Weekend VinopolPick 1-11-19

In Today’s Newsletter:

Must Own, Classical Barolo

The Hottest Name in Riesling: A US Exclusive

Affordable Hermitage? A Fairy Tale Come True’

One of the Finest ’16 Burgundies

January Sale Roundup

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Must Own, Classical Barolo

Borgogno Delivers Age-Worthy Beauties for the Collector

“To be stubborn means not easily abandoning one’s ideas. Even today, after 250 years, wines are made in full respect of tradition: without the use of chemical additives in the vineyards and with spontaneous fermentations in concrete tanks and aging in large Slavonian oak casks in the cellar.”Borgogno

Looking for über-traditional, back vintage Barolo at outstanding prices? The answer to that question is of course yes.  We’re offering some wines from Borgogno today at prices that are absolute steals—up to $20 per bottle less than our closest competitors.  These are outstanding wines, from the classical/excellent 2008 vintage and from some of the best vineyards in Barolo, Cannubi and Liste.

Borgogno remains one of the most resolutely old-school producers of Barolo, with long macerations and extending aging in old Slovenian-oak botti, the traditional cask of the region.  The wines are classically structured and seem to demand age—luckily these already have a decade+ on them.  The 2008 vintage in Barolo was rated at 96 points by Antonio Galloni, who described the wines as having “extraordinary aromatic lift and silkiness.” He describes the vintage, writ large, as “[an] especially Burgundian vintage of deceptively mid-weight Barolos that seem to get better with each tasting…. 2008 remains a true insiders’ vintage.”

In short, this pair of Barolos represents an outstanding opportunity for lovers of great, classical wines.  The Cannubi is, of course, a legendary vineyard though the Liste may be the shrewder opportunity for the pricing.  Both the wines are energetic, powerful wines with long lives ahead of them and exceptional complexity.  As you might expect of these back-vintage offerings, we have limited stock on both of these cru wines so once they’re gone, they’re gone forever.

In Stock Now:

Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Cannubi, Barolo DOCG 2008 750ML ($179.95) $119 special, 9 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 96 points “A dense, chewy wine with plum and dried fruit character. Lots of mineral, sandy and balsamic character. Full body, ripe tannins and a flavourful finish. Structured and rich. Serious Cannubi. Needs at least three or four years of bottle age.” JS
Antonio Galloni 94 points “Violets, tar, smoke, rose petals, spices and dark fruit are some of the many notes that emerge from the 2008 Barolo Cannubi. An intense, dramatic wine for the year, the 2008 boasts layered fruit and equally thrilling structure, even if at times it is a bit rustic. This is a decidedly burly wine from Cannubi, a vineyard mostly associated with finesse. It will be interesting to see how things come together in bottle. Today, it is the wine’s striking inner perfume that makes me most hopeful for the future.” AG

This is the only listing in the USA today!
The average price across all vintages is $137
Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barolo Vigna Liste, Barolo DOCG 2008 750ML ($119.95) $79 special, 27 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 94 points “Wonderful aromas of balsamic, plum, grilled meat and spices. Full body, with round and chewy tannins. Excellent depth of fruit. The 2008 vintage shows that extra complexity to the 2009 in general. Better in 2015.”
Antonio Galloni 93+ points “Cool veins of bracing minerality form the backbone in Borgogno’s 2008 Barolo Liste. Today, the 2008 is virtually impenetrable, as the vintage and the site have combined to produce a big, powerful Barolo that will require considerable cellaring before it is ready to show all its cards. Still, there is a lot to like here, especially for those who can be patient. Tar, smoke, incense and scorched earth all add gravitas on the close, but with more time in the glass some of the sweeter notes begin to emerge. The 2008 Liste is shaping up to be magnificent.” AG

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $99.99
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The Hottest Name in Riesling

Weingut Korrell – A US Exclusive

This offer is a bit of a coup—a top German Riesling producer whose wines have been heretofore unavailable in the United States.  As a result, you’ll have to excuse our breathlessness, but the wines of Weingut Korrell are important enough in the German wine scene that it seems nearly impossible they could be unavailable on these shores—but here we are, with the only offering for Korrell in the US.

Korrell is a rising star Nahe producer.  The Weingut goes back to 1832, but it’s only with young Martin taking over the cellar that the family has attained.  Their name has been ringing in insider circles for several years now, but their “Von Den Grossen Lagen” scored a Riesling Cup win and they’re officially blowing up.

The best vineyard that Korrell owns (and the backbone for all their Rieslings) is a monopol site called, appropriately, “Paradis.”  Paradis is a limestone-heavy site (a rarity, much like Keller’s Kirschspiel GG), with shallow soils and privileged exposition—in short, everything you could ask of a Riesling vineyard, especially to produce dry wines.  The revitalization of the site, combined with Martin’s work in the cellar, has vaulted Korrell into the top tier of producers both in the Nahe and across Germany.  These are wines that any dry Riesling lover needs to have in their cellar and we’re proud to be the first in the US to offer these wines.

Over the last two decades, the Nahe has been the vanguard region in Germany, with producers like Dönnhoff, Schäfer-Frölich, and Diel producing some of the top wines in Germany, year and out.  Situated between the chilly Mosel and the sun-drenched Rhine, Nahe wines combine everything we love about German Riesling.  Korrell have established themselves as top producer in the region and we’re beyond thrilled that we can add these wines to our collection—and your cellars.

Arriving ETA June:

Weingut Korrell Kreuznacher Paradies Riesling Trocken, Nahe 2017 750ML ($49.95)
$39 pre-arrival special
Weingut Korrell Kreuznacher Paradies Riesling Trocken, Nahe 2017 1.5L ($99.95)
$79 pre-arrival special
Weingut Korrell Kreuznacher Paradies Riesling Trocken, Nahe 2017 3L ($199.95)
$179 pre-arrival special
Stuart Pigott-JamesSuckling.com 94 points “Very clean and fresh, but behind the effusive, fruit-salad character that makes this so seductive, there is a lot of structure and the finish keeps pumping out the fruit and chalky minerality. Drink or hold.”
Grapelive 94 points “The radiant and graceful Korrell Paradies Trocken leads with expressive pure apple tones. [It] impresses for its elegance and subtle character. It’s a wine of great poise and delicacy, especially admirable for such a young Riesling. The monopole estate vineyard, Paradies, is the oldest single site Korrell has and is the flagship wine from winemaker Martin Korrell. It comes from his family’s vines that are set on limestone and clay soils in Bad Kreuznach area of the Nahe region. The Paradies Riesling Trocken is a gorgeous white of depth and precise winemaking that takes advantage of this unique site in the Nahe. This wine is the heart and soul of Korrell and it is product of its unique climat,or terroir. It sees more sunshine and the limestone allows for serious concentration, while retaining acidity, though there is always great attention paid to pick dates to finely tune this signature bottling to place and vintage. Korrell mixes some traditional stainless fermentations with some native yeast and barrel ferments to craft his wines. The Paradies shows a beautiful leesy finesse that reminds me a bit of the Von Winning GG’s, with a long time on the lees adding a beautiful glycerin density to this gorgeous dry Riesling. Coming off Korrel’s incredible Riesling Cup win for his Von den Grossen Lagen (Grand Crus) Riesling Trocken, I was absolutely thrilled to be able to try this wine, and found this particular wine just as intriguing. Martin focuses on preserving heightened aromatics and crisp mineral tones, while allowing the mouth feel and depth to shine through. It is an amazing accomplishment to get it all right, and Korrell deserves his time in the limelight. This is complex and glorious stuff. Layers of green apple, peach, mixed fresh citrus and melon fruits are lifted by liquid rock, steely mineral and faint perfume of white flowers along with a silkiness of mouth feel. While still delightfully crisp, [this delivers] an exciting energy filled performance. This is a winery that about to break out and join some elite company, in fact they are riding high after winning, as mentioned, the famous Riesling Cup award with their unique multi (Grand) cru Von den Grossen Lagen Trocken Riesling. This wine is just extra proof there is real quality here! The lightly golden hued and generously textured Paradies will age well. It’s full of charm, class and potential. Best to let this one have another 3 to 5 years, though it certainly is delicious right now.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!
Korrell “Von Den Grossen Lagen” Riesling Trocken, Nahe 2017 750ML ($39.95)
$33 pre-arrival special
Stuart Pigott-JamesSuckling.com 94 points “What a beautiful nose of leaves and white flowers, dripping after rain. With aeration, peach, nectarine and mandarin-orange notes emerge. Concentrated, racy and very polished, this is a stunning dry riesling with a long, mineral finish. Drink or hold. Screw cap.”
Wine Spectator 92 points “This fruity yet dry Riesling is filled with flavors of currant and gooseberry, while juicy, orangelike acidity cuts through, carrying freshness and providing balance. The complex finish is long and inviting. This nicely sculpted white is ready to drink now, but will only get better with age. Drink now through 2027. 1,500 cases made.”

Weingut Korrell Riesling Trocken, Nahe 2016 750ML ($24.95) $19.50 pre-arrival special
Stuart Pigott-JamesSuckling.com 91 points “Brimming with tart peach, lemon and apples plus a hint of vanilla this has so much appeal on the nose. The juicy palate ends with a wave of herbal freshness that fulfills all the promise of the nose. 70% from the Paradies top site, i.e. from paradise! Drink now. Screw cap.”

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Affordable Hermitage?

A Fairy Tale Come True

The hill of Hermitage is one of the most privileged pieced of wine geography—a tiny area producing legendary wine.  As a result, the cost of entry tends to be high—with only a handful of exceptions.  The best of those? Delas, a fantastic producer making Hermitage at more than attainable prices.

They produce two cuvees—both excellent values for Hermitage. Tourettes is a blend of multiple sites across the hill and sells for a jaw-droppingly low price for Hermitage, much less one of its quality.  It’s crazy that the Tourettes goes for under $75/bottle (much less under $50, for some vintages), yet here we are, offering you the wine for that sort of pricing.  They also make a Tourettes blanc that’s absolutely gorgeous—an opulent white that’s the price of village Puligny and twice the quality.

The Bessards bottling comes entirely from the “Bas de Coteau” section of Bessards and is considered one of the two or three best parcels in the entirety of Hermitage.  While not as inexpensive as the Tourettes, the price to quality ratio is off the charts for a wine of this pedigree (especially on the drinking-great-now 2004).  Delas’ Bessards is dense, powerful and profound—capable of matching any Hermitage out there.

For whatever reason, the market has yet to catch up to the quality coming out of Delas’ cellar.  The Northern Rhone has turned into one of the hottest markets in the wine world and we keep seeing producers blowing up and getting expensive.  That hasn’t happened to Delas—yet.  With the quality of recent vintages and the scores involved, we definitely see it happening soon, though, so if you love these wines now is the time to back up the truck.

In Stock Now:

Delas Freres Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes-Marquise de la Tourette, Rhone 2013 750ML ($119.95) $49 special
Case-6 Delas Freres Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes-Marquise de la Tourette, Rhone 2013 750ML ($549.95) $279 special (that’s only $46.50/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 94 points “One of the gems in the vintage is the 2013 Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes, which comes from both the Bessards and Grandes Vignes lieux-dits on Hermitage Hill. Completely destemmed, then vinified in stainless steel and concrete tanks, the wine is aged 18 months in 30% new French oak; it offers terrific notes of dark fruits, graphite and ample minerality in a full-bodied, layered, ripe profile. It’s more approachable than the Les Bessards, yet will still have three decades of longevity.”
Jancis Robinson 18/20 points “Very dark purple indeed. Altogether broader and less focused than the Côte Rôties on the nose. Peppery and subtle. Very glossy, layered, complex and magnificent. I would reproach this only very slightly on the finish but it’s a pretty magnificent wine”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $79.97
The average listed price is $88
Delas Freres Hermitage Les Bessards, Rhone 2004 750ML ($199.95) $119 special
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 94 points “Ruby-red. Very pungent, deep aromas of tobacco- and underbrush-laced red and blackcurrant. Powerful and rich, showing impressive sweetness to its potent cassis and blackberry flavors. Really stains the palate, finishing with exceptional purity and mineral tones. Whatever tannins are here (and you know there are plenty) are completely absorbed by the sheer fruit mass.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!
The average price for all vintages is $215
Delas Freres Hermitage Les Bessards, Rhone 2015 750ML ($249.95) $219 special
Jeb Dunnuck 100 points “The top cuvée from Delas is the 2015 Hermitage Les Bessards, and it’s always 100% Syrah from the steep, broken granite soils of the Bessards lieu-dit. Aged 18 months in 30% new barrels, its purple/plum color is followed by a huge nose of blackcurrants, graphite, toasted spice, crushed rocks and saddle leather. Powerful, massively concentrated, and tannic, it has a broad, expansive, heavenly texture, a thick mid-palate (you could almost use a fork for this beauty), and a great finish. Despite the richness level, it stays balanced and graceful on the palate, and is never over the top or heavy. It’s a perfect Hermitage that will start to shine with 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for three decades or more. Bravo!”
Wine Enthusiast 96 points “Cellar Selection! There’s a striking balance here calibrating bold, almost muscular ripeness against an invigorating granite edge. This wine is plump and full bodied, full of supple blackberry and plum flavors balanced by pert acidity and taut, penetrating tannins. It should be in peak from 2020–2035 but hold further.”
Wine Advocate 95-97 points “The top cuvée is the 2015 Hermitage les Bessards, which comes from the middle to lower portion of the steep, granite hillside known as Bessards, unquestionably one of the best terroirs for Syrah in the world. Its inky purple color is followed by a full-bodied, rich, thrillingly concentrated red that has huge tannin, bright acidity and a solid mid-palate concentration. It still tastes like it just came from the press and will need to be forgotten for a decade. As normal, it’s completely destemmed and will see 18 months in 30% new oak.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 96 points “Inky ruby. A highly aromatic bouquet evokes candied black and blue fruits, along with complicating suggestions of smoky minerals, candied flowers, olive and vanilla. Deep, chewy and expansive in the mouth, offering impressively concentrated dark berry liqueur, fruitcake and salty olive flavors that are complicated by a hint of smoky minerality and a building floral pastille note. Distinctly rich and powerful but surprisingly graceful as well, showing noteworthy clarity and mineral-driven thrust on the strikingly long finish.”

Delas Freres Hermitage Les Bessards, Rhone 2013 750ML ($249.95) $159 special
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 95 points “(aged in 70% new oak for 18 months): Inky ruby. Sexy, highly perfumed aromas of ripe dark berries, cherry liqueur, peppery spices and fresh flowers, backed by a hint of olive. Supple and appealingly sweet, offering intense, deeply concentrated blackberry and violet pastille flavors and a suggestion of star anise. Finishes pure, sweet and energetic on the penetrating finish, showing outstanding focus and slow-building tannins.”
Wine Advocate 94+ points “Closed, tight and backwards, the 2013 Hermitage les Bessards is a big, full-bodied, burly wine that offers first rate purity in its black raspberry, ozone, liquid rock, and creosote-like bouquet. It has plenty of material and density, but will need 7-8 years of bottle age to become approachable. As normal, it comes all from the “Bas de Coteau” portion of the Bessards lieu-dit, was completely destemmed and saw 18 months in 30% new French oak.”

Arriving Later this Month:

Delas Freres Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes-Marquise de la Tourette, Rhone 2015 750ML ($89.95) $69 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Delas Freres Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes-Marquise de la Tourette, Rhone 2015 750ML ($479.95) $369 pre-arrival special (that’s only $61.50/bottle!)
Wine Spectator 95 points “This is loaded with well-defined loganberry, blackberry and boysenberry pâte de fruit flavors, flecked with anise and black tea notes and carried by a fine iron streak that lingers wonderfully. A wine of cut, purity and precision. Best from 2020 through 2035. From France.”
Wine Advocate 94 points “A blend of Syrah grapes from several lieux-dits, including Les Bessards, the 2015 Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes is aged in new and second use barrels. It’s a dark, concentrated wine, meaty, rich and tannic but with a bright beam of cassis fruit that lifts it and gives it great definition and shape on the palate. Give this medium to full-bodied wine at least 5 years in the cellar and drink it over the next 15.”
Jeb Dunnuck 94 points “While the Les Bessards gets all the attention, the 2015 Hermitage Domaine Des Tourettes isn’t far behind and is unquestionably the value play. Beef blood, cassis, blackberry liqueur and loads of crushed rock nuances all emerge from this ripe, concentrated, full-bodied Hermitage that has a classic, structured profile. It’s well worth a case purchase and will keep for two to three decades. As always, this cuvée comes from two parcels, the lower part of the Bessards lieu-dit and the Les Grandes Vignes located at the highest point on Hermitage Hill. It’s completely destemmed and sees 16 months in 30% new French oak.”
Wine Enthusiast 94 points “Enticing hints of sweet spice, black pepper and bacon fat seduce on the nose of this rich but balanced Hermitage. Blackberry and cherry flavors are fresh and juicy but structured by firm tannins and brisk acidity. A polished wine already, it should intensify its savory, smoky complexities well through 2030.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $87
Looking for other great values from Delas? Just click here to view all of their wines in our web store!
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“One of the finest wines from the Côte d’Or”

The Greatness of Clos de Tart

“among the most prized wines of Burgundy… [a wine that] pulls at the heartstrings as well as the head” –Decanter Magazine

For a fraction of the price of DRC or Rousseau, experience the Clos de Tart: a single-vineyard Burgundian monopole in the village of Morey-St-Denis that dates back to 1141. 2016 was a gloriously classic vintage, one in which securing the best of the best will reward savvy buyers for decades to come.

This otherworldly pricing on a six-pack puts our already lowest-in-the-country price at an incredible $110/bottle below the national average! Where else could you find such acclaimed pedigree, history and profundity?

In Stock Now:

Domaine du Clos de Tart ‘Clos de Tart’ Grand Cru Monopole, Cote de Nuits 2016 750ML ($699.95) $519 special
Case-6 Domaine du Clos de Tart ‘Clos de Tart’ Grand Cru Monopole, Cote de Nuits 2016 750ML ($3,999.95) $2,999 special (that’s only $499.83/bottle!)
Domaine du Clos de Tart ‘Clos de Tart’ Grand Cru Monopole, Cote de Nuits 2016 1.5L ($1499.95)
$1099 special
William Kelley – Wine Advocate 97 points “The superb 2016 Clos de Tart Grand Cru confirms the promise it showed from barrel, unfurling in the glass with a striking bouquet of raspberries, rose petals, blood orange, black tea, spices and smoked meats. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, pure and ample, with a deep core of vibrant, searingly intense fruit that entirely cloaks its structuring chassis of satiny tannin, concluding with a long and captivatingly floral finish. More elegant and transparent than the richer and fleshier 2015, this is an exceptional vintage for Clos de Tart. That there are fully 27,000 bottles makes this one of Burgundy’s rare confluence of quality and quantity.”
Neal Martin-Wine Advocate 97-99 points “The 2016 Clos de Tart Grand Cru was assessed from a blend of all the component parts (except the young vines) that I previously tasted separately, as I have done over the last decade. The final blend will be 80% new oak, whereas my sample contained 100%, although this was discrete and enmeshed with the fruit. It has a fascinating bouquet, much more nuanced than those from a decade ago, dark fruit, a little earthier, with the stem addition lending it more freshness and even, dare I say, slightly green—and I mean that in a very positive sense. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp acidity, a core of slightly candied black cherry and blackcurrant fruit framed by quite “strict” tannin and a fresh, marine-influenced, brine-tinged finish that lingers long in the mouth. There is a sense of harmony and completeness here that, even over 20 years tasting at this address, I have rarely encountered. You can just feel the frisson in this wine. One of the finest wines from the Côte d’Or in 2016. It’s that simple.”
Decanter 95 points “The Clos de Tart 2016 is really quite special, and after the technically perfect but soulless wines of the Pitiot-era, it is refreshing to taste a wine at this address that pulls at the heartstrings as well as the head. Aromas of peony, plum, red cherry, roast espresso and incipient gamebird precede a full-bodied, ineffably complete wine with superb depth and dimension, velvety tannins and a deep core of fruit. Concentrated but elegant, this has attained a superb balance. Jacques Devauges has clearly hit the ground running at this storied address. Drinking Window 2027-2045.”

These are the lowest listed prices in the USA today!
The average price for the 750ml is $609
The next best price for the magnum is $1,219
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January Sale Roundup

We’ve got 130 wines in our January Sale!  You can click here to see all of these (extra) great deals or keep reading for all the wines, sorted by category.
 

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Thanks for reading!