More Glowing Praise for 2017 in the Mosel
Staff Pick: A New Delicious Rosé Champagne
July Sale Kickoff: Donnhoff Magnums!
Sicily: High, Low and In Between
Featured New Arrival: 2016’s from Force Majeure
Rosé of the Day: Cult Loire Hero
New Arrivals
Including Phelps Creek, Trathen Hall,
Envinate, Laura Lorenzo,
Whistling Dog and More!
Vinopolis Will Be Closed on July 4th
In Observance of Independence Day
More Glowing Praise for 2017 in the Mosel
Stephan Reinhardt at the Wine Advocate Weighs In
“In 2017, basic or light Kabinett wines were rare from the start (the yields were too low, grapes too ripe and extracts too high to serve these categories). So, Mosel lovers should focus on the many impressive dry wines from 2017—whether they are Grosses Gewächs or even Auslese trocken and just follow the idea of great dry Mosel Riesling, many of them below 12% alcohol—as well as on the sweet predicates from Spätlese upward…
“I have rarely tasted so many beautiful Spätlese, and this is also the case (even more so) with the Auslese wines, may they be botrytis-free, botrytized gold caps or long gold caps. The wines show abundant fruit and concentration shared with great finesse and elegance. Some of the botrytis-free or minimal botrytis Auslese bottlings are weightless, while others are rich and generous and made to be aged for decades, if only you can resist drinking them….
“In 20 years of tasting Rieslings, I have never tasted so many wines flirting with or even defining perfection. If a wine leaves you speechless and with a sense of wonder, would you want to count numbers? I promise, you can fill me up with Elbling or overly oaky, buttery Chardonnay if you don’t at least fall in love with one of the top-scorers in this report.” –Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate
In Stock Now:
Wwe Dr. H. Thanisch Erben Thanisch (VDP) Bernkasteler Doctor Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2017 750ML ($39.95) $33 special
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2017 Berncasteler Doctor Riesling Kabinett is clear, bright, fresh and still reductive on the flinty, coolish-crunchy nose that evokes crushed rocks. Silky textured and highly elegant, this is a gorgeously lush and finessed Doctor Kabinett with a long, salty and stimulatingly piquant but beautifully balanced finish. This is a noble Riesling with clear fruit and terroir expression. The sweetness is discreet, but the fruit is piquant and salty, the structure highly finessed and the whole architecture crystalline like a Gothic chapel. Highly recommended! Tasted from AP 2 18.”
The next best price is $39.99
The average listed price is $43
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 95+ points “The coolish, precise and elegant 2017 Berncasteler Doctor Riesling Spätlese (AP 3 18) opens to very fine tropical fruit aromas intermixed with the smoky scents of crushed black rocks. Lush and finessed on the palate, this is a firmly structured, very elegant and persistently mineral Doctor Spätlese whose salty-piquant finish and fine, crystalline structure develops enormous length and tension but also finesse and a highly elaborate style. Highly stimulating. Tasted in March 2019.”
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2017 Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Kabinett is fine and intense on the clear, elegant and floral-flinty nose. Lush and salty-piquant on the crystalline palate, this is a mouth-filling and textured Kabinett that probably includes some percentage of botrytis berries, which give it juicy, charming and mouth-filling character. The sweetness is round and fruity rather than sweet. It’s lovely to enjoy today, yet I’d recommend cellaring the 2017 for another 5-10 years. Tasted from AP 13 18 in March 2019.”
Wwe Dr. H. Thanisch Erben Thanisch (VDP) Bernkasteller Badstube Riesling Kabinett Feinherb, Mosel 2017 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2017 Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Kabinett Feinherb is fine and smoky/flinty on the clear, complex, elegant, quite stony and terroir-driven nose. Lush and juicy on the palate, this is a salty-piquant, well-structured and persistent Kabinett with the expression of a cru. The 2017 is almost too serious, expressive and tensioned for a Kabinett; it’s a very fine and complex wine. Tasted from AP 8 18 in March 2019.”
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2017 Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spätlese is still pretty reductive but clear and elegant on the crunchy slate and floral nose. Lush and salty on the pure, refined and elegant palate, this is a concentrated, densely woven and sensual Badstube with the mineral grip and tension of this often underrated Grosse Lage. Tasted from AP 8 18 in March 2019.”
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2017 375ML ($39.95) $33 pre-arrival special, ETA July
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 96 points ” The 2017 Graacher Himmelreich Auslese is coolish, bright and fresh on the still-reductive but attractive nose with its fine Riesling and slate aromas. The wine is salty-piquant and terribly fresh on the palate, with very fine Riesling and crispy-salty slate expressions. This Auslese is highly refined, crystalline and more intellectual compared to the Badstube, but hedonists would take it as well. A gorgeous, highly digestible Auslese. Tasted in March 2019.”
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2017 750ML ($39.95) $33 special
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2017 1.5L ($89.95) $69 pre-arrival special, ETA July
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2017 Graacher Himmelreich Kabinett offers a clear, bright, fresh and flinty bouquet with nice reduction. On the palate, the wine is light, lush, piquant, fresh and salty, with grip, tension and spring-like clarity and freshness. A gorgeous, highly stimulating Kabinett. Tasted in March 2019”
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2017 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2017 1.5L ($99.95) $89 pre-arrival special, ETA July
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 94 points ” The 2017 Graacher Himmelreich Spätlese is deep, clear and flinty on the fascinating, elegant and complex nose. It is lush, precise, piquant and refined on the palate, with more transparency, freshness and crunchy slate minerality compared to the Bernkastel and Zeltingen. The wine is highly stimulating and salty, with concentrated grapefruit aromas. This wine is really enchanting. Open the bottle and glou-glou… Tasted in March 2019.”
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2017 750ML ($149.95) $119 special
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2017 375ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special, ETA July
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 98 points “The 2017 Graacher Himmelreich Auslese (Gold Capsule), AP 15 18, is a highly attractive and refined Riesling with beautifully clear and aromatic fruit (yellow plums and nectarines at the moment) intermingled with fine flinty aromas of broken slate. This is the perfection of beauty and finesse, as it is so delicate, highly refined and elegant on the silky-textured and stimulatingly salty palate. If you love Prüm, this is the wine you would probably want to die with. It has the perfect balance of finesse yet is still highly digestible. You’ll fall in love with this, no doubts at all. Tasted in March 2019.”
Weingut Carl Loewen Alte Reben Riesling Trocken, Mosel 2017 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 92 points “From several vineyards, with vines averaging 50 to 70 years of age, the 2017 Riesling Alte Reben is deep, intense and concentrated but clear and well-defined on the mineral-scented nose. Lush and elegant on the palate, this is a densely textured and juicy Riesling with a long, intense and pretty powerful finish. The alcohol is a moderate 12%, though, and the wine reveals remarkable finesse and lingering salinity. This is excellent quality for a moderate price. Tasted in April 2019.
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2017 Laurentiuslay Riesling Spätlese is discreet and floral with hazelnut notes on the delicate yet subtly intense nose. Lush and piquant on the palate, this is a sweet, concentrated, well-structured yet finessed and persistently salty Laurentiuslay with a long, seriously firm finish. Excellent and with great aging potential. Tasted in April 2019.”
Arriving ETA July:
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2017 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2017 1.5L ($149.95) $119 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 97 points “The 2017 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese is intense and concentrated on the nose, with raisin, grapefruit and even vegetable aromas at the moment. This is highly attractive and noble on both the nose and palate. The wine is lush and dense on the palate but highly elegant, crystalline and fine, revealing a highly stimulating, salty-piquant and intensely aromatic and complex finish. This is an outstanding wine, and it’s highly digestible. Tasted in March 2019.”
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2017 750ML ($149.95) $119 special
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2017 375ML ($89.95) $69 pre-arrival special, ETA July
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 98 points “The 2017 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese (Gold Capsule), AP 17 18, is deep and flinty on the perfectly ripe, intense and tropical-scented nose with its ripe yellow nectarine and peach aromas. The wine exhibits very fine botrytis with crunchy-salty slate features on the palate and is racy-piquant, highly stimulating, crisp and crunchy on the finish, with lingering salinity. This 2017 Sonnenuhr is still very young and needs time to calm down but is still lush and fresh, and the bottle will be emptied before you have even thought about the wine. It’s very long, complex and tensioned—just fabulous. Tasted in March 2019.”
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2017 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 95 points ” The 2017 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spätlese is impressively deep, dense and expressive on the nose that is more mineral rather than fruity. On the palate, this is a lush, tensioned, very precise, elegant, sharply defined and complex Riesling. It’s not as exuberant as the Sonnenuhr can be, but it represents more of the gray/blue slate soil. The finish is really lush, perfectly concentrated and salty. This is a great Prüm icon Spätlese. Tasted in March 2019.”
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2017 750ML ($49.95) $45 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 93+ points “The 2017 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett is clear and bright on the nose, with ripe and intense but still discreet fruit aromas that intertwine perfectly with the slatey notes of the Sonnenuhr. On the palate, this is a mouth-filling, lush, creamy, salty-piquant, straight and pretty firm yet stimulating Kabinett with grip and tension on the finish. For now, I prefer the Graacher, but the Wehlener will surely develop and merit an even better score in a couple of years. Tasted in March 2019.”
Joh. Jos. Prum Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2017 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2017 Bernkasteler Badstube Auslese is very intense and upfront on the reductive, flinty and even coolish nose. Extremely lush and round on the palate, this is a concentrated, silky-textured and incredibly juicy Auslese that you can hardly stop drinking. This 2017 Badstube is a hedonist’s Auslese, and its finish is long, salty, fresh and precise. It’s so rich and so stimulating at the same time. You’ll wish you could take a bath in it. Dangerous stuff. Tasted in March 2019.”
Joh. Jos. Prum Bernkasteler Lay Riesling Auslese Long-Goldkapsel, Mosel 2017 375ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Joh. Jos. Prum Bernkasteler Lay Riesling Auslese Long-Goldkapsel, Mosel 2017 750ML ($199.95) $189 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 97 points “The 2017 Bernkasteler Lay Auslese (Long Gold Capsule), AP 18 18, is very clear, intense and generous but precise on the nose, with lots of mango, ripe peach, mirabelle and honey aromas. On the palate, this is a generously rich but refined, finessed and lush Auslese with a salty-piquant finish that is intense, complex and long. Honey-sweet but still crystalline, transparent and really kicking, this is another gorgeous 2017 Auslese from the Prüm family. Tasted in March 2019.”
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2017 Bernkasteler Badstube Spätlese is generous, warm, ripe and intense on the nose. It is round and lush on the palate, with a creamy and mouth-filling texture, pretty tropical fruit and fine honey flavors and a salty-piquant drive. This is a rich and juicy but fresh, elegant and very promising Badstube with good mineral grip and tension. Tasted in March 2019.”
Weingut A.J. Adam In der Sangerei Riesling, Mosel 2017 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 92 points “From a warm, older vineyard (up to 70 years old) inside the Hofberg, the 2017 Riesling Feinherb “in der Sängerei” is concentrated and aromatic on the fine, spicy, herbal nose. Lush and elegant, this is a mouth-filling, fresh, salty-piquant and slatey Riesling with its 20 grams of residual sugar perfectly absorbed by the crunchy minerals. This is a juicy, round and sexy Riesling that already drinks perfectly well. Tasted in April 2019.”
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2017 Dhroner Hofberg Riesling Trocken is from a south-facing, very slatey soil with roughly 70-year-old vines that were picked at the end of October with 93° Oechsle and no pre-selection. The wine was vinified in fuder and aged on the fine lees until the filtration at the end of April. This citrus-yellow colored Riesling displays a clear, fresh, concentrated and beautifully slatey bouquet with remarkable complexity and elegance. The nose is like a very fine perfume, and its slate aromas are crunchy and pure, just beautiful. Concentrated, piquant and firmly structured, this is a full-bodied, juicy, spicy, complex and intense dry Riesling with good richness but also a persistently mineral, vibrantly fresh and seriously structured finish. Excellent. Tasted in April 2019.”
Donnhoff Magnum Madness!
In Stock Now:
Weingut Donnhoff Norheimer Dellchen Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Nahe 2016 1.5L ($179.95) Was $149, Now $128 July Sale Special, 1 magnum in stock now
Stuart Pigott-JamesSuckling 96 points “Very refined peach, rose hip and wild berry on the nose. Stunning concentration, elegance and finesse make this one of the stars of the vintage on the Nahe. The super-mineral finish almost literally takes your breath away. Drink now or hold.”
Wine Advocate 95 points “From slate and porphyry soils, the 2016 Nahe Riesling Norheimer Dellchen “GG” is very pure, precise and mineral on the elegant, subtle nose, where ripe seed fruit aromas are displayed. Very sensual! Full-bodied, rich and round, this is a highly elegant, intense and dense Riesling with a persistent finish. Very aromatic and sensual, but it needs some time to gain even more finesse.”
Terry Theise note “A conglomerate of slate and porphyry, the site entails the little hollows between cliff-sides; it’s very steep and terraced and quiet, which may account for the wines’ riddlesome nature, wines of pure inference and umami that need several years not just to blossom, but simply to say what they taste like. This is especially true of the dry wines. This ’16 is relatively overt and smoky, but no sequence of descriptors will be useful—it’s just too soon. The texture seems more lush than usual, and there’s an earthy note, and as compelling as it is, I respect the shroud and will wait patiently.”
David Schildknecht-Vinous 94 points “Musky hints of peony and iris mingle with sea breeze and scents of ripe white peach on a nose that reflects the floral and marine mineral mystery that seem to be part and parcel of Riesling from this great site. While the texture is silken, there are insistent impingements of mustard seed, peach fuzz and crystalline stones that add to the sense of vibrancy and invigoration conveyed on a superbly sustained finish. The cooling, inhalative sense of floral and herbal perfume hauntingly remains even after the fruit and mineral flavors have finally subsided. This wine reinforces the intuition I had when tasting Schneider’s collection, namely that this vintage of Dellchen will continue in bottle to give Hermannshöhle unusually tough competition.”
Weingut Donnhoff Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Auslese, Nahe 2015 1.5L ($199.95) Was $149, Now $133 July Sale Special, 4 magnums in stock now
David Schildknecht-Vinous 95 points ” Buddleia and lily perfume, red raspberry and white peach headily entice the nose – then billow across a subtly creamy palate, set-off by a stony undertone and enhanced by animatingly bright fresh lime, tart apple and jammy but invigoratingly seedy berries. While the sweetness here is rather obvious, it doesn’t interfere with – and perhaps even enhances – the ripeness of fruit flavors in a luscious, refreshingly-sustained finish that is startlingly penetrating, almost as if this were an Eiswein, though in fact it represents a botrytis selection picked-out ahead of the corresponding Spätlese. ”
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2015 Oberhäuser Brücke Riesling Auslese was selected shortly before the Spätlese and is a selection of super ripe and the rarely botrytis grapes. The wine has a super ripe and warm fruit bouquet with some spicy and flinty aromas. On the palate, this is a piquant and generous Riesling with clear definition and lingering complexity and salinity. It has very good grip. (The wine is also available in 375 milliliter bottles for $45 and 1500 milliliter bottles for $180.)”
Weingut Donnhoff Norheimer Dellchen Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Nahe 2017 1.5L ($219.95) Was $199, Now $179 July Sale Special, 4 magnums available & arriving July 5th
#3 Wine of the Year – James Suckling Top 100 in 2018
Stuart Pigott-JamesSuckling 100 points “An enormous spectrum of fruit aromas, from peaches through grapefruit to wild strawberries and pineapple. However, that doesn’t prepare you for the mind-blowing concentration and brilliance on the palate. Extremely filigree finish, in spite of the profound minerality. From organically grown grapes. Fair’n Green certification. Drink or hold. Limited production.”
Mosel Fine Wines 95 points “The 2017er Norheimer Dellchen GG exhibits a superbly aromatic and fruit-driven nose of pineapple, grapefruit, apple, grape juice and lime, all wrapped into smoke and anise. The nose gains even in finesse and presence with further airing. The wine has great presence and focus on the palate, w here spices and delicately herbal notes give a great refreshing side to this playful dry Riesling. The finish is pure, gorgeously long and driven by lime. This is a classic in the making. 2025-2042.”
David Schildknecht – Vinous 94 points “Iris and ginseng, sea breeze and ripe white peach combine for a site-typical aromatic performance and correspondingly alluring presence on a silken palate. Cool and laid-back in personality, yet possessed of an intricate as well as active impression of mineral matter – stone, alkali above all salts – and with its pit-piquancy deftly-integrated and harnessed entirely in the service of invigoration, this remarkable elixir takes control of the salivary glands as it glides off into a lingering finish that preserves haunting, billowing florality, and whose sense of buoyancy is rare among Grosse Gewächse. For intriguing and subtle complexity, this easily surpasses the three wines of that genre to have preceded it in Dönnhoff’s tasting line-up. If you follow my frequent comments concerning the taste preferences that prevail among his countrymen and many German critics, it won’t surprise you that Dönnhoff says many tasters – most of whom, granted, assess this wine at a much earlier stage than I do – aren’t excited by Dellchen and “find its aromas and sense of buoyancy almost a bit frivolous.””
Mosel Fine Wines 95 points “This 2017er Schlossböckelheimer Felsenberg GG, referred internally at the Estate as Felsentürmchen (there is a tower depicted on the label), delivers a beautifully restrained and delicate nose of may tree, quince, orange blossom, a hint of fennel and coconut, all wrapped into smoke and aniseed herbs. The wine proves superbly zesty and focused on the palate, where it gradually gains in weight and presence. Yet the finish is also quite pure and zesty and tastes fully dry. The after-taste is all about gooseberry, yuzu and smoke. This racy Riesling will need a couple of years to develop its full complexity, but the underlying material is already breathtakingly good. 2027-2047.”
Stuart Pigott-JamesSuckling 95 points “Lovely fresh-pineapple and yellow-grapefruit notes with hints of smoke and flint. The palate is concentrated, cool and dry with a very long, mineral finish. From organically grown grapes. Fair’n Green certification. Drink or hold.”
Stuart Pigott-JamesSuckling 98 points “A star is born! Stunning white-peach and herbal nose, then a sensational combination of ripeness and freshness that whips this forward like a jockey driving a racehorse towards the winning post. From organically grown grapes. Fair’n Green certification. This has enormous aging potential. Drink or hold.”
Now it’s even lower!
The next best price is $189.99
Stuart Pigott-JamesSuckling 95 points “This might have happened by accident, due to the high level of ripeness that resulted from the frost damage and very low yield, but it works really well. Ripe citrus and peach aromas, but there’s great freshness and very lively acidity that animates the medium-full body and lifts the long finish. From organically grown grapes. Fair’n Green certification. Drink or hold.”
Mosel Fine Wines 93 points “The 2017er Bad Kreuznacher Krötenpfuhl GG delivers a spicy and minty nose of ripe fruits including pear, apple, prune and grapefruit. But it is on the palate that this wine really shines, combining energy and finesse with beautifully f lowery and grapefruit driven elements. A great salty side adds depth to the fully dry and superbly mineral after-taste. This is a great dry Riesling in the making. 2025-2037.”
Now it’s even lower!
The next best price is $179.99
Stuart Pigott-JamesSuckling 99 points “Most people who drink wine know what a ripe peach tastes like. However, this wine gives you a completely new appreciation of the meaning of the word “peach”. Beyond that, it possesses subtlety that is extremely rare anywhere in the world of food and wine. From organically grown grapes. Fair’n Green certification. Absolutely delicious now, but could be held for decades.”
David Schildknecht – Vinous 95 points “Lily perfume on the nose of this Hermannshöhle reminds me both of the corresponding 2016 and of this year’s Kirschheck. That is accompanied by ripe, fresh and high-toned, distillate-like notes of pear and quince. The glossy palate is lusciously fruited, billowingly perfumed, as well as seductively glossy and creamy in texture. Piquancy of pear pip and hints of anise add counterpoint, while fresh grapefruit and white peach contribute welcomed bright juiciness en route to a ravishingly-sustained, impeccably-balanced finish. The covering term “mineral” will for now have to serve the strikingly transparent finish, which becomes more intriguing the longer the wine takes on air.”
Now it’s even lower!
The next best price is $151.99
Stuart Pigott-JamesSuckling 96 points “So light and filigree with such a delicate white-peach note. Yet, behind the almost weightless exterior is enormous depth and an almost savage mineral freshness at the finish. From organically grown grapes. Fair’n Green certification. Drink or hold.”
Now it’s even lower!
The next best price is $149.99
A New Delicious Rosé Champagne
“A riotous display of grapefruit zest, red flowers and fresh berries, this rose Champagne from Noel Bazin is an unapologetically delicious aperitif. It’s never cloying, but is wonderfully expressive and exuberant.”
New Arrival!
Noel Bazin ‘La Pimpante’ Rose Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($59.95) $48 special
Winery note “[Translated] The wine is pink, with very fine and delicate bubbles that persist in the glass. The nose is playful and refined. The base of Chardonnay adds nuance to the pretty cherry notes. The palate is perfumed and graceful. A beautiful cherry note dominates with pastry aromas. The finish is superbly aromatic and lively.”
(A Pair of Cerasuolos)
We have two classic examples in stock right now, the just-arrived Cerasuolo from Planeta, which is made in a juicy, drink now style. It’s a perfect wine to have on hand in bulk, seemingly going with everything. On the other end of the scale is Occhipinti’s Grotte Alte, her top wine and one that demands attention and rewards it in spades. Both are distinctly Cerasuolo di Vittoria and yet totally distinct in their uses and personalities—and both belong on your table this summer.
In Stock Now:
Planeta Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG, Sicily 2015 750ML ($24.95) $18 special
Case-6 Planeta Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG, Sicily 2015 750ML ($149.95) $99 special (that’s only $16.50/bottle!)
Ian D’agata-Vinous 92 points “Good full ruby-red. Perfumed aromas of raspberry, cherry cola and flowers, along with a spicy nuance. Fresh and fruity on entry, then smooth but slightly tighter in the midpalate, offering bright strawberry and violet pastille flavors. Finishes very long with dusty tannins and lingering salinity. Even more delicate and fragrant than usual this year. A blend of 60 percent Nero d’Avola and 40 percent Frappato that sees no oak.”
James Suckling 92 points “A delicious Cerasuolo with all the cherry and orange peel character you could hope for. Medium body, round and light tannins and a tangy finish. A wine that really makes you want to drink it!”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 94 points “Made with Nero d’Avola and Frappato in equal parts, this is a mature, alluring and sultry wine. The 2014 Cerasuolo di Vittoria Classico Grotte Alte is released now after having acquired extended bottle aging since the harvest four years ago. Like the monovarietal Nero d’Avola also reviewed here, this wine offers an evident balsamic character with medicinal herb, licorice and cola. I am delighted by the integrity of the bouquet in a wine that had evidently embraced its evolutionary trajectory with gusto.”
Also, just (re)arrived from Occhipinti:
Azienda Agricola Arianna Occhipinti Il Frappato Sicilia IGT, Sicily 2016 750ML ($49.95) $36 special
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 92+ points “The 2016 Il Frappato is another surprise hit from a vintage that was not easy generally speaking. This wine is chiseled and focused, showing a pretty mineral note that is carried forth from start to finish. The wine is delicate and finessed with small berry nuances, dried blackberry, cherry and pencil shaving. This is an elegant and graceful red wine from Sicily.”
Featured New Arrival
New Wines from Force Majeure
What really sets Force Majeure apart from many other top Washington producers, though, is their site. It’s relatively rare to have an estate vineyard in Washington (like in Napa, many producers buy grapes from a variety of sites). To have an estate in the tiny Red Mountain AVA of this quality, though, is a truly special thing—a secret weapon in creating some of the finest wines in the state. We’re always excited to get wines from this producer, especially this set of new bottlings that arrived today. 2016 is a notable success across Washington and especially for an estate like Force Majeure—this is Red Mountain at its finest.
Just Arrived, In Stock Now:
Force Majeure Estate Cabernet, Red Mountain 2016 750ML ($139.95) $119 special
Jeb Dunnuck 99 points “The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain Estate is a thrilling effort from winemaker Todd Alexander that rates with some of the most monumental wines to come out of Washington State. Based on 100% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from their estate vineyard on Red Mountain, brought up in mostly new barrels, it reveals a saturated purple color that’s followed by a rich, primordial bouquet of crème de cassis, espresso roast, crushed rock, and graphite. It needs considerable air to start to show its potential yet is a full-bodied, powerful wine that has subtle oak, plenty of sweet tannins, and a huge, layered finish that won’t quit. It’s the tannin management that’s truly spectacular. This brilliant wine needs to be forgotten for 4-5 years and will keep for 2-3 decades.”
The next best price is $125
Jeb Dunnuck 97 points “The 2016 Syrah Estate checks in as 100% Syrah that saw a small amount of stems. It spent 18 months in 25% new French oak. Deeply colored, it displays a thrilling bouquet of smoked black fruits, violets, smoked meats, charcoal, and graphite. Deep, rich, incredibly fleshy and flamboyant, with perfect balance, it’s a serious, world-class Syrah that will keep for 10-15 years.”
Jeb Dunnuck 96 points “There are only 325 cases of the 2016 Parvata, a blend of 69% Mourvèdre, 21% Syrah, and 10% Grenache brought up in 30% new, mostly larger barrels. Deep ruby-colored, with a beautiful bouquet of black raspberries, white pepper, spiced meats, and graphite, this hits the palate with full-bodied richness, ripe tannins, and beautiful length.”
Jeb Dunnuck 94 points “The 2016 Parabellum Alluvio is the entry-level Bordeaux blend (the second wine, if you will) and it is 62% Cabernet Franc, 15% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 8% Petit Verdot. It’s complex, layered, and incredibly elegant, with silky tannins as well as loads of dried cherries, bouquet garni, crushed rock, and hints of spring flower. I’m always shocked at the quality of this estate’s so-called entry level wines, and this is a beautiful wine in its own right. Drink it any time over the coming 10-15 years.”
Wine Spectator 93 points “Dynamic and built for the cellar, with black cherry, bay leaf and graphite-tinged mineral notes that build richness and potency toward well-buffed tannins. Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Best from 2021 through 2028. 375 cases made.”
Wine Spectator 95 points “A red with style and presence, offering a big but refined structure, with vibrant blackberry, smoky meat and cracked pepper flavors that build plushness and richness on the finish. Syrah and Mourvèdre. Drink now through 2027. 370 cases made.”
Jeb Dunnuck 95 points “The entry-level Rhône blend is the 2016 Parabellum Coulee, composed of 75% Syrah and 25% Mourvèdre brought up in 50% new French oak. It’s a beautifully pure, elegant wine that has terrific notes of blueberries, smoked herbs, hints of bacon fat, and spring flowers. It’s ripe and has a slightly more forward, seamless texture than the top cuvée, with remarkable purity and a great finish.”
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Thibaud Boudignon Rose de Loire 2018 750ML ($27.95) $24 special
Importer note “80% Cabernet Franc, 20% Grolleau from 25+ year old vines grown on shallow soils of grey schist and rhyolite (volcanic soil) and clay. Indigenous yeast fermentation of direct press rosé with no malo. Aged in stainless steel.”
Phelps Creek Vineyards Lynette Chardonnay, Columbia Gorge 2015 750ML ($47.95) $39 special
Grapelive 95 points “Ms Roy and Bob have winner here with the expressive 2015 Lynette Chardonnay, it really reminds me a lot of John Raytek’s beautiful Ceritas wines with it’s purity and textual grace, it certainly is expressive and unique stuff that deserves attention. This Phelps Creek Vineyards Chard shows crisp mineral focus with layers that fill the palate as you sip it in the glass, it gains density and nuance as it gets air revealing apple, pear, lemon and peach fruits, soft floral tones, wet stones, a hint of brioche, clarified cream, delicate and polished wood notes and clove spice. Not as weighty of powerful as Wente clone, but a wine of serious impact and complexity, it give a wonderful performance with tons of personality and charm. If you had tried the best of Oregon Chardonnay, like the mentioned Cameron or the likes of Brick House, Bergstrom, Evening Land and Westerly to name a few, you need to try this Phelps Creek Lynette Chardonnay. This lightly golden hued Chardonnay is really coming into its own and should drink well for another 5 to 10 years, though its already in the great place, especially with food….Phelps Creek Vineyards, established in 1990, is a small boutique winery that focuses on estate grown Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and owned and run by Bob Morus and his family. Morus is a winegrower, and he believes in his fruit, for him the vineyard care takes center stage in PhelpsCreek’s wine production and he tends his vines using sustainable agricultural practices that are combined with strict management of the fruit yields. This leads to the higher concentration of flavors and a noted luxurious intensity in their bottlings. Located in Oregon’s Columbia Gorge, Phelps Creek does some wonderfully crafted wines, with a great set of wines like this cuvee Lynette Chardonnay which was overseen by the highly talented Gevrey-Chambertin vigneron Alexandrine Roy of Domaine Marc Roy, who has been helping this small winery craft Burgundy style and class wines since about 2007”
Belle Pente Willamette Valley Pinot Gris, Oregon 2014 750ML ($19.95) $16.60 special
Belle Pente Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2014 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 91 points “Vivid red. Mineral- and spice-laced aromas of fresh red berries and rose, joined by a hint of blood orange that builds in the glass. Clean and nervy on entry, then deeper and broader in the midpalate, offering energetic black raspberry and bitter cherry flavors complemented by a sweet touch of floral pastilles. Supple tannins build slowly on the sappy, penetrating finish, which hangs on with strong, spicy persistence.”
50% Belle Pente Estate Vineyard (Yamhill-Carlton), 25% Bella Vida Vineyard (Dundee Hills), 25% Murto Vineyard (Dundee Hills)
The next best price is $29.99
Trathen Hall Wines Antiquum Vineyard Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2015 750ML ($47.95) $44 special
Wine Enthusiast 94 points “Editor’s Choice. Sourced from a high altitude vineyard at 800 feet on the eastern edge of the Coastal Range, this palate-pleasing wine matches crisp black cherry fruit to nuanced earth, mocha and tobacco highlights. It’s expressive and superbly balanced, ready for immediate enjoyment, but built to cellar as well. Drink now–2026.”
Wine Enthusiast 92 points “Editor’s Choice. Past releases of this wine were sourced solely from Antiquum vineyard; here, there is an additional source. The quality remains quite high despite the substantially larger production and lower price. Win, win, win! Raspberry, cherry, sassafras, cola and mocha flavors are in play. The inclusion of 20% whole clusters and aging in neutral barrels have added light touches of flavor.”
Whistling Dog Cellars Dijon Blocks Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2014 750ML ($19.95) $16.60 special
France
Envinate Lousas Vinas Aldea, Ribera Sacra 2017 750ML ($39.95) $33 special
Importer note “Aldea means “village” in Gallego; thus, this is Envínate’s “village wine”, produced from a combination of –minimum- 60-year-old plots located in the ancient vineyard region of Ribeira Sacra. This cuvee is made up of 90-95% Mencía with other co-planted varietals blended in. The native vines are grown on steep slopes made of slate and sit in between 400-600 meters elevation. This vintage Viña de Aldea was foot-trodden in open top plastic tubs, fermented spontaneously with wild yeasts, with 40% whole clusters included, and raised in old barrels for 11 months with no racking and no SO2 added until bottling. It is a very fresh and elegant vino tinto with classic, lifted aromatics of black pepper, pomegranate, and herbs, which leads to an elegant and crystalline palate with loads of saveur, peppery tannins, and a dry finish. This is more than a village wine in our book, but a superb example of Ribeira Sacra and a wonderful benchmark for the region. 300 – 6 packs produced.”
The next best price is $47
Laura Lorenzo Daterra Camino de la Frontera Tinto, Arribes 2017 750ML ($39.95) $29.90 special
Grapelive 93 points “…The 2017 shows more zip and crunchiness than the 2015 or 2016’s I had from Lorenzo and the purity of fruit is impressive with layers of blackberry, blueberry, cranberry, cherry and tart currant along with loads of mineral, crushed quartz, rose oil, minty herb, walnut, earthy tones and Moro orange. This wine benefits from cuisine that matches its lifting savoriness and vibrant acids and is lovely with a slight chill on it. Drink Lorenzo’s Camino de la Frontera over the next 3 to 5 years.”
Importer Note “Portela do Vento comes from several south-facing parcels of Menci´a and Garnacha Tintorera in the Amandi and Quiroga-Bibei subzones. The grapes were harvested by hand in late September, 80% destemmed and fermented with wild yeasts in steel vats, and raised for 9 months in used 500 liter French barrels. This is Laura’s “glou-glou” wine that she loves to share with her American friends. Fresh and easy-drinking, it is very versatile with a wide variety of foods…or straight from the porro´n! “