Vinopolis Holiday Hours
We will close at 4 PM on Sunday, December 24th
We will be closed on Monday, December 25th and Monday, January 1st
We wish you a happy holiday season!
Champagne Terroirs
Highlights for Interesting New Year’s Drinking
While we certainly have our share of glorious Grande Marque wines (at incredible prices—especially Belle Epoque and Grande Dame!), we’ve been captivated recently by an increasing number of grower Champagnes that show off the terroirs and styles of various villages and vineyards. (If you haven’t picked up Peter Liem’s excellent new book on Champagne, you owe it to yourself—thank us later). Between the quality of recent vintages (and subsequently NV blends), the falling euro and the growing number of excellent growers out there, we’re awash in excellent, reasonably priced Champagne. We’ve got some highlights below, but you can always head to our webstore at www.vinopoliswineshop.com to see all 115+ bottlings in stock now!
Aubry ‘Ivoire et Ebene’ Premier Cru Brut, Champagne 2012 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 9 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2012 Brut Ivoire et Ebène is another fabulous wine in this range. Powerful, ample and resonant in the glass, the 2012 is superb from the moment it is first poured. Baked apple, pear, smoke and spice fill out the wine’s voluptuous frame, with a hint of French oak that add complexity without being overpowering. The combination of bright flavors and rich textures is compelling. Disgorged: June 2016. Dosage is 3 grams per liter.”
Importer Note “50% Chardonnay 25% Pinot Noir 25% Meunier from Premier Cru vineyards in Jouy-lès-Reims. Fermented and aged in Stainless Steel, it ages 48 months sur latte before disgorgement.”
Lot 2012RD1216
Disgorged 12/2016 – 6g/L
R. Dumont & Fils Cuvee Brut Nature, Champagne NV 750ML ($39.95) $31.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 90 points “(85% Pinot Noir and 15% Chardonnay; no dosage): Light gold. Pungent aromas of ripe pear, white peach and melon, with a suave floral element coming up with aeration. Intense orchard and pit fruit flavors are underscored by smoky mineral and gingery spice notes that gain strength with aeration. Finishes tight, dry and long, with firm grip and repeating spiciness.”
The next best price is $49
R. Dumont & Fils Brut, Champagne NV 6L ($499.95) $389 special, 3 very large bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 91 points “Bright straw. Expansive aromas of ripe citrus and orchard fruits pick up hints of tarragon and musky rhubarb with air. Chewy and broad on the palate, showing good heft to its blood orange and nectarine flavors. Succulent, firm and focused, finishing with bright mineral cut and very good persistence.”Josh Raynolds-Vinous 92 points “(made from a blend of 20 vintages, with 1991 as its base; roughly 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay; 6 g/l dosage): Pale yellow. A wild, assertively perfumed bouquet displays scents of mineral-accented poached pear, honey, toasted nuts and smoky lees, with a suave floral element building in the glass. Stains the palate with ripe orchard and pit fruit flavors, along with suggestions of buttered toast, marzipan and bitter lemon pith. Shows excellent clarity and power on the finish, which clings with strong fruity persistence. This complex, concentrated Champagne would be fantastic with aged or blue cheeses.”
Wine Advocate 93 points “Sourced from Le Cotet, La Grande Cote and Les Paluets – which last-named is southeast-facing and arguably the top site in Montgueux, opines Lassaigne – his 2006 Brut Nature is intriguingly and alluringly scented with fresh lemon and apricot, peony and narcissus, rowan and pistachio, along with sea breeze intimations and a pungency of struck flint. Startlingly silken and creamy, yet focused and vibrantly juicy this adds a sort of shimmering, crystalline sense of stoniness to an almost
kaleidoscopically interactive finish. It ought to merit following for 6-8 years. Incidentally, Lassaigne believes that a purer expression of vintage character will always be achieved by maturing this cuvee in tank.” DS
Serge et Olivier Horiot ‘Metisse’ Les Riceys Noirs & Blanc Extra Brut, Champagne NV ($69.95) $59 special, 14 bottles in stock now
2013 Pinot Noir & Pinot Blanc, barrel fermented from 6 different Ricey terroirs, plus solera reserve wine; 2 gm/l dosage.
Antonio Galloni 92 points “Clouet’s 2008 Brut Millesime shows quite a bit more tension and focus than the 2007, hardly a surprise given then personality of the vintage. Bright, saline notes frame expressive red fruits, flowers and sweet spices. The 2008 Brut is a gorgeous wine with plenty of appeal today, but it will also develop beautifully in bottle. Stylistically it is less overt than the 2007 but places more emphasis on length. Brut Millesime is mostly Pinot, with 30-40% Chardonnay.” AG
The average price is $64
Case-12 Andre Clouet Silver Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs Brut Nature, Champagne NV 750ML ($519.95) $359 special (that’s only $29.92/bottle!-the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Antonio Galloni 91 points “The NV Brut Nature Silver is naturally a very focused, driven wine given the no-dosage
style. This shows wonderful nuance and depth all the way through to the long finish, with bright aromas and flavors but less of the toastiness than some of the house’s other wines. The mousse and finish are both utterly impeccable in their elegance.” AGDistributor note “Grower-Producers, the Nicaise family have been making champagne for 4 generations from their 9 hectares of Premier Cru vineyards, all in Hautvillers, but it is only very recently that the quality took a big jump up after the arrival at the domaine in 2007 of the new generation represented by Laure Nicaise-Préaux and her husband, then 25 year old Clement Préaux. Clémént apprenticed at Anselme Selosse and work at the co-op of Mailly before becoming part of the Louis Nicaise family. As his father-in-law has given him more control, Clémént has reduced the dosages on the wines and pushed the quality upwards.”
Rene Geoffroy ‘Les Houtrants Complantes’ Premier Cru Brut Nature, Champagne NV 750ML ($219.95) $188 special, 8 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 94 points “Rene Geoffroy’s NV Brut Les Houtrants is superb. Les Houtrants emerges from a field blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay, Arbanne and Petit Meslier. Vivid and light on its feet, with striking, translucent detail, the Houtrants is a wine of total precision. Striking aromatics and overall presence elevate the Houtrants to its place among the most compelling new releases of the season. The current release is a blend of 2010, 2009 and 2008 vintages, bottled with no dosage. Disgorged: November 2015.”
Vinopolnote– Our offer is the June 2015 disgorgment of the same vintage blend.
Case-6 Arlaux Grande Cuvee Premier Cru Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($239.95) $189 special (that’s only $31.50/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 92 points “The nose of this wine seduces you straight away with a great balance of autolytic and fruit aromas: toasted hazelnuts, warm apple tart and kaya (coconut and egg) jam. The palate is equally well balanced providing plenty of evolved fruit and toasty / yeasty flavors. Small, fine bubbles, seamless use of dosage and a long nutty finish. This fine if relatively unknown Brut NV takes first place in the derby – a shocker even for me!”
Importer notes: “Arlaux is a small family-run champagne house producing only 5,000 cases a year located in a sm
all village on the Petit Montagne de Reims called Vrigny. Arlaux has been producing champagne since 1826 but the Arlaux-Marchal family have lived in Vrigny since the 13th century. Exclusively 1er Cru Champagne with a minimum of 4 years aging. They only use their own grapes from 20 to 100 year old vines which are hand-picked in order to select only the very best. All Arlaux cuvées are 100% Premier Cru and 100% Tête de Cuvée (meaning that they only use the juice of the 1st press).”PP
Clotilde Davenne Domaine Les Temps Perdus Cremant de Bourgogne Brut Extra NV 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special
Burghound 89 points “Outstanding. A ripe but super-fresh nose features cool aromas of yellow orchard fruit,
grapefruit and iodine nuances. There is good richness to the generously proportioned flavors that possess good mid-palate fat, all wrapped in an agreeably dry but not austere finale. This offers fine quality for its level and is a wine that should drink well almost immediately though be capable of rewarding a few years of cellar time too.”
Gilbert Picq et ses Fils Chablis Dessus La Carriere, Burgundy 2015 750ML ($39.95) $33 special
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2015 Chablis Dessus la Carriere, which was still in stainless steel when I tasted it (it was due to be bottled the following Tuesday), has quite a powerful bouquet with subtle scents of wild honey complementing the citrus/flint aromas. The palate is rounded and caressing on the entry with notes of walnut and smoke enhancing complexity on the powerful finish. This deserves two or three years in bottle but it will be worth the wait.”
Stephen Tanzer 91-93 points “(still in cuve and slated to be bottled by the end of June, with only the bottom of the tank to be fined): Bright yellow. Pungent aromas of candied lemon peel, fresh apricot and minerals, plus a spice note that I would have attributed to some barrel aging, but there’s no oak in this cellar. Voluptuous and fine-grained but at the same time very fresh, this wine has clearly benefited from its longer élevage. Finishes chewy and thick but surprisingly taut, with excellent spine, a toasty nuance and serious persistence. I rated this wine 90-92 a year ago but it’s showing more grip today. These vines are normally harvested last but were picked early in 2015, with a nearly normal crop level of about 45 hectoliters per hectare, according to Pascal Picq.”
Burghound 89-91 points “A ripe and ever-so-mildly exotic nose is comprised by notes of citrus, ginger, mineral reduction and yellow orchard fruit. The round, generous and intense flavors display unusually good delineation in the context of what is typical for the vintage while delivering fine length on the very dry finish. This is a very fine villages and worth considering.”
Domaine Remi Jobard Les Genevrieres, Meursault Premier Cru 2015 750ML ($139.95) $119 special
Stephen Tanzer – Vinous 92 points “Palish yellow with green highlights. Musky but tight and subdued on the nose. Then densely packed and savory, conveying an almost glyceral texture to its very ripe flavors of apple, white peach and spices. In a very round style but an element of saline minerality gives cut to the wine’s deep, intense fruit flavors. This premier cru’s building minerality gives grip to its long finish.”
Burghound 90-92 points “This is also quite firmly reduced today. As is virtually always the case, the mouth feel of the sleek medium-bodied flavors is much finer, in fact it is almost delicate, which is unusual for the vintage, all wrapped in a citrus-inflected, dry and beautifully long finish. Once again this lacy effort should be approachable young but offer good mid-term development potential.”
Stephen Tanzer – Vinous 90 points “(these vines are about 55 years old on average, but Jobard told me he’s not sure about their age since they were already old when he purchased them in 2008; harvested with potential alcohol of 14.3%): Bright, pale yellow with green highlights. Green apple, pear and crushed stone on the nose. Juicy, fine-grained wine with good lift to its rich stone fruit and spice flavors. This lively Meursault should offer considerable early appeal owing to its balance.”
Burghound 89-91 points – Outstanding Top Value “Ripe, cool, airy and agreeably fresh aromas are composed by notes of spiced pear, hazelnut and citrus. There is good richness yet fine detail to the lightly mineral-inflected medium-bodied flavors that possess fine focus, balance and length. This is a lovely and understated effort as well as being an unusually dry 2015. Recommended provided you can allow it a few years of cellar time first.”
Stephen Tanzer – Vinous 91 points “(this fruit was picked with grape sugars at 14.2%): Pale, green-tinged yellow. Aromas of candied lime blossom, lemon and flowers. Concentrated, ripe and sweet, with its almost glyceral mouth feel nicely leavened by limey lift. Jobard noted that his 2015s finished with about 2.5 grams per liter residual sugar,
which he said was higher than usual, and that the added sweetness gives the wines a creamy, unctuous character. This one is a bit youthfully aggressive but impressively tactile, finishing with a light phenolic edge and some emerging minerality. Am I underrating this?”
The Hottest Wines of this Merry Season
Matello Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley 2015 750ML ($17.95) $14 special, 31 bottles in stock now
Case-12 Matello Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley 2015 750ML ($179.95) $138 special, 3 cases in stock now (that’s only $11.50/bottle!)
Winery note “Never more than a few hundred cases, this micro-production showcases the beautiful mineral nature of the shallow sedimentary soils of the Whistling Ridge and Bishop creek vineyards. Bright, fresh, pear, lime blossom, hints of hazelnut, and a saline note.”
Goodfellow Family Cellars Bishop Creek Vineyard Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2014 750ML ($41.95) Was $37, Now $29, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Goodfellow Family Cellars Bishop Creek Vineyard Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2014 750ML ($419.95) $299 special, 14 cases in stock now (that’s only $24.92/bottle!)
Case-6 Goodfellow Family Cellars Bishop Creek Vineyard Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2014 750ML ($219.95) $166 special, 5 six-packs in stock now (that’s only $27.67/bottle!)
Grapelive 91 points “Delicately layered and spicy, the 2014 Bishop Creek is a pretty effort, especially for a richer vintage in Oregon. Made by Marcus Goodfellow, the ex-Evesham Wood and Westerly man, [he] is coming into his own as a talent, inspired by Doerner of Cristom and John Paul of Cameron. You can see the style showing through here. Bishop Creek, planted to Pommard and Wadenswil (old Swiss clone), [is] now owned by Nicolas Meo of the famed Burgundy Domaine Meo-Camuzet. [The vineyard] ([which is] not far from Shea Vineyards) formed this wine with its distinct strawberry and racy red cherry core along with the mixed spice, mineral tones and light wood influence. Its southern exposure and Willakenzie soils (dark rocky marine sediment) give warmth and grace. Planted in 1988, the vines ripen without flamboyant extraction, allowing more finesse to show through. At 13.9% this medium weight wine offers fine detail, opulence and restrained, almost earthy, soulfulness. Hints of bitter herb, cedar and candied citrus rind add a tangy note to the whole and the finish echoes the red fruits in subtle fashion with a touch of wilted roses lingering on. It shines right now, though best to enjoy it with cuisine to match as it is a tad shier than other 2014 Oregon Pinots (I’ve tried) and needs time and coaxing to reach its beautiful peak. Best from 2018 to 2022.”
The next best price for any vintage is $36
Domaine Les Pallieres Gigondas Terrasses du Diable, Rhone 2013 750ML ($49.95) $33 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Domaine Les Pallieres Gigondas Terrasses du Diable, Rhone 2013 750ML ($539.95) $359 special, 5 cases in stock now (that’s only $29.92/bottle!)
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 92 points “Dark ruby. Candied red berries, cherry compote and potpourri on the highly pungent nose; a mineral element adds vivacity. Energetic black raspberry and bitter cherry flavors show excellent clarity and a hint of licorice pastille that builds as the wine opens up. The energetic finish repeats the floral and mineral notes, while supple tannins lend shape and grip.”
Wine Spectator 90 points “Offers a taut, slightly sinewy feel, with cedar-laced grip cutting through the core of dried cherry, red currant and raspberry flavors. Displays a lightly chalky spine on the finish, with an ample tobacco note.”
The next best price is $39
Felsina Berardenga Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG, Tuscany 2013 750ML ($37.95) $26 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 93 points “A deep, powerful wine, the 2013 Chianti Classico Riserva has quite a bit of depth for a cool, late-ripening vintage. Sage, tobacco, menthol, smoke and dark cherry hit the palate in a deep, beautifully layered Chianti Classico endowed with real personality and class. This is another terrific wine from Fèlsina. Hints of leather, smoke and licorice reappear on the deeply expressive, virile finish.”
Descendientes de J. Palacios ‘Petalos’, Bierzo 2014 750ML ($24.95) $18 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Descendientes de J. Palacios ‘Petalos’, Bierzo 2014 750ML ($269.95) $199 special, 10+ cases in stock now (that’s only $16.58/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2014 Pétalos del Bierzo was already up for tasting as they sell the wine quite quickly even if the volumes are not small, but the wine had only been in bottle for one week and it might have been a little closed, especially when compared with the aromatic 2013. However, the aromas, if subtle, are phenomenal, very complete and balanced, with an extra degree of complexity when compared with the 2013. The harvest was a little healthier without being easy (or dry). There is great volume in the palate, fleshy, juicy and rich without being heavy, medium-bodied, somehow similar to the 2012 even if it still needs to develop further complexity. There’s always a subdued minerality, a texture and mouthfeel difficult to find in wines of this price level. This is approachable now, but it will be better in one year and should develop nicely in bottle. Drink: 2016-2022.”
James Suckling 92 points “A pure mencía with wild strawberries, black pepper and underbrush. Balanced and pretty red showing subtle berry character throughout. Silky tannins. The entry-level red of the famous Bierzo estate. Drink now.”
The average price nationally is $20
Maitia ‘Aupa Pipeno’, Maule Valley, Chile 2016 750ML ($14.95) $11.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Maitia ‘Aupa Pipeno’, Maule Valley, Chile 2016 750ML ($149.95) $128 special, 7 cases in stock now (that’s only $10.66/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 92 points “The super-tasty and gulpable 2016 Aupa Pipeño is a blend of País with some 30% Carignan (and whatever is found in the old vineyards) from a slightly cooler year. It keeps the style of previous vintages with the bright red fruit and the freshness of short macerations. In the dry-farming part of Maule they only saw 30 to 50 millimeters of rain when in the central valley they got 200! These grapes were harvested before the rain anyway, but the wine retains the freshness of a cooler year, fresher than 2015, more in line with the 2014 and 2013” –LG
Wine and Spirits 92 points “David Marcel, from France’s Basque country, was working in Maule as a bulk wine broker while building his own project, Maitía, back in 2012. That’s when he fell in love with the refreshing pipeños, the traditional wines of Chile’s south, usually made from país… The result is a lovely, refreshing and red-fruited pipeño, with vivid, shining acidity. It’s the kind of wine you won’t stop drinking.”
Thanks for reading!