Getting Started with the February Clearance Sale; New Arrivals from Bedrock, Palacios and Dow, plus Back Vintage Dom. Solitude—and more!; #Trending Spotlight on Argentina; New Reviews for Faiveley’s Outstanding 2016’s; Last Chance at January Clearance Sale Prices
Ramey and La Jota
Wine Spectator 96 points “A wealth of cherry flavor is surrounded by cut grass, tar, tobacco and iron notes in this complex, intense red. There is plenty of tension and a long aftertaste of licorice, tar and mineral. Balanced yet austere, this needs time to integrate fully. Best from 2023 through 2042.”
Antonio Galloni 94+ points “The 2012 Barolo Cerretta is intriguing to taste next to the Francia, as it is much more shut down and affected by its recent bottling. Today the tannins are searing and large-grained, a characteristic this wine did not show from barrel. The clay-rich soils in Cerretta tend to give a broader style of Barolo compared to Francia, where limestone is prevalent, and that is very much what comes through today. Hints of dark red cherry, plum, smoke, leather, tobacco and licorice struggle to emerge from a wall of tannin. Today, the Cerretta is a brute, with little of the perfume and finesse it showed in cask. Readers will have to be patient. The only question is how much.
Wine Advocate 94 points “To be released in October 2016, the 2012 Barolo Cerretta opens to a profound and buoyant bouquet that is particularly driven by menthol freshness, as well as pretty nuances of balsam herb and forest fruit with licorice, tilled earth and truffle. The wine is balanced and ethereal. It’s so difficult to achieve this level of aromatic definition (especially in a warm year like 2012), but Roberto Conterno has done so with a deft hand. This is a complete expression of Barolo with aromatic intensity that is matched by an enduring sense of structure and medium-weight appeal.”
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2003 Barolo Cascina Francia is soft, silky and very nicely balanced, especially in its tannins, where the wine really stands out next to so many peers. Readers should open the 2003 at least an hour in advance to allow the aromatics to open up. This is a very sexy and open young Barolo from Conterno with very little signs of the challenging growing season.”
Now it’s even lower!
Wine Spectator 96 points “A wealth of cherry flavor is surrounded by cut grass, tar, tobacco and iron notes in this complex, intense red. There is plenty of tension and a long aftertaste of licorice, tar and mineral. Balanced yet austere, this needs time to integrate fully. Best from 2023 through 2042.”
Antonio Galloni 94+ points “The 2012 Barolo Cerretta is intriguing to taste next to the Francia, as it is much more shut down and affected by its recent bottling. Today the tannins are searing and large-grained, a characteristic this wine did not show from barrel. The clay-rich soils in Cerretta tend to give a broader style of Barolo compared to Francia, where limestone is prevalent, and that is very much what comes through today. Hints of dark red cherry, plum, smoke, leather, tobacco and licorice struggle to emerge from a wall of tannin. Today, the Cerretta is a brute, with little of the perfume and finesse it showed in cask. Readers will have to be patient. The only question is how much.
Wine Advocate 94 points “To be released in October 2016, the 2012 Barolo Cerretta opens to a profound and buoyant bouquet that is particularly driven by menthol freshness, as well as pretty nuances of balsam herb and forest fruit with licorice, tilled earth and truffle. The wine is balanced and ethereal. It’s so difficult to achieve this level of aromatic definition (especially in a warm year like 2012), but Roberto Conterno has done so with a deft hand. This is a complete expression of Barolo with aromatic intensity that is matched by an enduring sense of structure and medium-weight appeal.”
Wine Advocate 94 points “Like the Liebenberg from weathered granite and gneiss soils, but in a higher and cooler spot, the 2015 Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Dürnsteiner Kellerberg opens with an intense and herbal-flavored, rather spicy and stony bouquet of ripe and concentrated bright fruits. Full-bodied, ripe and piquant on the palate, this is a rich and powerful, well-concentrated and elegant Kellerberg with a rich extract and a long and persistent finish. The 2015 should be cellared for at least another 3-5 years.”
Wine Advocate 93-94 points “The 2015 Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Dürnsteiner Liebenberg comes from 70- to 80-year-old vines on a rare calcareous slate soil. The wine displays a very clear and pure, pretty open and lovely spicy, crystalline and flinty bouquet with ripe pip fruit aromas. Very distinguished and rather coolish in its expression. Full-bodied, round and elegant, with tension, salt and grip in the finish, this is a charmingly ripe and juicy but also challenging mineral and piquant Veltliner from one of the most exciting terroirs. The finish is powerful and complex but also fresh and stimulatingly piquant. Pichler has bottled this wine since 2010.”
Wine Spectator 92 points “Crafted with precision, this white features notes of white pepper and chamomile accenting apricot and wet stone flavors, showing good harmony between the savory and fruity elements.”
David Schildknecht–Vinous 95-96 points “A pungently smoky, incisive, savory mélange of sage, dark tobacco and black pepper is allied to ripe peach and garlanded with heliotrope in a head-turningly intense nose. That full range of elements reprises on a polished palate, whose textural caress and sweet sense of ripeness are combined with welcome, tangy, chewy counterpoint of peach skin and a refreshingly juicy squirt of fresh lime. The finish offers a mouthwateringly prolonged, kaleidoscopic interaction of fruity, savory and smoky elements – plenty rich, yet with rare cut and animation for its vintage.”
Wine Spectator 93 points “Peach, apple and brown spice flavors mingle in this opulent yet structured Riesling, whose vivid acidity offsets the flesh. Underlying citrus and stone elements emerge on the finish. Drink now through 2023.”
David Schildknecht–Vinous 92 points “A site-typical meld of apricot and lime is garlanded with iris on the nose and reprises with wonderful purity and vivid freshness on a silken-textured, expansive palate. Piquant apricot kernel and a lick of wet stone lend counterpoint on a lusciously lingering finish that irresistibly calls forth the next sip.”
Wine Spectator 92 points “Lush, displaying apricot, peach, grapefruit and mineral flavors backed by a vibrant structure, this stays true to its core of orchard fruit, adding accents of elderflower and citrus on the long aftertaste. Drink now through 2023.”
Antonio Galloni 92-95 points “The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Pedregal Vineyard is another hugely promising wine from David Ramey. Exotic in its aromatic profile, with tons of depth, the 2014 is exceptionally beautiful, layered and nuanced. This is a gorgeous and highly nuanced wine with a bright future.”
Now it’s even lower!
Robert Parker 95 points “The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon is 75.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc and the rest Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec, aged in 89% new French oak. The wine displays the great fruit that is possible from these two sites owned by the Jacksons. It has an opaque purple color, a big, sweet kiss of crème de cassis and blackberry with a touch of lead pencil shavings, vanilla and incense. It is full-bodied and dense, with moderately high tannins but beautiful sweetness and fruit. Drink it over the next 25-30 years.”
New Arrivals
Oregon
Wine Spectator 93 points “A pretty Pinot, offering rose petal and strawberryaromas, opening to supple and delicately complex raspberry and cinnamon flavors that glide along the finish. Drink now through 2025. 150 cases made.”
Josh Raynolds 91 points “Vivid red. Smoke-tinged cherry and black raspberry scents, backed by vanilla and allspice nuances. Sappy and appealingly sweet, offering intense red and dark berry flavors that spread out slowly on the back half. Rich yet energetic, finishing with strong, spicy thrust, harmonious tannins and a late jolt of sweet cola.”
Winery note: beautifully structured wine sourced from several sites in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA. Dark in color, with beautiful depth. Crushed-berry fruit is clearly revealed on the palate, supported by excellent grip on the mid-palate and a solid, strong-boned structure. 345 cases produced.
Wine Spectator 95 points “A knockout red, focused and well-built but loaded with personality. Expressive blackberry and dark Asian spice notes lead to intense yet refined smoky plum, orange zest and smoky cracked pepper flavors. Zinfandel, Carignane, Mataro, Syrah and Alicante Bouschet. Drink now through 2027.”
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2016 Bedrock Heritage Wine is powerful, dense and explosive. Swaths of dark, deep fruit flesh out as this ample wine shows off its beguiling personality. Earthy and savory notes add aromatic nuance. As good as the 2016 is today – and it is terrific – it is also very backward and much less overt than other vintages have been. Readers will have to be patient. The Bedrock is a field blend of 27 different grapes based on 50% Zinfandel, 20% Carignane and 4% Mataro, plus dollops of everything else. This compelling Heritage Wine will find its greatest admirers among readers who enjoy old-school, structured wines.”
Wine Spectator 94 points “Combines personality with polish, offering floral cherry and tomato leaf aromas and layered, plump cracked pepper, Asian spice and smoky plum flavors. Zinfandel, Carignane and Mataro. Drink now through 2026”
Antonio Galloni 93 points “Another standout, the 2016 Evangelho Heritage Wine is wonderfully fragrant and lifted. Medium in body, gracious and super-expressive, the Evangelho is pure class. All the elements simply come together in this super-expressive Zinfandel-based wine. The combination of sandy soils and unique field blend of approximately 60% Zinfandel, 35% Mataro and 5% mixed blacks results in a wine of compelling beauty and pedigree. Evangelho is now a true estate vineyard owned by Bedrock”
Wine Advocate 93 points “The outstanding 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Barberini (a blend of 40% Grenache, 40% Syrah, and 20% Mourvedre aged 24 months in 40% small barrels and 60% neutral wood foudres) boasts an inky/ruby/purple color in addition to a big, sweet nose of creme de cassis, melted licorice, graphite, smoke, and truffles. Full-bodied, lush, and expansively flavored, with tremendous purity as well as density, this brilliant 2001 is already starting to strut its stuff.”
Case-12 Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Clos du Bourg’ Demi-Sec, Loire 2016 750ML ($299.95) $249 special (that’s only $41.50/bottle!)
Wine Spectator 95 points “Gorgeous, with creamy-edged nectarine, yellow and green apple, pear and quince flavors that are brightly defined from start to finish, flecked with verbena and honeysuckle hints and backed by a off-dry edge on the finish. Stays fresh and pure throughout. Tempting now but there’s no rush. Drink now through 2032.”Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Le Haut Lieu’ Sec, Loire 2016 750ML ($39.95) $33 special
Case-6 Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Le Haut Lieu’ Sec, Loire 2016 750ML ($229.95) $179 special (that’s only $29.83/bottle!)
Jancis Robinson 17/20 “Already has the lanolin character very prominently on the nose, then fairly light-bodied fruit with a ripe, tropical citrus character, plus a bit of peach. Perhaps a little brief, but has lovely typical Chenin funkiness. Drink 2017-2022.”
John Gilman 90 points “The 2016 Le Haut Lieu Sec from Domaine Huet is a pretty wine and much less powerful than the 2015 version. The wine offers up lovely youthful aromatics of quince, tart pineapple, chalky minerality, orange peel, lanolin, a whisper of the honeycomb to come with bottle age and a gently floral top note. On the palate the wine is crisp, full-bodied and nicely detailed, with good, but not great depth at the core, sound acids and very nice length and grip on the nascently complex finish. I like the shape of this wine very much, which does not have quite as much in reserve as many recent vintages of this bottling, but which has plenty of complexity and really impeccable balance. It may well age like the 1988 vintage here. 2017-2045.”
James Suckling 96 points “Subtle nose of dried rose petals, slate and hints of red cherries. Full body, a beautiful structure and a dense and harmonious texture. Single vineyard. So delicious now. Why wait?”
Wine Advocate 95+ points “The 2014 Finca Dofí is a blend of approximately 94% Garnacha and 6% Cariñena from a plot in Gratallops called Finca Dofí. The destemmed and crushed grapes fermented in oak vats with natural yeasts followed by malolactic and 14 months aging in oak barrels. It feels terribly lively, with a silkiness and purity, terse but at the same time ripe. The oak is very integrated and there is no volatility many associate with Priorat, but the flavors are clearly reminiscent of the old vintages of Dofí but with a much more polished texture. Again the acidity gives it clout and depth, like claws clinging to you. It ends tasty and very mineral. This feels as good as the other-worldly 2013. A great vintage for Dofí. Elegance in a bottle. There are 20,100 bottles produced.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 94 points “Lurid ruby. An explosively perfumed, mineral-tinged bouquet displays fresh boysenberry, cherry, licorice pastille and sandalwood scents, and a suave spicecake nuance gains power with air. Stains the palate with sappy red and blue fruit, spicecake and candied rose flavors that show impressive clarity and back-end lift. Silky, slow-building tannins add gentle grip to the finish, which hangs on with superb, floral- and mineral-driven tenacity.”
James Suckling 97 points “This is a very tight and fine-grained red with a compressed mouthfeel. The fruit comes through to a class and elegance. Such length. Ethereal structure. Unique. Drink or hold.”
Decanter 95 points “Alvaro Palacios Finca Dofí 2015 is grown on brown slate. Deep purple with pink rim. Impressively powerful, with a burst of black fruits, fresh, well-balanced, with a refined texture. A rasp of tannin gives structure, and a burst of juice explodes on the finish. An edge of liquorice and wild herbs to the finish. Very long, very fresh.”
Wine Advocate 95 points “Ricardo Pérez Palacios told me his favorite overall vintages for Bierzo are 2001, 2012 and possibly 2015, because he sees them as very complete years, even if 2015 didn’t have as perfect conditions as 2001 and 2012; the 2015 Corullón is a perfect example of that, a really pretty wine, open, where I see the similarities with 2012. They use many of the vineyards year after year, all of them around the village of Corullón, all planted with a field blend of varieties, and they have been increasing the percentage of white grapes from those vines that they include in the cuvée. In 2015, it can be almost 9%, mostly Palomino, and they feel it polishes that slight bitterness in the finish of the Mencía, reminiscent of green almonds. Of course, there are also other red grapes, like Alicante Bouschet, Gran Negro, Pan y Carne and Negreda, that might contribute to some 2% of the volume. 19,572 bottles, 720 half bottles, 450 magnums, 45 double magnums and 30 Jeroboams were filled between May 11th and 17th of 2017.”
James Suckling 96 points “A beautiful nose of violets, cranberries and hints of licorice. Full and powerful with polished and pretty tannins and a long finish. Excellent structure and depth. Made from a single vineyard of old mencia. One of the top wines of the estate. Better in 2020.”
Wine Advocate 95+ points “The single-vineyard 2014 Las Lamas follows the same path as the rest of the 2014s: very good freshness and precision, floral and perfumed, elegant and nuanced, with a terribly balanced palate and a little less body than the 2015 but more approachable with its gentle character. This bottling has been on fire since 2012, when they realized they needed slightly higher yields than they had in the past, and it means the ripeness has been more perfect since then. 3,090 bottles. It was bottled in March 2016.”
David Schildknecht – Vinous 92 points “This is the exception to 2016’s relatively narrow range of must weights and acidity chez Merkelbach, having been harvested at 98 Oechsle and finished with only 6.3 grams of acidity. “These were really thin-skinned berries,” explained Alfred Merkelbach, “and as a result there was a lot of shriveling,” albeit without benefit of botrytis. Quince and strawberry preserves on the nose, accompanied by scents of heliotrope and lily, translate into a glycerol-slicked palate performance loaded with inner-mouth perfume. Hints of white raisin as well as a savory suggestion of browned butter add appeal to a lingering finish that compensates for its lack of animating brightness with an invigorating hint of seed-crunching bite. (Amusingly – it couldn’t happen often – the Merkelbachs ended up stopping this at precisely the same 71.4 grams of residual sugar as the A.P. #11.)”
Mosel Fine Wines 90 points “The 2016er Ürziger Würzgarten Auslese AP10 was harvested at 98° Oechsle in the prime Class I former Treppchen vineyard within the Ürziger Würzgarten. This develops a rather ripe nose of melon, herbs and spices. The wine is nicely spicy and juicy on the palate and leaves a feel of ripe pear and melon enhanced by dried spices in the long finish. This is an outstanding smooth Auslese made in a style not unlike that of the finest 2003 wines. 2026-2046”
David Schildknecht – Vinous 91 points “Harvested botrytis-free at 90 Oechsle, this was stopped with a bit higher residual sugar and lower alcohol than its Spätlese counterparts, a decision based on the Merkelbachs’ assessment that it exhibited Auslese tendencies. The nose is effusively and decadently floral, suggesting heliotrope and fading lily. Along with that come scents of overripe kiwi and honeydew melon, all of which presage a luscious, expansive but buoyant palate with impressively persistent layering of inner-mouth floral perfume. A pinch of salinity and a kiss of wet stone add saliva-inducement and interest to a finish that only wants a bit for animation, clarity and juiciness when compared with the most successful wines of the present collection.”
Mosel Fine Wines 91 points “The 2016er Ürziger Würzgarten Auslese AP11 was harvested at 90° Oechsle in the prime Class I Pichter (locally called Langpichter) sector of the Ürziger Würzgarten. The wine develops a beautiful nose of melon, pear, grapefruit and fine spices. It proves quite smooth but multi-layered on the palate and leaves a great playful and airy feel in the long finish. This is plain beautiful and has great upside potential if the fresher zesty side comes through. 2026-2046”
Jancis Robinson 18.5/20 “Exceptionally deep crimson with remarkably little evolution and few orangey hints. Very lively, even a hint of orange peel. Lots of concentration and life. Quite animal too. Very sweet and impressive with a great combination of richness and structure. This is serious wine with a serious future. Long and well balanced.”
Wine Spectator 94 points “I have always been a fan of this very fine and well-made Port. Truly balanced in character, with focused flowers, spice and cherry. Full-bodied, with a sweet palate and a fine texture.–Dow vertical. Drink now.”
Wine Spectator 100 points “In a word, superb. It’s full-bodied, moderately sweet and incredibly tannic, but there’s amazing finesse and refinement to the texture, not to mention fabulous, concentrated aromas of raspberries, violets and other flowers. Perhaps the greatest Taylor ever, it’s better than either the ’92 or the ’70, though it’s very like the ’70 in structure.”
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
Zorzal Eggo Franco Cabernet Franc, Tupungato 2015 750ML ($29.95) $24 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Zorzal Eggo Franco Cabernet Franc, Tupungato 2015 750ML ($319.95) $249 special (that’s only $20.75/bottle! –the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
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).”
Superuco Calcareo ‘Coluvio de Altamira’ Malbec, Uco Valley 2013 750ML ($49.95) $33 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2013 Calcáreo Coluvio de Altamira is closed and tight, feeling the most austere and chalk-driven of the three reds I tasted form the Calcáreo line. The grapes are selected from a small part of the vineyard where the calcium carbonate is seen in the surface. It’s a serious, balanced and terribly salty and mineral red with the violets of Malbec intermixed with crushed rocks and even a marine feeling to it. Complex, subtle, elegant… terrific! And very affordable too. 3,000 bottles produced, the content of the amphora.”
Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2012 El Gran Enemigo is a blend of some 40% Malbec, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% each Cabernet Franc and Merlot, quite a different blend from the 2011 vintage, but also all from Gualtallary in the Uco Valley. The idea for this blend is to only use grapes from limestone soils, always a blend, while the single vineyard from Gualtallary is basically a varietal Cabernet Franc. 2012 was a little cooler than 2011, but there’s a lot more Malbec here, and there are less herbal aromas and more floral tones. There’s hardly any oak in these wines now; they are aged in used, well-seasoned, neutral oak barrels and then transferred to cement vats. It feels purer, more defined, aromatic and subtle. This is really superb, with incredible citric acidity that makes you salivate. It keeps changing in the glass, one minute giving more herbal notes, the following minute turning floral, spicier, growing in the glass and developing new nuances. This is an impressive, age-worthy blend, with the telltale chalky tannins and a supple finish. “
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2013 Calcáreo Río de los Chacayes is sourced from the Chacayes zone of Tunuyán on top of Vista Flores towards the mountains. It has a riper, spicier, floral, and aromatic profile with notes of thyme and rosemary. It is the most extroverted of the three, and also feels quite polished. The palate, however, is more serious, with the austerity of the rocks, a very fine thread of subtle acidity and a long, long, long finish with sweeter tannins. It’s a rolling stone covered in chalk and surrounded by thyme. Awesome! 3,000 bottles were produced.”
James Suckling 98 points “The purity of fruit is so impressive here with flowers, dark fruit, and strawberries. Full body, ultra-fine tannins, and a focus and beauty that makes you think. So long and elegant. 67% malbec, 25% cabernet sauvignon and 8% petit verdot.”
Wine Advocate 96 points “At Cheval des Andes they consider 2013 as a warm vintage, because even if the winter saw average temperatures, the spring and summer were warmer than normal. The 2013 Cheval des Andes came up to 67% Malbec, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Petit Verdot mostly from their vineyards at Las Compuertas at some 1,1000 meters altitude and some fruit from their 15 hectares at La Consulta in the Valle de Uco, that they use when they don’t find it too ripe. Even if they tend to pick early, the bottled wine is a ripe and heady blend hitting the scale at 15% alcohol fermented relatively warm (28 degrees Celsius) for some 25 days. After malolactic in tank, all different lots go into barrel and they try to make the blend as soon as possible, usually during the first winter so the wine ages together for some 15 to 18 months in French oak barriques. They have reduced the amount of new wood used (only 30%) to avoid overwhelming the fruit with aromas but providing complexity and clarifying the wine naturally. From this vintage onward they have been able to not acidify the wine, as they changed their approach to viticulture, and they are now able to burn the green notes and harvest early, with natural acidity and lower alcohol. The key to this is to get something like 30-35 hectoliters per hectare. I think this is absolutely the right approach, and this change started in 2010–with 100% estate fruit, no oenological products used, fresh maturity without greenness through lower yields. In 2013.”
2016 Domaine Faiveley
New Reviews from Stephen Tanzer
For a Heralded Vintage
“Burgundy-loving civilians, who are naturally more concerned with the price and availability of their favorite wines than with the challenges of producing them, will derive great pleasure from the precise, perfumed, suavely tannic 2016s from the outset….As 2016 was a year with relatively full phenolic ripeness and moderate grape sugars, with its better wines characterized by wonderfully smooth tannins, many, many wines from crop levels of 15 hectoliters per hectare or less show a beautiful balance of fresh fruit, lively acidity and ripe tannins…
“If there’s one generalization I would make about the very complicated 2016 vintage, it’s that the majority of wines from Burgundy’s most capable grape-growers and winemakers are more transparent to terroir than the 2015s are, often stunningly so. They are generally more classic and less weighty, and their intense fruit and fresh, high-pitched aromatic qualities should give them more early appeal than the ‘15s, even in cases where they have the stuffing and balance to age well” –Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Arriving ETA Fall 2018:
Domaine Faiveley Les Saint-Georges, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2016 750ML ($159.95) $139 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer 92-95 points “Bright red with ruby tones. Very pure, youthfully medicinal aromas of black raspberry, violet and menthol. Wonderfully rich and subtly sweet, offering grand cru volume and depth to its flavors of red and darker berries, licorice, spices and minerals. This utterly suave wine boasts a rare combination of ripeness and coolness. The youthfully medicinal finish mounts slowly, with saline soil and mineral tones emerging as the wine opens in the glass. Splendid potential.”
Domaine Faiveley La Combe d’Orveau, Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru 2016 750ML ($199.95) $169 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer 92-94 points “(technical director Flous noted that due to the tiny production in 2016–nearly 90% lower than normal– this wine was made in exactly the same way as Faiveley’s Musigny: 50% destemmed by hand, vinified in a small tank and aging in a new feuillette): Bright ruby-red. Slightly grilled, reduced nose dominated today by smoky minerality, with hints of fresh blood and mocha. Plush, sweet and voluminous; a powerful, saline, smoky wine with outstanding solidity and unflagging length, but in need of a racking. Very impressive if a bit of a freak; this wine will be bottled direct from the barrel but will it have enough lift?”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Faiveley Les Amoureuses, Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru 2016 750ML ($379.95) $319 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer 91-93 points “(one new barrel made, but there was not a lot of frost here): Bright ruby-red. Initially quite reduced, the nose cleared somewhat with air to reveal dark scents of black raspberry, cherry and mocha. Then wonderfully supple and sweet on the palate if a bit dominated by smoky oak today; perhaps a bit thicker and riper than Faiveley’s other Chambolle-Musigny premier crus but less expressive today. Finishes with distinctly dark, even purple, fruit flavors and good savory minerality. This needs a racking.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Faiveley La Combe aux Moines, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru 2016 750ML ($119.95) $89 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer 90-92 points “Good dark red. Pure, cool, very reticent aromas of raspberry, redcurrant and licorice plus a positive hint of mustard seed. Backward and unforthcoming on the palate as well, showing subtle saline mineral and soil tones but little easy sweetness or fleshiness. Finishes with slightly granular but ripe tannins and very good length.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Faiveley Lavaux Saint-Jacques, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru 2016 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer 91-93 points “Bright dark red. Deeper pitched and more musky than the Clos des Issarts on the nose, showing more dark fruits and violet than raspberry and minerals today. Then plush and fresh in the mouth, offering surprising early appeal and sweetness to its flavors of dark berries and flowers. Can’t quite match the Clos des Issarts for its tightly coiled spring, but boasts excellent old-vines intensity and plenty of verve. Despite its firm tannins, I suspect this wine will give relatively early pleasure. The yield here was less than 30 hectoliters per hectare, according to technical director Jérôme Flous.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Faiveley Les Cazetiers, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru 2016 750ML ($149.95) $119 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer 91-93 points “Bright dark red. Reduced on the nose. Then silky, penetrating and classically dry on the palate, conveying an impression of medicinal reserve to its flavors of black fruits, smoke and minerals. The serious, granular tannins reach the front teeth. Very tactile wine but a bit youthfully stunted.”
Domaine Faiveley Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru 2016 750ML ($249.95) $219 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer 91-93 points “(partly from purchased grapes and the rest from a 60-year-old massale selection in both Charmes and Mazoyères–the same “Magnien selection” as the Lavaux Saint-Jacques; 100% destemmed; aging in 60% new oak and 40% once-used barrels): Dark red. Ripe, slightly high-toned aromas of almost liqueur-like dark fruit salad. Juicy on entry, then dense, sappy and dry, displaying lovely definition and cut. Very firm but with an element of perfume that makes it approachable now. Finishes complex and long, with supple tannins. Technical directly Jérôme Flous says that this is “the closest in style among our wines to Rousseau’s.” There’s certainly an element of softness to it.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Faiveley Latricieres-Chambertin Grand Cru 2016 750ML ($299.95) $249 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer 92-95 points “(from very old vines; no frost here): Healthy dark red with ruby tones. Aromas of dark berries and coffee with cream on top. At once densely packed and perfumed in the mouth, with crushed raspberry and cranberry flavors lifted by violet. Spreads out horizontally on the back end, finishing with terrific class and ineffable rising perfume of spices and flowers. The tannins here are linear and firm but not hard. A very classy, scented grand cru in the making.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Faiveley Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru 2016 750ML ($319.95) $259 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer 93-95 points “(60% new oak): Dark red with ruby highlights. Complex, inviting aromas of black raspberry, peony, toast, smoke and game. Compellingly rich, creamy wine with a captivating mixture of dark berries, flowers and toasty oak. Maintains its thickness and body straight through to the very ripe, long, suavely tannic finish. A beauty.”
Domaine Faiveley Chambertin Clos de Beze Grand Cru 2016 750ML ($449.95) $379 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer 94-97 points “Bright, dark red-ruby. Knockout sappy nose combines black raspberry, crushed rock and white pepper. Boasts remarkable intensity and clarity–not to mention class–to its flavors of raspberry, spices and pungent minerals. Wonderfully sappy and dense but almost magically light on its feet. This sharply delineated wine finishes with ineffable rising perfume and outstanding length. This wine manages to combine the best traits of Faiveley’s other Gevrey grand crus–not to mention the finest qualities of the 2016 vintage–in an utterly weightless package.”
Domaine Faiveley Chambertin-Clos de Beze Les Ouvrees Rodin Grand Cru 2016 750ML ($1,499.95) $1,199 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer 95-98 points “(like the “regular” Clos de Bèze, this special cuvée from 60+-year-old vines on the Chambertin side of the cru was totally destemmed): Dark red-ruby. Less expressive but slightly riper aromas of purple and black fruits and pungent spices. Then utterly seamless and suave on the palate, offering a lacy, feminine texture with great energy and sophistication. The penetrating red berry and white pepper flavors are amplified by the wine’s mineral underpinning. The endless rising finish combines serious power and refined tannins. Ultimately a bit less expressive and tight-grained than the classic Clos de Bèze but this is even deeper.”
Domaine Faiveley Corton ‘Clos des Cortons’ Faiveley Monopole Grand Cru 2016 750ML ($249.95) $219 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer 95-98 points “Bright ruby. Fruit-driven aromas of crushed black cherry and dark raspberry convey outstanding pungent lift. Incredibly concentrated, sappy and primary, conveying outstanding juicy purity and compelling thickness to its dark fruit and violet flavors. At once hugely powerful and utterly seamless, this wine finishes with great spicy length and lift. A real essence of Burgundy–and likely to evolve gracefully for 25 years or more.”
Wine Advocate 95 points “A new Walla Walla release, the 2014 Ovide Jack’s Vineyard is a gorgeous black fruit, black olive, dried herbs and chocolate layered beauty that has ultra-fine tannin, a seamless profile and a great finish. It has more elegance and purity than the Roma release, and is a beauty!”
Antonio Galloni 94+ points “A ripe, powerful wine, the 2012 Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia offers a level of finesse that balances some of the more overt intensity of the year. Dark cherry, plum, spice, tobacco, menthol and licorice add shades of nuance as this beautifully delineated Rancia opens up in the glass. Because of its mid-weight structure, I expect the 2012 will give up its charms relatively early by Rancia standards, which means around age 15-20. The 2012 is not an obvious or explosive Rancia, rather is a wine built on compelling overall harmony.”
Wine Advocate 94+ points “The 2014 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Rotlay offers a superbly clear and concentrated bouquet with tropical fruit aromas (mango, pineapples) and fine botrytis. Picked with 110° Oechsle, this is a sweet, piquant, highly elegant and refined Riesling with a lingering purity and salinity, as well as the repetition of the tropical fruit aromas of the nose. With great finesse and concentration, this is quite noble and expressive Riesling.”
Now it’s even lower!
Wine Advocate 96 points “Up in the top handful of wines in the vintage (which should come as no surprise to anyone who follows this estate), the 2012 Châteauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes is a full-bodied, beautifully concentrated, rich and layered Châteauneuf that doesn’t put a foot wrong. Made from 85% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre and the rest Syrah, it offers blockbuster notes of blackberry, liquid-violets, spice and serious minerality to go with awesome mid-palate depth and layers of sweet tannin. Like the Cuvee Chaupin, it will be better in another handful of years and thrill through 2027”