Who’s Excited About 2017 JJ Prum?
Trending Case Deals
What’s the Most Overlooked Scott Paul Closeout?
Who’s the Hottest Name in Gevrey?
Looking for Mind Blowing Burgundy?
January Sale Roundup
Hot New Review on a Savvy White to Buy By the Case!
Arriving ETA March:
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2017 750ML ($39.95)
$33 pre-arrival special
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2017 1.5L ($89.95)
$69 pre-arrival special
Wine & Spirits 95 points “The first sip of this wine was like getting a smack for having opened it so soon. The acidity is sharp and unforgiving against the stony flavors; the tautness of the structure gives the wine the snap of a rubber band. But that’s a good sign: Clearly, this wine has something to protect – like the pristinely ripe, clean fruit it eventually reveals in scents of Meyer lemons and tart gooseberries, green pears and tangy pineapple. Pulled from old vines, most of them on their own roots, and vinified in stainless steel with ambient yeasts, it’s regal and restrained. In keeping with JJ Prum’s age-worth style, this is set to develop well over the next decade or more.”
JJ Prum is one of the top estates in the Mosel. To top it all off, we’ve featured the 2016s on our January Sale – so stock up & save. 2016 is a fantastic vintage to stock up on from this estate—it’s a perfect counterpoint to the ageworthy 2015’s and the somewhat inconsistent (and expensive) 2017’s that are in the pipeline. We dropped the prices and to offer you great deals on wines across the Prum range and trust us, these are wines you’re going to want to own in quantity.
In Stock Now:
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2016 750ML ($37.95)
Was $30.90, Now $27 January Sale Special
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2016 1.5L ($79.95)
Was $69, Now $59 January Sale Special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2016 Graacher Himmelreich Kabinett (AP 21 17) is deep, cool and flinty on the nose, pretty mineral though still a bit reductive. Round, intense and juicy, this is a densely woven Kabinett with ripe nectarine and plummy flavors as well as a tightly woven and refreshing mineral structure. The finish is pretty persistent and extremely stimulating. Compared to the Badstube, the Himmelreich is more aromatic and expressive. Tasted in March 2017.”
Stuart Pigott – JamesSuckling.com 93 points “Very youthful, but brimming with white fruits and minerals. This is easy to enjoy right now. However, in the background of this sleek beauty, there’s a note of wet stones that grows through the long and cool finish. Drink or hold.”
The average price nationally is $32
Was $39, Now $36 January Sale Special
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2016 1.5L ($119.95)
Was $89, Now $79 January Sale Special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2016 Graacher Himmelreich Spätlese (AP 08 17) is discreet and smoky on the deep, well-defined nose. Juicy-piquant and salty on the well-structured and refreshingly mineral palate, the Himmelreich is tight and expressive, with the sweetness superbly balanced by the spicy, grippy phenols/minerals. This is a really complex Spätlese that is highly stimulating today and will still be so in 20 or 30 years.”
David Schildknecht – Vinous 94 points “This is another Prüm 2016 seductively loaded with floral perfume, but here it’s bittersweet, suggesting gentian and iris as well as honeysuckle. The palate and superbly sustained finish deliver delicacy allied to silken richness and gloss, featuring intense pear, pineapple, quince and almond paste flavors together with striking transparency to stony and maritime mineral nuances.”
The average price nationally is $39
Was $49, Now $44 January Sale Special
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2016 375ML ($37.95)
Was $29, Now $26 January Sale Special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2016 Graacher Himmelreich Auslese (AP 09 17) shows very fine botrytis and orange tea character on the delicate and nicely concentrated nose. Very elegant, piquant and lush on the palate, with mineral expression, refreshment and persistent structure, this is a serious and complex Auslese of great class. Highly recommended.”
Wine Spectator 93 points “Well-crafted, showing a bright and suave character, displaying ripe peach, mango and mineral nuances, this auslese sings harmoniously on the palate. Silky and full of energy, with a lingering aftertaste of lime and honey. Very delicious now, but will also age for years. Drink now through 2034.”
The average price is $51
Was $31.90, Now $28 January Sale Special
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2016 1.5L ($89.95)
Was $77, Now $69 January Sale Special
Stuart Pigott – JamesSuckling.com 94 points “Still a little funky from the wild ferment, but there are also beautiful notes of floras and ripe white peaches. Very elegant and polished with a super vibrant finish that makes you reach out for the glass again. Drink or hold.”
Mosel Fine Wines 92 points “This delivers a beautiful nose of flowers, whipped cream, herbs, smoke, vineyard peach, and apricot blossom. The wine is delicate, light weighted and has good presence with ripe fruits including peach, pear and a touch of toffee on the palate. It develops quite some Spätlese presence and intensity in the hugely long finish.”
The average price is $36
Was $41.90, Now $36.60 January Sale Special
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2016 1.5L ($119.95)
Was $96, Now $89 January Sale Special
Stuart Pigott – JamesSuckling.com 95 points “Welcome to the heart of the Mosel! A great floral beauty with an extremely precise balance of delicate fruit sweetness and filigree acidity. Drink or hold.”
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2016 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spätlese (AP 23 17) is still discreet, floral and finely mineral rather than fruity on the nose compared to the other 2016 Spätlesen. Lush, piquant and juicy on the palate, this is a firm but sensual Sonnenuhr with remarkable finesse, lightness and lingering salinity. Tasted March 2018.”
The average price is $44
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2016 375ML ($79.95) Was $66, Now $59 January Sale Special
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2016 1.5L ($279.95) Was $249, Now $219 January Sale Special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2016 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese (Gold Capsule) is clear, fine and subtle yet concentrated, with vegetal and ripe fruit aromas. Rich, round and piquant, this is an intense and densely woven Auslese (AP 14 17) with a long, tensioned and refreshing mineral finish that lifts the sweet fruit. Gorgeous but made for another decade.”
Stuart Pigott – JamesSuckling.com 96 points “Super elegant and filigree with a delicacy that you don’t find in many other high-end white wines regardless of grape variety and region of origin. A very long and clean finish. Drink or hold.”
Wine Spectator 95 points “Lush and thick in texture, combining power and grace, with a firm backbone of acidity and mineral details. Stunning on the palate, featuring different nuances that keep emerging with each sip. Slate, apricot jam, flan, honeysuckle and kumquat fruit notes are the most prominent, leading to a long, mineral-laced finish. Drink now through 2040.”
Was $36, Now $33 January Sale Special
David Schildknecht – Vinous 93 points “Fresh apple garlanded in honeysuckle and heliotrope sets the tone for a generously juicy, subtly creamy palate seductively loaded with inner-mouth floral perfume and leading to an inhalative, delicate but seriously sustained finish vividly underlain with wet stone and tinged with bittersweet, smoky nut oils and mouthwatering salinity.”
Stuart Pigott – JamesSuckling.com 93 points “There are delicate spices and very attractive succulence to this Spätlese. The acidity is very much in the background until the finish lifts off. Drink or hold.”
The average price is $37
Case-12 Matello Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2014 750ML ($219.95) $189 special (that’s only $15.75/bottle!)
Matello Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2014 750ML ($24.95) $18 special
VinopolNote: Lots of whole cluster to balance out the warmth and richness of the year. 2014 power and fruit marries with spice and structure to produce a beautifully integrated bottle of Pinot Noir.
January Sale Wine!
Case-12 The Calling Dutton Ranch Chardonnay, Russian River Valley 2017 750ML ($319.95)
$199 January Sale Special (that’s only $16.58/bottle!)
The Calling Dutton Ranch Chardonnay, Russian River Valley 2017 750ML ($29.95)
$19 January Sale Special
Winery Note: Fruit for this vintage was sourced from several locations within Dutton Ranch’s Russian River Valley vineyards. Plots in the warmer end of the valley contributed ripe tropical elements, while those from cooler areas lent minerality and a structural backbone. Inviting notes of honeysuckle, white rose, lemon meringue and baked brioche on the nose. Balanced yet with crisp acidity on the palate with flavors of ripe Asian pear, melon and Meyer lemon with a lingering, elegant finish.
The next best price is $24.92
The average price is $27
Case-6 Famille Perrin Vinsobres Les Hauts de Julien, Rhone 2015 750ML ($299.95)
$219 special (that’s only $36.50/bottle!)
Famille Perrin Vinsobres Les Hauts de Julien, Rhone 2015 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Jeb Dunnuck 95 points “The 2015 Vinsobres Les Hauts De Julien comes from the Vinsobres region, which is a cooler terroir located in the northern part of the southern Rhône. Based largely on very old vine Syrah blended with Grenache, it offers a vibrant purple color as well as a sensational bouquet of blueberries, cracked pepper, violets, lavender, and exotic spices. Incredibly textured, full-bodied, deep, and opulent, with awesome purity of fruit, it’s another sensational vintage for this cuvée that would pass undetected in a blind lineup of top Cornas. Drink it anytime over the coming decade.”
The average price is $44
Case-6 Weingut Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Spatlese, Nahe 2016 750ML ($399.95) $259 special (that’s only $43.17/bottle!)
Weingut Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Spatlese, Nahe 2016 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Stuart Pigott – JamesSuckling.com 96 points “Another 2016 Spätlese from Dönnhoff that’s still a bit shy on the nose, but on the palate it’s like a huge glittering diamond with more facets flashing many colors. An extremely long super-mineral finish that is impeccably clean in spite of the generous grape sweetness in this masterpiece of elegance. Better from 2018 with decades of ageing potential. Made from organic grapes and Fair’n Green certified.”
David Schildknecht-Vinous 94 points “A fascinatingly multifaceted nose incorporates wet stone, leather and almond extract with more familiar white peach, quince and lime. A seductive aura of lily-like perfume hangs over this entire performance. The palate is palpably dense despite alcoholic levity, and subtly creamy while retaining animating primary juiciness. In common with its Brücke sibling, this leans more toward quince as it launches into a finish of honeyed richness – a function of nearly overripe but also nearly botrytis-free berries – yet retaining freshness as well as transparency to crystalline stony mineral nuances. “Under the right conditions,” observed Dönnhoff, “Hermannshöhle delivers something extra in the realm of sweetness, and for that you need cool nights that preserve slightly harder acidity” – which 2016 delivered in spades. Look for significantly more from this bottling after it’s had a decade or so in bottle.”
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2016 Nahe Riesling Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Spätlese is bright, fresh and coolish-piquant on the nose, with flinty and slightly reductive aromas. Lush and piquant on the palate, this is a generous, mouth-filling Spätlese with a long, piquant and spicy-mineral finish. The Hermannshöhle is more dense and rich on the palate, the Brücke more light, delicate and finessed.”
The average price nationally is $54
What’s the Most Overlooked Scott Paul Closeout?
With all of the Scott Paul wines to have come through the shop, it took some time to get around trying the Azana. This was the sole estate vineyard for Scott Paul – steep, and high altitude with massive southwestern exposure. This was the area of the Chelalem Mountain AVA that was washed out by the Missoula Floods bringing many different types of soil into play. While the vines are comparatively young, the fruit was impressive and made wines that might not be as complex as some of the others in the line up, but the potential was certainly there for these to continue evolving.
At first crack, the wine was a little quiet, but after a half hour or the aromas of bright cherry and raspberry lifted off. The 13 vintage was definitely one of the more elegant, and while there was plenty of pop to the wine the power was balanced. Even on the second day, the wine showed raciness and verve. This is a great wine to get into while waiting for your other Scott Paul purchases to come around.
Scott Paul Azana Pinot Noir, Chehelem Mountains 2013 750ML ($59.95) $24 special
Josh Raynolds 92 points “Brilliant red. Fresh red berries, cherry compote and a hint of blood orange on the highly perfumed nose and in the mouth. Juicy and lithe in character, with no rough edges; a suave floral pastille nuance emerges on the back half. Shows excellent clarity and spicy cut on the finish, which hangs on with strong, floral tenacity.”
Wine Spectator 92 points “Broad and spicy, open-textured and appealing, showing balletic balance and featuring black cherry, rose petal and white pepper character that glides into a long and inviting finish. Drink now through 2024. 141 cases made.”
The next best price is $33.24
Fourrier!
When young they’re among the most impressive wines in Burgundy and they improve with age, as well. We’ve always had a hard time keeping our hands off of the lower-tier wines in the first five years after the vintage, but stash a few bottles in your cellar and you’ll reap the rewards later. Fourrier works exclusively with old massale vineyards (anything from vines younger than 30 years is sold off) and that sort of soul really makes it into the bottle.
The kicker with Fourrier is that quantities have really started to dry up in the last three+ years. Prices have gone up correspondingly, but these are wines that are already starting to disappear from the marketplace. We’ve worked hard to acquire a number of wines across a few vintages—some in stock now, some arriving soon—and we’d highly suggest (nudge, nudge, wink, wink) that you take advantage of our sourcing prowess while you can.
Top Picks In Stock Now:
Domaine Fourrier Clos Saint-Jacques, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru 2016 750ML ($999.95) $599 special
William Kelley – Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2016 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Saint-Jacques is brilliant, unfurling in the glass with a multifaceted bouquet in which aromas of raspberries, orange rind and cassis mingle with nuances of peony, spice and subtle grilled meat. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, ample and pure, with a deep, multidimensional mid-palate that’s framed by satiny tannins and juicy acids, concluding with a long, fragrant finish. The exquisite textural elegance that Fourrier routinely achieves with this site does not conceal the wine’s underlying power and concentration.”
Domaine Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes, Cote de Nuits 2016 750ML
($119.95) $99 special
William Kelley – Wine Advocate 90 points “An attractive bouquet of plums, cassis and earthy forest floor introduces the 2016 Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes, a medium to full-bodied, ample and satiny wine, with melting tannins, tangy acids and good concentration, concluding with a long finish. Elegant and pure, it exemplifies Fourrier’s style.”
Domaine Fourrier Les Cherbaudes Vieilles Vignes, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru 2016 750ML ($279.95) $199 special
William Kelley – Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2016 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Cherbaudes is excellent, unfurling in the glass with a complex bouquet of dark chocolate, cassis, wild berries and plums. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a layered core of crunchy fruit, fine structuring tannins and a long, sapid finish. While this is very elegant in style this year, it has more than enough substance to evolve in bottle for two decades or more.”
William Kelley – Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2016 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Combe Aux Moines is exceptional, revealing a deep bouquet of cassis, dried flowers, Griotte cherries and rich forest floor. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, very concentrated and satiny, with amazing energy and structural tension that evoke the 2010 vintage, concluding with a long, mineral finish. While the wine’s elegance makes it deceptively drinkable today, the real excitement will come after the best part of a decade in bottle.”
Top Picks Arriving Late January:
Jean-Marie Fourrier Chambertin Clos-de-Beze Grand Cru Vieilles Vignes, Cote de Nuits 2015 750ML ($699.95) $599 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer-Vinous 93-95 points “Moderately saturated medium red. High-pitched perfume of raspberry and crushed rock. Savory and sharply delineated, conveying strong soil character to its flavors of raspberry, minerals and rose petal. Still tight but not austere, this compellingly juicy wine finishes brisk and very long. This will need time in bottle to open and blossom. These vines are located just above Fourrier’s Cherbaudes holding.”
Burghound 92-95 points “Discreet wood does not interfere with the clear expression of the wonderfully spicy red currant, black cherry and softly earthy-scented nose. There is much more refinement to the powerful, intense and moderately dense flavors that delivers excellent complexity and outstanding length. A wine of class and grace.”
Antonio Galloni 96 points “The 2008 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos St. Jacques engages all of the senses with its cool, mineral-laced fruit and expressive bouquet. This shows marvelous tension and energy, not to mention fabulous overall balance. It could not be more different in style than the 2009 tasted alongside it. Both are fabulous, though. The 2008 is one of the more backward wines of the vintage and will require considerable patience.”
Jean-Marie Fourrier Chambertin Grand Cru Vieille Vigne, Cote de Nuits 2015 750ML ($779.95) $679 pre-arrival special
Neal Martin-Wine Advocate 94-96 points “The 2015 Chambertin Grand Cru has a beautifully defined bouquet with black cherries, crushed strawberry, bergamot and rose petal scents, the mineralité surfacing with a few swirls of the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red berry fruit, gentle grip, fine structure with impressive density on the finish. The elegance will come later, with bottle age.”
Stephen Tanzer-Vinous 94-96 points “(made from even smaller berries than the Clos de Bèze, according to Fourrier; this fruit was picked on September 20; just one new barrel out of four): Deep red. Wild, soil-driven scents of raspberry, minerals, spices and game. Boasts outstanding richness and depth of texture without heaviness, although some unabsorbed CO2 is muting the wine’s fruit today. Most impressive today on the spicy, building finish, which features utterly noble tannins and pronounced terroir character. “The magic of 2015 was the way the vines were able to maintain their plateau of ripeness for two weeks,” noted Fourrier.”
Burghound 93-95 points “Don’t miss! A prominently less spicy but even more complex nose displays admirable purity on the cool, dense and restrained array of various black berry fruit, earth, forest floor and a hint of the sauvage. The more mineral-driven and overtly powerful big-bodied flavors possess even better energy if less refinement on the hugely long, serious and built-to-age finale. This will absolutely require at least a decade of bottle age and reward double that.”
Stephen Tanzer-Vinous 94 points “Healthy medium red. Sexy, complex aromas of strawberry, crushed stone and rose petal convey a captivating combe coolness. Wonderfully concentrated and bright, combining classic 2014 salty minerality with superb fruit intensity. Boasts the kind of restrained generosity of fruit that reminds me of the ’99s in the early going. A compelling, saline vin de terroir but not a powerhouse. The long, rising finish features very suave tannins.”
Wine Advocate 93 points “Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2014 tasting, Jean-Marie Fourrier’s 2014 Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St Jacques (labelled with “Vieilles Vignes”) has a very pure bouquet, almost coulis-like fruit, dark cherries intermingling with blueberry and light marmalade scents. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine line of acidity, quite sensual in the mouth with good depth on the finish. Perhaps what it is missing is that peacock’s tail—it sort of ends in the wrong key. There is great potential here though not best in the (Clos Saint-Jacques) show this year. Like a television with its contrast turned up a bit too high when compared to its peers. Tasted September 2017.”
Burghound 92-94 points “Sweet Spot Outstanding. This is at once cooler and more elegant with its airy assortment of pure red and blue pinot fruit, floral, spice, earth and tea scents. There is fine intensity and excellent delineation to the pungently mineral-inflected and refined medium weight flavors where the sense of refinement is enhanced by the super fine-grained tannins, all wrapped in an explosively long and perfectly balanced finale. In a word, marvelous.”
Check out the list below or click here for all the wines in our web store.
Mugneret-Gibourg has gone from an under the radar, insider’s pick in Burgundy to a blue chip, collectible estate in less than two decades. That’s a testament to the quality of the wines and, in turn, to the quality of the holdings of the family. Blessed with exceptionally old, massale selection vines in some of the premier vineyards in Burgundy, these are some of the most pure expressions of Pinot on the planet.
In Stock Now:
Domaine Mugneret-Gibourg Les Feusselottes, Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru 2009 750ML ($399.95) $299 special
Antonio Galloni 92+ points “The 2009 Chambolle-Musigny Les Feusselottes is oddly enough much more typical of this wine than the 2010 tasted alongside it. The Feusselottes is quite closed, though. With time in the glass some of the red fruit and flowers begin to emerge, but the 2009 remains somewhat shut down. It shows lovely textural richness and depth all the way through to the layered, sexy finish.”
The next best price is $459
($559.95) $479 special
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2008 Echézeaux is flat-out great. It is a deep, dark wine graced with exquisite balance, lovely inner perfume and a layered, eternal finish. Here the slightly higher percentage of new oak (70%) gives the wine an additional measure of volume. The Echézeaux is made from two parcels; Les Rouges du Bas (just in front of Clos Vougeot) and Les Quartiers de Nuits (next to Clos Vougeot) vinified together. Everything of the Echézeaux is first-class.”
Stephen Tanzer 89 points “Good ruby-red. Blackberry, violet, minerals and graphite on the nose. Very full on the palate, with compelling sweetness and a slightly exotic character. Finishes with a note of roasted oak and a slight raisiny nuance. Less floral than it appeared to be a year ago from barrel. The Mugnerets began the harvest with this vineyard, picking on August 25, the last day before the very warm temperatures moderated.”
Domaine Mugneret-Gibourg Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2002 750ML ($799.95) $699 special
Stephen Tanzer 93 points “This was made solely from the estate’s old vines; the recently replanted portion of the Mugnerets’ holding will not go into this cuvee for at least a few more years): Medium red. Knockout nose combines red berries, smoke, game and red licorice. Silky-sweet and seductive, with lovely subtle intensity of flavor. Velvety but not at all weighty, in the manner of the best Burgundies. Finishes with superb building sweetness and wonderfully subtle, persistent soil tones.”
The next best price is $749
Domaine Mugneret-Gibourg Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2005 750ML ($999.95) $889 special
Stephen Tanzer 93+ points “Good medium red; seemed to deepen in color with air. Claret-like aromas of smoky redcurrant, graphite and flowers. Silky on entry, then sweet, spicy and floral in the middle, with lovely lift for the vintage. Finishes with substantial tannins and a lingering perfume of rose petal. The Mugneret ’05s, not surprisingly, manage to avoid the superripe, almost southern Rhone-like aromas of some wines from this vintage.”
Just click here to view the whole list on our website.
