Mid-Week VinopolPick 3-15-17

New (Wine) Arrivals From California; Sehr-Sexy German Wines; New Reviews from Wine and Spirits Magazine; Staff Picks from Andy and Suzanne; Domaine Spotlight: Henri Gouges; Akutain Rioja; Burlotto’s Special Barolos

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Featured New Arrivals

From California

Anytime the assistant winemaker from Sine Qua Non starts a new project, we take notice.  We’ve gotten our hands on Jim Binns’ inaugural two releases (including rare magnums) and are happy to offer them to you today.

Andremily Wines Syrah No. 1, Santa Barbara County 2012 750ML ($299.95) $249 special, 2 bottles available
Andremily Wines Syrah No. 1, Santa Barbara County 2012 1.5L ($599.95) $499 special, 1 magnum available
Wine Advocate 97 points “The inaugural release, Jim’s 2012 No. 1 is about as good a first release as you’re likely to find anywhere in the wine world today. A blend of 93% Syrah, 5% Viognier and 2% Mourvedre (the Syrah and Viognier were co-fermented) that spent 25 months in 58% new French oak, it offers extraordinary notes of sweet black fruits, licorice, scorched earth, spring flowers and beautifully integrated oak that only shows as hints of creaminess and vanilla. Weightless, fresh, lively and nicely focused, yet also rockingly full-bodied and layered, with an awesome texture, this is a gorgeous Syrah that’s hard to resist now, yet I suspect will continue to knock it out of the park for another decade.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today for the magnum!

Andremily Wines Syrah No. 2, Santa Barbara County 2013 750ML ($299.95) $249 special, 3 bottles available
Andremily Wines Syrah No. 2, Santa Barbara County 2013 1.5L ($599.95) $499 special, 1 magnum available
Wine Advocate 99 points “The second release from Andremily’s Jim Binns, the No 2 is an utterly profound blend of 85% Syrah, 11% Mourvèdre and 4% Viognier that saw a touch of whole cluster fermentation and 23 months in 62% new French oak barrels. Its inky purple color is followed by an incredibly pure bouquet of creme de cassis, pepper, caramelized meat, violets and hints of lavender. Big, full-bodied and luxuriously textured, it has a firm, structured, concentrated mid-palate as well as ripe tannin, notable freshness and a finish that just won’t quite. Give this incredibly youthful, even backwards 2013 four to five years of cellaring, and enjoy bottles over the following two decades. Hats off to the team at Andremily!”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today for the magnum!

Cardinale Estate Meritage Red, Napa Valley 1991 750ML ($149.95) $128 special, 3 bottles available
Condition Note–Pristine!
Wine Spectator 91 points “Shows off its ripe black cherry, currant and wild berry flavors that stretch to a jammy edge, adding pretty spice and anise and firm tannins. Well crafted.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Cardinale Estate Meritage Red, Napa Valley 1993 750ML ($149.95) $128 special, 3 bottles available
Condition Note–Pristine!

This is the only listing in the USA today!

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Sehr Sexy: Trending German Wines

Germany remains an endless source of fascination for those in the wine trade.  The wines remain so distinctive from each other, and the wines are so noble that almost everyone who works in wine finds something to be captivated about.  It seems like this interest is finally spreading outward, judging by our sales, and so we wanted to highlight some new arrivals and other highlights from our selection of 324 German wines available at www.vinopoliswineshop.com!

A winery-cellared release, excellent today!
Kruger-Rumpf Munsterer Dautenpflanzer Riesling Spatlese, Nahe 2004 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 36+ bottles available
Jancis Robinson – Top 20 German Wine Producer in 2004
“Rumpf’s 2004 Munsterer Dautenpflanzer Riesling Spatlese smells of pineapple, pear and white peach, following with a delicate and refined palate impression saturated with a sense of liquid slate and pure pear, peach and pineapple fruit. The finish is smooth and long with generous fruit augmented by subtle spice and crushed stone. Classic 2004 virtues are on display.” -David Schildknecht [Reviewed 2005]
Terry Theise notes “Dautenpflänzer is one the leading Grand Crus of the lower Nahe, with a typical mélange of soil types within its borders. Rumpf claims some of it is slatey and some of it is “sandy loam,” which agrees more with the standard references. It is in any case singular and immediately significant, giving a sometimes damnably complex set of aromas and flavors including coconut, violet, soursop, leaf-smoke—it is a very long list even if you’re sober. In any case it belongs with the vamping exotics of the Nahe.” [Reviewed 2015]

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $44

A fabulous wine to cellar – or enjoy today with a healthy decant. Intensely, near-infinitely complex.
Weingut Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Spatlese, Nahe 2015 750ML ($59.95) $47 special, 15 bottles available
Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2015 Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Spätlese opens with an aristocratic bouquet of coolish, flinty slate and citrus perfume along with concentrated Riesling flavors. There is great complexity and expression here! On the palate, this wine is highly elegant and its seamless, silky texture is like that of the Dellchen GG. Very salty, full of finesse and tension on the palate–this is a great, perfectly balanced Spätlese. There is no other Riesling in the Nahe that has such nobly aristocratic attitude. It’s one of the finest Spätlese Rieslings you can buy from this vintage.”

The hot-ticket from the Mosel’s top producer of the vintage.
Markus Molitor Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese*** GK, Mosel 2013 750ML ($99.95) $79 special, 14 bottles available
Wine Advocate 98+ points “More tropical fruit aromas such as juicy pineapples and macerated ginger dominate the nose of the richer yet still pure and subtle 2013 Graacher Himmelreich Auslese ***. Quite sweet, intense and densely textured on the palate, this wine neither lacks elegance nor piquancy nor balance. It is just more generous, sweeter and lush than the Würzgarten ***-Auslese, but at the same time it is absolutely delicate and full of finesse.”

Sauv Blanc from Germany? Why not! It’s fun, delicious and has a solid mineral-core.
Von Winning ‘II’ Sauvignon Blanc Trocken, Pfalz 2015 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special, 10 bottles available
Wine Advocate 88 points “The 2015 Sauvignon Blanc Trocken II is clear, precise and fresh on the nose, with tropical fruit aromas like passion fruit intertwine with flint stone notes and refreshing lemon and apple flavors. Medium-bodied and very fruity on the palate, this is an elegant and refreshing Sauvignon with lime and grapefruit flavors, grip and power in the finish. Very good.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $26

Peter Lauer ‘Barrel X’ Saar Riesling, Mosel 2015 750ML ($24.95) $19 special, 36+  bottles available
Case-12 Peter Lauer ‘Barrel X’ Saar Riesling, Mosel 2015 750ML ($279.95) $219 special, 5 cases available (that’s only $18.25/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Importer note “You all know by now the stratospheric work Florian is doing in the Saar.  This has always been the ambassador wine from the winery but this vintage elevates to Senior levels of complexity.”

The calm & quiet guru of the Mosel
Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2015 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special, 24 bottles available
Mosel Fine Wines 89+ points “This offers a rather delicate nose of green grass, grapefruit and white minerals. The wine is nicely light and beautifully balanced on the palate and leaves a mouth-watering and tart feel in the finish. While enjoyable now, we would not be surprised if this will even improve with age. 2017-2025+”
Terry Theise note “Our old perennial favorite! The ’15 shows the most fetching aroma; the palate is spicy as always and yet creamier than usual—2015 is kind to this wine. Almost rasping with mintiness but also a wet cereal inner sweetness.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

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New Wine & Spirits Reviews

From Around the World!

The new Wine & Spirits mag has hit the shelves and it’s full of reviews for under-the-radar wines from around the world. We’ve highlighted some of their top picks both in stock and arriving this month!

Newly Reviewed Wines Available Here Now

Cristom Eileen Vineyard Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2014 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 17 bottles available
Wine & Spirits 95 points “Perhaps the best this to be said about this wine is how much it compelled us to want to drink more of it. Grown at Cristom’s highest-elevation vineyard, this is captivating, by turns propulsive and generous, light and penetrating, invigorating in its earthy lavender scents, its wisp of bergamot and cherry. Fully ripe, it maintains a light tone, propelled by vigorous acidity and suspended by a pulsing, mineral grip.”

Nicolas Joly Vignobles de la Coulee de Serrant Savennieres La Roche aux Moines ‘Clos de la Bergerie’, Loire  2014 750ML ($79.95) $69 special, 12 bottles available
Wine & Spirits 93 points “Perhaps the least challenging of Joly’s three cuvees from his biodynamic estate, this grows on schist soils with an eastern exposure. It’s also the most synesthetic, presenting its tastes in a sunrise of color, from golden quince to red-hued tannins. It’s pure and honeyed without any sense of sweetness or any notes of oxidation. Bursting with freshness, this is powerful, grand Savennieres.”

Chateau d’Epire Savennieres Sec, Loire  2014 750ML ($24.95) $18 special, 12 bottles available
Wine & Spirits 91 points “Kermit Lynch selects this cuvee from his preferred parcel at Epire; he has the domaine vinify it dry, age it in old chestnut and acaia casks, and bottle it without filtering. W&S tasting director Sarah Looper described this wine as having a ‘strong voice: There’s a crescendo as it takes off to another level.’ Looked at another way, it goes from yellow peach to the deeper tones of the fruit surrounding the pit, a grand wine with bitter notes in the fruit, lovely and pointedly dry.”

Domaine Costal Vaillons, Chablis Premier Cru 2014 750ML ($44.95) $28 special, 36+ bottles available
Wine & Spirits 93 points “The Collet family farms 23.7 acres of Kimmeridgean limestone in Vaillons, working organically and partnering with Kermit Lynch on the vinification and aging of this premier cru. It ferments in stainless steel without added yeast, transferred in equal lots to neutral barrels, demi-muids and stainless steel vats for malolactic and aging. Bottles without filtering or cold stabilization, it has the crunchiness of fresh apples and a firm mineral presence that leaves the mouth refreshed. Spend some time with the wine and the ghosting of the soil, made up of fossilized oyster shells, seems to grow more apparent in the flavor, delicate yet persistent, setting up a craving for freshly shucked Belons. Complex in its fruit depth and beautifully balanced, this will age with grace.”

Domaine Costal Chablis Les Truffieres, Burgundy 2014 750ML ($34.95) $21.90 special, 32 bottles available
Wine & Spirits 92 points “From a project between Kermit Lynch and Domaine Jean-Collet, Les Truffieres comes from a three-acre limestone parcel in Villy, the wine fermented and aged in stainless steel. It feels delicate, with a clean, sea-spray salinity and a hint of perfumed white fruit. What richness there is comes out in the lees aging, providing a zippy, high-acidity firmness to match an equally high-acid cheese.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Patrick Piuze Val de Mer Cremant de Bourgogne Non Dose  NV 750ML ($24.95) $18 special, 24 bottles available
Wine & Spirits 92 points–Best Buy– “Patrick Piuze makes this wine in a partnership with Moutard-Diligent, using different vineyards and a different winery than for his own brand. He produces this from three parcels, fermenting it in stainless steel without added yeast, capturing the clean fragrance of a young Chablis in high notes of orange citrus over a deeper soil imprint. It’s fresh and vibrant, singing like wind through wheat. Buy a case to enjoy as it develops over the next four years.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $22

Newly Reviewed Wines Arriving in March

Weingut Hirsch Lamm Gruner Veltliner Erste Lage OTW Reserve Trocken, Kamptal 2015 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special, ETA March
Wine & Spirits 93 points “Lamm, a vineyard of loess and loam that Johannes Hirsch farms biodynamically, is often one of his more open and giving cuvees. The 2015, however, plays it close to the vest for the first day, entirely pleasurable in its plush texture and sweet fruit, but not showing much complexity. Then, boom – the next day the acidity emerges with the tension of a piano wire, sending the flavors rippling from tongue to toes. Peach, apricot, lemon blossom, stone – the wine lasts with vibrancy, and for days after opening.”

Schloss Gobelsburg Zobing, Kamptal  2015 750ML ($34.95) $26 pre-arrival special
Wine & Spirits 93 points–Best Buy– “This is so friendly at first it would be easy to dismiss as a simple pleasure. Behind that initial tangy lemon-water freshness, though, there’s a structure as firm and fine as master filigree ironwork. The flavors build on it, still delicate but multifaceted – ginger and lime, chalk and pea shoots – and lasting.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

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Staff Picks

Andy:

Domaine de la Fruitiere ‘Les Vignes Blanches’, IGP Val de Loire 2014 750ML ($14.95) $11.90 special, 31 bottles available
Case-12 Domaine de la Fruitiere ‘Les Vignes Blanches’, IGP Val de Loire 2014 750ML ($149.95) $119 special, 3 cases available (that’s only $9.92/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
“This wine solves many problems for a white wine drinker looking for value. The blend of Chardonnay, Melon de Bourgogne and Sauvignon Blanc is balanced, pleasantly aromatic and light, and fills your palate. Initial notes of pineapple and fresh sea air. Medium bodied and still very clean on the finish. Cheap as chips, and delicious.”
Winery note “This wine presents a pale yellow color, and reveals an intense nose of dried fruits, date, almond, surrounded with a touch of lime. The mouth is supple and strong, mixing mineral and aromatic touches, with the fineness of white fruits on the top.

Suzanne:

Matello ‘Souris’ Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2011 750ML ($39.95) $28 special
“Representation of the 2011 vintage is slowly dwindling on our shelves, so we jumped at the chance to bring in this library release from Matello – and at an unheard of price. (After such large vintages as 2014, he needed to free up some room in his cellar.) The Souris bottling from Matello is made of the first selection of barrels from his best sites (Whistling Ridge, Durant and Bishop Creek). This release was just Whistling Ridge and Durant, seeing 100% French oak with 40% of it being new. Marcus was kind enough to pop a bottle for us to check in on its progress.

The 2011 was, not surprisingly given his track record, delightfully young and fresh. Richly perfumed aromas of dark red rose and fresh lilac spilled from the glass. The palate gave up blackberry and black tea aromas mixed with a peppery vanilla note. The wine had very fine yet present tannin, moderate acidity and a spicy oak profile that pairs well with the lush aromatics. The long, cool growing season resulted in concentrated flavors balanced by elegance and crisp acidity. As enjoy able as it was right out of the bottle today, this baby is worth cellaring for at least another five years.”

Here are Josh Raynolds’ thoughts from July 2014:

Josh Raynolds-Vinous 91 points “($45) (from fruit grown in the Whistling Ridge and Durant vineyards; made with 55% whole clusters and raised in 40% new oak):  Vivid red.  Vibrant red berry and Asian spice aromas are given depth by notes of vanilla and licorice and pick up a minerally nuance with air.  Juicy raspberry and cherry-cola flavors tighten up in the mid-palate and show very good clarity.  Finishes spicy and long, with silky tannins adding structure.” ST
You won’t find this 2011 Souris listed elsewhere;
But, the next best price on any vintage of the Souris Pinot Noir is $36.89

Andy:

Arriving This Month:

Weingut A.J. Adam Dhroner Hofberg Riesling ‘GG,’ Mosel 2015 750ML ($79.95) $69 pre-arrival special
“One of the reasons I stay in the wine industry is the ability of a winemaker to turn a wine into a petal soft expression of time, space and fruit. The A.J. Adam Dhron Hof berg Riesling GG is at once electric, soft, and smoky. The flavors both fill your palate, but sparkle like Christmas lights: citrus, salt, baking apples, all playing against each other proving a gripping tension. The overall feel is still so soft and enjoyable. It is so delicious now, that the idea of aging this seems ridiculous, but this GG has time to put all of these pieces together. A classic in the making.”

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Our Current
Shipping Promos:

Welcome to the club, Colorado!

Along with Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and California,
we now offer flat rate shipping to Colorado! Here’s the scoop:

Single orders of any quantity of wines qualify for the flat rate;
this does not apply to orders held in storage for any reason
or multiple orders consolidated into one shipment.
The flat reach for each state is, as follows:

-to Oregon for $17,
-Washington & Idaho for $20,
-and California & Colorado for $25.

Take Advantage of the Flat Rate!

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Gouges: A Storied Domaine

Recapturing its Old Glory

Henri Gouges was one of the most instrumental figures in modern Burgundy, as one of the first estate bottlers and also one of the people leading the charge to implement the AOC system in the 1920’s.  Based in Nuits-St-George, he and his successors have always been one of the benchmarks for the village, producing wines that are complex, age-worthy, and dense.

The quality of the wines have waxed and waned a bit over the intervening 90+ years, but the last decade or so has been a new golden period for the winery.  In the past, the wines had the reputation of being undrinkably tannic in their youth but the winemaking has evolved to something a little bit gentler. The wines now are still classically proportioned Nuits, but they are approachable now in a way they weren’t a decade ago.

To us, this is the best possible place for chez Gouges.  The wines are still reference points for all the things we love about the vineyards around Nuits and are priced incredibly fairly (Les St. George is, for practical purposes, a grand cru).  The fact that you can try them in their youth is yet another plus.  We recently got in the 2014’s which are exactly as good as you think they should be (with a few more on the way) and wanted to share our excitement for them and a few other back vintages we have kicking around.

In Stock Now:

Domaine Henri Gouges Les Chaignots, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2010 750ML ($99.95) $89 special, 13 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

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Domaine Henri Gouges Les Chenes Carteaux, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2010 750ML ($89.95) $79 special, 9 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 Les Chenes Carteaux, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($79.95) $59 special, 17 bottles available
Burghound 89-92 points “A discreet touch of wood surround the ripe and well-layered mix of red berry fruit scents that are liberally laced with earth and underbrush nuances. There is good ripeness to the suave, even seductive middle weight flavors that possess really lovely depth on the persistent, balanced and harmonious finish. This is really quite good and worth considering.” BH

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Domaine Henri Gouges Les Saint-Georges, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2014 750ML ($179.95) $149 special, 10 bottles available
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.”

Domaine Henri Gouges Clos des Porrets Monopole, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($89.95) $59 special, 18 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 90 points “Bright medium red.  Liqueur-like aromas of cherry and raspberry.  Sweet red fruit and spice flavors are lifted by notes of rose petal, herbs and pepper.  Has the freshness and balance to give early pleasure.  Finishes with lingering pepper-and-spice perfume and very good length.” ST

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Domaine Henri Gouges Les Pruliers, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($99.95) $59 special, 13 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 91 points “Bright medium red.  Reticent high-toned aromas of slightly jammy red fruits and earth.  Sweet and ripe; richer and deeper than the Porrets Saint-Georges, with silky red cherry, currant and spice flavors enlivened by pungent peppery acidity.  Nicely balanced, round wine with good buffering extract.” ST

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Domaine Henri Gouges Les Pruliers, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2014 750ML ($119.95) $79 special, 8 bottles available
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) $112 special, 10 bottles available
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.”

Arriving Later This Month:

Domaine Henri Gouges Bourgogne Pinot Blanc, Burgundy 2014 750ML ($39.95) $29 pre-arrival special
Winery note “[Translated] From a 0.7 hectare plot of Pinot [Gouges—an albino Pinot Noir clone] 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 lowest listed price on the West Coast 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 5-6years.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges, Cote de Nuits 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.”

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.”

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New Review – Arriving Friday

Bodega Akutain, Rioja Cosecha 2015 750ML ($19.95) $16 pre-arrival special
Grapelive 90 points “The Akutain Cosecha Rioja is beautifully fresh and lively with impressive purity and style. It’s mostly Tempranillo with a small amount of Garnacha that was fermented and aged in vats using native yeasts and comes from high elevation vines. Juan Peñagaricano (Akutain) is the winemaker and grower here. He is a traditionalist Rioja old school producer, heavily influenced by the grand Bodegas of Cvne and La Rioja Alta. He is tiny by comparison and handcrafts only a small amount of wine from three estate plots in Rioja Alta near Haro on clay-calcareous hillsides planted to mainly Tempranillo with Garnacha and Viura. I adore the vibrant unoaked Cosecha 2015 for its direct fruit, vibrancy and pure form. It’s a vivid terroir-driven beauty to enjoy young and often! Bright ruby and with light earthy tones, the Akutain Cosecha offers crushed blackberries, tart currants, cherry and dusty plum fruits with light mineral notes and spices with hints of chalk/stone, anise and lilacs. This is easy to love Rioja that has a bit of a Cotes du Rhone like feel, but certainly speaks of its Tempranillo character with a medium body and soft tannins. Imported by Jose Pastor Selections, Akutain is a label to look for delivering lots of value and old world charm, especially this 2015 Akutain Cosecha which will be great with a slight chill and with tapas, or summer picnics or BBQ parties as well as with almost anything you prepare on a Tuesday night. Drink now.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

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G.B. Burlotto: Traditional Masters on Form

2013 Releases Arriving in May

Burlotto is not the first name on many people’s lips when thinking of Barolo, and it’s a shame since G.B. Burlotto was considered among the absolute greatest winemakers in the world for the seventy plus years he was at the helm. After his passing in 1927, the winery and his hometown of Verduno slipped into obscurity. Now Fabio Alessandria, the great-great-grandson has taken over and Burlotto is regaining the place it deserves among the best small producers in the Piedmont.

Tradition is first and foremost for Fabio, going so far as to use gentle crushing by foot followed by a sixty day maceration period, once common but now virtually unheard of in Barolo. The technique is used for the home vineyard of Monvigliero and the soft touch develops a wine of remarkable character with notes of cedar, olives in herbs, and something rich – like truffles – the feel is structurally powerful, but so elegant as to be shimmery. Working through the line up, you see the same care taken with all of the different crus; even his normale stands out for its traditional structure.

All seems to going in the right direction for Burlotto, including a perfect 100 from Galloni on the upcoming release of 2013 Monvigliero. (No, we don’t have any released yet…) The accessibility and prices of the current stock of Burlotto reflect the winery on its upward trend. Pick them up now and talk about how you were ahead of the game on this one.

G. B. Burlotto Available Here Now

G. B. Burlotto Barolo DOCG, Piedmont 2011 750ML ($49.95) $41.90 special, 9 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 92 points “Burlotto’s 2011 Barolo is a gorgeous entry-level offering and a real overachiever in its category. Small red berries, sweet tobacco, mint, spices and orange rind are all laced together in a pretty, delicate Barolo that will offer considerable pleasure upon release. A weightless, super-refined finish rounds things out. There is so much to like here. Readers who want to dip their toes into the wines of Burlotto should start here. There is so much to like. The vineyard sources are Breri, which sits next to Monvigliero, Rocche dell’Olmo and Neirane.” AG

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $44.99
The average price is $51

G. B. Burlotto Barolo DOCG, Piedmont 2012 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 36+ bottles available
Antonio Galloni 91 points “The 2012 Barolo is a gorgeous entry-level offering from Burlotto and a fabulous introduction to the house style. Lifted, precise and translucent, the 2012 is a pure joy to taste today. This mid-weight, refined Barolo is pure class. Sweet red berry, mint and spice nuances are laced into the super-expressive, inviting finish. Most of this fruit is sourced from Breri.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $48

G. B. Burlotto Barolo Acclivi, Barolo DOCG 2011 750ML ($59.95) $51.90 special, 7 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 93 points “What a joy it is to taste Burlotto’s 2011 Barolo Acclivi. The Acclivi occupies a very attractive middle ground in the Burlotto range. It is made from a handful of parcels, but is more structured and overtly tannic than the straight Barolo, but obviously does not convey the signature of a specific piece of dirt, as the Cannubi and Monvigliero do. A wine of contrasts, Acclivi is dark yet translucent, tannic and weightless. In other words, it is a wine that captures the full spectrum of complexity Nebbiolo is capable of. The warmth of the vintage has given the Accilvi a little more ripeness and volume than is typically the case, but all the elements are deftly balanced.” AG

G. B. Burlotto Barolo Acclivi, Barolo DOCG 2012 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 11 bottles available
Wine & Spirits 94 points “This wine combines the elegance and spice of Verduno’s Monvigliero cru with the darker color and more structured tannins that derive from vines growing on Rocche dell’Olmo’s clay-rch east-facing slopes. Fabio Alessandria harvest fruit from the steepest sections of those two vineyards to make Acclivi (which means ‘steep’), and he likens its tannins to ‘a tight-fitting dress.’ They seem more like a bustier, lifting the flavors of pomegranate, tamarind and orange peel in an upward direction, gathering power as they move to a long and spicy finish. Its lovely violet scents echo in flavors of black licorice that lend a dark velvet plushness to the wine.”
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2012 Barolo Acclivi is another aromatically lifted, precise Barolo endowed with tons of pedigree. Stylistically, the Acclivi is the Burlotto Barolo that most resembles Monvigliero because it is made from a blend of declassified fruit from that site along with important contributions from Rocche dell’Olmo and Neirane. Deceptively medium in body, the Acclivi possesses striking mid-palate depth and substance, while maintaining its classic sense of poise. A host of bright red cherry, raspberry and floral notes punctuate the refreshing finish.”

G. B. Burlotto Wines Arriving in May

G. B. Burlotto Barolo DOCG, Piedmont 2013 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 92 points “Burlotto’s 2013 Barolo is one of the very best wines in its price range and class. Orange peel, bright red stone fruit, mint, licorice and star anise give the 2013 its exotic aromatic profile. The tannins are incisive and piercing, but also very fine grained. Best of all, the 2013 will drink well with minimal cellaring while giving readers a terrific look at the vibrancy, energy and polish. There is so much to like here. Breri, which is a vineyard close to Monvigliero, is the core of the Barolo, while Rocco dell’ Olmo and Neirane round out the blend. The 2013 is as good or better than many vineyard designate Barolos in this vintage. Don’t miss it.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

G. B. Burlotto Barolo Acclivi, Barolo DOCG 2013 750ML ($79.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2013 Barolo Acclivi is another knockout from Burlotto. The Acclivi shows slightly red and purplish hued fruits, with lavender, mint, violet and spice that develop in the glass. The 2013 is naturally very tightly wound, but it offers superb freshness, along with a striking interplay of pliant fruit, lifted, floral-infused aromatics, and an acid/tannin profile that adds brightness throughout. Readers will have to be patient, but there is no rush. This is a fabulous Barolo in the making.”

We also have a few non-Barolo wines that Burlotto makes arriving at the beginning of April that we wanted to highlight here.  Sure, the Baroli get all the glory, but Burlotto is a wonderful producer of other grape varieties as well in classic styles.

Arriving in Early April

G. B. Burlotto Barbera d’Alba, Piedmont 2015 750ML ($21.95) $18 pre-arrival special

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

G. B. Burlotto Langhe Freisa, Piedmont 2015 750ML ($21.95) $18 pre-arrival special

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

G. B. Burlotto Langhe Nebbiolo, Piedmont 2015 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 pre-arrival special

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!