New Arrival Feature: Hartford Court
Rosé of the Day: Sperino
May Sale Featurette
#Trendy New Arrivals
Umani Ronchi Verdicchio
Staff Pick
Pre-Cellared Stars to Drink Tonight
Jeb Dunnuck on Peter Weygandt
Last Call
Terre Nere’s Daily Drinker
May Sale Recap
For our regularly scheduled hours
10 am – 6 pm daily
Stop What You’re Doing & Load Up
Hartford Court Seascape Vineyard Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast 2016 750ML ($79.95) $69 special
Wine Advocate 98 points “The 2016 Hartford Court Chardonnay Seascape Vineyard leaps from the glass with exuberant notes of green mangoes, yuzu, mandarin peel and pink grapefruit with touches of baker’s yeast, pie crust, beeswax and oyster shell. It’s medium-bodied with a very, very taut, intense and refreshing palate, sporting incredible tension and layers and finishing very long and very minerally. 327 cases produced.”
Hartford Court Seascape Vineyard Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast 2016 750ML ($79.95) $59 special
Wine Advocate 97+ points “The 2016 Hartford Court Pinot Noir Seascape Vineyard is pale to medium ruby-purple colored and opens with vibrant cranberries, pomegranate and Bing cherries scents with touches of underbrush, wild sage, red roses and mossy bark with a waft of tilled soil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate packs in the elegant red fruit and earthy layers, finishing on a long, lingering, provocative mineral note.”
The average price is $65
New Review for a New Arrival
Rosé of the Day!
Proprieta Sperino ‘Rosa del Rosa’ Rosato Coste della Sesia, Piedmont 2018 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
Ian D’Agata 91 points “Luminous pink color. Lively, mineral-accented aromas of violet, orange zest, strawberry plus a complicating hint of herbs. A rather powerful Rosato in the mouth, but also juicy and refreshingly brisk, offering very pure mineral-accented but ripe red berry and citrus flavors underscored by a floral quality. Finishes classically dry and clean, with delightful clarity, cut and repeating ripe red berry presence. A 90% Nebbiolo and 10% Vespolina blend made in unfortunately very small volumes in this specific vintage due to an early season frost episode that really curtailed production. The grapes come from four different vineyards, one of which, the Madonna degli Angeli, harbors vines that range 45-90 years of age.”
The next best price is $19.99
Re-Arrived and Straight to the May Sale!
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Clos du Bourg’ Sec, Loire 2017 750ML ($41.95) $33 May Sale Special
John Gilman 94+ points “The 2017 Clos du Bourg Sec from Domaine Huët is a superb young wine and probably the slight favorite of these three beautiful dry Vouvray bottlings. The wine delivers a lovely aromatic constellation of apple, quince, a whisper of fresh pineapple, beautiful limestone minerality, white flowers, a hint of citrus oil and a topnote of bee pollen. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, focused and rock solid at the core, with bright, ripe acids, excellent focus and grip and a very long, nascently complex and perfectly balanced finish. Great juice. 2018-2020; 2028-2065. 94+.”
Grapelive 94 points “The Clos du Bourg Sec (dry) is a thrilling Chenin with a precise form and crisp detail, while still being gloriously generous with pretty white peach, fresh citrus, wet stones, a touch of saline and steely mineral intensity, making this Vouvray a great wine and highlights the class of its terroir. One of the most iconic wines of the Loire Valley, the Huet Vouvray is one of the most sought after and admired wines of the region, and this amazing dry version from the outstanding 2017 is a thrill in the glass. Since its founding in 1928, Vouvray’s Domaine Huet has been the standard-bearer for great, age-worthy Chenin Blanc, especially those of the late Gaston Huet, though the wines made now are sublime and wonderfully elegant, especially this Clos du Bourg Sec. Clos du Bourg, farmed since 1953, and purchased by the domaine in 1963, is one of the top sites, along with Le Mont and Huet’s original estate parcel Le Haut-Lieu, which started the legend back in 1928, these three vineyards are considered the Grand Crus of Vouvray and have a long history of producing great Sec, Demi-Sec, or Moelleux wines as well as a tiny amount of gorgeous late harvest sweet wine, the legendary Cuvée Constance, a magical botrytized dessert wine that rivals the world’s best and Huet does a fine sparkler. The famed Gaston Huet believed Clos du Bourg to be the greatest of all Vouvray vineyards, and certainly his favorite with the Première Côte’s shallowest and stoniest soils it produces wine of dramatic energy, mineral complexity and remarkable generous texture. American Anthony Hwang, from New York, purchased a majority stake in Huet back in 2002, and today his children reside at and direct the estate, while long time winemaker Jean-Bernard Bertholmé continues to craft the wines, as he’s done since 1979. The Clos du Bourg 2017 Sec coming from old vines set on calcareous soils is a riveting Chenin Blanc with mineral intensity, bright details and exceptional length, this is everything you’d want from a dry version of this grape with peach and citrus fruit, chalky stones and a delicate floral sense plus a waxy almost honeyed mouth feel. This is one of best young Vouvrays I’ve ever had and it should just get better and better with some age, drink this beauty over the next 3 to 5 years, and don’t miss out on these 2017 Huets!”
The average price is $42
See the complete list of May Sale Wines at the bottom of this newsletter!
Rosé
Cameron Winery Spritz Rose, Willamette Valley NV 250ML CAN ($9.95) $6.60 special
This is a Pinot Blanc-dominant blend with a touch of Pinot Noir and a gentle effervescence. This coppery-pink wine offers notes of juicy pear, white cherries and fresh flowers. Fun, fruity, and fabulous inside and out, this is hands down the finest thing in a can (and one of the finest Willamette Valley rosés released this year)!
Neal Rosenthal note “Comprising 75% Mourvèdre, 15% Cinsault, and 10% Grenache, with an average vine age of 40 years, the 2018 Côtes de Provence Rosé is even closer in character to its Bandol counterpart than it normally is. Serious and strapping, it offers a penetrating chalky minerality, robust red fruits, and a whisper of tannin that contributes to a particularly long and clinging impression on the palate.”
Chateau Pradeaux Bandol Rose, Provence 2018 1.5L ($79.95) $69 special
Neal Rosenthal note “Pradeaux’s iconic Bandol Rosé really shines in 2018, with even greater complexity and length than usual. As mentioned above, a third of the wine was fermented in a single 50-hectoliter foudre (but moved immediately to tank following the fermentation), which contributes a subtle granular cling on the palate and opens up the wine a bit aromatically. While never a simple sipping wine, the 2018 is particularly vinous, offering real density and richness, yet retaining a freshness of spirit at the same time. The final blend comprises 80% Mourvèdre and 20% Cinsault.”
And the lowest listed price in the USA today for the magnum!
The average price nationally is $33 for the 750ml
Cameron Winery Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2017 750ML ($29.95) $27 special
Case-12 Cameron Winery Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2017 750ML ($359.95) $309 special (that’s only $25.75/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Notes from John Paul: 12.6% alcohol. The 2017 vintage is a classic and high-toned. This is 60% Abbey Ridge fruit, which really shows on the nose with floral and cherry notes. You pick up the influence of Clos Electrique on the palate.
Saxum Vineyards Broken Stones, Paso Robles 2016 750ML ($179.95) $149 special, only 6 bottles available
Jeb Dunnuck 96-100 points “More Syrah dominated than normal, the 2016 Broken Stones is a big, badass wine that offers tons of black fruits, scorched earth, licorice and peppered meat. Thick, unctuous and seriously concentrated, it’s another tour de force from Justin that just might be the best yet.”
Josh Raynolds 95-97 points “Opaque purple. Expansive aromas of dark fruit liqueur, incense, vanilla, violet and spicecake are joined by olive and cola nuances that build in the background. Fleshy and broad in the mouth, offering deeply concentrated yet lively black and blue fruit preserve, star anise and violet pastille flavors brightened by a vibrant mineral flourish. Supple and appealingly sweet on the extremely long, floral-dominated finish, which is shaped by smooth, steadily building tannins.”
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 94-96+ points “A blend of 52% Syrah, 18% Mataro, 10% Grenache, 10% Tempranillo, 8% Petite Sirah and 2% Roussanne, the 2016 Broken Stones (which will be bottled later this year) offers up brooding aromas of grilled meat and smoky black fruits. On the palate, it’s full-bodied and very powerful, with sweet tannins, considerable concentration and chewy extract, and there’s a long, stony finish. This cuvée used to see mainly new oak, but the 2016 is being matured in 51% new puncheons, 32% foudre and 13% amphora, with the balance in used wood. Perhaps that’s why this vintage has all the power and amplitude that readers will have come to expect from Broken Stones but also more tension and precision.”
Domaine de Cabasse Gigondas Jucunditas, Rhone 2016 750ML ($31.95) $28 special
Wine Advocate 95 points “A blend of 70% Grenache and 15% each Mourvèdre and Syrah grown at about 400 meters above sea level, the 2016 Gigondas Jucunditas is a silky, lush wine. Cherry, apricot and dark chocolate notes swirl about on the nose and palate of this full-bodied offering, which shows great length on the finish, picking up hints of licorice and cracked pepper. It’s a lovely expression of the appellation’s high-altitude terroir.”
Clos Saint-Jean Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Rhone 2016 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Jeb Dunnuck 92-94 points “Leading off the 2016s, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape is noticeably darker than any of the 2015s and offers terrific blackcurrants, blackberries, smoked meats and roasted garrigue aromas and flavors. It’s full-bodied, ripe and undeniably sexy, with gorgeous purity of fruit.”
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 92 points “The lush, fruit-forward 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape is a good introduction to the domaine’s Grenache-dominated style, boasting copious amounts of cherry and apricot fruit. It’s full-bodied and velvety in texture, with attractive hints of licorice emerging on the long finish. With its slightly more prominent acidity, it should drink well for longer than the 2015 or 2017 versions.”
James Suckling 96 points “So much fresh pressed violet and blackberry character as well as iodine, quartz, slate and tile. Full body, grippy yet linear and polished tannins, fine acidity and a long, minerally finish. So refined. Drink in 2020.”
Case-6 Poggio al Tesoro ‘Il Seggio’ Bolgheri, Tuscany 2015 750ML ($219.95) $179 special (that’s only $29.83/bottle!)
Wine Spectator 93 points “($60) Fresh black currant and leafy flavors announce this juicy red. Wild herb, graphite and olive notes complete the picture as this unwinds on the lingering aftertaste. Very youthful, yet has all the components, including a dense structure. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2021 through 2033.”
James Suckling 93 points “A super refined and pretty red with sweet tobacco, currant and berry character. Red stone. Medium to full body, fine tannins and a fresh finish. Drink now.”
Petrolo Torrione Valdarno di Sopra, Tuscany 2016 750ML ($31.95) $26 special
Case-6 Petrolo Torrione Valdarno di Sopra, Tuscany 2016 750ML ($179.95) $144 special (that’s only $24/bottle!)
James Suckling 95 points “Aromas of dried flowers, dried berries, cherries and hints of stones. Full-bodied, very firm and silky. An intense underlying energy of acidity and a lovely finish. 75% sangiovese, 20% merlot and 5% cabernet sauvignon. One of the best ever? Drink in 2020.”
Case-6 R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2006 750ML ($249.95) $199 special (that’s only $33.17/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Wine Advocate 95 points “The red flagship 2006 Viña Tondonia Reserva was inspired by the vineyards of the Médoc but produced with local grapes, 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacho, 5% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo, which achieved 13% alcohol in 2006. It always matures in used American oak barriques for some six years. The oldest of all the reds I tasted, it was also the one with more freshness, which speaks to the quality of the vineyard. This takes the lion’s share of the 400,000 bottles the winery produces, with some 220,000 bottles filled over a period of 12 consecutive days in May 2014.”
James Suckling 94 points “This is a remarkably lively wine for a 12-year-old Rioja with notes of licorice and dried cherries and a very elegant tannin structure that runs through the medium to full body of this red like a silk thread. The dry finish is long and polished. Drink or hold.”
Case-6 R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Cubillo Crianza, Rioja DOCa 2009 750ML ($179.95) $133 special (that’s only $22.17/bottle and the lowest listed price on the West Coast!)
Wine Advocate 92 points “The red they say was born to go with tapas and sold in local restaurants is the 2009 Viña Cubillo Tinto Crianza. 2009 was a warm and ripe year, and this blend of Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha (or the masculine Garnacho they like to use) plus 5% each Graciano and Mazuelo from limestone soils with quite a lot of clay, feels juicy and soft. It fermented with natural yeasts in large oak vats and matured in used barriques for three years. This is a bottling that has grown and improved a lot since 2004-2005. It shows very good balance between fruit and more developed aromas, with hints of leather and cherries, spices and smoke, very clean and with good volume in the palate. It’s usually a little riper and with higher alcohol than Tondonia or Bosconia, with the character, finesse and elegance of a classical Reserva. 93,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in April 2013.”
Restocked and Loaded
The Decanter Gold Medal Winning
Umani Ronchi Verdicchio
In Stock with a New Case Price!
Umani Ronchi Casal di Serra Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore, Marche 2017 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
Case-12 Umani Ronchi Casal di Serra Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore, Marche 2017 750ML ($219.95) $199 special (that’s only $16.58/bottle and the lowest listed price on the West Coast!)
Decanter 96 points “Gold Medal: Very attractive and classic varietal nose with herby fruit and grassy notes. The palate offers crisp acidity with a little bit of waxiness and tasty stone fruit flavours. Lovely, long, finish. A classy wine to be enjoyed sooner rather than later.”
Staff Pick
Old School Cab Franc meets one of the greatest vintages in the Loire Valley. I brought home a bottle to see if this might be a cellar-worthy friend. Drinking it over three nights, it really opened up on the second and stayed strong through the finish. The 2014 is full of fresh notes of blackberries, baking spice and crunchy minerals. Well-balanced, it was less green-inflected than some vintages, but still with that baked iron and tangy herbal note that lets you know this ain’t Washington state CF. Olga Raffault has long been my top pick for Cab Franc, and this 2014 is simply delightful. Although it offered plenty for short-term drinking, especially with grilled veggies or herbed chicken dishes, I’ll be squirreling away several bottles for drinking over the next two decades. You should, too.
Olga Raffault Chinon Les Picasses, Loire 2014 750ML ($31.95) $27 special
Olga Raffault Chinon Les Picasses, Loire 2014 1.5L ($79.95) $66 special
Wine Enthusiast 94 points “Chalk soil on the slope up to the plateau above the town of Chinon gives this organic wine its mineral texture, which is allied to great fruit and spice. Wood aging lends generous, ripe tannins, the layers of black fruits are impressive and have aged well. Enjoy this fine wine now.”
Decanter 93 points “Les Picasses is sourced from vines on clay-limestone soil lying on a bedrock of tuffeau – a hard, chalky limestone. Very much in the marvelous style of the domain, this expresses ripe black fruits, plum and a touch of liquorice. The mouthfeel is taut but has a delicate airiness to it, with underlying velvety tannins. It can be enjoyed now or held for several years.”
Finding a wine to drink tonight is easy. Finding a perfectly cellared wine at its peak maturity to drink tonight? Well, unless you have a well-stock wine cellar, that can be a challenge. We’ve done the work for you and curated a top 10 list of wines in stock now and reaching their peak. In fairness to all the non-Burgundian and dessert wines we offer, we’re featuring wines from outside these options.
Newly Reviewed:
Domaine du Vieux Chateau-Daniel-Etienne Defaix, Chablis, Les Lys 2005 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 11 bottles in stock now
Grapelive 93 points “Daniel-Etienne Defaix … continues [his family’s] tradition of wine growing, which has been working the vines around Chablis since the 1500s. He manages 26 hectares planted exclusively to Chardonnay, which most all there vines in a selection of Premier Crus. Defaix, a natural minded vigneron whose family is from Avallon, not far from Chablis, he uses largely self-taught methods to craft his wines with ideas passed down and learned from his own experiences. His severe selections of grapes and his long fermentations highlight his deft and gentle touch in the cellar, which shows here in his latest release of Les Lys from the 2005 vintage. [This] is a gorgeous Chablis with incredible texture, mineral notes, remarkable lively character from this warm vintage and polished depth. This 2005 gives a subtle floral perfume, hints liquid rock, clarified cream, apple, pear and lemon preserves as well as wet stone (chalk), acacia honey, hazelnut and lingering fleshiness of form. It is a seamless Chardonnay of great class and detail. The Chablis 1er Cru Les Lys comes from a monopole plot known as ‘Clos du Roi’ and the average age of the vines is close to 45 years. [The vines are planted] on a sloping hillsides that has a near perfect southwest exposure allowing warm ripe flavors and richness, while the Kimmeridgian (limestone) soils give fabulous structure, acidity and minerallity. Daniel Defaix ferments 100% de-stemmed grapes in stainless steel tank using 100% natural yeasts at cold temps, which takes close to three weeks, and then the wine is rested almost three years on the lees, again in stainless (only) and goes through natural malos, then racked again back to stainless tanks to aged up to ten years before bottling! The results are amazing and this 2005, which shows the benefits of that regime and the age delivers a great performance in the glass with a sexy layered mouth feel and secondary elements beginning to shine through. The ‘Les Lys’ Premier Cru vineyard, part of the Vaillons, is located on the left bank of the Serein River, overlooking the villages of Chablis and Milly, making for an intriguing terroir, one of the most rare in the series of Premier Crus from Chablis and with a stony personality, but with a softer tone than some of neighboring sites. This Defaix version is wonderfully elegant, especially now.”
Ten Additional Peak Maturity Picks In Stock and Ready To Go:
Staff favorite!
Comte Leloup du Chateau de Chasseloir Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine Sur Lie Cuvee des Ceps Centenaires, Loire 2005 750ML ($39.95) $33 special, 34 bottles in stock now
David Schildknecht-Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2005 Chateau de Chasseloir Comte Leloup de Chasseloir Muscadet de Sevre et Maine Sur Lie Cuvee des Ceps Centenaires smells of fresh lime and lemon, oyster shell and salt spray, and a Chenin-like meld of quince and pear. Along with citrus and orchard fruits, a briny-nutty meld of flavors in this wine reminds me of the freshly sauteed smelts I would in any event be inclined to drink it with! One minute this impresses me most with its sheer richness of ripe orchard fruit character and silken texture, the next for its mysterious meld of mineral elements and its sheer refreshment. Almond cream, quince, salt, chalk, and iodine – not to mention luscious citrus – are among the elements informing this wine’s kaleidoscopic finish…”
Wine Spectator 93 points “A core of mineral-accented smoke, spice and honey notes is wrapped with flavors of glazed apricot, lemon preserves and candied ginger in this vibrant and well-balanced version. Creamy, with a lasting finish. Drink now through 2025. 3,000 cases made.”
Wine Advocate 94 points “Another terrific effort, and one of the strongest Syrahs in the vintage, the 2011 Syrah Lewis Vineyard is 100% Syrah that spent 30 months in 90% new French oak, which you’d never know by tasting it. Gorgeous blackberry, blueberry, wild herbs, licorice, chocolate and hints of crushed rock all emerge from this beauty, and it flows onto the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, bright acidity and a seamless, elegant profile. It’s enjoyable now, but will shine for another decade at least as well.”
Castell’in Villa ‘Poggio delle Rose’, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 1996 750ML ($159.95) $128 special, 10 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 94 points “[Reviewed Jun 2012] The 1996 Chianti Classico Riserva Poggio delle Rose emerges from the glass with generous fruit, which is given additional volume and richness from the French oak. The 1996 is a big, big wine, especially within the context of the vintage. Because 1996 is the debut vintage, the percentage of new barrels is higher than in subsequent years, and the wine remains marked by the oak. Smoke, licorice and tar wrap around a muscular finish supported by firm, insistent tannins.”
James Suckling 94 points “Wonderful aromas of balsamic, plum, grilled meat and spices. Full body, with round and chewy tannins. Excellent depth of fruit. The 2008 vintage shows that extra complexity to the 2009 in general. Better in 2015.”
Antonio Galloni 93+ points “Cool veins of bracing minerality form the backbone in Borgogno’s 2008 Barolo Liste. Today, the 2008 is virtually impenetrable, as the vintage and the site have combined to produce a big, powerful Barolo that will require considerable cellaring before it is ready to show all its cards. Still, there is a lot to like here, especially for those who can be patient. Tar, smoke, incense and scorched earth all add gravitas on the close, but with more time in the glass some of the sweeter notes begin to emerge. The 2008 Liste is shaping up to be magnificent.” AG
Xavier Vignon Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Reserve VII IX X, Rhone NV 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 24+ bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 96 points “While I reviewed this NV Châteauneuf du Pape La Reserve VII IX X (a blend from the 2007, 2009 and 2010 vintages) last year, I was able to taste it again this go around, and it still blew me away. Fabulously full-bodied and decadent, with loads of lavender, incense, black raspberry and cured-meat nuances, it’s still youthful and vibrant, with notable freshness and purity. Enjoy this brilliant wine through 2028.”
The next best price is $69.99
Jeb Dunnuck – Wine Advocate 97 points “[Reviewed Oct 2016] While I questioned if the 2009 Artemia was the greatest wine I’d tasted from Ventoux in my notes, I know for a fact the 2007 Cotes du Ventoux Cuvee Artemia is the greatest wine I’ve tasted from the estate, and the appellation! A wine that would stand toe to toe with some of the greatest Chateauneuf du Papes out there, this utterly profound Ventoux offers awesome aromatics of incense, blackberries, crushed flowers, licorice and cured meats. Pure, full-bodied, silky and weightless, yet packed with character and flavor, it’s a truly sensational wine that readers shouldn’t miss!”
Antonio Galloni 98 points “(Reviewed May 2015) Voerzio no longer makes his Barolo Riserva Vecchie Viti dei Capalot e delle Brunate. The 2004 is a great reminder of just how fabulous this wine was. A huge, vertical wine, the 2004 boasts magnificent depth and overall intensity. The flavors are boldly sketched in a dramatic Barolo built on pure muscle. A host of black cherry, cloves, smoke, menthol, tar and blackberry jam flow through to the intense finish. Beguiling and powerful, the 2004 will provide fascinating drinking for the next 10-15 years, perhaps longer. Of all the 2004s here, this is the wine that has had the most positive evolution in bottle.”
Altesino Montosoli, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2010 750ML ($149.95) $119 special, 20 bottles in stock now
Case-6 Altesino Montosoli, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2010 750ML ($899.95) $679 special (that’s only $113.17/bottle!)
Wine Spectator 98 points “A stunning red, featuring peony, strawberry, cherry and mineral flavors, accented by notes of wild herbs. Intense and deep, with great purity and elegance, a firmly wrought structure and a long finish. The harmony between fruit, tannins and acidity should allow this to age beautifully. Best from 2019 through 2036.”
James Suckling 97 points “Beautiful aromas of dark fruits and minerals. Full-bodied, succulent and chewy. It’s tight and stony. Lots of black olives and wet earth under the fruit. Bright and linear wine with beautiful layers…”
Wine Advocate 96 points “Montosoli enthusiasts will not be disappointed by the 2010 Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli. This special single-vineyard expression shows a beautifully fragrant and floral bouquet that is exactly in line with what this firmly consistent producer strives to achieve. This wine represents one of the most distinctive expressions of varietal voice and that’s what makes it so precious and rare. Sangiovese sings loud with small berry nuances and loud floral impressions of rose, violet and lavender. Its underlying complexity is further enhanced by anise seed, cola and licorice stick. The wine’s texture is soothing soft and silky. This is one for your cellars to age ten years or more.”
Budget-Friendly Cellared Picks:
Domaine de Fontbonau Cotes du Rhone Rouge, Rhone 2010 750ML ($27.95) $18 special
Case-6 Domaine de Fontbonau Cotes du Rhone Rouge, Rhone 2010 750ML ($149.95) $99 special (that’s only $16.50/bottle!)
Case-12 Domaine de Fontbonau Cotes du Rhone Rouge, Rhone 2010 750ML ($279.95) $179 special (that’s only $14.92/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 91+ points “Medium garnet-purple colored, the nose is of warm berries, black cherry compote and dried Provence herb aromas with hints of cumin seed, cardamom and violets. Full, opulent and seductive on the palate, it is superbly structured with a nice acid backbone and a medium to firm level of very finely grained tannins, finishing long and spicy. Delicious now, it should develop beautifully to 2020+.”
Chateau Haut-Bergey, Pessac-Leognan 2007 750ML ($39.95) $28 special
Grapelive 90+ points “This vintage, 2007, is totally under the radar in Bordeaux and while it is never going to be a classic or collectable year for the region there are some fantastic wines and values, including Château Haut-Bergey’s lovely 2007, Cabernet Sauvignon based red from Pessac-Leognan. The 2007 Haut-Bergey’s nose comes across far more mature than the wine is and certainly the fresh palate is much more thrilling than I would have expected, it makes for a great drinking Bordeaux with classic layers of mulberry, currant, cherry and blackberry fruits with touch of graphite, acacia flower, wild plum, tobacco leaf, loamy earth and light cedar notes. This wine gains in personality and charm with air, it finishes with a gorgeous texture and length, making for a wine that way over delivers for the price, even if it will not get too much better with more cellaring. Château Haut-Bergey is located in the heart of the village of Léognan, mecca of Graves which is home to some famous neighboring properties such as Haut-Smith-Laffite, La Louviere, Haut-Brion, La Mission and one of my favorites Château Haut-Bailly, it’s great terroir no question and Haut-Bergey is a great value….the estate is all organic and the biodynamic farming adds to the energy in the wines. Château Haut-Bergey’s red wine is crafted of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, but with a good dose of Merlot, and some parts of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec grown on the region’s mix of rounded pebbles, broken stone along with clay, limestone and shelly sand. The rise in [prices in] recent times has made Château Haut-Bergey very attractive for those seeking quality at bargain prices, these wines are exceptional deals especially in less hyped years, as 2007.… with food this wine really comes alive and adds dimension finding a little bit of grip and filling out to a medium full wine. If you find this wine and want a savvy Bordeaux experience, I recommend buying a few bottles to drink over the next 3 to 5 years.”
The next best price is $33.99
Jeb Dunnuck on Peter Weygandt
On Domaine de Vissoux:
“This small, family-run estate is managed by fifth-generation vigneron Pierre-Marie Chermette. The vines are sustainably farmed, and the wines see little destemming, indigenous yeast, long fermentations, and aging in larger foudres. These are classic, age-worthy Beaujolais that will have broad drink windows.” –Jeb Dunnuck
Pierre-Marie Chermette Saint Amour 2017 750ML ($27.95) $24 special, 16 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 93 points “The 2017 Saint Amour from Pierre-Marie is more structured and tannic than the Coeur de Vendanges, yet it still comes across as seamless and elegant. Impressive notes of ripe black cherries, blackberries, scorched earth, and rocky minerality all flow to a medium-bodied Beaujolais that has terrific balance, building tannins, and again, a great sense of elegance and length.”
Daniel Bouland Morgon Schiste Bellevue 2017 750ML ($34.95) $27 special, 27 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 93 points “The 2017 Morgon Schiste Bellevue is a brilliant Beaujolais and certainly worth seeking out. Loads of minerality, as well as ripe dark fruit fruits, give way to a medium-bodied, silky 2017 that has high yet integrated acidity, plenty of tannins, and superb overall balance. There’s no harm in drinking bottles today, but I suspect this cuvée will still be going strong in 10-15 years.”
Terre Nere’s Daily Drinker
Tenuta delle Terre Nere Rosso Etna, Sicily 2016 750ML ($26.95) $19.75 special
Wine Enthusiast 93 points “Star anise, violet, crushed herb and Mediterranean brush aromas align with a whiff of crushed stone. It’s silky smooth, offering juicy raspberry, wild strawberry, dark spice and white pepper framed in lithe, polished tannins. Fresh acidity lends balance while a flinty mineral note energizes the finish. Drink through 2026.”
James Suckling 92 points “Extremely floral on the nose with lemon-leaf and dried-flower notes that highlight the fruit. Full-bodied, firm and silky with a beautiful finish. Drink now or hold.”
The average price is $22
