WINE FLASH SALE- WEEK 4 2012

Written on January 22, 2012 by Dan in General, Sales Features

FLASH SALE IV

Mer Soleil Chardonnay ‘Silver’ 2007 ($29.95) $11.90 vinopolflash special

Wine Spectator 91 points “Combines ripe, intense peach, nectarine and tangerine fruit, with touches of floral and spice. Gains body and depth, turning creamy in texture.”

Buy 12 bottles- $129 vinopolflash special- that’s $10.75 / bottle

next best listed price in the USA is $20.99 / bottle-average listed price elsewhere in USA is $27 / bottle

Chateau St Jean Cinq Cepages 2007 ($49.95) $29 vinopolflash special

Robert Parker 90 points “Their famous cuvee, which was once named Wine Spectator Wine of the Year, the 2007 Cinq Cepages is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon in this vintage. Hints of bay leaf, black currant, sweet cherry, cedar and subtle smoke are all present in this lush, medium to full-bodied, opulent and heady wine. Broad and savory, it seems to be on a fast evolutionary track and should be drunk over the next decade.”

lowest price listed elsewhere in USA is $39.50-average listed price elsewhere in USA is $50 / bottle

Cave de Tain Hermitage Blanc ‘Aux Coeur des Siecles’ 2005 ($69.95) $16.50 vinopolflash special

Wine Enthusiast 91 points “Shows the wood from barrel fermentation and maturation a bit on the nose, but also plenty of citrus. It’s broad, yet reined in a bit by oak spice right now, needing time to flesh out. Hard to say it’s better than the excellent ’04 version, but it’s still excellent.” Vinopolnotes Hermitage Blanc is the king of Rhone whites, and most notable for their longevity. They are commonly priced $100-$200 from the moist acclaimed producers. We are not going to tell you that this is at that level, but it is certainly a $40 plus bottling. We leapt at the chance to provide some of you with the chance to discover Hermitage Blanc at every-day local Chardonnay prices.

only listed price elsewhere in USA is over $60 / bottle

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Etta

Written on January 22, 2012 by Dan in General

At some point, as (and if) we grow older, comes the sensation that we are outliving our own lives.

Wine Flash Sale- week 3 2012

Written on January 14, 2012 by Dan in Sales Features

Palazzo Wine Napa Red 2006 ($59.95) $35 vinopolflash special

Robert Parker 94 points “Palazzo’s deep ruby/purple-tinged, full-bodied 2006 Proprietary Red Wine (68% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon) reveals a sumptuous perfume of white chocolate, fruitcake, black cherries, black currants, and subtle toasty oak. Displaying a luscious texture, a broad, savory mid-palate, and gorgeous length, it should drink nicely for 10-15+ years. This serious, small, artisinal operation is owned by Scott Palazzo, who, along with his winemaker, Peter Franus, is turning out some complex, French-inspired offerings.”

average listed price elsewhere in USA is $53 / bottle

Zanzibar Cellars Sandra 2006 ($49.95) $18 vinopolflash special

Wine Spectator 92 points “Dense, dark and chewy, this is beautifully aromatic, showing impressive depth to its black cherry, pepper and bay leaf flavors, hinting at licorice as the finish sails on against well-modulated tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2010 through 2016.”

average listed price elsewhere in USA is $43 / bottle

Alvaro Palacios Priorat L’Ermita 2007 ($699.95) $333 vinopolflash special

Wine Advocate 96 points “The grapes for the flagship 2007 L’Ermita come from a steep, 70-year-old vineyard that is 100% Garnacha with the wine aged for 12-15 months in 100% new French oak. Dark ruby-colored, it gives up an aromatic array of pain grille, pencil lead, truffle, incense, lavender, black cherry, and blackberry. Velvety-textured, elegant, and intensely flavored, it has enough structure to merit 5-6 years of additional cellaring. This lengthy, complex offering will be at its best from 2015 to 2027.”

next best listed price in the USA is $524 / bottle – average listed price elsewhere in USA is $643 / bottle

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Veyder-Malberg- Fresh, Authentic, Extreme Wachau Wines

Written on January 11, 2012 by David in General, Wineries and Wines

With so much of today’s wine coming from mechanically-farmed flat land vineyards, direct human interaction with the vines and fruit is minimal at best. There are, of course, plenty of hand-farmed vineyards out there, but few are as challenging to work as those in Austria’s Wachau. Like the historic vines of Spain’s Priorat or France’s Norther Rhone, the Wachau’s terraced vineyards are filled with deep-rooted old vines inaccessible by vehicles, so they must be worked by hand – which is highly labor intensive. And this is why many of the old terraces are in danger of being abandoned – something that would ultimately change the landscape of the Wachau in the future.

So, starting in 2008, Peter Veyder-Malberg made it his goal to acquire exposed cool-site terraces with mainly old vines (30-50 years of age) and protect them from being cleared. Although this means pure handwork, Peter is convinced that the qualities of the wines are so unique, so full of character and spectacular, that this work will be repaid many times over. A dedicated organic farmer who has made wines for two decades, Peter’s desire is to produce exceptional, expressive, and vibrant wines. Look for the “handarbeit” signature on Peter’s bottles, a stamp that his wines are “handmade.”

These are fine, extremely elegant wines with a filigree minerality. They are likely to be closed in their youth, but have amazing aging potential. And they are also hard to find in the retail marketplace; we are very pleased to have a few cases each of the three below, arriving this week:

Veyder-Malberg Gruner Veltliner Kreutles 2009 $21.90 Wine Spectator 90 Points

“Pure, racy and refined, with intense mineral notes to the fresh-cut apple and pear flavors. The focused finish of mineral and spice has plenty of cut. Drink now through 2020.”

Veyder-Malberg Gruner Veltliner Hochrain 2009 $29 Wine Spectator 90 Points

“Creamy and rich-tasting, with apple tart, peach, pear and baked pineapple flavors. The focused finish features ripe, spicy notes and plenty of vanilla. Drink now through 2016.”

Veyder-Malberg Riesling Bruck 2009 $33 Wine Spectator 90 Points

“There’s good cut and intensity to the mineral, spiced apple and pear tart flavors in this racy and pure-tasting white, which is rich and expressive on the finish, with plenty of jellied citrus and spice notes. Drink now through 2020.”

WINE FLASH SALE- week 2 2012

Written on January 7, 2012 by Dan in Sales Features

another outstanding trio sings for us this week:

FLASH SALE

Fontanabianca Barbaresco Sori Burdin 2005 $33 vinopolflash special

Wine Spectator 93 points “This has a wonderful nose of crushed strawberry and plum. Full-bodied, with loads of ripe fruit and velvety tannins. Long and chewy. A big, generous Barbaresco. Best after 2012. 650 cases made.”

Antonio Galloni 93 points The estate’s 2005 Barbaresco Sori Burdin is a darker and more brooding wine than the Barbaresco. A generous, expansive wine, it flows with layers of dark fruit, smoke, tar, licorice and sweet toasted oak. The tannins are firm, but beautifully integrated in this very pleasing wine from Fontanabianca. It is a commendable effort. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2020”

next best listed price in the USA is $50.40 / bottle- average in USA $60.20 / bottle

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Angelo Gaja Barbaresco 2006 375ml $69 vinopolflash special

Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2006 Barbaresco reveals terrific concentration, depth and purity. This is a remarkably soft, harmonious Barbaresco from Angelo Gaja with pretty notes of raspberries, crushed flowers and spices. The wine turns more powerful in the glass, as it gains additional richness, volume and depth, all of which carry through to the polished finish. The wine’s balance is impeccable, and this is easily is one the more harmonious, complete wines of the vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2026”

Wine Enthusiast 93 points “Tasted at the infancy of what will undoubtedly be a long and generous lifespan, Gaja’s 2006 Barbaresco shows enormous promise and potential. The wine is elegant, rigidly linear and pristine, with well-defined notes of ripe berry fruit and soft spice. It’s an amazing achievement that tastes compact and opulent at the same time”

next best listed price in the USA is $92 / 375ml bottle-average listed price in USA is $98.49 / 375ml bottle

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Perrier-Jouet Fleur de Champagne Belle Epoque 2004 $79 vinopolflash special

Wine Spectator 92 points “Elegant, with lovely texture and focused, lively acidity. Flavors of currant, candied lemon zest, honey and white peach lead to the creamy, biscuit-tinged finish. Drink now through 2019”

The Wine News “A fresh, stylish wine with good structure, silky & elegant, based on the mineral notes of the best Chardonnay Grands Crus. White flowers evolve into white fruits but retain a diamond-cut precision. At its heart lie some of the best Chardonnay plots in the Côte des Blancs, including 36 hectares in Cramant and Avize with optimal orientation and exposure, which produce Chardonnays with beautiful poise and structure.These wine characteristics are reflected in Belle Epoque’s iconic Anemone bottle, designed in 1902 by leading Art Nouveau protagonist Emile Gallé, a friend of the House, which echoes the floral characteristics and purity of Perrier-Jouet wines”

Our eight cases of Belle Epoque 2002 truly flashed last week

Here is the recently released 2004 taking its turn

next best listed price in the USA is $109.99 / bottle-average listed price in USA is $145 / bottle

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Interlude

Written on January 6, 2012 by Dan in General

I cannot claim to be an opera buff. In fact, I would rather listen to rain falling on the roof than listen to Mozart’s trilling. But Puccini- I am Mad about Puccini!

We all have a sensory memory bank. And within that is a zone in which sensation is sometimes converted to emotional response. This involves external stimuli triggering internal chemistry; the direction of which can be catalyzed by earlier experiences. 100% of all dog barks make me alert and wary. 68% of all Puccini leads to wist. From there,on a good day, a short step to bliss.

Tosca is often pegged as the musical pinnacle of Puccini’s works. The stand alone strength of the individual arias is arguably greater than any other opera. There is just more of which is exquisite or resonant packed in there.

Few critics would proclaim Maria Callas as the greatest female voice ever heard. Few would not have her on the list of the most emotive operatic performers; and as La Tosca she may have found her own pinnacle of sorts:

YouTube

La Tosca is beleaguered by wretched circumstances and wondering why, having lived, in her words, only for art and love. And Maria Callas? Well, she too lived for art and love. The role was not written for her, but it turns out that it was.

What has this to do with wine? Well, every once in a while a wine can be so exquisite that it evokes for me the same sort of feeling as the best of the best Puccini. And I hope that it happens for you.