48 Hour Weekend Rosé Sale
98+ Point Felsina Fontalloro & 97 Point Maestro Raro
A Collection of Cult Wines
(Cayuse, Colgin, Shafer and Hundred Acre Galore!)
Featured New Arrival: It’s More than a Rosso
The Throwback Mourre de Terre
“Rich, Opulent, [and] Gorgeously Layered”
The Towering 2018’s of Emrich-Schonleber
48 Hour Rosé Sale Wines Not Eligible for Further Discounts
Chateau de Calavon Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence Rose 2017 750ML ($21.95) Was $18, Now $14 Rose Sale Special
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 90 points
Wine Advocate 90 points “A blend of 65% Cinsault, 20% Grenache and 15% Syrah, Calavon’s 2017 Coteaux d’Aix en Provence Rose is another solid rosé effort from the portfolio of American importer Peter Weygandt. This one is medium-bodied, quite taut and perfumed, with hints of garrigue, stone fruit and lingering citrus on the finish.”
Now it’s even lower!
Winery note “•50% Merlot, 50% Cabernet Sauvignon. A salmon pink color.The nose is a subtle bouquet of flowers and red fruits.On the palate, it is a lively wine, refreshing, delicate and well balanced with a very pleasant finish.”
“Soft and easy, with modest peach and white raspberry fruit flavors. Rounded finish. Drink now.” -Wine Spectator
Importer note “100% sangiovese, organic, short skin contact (6-8 hours), pressed off and fermented in stainless steel tanks. Drink and repeat.”
Importer Note “Fruity and floral, with notes of fresh bloomed roses, peach and strawberries. Dry and mineral. Chiaretto is the most famous name for rosé wines in Italy and can only be made from the Bardolino zone bordering beautiful Lake Garda in the Veneto region of northern Italy. The ‘lake effect’ makes the Corvina and Rondinella grapes more fruity, and perfect for the production of rose.”
Now it’s even lower!
Josh Raynolds 90 points “Brilliant pink. Incisive and highly perfumed, displaying intense aromas of fresh red berries, tangerine and succulent flowers that show impressive delineation and mineral lift. Stains the palate with juicy raspberry, pink grapefruit and candied lavender flavors that deepen steadily on the back half. Finishes long, minerally and smooth, with repeating citrus fruit and floral character and a touch of spicy white pepper. This wine delivers superb bang for the buck.”
Winery note “This wine has been elaborated in opposition to usual standards for a rose. Harvested very early in the season to enhance natural acidity and low alcohol, our very young vines of Mourvèdre (66%) and Cinsault (34%) have been farmed in harmony and respect with Mother Nature. A natural pink color, minimum sulfur doses, indigenous yeasts naturally brought by wild flowers in the vineyard, malolactic fermentation and a very light filtration eventually make our first harvest of only 200 cases ‘Non-Conformist.’”
Chateau Simone Palette Rose, Provence 2016 1.5L ($139.95) Was $119, Now $99 Rose Sale Special
Importer Note “The Château Simone Rosé is a wine that belies the notion that rosés are simple wines to be drunk up young. We have indulged ourselves with 10-year old Château Simone Rosé and have marveled at the tenacity, vibrancy and complexity of this very serious wine. The blend is identical to the rouge: 45% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, 5% Cinsault, 20% Syrah, Castet, Manosquin, Carignan, Muscat Noir & Blanc. Aged in barrel, it is powerful and age-worthy with a steely character and a grey-tinted aura to the faded rose-petal robe.”
This is the lowest listed price for a magnum in the USA today!
48 Hour Rosé Sale Wines Not Eligible for Further Discounts
98+ Point Felsina Fontalloro
& 97 Point Maestro Raro
Arriving ETA Early September:
Felsina Berardenga Fontalloro Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2016 750ML ($69.95) $54.50 pre-arrival special
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 98+ points “The 2016 Fontalloro is the best vintage of this landmark wine that I have tasted thus far. This is a very elegant vintage, with more volume in the mouth and precise notes of tar, licorice, camphor ash, resin and Indian spice. In a race between the highly competitive 2015 and 2016 vintages, I give a slight advantage to this wine. The warmer 2015 vintage shows more richness and exuberant fruit. However, this wine from 2016 offers a more focused and chiseled delivery. I am hopeful that this wine will continue to evolve and sharpen as it ages in the bottle. This is a beautiful wine to put aside in your cellar for ten years or more.”
James Suckling 98 points “Amazing aromas of licorice, wet earth, orange peel and lavender. Full body, tight and super compact and polished. Goes on for minutes. Clearly great. Better in 2021, but already a star.”
Felsina Berardenga Maestro Raro Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2016 750ML ($69.95) $54.50 pre-arrival special
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 97 points “Wow, this is an absolutely gorgeous wine that delivers exceptional intensity followed by compelling complexity. The bouquet on the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Maestro Raro peels back to reveal thick layers of red fruit, spice and tobacco. Despite the full weight approach of the mouthfeel, this wine maintains a deep inner sense of elegance all the while. It is still very highly wound and nervous at this young moment in its life and is going to need extra time to unwind and achieve final harmony. All the necessary elements (complexity, balance, freshness and structure) are amply present to guide the wine into the future. It should be exciting to follow its evolution over the next few decades.”
A Collection of Cult Wines
In Stock Now:
Only six bottles available
Hundred Acre ‘Kayli Morgan Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2007 750ML ($599.95) $449 special
Wine Advocate 100 points “[Tasted Dec 2018] The deep garnet colored 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Kayli Morgan Vineyard features gorgeous crushed plums, spicy blackberries, crème de cassis and Chinese five spice with potpourri and nuances of dried herbs, lavender, black tea and loads of crushed rocks, tilled soil and underbrush accents. Full-bodied and absolutely laden with earth and spice accents, it has a firm and grainy texture with exhilarating yet seamless freshness, finishing very long.”
The next best price is $499
The average listed price is $531
Shafer Vineyards Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap District 2014 750ML ($319.95) $249 special
Wine Advocate 98+ points “Very deep inky-purple colored, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select is incredibly intense and impactful on the nose, revealing notes of crushed black cherries, blackberries and fresh black currants with underlying notions of charcoal, sautéed herbs, black soil, chargrilled meat and pencil lead, plus a waft of violets. Very full-bodied, very rich and wonderfully concentrated, the wall of fruit is well matched by a firm structure of ripe, grainy tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing with great length and depth.”
Antonio Galloni 97+ points “The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select is one of the more restrained, understated versions of this wine I can remember tasting. Medium in body (in relative terms) and beautifully persistent, the 2014 makes its case more with a total sense of harmony rather than with bombastic power, as is sometimes the case. Moreover, the 2014 has really come together beautifully since I last tasted it. In 2014, Hillside Select is a wine of precision, with expressive aromatics and finely- knit tannins that support the mid-palate and finish nicely.”
Jeb Dunnuck 97 points “Lastly, the flagship 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon (the only vintage where it wasn’t 100% was in 1984, when it included 9% Cabernet Franc) brought up all in high-class French oak. A textbook example of the balanced nature of the 2014 vintage, it offers a complex bouquet of crème de cassis, lead pencil shavings, tobacco leaf, and subtle minerality. Finesse-driven yet powerful on the palate, with full-bodied richness, its tannin structure is perfectly integrated into the wine, it has notable purity and freshness, and a great finish. It’s relatively approachable by this cuvée’s standard but has another 20-30 years of longevity ahead of it.”
The average listed price is $311
Colgin Cellars IX Estate Red, Napa Valley 2014 750ML ($699.95) $499 special
Robert Parker 98+ points “From their steep hillside vineyards on Pritchard Hill, the 2014 Proprietary Red IX Estate is an old-fashioned Médoc blend dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, but with some Cabernet Franc (rarely seen in the Médoc these years) as well as Merlot and Petit Verdot. Striking aromatics of violets, forest floor, loamy soil nuances, blueberry, black raspberry and blackberry soar from the glass of this spectacular 2014. The acidity seems reasonable but on the lower side, the texture is magnificent, and the overall purity and equilibrium flawless. This is a wine pushing, even demanding, a three-digit score once again, but I’m holding back – at least for now. This magnificent effort from Colgin should drink beautifully for 25-30 years.”
Only two bottles available
Colgin Cellars IX Estate Syrah, Napa Valley 2015 750ML ($399.95) $319 special
James Suckling 100 points “Smelling this takes my breath away. Cloves, floras, metal shavings, blackberries and smoked meat. Mandarin zest, too. Full body with a perfect balance of ultra-fine tannins and great complexity. Goes on for minutes. Sets a new standard of syrah for California. Don’t wait to drink this.”
Wine Advocate 99 points “Very deep garnet-purple, the 2015 IX Syrah Estate opens with intense crushed black cherries, black plums and mulberries with underlying black pepper, peppered salami, violets and chocolate box plus a lovely star anise and sandalwood waft. Full-bodied, rich, concentrated and wonderfully soft and sexy, it gives tons of perfumed black fruit and spice cake layers, finishing very long.”
Antonio Galloni 98 points “The 2015 Syrah is a total knock-out. Super-ripe red cherry, plum, rose petal and mint are some of the notes that race out of the glass, but here, too, it is the wine’s stunning textural richness that stands out most. Full-throttle and intense in every dimension, the 2015 captivates all the senses with its magnificent, towering beauty. I would prefer to cellar the 2015 for at least a few years, but even today, in its primary stage, the 2015 is phenomenal.”
Cayuse Vineyards Wallah Wallah Special Series Syrah #4, Walla Walla Valley2012 1.5L ($299.95) $249 special
Wine Advocate 96+ points “Made by Christophe as a tribute to Cote Rotie and coming from a blend of estate vineyards, the 2012 Syrah Wallah Wallah #4 Special spent 22 months in older puncheons and neutral smaller barrels before being bottled only in Magnum, of which there’s only 2,500 to go around. Hitting 13.6% natural alcohol, its deep ruby, semi-opaque color is followed by fabulous notes of rose petals, incense, violets, leather and sweet raspberry. These flow seamlessly to a full-bodied, supple and elegant Syrah that has no hard edges, integrated acidity and thrilling purity of fruit. Showing more and more tannin with time in the glass, it needs to be forgotten for 4-5 years and will have an easy two decades or more of longevity.”
Stephen Tanzer 95+? points “(13.6% alcohol; a “vineyard blend” bottled entirely in magnums): Healthy deep red. Aromas reminded me of the Côte Brune: raspberry, brown spices, mocha, black tea, every color of pepper. Wonderfully juicy and aromatic in the mouth, hinting at the fleshiness to come but still imploded in the early going. Strong dusty tannins are buffered by a powerful impression of extract, with the finish leaving behind notes of pepper and bacon. Baron compared this wine to the Jamet 2001 Côte-Rôtie and I can relate to that.”
Only one magnum available
Cayuse Vineyards Wallah Wallah Special Series Syrah #6, Walla Walla Valley2014 1.5L ($279.95) $259 special
Wine Advocate 97 points “Only released in special vintages, as well as only in magnum, the 2014 Syrah Wallah Wallah Special #6 is about as Northern Rhône as it gets. More rounded, sexy and voluptuous than the other cuvees, with full-bodied richness and silky tannin, it reminds me of the Burgundian style of wine from Jean-Louis Chave. Violets, crushed rocks, graphite, smoked earth and beautiful black fruit notes emerge from this sensual, elegant, ethereally textured beauty. It might be my favorite Special cuvee to date. It’s already beautiful, but it will keep for two decades or more.”
Wine Advocate 95 points “The Cayuse 2009 Grenache Armada Vineyard God Only Knows (named for the otherwise unspecified roughly 10% share of this that he claims isn’t Grenache) was cropped at only a ton and a half per acre (ca. 20 hectoliters per hectare) because, as Baron puts it, “we are struggling every year just to get Grenache ripe. But we love it for the challenge,” he hastens to add. “Even a monkey can make a great Syrah, but Grenache , We’ve got 7 acres of this grape now,” compared with more or less 25 of Syrah, he reports, commenting: “You’ve got to be crazy!” Fresh strawberry and elderberry are tinged with birch bark extract, black tea, and basil, making for an aromatically intriguing and lip-smacking palate presence. An upwelling of beef marrow and a Syrah- (or Gewurztraminer-) like hint of smoked meat add to the wine’s saliva-inducing savor. Here is a really vivid illustration of how the best Washington wines offer nearly luxuriant richness and sweet berry intensity but at the same time exhilarating vibrancy and lift. And, true to Baron’s repeatedly stated intentions, there are – beyond salt, stone, and smoky aura of black tea – elements impinging on this wine’s superbly sustained finish that can only be called “mineral,” even if one can’t find further words for them. I suspect this will be worth following for at least a decade. Incidentally, the wine was vinified in concrete and then aged in demi-muids plus one concrete egg. Apropos controlling alcohol and enhancing ripe flavors (for more on which, see my winery introduction), this beauty clocked in at what – in comparison with other recent vintages – counts as a modest 14.3%, despite its warm growing season; yet as you can tell from my description, there’s nothing under-ripe about its performance!”
Cayuse Vineyards God Only Knows Armada Vineyard Grenache, Walla Walla Valley 2010 750ML ($119.95) $99 special
Wine Advocate 93+ points “The almost all Grenache 2010 God Only Knows (named as such because the full blend is unknown, or so we’re told) is a complex, elegant version of this wine, with a Rayas-like perfume of kirsch, white pepper, stem, herbes de Provence and a gamey meatiness that comes out with air. Medium to full-bodied, silky and seamless on the palate, with juicy acidity, polished tannin and a light, clean texture, it lacks the back-end concentration of a top vintage, yet possesses brilliant purity and balance. It will benefit from short-term cellaring and impress for upwards of a decade. Drink 2015-2020.”
Stephen Tanzer 93 points “Good medium red. Knockout aromas of musky raspberry, black olive, smoke, leather and brown sugar, lifted by an ineffable floral topnote. All silky texture and perfume in the mouth, showing brisk peppery lift to the flavors of raspberry and gunflint. The long, building finish boasts very suave tannins and lovely retention of fresh fruit. This wine reminded me of a Chateauneuf du Pape from Domaine de Marcoux.”
Cayuse Vineyards God Only Knows Armada Vineyard Grenache, Walla Walla Valley 2011 750ML ($179.95) $149 special
Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2011 Grenache God Only Knows is shockingly good in the vintage. Sporting a big, masculine profile, with notions of lite gunpowder, ground pepper, herbs and wild strawberry and blackberry fruit, it flows onto the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a full, rich mid-palate and a healthy dose of tannin that will require short-term cellaring to integrate. This knockout Grenache will be at its finest from 2016-2026.”
Wine Enthusiast 96 points “Cellar Selection. Intensely aromatic, this carries a wealth of layered flavors consistent with past vintages. Umami, sea salt, mineral and Provençal herbs comingle, with a rich component of raspberry, plum and cherry compôte. More layers appear through the finish, with orange liqueur and a whiff of tanned leather.”
Only one bottle available
Cayuse Vineyards God Only Knows Armada Vineyard Grenache, Walla Walla Valley 2013 750ML ($179.95) $133 special
Wine Advocate 94 points “Grenache seemed to handle the heat nicely in 2013 and the 2013 Grenache God Only Knows Armada Vineyard offers a gorgeous, rich, almost masculine style (especially when it’s tasted next to the No Girls Grenache) in its dark fruits, crushed herbs, mineral and leather scented profile. Even showing a touch of game with time in the glass, this beauty has fine tannin, plenty of fruit and a great finish, all suggesting it will drink nicely for another decade.”
Wine Spectator 94 points “A compelling wine, polished and impeccably built, with expressive raspberry and bacon fat aromas and layered smoky plum, olive and stony mineral flavors that build momentum toward refined tannins. Grenache and other red varieties. Drink now through 2024. 533 cases made.”
Only one bottle available
Cayuse Vineyards God Only Knows Armada Vineyard Grenache, Walla Walla Valley 2014 750ML ($149.95) $119 special
Jeb Dunnuck-Wine Advocate 97 points “There are 533 cases of the 2014 Grenache God Only Knows Armada Vineyard, and as always, it’s an unknown blend that’s dominated by Grenache (reportedly from vine cuttings from Rayas). It’s fermented with just about 100% whole clusters in concrete and aged mostly in neutral puncheons and foudre, with one concrete egg. A bigger, richer wine than the No Girls cuvee, this beauty packs a punch in its black cherry, reduced strawberry, herbes de Provence and crushed violet aromas and flavors. With full-bodied richness, a supple, elegant style and fine tannin, this singular beauty will benefit from a year or three of cellaring and keep for 10-15 years.”
It’s More than a Rosso
(When I See That Old Label…)
In Stock Now:
Azienda Agricola La Torre Rosso di Montalcino, Tuscany, Tuscany 2016 750ML ($39.95) $33 special
Grapelive 95 points “The 2016 is going to be legendary in Tuscany. We are seeing the top wines already getting unbelievably good press, but there are also some killer deals on lesser known wines, especially wines like this gorgeous deep fruited and elegant La Torre Rosso di Montalcino. [Such wines] are incredible and offer a wonderful value for much less than their Brunello version. Lighter on its feet than the Brunello(s) the Rosso [shows] style and grace, it shows a complex array of flavors and a sense of never-ending length with a beautiful rose petal perfume and exotic spices. This La Torre has, what it is cliche to say, Burgundy class in the glass with ripe tannins and a gorgeous garnet/ruby hue that seduces the senses with layers of black cherry, raspberry, strawberry and plum fruits to begin on its open and generous palate with gains structure with air as well as highlighting the background elements, mineral notes and light earthiness. Additionally there is classic anise, fine cigar tobacco wrapper, sandalwood and lingering dried flowers and cranberry/currant, making for a lovely Sangiovese wine that gets even better with food, bringing out more depth and fruit intensity. There is almost nothing to fault here and the detailing and mouth feel is exceptional in this remarkable Rosso di Montalcino. This is a wine that needs to be taken out of the “Baby Brunello” box; it is really next level stuff on its own. The La Torre winery was founded not all that long ago by Italian standards back in 1976 by Giuseppe Ananìa, who purchased the La Torre estate from the famous Ciacci family of Montalcino. Now Luigi Anania, Giuseppe’s son, is the present owner and producer of the wines of La Torre. The estate is located in the commune of La Sesta, approximately 8 kilometers south of Montalcino, which is in the highest altitude section of the Brunello appellation. La Torre make four main wines, all from organic vines: Brunello di Montalcino (with a Riserva in the best years as well), Rosso di Montalcino, with the Brunello and Rosso being exclusively Sangiovese Grosso (Brunello Clone) by law, as well as a Rosso di Toscano and a Rosso di Toscano “Ampelio” which have touches of Ciliegiolo and Alicante added to a mainline of Sangiovese. The wines are all made from all grapes that are de-stemmed prior to fermentations and only indigenous yeasts are used before an extended 20 maceration on the skins. Ferments are done in a combination of steel and oak with an 18 month elevage being in large oak casks of French origin, with only about 10% of the ultimate cuvée being aged in small French barrels. Made for more early drinking pleasure and a sublime vintage really show here and I absolute love this stuff. Judging it purely on its intent and delivery it is fantastic, drink this brilliantly crafted beauty over the next 3 to 5 years.”
Just Arrived
It’s Old School Like That
The Throwback Mourre de Terre
The estate owns a meager 3ha of vineyards in Chateauneuf du Pape and the oldest vines date back to 1929—they’re nearly 100 years old. The youngest vines are a solid 50+ years old at this point, which is probably all you need to know. This is an estate that doesn’t like change or “progress.” Everything is still done by hand and fermentation/elevage is done in in concrete and old foudre for a long time. This is not the sort of estate to rush things. We’ve got their (just released) 2015 Chateauneuf “Tres Vielles Vignes” and old vine Cotes du Rhone arriving on Friday in (as you might expect) limited quantities. With only a few cases of each available, Rhone traditionalists are going to want to stock up quickly.
In Stock Now:
Chateau du Mourre du Tendre Chateauneuf-du-Pape Tres Vieilles Vignes, Rhone 2015 750ML ($79.95) $59 special
Importer Note “Château Mourre du Tendre tends 3ha of vines in Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the lieu-dits of Le Crau, La Guigasse and Saintes-Vierges – all sandy terroirs. While primarily Grenache, planted in 1929 and 1945, there is a small portion of Mourvedre that Jacques Paumel added in 1967 to compliment the final blend. Spending at least 3 years in concrete tanks and foudre before release, it perhaps answers the question, what would Roberto Conterno do if he owned a vineyard in Châteauneuf-du-Pape? …Farming at Mourre du Tendre is minimalist and traditional. Everything is done by hand and the family has never used pesticides in their vineyards. The harvest is conducted in several passes and the grapes are carefully sorted when they reach the cellar. The Paumel family makes powerful and traditional wines and the fruit is not destemmed, fermentations occur spontaneously after a short semi-carbonic maceration, and the elevage is quite long – averaging about three years in a combination of concrete tanks and foudre. The resulting wines are charming, bold and structured with much more in common with Barolo and Barbaresco than most anything else you will find in the region. Needless to say they age beautifully and gracefully, even the Côtes-du-Rhône. Sadly we only receive tiny quantities.”
Importer Note “The oldest vines at Château du Mourre du Tendre is a Grenache vineyard planted in 1925 on gravelly clay soils in the Côtes-du-Rhône appellation. These vines were supplemented in 1969 with the addition of Mourvedre bringing the total size of site to 7 hectares. This is the source of the estate’s Côtes-du-Rhône Villages Vieilles Vignes cuvée. It is darker, earthier and more somber than the regular Côtes-du-Rhône, no doubt due to the Mourvedre, but it retains the intensity and charming rusticity that is the hallmark of this estate. Like it’s siblings, it is fermented whole cluster with indigenous yeasts and aged for three years before release.”
The Flamboyant 2016 Solitude
Arriving ETA September:
Domaine de la Solitude Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Barberini, Rhone 2016 750ML ($79.95) $69 pre-arrival special
Jeb Dunnuck 96 points “Darker colored and more modern in style, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Barberini is a parcel selection of 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and 20% Mourvèdre, aged in 40% new oak. Despite the new oak, it stays firmly planted in the southern Rhône and is a rich, opulent, gorgeously layered wine. With some background oak in its blackberries, cassis, toasted spice, and graphite aromas and flavors as well as a touch of chocolate, it’s full-bodied, powerful, and concentrated on the palate, with terrific balance and length. It’s approachable today but will be better in 2-3 years and keep for two decades.”
Wine Advocate 94 points “A wine that includes an unusually high proportion of Syrah (45%), the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Barberini also includes 45% Grenache and 10% Mourvèdre. Peppery notes accent cherries, raspberries and stone fruit in this full-bodied, rich wine that turns tannic on the finish yet remains fresh and clean. Give it two years in the cellar and then drink it over the next 10.”
The Towering 2018’s of Emrich-Schonleber
Well, we aren’t going to make that mistake again and so we’re pleased to the present a broad range of Emrich-Schonleber’s 2018’s. These are spectacular wines—every bit the equal of Dönnhoff, their main competition in the Nahe. This is a venerable estate (they go back 250 years) working at peak form as the current generation steps into the vanguard at the winery.
They work with two awe-inspiring sites, the Halenberg and the Frühlingsplätzchen, both of which are unusually steep for the Nahe—they have slopes of up to 70%. Halenberg is the focus for our offer today (though the Frühlingsplätzchen GG is stunning) and the vineyard is as you’d dream for the Nahe—a mixture of blue slate (like in the Mosel) and quartz.
The resulting wines are piercingly mineral, dramatically complex and something you should have in your cellar, especially from the successful 2018 vintage. They’re best known for their top-end GG’s, but don’t sleep on the Pradikat wines, as well (or the rare, hard to get TBA). We’re stocking up this go-round and you should, too.
Arriving ETA December:
Weingut Emrich-Schonleber Monzinger Fruhlingsplatzchen Riesling Grosses Gewachs Trocken, Nahe 2018 ($89.95) $66 pre-arrival special
John Gilman 94+ points “The 2018 Frühlingsplätzchen Grosses Gewächs from the Schönlebers is an outstanding wine in the making. The youthful bouquet offers up scents of lime, tart orange, gentle herb tones, a superb base of soil tones, a nice touch of smokiness and a topnote of dried flowers. On the palate the wine is pure, precise and full, with a lovely core, bright, zesty acids, excellent transparency and grip and a long seamlessly balanced and nicely cool finish. First class GG. 2023-2060.”
John Gilman 94+ points “The Halenberg GG is also outstanding in 2018. The bouquet delivers a lovely and youthful combination of lime, grapefruit, slate, orange peel, a touch of cress, wild yeasts and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and nicely reserved in personality, with a superb core of fruit, lovely transparency and cut and a long, focused and nascently complex finish. This has superb potential. 2024-2060.”
John Gilman 89+ points “The Estate Riesling Trocken here is a touch riper than the Lenz in 2018, coming in around 12.5 percent octane and with acids that are quite similar. The wine offers up a really lovely bouquet, with a bit more precision than the Lenz this year, as it wafts from the glass in a fine blend of blood orange, grapefruit, a lovely base of minerality, lemongrass and orange peel. On the palate the wine is crisp, full-bodied, complex and very nicely balanced, with a good core, quite respectable backend mineral drive and fine focus and grip on the bouncy finish. The acids here again support the wine very nicely, but are not particularly formidable. 2019-2035.”
John Gilman 90 points “The 2018 Monzinger Kabinett is very tasty, but this is a slightly larger-framed Kabinett this year, as it is 9.5 percent alcohol and carries around forty grams of sugar. The bouquet is very, very pretty, offering up scents of lime, bee pollen, salty minerality, white flowers and a touch of upper register smokiness. On the palate the wine is medium-full, complex and nicely mineral in personality, with a lovely tug between pure fruit and good acidity. The finish is long, balanced and shows fine complexity and grip. Good juice, if not quite as delicate as some examples this year. 2019-2045.”
John Gilman 92 points “The 2018 Halenberg Spätlese is very good this year, delivering a fine aromatic combination of peach, white cherry, plenty of salty minerality, bee pollen and a nice touch of the vineyard’s gentle herb tones in the upper register. On the palate the wine is medium-full, bright and zesty, with lovely depth, good backend mineral drive and impressive lift and bounce on thelong and complex finish. This is excellent. 2019-2050.”