Saturday, April 11th, 2015
Repricements!
Classique-Formidable Chateauneuf iso New Home
Vignobles Brunier Domaine Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Crau, Rhone 2012 750ML ($89.95) Was $69, Now $59
Case-12 Vignobles Brunier Domaine Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Crau, Rhone 2012 750ML ($899.95) $679 special
Wine Spectator 94 points “Rock-solid, with a hefty core of fig, blackberry and black cherry fruit, wrapped in chestnut and tobacco leaf notes and carrying through a lavender- and tar-framed finish. Dense and grippy, showing a slightly old-school shading. Should cellar well. Best from 2016 through 2030”
Josh Raynolds 92-94 points “Bright ruby. Intense raspberry and cherry aromas are complicated by hints of lavender, spicecake and blood orange. Juicy and fruit-driven, with palate-coating flavors of sweet, spice-tinged red fruits and candied flowers. Quite suave and seamless, boasting striking purity to its red fruit- and mineral-driven finish. Those who decry the ripeness and heady character of most Chateauneufs owe it to themselves to try this wine.”
Robert Parker 93-95 points “The top wine of the estate, the 2012 Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf du Pape (which is always a blend of 65% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 15% Mourvedre and 5% Cinsault and other grapes, from 65-year-old vines) is a classic example of the cuvee and possesses gorgeous aromatics (kirsch, garrigue, big minerality and background meatiness), medium to full-bodied richness and a firm, tannic spine. As is common, it will require a handful of years in the cellar to come around and have 15+ years of longevity. Drink 2016-2027.” RP
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $81/bottle
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Profoundly Aromatic Wine from Rueda
The Spanish wine region of Rueda is known for its highly aromatic white wines produced mainly from Verdejo (a 50% minimum is required in blends), Viura (aka Macabeo) and Sauvignon Blanc. The region is located just north-west of Madrid on the Iberian Peninsula. The soil here is nutrient-poor, rocky and wind-swept, though rich in limestone and iron. The climate is harsh with blazingly hot summers and freezing winters. Grapes are kept from over-ripening by the drastic diurnal temperature swings between day and night. Jorge Ordonez founded the Nisia winery in 2011 in the town of Puras. The old vines are in seven small parcels in an ancient riverbed, all planted on original rootstock. Two of these parcels pre-date the phylloxera epidemic in Spain, the other four parcels were planted in 1942. Grapes are hand-harvested and the wine is aged sur lie, partly in stainless and partly in large French oak.
Jorge Ordonez & Co Nisia Verdejo – Old Vines, Rueda 2013 750ML ($17.95) $14 special
Case-12 Jorge Ordonez & Co Nisia Verdejo – Old Vines, Rueda 2013 ($179.95) $149 special (that’s only $12.42/bottle!)
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 91 points “Nisia Old Vines Rueda Light yellow-gold. Musky, mineral-laced orchard and citrus fruit aromas are complicated by hints of jasmine, green tea and quinine. Sappy and precise on the palate, offering bitter pear skin and Meyer lemon flavors that put on weight with air. Closes fleshy and long, with supple pear and melon qualities and very good clarity.” JR
Vinopolnote-A killer project from importer Jorge Ordonez, Nisia from Rueda is made from 100% old vine Verdejo. This 5,000-case cuvee was fermented in stainless steel and large format French oak, and aged sur lie prior to bottling. Coming from sandy soils and ungrafted vines (some of which are 120+ years of age), the wine offers crisp notes of tangerine skin, honeyed grapefruit and assorted citrus as well as a flowery character. Fresh, medium-bodied, beautifully fruited and textured, this is one of the finest naked, dry white wines you will find.
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Vietti Villero
New Release
Arriving Next Week
Vietti Villero, Barolo Riserva DOCG 2007 750ML ($319.95) $269 special
Antonio Galloni 96+ points “Vietti’s 2007 Barolo Riserva Villero is a flat out stunner. Dark red fruit, Villero spices, leather, tobacco, smoke and menthol come alive in a rich, sensual Barolo that captures the essence of this site. Rose petals, mint and sweet red berries flesh out on an inviting wine loaded with class and personality. Over time, the powerful, explosive style of the year becomes more evident. The fruit turns darker, more balsamic and also more intensely mineral.” AG
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $285
The average price is $318
When is Barolo not Barolo?
When does Barolo cost $21.90/bottle?
Vietti’s Nebbiolo Langhe ‘Perbacco’ is 100% made from the grapes of Barolo vineyards and through fermentation is vinified as are the Barolo designated. It is not a Barolo solely because the early release of Perbacco does not meet the aging requirements as stipulate for Barolo DOCG. In the language of wine, $20 wines are not generally considered as ‘value wines’. But this one (here now) most definitely is….
Vietti Nebbiolo Perbacco Langhe, Piedmont 2012 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special
Case-12 Vietti Nebbiolo Perbacco Langhe, Piedmont 2012 750ML ($299.95) $226 special (that’s only 18.83/bottle!)
Antonio Galloni 92 points “Vietti’s 2012 Langhe Nebbiolo Perbacco is fabulous. Floral and lifted, the flavors are bright, focused and beautifully articulated throughout. Chalky notes support a sculpted, brilliant finish laced with hints orange peel, white pepper and crushed rocks.” AG
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Just a reminder about our current shipping specials during this season:
We offer flat rate shipping on any size single order / single shipment
-to Oregon for $17,
-Washington & Idaho for $20,
-and California for $25
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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Two Newly Reviewed Alsace Estates
“…true quality is that which succeeds in surprising and moving us. It is not locked inside a formula. Its essence is subtle (subjective) and never rational.” -André Ostertag in Inspiring Thirst
Domaine Ostertag
New Reviews from Vinous Media’s Ian D’Agata
“In what had been a rare move until recently but is becoming more common of late, as many Alsace producers realize that they were risking the disappearance of a good variety, André Ostertag has uprooted a Gewürztraminer vineyard that had been planted on the wrong type of soil and plans to replant it with Sylvaner. Of course, Ostertag has always believed Sylvaner to be a noble variety that is underestimated because yields are allowed to creep too high. “That doesn’t mean you can’t produce 60 hectoliters per hectare with it,” he told me, “but the problem is that many go for 120 and at that point it’s watery and uninteresting.” Lovers of Alsace wine may remember that Ostertag had even gone as far as producing a rare Sylvaner SGN about two decades ago, which he had humorously called Le Mystère du Mouton Masqué. Sylvaner aside, readers should take note that Ostertag’s line-up this year includes two extremely good Pinot Noirs: don’t miss them. The estate is farmed biodynamically.” – Ian D’Agata
A pioneer, a revolutionary winemaker, an environmentalist… so many terms can be used to describe André Ostertag, the owner and operator of his family’s 14 hectare Alsacian domaine. After training in Burgundy, he drastically improved estate practices by introducing such grape-growing and winemaking techniques as reducing yields and converting to biodynamic.
Newly Reviewed Wines Available Here Now
Domaine Ostertag Pinot Blanc Barriques 2013 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special, 3 bottles available
Ian D’Agata–Vinous 89 points “(a 50/50 blend of Auxerrois and Pinot Blanc): Pale straw. The nose is all Auxerrois, with its honeyed, spicy apple and pear aromas, while the flavors are all Pinot Blanc (white stone fruits, beeswax). Mouthcoating and rich, with essentially soft acidity. Finishes creamy and long, with a peppery element. Ostertag belives that using too much Auxerrois is a mistake “as the wines tend to become flabby.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $26
Domaine Ostertag Riesling Fronholz 2012 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 11 bottles available
Ian D’Agata–Vinous 91 points “Bright pale yellow. Ripe but vibrant aromas of white peach and jasmine. Silky on entry, then round and ripe in the mid-palate, energized by lovely lemony cut. The sweet spice, resin and strawberry flavors show a tactile texture and an almost meaty quality and leave the taste buds vibrating. Displays the lift and verve of this vintage in spades. A great Fronholz.” ID
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $42.99
Domaine Ostertag Riesling Heissenberg 2012 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 8 bottles available
Ian D’Agata–Vinous 91 points “Pale straw-yellow. Bright aromas and flavors of fresh citrus and spicy kumquat. Dense and sweet in the mouth, with a lovely mineral edge countering the wine’s richness and extending the energetic finish.” ID
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $46.01
Domaine Ostertag Pinot Gris Fronholz 2012 750ML ($59.95) $44 special, 10 bottles available
Ian D’Agata–Vinous 90 points “Pale straw-green. Captivating aromas and flavors fresh apple, pear compote and smoke. Juicy and rather sweet, but with lively acidity giving it a light touch. This long wine was aged for 15 months in new oak” ID
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Ostertag Riesling Muenchberg, Alsace Grand Cru 2012 750ML ($69.95) $49 special, 4 bottles available
Ian D’Agata–Vinous 92 points “Gold-tinged straw. Deep, very pure nose hints at white peach, minerals and flowers. A noticeable step up in depth and complexity over the preceding Riesling samples, boasting impressive flavor intensity for such a refined wine. Finishes multilayered, deep and long. This should prove to be especially ageworthy. The Muenchberg features especially complex soil made up of a blend of sandstone and volcanic elements. According to Ostertag, this is an ideal amalgamation. “Wines made only on sandstone can be a little obvious, and those on volcanic soils a little austere,” he told me, “so the combination of the two usually makes for some really amazing wines.”” ID
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $55
Domaine Ostertag Pinot Noir Fronholz 2012 750ML ($59.95) $44 special, 12 bottles available
Ian D’Agata–Vinous 90 points “Good medium red. Musky soil tones and raspberry on the nose. Supple, spicy and sweet, with sound underlying acidity contributing to much-needed lift to the somewhat syrupy red berry and red cherry flavors. Finishes bright and long. This is a really outstanding Alsace Pinot Noir, fresh and crisp despite its obvious ripeness of fruit. The yield was just 30 hectoliters per hectare, according to Ostertag.” ID
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Other Domaine Ostertag Wines Available Here Now
Domaine Ostertag Les Vieilles Vignes de Sylvaner 2012 750ML ($24.95) $19 special, 15 bottles available
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $24
Domaine Ostertag Riesling Vignoble d’E 2012 750ML ($29.95) $24 special, 7 bottles available
Domaine Ostertag Muscat Fronholz 2012 750ML ($39.95) $29 special, 3 bottles available
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Ostertag Gewurztraminer Vignoble d’E 2013 750ML ($41.95) $33 special, 1 bottles available
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Ostertag Riesling Muenchberg, Alsace Grand Cru 2011 750ML ($69.95) $49 special, 25 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94 points “Ostertag’s 2011 Riesling Muenchberg mingles fresh, very ripe apple and pear with candied grapefruit and kumquat rinds, caramelized parsnip, caraway, and fresh ginger, all wreathed in peat-like and charred smokiness, and putting me in mind of a Riesling dosed with Gewurztraminer. There is an uncanny combination of body and high glycerol with brightness here, leading to a finish of exuberant juiciness, zesty cut, interactive complexity and formidable sheer grip. I would anticipate this meriting return visits though at least 2025.” WA
Domaine Ostertag Pinot Gris A360 Grand Cru 2008 750ML ($69.95) $49 special, 1 bottle available
Wine Advocate 91 points “Winter pear and a hint of litchi; smoked meat and musky floral perfume follow the Ostertag 2008 Pinot Gris Muenchberg A360P from its striking nose onto a deeply-rich, glossy-textured palate, and into a long finish whose undulating layers of fruit, flower, meat, and mineral matter are tinged with vanilla. A faint hint of heat from 14.5% alcohol detracts only slightly from the effect of a wine unusually lush if less vivacious than usual for its vintage. This should show well for a half dozen or more years.”WA
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Ostertag Riesling Vignoble d’E 2011 750ML ($29.95) $19 special, 2 bottles available
Wine Advocate 93 points “Ostertag’s 2011 Riesling Vignoble d’E displays a remarkable combination of lushness, glycerol-richness and textural tenderness with clarity and exuberantly bright refreshment. Representing as usual the first grapes of this variety that he picked, which was however not until September 30. Luscious white peach and honeydew melon are mingled with nut oils and saliva-drawing saline-sweet, iodine-tinged lobster shell reduction, garlanded in peony, and dusted with invigoratingly biting white pepper, leading to gloriously mouthwatering and vibrantly interactive finish. It’s hard to imagine a village-level Riesling getting much more exciting than this phenomenal value. Plan to revisit it through at least 2020.” WA
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $23.74
Domaine Ostertag Pinot Noir Vignoble d’E 2013 750ML ($29.95) $27 special, 11 bottles available
Domaine Ostertag Pinot Noir Fronholz 2010 750ML ($49.95) $33 special, 9 bottles available
Importer note: Fronholz vineyard. Vines average 40+ years old, soil is White Sand, Quartz, Clay, Marl
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $37
Domaine Deiss
New Reviews from Vinous Media’s Ian D’Agata
Arriving in April 2015
Bergheim, a small village in the center of Alsace, is home to Domaine Marcel Deiss. The Domaine was established in 1947, but the family had a history of grape-growing and winemaking in the region since the mid-18th century. Today it is overseen by Jean-Michel Deiss and the wine-maker is Marie-Hélène Cristofaro. They own 67 acres of vineyards on the foothills of 9 communes near Bergheim and produce 10,000 cases of wine a year.
Deiss is considered a rebel wine maker for the region. He focuses on terrior over specific grape varieties. He practices a methodology known as complantation. Complantation is the ancient method of planting a great diversity of vines at great density. His vines are planted at over 4,000 per acre. They are stressed to the point where they yield half the volume of wine per plant than is average for the region.
His vineyards have been biodynamic since 2003 and have been organic for decades. The wines are treated with the same respect for their integrity. The hand-harvested grapes are crushed gently and slowly. The wines are fermented slowly in closed wooden vats using only indigenous yeasts. The wines are aged on the lees for extended periods of time. The wines are bottled without fining or filtration. Deiss is revolutionary in that he bucks the tradition of single varietal wine to make terroir-driven wines from a blend of grapes even in Grand Cru sites. Doing such was not allowed under AOC laws until 2005.
Newly Reviewed Domaine Marcel Deiss Wines
Arriving Late April 2015
Domaine Marcel Deiss Gewurztraminer 2012 750ML ($31.95) $26 pre-arrival special
“Dark golden yellow. Ripe but fresh, focused aromas and flavors of tropical fruits, sweet spices and vanilla. Not the last word in complexity but plump and juicy, offering plenty of early appeal. Finishes suave and long, with welcome floral lift. Made from grapes grown near Bergheim on calcaire soils and in Saint Hippolyte on granite and clay.” — Ian D’Agata
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Marcel Deiss Pinot Gris 2012 750ML ($29.95) $24 pre-arrival special
Ian D’Agata — Vinous 90 points “Straw-yellow with gold highlights. Bright tropical fruit aromas complicated by strawberry and honeyed almond paste. Juicy and focused, showing a lovely sugar/acid balance and outstanding length to the red berry and orchard fruit flavors. Finishes vibrant and clean.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Marcel Deiss Riesling 2012 750ML ($29.95) $24 pre-arrival special
Ian D’Agata — Vinous 89 points “Bright straw with a gold tinge. Peach, tea and spice on the forward nose. Rich, ripe and suave, with lovely tropical fruit flavors that persist nicely at the back, with a touch of alcoholic heat becoming apparent with aeration. The grapes for this wine are sourced from three main areas: Saint Hippolyte (on soils rich in granite and clay that yield wines with less acidity), Bergheim (slightly bigger, richer wines), and a few small plots between Riquewihr and Béblenheim. Mathieu Deiss told me that “when I first came to work at the estate, I thought why not join these grapes together rather than make single bottlings of each? It’s not as if we don’t have enough single-site wines, and besides, I didn’t think our clients were die-hard fans of the Saint Hippolyte or Bergheim wines themselves.””
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Other Domaine Marcel Deiss Wines Arriving in April 2015
Domaine Marcel Deiss Altenberg de Bergheim, Alsace Grand Cru 2010 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate & Stephen Tanzer 95 points “Like its 2011 counterpart, the Deiss 2010 Altenberg de Bergheim is strikingly floral, but tends toward bitter-sweet and elusive perfume of iris and lily-of-the-valley. The influence of quinine and black tea as well as a welcome suggestion of fresh peach and citrus juiciness serve as more effective counterpoint and push-back to the wine’s prominent sweetness than is the case with the 2011. A gorgeous sense of openness and levity prevails here, with quince and nut pastes subtly complimenting the prominent impression of liquid floral perfume on a silken and expansive palate, leading to a prodigious finish at once caressing as well as stimulating in its dynamic interaction of flower, fruit, and mouthwatering mineral salts…” WA
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Marcel Deiss Burlenberg 2009 750ML ($49.95) $41.90 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer 92+ points “Bright ruby-red. Red cherry, raspberry syrup and fresh herbs on the perfumed nose. Creamy and tactile in the mouth, with pure, rich flavors of ripe red berries and cherry supported by fine-grained tannins. Turns slightly tighter, even a bit austere, on the very long finish, which features lingering smoke and iron notes. (Deiss told me he finds a taste of blood in this wine.) All this very impressive, mostly pinot noir red wine needs is a little time.” ID
Domaine Marcel Deiss Grasberg 2010 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 93 points “Striking, high-toned aromas of maraschino, pistachio and mirabelle distillate in the Deiss 2010 Grasberg put me in mind of previous renditions from this site and field-blend that favors Riesling, Pinot Gris and Traminer variants. Tingling pineapple informs its firm yet lusciously juicy palate, leading to a long, supportively sweet finish featuring the invigorating interaction of chalk, white pepper, orange and lemon zests, and nut extracts with peach and pineapple. Look for this beauty to perform impressively through at least 2025.” WA
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Marcel Deiss Huebuhl Bergheim 2008 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate & Stephen Tanzer 92 points “(pinot gris and muscat) Full orange-gold. Pungent, high-toned aromas of orange, spices and medicinal herbs; conveys a strong botrytis character. A very sweet, energetic fruit bomb in the mouth, with brisk acidity giving grip to the rather exotic flavors of tangerine, apricot, yellow peach, botanical herbs and spices. Big and broad but not heavy. Finishes long, tactile and slightly phenolic, showing its pinot gris side today.” ST
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Marcel Deiss Schoenenbourg, Alsace Grand Cru 2010 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate & Stephen Tanzer 94 points “Fresh peach and citrus lusciously inform the Deiss 2010 Schoenenbourg, whose creamy texture and honeyed richness, are matched by vivacious juiciness. White pepper, chalk, quinine, and shimmering mineral matter offer invigoration and counterpoint in a sustained and dynamically complex finish. The sweetness here is supportive without remotely getting the upper hand, so that I can well imagine over the 20-25 years during which this beauty will deserve to be admired, its versatility at table will vary inversely with a diminishing sense of sweetness.” WA
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Rousseau Clos St. Jacques 2011
Newly Arrived from Wildman
Domaine Armand Rousseau Pere et Fils Clos Saint-Jacques, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($799.95) $469 special, 9 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 96 points “Rousseau’s 2011 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos St. Jacques is flat-out gorgeous. Waves of blue/purplish fruit hit the palate in an intense, explosive Burgundy loaded with pure class and pedigree. This is another 2011 that is going to need considerable time in bottle to come around. Today, the Clos St. Jacques impresses for its richness, power and depth.”
Burghound 94 points “Discreet wood sets off ultra-fresh and airy aromas of red currant, blue berries and plum that are trimmed in hints of wet stone and earth. There is a wonderfully refined mouth feel to the mineral-tinged middle weight flavors that possess an appealing verve along with superb detail on the harmonious and exceptionally persistent finish. This very firm effort is textbook Clos St, Jacques.” BH
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $485
The average price is $537
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Top Class Burgundy
Domaine Leflaive & Olivier Leflaive
Arriving April 17th
Domaine Leflaive Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru 2009 750ML ($499.95) $399 special, 3 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 96 points “The 2009 Bâtard-Montrachet positively explodes from the glass. Round, sweet and expressive, the wine saturates the palate with masses of fruit in a bold, powerful style that is utterly irresistible. The finish is intense and resonant in all directions.”
Stephen Tanzer 95 points “Bright, green-tinged yellow. Lime, powdered stone and mint on the nose, along with a buttery nuance. Dense, saline, sappy and intensely flavored; offers very good cut for a wine with such breadth and richness. The white peach and lime tea flavors are complemented by a hint of exotic fruits. Much more powerful and chewy than the Bienvenue (this is 13.5% alcohol), not to mention more structured. Finishes with a whiplash of mirabelle, honey and jasmine.”
Domaine Leflaive Bienvenues-Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru 2009 750ML ($499.95) $419 special, 3 bottles available
Wine Enthusiast 98 points “**Cellar Selection** With its concentrated yellow fruits, this is already a powerful wine. It is packed with acidity, toast, peach flavors and minerality, starting out as a gorgeously rich wine from a ripe vintage. Of course, it will age over many years; open in 10 years.”
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2009 Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet is dazzling from start to finish. Silky and seamless at first, the wine impresses for its impeccable balance and tons of class. Chalky, mineral notes appear later, adding length, freshness and verve, while floral notes add the last flourishes of elegance. This is all silk and cashmere, especially on the finish. The Bienvenues seems to hover on the palate, inhabiting in the stratosphere reserved for just a handful of the world’s truly great wines.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $444.97
The average price is $482
Domaine Leflaive Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru 2009 750ML ($599.95) $469 special, 6 bottles available
Wine and Spirits 98 points “Domaine Leflaive farms three adjacent parcels in Chevalier, totaling 4.92 acres of vines; the plantings range from the mid-1950s to 1980. It’s a significant holding at the top of the Montrachet hill, as much for its size as for the wines Leflaive’s team consistently produces from the site. This vintage is more concentrated, or perhaps more saturated with ripe flavors than usual, the heat of August powering the vines to an early harvest. Still, from the moment it’s first poured, that extract has a sunny purity, an umami fragrance of the earth and a lemon blossom honey scent that feigns sweetness later revealed as savory richness in a finish that raises this wine into another realm. Chevalier’s aristocratic soil comes into vivid focus over the course of several days through a scrim of silk. Prepare for your knees to melt and your heart to race as the wine reboots the balance of your senses. Or just enjoy it for what it is: A gracious grand cru, perfectly formed, with the detail of a pointillist painting that will come into focus over the next ten to fifteen years.”
Antonio Galloni 96 points “The 2009 Chevalier-Montrachet seems to combine elements of the Bienvenues and Bâtard. An open, floral bouquet melds into in sweet fruit, white flowers and the essence of crushed rocks. The Chevalier possesses striking inner perfume and fabulous balance as it wraps around the palate in stunning style. Leflaive’s parcels are located on the higher parts of the slope”
Stephen Tanzer 95+ points “Bright yellow. Crystallized lemon peel, licorice and stony minerality on the nose. Dense but juicy on entry, then concentrated and brisk in the middle, with penetrating flavors of yellow fruits, minerals and crushed stone. Powerfully built but quite tight today; not as broad as the Batard but boasts terrific verve for the year. A distinctly vertical style of wine that gives an impression of strong sucrosite and firm acidity, almost in the style of a 2008. Wonderfully harmonious wine in the making, but lay it down.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $475
The average price is $620
Maison Olivier Leflaive Corton – Charlemagne Grand Cru 2011 ($149.95) $115 special
“This is well-marked by new oak, with plenty of stuffing underneath. Notes of lime, white flowers, apple, sweet spice and petrol ride a wave of vibrant acidity as this stays linear and defined through the long finish. The lime and mineral accents are enhanced by spice details in the aftertaste. Best from 2017 through 2028. 62 cases imported.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $121.34
The average price is $141
Domaine Olivier Leflaive Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru 2011 ($499.95) $369 special
Burghound 91-94 points “A discreet touch of wood does not intrude on the expressiveness of the white flower, spiced pear and citrus peel nose that enjoys added breadth in the form of wet stone hints. There is fine richness to the beautifully well-delineated and wonderfully intense medium-bodied flavors that are tautly muscled yet refined, all wrapped in a beautifully balanced, bone dry, mildly austere and explosive finish. As good as this is it’s not necessarily obvious that it will surpass the superb Bâtard.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $497.44!!!
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Spring Sales Revisited
Our Austrian and German Repricements
Sale Ends on All Spring Specials April 30th at 11:59 pm
AUSTRIA
F.X. Pichler Loibner Klostersatz Gruner Veltliner Federspiel 2012 750ML ($39.95) Was $33, Now $26
Falstaff Magazine 91 points “[translated] Bright yellow green. Pleasant yellow apple fruit, a hint of stone fruit and melon. Juicy, tender leafy spice, subtle fruit sweetness, well-integrated acidity, lemony touch in the finish, already good to drink.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
F.X. Pichler M Gruner Veltliner Smaragd, Wachau 2012 375ML ($59.95) Was $49, Now $39
Wine Advocate 95 points “Pichlers’ 2012 Gruner Veltliner Smaragd M – mainly from Loibenberg, plus bits of Kellerberg, Liebenberg, Kollmutz and Muhlpoint – definitely shows the effect of Lucas Pichler’s decision to harvest earlier in recent years than his father usually did, particularly for this bottling. “I think the result is a bit more elegant,” he suggests, and I agree, however conceptually slippery or overused that word is. “I want something similar in style and quality to the Kellerberg,” he adds, “only not showcasing the character of an individual site but instead the grape variety,” and arguably, I’d add – albeit rather obviously – the synergy possible among various vineyards. Diverse floral perfumes – which then reprise inner-mouth; distilled pit fruits; and intimations of ripe pear and musk melon, all anticipate the silken-textured, lush yet remarkably buoyant and vibrantly interactive palate impression, brown spice-tinged and mingled with crushed stone, piquant fruit pit and white pepper. This misses quite the sheer length and penetration of the Kellerberg, but projects a superbly colorful and dynamic, near-kaleidoscopic complexity seldom equaled among Gruner Veltliners. (If memory serves, this is the first time I’ve rated an “M” Gruner Veltliner superior to the corresponding Kellerberg.) Plan to follow this “M” through at least 2022” WA
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $51/half-bottle
Weinbau Jutta Ambrositsch Gemischter Satz Glockenturm, Vienna 2012 750ML ($39.95) $28 special
Winery note “The mixed batch Glockenturm is somewhat of a mixed batch in progress. Jutta Ambrositsch acquired the vineyard that runs from Mukenthalerweg eastbound to the Schreiberbach in 2011. At that time the yard that was first cultivated in 1972 consisted mainly of Gruener Veltliner, Neuburger and Gruener Sylvaner. Ambrositsch planted the numerous gaps of the old, but viral vineyard with a colorful mixture of Burgundy, Riesling as well as diverse Traminer and got acquainted with it in her careful, cultivating manner. The wine that leaned rather toward a somewhat muscularity, has since then become more diversified from year to year.”
Weinbau Jutta Ambrositsch ‘Sommeregg’ Gemischter Satz Alte Reben, Vienna 2012 750ML ($69.95) $49 special
Winery Note “The mixed batch of the reed Sommeregg can no doubt be understood to be the archtype of the actual mixed batch philosophy, an age-old vineyard of 1955, with approximately twenty different vine varieties and with no compromises, in contrast to that what is now permitted by the legislative for the winepressing of mixed batch wines. Jutta Ambrositsch cultivates this Methusalem vineyard, the Sommeregg reed directly above the Grinzinger village center, known since the middle ages – since 2005, planted the numerous gaps continuously, naturally with age-old vine sorts. The yard seems, however, to defend itself against the rejuvenation. The harvest from this approximately 0.6 hectare steep slope with its rather picturesque view upon the City of Vienna, unfortunately, becomes less from year to year. However, that amount that the ancient vineyard produces is a mixed batch of the rarest quality: lots of earthiness, wine foliage, underwood, sheer muscle, endless complexity and lingering finish. Exactly 0.75 Liters of identity can be found in a bottle of mixed batch Sommeregg.”
GERMANY
Selbach-Oster J & H Selbach Piesporter Michelsberg Riesling Spatlese 2011 750ML ($24.95) $11.90 special
“This wine is refreshing with slightly fruity character and bright crisp palate that lingers in the finish.” -Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
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Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese 2012 750ML ($49.95) $24 special
“Classic Mosel Auslese, very elegant”-Importer notes
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Selbach-Oster ‘Anrecht’ Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2011 750ML ($39.95) $29 special
Wine Advocate 94 points “The block-picked, lightly-botrytized Selbach 2011 Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling Anrecht leads with a gorgeous though subtle amalgam of apple blossom, chamomile, sweet lime, pear nectar, and quince preserves, all of which reconvene on a silken-textured, subtly creamy and oily yet admirably juicy and utterly transparent palate, through which shimmer stony, smoky and saline notes. Allying a Kabinett-like sense of levity, primary juiciness and mineral interaction with the richness of flavor typical for a great Auslese – at just 7.5% alcohol yet not dominated by its sheer sweetness! – this perfectly illustrates precisely the point of block picking that captures all of the sorts of ripeness that are out there and layers them on the palate to render a masterpiece of counterpoint and harmony. Expect this to be worth following for a quarter century, though who can really tell, absent any recent track record for such a wine.” WA
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Weingut A.J. Adam Piesporter Goldtropfchen Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Mosel 2012 750ML ($99.95) Was $69, Now $59
Terry Theise: “Sterner stuff than the village wine; pointed intense aromas of blueberries and white iris and candied lemon. The palate is off the hinges! Entirely harmonious, rampantly exotic and rich, it’s like a Pfalz GG with more grace and less earthiness. Pink peppercorn and powder-puff, ginger and mustard-seed; stern slate on the finish after this thrill-ride of improbable elements for Riesling. The empty glass even smells a little like Savignin.”
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Weingut Eugen Muller Forster Kirchenstuck Riesling Auslese 2012 500ml ($34.95) Was $27, Now $21.90
Terry Theise: “Every year for the last fifteen or more, this wine has been a masterpiece, and I can think of few if any parallels in the wine world- or in my wine world- of such sustained stellar performance year after year. 2011 is and remains a masterpiece of the exotic flowery style, “a city made of cherry blossom” as I wrote last year. Bearing in mind that these wines are never very sweet, this one is more typical for the “Auslese” idiom. The 2012, though, is a swollen subterranean wave of mineral. You start at OMG and end with WTF, because even in the context of so many great years this is singular and amazing. Fantastically salty and cherry-blossomy, with obdurate length and deeply embedded mineral.”
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Georg Breuer Rudesheimer Berg Schlossberg Riesling Auslese, Rheingau 1996 375ML ($99.95) $49 special
Wine Enthusiast 96 points “Full-bodied. Nectarine, pineapple, honey. Lush, tropical aromas convey a sense of richness that is delivered on the palate. Glycerous and intensely sweet, with a hint of petrol showing already. Lively acids. Delicious.” WE
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Weingut Karthauserhof Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg Riesling Spatlese Grosse Lage 2012 750ML ($34.95) $24 special
Mosel Fine Wines 92 points “This Wine is quite open and expressive at this early stage and explodes with juicy flavors of yellow peach, quince and some flowers on the palate. This offers everything one could expect from a juicy Spatlese. The fact that it does deliver the goods without too much richness (it has technically less than 60 g/l of residual sugar) makes it utterly delicious also at this ealrly stage. 2017-2032” MFW
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Weingut Daniel Vollenweider Wolfer Goldgrube Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel 2007 375ML ($89.95) $49 special
Stephen Tanzer 94 points “Golden yellow. Subtle aromas of bosc pear, persimmon and nut oils lifted by brown spice botrytis. Lush and velvety in texture, with ripe apricot fruit nicely framed by flinty acidity. Rich and long, with a persistently spicy finish.”ST
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Weingut Daniel Vollenweider Wolfer Goldgrube Riesling Auslese 2009 375ML ($49.95) $39 special
Wine Advocate 90 points “The Vollenweider 2009 Wolfer Goldgrube Riesling Auslese – picked out over numerous days and parcels – is characterized by a softer feel than the corresponding Steffensberg, with pleasantly watercolor-like impression of scents and flavors bleeding into one another while remaining transparent to stony and spicy nuances. Over-ripe Persian and musk melons, peach, quince preserves, and dustings of botrytis spice on the nose follow onto a silken, soothing, buoyant palate accompanied by hints of caramel and honey. The finish here is surprisingly restrained though subtly spicy and mineral, and having assured ourselves that the bottle is entirely in order, Vollenweider and I are both inclined to believe that its relative reticence is only a passing stage. I would want to revisit this but anticipate at least 15 years of good behavior. ” WA
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Weingut Daniel Vollenweider Wolfer Goldgrube Riesling Beerenauslese 2007 375ML ($179.95) $139 special
Stephen Tanzer 95 points “Rich golden yellow. Intense bouquet of yellow plum, candied pineapple and spicy botrytis. The rich, dense, honey-glazed tropical fruit flavors are highlighted by a precise minerality that keeps the palate fresh in spite of the wine’s considerable depth and sweetness. The long, complex finish features a burst of slate. An excellent beerenauslese for the vintage.”ST
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