Subscriber-Only Two Day Special: Nicolas-Jay New Vintage; Final Call & Newly Arrived: Perrier Jouet Grand Brut NV; Featured April Sale Wines – Unheard-of Reynvaan Deal; New May Sales & New Review from Jancis Robinson: Delas Freres Dom. des Tourettes Hermitage; New German Wine Reviews – Stellar Scores from Wine Advocate for Molitor/Selbach & More!; Staff Pick Producer: La Mascaronne; Domaine Huet: 2015s Arriving Wednesday; Late-Breaking Announcement: 2015 Chateau de Saint Cosme Wines
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Subscriber-Only Two Day Special
New 2015 Releases Nicolas-Jay
French Refugee Makes Good in Oregon
From Jean-Nicolas Méo of Méo-Camuzet
Buy any 6+ bottles of 2015 Nicolas-Jay wines, your price will be 10% off!
Nicolas-Jay Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2015 750ML ($69.95) Displayed price: $64, Your price with 6+ bottle purchase: $57.60/bottle, ETA May 5TH
Winery Note “The 2015 Willamette Valley is a rich, tight and expansive red with remarkable balance. It starts on the nose, with black cherry fruit aromas underscored by hints of smoke, fresh loamy soil, violet and cassis. On the palate, bright, almost juicy fruit is supported by intense minerality and phenomenal length. It is structural and fine, with resolved tannins and subdued density resulting in a great complexity. If consumed in the next few years, the wine will benefit from a gentle decanting one or two hours before serving. This wine will also age beautifully for 15-20 years in bottle.”
The subscriber-only two day special is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Nicolas-Jay Red Vinyl Pinot Noir 2015 750ML ($37.95) Displayed price: $34, Your price with 6+ bottle purchase: $30.60/bottle, ETA May 5TH
Winery Note “The 2015 Red Vinyl release from Nicolas-Jay begins with effusive fruit, black currant and cherry pie, with a faint smoky element. The acidity in this wine is integrated and allows the softer, fleshy qualities to dominate on the palate. This easy-drinking composition is reinforced by brilliant tannin–an expression of the Willamette Valley vineyards we work with. The appealing fruit leads to a long and juicy finish.”
The subscriber-only two day special is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Discount will not appear online
We will adjust your price before running your order
Subscriber-only discount ends Monday, May 1st at 11:59 PM
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Final Call on the Champagne Sale of the Year
Newly Arrived!
Perrier Jouet “Grand Brut” – Under $30! Under $27 by the case!!!
We’ve sold through a few hundred bottles already, with only 40 bottles remaining in the shop. Another 60 are arriving on Tuesday. Once these are gone, you’ll be hard pressed to find this under $39!
In Stock Now:
Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($49.95) $29.50 special
Case-6 Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($279.95) $169 special (that’s only $28.17/bottle!)
Case-12 Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($519.95) $319 special (that’s only $26.58/bottle!)
Wine Spectator 90 points “Lively and mouthwatering, with flavors of black currant, graphite, candied lemon zest and smoky mineral, supported by a creamy mousse. A balanced crowd-pleaser. Drink now through 2018.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average listed price is $45!
Perrier-Jouet Blason Brut Rose, Champagne NV 750ML ($89.95) $49 special
James Suckling 92 points “Immensely fresh red fruits and pink grapefruit citrus with flinty reduction that’s nicely captured; the clarity is intact. The palate has a similar pink grapefruit flavor, plus nectarine and red berries to close. Smoothly crafted texture with fine, fresh acidity cleansing the finish. Drink now.”
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Featured April Sale Wines
Unheard-of Reynvaan Deal
Reynvaan Family Vineyards In The Hills Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2014 750ML ($79.95) Was $69, Now $61.90
Wine Advocate 94 points “Another beauty is the 2014 Syrah In the Hills, which is this estate’s take on a Cote Rotie and incorporates 5% co-fermented Viognier. Raspberries, bacon fat, violets and olive all emerge from this medium-bodied, elegant, ethereally textured beauty. It too will drink beautifully for 10-15 years.”
This was the lowest listed price in the USA today,
Now it’s even lower!
The average price is $72
Reynvaan Family Vineyards The Unnamed Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2014 750ML ($79.95) Was $59, Now $49
Wine Advocate 92-94 points “Incorporating 8% Grenache Blanc and from the Rocks region of Walla Walla, the 2014 The Unnamed Syrah offers a unique profile with pretty notes of white peach (from the Grenache Blanc no doubt), dried violets, plums and bouquet garni. Medium to full-bodied, supple, layered and beautifully balanced, it should shine right out of the gate, yet also evolve gracefully.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $63
Reynvaan Family Vineyards ‘The Contender’ Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2014 750ML ($99.95) Was $89, Now $59
Wine Advocate 94-96 points “Checking in as a mix of 94% Syrah and 6% Marsanne, the 2014 Syrah The Contender is another elegant, medium to full-bodied, layered wine from this estate that offers plenty of texture and length. Blackberries, violets, plums, pepper and hints of iron all emerge from this beauty, which can be enjoyed on release or cellared for a decade or more.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $79
To see the complete list of all wines on sale through the month of April, see the bottom of this newsletter! Hurry – these prices expire May 1st!
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New May Sales & New Review from Jancis Robinson
Delas Freres Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes-Marquise de la Tourette, Rhone 2013 750ML ($119.95) Was $69, Now $59
Case-6 Delas Freres Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes-Marquise de la Tourette, Rhone 2013 750ML ($549.95) Was $359, Now $319 (that’s only $53.17/bottle!)
Jancis Robinson 18/20 points “Very dark purple indeed. Altogether broader and less focused than the Côte Rôties on the nose. Peppery and subtle. Very glossy, layered, complex and magnificent. I would reproach this only very slightly on the finish but it’s a pretty magnificent wine”
This was the lowest listed price in the USA today,
Now it’s even lower!
The next best price is $84.97
The average price is $86
Domaine des Cassagnoles Gros Manseng, IGP Cotes de Gascogne 2015 750ML ($14.95) Was $11.90, Now $9
Case-12 Domaine des Cassagnoles Gros Manseng, IGP Cotes de Gascogne 2015 750ML ($149.950 Was $119, Now $99 (that’s only $8.25/bottle!)
Winery Notes “The Gros Manseng produces fleshier, more ample wines with fruity apricot and pear aromas. It is a lively wine, but not to excess, with a persistent final. It may be kept for several years and should be drunk chilled, at a temperature of 50-53°”
This was the lowest listed price in the USA today, Now it’s even lower!
To see the complete list of all wines on sale through the month of May, see the bottom of this newsletter!
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New Reviews from Stephan Reinhardt at the Wine Advocate
For the Phenomenal 2015 Vintage in the Mosel
If you haven’t heard the exciting news about the 2015 vintage in the Mosel, you are missing out. Stephan Reinhardt recently weighted in on these wines and found them profound. We’ve highlighted some of his thoughts below. Don’t miss the string of eleven wines we are offering that scored 95 points or higher, including several from Molitor that reach 98 and 99!
From Stephan Reinhardt: “Although the vintage occasionally brought less yields than initially expected, the wine qualities were often terrific across the board, especially in the medium-sweet and sweet predicate categories of Kabinett, Spätlese and Auslese. There are many great dry and medium-dry single-vineyard Rieslings, too… October was the harvest month for all the producers, with just a few extending the harvest into November; it was cool, dry and very sunny, and provided excellent harvest conditions. The acidity levels were high and the ripeness was just perfect… These outstanding qualities, perhaps the best since 1990, culminate in an incredible series of 26 top Auslese Rieslings at Weingut Markus Molitor…”
Newly Reviewed German Rieslings In-Stock Now:
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2015 1.5L ($99.95) $79 special, 5 magnums available
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points “Prüm’s 2015 Graacher Himmelreich Spätlese is clear, intense and flinty on the nose, very precise but well concentrated; however, it is the most reductive of the Spätlese quartet. Round and piquant, with a stimulating fruit and salinity, this is a very well-defined, crystalline and straight Spätlese of great finesse and elegance. It needs five years or so to unfold all its talents, but it can surely age for 20 or 30 years.”
This is the only listing in the USA today for the magnum!
Weingut Alfred Merkelbach Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Spatlese #7, Mosel 2015 750ML ($29.95) $26 special, 9 bottles available
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 90+ points “The 2015 Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese #7 offers intense and well-concentrated ripe fruit with some white champignon flavors on the nose. Lush yet stunningly pure, piquant and steely on the palate, this Würzgarten shows intense fruit, nice grip and an electrifying 9.8 grams of total acidity! Still very young but with very good aging potential. This was picked on October 10th from ungrafted vines. It was bottled in March 2016 with 7.27% of alcohol and 63 grams of residual sugar.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Selbach-Oster Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2015 750ML ($34.95) $28 special, 18 bottles available
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2015 Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spätlese is super bright and clear on the nose, with floral, flinty and very clear fruit aromas (“black cherries,” says Johannes Selbach, and surprisingly he is right). The wine is rich, intense, piquant and firm on the palate, and its well-structured finish tastes almost dry due to its expressive minerality and grip. This is a gorgeous Spätlese that simply needs ten years to unfold its huge talents.”
Selbach-Oster Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2015 750ML ($27.95) Was $21.90, Now $16, 36+ bottles available
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2015 Riesling Kabinett is super pure, fine and smoky on the nose, a classic Mosel Riesling that shines and attracts, and is the cash cow of the domaine. Mainly sourced from the Zeltinger Himmelreich, this is a light and super clear, lush, precise and highly delicate Kabinett of great finesse and elegance. The finish is long and salty, revealing a stimulating grip and tension. This is a picture-book Kabinett at 9.5% alcohol (and 33 grams of residual sugar) and one of the finest I have tasted from the 2015 vintage. This is gorgeous!”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $19
Selbach-Oster Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2015 750ML ($39.95) $36 special, 36+ bottles available
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2015 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese is bright, pure, very fine, floral and flinty on the nose. It is provided with perfectly ripe and concentrated, slate-flavored fruit aromas intermixed with lemon and grapefruit notes. This is a lush, piquant and elegant, filigreed and finessed Auslese. It has great finesse and provided with a lot of Spiel and salt. The finish is pure, piquant and salty, but also lush and generous. This is a very precise, straight and stimulating, highly digestible Auslese with a lot of energy, tension and aging potential. It is very clear and there is no hint of botrytis here.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett Halbtrocken, Mosel 2015 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special, 23 bottles available
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 90+ points “The 2015 Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett halbtrocken offers a serious, clear, deep and flinty/mineral bouquet with crushed slate and perfectly ripe, defined Riesling flavors. Round, finessed and elegant in the mouth, this is another mouth-filling, aromatic, very elegant and finessed Riesling. It has perfectly ripe stone fruit aromas and a long, salty finish. This is excellent quality.”
Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2015 750ML ($29.95) $24 special, 36+ bottles available
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 92+ points “The 2015 Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Kabinett is deep and smoky on the very clear, refreshing nose with its bright fruit aromas and smoky flavors of crushed stones. On the palate, this is a lush and mouth-filling Riesling with great purity, super grip and lingering salinity. The Schlossberg is surely more complex than the regular Kabinett, but I wouldn’t drink it before 2025. It has 9.5% alcohol and less than 50 grams of residual sugar.”
Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2015 750ML ($34.95) $28 special, 36+ bottles available
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93+ points “The 2015 Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Spätlese is super ripe and concentrated, but also clear and very fine on the nose, with some honey flavors intermixing with slate and fully ripe Riesling aromas. Intense, lush and concentrated, this has a tightly woven mineral structure and a long, tension-giving grip. This is a delicious Spätlese that should be aged for at least 15-20 years.”
Carl von Schubert Maximin Grunhauser Abtsberg Riesling Auslese 24, Mosel 2015 750ML ($99.95) $79 special, 32 bottles available
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 94+ points “The 2015 Maximin Grünhauser Abtsberg Riesling Auslese 24 is super clear and very intense on the bright and concentrated nose. Fresh and piquant on the palate, with a good mineral grip and complexity, this is a highly finessed, intense and piquant Auslese of great class and with a distinctive character. The berries were shrivelled to raisins without a noble rot, says Carl von Schubert.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Carl von Schubert Maximin Grunhauser Abtsberg Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2015 750ML ($31.95) $26 special, 36+ bottles available
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2015 Maximin Grünhäuser Abtsberg Riesling Kabinett opens clear, precise and nicely reductive on the coolish/stony nose, with the typical flinty flavors of the Abtsberg. The wine is very clear, piquant and fresh, typically light but complex and stimulatingly salty in the well-structured and persistent finish. A gorgeous Kabinett—or should I say: Abtsberg? Great aging potential!”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Carl von Schubert Maximin Grunhauser Abtsberg Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2015 750ML ($37.95) $29 special, 32 bottles available
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93+ points “The 2015 Maximin Grünhäuser Abtsberg Riesling Spätlese is deep and intense on the clear and smoky/flinty nose but still discreet at this stage. On the palate, this is a sweet, lush and piquant picture book Spätlese with vital acidity and remarkable complexity. Still shy and tight, the 2015 should turn out as a great wine in 15+ years. It has very good grip and concentration, and its sweetness will be reduced the older the wine gets.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Carl von Schubert Maximin Grunhauser Herrenberg Riesling Auslese 31, Mosel2015 750ML ($119.95) $89 special, 7 bottles available
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2015 Maximin Grünhäuser Herrenberg Auslese 31 opens with a clear and elegant, very attractive passion fruit and grapefruit aroma. Sweet and piquant on the palate, this is a round, lush, finessed and very elegant Auslese with a long, aromatic finish and stimulating piquant acidity. A gorgeous Auslese of great finesse. It has 7% alcohol and roughly 125 grams of residual sugar.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $99.99
Newly Reviewed German Rieslings Arriving in May:
Weingut Alfred Merkelbach Kinheimer Rosenberg Riesling Auslese #5, Mosel 2015 750ML ($31.95) $24 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 92 points “The medium-sweet 2015 Kinheimer Rosenberg Riesling Auslese is a highly digestible Mosel classic made from ripe and pretty healthy grapes! Bottled with 9.5% alcohol and a moderate sweetness of just 41 grams per liter, this is a round and juicy, very intense and enormously piquant Auslese with a firm and tension-giving mineral structure. The super stimulating finish is clear, fresh, very long and salty. Highly recommended!”
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2015 GK 1.5L ($219.95) $199 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2015 Graacher Himmelreich Auslese Gold Capsule (AP 18) displays a very intense and perfectly ripe, but healthy stone fruit aroma intermixed with delicate flinty/slate-like flavors. On the plate, this Gold Capsule is as lush as it is pure, piquant and salty; it is provided with remarkable precision and concentration, with a still stimulatingly fresh and vibrant finish. This is a great Auslese, indeed.”
This is the only listing in the USA today for the magnum!
Markus Molitor Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Auslese *** Goldkapsel, Mosel 2015 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 98+ points “The 2015 Riesling Ürziger Würzgarten Auslese *** (Golden Capsule) offers a very clear, deep, intense and complex stone fruit aroma with some very discreet toast and crushed stone flavors. Full-bodied, rich and powerful but enormously racy-piquant and mineral so that you don’t taste its sweetness, this is a great, expressive terroir wine with a huge inner concentration that comes from the soils rather than dried berries. It is based on grapes with dry raisins due to perfect botrytis combined with healthy berries that deliver the tremendous freshness in this gorgeous Auslese that also reveals some fine tannins from the aging partly in small oak.”
Markus Molitor Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Kabinett Goldkapsel, Mosel 2015 750ML ($31.95) $28 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points “The (medium-) sweet 2015 Riesling Ürziger Würzgarten Kabinett (Golden Capsule) displays a clear, intense and remarkably fine nose of perfectly ripe and healthy small Riesling berries. This is a lush, piquant and salty Riesling of great finesse and aromatic intensity. The finish is super long and aromatic, with a very fine mineral grip and a fascinating combination of perfectly ripe, lush fruit and a weightless elegance.”
Markus Molitor Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Spatlese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2015 750ML ($41.95) $36 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2015 Riesling Ürziger Würzgarten Spätlese (Golden Capsule) opens with a very clear and aromatic white stone fruit aroma intermixed with clear and smoky aromas. Sweet, lush and intense, this is a concentrated, already densely textured Spätlese with a firm mineral grip and tension that gives this 2015 unreal aging potential and great complexity. Readers should cellar this wine for at least 15- 20 years since there are so many more delicate Rieslings to buy in the category. Molitor’s Würzgarten, though, will still be young in 30 or 40 years, and that’s not due to very generous sulfur doses but thanks to the old, ungrafted vines and the well-elaborated selection for the Spätlese category. Keep in mind, you are already on a top Grand Cru level here, and this wine is in fact a top Auslese.”
Markus Molitor Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese *** Goldkapsel, Mosel 2015 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 99 points “The 2015 Riesling Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese *** (Golden Capsule) shows a perfectly ripe, concentrated but fresh and elegant fruit aroma intertwined with mineral and refreshing grapefruit flavors of crushed stones, perfect botrytis and still fresh, healthy berries. Rich, round, dense and piquant, this is a highly finessed and very elegant, sweet, lush and intense Wehlener Sonnenuhr with a super clear, precise and salty, stimulatingly pure and piquant finish with a lot of grip and tension. This is a skyrocketing Auslese that will fly over your palate over decades if only you give it the time it deserves. Its acidity is finer than that of the Zeltinger Sonnenuhr, which makes the Wehelner more sweet, lush and round. It is the nearest to perfection of the sweet Ausleses at this early moment, and it will surely never step back from this level.”
Markus Molitor Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett Goldkapsel, Mosel 2015 750ML ($27.95) $24 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2015 Riesling Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett (Golden Capsule) opens with beautifully clear, super ripe, aromatic and mouth-watering tropical fruit on the nose. On the palate, this is a lush but highly finessed and delicate Sonnenuhr with super fine and ripe acidity and a crystalline texture. This is a gorgeously sensual and exotic Kabinett in perfect balance. Probably there has been no Sonnenuhr Kabinett produced in 2015 that is more attractive than this.”
Markus Molitor Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2015 750ML ($39.95) $33 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2015 Riesling Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spätlese (Golden Capsule) opens with a clear, crazy deep, intense and complex bouquet of tropical flavors but most of all smoky aromas of a rocky mountain massive. On the palate, this is a rich, complex, highly finessed, piquant and refreshing Spätlese with concentrated fruit and a tight, persistent structure. The finish is dangerously attractive, but this Sonnenuhr will always be ticking; it should have spectacular aging potential!”
Markus Molitor Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese *** Goldkapsel, Mosel 2015 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 99 points “The 2015 Riesling Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Auslese *** (Golden Capsule) is clear, fresh and concentrated on the nose nose where deep and smoky flavors of crushed stones are displayed, giving just a hint of the true potential of this wine. Round and seamless on the palate, with perfectly ripe but vital and fresh fruit, this has a gorgeous mineral raciness and tension. There is also a quiet stream of perfectly balanced and concentrated melting stones and very fine salts that flows over the palate. This is an exiting, very well structured and tightly woven Riesling legend that will still fascinate wine lovers in 50, 60, maybe 70 years. This is a laser beam of great Riesling, tight and concentrated but still not that open like the corresponding Wehlener.”
Markus Molitor Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese ** Goldkapsel, Mosel 2015 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 97 points “The 2015 Riesling Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Auslese ** (Golden Capsule) is entirely based on healthy, botrytis-free grapes and opens with intensely herbal flavors in the first moments before very fine Riesling, slate and lemon aromas take over. This Auslese is intense, rich and round, perfectly ripe and concentrated but also super precise, highly elegant and finessed. The finish is super fine, endlessly salty and stimulatingly piquant. This is a mouth-watering sweet Riesling with great tension and finesse!”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Markus Molitor Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2015 750ML ($39.95) $33 pre-arrival special
Markus Molitor Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2015 1.5L (79.95) $69 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 96-97 points “The 2015 Riesling Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Spätlese (Golden Capsule) displays the herbal bouquet of the Kabinett but is certainly more deep, concentrated and complex. The wine has great finesse on the palate, and its crystalline acidity and lingering salinity carry the perfectly ripe and lush fruit to a long, vibrating and mouth-watering finish. This Spätlese is highly finessed and complex and—along with the 2015 Scharzhofberger—probably the finest Spätlese I have tasted from the vintage.”
Markus Molitor Wehlener Klosterberg Riesling Auslese ** Goldkapsel, Mosel 2015 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 96+ points “The 2015 Riesling Wehlener Klosterberg Auslese *** (Golden Capsule) is very clear, intense and concentrated yet stunningly precise and fresh on the nose. Concentrated, very fine and elegant on the palate, this Auslese has enormously racy yet fine acidity with a very long, crystalline and stimulatingly salty finish. Despite its concentration and sweetness, this wine shows remarkable finesse and elegance, revealing a lean and crystalline style.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Carl von Schubert Maximin Grunhauser Abtsberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Mosel 2015 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2015 Maximin Grünhäuser Abtsberg Riesling GG has a deep, intense and flinty bouquet of perfectly ripe Riesling and citrus aromas. Full-bodied, intense and concentrated, this is a well-structured and mineral Grosses Gewächs with a long, complex and salty finish. However, this wine is more VDP GG-styled than what you were used to getting from the former Spätlese trocken.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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Staff Pick
La Mascaronne and Tom Bove
Andy:
Tom Bove’s track record in Provence is trending well. As a retiree in 1993, he rejuvenated a 1,000 acre property with an old 74 acre vineyard in Provence and sold it to a familiar pair of Americans: Miraval to Brad Pitt and Angelia Jolie. The secret is he kept the best vineyards from that land; terroir that is pure Provence: rich with chalk and clay hills and the unbeatable Mediterranean climate. He’s now making wine that well surpasses the better known property in quality. We have two of his bottlings available now: the lush red, Fazioli, and one of the best rosé wines we’ve had this season, Quat’ Saisons.
Fazioli is mostly Syrah with a dash of Cabernet and Mourvèdre that draws its ripeness from the Provence sunshine but owes a debt of gratitude to that chalk and clay. The vibrancy and backbone can’t be beat. There is a generous black fruit and slick spice with a touch of oak is nicely in check. The lift of the wine keeps it very much alive on your palate during the long finish. With the verve this wine contains, expect it to develop well for five to ten years.
The wine not to miss is the stunning Quat’ Saisons rosé. This is quintessential Provence wine, which will have you wondering two things: who will bring you a bowl of good olives and why did you not buy more? It fills your nose with scents of wet stones, fresh citrus peel, and a whiff of red berries. The first taste resets your palate so that the aromas are instantly more pronounced, and the second taste confirms the brightness and firmness. It’s not a candy store rosé; it’s much more serious, and yet it still drinks so easily you’ll catch yourself quaffing it without thought. We regularly put it in the hands of customers who walk through the door who ask, “what is the best rosé you’ve had this year?” They all come back for more.
In Stock Now from La Mascaronne:
La Mascaronne Quat’ Saisons Rosé 2016 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 24 bottles available
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
La Mascaronne Fazioli Rouge 2014 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 24 bottles available
Winery Note “Powerful, complex nose with intense aromas of dark berries and cherry with generous palate of red and black fruits and a long spicy finish.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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Arriving Wednesday, May 3rd
Domaine Huet
Domaine Huet is the Last Undervalued Great French Wine. No, this is not new information, but yes, it is still very true. No other white winemaker in France produces wines that consistently age into masterpieces at anything resembling this sort of price. Given the following these wines have, we probably don’t need to say much more, but if you aren’t on the Huet train already, let us explain the genius of these wines.
Huet makes the top wines in Vouvray and has for quite some time now. What makes them amazing is that they make incredible wines from bone dry, mineral drenched Sec all the way to nobly sweet, honeyed dessert wines (and everything in between—including the Demi-Sec range, which are some of our favorites).
They seemingly age forever, gaining complexity and density, but impressively are priced like low-tier white Burgundy. It’s this last part that’s so perplexing. You can put well-aged Huet on the table with any top tier white Burgundy and it has a chance of being not only in the same league, but the best wine on the table. It often costs ½-1/5th that of the Burgs. That’s insane.
Our allotment of the 2015’s is arriving Wednesday, and although some wines sold out, we still have a pretty large selection remaining. This is a great vintage for Huet and is worth stocking up on, especially with continuing frost issues posing challenges to yields in 2016 and 2017—this sort of pricing can’t last forever.
Available Here Now from Domaine Huet
Domaine Huet Vouvray Moelleux Le Haut Lieu, Loire 2015 750ML ($49.95) $41.90 special, 13 bottles available
Wine Spectator 95 points “Offers a big, broad feel, with layers of glazed pear, apple and peach falling over each other, backed by fresh ginger, honeysuckle and quince notes. Everything pulls together through the finish, with green tea accents and racy minerality providing the foil. Drink now through 2035.”
John Gilman 94 points “The 2015 Le Haut Lieu Moelleux from Domaine Huët is a superb wine in the making, with its glaze of botrytis beautifully managed and the wine showing excellent potential on both the nose and palate. The bouquet offers up a pure and complex mélange of sweet quince, orange, honey, just a whisper of lanolin, beautiful chalky soil tones, a whisper of the leather to come, citrus zest and a topnote of dried flowers. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and beautifully balanced, with bright acids, a lovely core and outstanding focus and grip on the very long, refined and nicely glazed finish. This will be all apricot, honey and tea leaves in the future, but it is so good to drink out of the blocks, that it is going to be hard not to open bottles in its more exotic youthful period. 2016-2085. 94.”
Wine Advocate 92+ points “The 2015 Vouvray Le Haut-Lieu Moelleux displays open and elegant ripe fruit (pineapples, oranges) with some dusty flavors of crushed rocks. Powerful but full of finesse and elegance, this is a piquant and stimulating sweet wine with grip and tension. However, I find it rather less complex than the Sec and the Demi-Sec.”
Arriving Wednesday, May 3rd from Domaine Huet
Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Mont Sec, Loire 2015 750ML ($59.95) $41.90 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2015 Vouvray le Mont Sec is pure, precise and very flinty on the nose, which reveals a concentrated and elegant fruit with lemon and crushed stone flavors. Full-bodied, pure and piquant, with a tight and mineral structure, as well as a very persistent finish, this is a highly complex yet finesse-full Chenin with a great aging potential. I’d love to drink the 2015 today, although I know it will become much more complex over the years. The finish is enormously long and reveals fine tannins.”
Wine Spectator 93 points “A light echo of baked apple leads off, followed by quince, powdered ginger and verbena notes at the core. The long, minerally finish features rippling acidity. Still tight, so let this unwind in the cellar. Best from 2017 through 2027.”
John Gilman 93 points “Domaine Huët’s 2015 Le Mont Sec is deeper and more precise that the Le Haut Lieu Sec on the nose, offering up a complex and serious aromatic blend of quince, fresh pineapple, hints of honeycomb, a superb base of soil, lanolin and a touch of white flowers in the upper register. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, crisp and very long, with a rock solid core of fruit, excellent nascent complexity, fairly low acids for this bottling, but lovely focus and balance on the very long and classy backend. This has the lower acidity of the vintage, but also the superb structure of Le Mont and should age longer than most dry 2015 Vouvrays. 2016-2050. 93.”
Domaine Huet Vouvray Clos du Bourg Demi-Sec, Loire 2015 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 94 points “Quite ripe, with tropical mango and papaya notes mixed with peach, apple and quince flavors. Pretty ginger and heather details fill in the background, while the finish shows a well-embedded mineral edge, imparting tension to match the opulence. Best from 2017 through 2030.”
John Gilman 95 points “The 2015 Demi-Sec from the Clos du Bourg is the lowest level of sweetness from this vineyard in the Domaine Huët stable in 2015 and the wine has magical potential. The bouquet shows a bit more botrytis influence than is the case in the superb Le Mont Demi-Sec, soaring from the glass in a gently glazed constellation of pineapple, a hint of guava, candied quince, lanolin, a touch of honeycomb, beautiful underlying minerality and a topnote of citrus peel. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and rock solid at the core, with a lovely sense of vinosity already in evidence, despite the wine’s still youthful profile. The acids are bright and beautifully buried in the fruit, with excellent soil signature, lovely focus and grip and a very long, beautifully balanced finish. This is more overtly exotic in personality than the Le Mont Demi-Sec in this vintage, but it is hard to say that it will ultimately be superior- perhaps just different. Another great wine. 2016-2075. 95.”
Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Haut Lieu Demi-Sec 2015 750ML ($47.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 94+ points “The 2015 Vouvray Le Haut-Lieu Demi-Sec has a creamy, intense and elegant bouquet of ripe and concentrated fruits, along with delicate earthy and lemony flavors. Full-bodied, intense and powerful, with a dense texture and firm tannins, this is a very complex and firmly structured Chenin for the next decade. The sweetness is perfectly integrated and the acidity rather mild in the first moment. The finish though is enormously vital and mineral.”
Wine Spectator 94 points “Features a wide range of apple, green melon, ginger and green plum notes gliding throughout, with the off-dry edge imparting a flattering feel. Latent minerality lengthens the finish. Best from 2017 through 2030.”
John Gilman 93+ points “The 2015 Le Haut Lieu Demi-Sec is outstanding from Domaine Huët, as the touch of botrytis here gives the wine impressive concentration and aromatic lift. The bouquet jumps from the glass in a nascently complex blend of pineapple, quince, a touch of tangerine, bee pollen, chalky soil tones, lanolin and orange peel. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, bright and beautifully balanced, with great concentration at the core, lovely focus and grip and a very long, still primary, but very promising finish. Again, the acids are not overly snappy here, but the concentrating effect of a bit of noble rot has elevated them a touch and they are more than adequate to carry this wine far, far into the future. This has great depth without undue weight. 2016-2065. 93+.”
Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Mont Demi-Sec, Loire 2015 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2015 Vouvray Le Mont Demi-Sec is deep, rich and flinty on the nose, with caramel and vegetable flavors indicating a great complexity. Full-bodied, dense and powerful, this is highly complex and persistent, yet refreshing and transparent Chenin with a juicy fruit and lots of grip, energy and tension. Rather demure at the moment, this enormously structured wine has a great aging potential and I recommend to store it for 6-10 years, at least.”
John Gilman 95 points “The 2015 Le Mont Demi-Sec from Domaine Huët is an outstanding young wine, with even more depth and potential than the superb Le Haut Lieu Demi. The bouquet is bottomless, delivering scents of pineapple, sweet quince, incipient notes of honey, chalky minerality, a touch of lanolin, floral tones redolent of buttercups and lovely, esthery citrus elements in the upper register. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, beautifully balanced and displays stunning depth at the core, with lovely acidity (particularly for the vintage!), great focus and grip and a very, very long, primary and exceptional finish. This does not have the backend cut or grip of a vintage such as 2007 or 2008, but it is going to be a great example of Domaine Huët Demi-Sec. It is deceptively easy to drink today, but its true apogee is at least a decade or more out from the vintage! 2016-2075. 95.”
Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Mont Moelleux, Loire 2015 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 96 points “The apricot/golden colored 2015 Vouvray Le Mont Moelleux shows a very intense, elegant and also subtle bouquet of ripe fruit intermixed with flinty aromas. Dense, piquant and concentrated on the palate, this is a great and tension-filled Chenin with grip and persistence, but also great finesse and elegance. This is a highly complex and energetic, but also light-footed and stimulating wine with lots of mouthwatering salinity. A fascinating Chenin with great aging potential.”
John Gilman 95 points “The 2015 Vouvray “Le Mont” Moelleux from Domaine Huët is yet another brilliant wine from the estate in this vintage, soaring from the glass in a nicely botrytized blend of apple, quince, honeycomb, dried flowers, a touch of dusty chalkiness, orange peel and an exotic topnote of sweet corn in the upper register. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, focused and more primary in personality than the Le Haut Lieu Moelleux, with a rock solid core, great focus and grip, lovely framing acids and impeccable balance on the very, very long and stunning finish. This is less developed than the 2015 Le Haut Lieu Moelleux, but it seems to have even superior potential for the long haul! Great juice. 2020-2085. 95.”
Wine Spectator 94 points “Offers ginger- and hibiscus-infused creamed yellow apple, quince and pear notes, gilded with a whiff of piecrust. All the elements meld through the long, rippling finish. Drink now through 2035.”
Domaine Huet Vouvray Moelleux Clos du Bourg Premiere Trie, Loire 2015 750ML ($79.95) $69 pre-arrival special
John Gilman 98 points “The Clos du Bourg” Moelleux Première Trie from Domaine Huët is another absolutely stunning young example of the 2015 vintage. The very complex bouquet wafts from the glass in one of the most beautifully-botrytized blends I have ever had the pleasure to experience, with notes of pineapple, candied quince, incipient notes of apricot, a whisper of lanolin, honeycomb, a lovely touch of soil, a bit of orange zest, incipient notes of heather and barley sugar, dried flowers, sweet corn and just a whisper of browned butter in the upper register. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, pure and alluring in its promise of stunning complexity to come, with a great core, bright, zesty acids, laser-like focus and stunning length and grip on the still youthful, but utterly suave finish. This does not have the spine of acidity for perfection, but that is really all that is missing here! Like the 2015 Le Mont Première Trie, this is delicious already, thought it really should not be touched for close to another decade! 2025-2085. 98.”
Wine Spectator 97 points “Concentrated, with a core of intense Jonagold apple, glazed Bosc pear, ginger cream and dried quince flavors, carried by filigreed acidity and backed by green tea, verbena, chamomile and persimmon notes. The finish is extremely long. Best from 2018 through 2040.”
Wine Advocate 96 points “The dark golden-colored 2015 Vouvray Clos du Bourg Moelleux Première Trie is super ripe and intense, yet precise and mineral on the nose where orange and dusty flavors are displayed along with some caramel flavors. Intense and juicy, with a concentrated and sweet, yet vital and elegant fruit, this Chenin has vibrant acidity. This is a full-bodied, well structured, persistent and powerful Chenin with a sweetness that is almost fully integrated. The finish is enormously vivacious and firm, and reveals a stimulating minerality.”
Domaine Huet Vouvray Moelleux Le Haut Lieu Premiere Trie, Loire 2015 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 96 points “Gorgeous from the get-go, featuring creamed melon, yellow apple and persimmon notes that glide effortlessly, inlaid with hints of green tea, verbena, heather and quince. The long finish has beautiful flow, with a buried mineral edge imparting freshness while the fruit plays out. Best from 2018 through 2040.”
John Gilman 95+ points “Domaine Huët’s 2015 Première Trie from the Le Haut Lieu vineyard is more primary and reserved in personality than the straight Moelleux bottling, but deeper, more pristine and ever more promising. The bouquet shows a beautiful glaze of clean botrytis in its aromatic blend of pineapple, sweet quince, tangerine, honey, a lovely cornerstone of soil, orange peel, dried flowers and a bit of smokiness in the upper register. On the palate the wine is pure, focused and full-bodied, with marvelous depth and balance, bright acids, great complexity to come and stunning length and bounce on the superbly energetic and seamless finish. This has a bit of that early vinosity that was found in the Clos du Bourg Demi-Sec and augurs very, very well for its future development! 2020-2085. 95+.”
Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Mont Moelleux Premiere Trie, Loire 2015 750ML ($99.95) $79 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Mont Moelleux Premiere Trie, Loire 2015 750ML ($479.95) $419 pre-arrival special (that’s only $69.83/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 98 points “The 2015 Vouvray Le Mont Moelleux Première Trie is super clear, ripe and aromatic on the nose, highly elegant and with lovely flinty flavors. Intense and concentrated, with great finesse and vitality, this is a highly elegant and perfectly balanced wine with a persistent grip and salinity. Great balance and harmony.”
John Gilman 97 points “The 2015 Vouvray ‘Le Mont’ Moelleux Première Trie from Domaine Huët is utterly brilliant wine, which is at least fifteen years away from truly blossoming, but is so good right now that it is going to be next to impossible not to drink this wine in the blush of youth! The stunning nose shows a gorgeous glazing of botrytis in its constellation of pineapple, honeyed quince, sweet grapefruit, lovely minerality, orange blossoms, a hint of lavender, citrus oils, dried flowers and just a whisper of the new leather that will arrive with bottle age. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and utterly seamless in balance, with a great core, laser-like focus, superb nascent complexity and lovely grip on the endless, vibrant and dancing finish. Magical juice. 2025-2085. (Sep/Oct 2016)”
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Chateau de Saint Cosme
Arriving in June
A Return to the Classic
The Heights of Gigondas
2015 will be remembered as the year of glory in winemaking around the world. Burgundy was Great. Beaujolais was Great. The Mosel was Great. Champagne is looking promising. Even our local winemakers are embracing the vintage. And the list goes on.
So it should not come as much of a surprise to those lucky lovers of the rich and expressive wines of the Southern Rhone: it too was a Great and Glorious vintage. We’ve only just begun to see offers, so we’re excited to announce this offer from one of our favorite Southern Rhone estates: Chateau de Saint Cosme. These Great wines of Gigondas will arrive in June. Do not miss out!
Chateau de Saint Cosme Le Poste Blanc, Cotes du Rhone 2015 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 91-92 points “(sourced from vines planted in 1963 in the heart of Gigondas): Green-tinged yellow. Vibrant, mineral-accented citrus and orchard fruit aromas are complemented by suggestions of white flowers and ginger. Juicy, focused and pure, offering vibrant orange, pear skin and white peach flavors underscored by a chalky mineral element. Becomes deeper and fleshier with air white maintaining vivacity, and finishes with excellent clarity, power and persistence.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas, Rhone 2015 750ML ($41.95) $33 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas, Rhone 2015 750ML ($239.95) $179 pre-arrival special (that’s only $29.83/bottle!)
Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas, Rhone 2015 1.5L ($79.95) $66 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 91-93 points “Starting with the 2015 Gigondas Classique from Barruol, this blend of 70% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre and the rest Syrah and Cinsault will be a wine that readers will want to stockpile. Full-bodied, rich, beautifully textured and layered, with killer notes of crème de cassis, white pepper, spice and garrigue, it’s a classic Gigondas that will drink well for 15+ years.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas Hominis Fides, Rhone 2015 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 97-99 points “A wine that might rival the 2007, the 2015 Gigondas Hominis Fides (100% Grenache from sandy soils located just down from the estate) offers full-bodied, massive and unctuous notes of currants, crushed rocks, smoked meats and licorice. Fermented with 100% whole clusters and aged mostly in older barrels, this sensational Gigondas might end up being the wine of the vintage, from the entire Southern Rhone valley! It has masses of tannin, so it’s going to require patience.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $197.17
Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas Le Claux, Rhone 2015 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 97-99 points “Another wine that might flirt with perfection is the 2015 Gigondas le Claux. It’s also 100% Grenache and comes from a site just across the road from the Hominis Fides cuvee. The soils here are slightly more limestone-based, and like all of the wine here, it’s fermented with no destemming and aged mostly in old barrels (20% is new). Camphor, currants, incense, graphite, crushed rocks and licorice all soar from this thriller and it has full-bodied richness, an incredible texture and a blockbuster finish. It will have 2-3 decades of overall longevity.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $169.99
Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas Le Poste, Rhone 2015 750ML ($99.95) $79 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 94-96 points “The 2015 Gigondas le Poste is a classic expression of this vineyard and shows the more elegant, perfumed style that always comes from this site. Violets, flowers, raspberries, blueberries and green herbs all emerge from this full-bodied, lengthy and impeccably balanced Gigondas that has ultra-fine tannin and perfectly integrated acidity. Brought up just like the other two single vineyard releases, this beauty will be more accessible in its youth, yet I suspect it will age just as long.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas Valbelle, Rhone 2015 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 94-96 points “Incorporating 10% Syrah, the Grenache-dominated 2015 Gigondas Cuvee Valbelle is another heavenly wine from Louis Barruol. Full-bodied, seamless and elegant, with lots of crème de cassis, crushed flowers, incense and white pepper, it has a touch less mid-palate depth than the single vineyards, but is impeccably balanced and will have two decades of longevity.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
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April Sale Recap
Hurry! These great deals expire on May 1st – don’t miss your chance!
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May Sale Recap
These great deals expire on June 1st!
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Thank you for reading!