Clos du Mesnil at National Best Pricing
New Wine Advocate Tuscan Reviews
Masterful Pinots from Favorite Willamette Valley Estates
Just Arrived: Levet’s Masterful 2016’s
Elena Walch – Icon of Alto Adige
The Wine Advocate Raves about ’17 Huet
Marc Colin’s Stunning St. Aubin
Boisterous Beaurenard – More Stock Added!
Trending Wines
New Arrivals
Including Hubert Lignier, Bow & Arrow
Domaine Lafage, Pesquie and More!
First Offer
Clos du Mesnil at the Lowest Price in the Country!
Arriving Friday, June 7th:
Krug Clos du Mesnil Blanc de Blancs Brut, Champagne 2004 750ML ($1099.95) $888 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 98+ points “The 2004 Clos du Mesnil captures all the pedigree of this epic Blanc des Blancs vintage. A soaring, majestic Champagne, the 2004 dazzles from the very first taste with its crystalline purity and brightness. In two tastings so far, the 2004 has been nothing less than a total showstopper. The vertical structure and pure, tightly-coiled power are the stuff dreams are made of. There is little doubt the 2004 is one of the very finest Clos du Mesnils in recent memory. Will it join the 1979, 1988 and 1996 as one of the all-time greats? Now, that is a tasting I would love to do!”
Decanter 98 points “2004 was a fantastic Chardonnay vintage in Champagne, and there’s no more definitive statement of its grace and beauty than this 1.84ha walled vineyard dating from 1698. The cool winter ceded to gentle mid-summer heat, followed by a prolonged Indian Summer when cooler nights engendered complexity and an almost cerebral linearity. Scents of yellow flowers, nectarine, hints of smoke and slate seduce and beguile, leading to a palate where hints of exoticism are tempered by a firm citric grip and an astonishingly long finish.”
James Suckling 98 points “Aromas of lemon sorbet, chalky notes and white flowers with toasted almonds, backed by a strong, stony mineral thread. Super acidity drive on the palate with a core of pure lemons and grapefruit. Long, smooth-tannin finish. This is both concentrated and elegant. A single location and single variety. Amazing quality here. Drink or hold.”
Wine Spectator 97 points “Evocative of a Bernini sculpture, this vibrant Champagne is equally about the statuesque frame of acidity and chalky underpinning as it is the finely honed details, including the silken texture, the aromas of lime blossom, saffron and incense, and the expressive, woven range of crème de cassis, espresso, kumquat, crystallized honey and toast flavors. Long and focused, echoing the rich profile on the finish. Drink now through 2034. 1,129 cases made.”
The average listed price is $1,075
New Wine Advocate Tuscan Reviews
In Stock Now:
“Luca Sanjust of Fattoria Petrolo has long been working with extended skin macerations, amphorae and a non-interventionist’s approach. He is a historian of local wine culture and ampelography. Indeed, he is one of the most vocal proponents of the recently established Val d’Arno di Sopra appellation. These are the best new releases I have yet tasted from Petrolo.” –Monica Larner, Wine Advocate
Petrolo Torrione Valdarno di Sopra, Tuscany 2016 750ML ($31.95) $26 special
Petrolo Torrione Valdarno di Sopra, Tuscany 2016 750ML ($179.95) $144 special
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2016 Val d’Arno di Sopra Torrione is mostly Sangiovese with smaller parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The bouquet opens to ripe cherry and dried raspberry with moist earth, exotic spice and chewing tobacco. The wine is plush and rich with a hint of that tangy Sangiovese acidity on the close. This wine was first produced in 1988, and some 50,000 bottles are made today.”
Tenuta Sette Ponti Crognolo Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2016 750ML ($39.95) $26 special
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2016 Crognolo is a blend of 90% Sangiovese and 10% Merlot aged in tonneaux and neutral barrique for up to 14 months. This is a tight and elegantly streamlined wine that sports a very attractive mid-weight style. The wine opens to aromas of red cherry, plum, toasted almond and crushed granite or stone. This vintage is both balanced and bright. Some 130,000 bottles were made.”
Tenuta Sette Ponti Oreno Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2016 750ML ($119.95) $89 special
Case-6 Tenuta Sette Ponti Oreno Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2016 750ML ($599.95) $499 special
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 94 points “Merlot (50%), Cabernet Sauvignon (40%) and Petit Verdot (10%) are assembled with precision and balance. The 2016 Oreno is a fantastic expression from Tuscany that blossoms with each swirl and tilt of the glass. This is a full-bodied red with generous aromas of black fruit, spice, tobacco and soft spice. The wine rests in new French barrique for 18 months. Some 45,000 bottles were produced.”
Arriving Friday:
Felsina Berardenga Rancia, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2016 750ML ($59.95) $46 pre-arrival special
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2016 Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia knocks it out of the park. Like the other new releases from Fèlsina, this pure expression of Sangiovese needs more time to evolve and improve with bottle age. But even at this young stage, you are made fully aware of the beautiful intensity and complexity of the quality fruit at its core. There is so much energy and tension here, further reinforced by the fresh acidity of the vintage. There are vibrant tones of wild cherry, raspberry and spice, followed up by white truffle and tilled earth.”
Arriving ETA October:
Marchesi Antinori Tignanello Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2016 750ML ($149.95) $133 pre-arrival special
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 97 points “To hit the market in June, the 2016 Tignanello is a rock-solid wine and a stunning beauty. The wine offers an impeccable level of precision and laser-focus delivery of fruits, spices, tilled earth, espresso beans and Mediterranean herbs. This vintage follows the classic blending formula of 80% Sangiovese with about 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Cabernet Franc. The vines are now 15 to 20 years old. Compared to the 2015 vintage that ultimately appeared more chewy and succulent, this expression from the iconic 2016 vintage is more vibrant, nervous and jazzed. It shows more savory spice, saltiness and minerality, with a beautifully integrated quality of tannins. Some 320,000 bottles were produced. This wine is at the top of the list of some of the best Tignanello ever made, including the vintages 2007, 2009, 2010, 2013 and 2015.”
From Favorite Willamette Valley Estates
The Eyrie Vineyards Original Vines Reserve Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2015 750ML ($84.95) $66 special
Wine Advocate 95+ points “Pale to medium ruby in color, the 2015 Pinot Noir Original Vines is a touch shy on the nose, with dusty/rocky notes opening to cola, oolong tea leaves, dried tobacco, bitter peel and spices. Light to medium-bodied, it’s electric in the mouth, with broody dried black cherry and black raisin accented by tea leaves, petrichor, tree bark, exotic spices and dried flowers. It has a wonderful frame of very fine tannins and mouthwatering acidity, finishing very long and very layered. EB”
Beaux Freres ‘The Beaux Freres Vineyard’ Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2016 750ML ($109.95) $99 special
Wine Spectator 95 points “Remarkably and seamlessly complex, with a polished and refined core wrapped in silky raspberry and blueberry flavors, accented by savory spice and orange zest hints. The long finish builds toward polished tannins. Drink now through 2025. 2,686 cases made.”
How Brian O’Donnell remains so humble after making so many great bottles is unfathomable.
Belle Pente Estate Reserve Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton District 2014 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Josh Raynolds 95 points “Limpid ruby-red. Powerful blue fruit liqueur, violet pastille, incense and smoky mineral aromas, along with hints of cola and exotic spices. Appealingly sweet and expansive on the palate, offering densely packed black raspberry, boysenberry, mocha and floral pastille flavors and a strong spicecake note. Supple, well-knit tannins give shape to the intensely fruit-driven finish, which lingers with outstanding persistence and building sweetness.”
The next best price is $59.98
Kelley Fox Wines Maresh Vineyard Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2017 750ML ($79.95) $69 special
Decanter 96 points “An almost perfect blend of restrained tannins, orange pekoe tea, rose, espresso and tart red Dundee Hills fruit.”
Cameron Winery ‘Abbey Ridge’ Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2016 750ML ($79.95) $66 special
VinopolNote: Abbey Ridge is one of the most hallowed sites in the Willamette Valley. Planted in 1975, the Pinot Noir here is own rooted and at one of the highest elevations in the Dundee Hills. The elevation and classic Jory soils give the wine an intense personality—high toned, elegant and tensile, with good power and a strong voice. This bottling has been one of the defining Oregon Pinots since John Paul started making it.
Cameron Winery Clos Electrique Rouge, Dundee Hills 2016 750ML ($99.95) $79 special
Grapelive 96 points “The monopole ‘Clos Electrique’ Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir has to be one of Oregon’s most iconic wines and John Paul, Cameron’s winemaker, has made an epic version in 2016. I mean god help the French if this wine ever got into a blind tasting versus some of the top Grand Cru Burgundies, because this stuff will blow their minds! The original Pinot Noir clones at this special Dundee Hills site were planted on their own roots in 1984 and over the years, Paul has added new vines that were grafted onto American root stock. This vintage is heavenly deep in color with dark garnet red hues and core of opaqueness. This stuff looks the part and tastes even better with a stunning range of fruit, earth, spice and mineral tones on the concentrated medium full palate. As warm, ripe and dense as the year was, Cameron’s Clos Electrique, named after the vineyard’s ring of electric fencing to keep marauding deer out of the grapes, has a sublime sense of balance, and refined low natural alcohol at a surprising 13.2%, but with a powerful mouth feel and unbelievable length, this is ultra-serious stuff that rivals Dujac, Meo-Camuzet and Rousseau! This wine bursts from the glass with a slight touch of reductive funk before revealing intense sensational fruit led by blackberry, racy plum, black cherry and tart currants along with hints of truffle, anise, red spices, which I feel is the underlying Jory soils expressing themselves, as well as a touch of smoky wood, earthy fig, orange zest, leather and violets. The addition of tart garden grown strawberries and bitter cocoa only add to the gorgeous complexity while the textural side of things gains in a dance between regal opulence and vigorous grip in a play of sensual heightened tension and release, something all great wines seem to deliver….The winemaking at Cameron is old school and traditional Burgundian with all of the wines fermented with the indigenous yeasts in open top tanks….To ensure real terroir, Clos Electrique is farmed organically and without irrigation.… This site is thought of as one of the warm zones, but John Paul’s wines are full of energy and remarkably fresh and age worthy, and this cuvee is one of the Willamette Valley greatest wines. It is a bucket list Pinot, no question.”
Levet’s Masterful 2016’s
In Stock Now:
Vignobles Bernard Levet Cote Rotie La Chavaroche, Rhone 2016 750ML ($99.95) $89 special
Josh Raynolds 94-96 points “Inky, vivid purple. Highly perfumed, mineral-laced black and blue fruit, violet, smoked meat and incense qualities on the nose. Fleshy, sweet and expansive on the palate, offering densely packed yet surprisingly lively boysenberry, candied licorice, spicecake and violet flavors enlivened by an undercurrent of juicy acidity. Deftly blends richness and finesse and finishes extremely long and youthfully tannic, leaving floral pastille, star anise and dark berry liqueur notes behind.”
Vignobles Bernard Levet Cote Rotie Les Journaries, Rhone 2016 750ML ($89.95) $79 special
Josh Raynolds 93-95 points “Opaque purple. Aromas of fresh dark berries, cherry pit, licorice, cola and cracked pepper, and a hint of gaminess in the background. Juicy and expansive on the palate, offering bitter cherry, cassis and spicecake flavors that tighten up and become spicier with aeration. Turns sweeter on the strikingly long finish, which features dusty, mounting tannins and resonating floral and smoky mineral notes.”
Elena Walch – Icon of Alto Adige
We’ve just stocked up on three of her top-value bottlings, all of which are excellent and fantastic introductions to the estate. Her Pinot Grigio is a far cry from the mass-market garbage that’s the reputation of a historic variety—this one is bright, crisp and savory, with delicately peachy accents and a laser finish. Her Gewurztraminer (hailing from the village that gives the grape its name) likewise manages to find brightness and zest from a grape that often lacks it. Both whites are made entirely in stainless steel and bottled young to preserve all of the freshness of the grapes. The final wine, a red made from the native Lagrein grape, is a versatile, medium-weight bottling with delicious spicey notes.
These are all delicious wines for spring/summer/fall—fantastic with a variety of foods or on their own. Lovers of classic wines from undervalued places should stock up.
In Stock Now:
Elena Walch Gewurztraminer Alto Adige, Trentino-Alto Adige 2018 750ML ($27.95) $24 special
Winery Note “Our Gewürztraminer, with its typical dry Alto Adige charm and personality, gleams in intense straw yellow with hints of gold reflections. Classic Gewürztraminer notes are mirrored in the bouquet – intensively aromatic notes of rose petals, flowers and spices. The wine presents itself rich in finesse on the palate, with fresh fullness, harmonic elegance and a long finish.”
Elena Walch Pinot Grigio Alto Adige, Trentino-Alto Adige 2018 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
Winery Note “Our Pinot Grigio captivates with light straw yellow and fruity notes of ripe pears, white pepper and a bit of sage in the nose. Mineral- salty richness and a crisp acidity are distinctive on the palate. A wine with backbone!”
Elena Walch Lagrein Alto Adige, Trentino-Alto Adige 2018 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
Winery Note “Our Lagrein Elena Walch gleams invitingly with its intensive and dense garnet red colour. The complex bouquet captivates with discreet spicy aromas, with cocoa together with wild berries and sweet cherries in the background. Distinctive tannin structure, smooth fullness, playful yet rustic elegance and youthful freshness as well as a long, juicy finish classify the palate.”
The Wine Advocate Raves about ’17 Huet
“With the spectacularly concentrated 2017 Vouvrays (of which only Le Mont brought the full range of selections from sec to première trie), I have also tasted wines from Huet’s sister domaine, Királyudvar, in Tokaj, Hungary, which have never been rated for The Wine Advocate before. The Hwang family bought the domaine in 1997 and, during the following 20 years, re-introduced it as one of the finest wine producers in Hungary. Huet’s and Királyudvar’s German importer, Vinaturel, was so generous to send me not just the youngest releases but also some of the finest noble sweet wines I have tasted from Tokaj. Saying this, don’t forget to try the dry Furmints, a wine category I am starting to adore not just because of some Austrian wines from Burgenland and Styria. I hope to be able to give deeper insights on the region and its best producers once I have been to Tokaj, which to me is still part of the historic Austrian-Hungarian Empire but in a cultural aspect rather than political. Wine culture does not care about political borders, and tasting Ruster Ausbruch wines from Austria doesn’t make sense without tasting wines from the sister appellation in Tokaj. Stay tuned, there will be more to read about some of Europe’s most spectacular unknown wines.” –Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate
In Stock Now:
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Clos du Bourg’ Demi-Sec, Loire 2017 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2017 Vouvray Clos du Bourg Demi-Sec displays an intense golden-yellow color and a ripe, at the moment slightly diffuse bouquet of very ripe fruits, caramel, butterscotch and low sulfur, with very fine earthy notes in the background. Lush and very elegant on the palate, this is a powerful, intense and exuberant Chenin with firm, initially slightly astringent tannins and persistently juicy fruit. The wine is not as seamless at the beginning as the finest 2017s, but it gets much more balanced and juicy-piquant after aeration. At the end of the day, this is a pretty sexy Vouvray with Burgundian finesse. Tasted on March 2019.”
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93+ points “The 2017 Vouvray Le Haut-Lieu Demi-Sec displays an intense yellow color and offers a fascinatingly pure and chalky/smoky bouquet of crushed stones intertwined with sur-lie notes, oat milk and ripe, well-concentrated fruit aromas. After lots of aeration, you get some lactic notes here as well. Round, lush and intense on the palate, this is a full-bodied, juicy, very refined and elegant Vouvray with delicate tannins, good structure and sensual, slightly sweet fruit. The finish reveals great power but also grip, salt, finesse and enormous length. This is a pretty great wine, and it can age for decades, although it already drinks very well. Tasted in March 2019.”
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Le Haut Lieu’ Sec, Loire 2017 750ML ($34.95) $28 special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93+ points “From limestone-clay soils, the golden-yellow colored 2017 Vouvray Le Haut-Lieu Sec displays a deep and refined nose with fine chalky notes intermixed with juicy and well-concentrated lemon aromas. The attack on the palate is smooth, ripe and elegant. In fact, this is a very juicy, round, refined and persistently structured Vouvray with intensity, power and concentration but also fine acidity. It displays a long, vital, beautifully tensioned finish with grip and candied lemon, grapefruit and orange zest flavors. With dine yet tight tannins, this is an excellent, very elegant and textured Haut-Lieu that already drinks very well but will improve over time. Tasted in March 2019.”
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2017 Vouvray Le Mont Demi-Sec displays a beautifully pure, precise, flinty and crunchy bouquet of perfectly ripe and healthy fruits. Round, lush and precise on the crystalline palate, this is a highly refined, elegant, enormously lush and sexy Vouvray with great finesse but also tension and lingering salinity. Tightly structured and full of terroir expression, this is the 2017 you shouldn’t miss. A great wine! Tasted in March 2019.”
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Le Mont’ Moelleux, Loire 2017 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 94 points “The golden-apricot colored 2017 Vouvray Le Mont Moelleux is perfectly ripe and elegant on the intense but refined nose, with stone fruit and very fine raisin aromas intertwined with yeasty notes. On the palate, this is a generous, highly elegant, finessed and juicy Vouvray with fine tannin grip, salty-piquant acidity and good concentration of dried and stewed stone fruits. The wine is compact and tight but vital and full of energy and aging potential. Very tight, firm and salty, with good tension and expression but far too young to be enjoyed within the next five years. Tasted in March 2019.”
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Le Mont’ Sec, Loire 2017 750ML ($41.95) $33 special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2017 Vouvray Le Mont Sec displays an intense golden-yellow color and a discreet, refreshingly pure, slightly flinty and reductive nose with chalk and ripe lemon notes. Lush, precise and piquant on the palate, with ripe, concentrated fruit and crystalline structure, this is a dense, smooth, beautifully balanced, very long, refined and rather linear Vouvray with fine, dusty/chalky tannins, concentrated lemon juice and lingering, highly stimulating acidity. This is a long-distance runner with great expression and finesse. Tasted in March 2019.”
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 98 points “The orange colored 2015 Vouvray Cuvée Constance displays a clear, fresh, pure and concentrated bouquet of dried apricots, quince, pumpernickel, honey, green fig chutney, orange tea, black chocolate with bitter orange and red pepper berries. On the palate, this is a vital, fresh, straight, pure, tightly woven and salty noble sweet wine with great, almost electric tension, finesse and vitality. The fruit is lush and dense, but the mineral grip and acidity are mind-blowing. This is many years away from being at its peak, but it’s another fascinating Cuvée de Constance. Tasted in March 2019.”
Marc Colin’s Stunning St. Aubin
Vines are worked sustainably; some parcels age over 100 years! Unlike much of St. Aubin, the Colin parcels are situated on slopes – among their finest holdings there are the En Remilly and Chatenière vineyards. Harvest is done manually and no chemical fertilizers are used. While the use of new oak increased somewhat a few years ago, it is used less frequency nowadays. More recent vintages have been stunning in their clarity and freshness; we’re proud to feature a number of releases from the 2015 vintage, all newly arrived!
In Stock Now:
Domaine Marc Colin et Fils Les Castets, Saint-Aubin Premier Cru, 2016 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Burghound 90 points “A distinctly cool and restrained nose reflects notes of petrol, floral and matchstick. There is both good richness and verve to the utterly delicious and lightly stony flavors that possess better complexity and a bit more refinement as well on the moderately firm and sneaky long finale. This could be enjoyed young but should well over the mid-term too.”
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2016 Saint-Aubin 1er Cru En Montceau is superb, and one of the highlights of Damien Colin’s portfolio this year, wafting from the glass with a classy bouquet of lemon oil, tangerine, crisp yellow orchard fruit, honeycomb and wet stones. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, satiny and tensile, with wonderful purity and depth at the core, brisk but ripe acids and a long, incisive and unmistakably mineral finish. Colin contends that En Montceau is the finest terroir for white wine in Saint-Aubin, and this bottle is compelling testimony in support of that contention. It’s one of the best Saint-Aubins of the vintage.”
Boisterous Beaurenard
The 2016 vintage in Chateauneuf is legendary, for good reason. Combining the richness of 2015 with more brightness and better aromatics, seemingly everyone in the Southern Rhone made fantastic wine. That said, some made wines that were even more outstanding—chief among them Beaurenard (who’s been on a hot streak over the past few years). We just received additional stock on these beauties (demand has been quite strong) and we’d highly recommend them for drinking with something grilled soon or cellaring for a decade-plus.
In Stock Now:
Domaine de Beaurenard Chateauneuf-du-Pape Boisrenard, Rhone 2016 750ML ($89.95) $75 special
Case-6 Domaine de Beaurenard Chateauneuf-du-Pape Boisrenard, Rhone 2016 750ML ($499.95) $419 special (that’s only $69.83/bottle—the lowest listed price in the country!)
Jeb Dunnuck 98 points “More complex and nuanced as well as powerful, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Boisrenard is a field blend (two-thirds Grenache and the rest a mix of varieties) that spent 18 months in a combination of older barrels, new barrels, and foudre. Its deep purple/ruby color is followed by a sensational perfume of blackberries, black raspberries, Asian spices, and graphite. With full-bodied richness, building tannin, remarkable purity, and a huge finish, it’s going to rival the 2001 as the best vintage to date. You should have this in your cellar.”
Wine Spectator 96 points “Solidly built, with a sappy core of kirsch, blackberry paste and red licorice flavors tightly coiled together and backed by roasted apple wood, warm stone and tobacco leaf notes through the finish. The beautiful fruit should develop nicely with extended cellaring, as this has serious grip and drive. Best from 2020 through 2040. 800 cases made, 250 cases imported. — JM”
Wine Advocate 96 points “Just like the regular cuvée, the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Boisrenard includes all 18 of the appellation’s permitted varieties, although it’s mostly (66%) Grenache Noir. Strawberries and raspberries shine on the nose, followed by a full-bodied palate that’s creamy-silky and lush but also bright, lively and long. It’s a super effort, at what should be a realistic price.(JC)”
Case-12 Domaine de Beaurenard Chateauneuf-du-Pape (Tradition), Rhone 2016 750ML ($549.95) $419 special (that’s only $34.92/bottle—the lowest listed price in the country!)
Wine Advocate 93 points “Beaurenard has excelled this vintage. The 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape is no slouch, with ample richness, bold cherry and apricot fruit and attractive hints of dried spices and garrigue. Complex, full-bodied and supple, it finishes long and silky. It’s two-thirds Grenache Noir, with the rest composed of the 17 other permitted grape varieties.(JC)”
Wine Spectator 93 points “Nicely packed, with raspberry and plum compote flavors at the core, liberally lined with singed alder, tobacco and warm brick accents. The finish has a grippy edge, but this red stays fresh and driven overall. Best from 2020 through 2030. 6,000 cases made, 1,200 cases imported. — JM”
R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia ‘Vina Cubillo’ Crianza, Rioja DOCa 2009 750ML ($29.95) $24 special
Case-6 R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia ‘Vina Cubillo’ Crianza, Rioja DOCa 2009 750ML ($179.95) $133 special
Wine Advocate 92 points “The red they say was born to go with tapas and sold in local restaurants is the 2009 Viña Cubillo Tinto Crianza. 2009 was a warm and ripe year, and this blend of Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha (or the masculine Garnacho they like to use) plus 5% each Graciano and Mazuelo from limestone soils with quite a lot of clay, feels juicy and soft. It fermented with natural yeasts in large oak vats and matured in used barriques for three years. This is a bottling that has grown and improved a lot since 2004-2005. It shows very good balance between fruit and more developed aromas, with hints of leather and cherries, spices and smoke, very clean and with good volume in the palate. It’s usually a little riper and with higher alcohol than Tondonia or Bosconia, with the character, finesse and elegance of a classical Reserva. 93,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in April 2013.”
Domaine de Chevalier L’Esprit de Chevalier Blanc, Pessac-Leognan 2015 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
James Suckling 94 points “The second wine of Domaine de Chevalier delivers lemon curd, sliced apples and dried pineapple on the nose. Full-bodied, layered and fruity with an intense and focused finish. Shows precision and focus. Drink now.”
A step up from most Prosecco.
Bisol Crede Brut, Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Superiore DOCG 2017 750ML ($21.95) $19 special
Importer Note “This wine is made from Glera, Veradiso and Pino Bianco grapes grown on the steep hills of the Bisol Vineyards. The first two varieties enjoy an ideal habitat in the clay-laden earth with subsoil of marine sandstone known as “crede” that is common to this part of the countryside. This type of terrain is particular and beneficial to the grapes, which do not suffer from aridity during critical periods but instead become notably enriched with noble acids, varietal aromas and fruitiness.”
Buy and drink by the case.
Chateau de Saint Cosme Cotes du Rhone 2017 750ML ($17.95) $14 special
Case-12 Chateau de Saint Cosme Cotes du Rhone 2017 750ML ($189.95) $149 special (that’s only $12.42/bottle!)
Grapelive 92 points “Saint Cosme’s Cotes-duRhone, grown on a mix of soils, including red clay, pebbles and limestone sands all hillside vines is partial whole cluster and all tank raised. Always a wine of value and purity it gives a ton of character, personality and never disappoints in any vintage, and this one is an exceptional year. In 2017, low yields produced wines with lots of intensity and depth with hedonistic density, but with vibrant fresh detail, with what Barruol notes, adds crunchiness and salinity to this beautiful red wine. This 2017, which is an amazing follow up to the great 2015 and 2016 versions that I loved, delivers boysenberry, sweet blueberry and plum fruit as well as savory spices, a touch of meat, black licorice and a inner perfume of violets and lavender. Rounded tannins give structure, making this wine perform at a higher level than one would expect and this vintage in particular will age well, maybe a decade or more, impressive for the price!”
James Suckling 91 points “Beautiful, garrigue herbs and flowers across fragrant, red berries. The palate has a very deep-set, plush and ripe core of dark-berry flavors, amid glossy, ripe tannins. Great value. Drink or hold.”
Exceptional value from a legendary name (Laroche) in Chablis.
Le Domaine d’Henri Fourchaume, Chablis Premier Cru 2016 750ML ($41.95) $33 special
Winery Note “Planted half in 1964 and half in 1999, this is an elegant, refined fruit-driven wine with a good structured impression on the palate. The Kimmeridgian escarpment of Fourchaume is reputed to produce some of the best Chablis wines and the South West exposure of the vines means that they bask in the warm afternoon sun. Vinified in stainless steel tanks (89%) to preserve the minerality and freshness, and in oak barrels (11%) of 228-litres to add more complex notes, this wine will continue to improve for the next 15 years or so.”
Remelluri Rioja Reserva, Rioja 2012 750ML ($44.95) $33 special
Case-12 Remelluri Rioja Reserva, Rioja 2012 750ML ($479.95) $359 special (that’s only $29.92/bottle!)
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 93 points “Deep ruby. Ripe red berries, dried flowers, illicit herb and smoky minerals on the exotically perfumed nose. The palate offers spicy, penetrating, concentrated flavors of black raspberry, cherry compote and floral pastilles, with a zesty mineral quality building in the glass. Shows excellent clarity and intensity on the very long, floral, gently tannic finish.”
Wine Advocate 93 points “The flagship 2012 Reserva was cropped from a year when they started seeing the results of improvements made to the work in the vineyards that started in 2010. 2012 was not as warm and ripe as 2011, and the wine comes through as a nice balance between power and elegance, with some earthiness, good fruit and a fine palate. It has a personality between the Labastida and San Vicente bottlings of the Lindes bottlings. It matured in barrique for 18 months, but the wood feels very well integrated. 2012 was a shorter crop, and they produced some 281,000 bottles. It was bottled in April 2015.”
Wine Advocate 98 points “The 2016 Hartford Court Chardonnay Seascape Vineyard leaps from the glass with exuberant notes of green mangoes, yuzu, mandarin peel and pink grapefruit with touches of baker’s yeast, pie crust, beeswax and oyster shell. It’s medium-bodied with a very, very taut, intense and refreshing palate, sporting incredible tension and layers and finishing very long and very minerally. 327 cases produced.”
Oregon
Bow & Arrow Rose of Gamay Noir, Willamette Valley 2018 750ML ($19.95) $17 special
Winery Note “This year’s rosé is a short maceration of Gamay from the Willamette Valley, stainless steel fermented study on wet rocks, grapefruit-like acidity, and alpine fruits. Only made in years that lend themselves to making quality rose. Our smallest production. Gentle talk for “Limited!””
Bow & Arrow Le Chenaie Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, Willamette Valley2017 750ML ($29.95) $24 special
Winery Note “Proof that Sauvignon Blanc made the right way can be terroir wine, the short distance between Union School and La Chenaie belies the profoundly different ways in which the two sites express themselves. We make the two wines exactly the same way but the Eola-Amity Hills highlights wholly different attributes in Sauvignon Blanc. This expression is more sophisticated than its southern brother and incorporates a savory aspect we find fascinating. Texturally is carries more weight and depth without being ponderous. Reminiscent of stone fruit, guava, mint and a whiff of Rum Agricole.”
Bow & Arrow Air Guitar, Willamette Valley 2017 750ML ($29.95) $24 special
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 89-92 points “(30% lost to frost): Pale, bright yellow. Restrained, musky scents of pear, lemon and stone; the most minerally of these 2016s. The densest and chewiest wine to this point, showing very good intensity and depth to its yellow peach, pear and salty mineral flavors. This is at an altogether higher level than the foregoing wines, finishing firm and long, with floral and mineral lift. This fruit was picked at a moderate 12% potential alcohol.”
The next best price is $77.97
Neal Martin-Wine Advocate 97-99 points “The 2016 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru is matured in 30% new oak with up to 30% whole cluster fruit, two-thirds from Montluisants and one-third Fremiers. It has an intoxicating bouquet that is extraordinarily complex: shimmering red berry fruit, blood orange, incense and a touch of crushed violet. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannin, wonderful depth and harmony, laser-like focus toward the finish that lingers in the mouth. Stunning mineralité here—the tongue feels as if it licked limestone 30 second after the wine has disappeared. If there is a better Clos de la Roche then I have not tasted it (yet).”
John Gilman 97 points “The 2016 Clos de la Roche from Laurent Lignier is an absolute classic in the making. The nose delivers a refined and nascently complex constellation of black plums, sweet dark berries, a touch of lavender, gamebird, a very complex base of soil, violets and nutty new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, pure and full-bodied, with a sappy core, ripe tannins, fine backend mineral drive and a very long, complex and utterly complete finish. A brilliant example of Clos de la Roche! 2030-2090.”
William Kelley-Decanter 95 points “The Clos de la Roche is exceptional this year, opening in the glass with a complex bouquet of red plum, cassis, pencil lead, grilled meat, cinnamon and a subtle framing of new oak. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, supple and rich, with a layered, multidimensional mid-palate, fine-grained tannins, and a sapid, intense finish.”
Jeb Dunnuck 91 points “Moving to the reds, the 2017 Côtes Catalanes Tessellae Carignan (100% Carignan) comes from the Agly Valley and was brought up all in tank. Blackberries, leather, dried herbs, and licorice notes all emerge from this spicy, medium-bodied, silky Carignan that has terrific purity and elegance. It’s another wine from Jean-Marc that over-delivers. Drink it over the coming couple of years.”
Jeb Dunnuck 92 points “The GSM of the estate, the 2017 Tessellae Old Vines checks in as 50% Grenache, 40% Syrah, and 10% Mourvèdre brought up mostly in concrete. Blackberries, kirsch, spice, incense, dried flowers, and baking spice notes all flow to a full-bodied, gorgeously texture effort. It’s another gem from this team.”
Case-12 Chateau Pesquie Ventoux Terrasses, Rhone 2016 750ML ($199.95) $156 special (that’s only $13/bottle!)
Jeb Dunnuck 91 points “A year in, year out no-brainer is the Terrasses cuvee from this estate, and the 2016 Ventoux Terrasses is no exception. A blend of 70/30 Grenache and Syrah, it offers a terrific perfume of black cherries, wild herbs, dried flowers, and spice. This gives way to a plum, sexy, beautifully textured red that has surprising minerality, medium-bodied depth and richness and fine tannin. I finished a case of the 2005 just last year, and it was still going strong, so while there’s no need to cellar bottle, it will keep nicely for 7-8 years.”
Wine Advocate 90 points “A bit more “serious” than the Edition 1912M, the 2016 Ventoux Terrasses delivers what longtime admirers have come to expect from the estate: ample fruit, complexity, weight and charm. Peppered raspberries and hints of garrigue drive the wine from start to finish, bolstered by fine, silky tannins and balanced acids. This solid value blend of Grenache and Syrah should drink well for 4-5 years from vintage.”