML ($39.95) Was $33, Now $29, 22 bottles available
Wine Advocate 90 points “The 2014 Riesling Trocken Alte Reben (officially Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg Riesling Spätlese trocken, AP #8) offers a deep and ripe, as well as very fine and elegant bouquet. Intense and mineral on the palate, this is a stunningly complex and persistent Riesling with power, structure, finesse and a lingering salinity and complexity. Good aging potential.”
John Gilman, View From The Cellar #56: ” The 2014 Alte Reben Riesling Trocken from Weingut Karthäuserhof is an outstanding example of the vintage. This excellent wine delivers a fine bouquet bread fruit, pink grapefruit, wild yeasts, lovely smokiness, a fine base of slate minerality and a topnote of citrus peel. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and rock solid at the core, with outstanding focus and grip, a fairly primary personality and superb length and balance on the young, but very promising finish.
This was the lowest listed price in the USA today,
Now it’s even lower!
The average price is $37
Weingut Karthauserhof Schieferkristall Riesling Kabinett Feinherb, Mosel 2012 750ML ($37.95) Was $33, Now $29, 8 bottles available
Mosel Fine Wines 91 points “Schieferkristall refers to the Kabinett-styled wines at the Estate (the reference to Kabinett is pushed to the back label). A whiff of wild yeasts gives quickly way to a very attractive and floral bouquet of rose-water, grapefruit and mint. The round and fruity feel from the residual sugar (20 g/l) is nicely balanced by some zesty acidity and a pure and spicy feel in the long finish. This is a deliciously fresh and lively off-dry Riesling made with a small 9.5% of alcohol. 2014-2020.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $34.99
Weingut Karthauserhof Schieferkristall Riesling Feinherb, Mosel 2014 750ML ($31.95) Was $29, Now $26, 24 bottles available
David Schildknecht–Vinous Media: “Reflecting a selection of lots that finished with more than 10 grams of residual sugar and under 10% alcohol, this delivers juicy white and redcurrant tinged with sage and marjoram, leading to a buoyant and refreshing finish of impressive sheer penetration. Its higher acidity vis-à-vis this collection’s dry wines is experienced as positive vivacity. It’s entirely possible that greater complexity will emerge with some time in bottle.”
Weingut Karthauserhof Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2014 750ML ($34.95) Was $33, Now $29, 36 bottles available
Weingut Karthauserhof Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2014 1.5L ($89.95) Was $69, Now $59, 6 magnums available
Wine Advocate 91 points “The 2014 Riesling Karthäuserhofberg Kabinett is a very clear, bright and delicate Riesling of great finesse and lightness. Lovely juiciness. The acidity is rather smooth, respectively and perfectly integrated into the round and elegant texture. This Riesling is very clear, bright and light. with great finesse and lightness. Ruwer style. Bottled with 8% alcohol and 44 grams of residual sugar.”
John Gilman, View From The Cellar #56: “The 2014 Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg Kabinett is a terrific young Kabinett in this vintage that has produced some many excellent examples of this Prädikat level. The wine wafts from the glass in a very impressively complex and utterly classic constellation of green apple, a touch of white cherry, complex minerality, a touch of petrol, white flowers, a bit of wild yeasts, lemon zest and a whiff of ocean breeze in the upper register. On the palate the wine is medium- bodied, mineral and beautifully filigreed, with a nice core of fruit, bright, ripe acids, excellent focus and grip and a very long, dancing and youthful finish of excellent potential. A paradigm of its Prädikat level. 2015-2035+”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Weingut Karthauserhof Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2012 750ML ($34.95) Was $29, Now $24, 25 bottles available
Mosel Fine Wines 92 points “This Wine is quite open and expressive at this early stage and explodes with juicy flavors of yellow peach, quince and some flowers on the palate. This offers everything one could expect from a juicy Spatlese. The fact that it does deliver the goods without too much richness (it has technically less than 60 g/l of residual sugar) makes it utterly delicious also at this ealrly stage. 2017-2032” MFW
Weingut Karthauserhof Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2014 750ML ($49.95) Was $39, Now $33, 36 bottles available
Weingut Karthauserhof Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2014 1.5L ($99.95) Was $79, Now $69, 6 magnums available
Wine Advocate 90+ points “The 2014 Riesling Karthäuserhofberg Spätlese (AP #9) offers a very clear and complex, mineral-scented bouquet of ripe white fruits. Juicy and piquant on the palate, with grip, raciness and the lean and crystalline Karthäuserhofberg character, this is a pretty complex and persistent Spätlese with grip and a prominent crispiness. It should be cellared for at least another 5-10 years. Very good aging potential.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Weingut Karthauserhof Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2014 750ML ($59.95) Was $49, Now $39, 12 bottles available
Weingut Karthauserhof Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2014 1.5L ($119.95) $89 special, 6 magnums available
Weingut Karthauserhof Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2014 375ML ($39.95) Was $31.90, Now $28, 24 half-bottles available
Wine Advocate 89+ points “Deeply yellow in color, the 2014 Riesling Karthäuserhofberg Auslese (AP #12) displays an intense yet pretty clear and piquant, yellow-fleshed fruit and botrytis on the nose (pineapples). Sweet and concentrated on the palate, with a racy acidity (10.8 grams per liter of total acidity!) and bittersweet grapefruit flavors in the finish, this is a classic Ruwer Auslese. It is dense and pretty rich – the sugar free extract of 39.9 grams per liter – but neither too sweet (67 grams per liter of residual sugar) nor too opulent (8% alcohol). You can easily drink it, but shouldn’t do so before 2020. The aftertaste detects that the botrytis could have been selected even more carefully.”
Jean Fisch & David Rayer, Mosel Fine Wines #28: “Vineyard selections of botrytis-affected grapes only delivered 500 liters of Auslese harvested with a comparatively low 94° Oechsle. This Auslese starts off with a beautifully complex nose of fresh fruits, with pineapple, star anise and spices providing depth to the experience. The wine is superbly playful on the palate, where mouth-watering acidity adds to the aromatic precision. A riper side comes through in the finish tough, with almond, saffron and honey giving the wine a definitive Auslese GK style. 2024-2044”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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Take a Look
It’s Inglenook!
Newly Arrived from the Rutherford Legend
Inglenook 1882 Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford 2013 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 12 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 91 points “The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon 1882 shows just how compelling this vintage is, even at the entry-level. Black cherries, plums, menthol, lavender and licorice flow across the palate in a dark, sumptuous wine endowed with real depth and nuance. Fleshy and supple, but with plenty of supporting acidity and vintage 2013 energy, the 1882 is a terrific introduction to the vintage. This is a very serious wine.”
Inglenook Cask Cabernet, Rutherford 2012 750ML ($79.95) $59 special, 6 bottles available
Wine Advocate 93+ points “There have been a number of changes of late at Inglenook, so I was anxious to taste the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Cask. This wine was first created in 1949 and during that era, through the 50s and early 60s, was considered one of the finest wines of California. This is the best, young Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignon I have tasted during my professional career of 35 years. Dense ruby/purple with classic crème de cassis, but underlying minerality and spice box. The wine is full-bodied, but not over-the-top, yet nevertheless authoritative, rich and quite long. There is a thickness and concentration I haven’t seen from this estate in many a year and this wine should age beautifully for 20-25 years at the very minimum.”
Inglenook ‘Rubicon’ Red, Rutherford 2012 750ML ($189.95) $169 special, 6 bottles available
Robert Parker 95 points “The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Rubicon, which used to be a proprietary blend and had a somewhat rustic, Italian personality, has now been put under the Inglenook Vineyard designation. Where the Cabernet Sauvignon was a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Cabernet Franc and 3% Merlot, the Rubicon has abandoned any Italian varietals in favor of a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Merlot. I think it’s safe to say this is potentially the best Rubicon made to date. It’s not to denigrate other vintages, but there is a finesse and elegance combined with great richness and an avoidance of any rusticity that plagued some of the other vintages – which is to be admired. At three times the price, it’s not three times the wine of the Cask Cabernet Sauvignon. It possesses a dense purple color, beautiful, sweet crème de cassis notes with a floral underpinning. I don’t see any of the Rutherford dust, per se, but there is an undertone of earthiness. The wine is full-bodied, rich, potentially complex and certainly capable of lasting 20 to 30 or more years. This is a great young Rubicon that will have its peak in 5-7 years and last 25-30.”
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New Wine Advocate & Robert Parker Reviews
Newly Reviewed Wines Available Here Now
Varner Neely Holly’s Cuvee Spring Ridge Vineyard Chardonnay 2014 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Jeb Dunnuck – Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2014 Chardonnay Holly’s Cuvee is a big, rich and sexy white that nevertheless manages to stay fresh, livey and pure. Possessing lots of tropical fruits, flower oil, honeysuckle and a hint of peach, it’s already hard to resist, and I don’t see any need to delay gratification either.”
Varner Wine Bee Block Spring Ridge Vineyard Chardonnay 2014 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Jeb Dunnuck – Wine Advocate 95 points “Clearly the star of the show, the 2014 Chardonnay Bee Block Spring Ridge Vineyard is the most complete, layered and persistent white in the lineup. Possessing medium to full-bodied richness, solid mid-palate depth and fabulous precision and focus, with classy notes of sauteed apples, crushed rocks, spice and flowers, it opens up beautifully with time in the glass and is a killer white that readers need to seek out. I like it today, but I’ve no doubt this beauty will keep for a decade or more.”
Varner Home Block Spring Ridge Vineyard Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains 2014 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Jeb Dunnuck – Wine Advocate 94 points “Another sensational effort for these two brothers, the 2014 Chardonnay Home Block Spring Ridge Vineyard reveals more minerality, as well as medium to full-bodied richness, terrific purity and classic, tropical aromas and flavors. Expansive, gorgeously textured and balanced, drink this beauty over the coming 5-7 years.”
Orin Swift Palermo Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2014 750ML ($44.95) $39 special
Robert Parker 91 points “I tasted three Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines from Orin Swift. The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Palermo, all Napa Valley fruit and a blend dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon with a little Merlot and Malbec, was aged only 10 months in 35% new French oak. Bottled early to accentuate its fruit, this wine has soft, low-acid flavors, plenty of crème de cassis, chocolate and tobacco leaf, a medium to full-bodied mouthfeel and a long finish. It should drink well for the next 10-15 years, perhaps longer.”
Newly Reviewed Wines Arriving Early November
Bedrock Wine Co. Evangelho Vineyard Heritage Red, Contra Costa County 2015 750ML ($39.95) $36 pre-arrival special
Robert Parker 93 points “From Contra Costa County, the 2015 Proprietary Red Evangelho Heritage comes from directly rooted Zinfandel, Mourvèdre, Carignan, Palomino, Alicante and Mission all planted in the 1890s on what is basically a sandy bench. The briary intensity of the Zinfandel is well-displayed, but then the blue and black fruits seem to jump out as do some dusty/loamy soil notes, forest floor, underbrush, pepper and background smoky notes. This is rich, floral, heady, intriguing and provocative. Drink it over the next 5-7 years.”
Bedrock Wine Co. ‘The Bedrock Heritage’ Wine, Sonoma Valley 2015 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Robert Parker 96 points “Possibly the flagship wine is the 2015 Proprietary Red The Bedrock Heritage. This ancient vineyard is planted with 27 different varieties, so I won’t even begin to list them, as that is a book in itself. This is Rhône Valley-like, with notes of Mediterranean herbs, blackberries, blueberries, loamy soil notes, incense, creosote, steak tartare and pepper followed by a wine of great intensity – built like a skyscraper, with layers of fruit and extraction. It is a sensational effort, super-complex, and best drunk over the next decade.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Bedrock Wine Co. Cuvee Karatas, Sonoma County 2015 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Robert Parker 94 points “The 2015 Cuvée Karatas Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, the latter from a parcel of Semillon planted in the 1880s in the Monte Rosso Vineyard. Morgan Peterson says it is “one-of-a-kind stuff” and there is no reason to doubt him. This is more of an over-the-top flamboyant, rather amazing wine with notes of orange marmalade, honeydew melon, jam, quince, white currants and flowers. There was an almost unctuous quality to the texture and super-concentration from these two varieties. Most of this is from dry-farmed vineyards and the honeyed, low-yields that were present in 2015 are translated into this wonderfully fresh, incredible wine that almost behaves like one of the great Ygrecs from Chateau d’Yquem. Drink it over the next 5-7 years, although I wouldn’t be surprised to see it last longer.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Schrader Cellars LPV Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2014 750ML ($399.95) $289 pre-arrival special
Robert Parker 99 points “The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon LPV is from clone 337 from the Las Piedras Vineyard in St. Helena. This shows Mission Haut-Brion-like characteristics as it has in the past, with crushed rock, wet gravel, scorched earth, blackberry and blueberry fruit. It is clearly one of my favorites of this entire tasting. It has 14.5% natural alcohol and was aged in 90% new Darnajou and 10% new Taransaud barrels. This is a killer effort.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $295
Schrader Cellars RBS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2014 750ML ($499.95) $319 pre-arrival special
Robert Parker 96 points “The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon RBS is made from the same clone (337) as the Georges III, but comes from the To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville and not the Rutherford Georges III. This was aged in 85% new Darnajou and 15% new Taransaud. It has fabulous concentration, notes of incense, licorice, blackcurrants, blackberries, as well as spring flowers. The wine is juicy, savory and full-bodied, with wonderful underlying energy and freshness. This wine is a more forward style than we saw with the 2013s, and is best drunk over the next 16-20 years.”
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Newly Arrived
Vincent’s Pinot Noir
We’re pleased to highlight some of the wines made by Vincent Fritzsche from an assortment of vineyards in the Willamette Valley. His Pinot Noir is consistently some of the finest (and finest value) we taste. Classical in style, his wines are fermented natively and see no new oak which highlights the terroir of the vineyard and the purity of the fruit.
Vincent Pinot Noir Bjornson Vineyard 2014 750ML ($39.95) $33 special, 12 bottles available
“Bjornson vineyard is higher in the Eola Hills, where there’s red volcanic soil over basalt and the afternoons see coastal winds come over the hill to keep the daytime high temperatures moderate. This year’s Bjornson is brilliant ruby in color, not as dark as usual but with no less intensity. The aroma is piney with a touch of mint mixed in with bright crystalline red berry fruit notes. The flavors echo all that, with a bright, energetic thrust and a strong mineral quality…I like wines with a bit of edge and nerve, rather than plush but shapeless flavor of more heavy-handed winemaking technique. This wine has all that, and is poised to age well as usual with this site. Two barrels.” – Winery Notes
Vincent Pinot Noir Zenith Vineyard 2014 750ML ($39.95) $33 special, 12 bottles available
“This year’s Zenith is a breakthrough. I’ve loved this vineyard for decades, when I was a consumer and buying St. Innocent’s wines from the O’Connor Vineyard, later renamed Zenith. I’ve worked with the vines here since 2008, when I was still making wine in my garage. In 2014 I’m bottling three barrels of Zenith because it’s so good. Full disclosure – this is the darkest wine of the year, the most full and rich. But it’s so elegant still, so layered and complex, with black cherries and darker fruit elements, then fine tannin that will help this wine unwind nicely over many years. I don’t force extraction in the winemaking process. We get what we get from the vintage, and in 2014 the Zenith seems exceptional to me. Buy accordingly. Three barrels.”-Winery Notes
Vincent Pinot Noir Eola-Amity Hills 2014 750ML ($29.95) $24 special, 12 bottles available
“This bottling is a blend of remaining barrels from Crowley Station, Zenith and Bjornson after those single vineyard designates have been selected. Where the Ribbon Ridge is more black cherries, the Eola-Amity Hills bottling is more raspberries and lovely earthy notes, a touch darker in tone than Ribbon Ridge. Good density here for drinking now or cellaring several years. Eight barrels.” -Winery Notes
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Dominus Estate
Triple Perfection
Dominus Estate Christian Moueix, Napa Valley 2013 375ML ($169.95) $138 special
Robert Parker 100 points “The 2013 Dominus is, to my way of thinking, one of the most profound wines Christian Moueix has yet made in his rather brilliant winemaking history, both in France and in Napa Valley. This wine, with very low yields of only 3,500 cases and a final blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc, offers up notes of cedar wood, forest floor, loamy soil and oodles of blackberry and blackcurrant fruit. Very opaque purple in color, super-pure and intense, this wine has low acidity, but ripe, noticeable tannins. This is a 30- to 40-year wine and a profound effort from this famous vineyard in Yountville. Drink it over the next 40+ years.”
Antonio Galloni 100 points “The 2013 Dominus overwhelms all the senses with its magnificent overall balance and towering intensity. Deep and nearly impenetrable in the glass, the 2013 boasts off the charts dry extract and overall power. Violets, smoke, black cherries, menthol, incense, crème de cassis and dark spices are some of the many signatures that take shape in the glass. Even better in bottle than it was in barrel, the 2013 is utterly magnificent. This is a remarkably vivid, nuanced wine considering its sheer size.”
James Suckling 100 points “The aromas to this are multidimensional and fascinating with black truffles, bark, cloves, black currants and citrus – even ginseng. Full-bodied, yet reserved, even austere, with chewy and powerful tannins that remain polished and refined. The flavors are more umami and savory. Then there’s forest fruits and red orange undertones. It lasts for minutes. A wine to age for a lifetime. It’s an experience to taste this. A new classic showing its history and tradition as a source of the greatest wines ever from Napa. A wine to always enjoy.”
This is the only listing in the USA for the 375ml!
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Cayuse New Offers
Arriving Friday
Cayuse Vineyards God Only Knows Armada Vineyard Grenache, Walla Walla Valley 2013 750ML ($169.95) $119 pre-arrival special, 3 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94 points “Grenache seemed to handle the heat nicely in 2013 and the 2013 Grenache God Only Knows Armada Vineyard offers a gorgeous, rich, almost masculine style (especially when it’s tasted next to the No Girls Grenache) in its dark fruits, crushed herbs, mineral and leather scented profile. Even showing a touch of game with time in the glass, this beauty has fine tannin, plenty of fruit and a great finish, all suggesting it will drink nicely for another decade.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Cayuse Vineyards Bionic Frog Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2014 750ML ($189.95) $169 pre-arrival special, 3 bottles available
Wine Advocate 96-98 points “The full-bodied, beautifully concentrated 2014 Syrah Bionic Frog offers an intoxicating bouquet of black olives, cold fireplace, ash, shitake mushrooms and rare meat in a seamless, layered, multi-dimensional package. Like the other 2014s, it has the fruit of the vintage, yet stays fresh, crisp and lively. It too will need short-term cellaring.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Cayuse Vineyards Cailloux Vineyard Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2014 750ML ($149.95) $119 pre-arrival special, 3 bottles available
Wine Advocate 95-97 points “The only Syrah to incorporate Viognier, the 2014 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard is co-fermented with 7% Viognier and brought up all in puncheons. The Viognier shows on the nose and it has a floral, perfumed bouquet of ripe berry fruits, plums, orange blossom, fruit cake and mulled spices. Picking up a touch of green olive with time in the glass, this full-bodied, ripe, downright sexy beauty will have two decades of longevity.”
Cayuse Vineyards En Chamberlin Vineyard Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2014 750ML ($159.95) $119 pre-arrival special, 3 bottles available
Wine Advocate 96-98 points “Always the most exotic in the lineup, the meaty, iron, black olive and floral-scented 2014 Syrah en Chamberlin Vineyard has a big core of ripe tannin and sweet fruit in its full-bodied, exuberant style. Given the polish to its tannin, it should drink nicely in its youth, but I suspect it will be at its best from 2020-2034.”
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Our Current
Shipping Promos:
Welcome to the club, Colorado!
Along with Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and California,
we now offer flat rate shipping to Colorado. Here’s the scoop:
Single orders of any quantity of wines qualify for the flat rate;
this does not apply to orders held in storage for any reason
or multiple orders consolidated into one shipment.
The flat reach for each state is, as follows:
-to Oregon for $17,
-Washington & Idaho for $20,
-and California & Colorado for $25
Take Advantage of the Flat Rate!
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Joseph Swan Zinfandels
Arriving November 3rd
Joseph Swan Vineyards remains one of the most notable names in California wines. Joe Swan was a trailblazer and legendary figure in the California’s vinicultural history, and his son-in-law Rod Berglund is a talented winemaker of equal skill. That said, it sometimes seems like this winery doesn’t get mentioned as often as it should when we talk about California’s great wineries, which is a shame.
The Swan wines aren’t trendy and never have been—they epitomize the idea of classicism and have been made in the same style no matter whether the winds of fashion favored the huge and ripe or the light and lean. The one constant for Swan has been the idea that the vineyard speaks for itself. Over the course of many decades, they’ve collected an incredible set of vineyards to work from, especially in Zinfandel, where Rod Berglund does some of his best work.
The Joseph Swan Zinfandels are many things, but easy to pin down and describe they aren’t. Depending on the growing conditions and the vineyard, they can be lighter, spicier wines or bigger, powerful and fruit driven. They’re never marked by new oak, though, so they always seem to be flexible and comfortable at the table. If you can’t wait until the 2012’s come in, we also have a few older vintages left in stock (with notes at the end).
New Releases of Joseph Swan Arriving November 3rd:
Joseph Swan Vineyards Bastoni Vineyards Zinfandel, Sonoma County 2012 750ML ($34.95) $29 pre-arrival special
“Located in what I refer to as the Riebli Valley, just a few miles east of Hwy 101, this site has been farmed by the Bastoni family since 1906…. Although the old vines are gone, the replants are going strong and are meticulously cared for….It exhibits what I have come to view as a classic Bastoni nose of deep blue tinged fruit, like a cross between boysenberries and blueberries. There is also a slight hint of cooking spice, perhaps cardamom, and much less pepper than we see in the lower Russian River Valley zins. Good but not overwhelming tannin and acidity and medium to full body.”–Winery Notes
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Joseph Swan Vineyards Mancini Ranch Zinfandel, Russian River Valley 2012 750ML ($34.95) $29 pre-arrival special
“Planted in the early 1920’s to Zinfandel and a host of other grapes. This will be the final vintage for this vineyard as a few years after Frank Mancini’s passing, the vineyard was sold. Blackberry, white pepper floral hints, bit of lushness. Complex balanced, elegant. A classic old style zinfandel made with new age sensibilities. And, it is under 13% alcohol!”–Winery Notes
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Joseph Swan Vineyards Ziegler Vineyard Zinfandel, Russian River Valley 2012 750ML ($34.95) $29 pre-arrival special
“Like its neighbor across the road, Mancini Ranch, Zeigler Vineyard was planted in the early 1920’s. However, for no explainable reason, it starts its spring growth and ripens about two weeks earlier than its neighbor. Boysenberry and the usual black pepper aromas are there but there is also cardamom, a bit of allspice and dried rose petal. It is super complex. At only 13% alcohol, almost as low as Mancini, it is not lacking at all for body. Our favorite Zeigler in a long while.”–Winery Notes
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Joseph Swan Wines Available Here Now:
Joseph Swan Vineyards Ziegler Vineyard Zinfandel, Russian River Valley 2011 750ML ($31.95) $28 special, 36+ bottles available
“My first impression upon smelling this wine was of a day walking home from grade school with my best friend. They had just repaved a street on the way and there little balls of tar (yes, tar, not what they use today). We gathered some and proceeded to chew them like gum. When we arrived at his house, his mother, who happened to be Italian, was rather amused. Rather than berate us she offered us cookies. We preferred the tar balls! I had forgotten that moment until I put my nose in the glass of this wine! It was a glorious moment but sadly with air it took on aromas of boysenberry/blackberry cobbler. Still a great smell but that initial earthy/tarry note was a wonderful memory. But I digress. This is a wonderful example of wine from this old vineyard. Blackberries, boysenberries, black pepper and other spice. Good acid, soft tannin and lower than usual alcohol (less than 14%!)”-Winery Notes
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Joseph Swan Vineyards Stellwagen Vineyard Zinfandel, Russian River Valley 2008 750ML ($31.95) $28 special, 29 bottles available
“Our last vintage of this venerable old vineyard. Boysenberries, hint of eucalyptus, a bit of white pepper. In the mouth it is all about rich but bright fruit with good acidity balancing a good dose of alcohol. An unabashed big zin, but not at all over-ripe. A fine finish to a long run with this vineyard” –Winery Notes
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Coutier Champagne
Arriving in November
As the weather cools, our attention turns from easy, summer bubbles to wines with more nuance, seriousness and depth. For us that means Champagne and often grower Champagne, which brings us to the wines of R.H. Coutier, in the village of Ambonnay. They offer a remarkable combination of affordability and seriousness, as well as some of the coolest looking labels in the region (which, of course, we don’t care about, because we drink what’s inside the bottle…but still).
Coutier makes wines solely from estate holdings in the village of Ambonnay. Rated Grand Cru, Ambonnay is located in the Grande Montagne de Reims and is regarded as one of the best places to grow Pinot Noir in Champagne. As a result, wines from the village, including those of Coutier, tend to have a lot of power and richness. Where Coutier is special, though, is in their holdings of Chardonnay (also from Ambonnay) which provides a delicacy that sometimes is lacking in wines from the commune. The house style and vinification techniques also seek to provide as much elegance as possible to marry with the fruit of the terroir. All of their wines represent excellent value and have great verve and personality.
Coutier Champagnes Arriving in November:
R.H. Coutier Grand Cru Brut, Champagne 2008 750ML ($59.95) $46 pre-arrival special
VinopolNote: Only produced in the best vintages, R.H. Coutier’s vintage champagne is a blend of 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay and aged for over three years sur lie. The 2008 vintage is everything you’d want—classically proportioned and bright, but with depth and nuance that will allow it to age well, though it’s hard to keep your hands off them at the moment.
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $52.34
R.H. Coutier Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 92 points “Coutier’s NV Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru, 100% Chardonnay from Ambonnay, remains one of the most compelling, under the radar wines in Champagne, not to mention a fabulous value. Round, textured and supple in the glass, the Blanc de Blancs shows the more textured, side of Chardonnay. These soils in Ambonnay confer an unusual level of richness and breadth. In my view, this is Coutier’s best Champagne. Dosage is 6 grams per liter.” AG
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $45.27
R.H. Coutier Tradition Grand Cru Brut, Champagne 750ML ($39.95) $33 pre-arrival special
R.H. Coutier Tradition Grand Cru Brut, Champagne 375ML ($27.95) $21.90 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 92 points “The firm acidity is finely meshed in this seamless Champagne, with a rich note of chalky minerality underscoring the creamy palate’s flavors of chopped almond, black currant, fleur de sel and candied lemon zest.”
These are the lowest listed prices in the USA today!
R.H. Coutier Grand Cru Brut Rose, Champagne NV 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 91 points “Elegant and pretty, with floral accents to the black cherry pie, blackberry coulis and spiced plum flavors. This is lightly creamy, with fine balance and a lingering, mineral-tinged finish.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $48
We offer 92 Champagnes in-stock and available here now (plus 26 more arriving this fall & winter!)
For the full list, visit our web store
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Isole e Olena: Tuscan Class
For many, Chianti symbolizes Italian wine and no winery symbolizes the modern quality of the region like Isole e Olena. Since the arrival of Paolo de Marchi in 1976, Isole e Olena has been a leader in quality in Tuscany.
Stylistically, Isole e Olena occupies a place that is at once traditional and modern. Their Chianti Classico and Cepparello are both firmly rooted in the primacy of Sangiovese and the idea of Tuscan typicity. Elegance wedded to power, both of those wines show the floral nuance and bright fruit you expect from a classic wine of the region. The Chianti Classico ‘Gran Selectione’ has only been made in two vintages (both of which are on offer today) and represents a powerful, explosive version of the wine, selected and vinified to compete with the best wines of the world.
In a more modern sphere, de Marchi also produces mono-varietal Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Syrah, which are made in a modern idiom. Elegant and polished they represent wines that are at the top of their class for each of the respective grape varieties, no matter the origin of the wine.
New Offers from Isole e Olena Arriving in December
Isole e Olena Cepparello Toscana IGT 2013 750ML ($79.95) $69 pre-arrival special
Isole e Olena Cepparello Toscana IGT 2013 1.5L ($179.95) $149 pre-arrival special
Isole e Olena Cepparello Toscana IGT 2013 3L ($399.95) $333 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 96 points “The 2013 Cepparello is superb. Polished, silky nuanced and exceptionally beautiful, the 2013 exudes freshness and energy from start to finish. Succulent red cherry, plum, lavender and rose petal are some of the signatures. Aging in French oak shapes the wine nicely without marking it excessively. The purity of the flavors is striking. This is an especially cool, savory Cepparello built on finesse and persistence rather than power. Rain during harvest robbed the wine of some of its breadth. Otherwise, this is a striking Cepparello. I can’t wait to see how it ages”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $81
Isole e Olena Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG 2010 750ML ($219.95) $199 pre-arrival special
Isole e Olena Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG 2010 1.5L ($499.95) $399 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 98+ points “The 2010 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione is extraordinary. A wine of pedigree and class, the 2010 boasts magnificent intensity and depth yet never comes across as heavy. The flavors are layered, nuanced and beautifully delineated in the glass. Plum, black cherry, spice, menthol and sweet spices are laced into the exquisite finish. The 2010 is a stunner today, but also has plenty of upside for the future. A reduction of time in barrel vis-a-vis the 2006 has paid off handsomely. The 2010 is going to be expensive, but it is worth every penny. Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot round out the blend.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Isole e Olena Collezione Privata Cabernet Sauvignon Toscana IGT 2013 750ML ($79.95) $69 pre-arrival special
“The grapes for this wine are grown on the Isole e Olena estate’s 49 hectares of vineyards, five of which are planted to Cabernet Sauvignon. The vineyards face southwest and are situated on the Western boarder of the Chianti Classico zone, approximately 350-400 meters above sea level. 100% barrel aged: 40% new oak (French and 20% American) for 24 months. The wine is released 2 years after bottling and has the potential to age well for up to 15 years.” – Importer’s Notes
This is the only listing in the USA today!
We offer 22 wines from Isole e Olena. Below is a selection of wines available here now!
Isole e Olena Cepparello Toscana IGT 2011 750ML ($89.95) $59 special, 20 bottles available
Isole e Olena Cepparello Toscana IGT 2011 1.5L ($159.95) $119 special, 2 bottles available
James Suckling 95 points “Aromas of currant, bark and orange peel. Nutmeg powder. Full body and chewy tannins. Savory, with balsamic and nuts. I love the juicy, decadent character to this. Drink or hold.” JS
Antonio Galloni 94+ points “Isole e Olena’s 2011 Cepparello is remarkably silky, polished and refined, especially considering the challenges of the vintage. Dark red stone fruits, wild flowers, menthol and sweet spices all meld together gracefully in the glass. Voluptuous and racy but also an impeccably balanced wine with phenomenal length and a super-expressive finish. The 2011 will offer a wide window of drinking pleasure pretty much upon release. Drink: 2017-2026.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $72
Isole e Olena Cepparello Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2012 750ML ($89.95) $69 special, 33 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 97 points “The 2012 Cepparello is magnificent. Radiant, pliant and super-expressive, the 2012 offers magnificent intensity, with silky tannins wrapped around a core of rich, dark-toned fruit. The intensity of the fruit suggests a warm vintage, but the structure is more medium in body and typical of a cooler year. Today, the 2012 gives the impression it will drink well pretty much upon release, but history has taught me Cepparello often shuts down in bottle. Either way, the 2012 is superb.”
Isole e Olena Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG 2006 750ML ($249.95) $189 special, 9 bottles available
Isole e Olena Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG 2006 1.5L ($499.95) $389 special, 5 magnums available
Wine Advocate 97 points “The 2006 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione is a controversial wine and for good reason. Proprietor Paolo De Marchi was initially opposed to the idea of introducing the Gran Selezione category above the Chianti Classico Riserva. But more than a year ago, the Institute of Masters of Wine held a special dinner in Florence and producers were invited to pour only Gran Selezione wines. Paolo had an amazing barrel of Sangiovese put aside for a commemorative wine to celebrate his 30th anniversary as a winemaker. He hoped to dedicate that wine as a special limited release. Because he also wanted to pour something of his at the Masters of Wine dinner, he declassified the wine and re-registered it as a Gran Selezione. This also explains why it is from an older vintage. Most of his peers inaugurated this new category with the 2010 vintage. Only 1,800 bottles were made (of which 500 are put aside for the family’s personal use) and the blend consists of Sangiovese with 12% Cabernet Franc and 8% Syrah. “I love Chianti Classico and I love super Tuscans,” says Paolo De Marchi. “This wine is a crossover of the two.” The wine shows gorgeous ripeness with brooding dark fruit, depth and extreme balance. This is a wine that makes a statement upfront both in terms of the quality of the aromas and its overall integrity and persistency.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $205
Isole e Olena Collezione De Marchi Chardonnay Toscana IGT 2014 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 23 bottles available
“After many attempts at a white wine from Trebbiano and Malvasia, Paolo decided to use those grapes solely for Vin Santo and in 1987 made his first 100% Chardonnay. The vineyards are a mix of exposures from West, East and some North. Paolo likes to keep the heat accumulation down in the vineyard and extend hand time as long as possible. Harvest occurs in September. It’s fermented in stainless steel then sur-lie aged in French oak barrique, 1/3 new for 10 to 12 months depending on the vintage. Battonage for the first 6 months”-Importer Note
Isole e Olena Vin Santo del Chianti Classico 2004 375ML ($59.95) $49 special, 36+ half-bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 94 points “Deep amber-yellow. Sexy, kaleidoscopic nose combines exotic tropical fruits, chestnut honey, raisin, dried fig, caramel and a musky iodine note. Then sharply delineated and penetrating on the palate in spite of its honeyed sweetness, with superb acidity giving spine to the dried fruit and ripe citrus flavors. This wonderfully vibrant yet thick and rich Vin Santo coats the mouth on the long, smooth finish. Great stuff.” ST
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $59.99
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Late Breaking News
New Stellar Review for a Star Producer from Pfalz
Arriving February 2017
Muller-Catoir Haardter Burgergarten ‘Breumel in den Mauern’ Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Pfalz 2015 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2015 Riesling Trocken Haardter Bürgergarten Im Breumel VDP Grosse Lage offers a beautifully pure and stony bouquet of bright yellow fruits and lemon aromas, and comes along almost like a perfume. On the palate, this is a highly elegant and well-balanced Riesling cru with a compact and mineral structure, great finesse and a very persistent salinity in the finish. The wine reveals a well-dosed power and concentration, as well as a great elegance and harmony. It should be aged for at least five years.”
James Suckling 95 points “The diamond-bright nose of enormous freshness announces a seriously elegant wine of understated sophistication. The delicate citrus and herbal flavors will expand considerably with a year or two’s more ageing, but this already has a finesse that makes it stand out in the strong field of the 2015 riesling GGs from the Pfalz. The very long and subtle finish only confirms that.”
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October Sales Recap
Read reviews and browse the full selection of sale wines by searching for “October Sale” on our web store – we’re also happy to talk you through the offerings if you email us at info@vinopoliswineshop.com or call 503-223-6002.
