Vinopolis Weekend Edition – May 9th

Saturday, May 9th, 2015

Clos Des Papes – My, My, Meiomi – Cantalupo’s Ghemme – Hot Off the PDF New Reviews for Gouges & Keller – Best Prices from Around the World – Brunier White Chateauneuf for a Steal – 2011 Cru Barolos from Vietti Arriving Soon
Flash Sale

Paul Avril Clos des Papes Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2012 750ML ($149.95) Was $125, Now $88, 36+ bottles available
Wine Spectator 97 points –#7 Top 100 2014–“A stunner, with a gorgeous cassis aroma that soars from the glass, reinforced by a core of cassis, cherry and plum pâte de fruit, hoisin sauce, warm ganache and well-roasted apple wood notes. Hefty, but suave and seamless. The finish lets graphite and licorice elements glide through. The structure is dense, polished and perfectly integrated, resulting in lovely length. Should be a beauty after cellaring. Best from 2017 through 2032.” WS

Wine Advocate 95-98 points “Tasted from multiple foudres, the 2012 Chateauneuf du Pape is stunning! Showing surprising depth and concentration in the vintage, with full-bodied richness and texture, all of the samples showed perfumed, complex aromatics, fantastic mid-palates and serious back-end structure. Less forward than the 2011, with plenty of oomph, it will most likely require short-term cellaring to come around, and have a broad drink window.” WA

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $132
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Oh – Me – O – My – Meiomi
New Review

Belle Glos ‘Meiomi’ Pinot Noir 2013 750ML ($21.95) $19 special, 36+ bottles available
Wine Spectator 92 points “Offers an exciting interplay of berry, oak, earth and spice notes. This is rich yet medium-weight, with subtle edges to the blueberry, raspberry, mocha and fresh-turned earth flavors, ending with a tasty melted black licorice aftertaste. Drink now through 2020. 317,592 cases made.” JL

Recommended pairing:

Belle Glos ‘Meiomi’ Chardonnay 2013 750ML ($21.95) $19 special, 36+ bottles available
Wine Spectator 90 points “Showcases rich tropical fruit, with dashes of mango, marmalade and honeyed citrus that coat the palate while remaining elegant and delicate. A noteworthy achievement. Drink now through 2017.” WS
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Barolo’s Older Brother: Ghemme
Antichi Vigneti di Cantalupo

Cantalupo vineyardGhemme is a sub-region of Piedmont’s north-west, in the Colli Novaresi area. The first grape growers in the region were a Celtic tribe called the Agamicans Zuruck. Ghemme was granted DOC status in 1969 and DOCG status in 1997. Today, it is composed of 85 hectares of vineyards along hillsides in the Province of Novara. The climate is continental.

The Antichi Vigneti di Cantalupo is owned by the Arlunno family. The family has owned vineyards in the area for several centuries, though only recently formed the winery. The estate has over 100 hectares of vineyard land on morainic, alluvial hills formed as the Monte Rosa glacier receded. The vineyards are between 250 and 300 meters above sea level facing south, south-east. The soils are rich in minerals from the decaying rocks left by the glacier. The family grows mostly Nebbiolo (known locally as Spanna) but also grows Arneis, Chardonnay and the native varieties of Vespolina, Uva Rara and Greco. Vineyard maintenance is done by hand, and grapes are hand-harvested based on ripeness of each plot.

The wines are aged for a minimum of 20 months in traditional Slavonian oak barrels and small French oak casks and 9 months in bottle. This takes place in the terraced wine cellar cut into the hillsides.

Antichi Vigneti di Cantalupo Arriving July 2015

Cantalupo wineryAntichi Vigneti di Cantalupo Agamium Colline Novaresi Nebbiolo 2008 750ML ($21.95) $18 pre-arrival special
VinopolNote: From the vineyards of Carella, Baraggiola and Valera.

Antichi Vigneti di Cantalupo Ghemme Anno Primo 2008 750ML ($39.95) $33 pre-arrival special
100% Nebbiolo

Antichi Vigneti di Cantalupo Collis Carellae, Ghemme DOCG 2008 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Winery note “Nebbiolo from a selection of the more mature grapes from the Carella vineyard better exposed to the sun. The soil is very rich in minerals thanks to the considerable crumbling of the rocks due to the age of the moraine.”

Antichi Vigneti di Cantalupo Collis Breclemae, Ghemme DOCG 2007 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Winery note “Nebbiolo from a selection of the more mature grapes from the slope of the Breclema vineyard exposed to the sun. The soil is very rich in minerals thanks to the considerable crumbling of the rocks due to the age of the moraine.”
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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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Hot off the PDF, Part 1

New Reviews from John Gilman

Domaine Henri Gouges

Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges 2010 750ML ($69.95) $44 special, 5 bottles available
John Gilman 91+ points “The 2010 Nuits St. Georges AC from the Gouges family is a superb villages that perfectly synthesizes the inherent elegance of this vintage with the depth and cellar potential of classic Nuits. The wine, at age five is still a tad youthfully reductive on the nose and needed fifteen to twenty minutes in decanter to start to stir, but once it begins to open, it offers up an excellent bouquet of cherries, pomegranate, a touch of walnut, a lovely signature of soil, woodsmoke and a dollop of saddle leather in the upper register. On the palate the wine is deep, fullish and beautifully refined in structure, with a fine core of fruit, moderate and perfectly integrated tannins and excellent length and grip on the tangy and very transparent finish. A dynamite village wine in the making, the 2010 Domaine Gouges AC is certainly approachable today with some time in decanter, but I would be inclined to give it at least another three or four years of bottle age to really let it reach its plateau. It should have no difficulty cruising along another twenty-five years or more once it really begins to drink well. 2018-2040+.” JG

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $54

Domaine Henri Gouges Les Chenes Carteaux, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2010 750ML ($89.95) $69 special, 20 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 Chaignots, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2010 750ML ($89.95) $69 special, 24 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!
The next best price is $79

Domaine Henri Gouges Les Pruliers, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 8 bottles available
John Gilman 94 points “Out of bottle, the 2012 les Pruliers is even more beautiful than it was out of cask and is clearly destined to be one of the finest vintages of this cuvée chez Gouges in the last quarter century. The nose is currently quite reserved, but deep and extremely promising in its mélange of cassis, black cherries, dark soil tones, French roast, venison and woodsmoke. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and rock solid at the core, with excellent focus and balance, impressive, nascent complexity, ripe, seamless tannins and a very, very long, soil-driven and quite refined (particularly for young Pruliers!) finish. All this outstanding wine needs is time in the cellar. 2012-2060+.” JG
Antonio Galloni 93-96 points “Gouge’s 2012 Nuits St. Georges Les Pruliers is less immediate than some of the other wines in the range. Here it is the crystalline purity of the aromas and flavors that stands out most. Violets, plums, licorice, sweet spices and tar are all woven together in a wine that shows the finesse Nuits can at times achieve. The tannins are firm yet also impeccable in their silkiness. Structurally quite classic, the 2012 will reward cellaring.” AG

Domaine Henri Gouges Les Saint-Georges, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($219.95) $199 special, 8 bottles available
John Gilman 96 points “The 2012 Les St. Georges from the Gouges family is a great, great wine in the making and is likely to vie with the stellar 2010 version as one of the finest recent vintages of this wine in many decades. The deep, pure and youthfully complex nose soars from the glass in a blaze of black cherries, cassis, dark and complex soil tones, incipient notes of the pigeon to come, woodsmoke, espresso and a touch of violet in the upper register. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and rock solid at the core, with stellar soil signature, laser-like focus, suave, ripe tannins and a very long, primary and oh, so promising finish. This is simply a perfectly balanced young vintage of Les St. Georges and will be a legend in the fullness of time! 2024-2075.” JG
Antonio Galloni 95-97+ points “A dark, brooding wine, the 2012 Nuits St. Georges Les Saint-Georges boasts stunning depth, power and richness. Smoke, black fruit, tar, tobacco, licorice and menthol all take shape in the glass. The 2012 is classic Saint Georges; explosive, tannic and built for the long haul. Cloves, menthol, licorice and plums reappear on the huge, enveloping finish. Readers who can find the 2012 should not hesitate. It is a gem of a wine.” AG

Hot off the PDF, Part 2

New Reviews from John Gilman

Weingut Keller

First, an introduction by John Gilman: “Klaus-Peter felt that “we were very luck in 2014, as we had a lot less rain at harvest than other regions and there is no question that we have had the best weather to end the growing season in this year…” Weingut Keller’s 2014ers stand at the very summit of what was possible in this vintage. Due to the far better weather at harvest time here, Klaus-Peter was able to select carefully in the vineyards over the course of the four weeks that he spent picking, and there was not the same attendant pressure to bring in the bunches before the grey rot started, as the vineyards were not wet. There was still the uncharacteristically warm temperatures to deal with in October, but without the rain, it was possible to select carefully and pick parcels at optimal ripeness for a wide range of both dry and Prädikat wines, and Klaus-Peter Keller has produced a stellar range in 2014. As is customary for my visits here, we started our tasting with the previous vintage’s pinot noir bottlings (which are absolutely stunning) and then tackled a magnificent lineup of white wines, moving from dry bottlings from grapes other than Riesling, up through the range of brilliant dry Rieslings and culminating with a fine group of noble sweet wines. Across the board the 2014ers from Weingut Keller are stunning and this is a great, great vintage here.”

Arriving May 2015
Weingut Keller Gruner Silvaner Trocken, Rheinhessen 2014 750ML ($24.95) $19 pre-arrival special
John Gilman 89+ points “The Grüner Silvaner Trocken from Weingut Keller is produced from thirty-seven year old vines, which struggled with their flowering in 2014 and the crop was very short. The wine has half a gram of residual sugar and 6.5 grams of acidity and is really very refined this year, as it offers up a lovely bouquet of white cherries, grapefruit, wild yeasts, stony soil tones and a topnote of dried flowers. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and nascently complex, with a lovely core, ripe acids and fine length and grip on the finish. As I have noted in the past, most of the winery’s local clients gobble this lovely wine up as soon as it is released, as it is a Hügelland favorite with white asparagus. 2015-2025.”

Weingut Keller ‘Von der Fels Riesling’ Trocken, Rheinhessen 2014 750ML ($39.95) $33 pre-arrival special
John Gilman 92+ points “Year in and year out, I am a huge fan of the von der Fels bottling and the 2014 vintage is another outstanding wine in the making. This is a touch fuller than the straight Riesling Trocken, coming in at twelve percent alcohol, and perhaps a bit more ageworthy as well. The excellent nose wafts from the glass in a mix of pink grapefruit, tangerine, petrol, a stunningly complex base of minerality, lemongrass and a topnote of orange peel. On the palate the wine is fullbodied, pure and very much defined by its complex soil tones, with a rock solid core, outstanding focus and grip and a very long, youthful and bouncy finish. This is still very early days for this outstanding wine, which is the same quality level of a lot of top estates Grosses Gewächs bottlings. 2019-2040.” JG

Arriving November 2015
Weingut Keller Dalsheimer Hubacker Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Rheinhessen 2014 750ML ($99.95) $79 pre-arrival special
John Gilman 94+ points “The 2014 Hubacker Grosses Gewächs is also brilliantly refined this year, as the inherent elegance of the vintage in the Hügelland has dovetailed beautifully with the style of this wine. This bottling can often be a touch more “broad-shouldered” out of the blocks than the other Grosses Gewächs in the Keller portfolio, but not this year, as it shares the same great elegance of the entire range. The outstanding bouquet really shows its yellow limestone signature, as it delivers scents of apple, tangerine, gentle notes of petrol, wild yeasts, orange peel, lovely smokiness and a gorgeously complex base of limestone minerality. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, pure and complex, with a fine core, vibrant acids and excellent focus and grip on the long, zesty and utterly seamless finish. A glorious Hubacker to celebrate its 225th anniversary! 2022-2060.” JG

Weingut Keller Westhofener Kirchspiel Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Rheinhessen 2014 750ML ($99.95) $79 pre-arrival special
John Gilman 94+ points “The 2014 GG from the Kirchspiel is a great wine in the making, but I would want to allow this perfectly balanced and youthful wine to rest comfortably in the cellar for at least the next seven years before I start to drink it, as it has a ton to offer behind its suave, but serious structural elements. The stunning nose offers up a constellation of grapefruit, a touch of tart orange, wild yeasts, dried flowers, lime zest and a refined base of stony limestone minerality. On the palate the wine is deep, fullish and very pure and tightly-knit, with outstanding mid-palate depth, great cut and focus, impeccable balance and a very long, elegant and laser-like finish. At 12.5 percent alcohol, this is a touch lower in octane than many other recent top vintages, but this has just added to its refinement. A beautiful vintage of Kirchspiel. 2022-2060.” JG

Arriving April 2016
Weingut Keller Westhofener Brunnenhauschen Abts Erde Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Rheinhessen 2014 750ML ($149.95) $109 pre-arrival special
John Gilman 97 points “The 2014 Abtserde is also brilliant utterly seamless on the palate. The magical and still quite youthful nose delivers a complex blend of apple, grapefruit, lemon zest, a very refined base of chalky minerality, a touch of wild yeasts and a topnote of dried flowers. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and elegant, with great purity at the core, stunning transparency and brilliant length and grip on the focused and dancing finish. The acids here are ripe and the slightly lower octane found in the Keller GGs across the board in 2014 only seems to enhance the inherent elegance of this great young wine. 2025-2065+.” JG

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Around the World – Best Buys
Below is a cross-section of the many wines we offer for the lowest price in the country

OREGON
Erath Estate Selection Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2012 ($37.95) $24 special, 27 bottles available
Case-12 Erath Estate Selection Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2012 ($419.95) $259 case price special, 1 case available, (that’s only $21.58/btl!)
Stephen Tanzer 89 points “Ruby-red. Pungent aromas of dark berry, cola and vanilla show good depth, with allspice and fresh rose notes providing lift. Supple and open-knit, offering sweet blackberry and cherry-cola flavors that spread out on the mid-palate. Closes smooth and subtly spicy, with velvety tannins building slowly and framing the sweet dark fruit notes.” ST

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $32/bottle
CALIFORNIA
Sbragia Family Vineyards Andolsen Cabernet Sauvignon, Dry Creek Valley 2010 750ML ($39.95) $27 special, 16 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 92 points “The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Andolsen Vineyard is utterly impeccable from start to finish. Firm mountain tannins provide the backdrop as this expressive, powerful wine gradually reveals its personality. Iron, tobacco and licorice notes dominate, while the fruit takes a little longer to become evident. With time in the glass, the wine gets better and better, as sweet floral notes and an attractive upper register opens up. Still, this remains a fairly bold, muscular Cabernet Sauvignon that could use another handful of years in the cellar. The 2010 is 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc from a parcel in Dry Creek owned by the Sbragias’ family doctor. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2030.” AG

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $29.99
The average price is $33
FRANCE-CHAMPAGNE
Guy Charlemagne Blanc de Blanc Grand Cru Reserve Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 36+ bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 91 points “(made with fruit from the Cote de Blancs, mostly from Mesnil-sur-Oger; LRGC11): Light yellow. Vibrant lemon, orange zest, jasmine and mineral scents are complemented by deeper notes of anise and buttered toast. Spreads out nicely on the palate, offering lively citrus and orchard fruit flavors and a touch of bitter quinine. Closes smooth and long, with echoing minerality and a touch of bitter pear skin. There’s very good depth here, as well as verve.” ST

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $46

Moet & Chandon Dom Perignon P2 Plenitude Brut, Champagne 1998 750ML ($399.95) $299 special, 4 bottles available
Wine Spectator 98 points “Offers precision and finely detailed form, powered by an expansive palate of flavor. The layers of ripe crushed blackberry and glazed apricot fruit complement the saline-tinged minerality and oyster shell notes, graced by hints of pastry, honeycomb and exotic spice. Mouthwatering and persistent on the zesty finish. Drink now through 2030.” WS
James Suckling 97 points “A P2 release indicating it has been matured to the 2nd Plenitude, the middle stage of Dom Perignon’s three-phase life as defined by Richard Geoffroy. This is a wine with some real tension between complexity and freshness that makes for incredibly engaging drinking. The nose offers up a little white peppery edge from the pinot; oyster shell saline freshness, red florals, sweet smelling woody spices and brioche, spiced biscuits and subtle roasted coffee notes – impressively complex. The phenolics register on the palate as a discreetly mineral, saline character, there’s sorbet-like texture through the middle before finishing with comet-like line and length.” JS

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $382

Deutz Brut Rose, Champagne NV 750ML ($59.95) $41.90 special, 36+ bottles available
Antonio Galloni 91 points “The NV Brut Rosé is fabulous. A sweet, open bouquet leads to expressive fruit in this rich, textured wine. The Deutz Rosé is a serious wine that can be enjoyed as an aperitif, but it also has more than enough power in reserve to drink well at the dinner table. Floral notes reappear to round out the finish. The blend is 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay. This is Lot LA111D31410. — Antonio Galloni”
Wine Spectator 91 points “Firm and fresh, this is lightly chalky in texture, displaying a delicate mesh of white cherry, wild strawberry and white peach fruit, with notes of ground ginger, smoke and blanched almond. Elegant, with a lasting finish. Drink now through 2018.”WS

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $48.95
FRANCE-BURGUNDY
Domaine Servin Chablis Premiere Cuvee Les Pargues 2013 750ML ($29.95) $19 special, 3+ cases available
Antonio Galloni “Servin’s 2013 Chablis Les Pargues presents attractive smoke and slate nuances, along with yellow orchard fruit, mint and spices. There is plenty to admire in this subtle, nicely layered village-level Chablis.” AG

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $23
FRANCE-RHONE
Vignobles Brunier Domaine Les Pallieres Gigondas Terrasses du Diable 2010 750ML ($49.95) Was $36, Now $33, 36+ bottles available
Case-12 Vignobles Brunier Domaine Les Pallieres Gigondas Terrasses du Diable 2010 750ML ($479.95) Was $399, Now $359, 4 cases available (that’s only $29.92/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 93 points “Slightly superior, revealing more minerality and a subtle, incremental building of flavor intensity, the 2010 Gigondas Terrasse du Diable offers lots of black raspberry, kirsch and floral characteristics along with an undeniable crushed rock minerality. Medium to full-bodied and elegant as well as impressively built, rich, pure and beautifully balanced, it can be enjoyed now and over the next 15 years.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $46

Vignobles Brunier Domaine Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Crau 2012 750ML ($89.95) $59 special, 36+ bottles available
Case-12 Vignobles Brunier Domaine Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Crau 2012 750ML ($899.95) $679 special, 5 cases available (that’s only $56.58/bottle!)
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.” WS
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 $82
ITALY-PIEDMONT
Cantina del Pino Albesani, Barbaresco DOCG 2009 750ML ($59.95) $45 special, 14 bottles available
Wine Spectator 93 points “The picture of harmony, this red exudes cherry and floral aromas, with plenty of berry, tobacco and balsamic flavors. Balanced and firm, with a lingering aftertaste of spice and mineral. Accessible now, yet will improve. Best from 2014 through 2025” WS

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $48.76
The average price is $55

Elvio Cogno Barolo Ravera, Barolo DOCG 2007 750ML ($59.95) $44 special, 13 bottles available
Wine Advocate 93+ points “The 2007 Barolo Ravera shows marvelous depth and richness, but is not hugely different from the Cascina Nuova, perhaps because the vintage has such a strong influence in both wines. It is a big, muscular Barolo endowed with layers of dark fruit, mocha, leather, licorice and smoke. A large, scaled dramatic finish rounds out this compelling, totally delicious Barolo. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025.”WA

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $47.99
ITALY-TUSCANY
Jacopo Biondi-Santi Castello di Montepo ‘Sassoalloro’ Toscana IGT 2009 750ML ($39.95) $26.60 special, 31 bottles available
Case-12 Jacopo Biondi-Santi Castello di Montepo ‘Sassoalloro’ Toscana IGT 2009 750ML ($399.95) $289 special, 1 case available (that’s only $24.08/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 91 points “A landmark wine in the landscape of Italian enology, the 2009 Sassoalloro is a pure expression of the special Sangiovese Grosso clone BBS11 that the Biondi Santi family has safeguarded in the Tuscan territories of Montalcino and Scansano respectively. The 2009 vintage still needs time to flesh out and find its footing. Red rose, dried blackberry, moist clay and button mushroom all make subtle appearances on the feminine bouquet. Firm structure is present to carry this wine forward over the years. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2022. ” WA

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $34.94

Biondi Santi Tenuta Greppo Annata, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2008 750ML ($189.95) $119 special, 15 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 92 points “The 2008 Brunello di Montalcino Annata is quite pretty in this vintage. It displays a classic profile of underbrush, tobacco, smoke, licorice and black cherries. The tannins are firm but nicely balanced. I expect the 2008 will drink well with minimum cellaring. It is one of the more open Brunellos I can remember tasting here. Still, there is plenty of Biondi Santi kick in the wine’s acidity and tannin profile.” AG

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $181
ITALY-OTHER
Nino Negri Le Tense, Valtellina Superiore Sassella DOCG 2010 750ML ($37.95) $28 special, 22 bottles available
Wine Spectator 91 points “The dried fig and strawberry fruit notes are set with plush tannins and juicy acidity in this expressive red, as well as accents of rose hip, dried marjoram and graphite. Shows lovely balance, with good intensity on the finish. Drink now through 2027.” WS

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $33
SPAIN
Bodegas Campillo Reserva Selecta, Rioja DOCa 2001 750ML ($37.95) $24 special, 36+ bottles available
Wine Advocate 91+ points “The 2001 Reserva Selecta is 100% Tempranillo also aged for 24 months in oak. It offers a similar personality but with more succulent fruit. Give it another 3-4 years of cellaring and drink it from 2013 to 2026.” WA
Stephen Tanzer 90 points “Deep red. Smoky cherry-vanilla and candied dark berry aromas are underscored by baking spices and cured tobacco. Fleshy and sweet, with the cherry and vanilla flavors repeating. The supple tannins gain strength on the finish but the fruit seems capable of keeping pace. This is concentrated enough to suggest some ageability, but it’s pretty seductive right now.” JR

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $30.97

Bodegas Emilio Moro Malleolus, Ribera del Duero 2009 750ML ($49.95) $36 special, 25 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 93 points “Opaque purple. A heady, complex bouquet evokes blackberry and blackcurrant liqueur, with suave oak spice and potpourri elements. Sweet, broad and pliant, the intense dark fruit flavors showing great power, richness and depth. Very young but flat-out seductive, finishing on a sweet, sappy note of candied dark fruits, with lush, harmonious tannins.”ST

Bodegas Tradicion VORS 30 Years Old Palo Cortado Sherry, Andalucia ($109.95) $89 special, 6 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94 points “The NV Palo Cortado Tradición VORS, averages 32 years of age, which they consider the correct age for Palo Cortado, so it is not just an old Sherry. Light amber-colored, the nose has a sweet sensation, apricots, and almonds but then the mouth is very dry and saline, fine and light, with flavors of hazelnut, a little varnish, very elegant, intense, pungent, a little spirity. It has a delineated palate, superb intensity, and very long finish. Classical, elegant, clean, intense and delicate could be common descriptors for all their wines. A textbook Palo Cortado. Drink 2013-2019.” WA

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $94.74
The average price is $116
GERMANY
Weingut Keller Riesling Trocken, Rheinhessen 2012 750ML ($21.95) $17 special, 24 bottles available
John Gilman 90 points “The 2012 Keller Riesling Trocken is a superb follow-up to the lovely 2011er, with perhaps even a touch greater precision and complexity. The deep and very classy nose offers up scents of tart orange, pink grapefruit, petrol, a complex base of limestone minerality and a topnote of orange zest. On the palate the wine is deep, fullish, pure and dancing, with a great core, excellent focus and grip and a very long, complex finish. This is just a stunning value! 2014-2030+.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $19.96

Schlossgut Diel Dorsheimer Burgberg Riesling Spatlese, Nahe 2004 750ML($69.95) $54.50 special, 21 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 92 points “Resplendent aromas of papaya, pineapple and oyster shell. Dense but juicy, with a finely spiced acidity that seizes one’s palate. Finishes with impressive concentration and length. One of the finest spatleses of the vintage.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
ARGENTINA
Bodega Rio Elorza Verum Chardonnay Patagonia 2012 750ML ($19.95) $10.90 special, 3+ cases available
Case-12 Bodega Rio Elorza Verum Chardonnay Patagonia 2012 750ML ($199.95) $99 special, 3 cases available (that’s only $8.25 / bottle!)
Stephen Tanzer and Wine Advocate 88 points “Bright pale yellow. Slightly liqueur-like tropical fruits dominate the nose. Bright, subtle stone fruit flavors are lifted by flowers and complicated by a touch of vanillin oak. Supple, pliant, moderately concentrated chardonnay with understated stone fruit flavors and a slightly edgy finish.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $17.56
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Flush Sale
Arriving Thursday, May 15th

Vignobles Brunier Domaine La Roquete Chateauneuf-du-Pape Clos La Roquete Blanc 2013 750ML ($47.95) $34.80 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Vignobles Brunier Domaine La Roquete Chateauneuf-du-Pape Clos La Roquete Blanc 2013 750ML ($449.95) $376 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 94 points “Rich, racy and very pure, with a gorgeous medley of yellow apple, star fruit, fennel, white peach, honeysuckle and wet stone notes that all ripple through the bright, mouthwatering finish. Long and well-cut. Drink now through 2020.”JM
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $38.99
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2011 Vietti Cru Barolos

Limited Supplies Arriving May 29th

Vietti Lazzarito, Barolo DOCG ($149.95) $125 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2011 Barolo Lazzarito is fabulous in this vintage. Rich, ample and structured, the 2011 is both opulent and savory in style. Iron, plums, dark red cherries, smoke, licorice and tobacco meld together in a remarkably harmonious young Serralunga Barolo. This is the first year the Vietti Lazzarito includes a second recently acquired parcel, which may be one of the factors that influences quality, but at the same time, the Lazzarito has been the most improved Barolo in the range. All the elements come together in the 2011, a wine that has it all. This is a great showing from the Lazzarito. Best of all, readers won’t have to wait forever to enjoy this beautiful, pedigreed Barolo.”AG

Vietti Brunate, Barolo DOCG ($149.95) $125 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 93+ points “A dark, exotic Barolo, the 2011 Brunate boasts tons of density and volume. Black cherry, plum, spice, licorice, new leather and menthol are some of the many nuances that flesh out in the glass. Ultimately, though, the 2011 is largely defined by the texture and amplitude of the year. Brunate is often slow out of the gate, so I will not be surprised if that is the case here as well. Ideally, readers should plan on giving the 2011 at least a few years in bottle to fully come together.”AG

Vietti Ravera, Barolo DOCG ($149.95) $129 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 96 points “The 2011 Barolo Ravera is once again the most vibrant and nuanced of the Vietti Barolos. Freshly cut flowers, crushed rocks, mint and bright red stone fruits are all shaped by a very classic sense of mineral-inflected drive that is such a Ravera signature. The 2011 is a more than worthy follow up to the epic 2010. It’s great to see this high-altitude district in Novello finally getting its due.”AG

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