Featured New Arrivals
#Trending: Backyard Barbecue Edition
Staff Pick: Classic Chinon
New Arrivals From:
Thibaud Boudignon, Donnhoff, Crowley,
Pagliarese, Pradeaux and More!
The New York Times Loves German Dry Riesling (We Do Too!)
The Pride of Argentina is New to the May Sale
The 97 Point Passopisciaro Re-Arrives Soon
Featured New Arrivals
Valdicava Madonna del Piano, Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG 2007 750ML ($299.95) $219 specialJames Suckling 98 points “An impressively structured wine. Aromas of blueberries and blackberries with hints of violets. Full body with velvety, rich tannins. Very tannic and powerful, yet the tannins are polished and pretty. Layers of everything here. Give this another three to four years before opening.”
Antonio Galloni 96 points “The 2007 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Madonna del Piano is another super- finessed wine. Subtle floral notes meld into expressive red berries in a sumptuous Brunello that captures the essence of the vintage. The style is rich and deeply textured, but the 2007, as outstanding as it is, needs at least a few more years in bottle. Once again, finesse rules the day.”
The average price is $305
Case-6 Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2012 750ML ($519.95) $336 special (that’s only $56/bottle!)
Case-12 Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2012 750ML ($959.95) $636 special (that’s only $53/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 95+ points “Il Poggione is a Brunello superstar and a vintage like this reveals every reason why that affirmation is true. From the second the 2012 Brunello di Montalcino pours into the glass, you know you are in for something special. The wine is darkly saturated and rich in appearance. Absent are those slightly amber or browning hues you often get with Sangiovese in a hot vintage. Nor does the wine show flat or tired characteristics. Instead, the quality of fruit is vibrant and rich. This is a healthy, generous and exuberant Brunello with dark density and succulent fruit flavors that are followed by integrated spice and tobacco. The balance is impressive and one thing you get here is fresh acidity. This is not to be underestimated, because the acidity quota in the 2012 vintage across the appellation is not as high or evident as usual. This is one of the year’s best Brunellos.”
Ian D’agata – Vinous 93+ points “Good full red. Medicinal red cherry, raspberry, sweet spices and mint on the fresh, precise nose. Bright and sweet, with a penetrating, austere quality to its flavors of red fruits, minerals and medicinal herbs. Harmonious acidity nicely frames the pure, long, youthfully tight finish. Lovely young Brunello that will repay cellaring.”
The average price nationally is $73
Case-6 Eisele Estate ‘Altagracia’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2015 750ML ($899.95) $759 special (that’s only $126.50/bottle!)Wine Advocate 94 points “Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Altagracia has slightly muted black cherries, crushed black plums and cassis with hints of licorice, black soil and cracked pepper plus a waft of tapenade. Medium to full-bodied, rich and expressive in the mouth, it delivers a lot of layers and wonderfully fine tannins, finishing long and earthy.”
#19 Wine Of The Year – Wine Spectator Top 100 2017
Wine Spectator 93 points “Black cherry, currant and floral notes are expressive and alluring, balanced by loamy earth, tobacco and mineral elements that add a savory quality. Firm, well-integrated tannins give support to the polished texture, while orange peel acidity fuels the fresh finish. Drink now through 2027.”
750’s Also Available:
Marques de Caceres Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2012 750ML ($29.95) $18.50 special
Case-12 Marques de Caceres Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2012 750ML ($299.95) $199 special (that’s only $16.58/bottle!)
Barbeque Edition
You should be thinking about your Memorial Day cookout now— making sure that you’ve got all your grill essentials, your guest list, and your wine. With that, we present a small selection of wines that we think are perfect for entertaining in the bright, not-quite-summer air. We want reds that are juicy and delicious on their own or to pair with a burger or ribs. We also want whites that have some body and can stand up to heartier cookout fare and a rosé or two with the same qualities (heloooo Tavel and co.!) These are some wines that have been popular in the shop recently that we think fit all of those criteria.
Happy spring!
Edmunds St. John Heart of Gold, El Dorado 2017 750ML ($24.95) $19.75 special, 27 bottles in stock now
Winemaker’s note “Palest gold. Fresh, nervous nose, of ginger and stone. Very lively and fresh in the mouth, with considerable textural depth, and richness to the lengthy finish. Heart Of Gold has now reached its 10th Birthday, and the 2017 may well turn out to be the best one ever. The 2017 growing season was preceded by the wettest winter in California history, and with all that water in the ground, the vines were able to cruise through some significant heat-spikes in Summer and early Fall, without any real dehydration or heat-stress. Harvest was just a bit later in ’17 than it had been during the previous four seasons marked by severe drought. When the grapes were picked they were in beautiful condition, with modest sugar concentration, healthy acidity, and plenty of flavor. 56% Vermentino, 44% Grenache Blanc.”
Jeb Dunnuck 90 points “Made in a more Tavel than Côtes du Rhône style, the raspberry colored 2016 Côtes du Rhône Rose offers lots of strawberry fruit, medium-bodied richness, a supple, textured style and clean finish. It too has the freshness and purity to handle a summer day, but will also shine on the dinner table.”
Wine Spectator 92 points “Plump and piquant, with expressive blackberry and orange zest aromas and lots of personality, accenting smoky cracked pepper and black olive flavors that build toward zesty tannins. Drink now through 2022. 11,000 cases made.”
Gulfi Nerojbleo Nero d’Avola Sicilia IGT, Sicily 2013 750ML ($21.95) $19 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 94 points “Deep ruby. Perfumed and juicy, offering sweet candied blueberry pie, sweet spices and faded flowers on the nose and in the mouth. Very smooth texture and clean, ripe flavors have pretty floral lift and vibrancy. A knockout NeroJbleo, one of the best in years, in fact.”
Importer Note “60% Gamay; 30% Pinot Noir; 10% Cot. Clay and limestone soils. Hand harvest, 15 days of carbonic maceration for the gamay, 30% of destemmed grapes for Pinot noir, destemmed grapes for Cot. Fermented separately in tank.”
Case-12 Pierre-Marie Chermette Domaine du Vissoux Brouilly Pierreux, Beaujolais 2016 750ML ($339.95) $279 special (that’s only $23.25/bottle!)
Josh Raynolds 92 points “Lurid ruby. Bright and sharply focused on the nose, displaying intense red fruit and floral scents and a smoky mineral overtone that builds with air. Appealingly sweet and lively on the palate, offering intense raspberry and cherry liqueur flavors that deepen on the back half while maintaining energy. The floral quality comes back strong on an energetic, silky finish that leaves a juicy red berry note behind.”
VinopolNote: Brouilly is normally considered to be the lighter cousin of the Cote de Brouilly. In the hands of Chermette, though, this is a wine that has depth and power, with the finesse that the 2016 vintage brings with it. This is still a pretty wine and among the most drinkable in the Vissoux lineup, but will reward a little time in your cellar if you can keep your hands off it.
Staff Pick
A Classic Chinon Value
Like many wine lovers, I adore Kermit Lynch’s classic Adventures on the Wine Route. It’s responsible for my interest in a lot of wine regions, but none more so than Chinon. Lynch’s description of the magnetic Charles Joguet captivated me and is certainly part of the reason I love the wines of the Loire. The dirty secret, though, was that for a period of time in the late 90’s/very early 00’s, the wines from Joguet weren’t particularly great. Charles retired and the new winemaking team wasn’t quite up to his exacting standards.
Thankfully, Kevin Fontaine, the current winemaker, is a talented individual who is making great strides at restoring the estate’s former glory. The wine we’re highlighting today is a “cuvee” in name only, as the vast majority of it comes from the Clos de la Cure, blended with a tiny vineyard that’s adjacent to the cellar. This is a classic Chinon, red fruited and savory at the same time. I love these wines for how fresh and bright they taste as well as how many different kinds of foods they pair with. This is classic Chinon, from a once-again-classic producer and is available at an outrageous price. Stock up! I did.
Domaine Charles Joguet Chinon Cuvee de la Cure, Loire 2014 750ML ($27.95) $18 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 89 points “Features a fresh red currant and pomegranate fruit core, laced with light chalk, savory and green olive accents, maintaining chalky cut through the light-bodied finish. Approachable, but pure and balanced enough to cellar for a touch. Drink now through 2020. 115 cases imported.”
The next best price is $21.99
New Arrivals: Rosé
Winery note “The script for our 2017 Rosé completely flipped. After our first and second efforts it was time to reach a higher place. Our personal preference for Rosé is a more Provençal-leaning style, biting and herbaceous with just enough succulent fruit to soften the edges. Low alcohol and high acid, refreshing and crisp…delivering the feeling like you aren’t really drinking, so why not keep going?! The best Rosé does that, and we wanted to see if we could draw closer to that benchmark. We started with more intention by cropping the Rosé block slightly higher and picking early, not alongside the other Pinot and Chardonnay on the vineyard, just by itself. 2017 played perfectly into our hands…a bona fide cool climate vintage…herb, acid and low alcohol achieved!! We left the grapes one night in the cool air for color extraction before pressing. Color is probably the biggest wild card with Rosé and a pesky holdout until the wine finishes. You never quite know until bottling what color you have but we really like this one! Two-thirds of this wine was fermented in barrel for aromatic nuance and the rest in stainless steel to maintain edginess and cut. It all worked out and in the end we’re proud of the changes and really love this wine. Making Rosé is fun, probably since it’s meant to be paired with all manner of fun endeavors. Enjoy!”
Peyrassol Cotes de Provence ‘Le Clos Peyrassol’ Rose, Provence 2017 750ML ($49.95) $44 special
Peyrassol Cotes de Provence ‘Le Clos Peyrassol’ Rose, Provence 2017 1.5L ($119.95) $99 special
Importer note “Made from the estate’s best and oldest parcels of Grenache, Cinsault, Mourvedre, and Carignan, “Le Clos” represents a minuscule fraction of Peyrassol’s total production. While this 2017 offers greater richness and intensity than the previous two wines, it nonetheless displays the fat-free muscularity and drive of the vintage, with a salt-dominated and tight-grained finish that promises mid-term age-ability. Interestingly, “Le Clos” is the most glisteningly light-colored of the trio, proving once again that color and intensity are completely independent phenomena.”
Chateau Pradeaux Bandol Rose, Provence 2017 1.5L ($79.95) $69 special
Importer note “Comprising, as always, 75% Mourvedre and 25% Cinsault, the bold, robustly expressive 2017 Bandol Rose offers notes of red licorice, dried sage, crunchy apple, and savory earth. The palate is ultra-intense and staining, with an almost oily core that still scans as bone-dry. Perhaps more than any other wine in the region that we encountered, this shows 2017’s rare ability to delivery sheer power without any undue fruitiness.”
Peyrassol Cotes de Provence ‘Chateau Peyrassol’ Rose, Provence 2017 1.5L ($99.95) $79 specialPeyrassol Cotes de Provence ‘Chateau Peyrassol’ Rose, Provence 2017 3L ($199.95) $169 special
Importer note “Made entirely from estate fruit in 2017, “Chateau” is primarily Cinsault, with increasingly smaller amounts of Grenache, Mourvedre, Tibouren, and Syrah. This is a higher-toned, more floral, more filigree wine than its brother above, with subtle herbal notes framing clean, lifted fruit on the nose. Though equally as dense—and perhaps more penetrating due to its more overt mineral character—it is no richer than the “Commanderie,” and it expresses the vintage’s firm tension with elegance.”
Domaine de Bagnol Cassis Rose, Provence 2017 1.5L ($74.95) $66 special
Importer note “The always-warm and inviting Genovesi clan expressed justifiable enthusiasm over their 2017 Cassis Rose—a wine of painfully low production (Bagnol suffered over a 50% crop loss in ’17 due to hydric stress and early-spring frost, the second severely compromised harvest in a row here quantity-wise) but vigorous character. Always among the most coveted of our roses, this vintage is even more blatantly saline than usual, with a sense of dense power lurking below the unabashedly pretty candied strawberry and quinine-inflected freshness. The finish really announces the vintage’s concentration, with a high-toned drive and a sense of mineral-driven solidity.”
Importer note “Made from 45% Cinsault and 40% Mourvedre, with the balance split among Grenache and Carignan, this year’s pale-iron-colored Cotes de Provence Rose is closer to Bandol-level complexity and concentration than we have yet seen from this wine—a result of the vintage’s atypical concentration. A core of sappy, glycerol red-cherry fruit anchors a firm, punchy minerality, and the finish is remarkably persistent. The vineyards that comprise this wine were, in fact, classified as Bandol AOC as recently as 2012, and this 2017 clearly distinguishes itself from among the vast ocean of Cotes de Provence rose by virtue of its terroir’s unique pedigree.”
Importer note “100% Cabernet Franc from 37 year old vines grown in shallow soils of grey schist and rhyolite (volcanic soil) and sand. Indigenous yeast fermentation with no malo. Aged 4-6 months stainless steel.”
VinopolNote “100% Pineau d’Aunis, this always shows bright and spicy, with white pepper and grapefruit zest on the nose and on the palate. Fresh and delightful.”
Zena Crown Vineyard Slope Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2014 750ML ($119.95) $69 special
Josh Raynolds 94 points “(84% new French oak) Deep vivid ruby. Heady, smoke-accented red and blue fruit preserve, spicecake, vanilla and floral pastille scents show excellent clarity and pick up notes of exotic Indian spices and cola with air. Sweet and expansive in the mouth, offering concentrated, alluringly sweet black raspberry, boysenberry and cherry cola flavors that show appealing spiciness and a touch of smoky minerality. Weighty yet surprisingly graceful in style, finishing with powerful thrust and velvety, slowly building tannins that fold quickly into the plush fruit.”
The next best price is $76.25
The average price is $90
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 92 points “The 2015 Chianti Classico is a new wine from Fèlsina’s Pagliarese property. For what seems like forever, Giuseppe Mazzocolin has been the ultimate champion of Sangiovese, long before it was fashionable. With Pagliarese, Mazzocolin and Fèlsina return to a super-classic Chianti Classico based on Sangiovese, of course, but with dollops of Canaiolo, Mammolo and Colorino aged in cask. The debut 2015 is fabulous. Bright, red-toned fruit and an array of floral/savory notes are nicely delineated, but the wine’s purity and extraordinary balance elevate it into the realm of the sublime. What a gorgeous wine this is! ”
Case-12 Paitin di Pasquero-Elia ‘Serra’, Barbaresco DOCG 2014 750ML ($399.95) $359 special (that’s only $29.92/bottle!)
Wine Spectator 92 points “Currant, strawberry, cherry, floral and leafy flavors are the highlights of this racy, elegant red. Balanced on the firm side, with excellent length. Best from 2020 through 2032. 800 cases made.”
Wine Spectator 95 points “Intense aromas and flavors of pure cherry, raspberry and flowers introduce this silky, delicate red, which is firmly structured, with dusty, assertive tannins. Notes of tobacco and mineral are woven into the long, detailed aftertaste. Best from 2021 through 2033. 1,200 cases made.”
Thibaud Boudignon Anjou Blanc, Loire 2016 750ML ($44.95) $38 specialImporter note “With a tight core of saline terroir enveloped within ripe medium bodied fruit, this chenin blanc delivers a focused example of Thibaud’s style of ripe fruit matched with elegance and precision.”
Importer note “100% Chenin Blanc from 35 year old, high density plantings grown on shallow soils of grey schist and rhyolite (volcanic soil. Indigenous yeast fermentation with no malo. Aged in 350l and 700l barrels (30% new).”
Importer note ” We tend to think Thibaud is redefining Savennières. He takes all of the unruly power and energy of Chenin Blanc on Schist and focuses it into a laser beam of flavor and texture. A truly phenomenal Savennières.”
Importer note “100% Chenin Blanc from the lieu-dit of ‘Les Fougerais’ in the heart of Savennieres – near Coulée de Serrant and La Roche aux Moines. These are 45 year old, high density plantings grown on grey schist and rhyolite (volcanic soil). Indigenous yeast fermentation with no malo. Aged in 350l and 700l barrels (30% new).”
Importer note “The newest addition to Thibaud’s range of Chenin Blanc comes from a half hectare plot within the Clos de la Hutte (1.5ha) lieu-dit. The vines are young but the wine is profound. There is a long history to this site and Thibaud is channeling every bit of it here. The volumes are miniscule – 1000 bottles released.”
Importer note “100% Chenin Blanc from the ‘Clos de La Hutte’ in the hamlet of La Possonniere. These are 4 year old, high density plantings grown on solid schist, some spots to the surface, others 30cm sand before hitting the mother rock. Indigenous yeast fermentation with no malo. Aged in 350l and 700l barrels (30% new).”
The next best price is $123
Stuart Pigott – Jamessuckling.com 97 points “The 2016 Hermannshöhle GG from Dönnhoff is once again one of the top dry rieslings of the vintage in Germany thanks to its stunning combination of concentration and finesse. The super-mineral finish tugs at your lapels trying to pull you with it into the distance. Don’t resist! Good for several decades at least.”Wine Advocate 96 points “From weathered gray carbon slate, the 2016 Nahe Riesling Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle “GG” is excitingly pure, coolish, fresh and crystalline on the nose, where flinty scents are displayed and intermix with ripe, precise and subtle fruit aromas. This is an aristocrat! Full-bodied, intense and lush on the palate, this is a highly elegant Riesling with very fine crystalline acidity and lingering piquancy. Dense and aromatic on the aftertaste but far too young to be enjoyed today, keep it at least for another 5 years.”
Grapelive 96 points “The 2016 Donnhoff Hermanshohle GG starts with subtle white flowers, loads of flinty spicy mineral and stone leading to a brisk youthful palate of steely citrus, peach and green apple with a core of lime, white currant, a hint of gooseberry and citron that highlights the extract. While tight, focused and compact now, it looks set to be a classic. Lingering melon, faint mango, saline and wet stone adds to the complexity of detail in a wine of true potential. I hope I get a chance to re-visit this beauty in 10 years, in the meantime don’t miss Donnhoff’s the Krotenpfuhl Kabinett, a stellar value. This Hermannshohle GG should be in your cellar when released this fall, it has a rewarding future, I’d put it in the same league as Roulot Meursault and Raveneau Les Clos quality wise, drink from 2022-2035.”
Weingut Donnhoff Kreuznacher Kahlenberg Riesling Trocken, Nahe 2016 750ML ($37.95) $31.90 special
David Schildknecht-Vinous 91 points “This year’s Kahlenberg – unlike its 2015 predecessor – is just as austere in its firmness, piquancy and initial impression of stone wet as the corresponding Tonschiefer bottling. But there is a juicier abundance of apple, grapefruit and white peach, and the finish is more refined, featuring the invigorating crunch of mustard seed and the bite of huckleberry, pleasantly pungent green herbal nuances, and impressive transparency to tinglingly stony and mouthwateringly maritime mineral nuances. ”
Stuart Pigott 91 points– Jamessuckling.com “This is the easiest of Dönnhoff’s 2016 dry rieslings to enjoy now, because it’s the one with the most upfront fruit character. However, this too has a crisp long finish of some complexity. Drink or hold. Made from organic grapes and Fair’n Green certified.”
Dry German Riesling (and We Do Too!)
Eric Asimov just published a really wonderful article about dry German Riesling in the New Yok Times (you can read it here). He’s focused on the 2016 vintage, a year of charm that suited the dry side of Germany exceedingly well. That said, it’s the latest of a string of great vintages for dry German wines and we’d urge you to drink a few bottles with age to get a sense of where these wines head. We’re big fans of the wines and carry a broad assortment of both producers and vintages.
The dry wines from Germany vary from region to region just as the off-dry wines do, with wines from the Pfalz and Rheinhessen showing more weight and power to the Mosel’s brightness and elegance. No matter where from, the average quality of dry Riesling from Germany is as good as it’s ever been and these wines reflect that. These are perfect for spring and summer—whether that’s this year or in a half dozen or so!
Weingut Donnhoff Norheimer Dellchen Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Nahe 2016 750ML ($74.95) $59 special, 18 bottles in stock now
Weingut Donnhoff Norheimer Dellchen Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Nahe 2016 1.5L ($179.95) $149 special, 3 magnums in stock now
Stuart Pigott – Jamessuckling.com 96 points “Very refined peach, rose hip and wild berry on the nose. Stunning concentration, elegance and finesse make this one of the stars of the vintage on the Nahe. The super-mineral finish almost literally takes your breath away. Drink now or hold.”
Wine Advocate 95 points “From slate and porphyry soils, the 2016 Nahe Riesling Norheimer Dellchen “GG” is very pure, precise and mineral on the elegant, subtle nose, where ripe seed fruit aromas are displayed. Very sensual! Full-bodied, rich and round, this is a highly elegant, intense and dense Riesling with a persistent finish. Very aromatic and sensual, but it needs some time to gain even more finesse.”
Weingut Karthauserhof Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg Riesling Grosses Gewächs, Ruwer 2013 750ML ($69.95) $49 special, 29+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Weingut Karthauserhof Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg Riesling Grosses Gewächs, Ruwer 2013 750ML ($359.95) $269 special, 6 cases in stock now
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
John Gilman 93+ points “The 2013 Grosses Gewächs is outstanding, and I was very grateful of Christian Vogt to generously include it in with the 2014ers, as I had not had a chance to taste this last year during my spring trip to Germany. The wine is outstanding, soaring from the glass in a blend of tart orange, sweet grapefruit, wild yeasts, a beautifully complex base of salty slate minerality, citrus peel and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, pure and very elegant out of the blocks, with a fine core of fruit, ripe, perfectly integrated acids, excellent focus and grip and a long, complex and very classy finish. This is a very refined example of Grosses Gewächs that will age beautifully, but should start to drink with a lot of style in only another three or four years. 2018-2045.”
The next best price is $64.95
VinopolNote: The wine name translates to ‘from the rock’ and is a tribute to the slatey soils in which the vines are grown. Bone dry with excellent cellaring potential.
Muller-Catoir Haardter Riesling Trocken, Pfalz 2015 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2015 Pfalz Riesling Trocken Haardt has a deep and intense Riesling flavors that reflects the deeper soils of the vineyards in the Haardt slopes. The nose is discreet in its white stone fruit aromas, but deep, intense, really clear and fresh. On the palate, this is a very straight, firm and pure Riesling with a lot of grip and tension. However, it needs more time to develop its charm. The mineral length and compact structure is already impressive though.”
Mosel Fine Wines 92 points “The 2015er Ayler Kupp Neuenberg Fass 17 is fermented off-dry from parcels in the former single vineyard Neuberg situated just below the Ayler Herrenberger. It offers a gorgeous nose of white and yellow peach, ginger, herbs and spices. The wine is beautifully balanced on the palate, where grip provides great structure and adds to the saline feel in the long finish. This only needs a few years to develop its inner balance and shine.”David Schildknecht – Vinous 91 points “Alluringly aromatic and succulent ripe white peach and cherry are accented by piquant fruit pit and crystalline stony inflections for a performance that’s luscious but also dynamic and full of intriguing counterpoint. As with the corresponding Unterstenberg, there is a high-toned distilled fruit aura; and as with this year’s “Senior,” oily richness of texture is entirely compatible with refreshment and transparency to mineral nuance.”
Wine Advocate 91 points “The 2015 Riesling Von Blauem Schiefer opens with a beautifully clear and slatey bouquet of perfectly ripe Riesling flavors. The wine is round, piquant and salty on the palate, reveals picture book finesse and transparency and is extremely stimulating in its dry but perfectly balanced finish. The aftertaste is pretty long and already complex. If you are looking for a picture book wine of the terraced Lower Mosel, this is the one you have to taste. Thirteen percent of alcohol can hardly taste lighter and more stimulating.”
Wine Advocate 95+ points “The 2014 Kiedricher Grafenberg Riesling trocken GG combines the fine and highly elegant Riesling fruit of the Klosterberg with the finesse-full and precise purity of the Gräfenberg phyllite terroir. Piquant and complex on the palate with great finesse and coolish precision, this is the aristocrat among the dry Weil Rieslings; its length is lovely, salty and full of tension. Great purity and elegance, as well as great aging potential. So much delicacy here and purity, so vital and elegant, well balanced. The length is not due to the alcohol, but the acidity and salinity.”
New to the May Sale
Zorzal is one of the rising star wineries in Argentina and we have a range of the never-oaked Eggo wines for you to try, including a Pinot Noir, a Cabernet Franc, and a Sauvignon Blanc. These are wines that excite from beginning to end. The Sauvignon Blanc is fresh, racy and crisp and both the Cabernet Franc and Pinot remind you of some of the better, more elegant examples from California—just at half the price of what those would be. All are vinified in concrete eggs, so take on the texture of wines raised in barrel but without any oak flavors.
These are exciting wines, made more exciting now that their prices are lower than ever! We’ve added them to our May sale—until these sell out! If you want to see all of the wines on our May Sale, just click here to head to a full list on our website.
Zorzal Eggo Blanc de Cal, Tupungato 2014 750ML ($29.95) Was $24, Now $19
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2014 Eggo Blanc de Cal is pure Sauvignon Blanc from two different vineyards in Gualtallary. The full clusters are pressed and the must was fermented and aged in contact with the lees for nine to ten months in their famous egg-shaped cement vats. This is more subtle and earthy, less Sauvignon, with the fruit expressing itself in a lower-pitched voice, more of a baritone. It’s also has a little wider, pungent and powerful character in the mouth. This is only around 13% alcohol, and even though in 2014 it didn’t go through malolactic fermentation, it’s still a very light and fresh wine. Groundbreaking Sauvignon. 4,800 bottles were produced, fruit of two eggs.” LG
Wine Advocate 93 points “The second vintage I tasted from this Cabernet Franc, the 2015 Eggo Franco is produced, like many of their wines, with grapes from Tupungato Winelands in Gualtallary. It fermented in cement eggs with some stems and with 50% of the wine kept in contact with skins for some three to four months, then pressed and put back in the eggs to complete its élevage, which lasted some nine months. It shows a mixture of herbal and candied berry aromas, hints of beef blood and iron. The absence of oak shows the naked tannins and provides an earthy side, which to me is very much the wild character of Gualtallary. 6,000 bottles were filled in December 2015 (it was harvested in March).”Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2014 Eggo Filoso Pinot Noir is produced with fruit from Gualtallary. It fermented after carbonic maceration in cement vats and like the whole Eggo line, it matured in cement eggs for some nine months and never saw any oak. Pale-colored, floral and showing a lactic touch, it is earthier than the Gran Terroir. The palate is medium-bodied, with floral flavors, very good acidity and a fine texture.”
Now it’s even lower!
Here Later this Month
The Re-Arrival of our 2017 Best Seller!
One constant on the island of Sicily is the looming shadow of Mt. Etna, the highest and most active volcano in Europe. Its rich soils have been key to the island’s agriculture for centuries; however, the farmers gamble with their crops every year. Etna giveth, and Etna taketh away – abruptly. And yet, the appeal of revitalizing the vineyards – some half buried by recent lava flows – is too great to resist. Nerello mascalese is so perfectly paired to its place that there is no place on earth that could even begin to replicate the results achieved here.
Despite the cool temperatures, often 20-30 degrees cooler than at the coast, the vines are healthy and active due to the sunlight that reflects off the seas below. Passopisciaro is balanced, polished and definitely a refined take on a grape that was viewed as quaint for its rusticity for decades. The Passorosso, a blend of the five contrada that Franchetti works with, is viewed as one of the best introductions available to the wines of Etna, with 2014 being hailed by Ian d’Agato of Vinous as the best vintages yet for this wine.
We had this wine available for a hot second last year—the score plus the price meant that the wine sold out before it arrived. We were lucky enough to secure a second tranche that arrives at the end of this month. Like before, we expect it to go quickly. If you’re among the many who emailed requesting more, jump on this now. We also finally have magnums available, which offer the same tremendous value in an even more celebratory package.
Arriving ETA Late May:
Passopisciaro ‘Passorosso’ Terre Siciliane IGT, Sicily 2014 750ML ($59.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Passopisciaro ‘Passorosso’ Terre Siciliane IGT, Sicily 2014 750ML ($299.95) $219 pre-arrival special (that’s only $36.50/bottle!)
Passopisciaro ‘Passorosso’ Terre Siciliane IGT, Sicily 2014 1.5L ($99.95) $79 pre-arrival special
Ian D’agata–Vinous 97 points “Bright red-ruby. The captivating nose combines strawberry, raspberry, minerals, violet and flint aromas. Creamy-sweet but amazingly light on its feet, offering palate-staining, perfumed flavors of soft red berries, ripe red cherry, vanilla, aromatic herbs and crushed rock. Rich, ripe and suave, but displays a penetrating, saline and energetic quality that gives this beauty a three-dimensional mouthfeel and a light-on-its-feet quality. Finishes with great length and wonderfully polished tannins. Absolute knockout wine: from a memorable vintage on Etna, this is most likely the best Passorosso ever (in earlier vintages, it used to be called simply Passopisciaro). Mainly Nerello Mascalese.”
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