Saturday, May 14th, 2016
Kunstler Re-Arrival; Hirsch; Napanook; Latta Wines – New Malbec from Former K Vintners Winemaker; Time to Say Good Buy: Three Must-Grab Spanish Wines; Henri Gouges 2014 Releases; Perfect Champagne?; Close-Outs
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Re-Arriving in June!
A Star of the Rheingau
Gunter Kunstler is regarded as one of the three stars of the new generation of Rheingauers (alongside Leitz and Weil). The vineyards in the village of Hochheim that lace the northernmost bank of the river Main are native lands for Gunter Kunstler. He is slowly shifting to certified organic, although the relatively high humidity proves a struggle: to produce fully dry Rieslings there is a constant battle against botrytis. The wines offer exoticism and nuance with aromatics often attributed to Gruner Veltliner instead of Riesling: doughy-savory, salty and dry. The Holle vineyard is composed of heavy clay and limestone, so you won’t be amiss to spot notes of chalk underneath.
“You won’t find anything more expressive, solid and delicious than these.” –Terry Theise
Weingut Kunstler Hochheimer Holle Riesling Spatlese Trocken, Rheingau 2002 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
“Pear, flowers and chalk dust in the nose. Brothy and rich in a Chablis-like expression of chalky terroir, laden with herbs and flowers. The palate feel is so soft and creamy one could almost believe part of the wine had gone through malolactic fermentation. Subtly herbal, milky, pearsy finish. The grapes for this were picked in late October.” David Schildknecht – Vinous
“There’s no doubt any more than ’02 was better than ’01 in the Rheingau, and this is an absolutely perfect medium-mature dry Riesling you can drink day and night and day.” –Terry Theise
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Mid-West, East & South
Summer Shipping Saver
For the summer season we are offering
UPS Three Day Select Service for the price of UPS Ground
for shipments normally travelling 4 or more business days.
Free service upgrade only applies on single orders shipped during the promotional period.
Additional fees will apply to orders held for any reason until after the promotional period
and shipped by Three Day Select.
Offer not valid on pre-arrival items that arrive after the promotional period.
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We offer flat rate shipping on any size single order / single shipment
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These rates do not apply to orders held in storage here for any reason.
Multiple orders consolidated into one shipment
do not qualify for flat rate shipping.
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Hirsch
Ascending Austrian Superstar
Johannes Hirsch is one of the top young winemakers in Austria, producing Grüner Veltliner and Riesling bottlings from his renowned vineyards in the Kamptal. He was recognized as “Winemaker of the Year” by Falstaff Magazine in 2011. His focus is single site, single terroir wines and is dedicated to precise and natural winemaking: using ambient yeast fermentation, slow vinification and long aging before release. His top vineyards are Lamm (which has loess and loam soils with south-facing slopes that produces wines of power, focus and structure), Gaisberg (with fertile brown earth and crystalline soils that produces dense wines of great minerality showing exotic floral notes) and Heiligenstein. Heiligenstein is considered one of the best vineyards in Europe, producing wine of great purity from its soils of desert sandstone, decomposed volcanic rock and carbonized vegetation. It is bowl-shaped with a southern exposure.
Hirsch Wines Available Here Now:
Weingut Hirsch Kammerner Grub Gruner Veltliner Erste OTW Lage Reserve, Kamptal 2013 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
David Schildknecht—Vinous 91 points “After following this pithy, piquant, tightly coiled and firm yet lees-inflected bottling for a year, it seems to clearly be the Hirsch 2013 that has the farthest to travel before it reveals its full potential. Burly tobacco and black tea convey a smoky aura that intriguingly complements flavors of roasted beet root, apple and kohlrabi. The finish is impressively gripping and stony if as yet slightly undifferentiated.”
Terry Theise notes “This is a heat-trap in the declivity between the Gaisberg and Heiligenstein hills, and it gives a very meaty wine, often too meaty for me. Gobelsburg offers it also, and I show you maybe one in three vintages. This one is a big, dense boulder of minerality, stocky and brooding. It has some of the power of the 2003 Lamm, and is loaded with brown-bread and sorghum. More Wachau than Kamptal, but curiously compelling.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Weingut Hirsch Kammerner Heilegenstein Gruner Veltliner Erste OTW Lage, Kamptal 2014 750ML ($29.95) $24 special
David Schildknecht–Vinous 88 points “Piquant phenolics lend stimulation to a lean and firm but felicitously juicy performance in which lemon-laced apple and fresh green bean dominate. At just 11.9% alcohol, this is ideally poised to finish with both levity and refreshment. (From vintage 2015, this bottling’s misleading label allusion to “Heiligenstein” as a Grosslage will be replaced by the communal designation “Kammerer.”)”
Terry Theise notes “I put it in quotes because it is actually (and inexplicably) the general-site, not the single-site, and to try to explain it would involve all the Talmudic intricacy of bureaucratic thought—or, “thought.” In any case, beginning with vintage-2015 this wine will be known as “Kammern,” and will thus take its more explicable place as a village-wine. It has always been the perfect medium-weight GV, and this ’14 is a pristine version of this perennially tasty fellow. That’s all. But consider: how many times have I used a word like “pristine” to describe a ’14 wine?”
Weingut Hirsch Kammerner Renner Gruner Veltliner Erste OTW Lage, Kamptal 2013 750ML ($41.95) $36 special
Weingut Hirsch Kammerner Renner Gruner Veltliner Erste OTW Lage, Kamptal 2013 1.5L ($99.95) $79 special
David Schildknecht–Vinous 93 points “With a diversity of mineral nuances more familiar from Riesling, this Grüner Veltliner projects an infectiously juicy and crunchily invigorating alliance of fresh lime, orange, pea tendrils, corn shoots and ginseng, with beet root earthiness joining wet stone on the bass line. A penetrating, almost severely but downright mouth-shakingly intense finish perpetuates the full range of diversity displayed on the firm palate, accompanied by hints of iodine, black tea smokiness plus saliva-inducing salinity and animality akin to oyster liquor. This weighs in at just 12.7% alcohol, permitting a lovely sense of levity to boot. A new parcel in Renner was added this year and Hirsch’s already owned vines had reached what he judged to be proper maturity for producing a wine dedicated to and worthy of this site. He was certainly right! (For further indications of this vineyard’s potential check out my accompanying review of Schloss Gobelsburg’s 2013 rendition.)”
Terry Theise notes “It’s mineral! Oleander and scree; salty grip focused to a keen point yet also wholly dispersed over the sides of the palate. Earthier and less hi-def than Gobelsburg’s; more rocks-and-twigs but also analog and warm. Gets better month by month.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Weingut Hirsch Gruner Veltliner, Kamptal 2014 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
Terry Theise notes “The label will change to something less whimsical, as ‘Hannes started to feel it was too “supermarket-y,” and it will also stay the same each year. End of an era, alas, though I seem to have been the only guy who liked those silly funny labels and liked that they changed every year. If I ever am asked to guest-lecture for some class in marketing, I will ask the eager students to take extremely careful note of each thing I say, every pearl of genius I strew upon them, every suggestion and every holy principle— and then do precisely the opposite. I am a little waif among wiser elders who have better suits than I do. I am one.wrong.dude. when it comes to marketing. I shall retreat proudly though! Even as they revoke my parking permit… This wine has a schwe-e-e-et aroma; total classic GV at its most winning and forthcoming…oh man, this is ridiculous quality for this echelon, the legume-lentil GV with loads of loessy charm. It is the BEST WINE IN ITS CATEGORY IN 2014, and an amazing piece of work.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Weingut Hirsch Zobinger Gaisberg Riesling, Kamptal 2013 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
David Schildknecht–Vinous 92 points “Ocean spray-like alkalinity and salinity are signaled in the nose, along with faint struck flint and intriguingly sweaty, musky hints. Palate stoniness along with citrus pip and peach kernel piquancy make for pithiness and slight austerity to this firmly textured and impressively persistent bottling. An intriguing wafting floral element suggestive of iris and narcissus is also bitterly shaded in comparison with the effusive perfume of the corresponding Heiligenstein. There is a dynamic sense of finishing interaction between the aforementioned elements and a bright citric juiciness, with coiled energy emerging as faintly electric tingling. I hope that bottling in screwcap doesn’t lock in the bit of reduction here.”
Terry Theise notes “This is in the subdued state following its pre-bottling giddiness, but it’s serious and expressive and refined. A blushing bride of iris and white tea with a firm core of menthol and spice and an even firmer core of deep compact mineral.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $54.97
Weingut Hirsch Zobinger Heiligenstein Riesling Erste Lage, Kamptal 2013 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
David Schildknecht–Vinous 93 points “Seductive wisteria and gentian perfume wafts from the glass, presaging a sweet sense of inner-mouth florality that perfectly complements this Riesling’s luscious depth of succulent peach, pineapple, orange and lime. A shimmering exchange with stony, saline and alkaline notes plays out on a silky palate, while the finish introduces an invigorating impression of crunched raspberry seeds, subtly integrating their bitterness and that of citrus oils into the floral, fruity, mineral mélange.”
Terry Theise notes “As always compared to Gaisberg this is more Cajun and abandoned and entirely more untamed, but it’s coming on wonderfully, with lavish mineral, salts and fruit-sweetness. I mean, really—2013! Riesling! Heiligenstein! What are you waiting for??”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Weingut Hirsch Zobing Riesling, Kamptal 2014 750ML ($29.95) $24 special
Terry Theise notes “The village-wine, basically young vines from the two Crus. It’s clean, nubby and mineral in ’14; iris-y but less riotously floralsweet than, say, the 13 was; it needs air, and after a few minutes the wisteria scents started appearing, and the minerality clarified.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Hirsch wines arriving in May:
Weingut Hirsch Kammerner Grub Gruner Veltliner Erste OTW Lage Reserve, Kamptal 2013 1.5L ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
David Schildknecht—Vinous 91 points “After following this pithy, piquant, tightly coiled and firm yet lees-inflected bottling for a year, it seems to clearly be the Hirsch 2013 that has the farthest to travel before it reveals its full potential. Burly tobacco and black tea convey a smoky aura that intriguingly complements flavors of roasted beet root, apple and kohlrabi. The finish is impressively gripping and stony if as yet slightly undifferentiated.”
Terry Theise notes “This is a heat-trap in the declivity between the Gaisberg and Heiligenstein hills, and it gives a very meaty wine, often too meaty for me. Gobelsburg offers it also, and I show you maybe one in three vintages. This one is a big, dense boulder of minerality, stocky and brooding. It has some of the power of the 2003 Lamm, and is loaded with brown-bread and sorghum. More Wachau than Kamptal, but curiously compelling.”
Weingut Hirsch Zobinger Gaisberg Riesling, Kamptal 2013 1.5L ($149.95) $109 pre-arrival special
David Schildknecht–Vinous 92 points “Ocean spray-like alkalinity and salinity are signaled in the nose, along with faint struck flint and intriguingly sweaty, musky hints. Palate stoniness along with citrus pip and peach kernel piquancy make for pithiness and slight austerity to this firmly textured and impressively persistent bottling. An intriguing wafting floral element suggestive of iris and narcissus is also bitterly shaded in comparison with the effusive perfume of the corresponding Heiligenstein. There is a dynamic sense of finishing interaction between the aforementioned elements and a bright citric juiciness, with coiled energy emerging as faintly electric tingling. I hope that bottling in screwcap doesn’t lock in the bit of reduction here.”
Terry Theise notes “This is in the subdued state following its pre-bottling giddiness, but it’s serious and expressive and refined. A blushing bride of iris and white tea with a firm core of menthol and spice and an even firmer core of deep compact mineral.”
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Take a Look, It’s Napanook
100% estate vineyard grapes selected for soft tannins, lively fruit and early maturing from a near-perfect growing season!
Dominus Estate “Napanook” Red Blend, Napa Valley 2012 750ML ($79.95) $59 pre-arrival special, here Friday May 20
James Suckling 95 points “This is shows wonderful aromas of tar, asphalt, wet earth and pure cherries. Full-bodied yet soft and velvety with a fine, dusty texture to the finish. Fresh and austere. Dignified. This has no cabernet franc in it this year; normally there is 3% to 5%. It’s 95% cabernet sauvignon and 5% petit verdot. Drink or hold.”
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Simply the Best
Latta Wines
A new project started by former K Vintner’s winemaker Andrew Latta – this winery produces tiny lots of single-vineyard, sustainably farmed wines. Aging is in French barrique and puncheon.
“The wines are awesome across the board. This is one bandwagon to get on. His 2011 Malbec is the best example of the variety I’ve tasted from Washington.” – Jeb Dunnuck – Wine Advocate
Latta Northridge Vineyard Malbec, Wahluke Slope 2011 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special, here Friday May 20
Jeb Dunnuck-Wine Advocate 95 points “Rock star stuff, especially in the vintage, the 2011 Malbec Northridge Vineyard gives up classic blackberry, pepper and assorted flowers and spice aromas and flavors to go with a full-bodied, seamless and elegant feel on the palate. Gaining more than one “awesome” in my notes, this should not be missed by any Washington State wine lover.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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Time to Say Good Buy
We’re on our final lap for three of our most popular Spanish wines. Don’t miss your chance to scoop up these great quality-to-price buys!
Toro, Toro: Bodegas Allegro con Spirito Monte Hiniesta 2010
VinopolNote: The Spanish region of Toro produces powerful red wines from Tempranillo, which is known locally as the Tinto de Toro clone. Tinto has thicker skins and lower general acidity, offering wines of a more robust and darker in style than typical Rioja and Ribera del Deuro expressions. Juan Antonio Gernandez founded his winery in 2000 and runs the bodega with his wife. This bottling is produced from grapes grown in clay, limestone and stony soils. The vines average over 75 years in age.
Bodegas Allegro con Spirito Monte Hiniesta, Toro 2010 750ML ($17.95) $14 special
Case-12 Bodegas Allegro con Spirito Monte Hiniesta, Toro 10 750ML ($179.95) $149 special (that’s only $12.42/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Wine Advocate 92 points “The palate is medium-bodied with ripe, succulent, fleshy tannins that are caressing in the mouth. There is plump, ripe red berry fruit, red currant, raspberry and a touch of balsamic at the finish. This is just as good as the succeeding vintage. Drink 2014-2019.” WA
How Sweet It’s Not: Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Reserva 2003
VinopolNote: López de Heredia is well-respected for its traditional winemaking and its lengthy ageing of both its reds and whites. The result is wines of exquisite complexity, maturity, and ability to drink upon release or age longer at a fraction of the price of other classic wine regions. The family is proud of their history of exclusively using their own estate-grown grapes from traditionally farmed vineyards untouched by modern machinery or chemicals.
The 2003 Tondonia presents blackcurrant and smoke in terms or aromas and delivers a brilliant mix of saddle leather, roasted herbs, ripe red fruit, and earth on the palate. The tannins are there – and aren’t shy – but the acid, brightness, and body all come together in a lively, balanced wine.
R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2003 750ML ($47.95) $33 special
Case-12 R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2003 750ML ($499.95) $359 special (that’s only $29.92/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 92 points “Bright ruby-red. Ripe cherry, vanilla and floral pastilles on the smoky, oak-spiced nose. Sweet and supple on the palate, offering pliant red fruit and spicecake flavors with suave mocha and vanilla bean nuances. Quite lively and fresh for a wine from a hot vintage, and showing no excess fat. Finishes sweet, toasty and very long, with smooth tannins making a late appearance.”
Wine Spectator 91 points “Cigar box, cedar and balsamic notes frame cherry, raisin and licorice flavors in this lean, firm red. Displays grip and focus. A traditional style. Drink now through 2023.
Class in Glass: Bodegas Hacienda Monasterio 2012
VinopolNote: With Pingus owner/ winemaker Peter Sisseck consulting since 1990, Hacienda Monasterio is one of the most solid ventures within the appellation. Hacienda Monasterio is an estate wine project and one of the great names in Ribera del Duero. All grapes come from their own surrounding vineyards which currently total 95 hectares. It is located in Pesquera de Duero in the province of Valladolid, close to Valbuena’s monastery and also close to Vega Sicilia, of which it was part in the 19th century.
Bodegas Hacienda Monasterio, Ribera del Duero 2012 750ML ($44.95) $36.60 special
Wine Advocate 94 points “The current vintage for the crianza is 2012. The 2012 Crianza, from a dry vintage, resulted much fresher than expected, fresher than 2009 and 2011 in fact. The vines are dry-farmed and were planted some 22 years ago, and you might say they have matured by now. The approximate mixture of grapes in their vineyards is mostly Tempranillo with some 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot and 2% Malbec, and it’s more or less the blend in this wine. The Cabernet works well, providing finesse and some acidity to the Tempranillo….The wine matured in 20% new French oak barrels for some 20 months. There are no traces of the barriques and the nose took me to the Riberas of yesteryear, with some subtle rusticity; it’s ripe without excess and there’s good balance between fruit, spices and perhaps something earthy. The palate is extremely balanced, medium-bodied with very fine tannins, tasty, approachable and long. This could very well be the best crianza ever produced at Monasterio. This has to be one of the bargains of the vintage in Ribera, given the quality it deliver.”
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Henri Gouges
New Reviews and New Releases!
“It is whilst still on the vine that a fine wine matures…” –Gouges family maxim
Producing wines from some of the most famous vineyard sites in the Nuits-Saint-Georges, this eighty-year old family estate is widely considered to be the top producer in the area. The Domaine was founded by Henri Gouges, who was known for being a leader against the frauds of that time, and thus one of the individuals in charge of delineating Burgundy crus. Today, the domaine is headed by his grandson Christian and the next generation, Gregory and Antoine (Christian’s cousin, Pierre, has now retired). The vineyards are all low-yielding, with average vine age of between 30-40 years old. The house style has moved from dense and long-lived in the 40s and 50s, to light in the 70s and 80s, and back toward a more powerful and structured style today.
Of the 2014 vintage, Gregory reported that “there wasn’t really a challenge for the 2014 vintage… It was more normal and classic than the 2012 and 2013 [vintages].” In August, there were some challenges with rot, which (in on vine elimination) resulted in about a 5% loss of grapes during pruning and selection. Harvest for the estate commenced in mid-September with near ideals of sugar concentration in the grapes, phenolic ripeness and pH.
156 Bottles of 2014 Henri Gouges Wines Arriving This Fall:
Domaine Henri Gouges Bourgogne Pinot Blanc 2014 750ML ($39.95) $29 pre-arrival special
Winery note “[Translated] From a 0.7 hectare plot of Pinot Blanc located about 375 meters in altitude on a plateau in the AOC Cotes des Nuits. Planted on shallow and stony soil consisting of red clay, it produces white wines that are genuine and aromatic. The vines are a selection massale from the Premier Cru Vineyard “La Perriere.””
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Henri Gouges La Perriere Blanc, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2014 750ML ($149.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Neal Martin – Wine Advocate 88-90 points “The 2014 Nuits Saint Georges 1er Cru les Perrières Blanc, from white limestone populated by Pinot Blanc vines planted in 1956 after the frosts, has a lifted pineapple and pink grapefruit-scented bouquet that unwinds in the glass. The palate is well balanced with Cornice pear and white peach notes, a fine line of acidity with a touch of baked apple towards the finish. Enjoy this over the next 5-6 years.”
Burghound note: (no review for the 2014 vintage) “From white pinot noir, which is better known as Pinot Gouges; the vines were planted in 1947 – the production is between 2000 and 2500 bottles.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Henri Gouges Bourgogne Rouge 2014 750ML ($39.95) $29 pre-arrival special
“From vines on the plateau, which give a more elegant wine than vines from the lower sections. Reduction masks the underlying fruit though it does not extend to the palate as there is good freshness and verve to the nicely voluminous flavors that deliver excellent depth and length. This is worth considering.” Burghound
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges 2014 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Burghound 88-91 points “(from 4 different parcels scattered above and below the 1ers and the blend of vines averages about 35 years of age) A markedly sauvage nose reflects notes of dark berry fruit, spicy, violet and earth. The middle weight flavors possess an unusually sleek and velvety mouth feel before culminating in a mildly rustic finale.”
Neal Martin-Wine Advocate 88-90 points “The 2014 Nuits Saint-Georges Villages had just been racked and is planned to be bottled this coming December. Now this has fresh vibrant black cherry and blueberry fruit on the nose – vivacious and nicely defined. The palate is smooth on the entry with tart red cherries and cranberry, a touch of black tea in the background. Good acidity and respectable weight considering the vintage and that this is a village cru. Recommended.”
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 87-89 points “(in cuve): Bright medium red. Floral, spicy aromas of cherry and currant, plus a hint of menthol. Juicy and fine-grained, in a rather cool style. Still a bit hardened by the sulfur treatment ten days before my visit but in an elegant style for Nuits-Saint-Georges, offering lively flavors of red fruits, flowers and mint and a firm back end.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Henri Gouges Clos des Porrets Monopole, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2014 750ML ($89.95) $69 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 90-92 points “Bright, deep red. A step up in stony pungency and aromatic lift from the Chênes Carteaux, offering perfumed scents and flavors of black cherry, violet, rose petal and spices. More rigorous in the mouth in the manner of Nuits-Saint-Georges from the south side of the village. Intense, solidly built wine with very good mouth coverage but no excess weight. Finishes with a restrained sweetness, a saline nuance and excellent length.”
Neal Martin – Wine Advocate 90-92 points “The 2014 Nuits Saint-Georges 1er Cru Clos des Porrets Saint Georges, a monopole of the domaine, has a crisp leafy bouquet with autumn leaves and touches of flint coming through with aeration. The palate is well balanced with fine tannin, a certain brightness to the fruit here – resolutely “classic” in style, a “cool” NSG but with very fine delineation on the finish. Not a long-term proposition perhaps, but a well-crafted drop of wine that will repay time in the cellar.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Henri Gouges Les Chaignots, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2014 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Burghound 90-92 points “(from 30+ year old vines) As is usually the case this is notably spicier with its more elegant nose of violet, plum and dark raspberry that is trimmed in a touch of earth. The supple and refined medium-bodied flavors exude a fine bead of minerality while delivering excellent length on the solidly structured and ever-so-mildly austere finale where a touch of Nuits style tannins emerge.”
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 88-90 points “Bright palish red. Medicinal cherry, raspberry and mint on the nose, lifted by a floral quality. Elegant, dry and classic if a bit lean, conveying an impression of energy to the flavors of red fruits and saline minerality. Finishes tight and salty. Like the village wine, this is in a rather delicate style.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Henri Gouges Les Chenes Carteaux, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2014 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 89-91 points “Reduced aromas of black cherry, raspberry, mint and menthol. A step up in sweetness and suppleness from the Chaignots; at once more velvety and more facile than that wine. Gouges describes this rather suave wine as the estate’s “entry-level premier cru of Nuits-Saint-Georges.” More red fruits than black.”
Neal Martin – Wine Advocate 89-91 points “The 2014 Nuits Saint-Georges 1er Cru Clos des Porrets Saint Georges, a monopole of the domaine, has a crisp leafy bouquet with autumn leaves and touches of flint coming through with aeration. The palate is well balanced with fine tannin, a certain brightness to the fruit here – resolutely “classic” in style, a “cool” NSG but with very fine delineation on the finish. Not a long-term proposition perhaps, but a well-crafted drop of wine that will repay time in the cellar.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Henri Gouges Les Pruliers, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2014 750ML ($119.95) $89 pre-arrival special
Neal Martin-Wine Advocate 92-94 points “The 2014 Nuits Saint-Georges 1er Cru les Pruliers was showing more fruit intensity on the nose than the Porrets, the fruit more black, perhaps a little more oaky than others (although Gregory Gouges told me that this probably derives from the wooden vat after racking). The palate is very harmonious in the mouth. There are supple tannins and good density here with silky textured, sorbet-like freshness on the finish. This is a lovely wine from Gouges, one of their best in this vintage.”
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 90-92 points “Good bright, dark red. Pure and perfumed on the nose, showing a slightly medicinal quality to the aromas of dark raspberry, black cherry, red licorice, spices and spearmint. Broad, supple and classically dry, with dark fruit flavors lifted by a note of rose petal. Longer and more tannic than the Clos des Porrets Saint-Georges but fine-grained for its imposing structure. Gregory Gouges told me he finds this a bit candied for his taste but it does not lack for freshness.”
Burghound 90-93 points “A subtle application of wood frames the spicy red and dark berry fruit that is liberally laced by notes of earth and game. I very much like the intensity and focused power of the concentrated medium weight flavors that display moderate rusticity and a touch of austerity on the impressively complex and persistent finale. Patience required.”
Domaine Henri Gouges Les Vaucrains, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2014 750ML ($149.95) $119 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 91-94 points “Dark red-ruby. Tight, medicinal aromas of black cherry, bitter chocolate and menthol. Very rich and deep, with captivating sweetness cut by medicinal menthol and minerals. Highly concentrated, dense and broad but uncompromisingly dry. Finishes very long and perfumed, with serious saline tension. This very impressive premier cru has a big tannic structure and may well close down after the bottling.”
Burghound 91-94 points “Here too there is a subtle application of wood setting off the intensely spicy and overtly sauvage aromas of mostly cassis and black raspberry aromas that are also liberally laced with warm earth nuances. The muscular big-bodied flavors possess real power and punch along with ample minerality before terminating in a hugely long, complex and well-balanced finale. As it always is this is distinctly old school in style and will definitely require extended cellaring.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Henri Gouges Les Saint-Georges, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2014 750ML ($179.95) $149 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 92-94 points “Bright dark red. Cooler, more reticent but very pure aromas of black cherry, licorice and menthol lifted by spices and flowers. Wonderfully sweet and full but weightless. More pliant and silky than the Vaucrains in the early going but still very laid-back despite its more accessible texture and breadth. The long, scented, refined finish features a sneaky whiplash of dark fruits, flowers and minerals.”
Burghound 92-94 points “Once again there is subtle wood present on the spicy, cool and beautifully well-layered nose of ripe dark currant, plum, violet and humus scents. There is a sleek mouth feel to the solidly concentrated and mineral-driven middle weight plus flavors that exhibit outstanding length on the markedly firm finale that is also impeccably well-balanced. Ample patience absolutely required.”
Neal Martin-Wine Advocate 91-93 points “The 2014 Nuits Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Saint Georges has a perfumed nose with blackberry and bilberry fruit, tangible mineral scents, very fine delineation, cold flint and limestone emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, impressive structure, cool, calm and collected, building towards a crisp, tensile tobacco-tinged finish that is deceptively powerful. This will have a lot more to give after bottling, seems resentful that someone would awaken it from its barrel slumber.”
The Domaine is well known for producing cellar-worthy wines. We’ve selected 4 here-now offerings with bottle age to enjoy while you await the ‘14s:
Domaine Henri Gouges Les Vaucrains, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2005 750ML ($199.95) $179 special, 3 bottles available
Burghound 93 points –Outstanding–“Extremely primary yet multi-dimensional black fruit and earthy aromas introduce rich, full and massive flavors that are powerful, robust and muscled with so much mid-palate sap that the extremely firm tannic spine is almost, if not completely masked. However, as it always does, the tannins will come out with time and I expect that this will always have a certain chewy quality and will require more than a decade of time in bottle to really begin to round out. Wonderful potential but for the very patient.” BH
Domaine Henri Gouges Les Chenes Carteaux, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2010 750ML ($89.95) $79 special, 12 bottles available
John Gilman 92 points “The 2010 Chênes Carteaux from the Gouges family is a beautiful example of this underrated terroir and the 2010 version should prove to be one of the finest ever produced here by the domaine. The nascently complex bouquet is still youthful, but all the inherent elegance of the vintage are very much in evidence here, as the wine delivers a lovely, vibrant mélange of black cherries, pomegranate, saddle leather, a touch of stems, venison, nutskin, a beautiful base of soil tones and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and sappy at the core, with very suave, ripe tannins, great focus and grip, blossoming complexity and a very long, classy finish. This will be a very elegant vintage of Chênes Carteaux in the fullness of time, but this wine still needs at least another eight to ten years of bottle age to really start to hit on all cylinders. 2023-2060.” JG
Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges 2011 750ML ($69.95) $49 special, 8 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 87-89 points “Good bright, deep red. Strong animal reduction along with black and red fruits on the nose. Silky and supple for a Nuits villages owing to ripe acidity, with a lovely restrained sweetness to its dark fruit flavors. Finishes with suave tannins and good breadth and length. Very nicely balanced.” ST
Domaine Henri Gouges Les Chaignots, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2010 750ML ($99.95) $89 special, 16 bottles available
John Gilman 92 points “I did not have a chance to really taste the 2010 Chaignots out of barrel in November of 2011, as the wine was quite reduced and in need of a racking at the time of my visit. A year later, I was very happy to revisit the wine out of bottle and see that it was very promising, offering up a youthful and classy bouquet of black cherries, gamebirds, woodsmoke, a beautiful base of soil and a fine topnote of fresh herbs. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and very pure, with laser-like focus, a sappy core of fruit, tangy acids and a very long, suavely tannic and still very closed finish. This will want most of the decade to blossom in bottle, but it is destined to be a great vintage of Chaignots from the Gouges family. 2020-2070.”
Stephen Tanzer 91+ points “Palish red. Redcurrant, cherry, spices, minerals and a whiff of game on the nose. Sweet, silky and fairly deep, offering a fine-grained texture and very good energy and intensity to its red fruit flavors. This juicy, bright premier cru relies as much on its acids as on its tannins for balance and structure. Finishes subtle and long. Half of these vines were replanted in 1986 following the 1985 frost, and so this wine has been getting better and better in recent vintages, noted Gregory Gouges.” ST
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Champagne- Perfect?
The critics are disinclined to hang their 99’s & 100’s on Champagne. In fact, the Wine Spectator has never rated a Champagne @ 100 points. Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate has only a pair of Krug’s @ 100 points. Over at Vinous, Antonio Galloni has a few 100s; mostly repeated tastings of 1996 Krug over the years, a few other Krug vintages, and rare appearances by Dom Perignon and Roederer Cristal. So, an anomaly by comparison to, say, a great vintage in Napa or Bordeaux wherein 99-100s come by the dozens. Which is far from a reflection on Champagne. Rather more a reflection on the reviewers; and within that mostly their reluctance to declare ‘perfection’ in the vast complexity of factors that is Champagne.
There are two much awaited releases of ultra-Champagnes this year; 2002 Krug Brut, and:
Salon ‘Cuvee S’ Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs 2004 ($519.95) $399 pre-arrival special
Here @ Vinopolis in June. The most elusive of Champagne’s grand marques; made only in what the house considers to be the very best years. In fact, Salon has been bottled just 38 times since 1905, its first vintage.
Neither 2004 Salon nor 2002 Krug have had reviews published as yet. But the buzz is big. “Trending!” Antonio Galloni gave his subscribers a preview review paragraph of 2004 Salon in his Vinous forum. We’ll respect the sanctity of that institution and just reveal his conclusion: “a superb Champagne.”
Salon releases only amount to around 5000 bottles for the world; a micro supply by comparison to vintage Krug. In fact, the only direct comparison between the two would be to Krug’s own rare Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs. The current release of Krug’s Le Mesnil is 2003 vintage; and you’d have to be well connected to buy at under $700 /bottle.
Salon did not release a 2003; and will not be releasing a 2005.
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In Closing
– Close-Outs –
Including $29 Champagne!
Arrived Yesterday:
Champagne Philippe Gonet Blanc de Blancs Signature NV ($59.95) $29 special
Wine Spectator 92 points “An expressive skein of ground spice is the aromatic highlight of this finely balanced blanc de blancs, offering a refined and creamy bead, layered with flavors of poached pear, candied lemon zest, honey and pastry. Drink now through 2023.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today
The average listed price is $46 / bottle
COS Cerasuolo di Vittoria Classico Sicilia 2012 ($39.95) $27 special
Ian d’Agata Vinous 93 points “Bright, dark ruby-red. Highly expressive aromas of dark plum, black cherry, licorice, minerals and violet. Lush, deep and remarkably suave, offering intense blackberry and sweet pipe tobacco flavors with a sexy floral nuance. Finishes very long and velvety, with fine-grained tannins and lingering minerality. This remarkable wine is made from relatively young vines (20 years old) and aged in large Slavonian oak barrels. With its impeccable balance, this is an outstanding Cerasuolo di Vittoria.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today
The average listed price is $35 / bottle
COS Frappato Terre Siciliane 2014 ($31.95) $21.90 special
Wine Spectator 90 points “A vibrant red, with light tannins framing flavors of dried marjoram and thyme, crushed currant, wild strawberry and star anise. Finely knit, offering a lasting finish. Drink now through 2021.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today
The average listed price is $46 / bottle
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Have a wonderful weekend!