04-12-2022 Newsletter

In This Newsletter:


Salubrious Salvestrin:
Historic Napa Cabernet 



Lucien le Moine’s Exceptional Burgundy Wines


Trending 


Legendary Fashion to Legendary wine in the making: 
Tenuta Degli Dei



Collector’s Corner 
Pommery: The “other” Madame 

 

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Salubrious Salvestrin:
Historic Napa Cabernet 

Dr. Crane Vineyard is one of Napa’s heritage vineyards, with its first planting dating to the 1920’s. Replanted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot in the late 90’s the site is famed for the high portions of gravel throughout the 21 planted acres. Soils are comprised of a thin layer of loam before giving way to bedrock, with the site originally housing a quarry in the 18th century. We are lucky enough to secure two different bottlings of Cabernet from the same vineyard, with both delivering on the vineyards storied reputation.      

Salvestrin Winery Dr. Crane Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon St Helena 2018 750ML ($99.95) $89 pre-arrival special
#9 Wine Spectator Wine of the Year in 2021
Wine Spectator 95 points
 “Bright and fresh, with lots of red currant, plum and black cherry fruit notes driving along nicely, while a subtle tug of iron runs underneath. Late floral and warm earth flashes on the finish add more range and contrast. Focused, detailed and really well built. To be released October 2021. Best from 2022 through 2035. 1,260 cases made. — JM”
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate 94+ points “The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Dr. Crane Vineyard is a blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it strides confidently out of the glass with notions of crushed black and red currants, ripe blackberries and black raspberries plus hints of dried Mediterranean herbs, tilled soil and pencil lead. The medium to full-bodied palate is chock-full of crunchy black and red berries, framed by firm, grainy tannins and a lively backbone, finishing long with loads of minerals and an herbal lift.”
 
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!

Salvestrin Winery ‘Three D’ Cabernet Sauvignon St Helena  2018 750ML ($219.95) $189 pre-arrival special
Lisa Perrotti-Brown – Wine Advocate 98 points
 “Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon 3D Dr. Crane Vineyard prances out of the glass with a gorgeous perfume of warm cassis, black cherries and black raspberries, plus hints of roses, lavender, underbrush and camphor, with an exotic touch of sandalwood. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is tightly wound with a rock-solid frame of firm, grainy tannins and lovely freshness to support the muscular black fruits, finishing epically long and beautifully earthy.”
 
This is the only listing in the USA today!
 
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Lucien le Moine’s Exceptional Burgundy Wines

Lucien Le Moine is one of the hottest names in Burgundy. The rise has been meteoric due to the scarcity of the wines and also the fact that they work almost exclusively with grand and premier cru vineyards. To understand why Le Moine’s wines are so exceptional, the first thing to understand is that the house doesn’t make, or set out to make, anything close to average. Jaspar Morris MW calls them a “haute-coture negociant” and just like a high-end designer, they strive to make statement wines.

In addition to famous grand cru vineyards like Corton-Charlemagne and Echezeaux, Le Moine sources from some of the region’s most in-demand premier cru vineyards (think Perrières and La Grande Montagne). When you couple together Le Moine’s exceptional raw material with their house style, which is heavily influenced by Jayer, you end up with wines in a very exclusive club. That style produces exceptionally sensual wines—wines that have textures like silk and explosive fruit that seems to arrive in waves from nowhere. They’re the opposite of rustic—instead polished and luxurious. These are wines that any wine lover should covet and deserve a place in your cellar.

Lucien Moine wines in stock now: 

Lucien Le Moine En Remilly Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru 2017 750ML ($219.95) $169 special, 2 bottles in stock now

 
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Lucien Le Moine Echezaux Grand Cru Cote de Nuits 2014 750ML ($349.95) $299 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 95 points
 “Black cherry and black currant flavors are framed by sweet, toasted oak in this stylish red. Ripe and polished, with sweet fruit and bright acidity offsetting a solid base of tannins. Firms up on the finish, boding well for a long future. Fine length. Best from 2021 through 2042. 41 cases imported. — BS”
Burghound 91-94 points “This is the first wine to this point to display any appreciable amount of wood though it’s not so much as to fight with the spicy and ripe nose of cassis, dark cherry and Asian-style tea aromas. There is once again a lovely sense of energy to the velvet-textured and seductive middle weight flavors that possess a solidly well-muscled but refined and stony finish where a touch of youthful austerity arises. This well-balanced effort will need a few years of cellar time but will probably be approachable after only 5 to 7 years.”
 
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Lucien Le Moine Les Vaucrains Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($169.95) $136 special, 11 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 93 points 
“Lean and concentrated, displaying wild cherry, kirsch and mineral flavors. Turns supple with air, yet remains firmly structured, with a lingering aftertaste of fruit and chalky, mineral elements. Best from 2019 through 2030. 20 cases imported. — BS”
Neal Martin – Wine Advocate 92-94 points “The 2013 Nuits St Georges 1er Cru les Vaucrains has a precise bouquet that is more floral and more expressive than the Les Saint Georges at this stage. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp chalky tannin, very good acidity and a long and persistent tensile finish. This would be my pick of the domaine’s three NSG ’13s based on the barrel samples. This just struts its stuff with a bit more gumption.”
Burghound 91-94 points ” An overtly sauvage infused nose reflects notes of red and dark currant, various floral elements and plenty of spice and pungent earth aromas. Here too there is excellent volume and intensity to the powerful, concentrated and palate coating flavors that conclude in an explosively long, serious and exceptionally firm yet not particularly austere finish. This is terrific but note that it’s a good buy only if you have plenty of patience.”
 
This is the only listing in the USA today!

Lucien Le Moine Les Grands Epenots Pommard Premier Cru 2016 750ML ($179.95) $149 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Stephen Tanzer – Vinous 92-94 points
 “Bright, dark red. Less purely black on the nose than the Epenots, showing enticing spicy lift to its raspberry and mint aromas. At once sweet and brisk in the mouth, with its red berry flavors complicated by notes of honeysuckle and citrus fruits. This penetrating, energetic wine boasts a tight core of fruit and terrific definition. Finishes energetic, classy and long, with noble tannins.”
Burghound 91-93 points “Here too the super-fresh nose is expressive with a redder fruit profile that is laced with plenty of earth and spice along with a hint of wood. The more refined middle weight flavors are notably less mineral-inflected though more seductive, all wrapped in a balanced and beautifully persistent finish.”
 
This is the only listing in the USA today!
 
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Never Enough Napa:
California Wines for Every Occasion

 
With dozens of California Cabernet Sauvignons to choose from, we have no shortage of incredible options from the Golden State. Napa Valley continues to produce some of the world’s finest examples of the world’s most beloved grape. We’re thrilled to highlight some of our standout bottles today at a variety of price points. 

In stock now: 

Prima Materia Tocai Friulano Potter Valley 2019 750ML ($24.95) $19 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Distributor note
 “Pietro Buttitta is high up in Lake County at around 1500 feet elevation.  Hovering over the Kelsey Bench AVA he is tending his family’s plot of vines and is doing the work of a true vigneron.  The entire production, around 1500 cases a year, comes entirely from the estate.  This is becoming increasingly rare with American wines and allows Pietro to farm in a fastidiously organic fashion and moreover grow exactly what he would like.  And what he grows is why this story is so compelling. (Friulano, Vermantino, Nebbiolo, Sagrantino, Aglianico, Refosco for starters!).”
 
This is the only listing in the USA today!

Peter Michael ‘Ma Belle-Fille’ Chardonnay Knights Valley 2019 750ML ($134.95) $119 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 97 points
 “The 2019 Chardonnay Ma Belle-Fille is from an estate vineyard in Knights Valley, which is in Sonoma, just north of Napa Valley. Beautiful white flowers, honeysuckle, green almond, and chalky minerality all emerge from this beauty, and it’s another full-bodied, rich, concentrated Chardonnay from this team that checks in with the crème de la crème of the vintage. Despite its richness level and decadence, it stays lively and fresh. This is straight-up brilliant Chardonnay!”
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate 97-98 points “Ma Belle Fille is the highest of the Peter Michael vineyards, located at 1,200-1,800 feet. Planted to a field selection of Hudson, Old Wente, Montrachet and Calera clones, it is also the earliest ripening vineyard. A tank sample due to be bottled in just a few days, the 2019 Chardonnay Ma Belle Fille slips seductively out of the glass with tantalizing notes of warm apple slices, ripe nectarines and spice cake, giving way to a beautiful perfume of honeysuckle, beeswax and tangerine peel, plus a waft of cashews. Full-bodied, the palate delivers mouth-coating stone fruit and spiced apple flavors with a lively backbone and decadent oiliness to the texture, finishing on a long-lasting honey-nut note. 2,017 cases were made.”

Marietta Cellars OVR Old Vine Red California LOT 72 NV 750ML ($17.95) $14.50 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Winery note
 “Old Vine Red is a proprietary red wine made to replicate the field blends of many of the old vineyards in Sonoma and Mendocino counties. Predominantly comprised of Zinfandel, Old Vine Red combines pure fruit, a supple mouth feel and a rich, solid structure. A groundbreaking combination of varietals and multiple vintages first produced in 1982, this wine has blazed the path for red blends for decades. With a historic underground following, it is one of the longest lasting and best known red blends produced today.”

Marietta Cellars ‘Game Trail’ Cabernet Sauvignon Yorkville Highlands 2017 750ML ($41.95) $36 special, 9 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 90-93 points
 “The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Game Trail is decidedly aromatic and peppery in its flavor profile, much of that a reflection of the personality of this site planted at 1400 feet. Hints of spice, licorice and chocolate add complexity to the dark-toned flavors, but the wine’s overall feel leans towards the more savory side of Cabernet.”

Anakota Wines Helena Dakota Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Knights Valley 2017 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 4 bottles in stock now
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate 96 points
 “The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Dakota Vineyard, bottled six months ago, is very deep purple-black in color. Red roses waft sensuously, provocatively out of the glass, taking center stage until the notes of kirsch, blackberries and black raspberries come through, followed by Ceylon tea and forest floor. The palate is medium-bodied, very freshly perfumed and drop-dead gorgeous in the mouth, with a firm, grainy frame and long, mineral-laced finish. 900 cases produced.”
 
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!

Anakota Helena Montana Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Knights Valley 2017 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 5 bottles in stock now
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate 96 points
 “Fruit for this was harvested on September 8th, and the wine was bottled six months ago. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Montana Vineyard gives up exuberant notions of warm blueberries, crème de cassis, lilacs and chocolate box with hints of fertile loam, licorice and menthol. Medium-bodied, elegant, very fresh and juicy, the palate has beautifully ripe, fine-grained tannins supporting the generous fruit, finishing long and perfumed. 1,200 cases produced.”
 
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!

Diamond Creek Gravelly Meadow Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2018 750ML ($279.95) $249 special, only 7 bottles in stock now
Lisa Perrotti-Brown – Wine Advocate 97 points
 “The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Gravelly Meadow is a blend of 78.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8.4% Merlot, 8% Malbec and 5.1% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it slips effortlessly from the glass, singing of ripe black cherries, black raspberries and cassis, plus hints of red currants, roses, cinnamon stick and garrigue. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers lovely freshness, offering bags of perfumed black fruits in the mouth, beautifully supported by fine-grained tannins, finishing long with lots of soft-spoken floral and mineral whispers. This perfumed beauty wears the 2018 vintage stamp well, presenting a more delicate expression of this vineyard—one that I love! 647 cases were made.”
 
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average listed price is $283

Diamond Creek Red Rock Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2018 750ML ($299.95) $269 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate 98+ points
 “The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Volcanic Hill is a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12.5% Merlot, 8.7% Malbec and 2.8% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it bursts with vibrant scents of wild blueberries, chocolate-covered cherries and boysenberries with hints of sassafras, fragrant earth, vanilla pod and underbrush, plus a waft of crushed rocks. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers fantastic purity and depth, offering firm, grainy tannins to support the bags of earth-laced black fruits, finishing long and mineral laced. 791 cases were made.”
Winery notes: “Volcanic Hill is comprised of 8 acres of south facing hillside vineyard.  It is the warmest of all our micro-climates.  The color of the soil is gray, and the consistency is that of fluffy, volcanic ash, originally deposited from the eruption of Mt. Konocti 8 million years ago. Volcanic Hill is the longest lived of our wines. Our winemaker describes these wines as “full bodied, loaded with intense ripe berry fruit, cassis, violets and a smoky richness, finishing with good length and firm tannins. The Volcanic Hill bottling includes a small amount of the extra-ordinary Petit Verdot grape.”
 
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!

Diamond Creek Volcanic Hill Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2018 750ML ($299.95) $269 special, 7 bottles in stock now
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate 98+ points
 “The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Volcanic Hill is a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12.5% Merlot, 8.7% Malbec and 2.8% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it bursts with vibrant scents of wild blueberries, chocolate-covered cherries and boysenberries with hints of sassafras, fragrant earth, vanilla pod and underbrush, plus a waft of crushed rocks. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers fantastic purity and depth, offering firm, grainy tannins to support the bags of earth-laced black fruits, finishing long and mineral laced. 791 cases were made.”
Winery notes: “Volcanic Hill is comprised of 8 acres of south facing hillside vineyard.  It is the warmest of all our micro-climates.  The color of the soil is gray, and the consistency is that of fluffy, volcanic ash, originally deposited from the eruption of Mt. Konocti 8 million years ago. Volcanic Hill is the longest lived of our wines. Our winemaker describes these wines as “full bodied, loaded with intense ripe berry fruit, cassis, violets and a smoky richness, finishing with good length and firm tannins. The Volcanic Hill bottling includes a small amount of the extra-ordinary Petit Verdot grape.”

Prima Materia Zinfandel Kelsey Bench MV 750ML ($29.95) $24 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Distributor note 
“Pietro Buttitta is high up in Lake County at around 1500 feet elevation.  Hovering over the Kelsey Bench AVA he is tending his family’s plot of vines and is doing the work of a true vigneron.  The entire production, around 1500 cases a year, comes entirely from the estate.  This is becoming increasingly rare with American wines and allows Pietro to farm in a fastidiously organic fashion and moreover grow exactly what he would like.  And what he grows is why this story is so compelling. (Friulano, Vermantino, Nebbiolo, Sagrantino, Aglianico, Refosco for starters!).”
 
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Sine Qua Non Cumulus Vineyard ‘Next of Kyn’ Touriga Nacional Central Coast 2016 750M ($499.95) $369 special, 1 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 98 points
 “The 2016 Número Dois is full of mystery and sheer allure. Mocha, wild cherry, mint, iron and a touch of new oak infuse this opulent red with tremendous nuance. Soft curves and rich, voluptuous fruit add to the wine’s considerable personality. Time in the glass brings out the wine’s intense aromatics and overall nuance. The 2016 is flat out gorgeous. That’s all there is to it.”
Jeb Dunnuck 98 points “Even better than the 2015, which might have been the greatest expression of Touriga Nacional I’d ever tasted, the 2016 Touriga Nacional Numero Dois Cumulus Vineyard boasts a knockout bouquet of ripe black fruits, charcoal, bouquet garni, and ground pepper. Rich, full-bodied, layered, and straight-up sexy on the palate, don’t miss a chance to try this singular wine. The blend is 83% Touriga Nacional, 9% Mourvèdre, 5% Syrah, and 3% Petite Sirah that was roughly 50% destemmed and spent 33 months in one-third new French oak.”
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate 97 points “Coming entirely from the Krankl’s “Home” vineyard—the Cumulus vineyard—the 2016 Touriga Nacional Numero Dois is a blend of 83% Touriga Nacional, 9% Mourvedre, 5% Syrah and 3% Petite Sirah using 54% whole clusters. It spent around 33 months in French oak barrels, 33% new.” 
 
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
 
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Trending 

Domaine Camille et Laurent Schaller Cremant de Bourgogne Brut Burgundy  NV ($29.95) $26 special, 32 bottles in stock now
55% Pinot Noir, 33% Aligote, 12% Chardonnay. Methode Traditionelle. 6.8 g/L dosage.

 
This is the only listing in the USA today!

Akishika Omachi Yamahai Nama Genshu Sake Japan  720ML ($54.95) $44 special
Region: 
Osaka. Rice Variety: Omachi. Type: Junmai Muroka Nama Genshu. Ingredients: rice, water, koji. Brewing: Yamahai slow ferment, unpasteurized, undiluted, unfiltered. Serving Temperature: lightly chilled to lightly warmed.
Vinpol Note: “One of the few Biodynamic growers of Saké rice in the world, the house specializes in Heritage varietals, primarily Omachi (Of which most modern varietals descend from). Founded in 1886 and based in Osaka Prefecture, the brewery is considered a cult producer within Japan. Eschewing any additives or post-industrial practices the idea is to present a highly traditional sake as seen in centuries past. Slow fermented to dryness and bottled without any pasteurization, dilution or filtration the resulting Saké is earthy, weighty and loaded with umami with additional tasting notes of huángchá tea, grapefruit rind, and lily flower.”
 
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!

Chateau de Chantegrive Henri Leveque Graves 2010 750ML ($41.95) $33 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
“A stunning vintage / aged release.  This near perfect 50/50 Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot blend is the ‘flagship’ cuvee from their very best vineyard plots, paying homage to Henri Leveque, founder of Château de Chantegrive. Cold pre-fermentation followed by alcoholic fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats. Malo-lactic fermentation in 100% new oak then barrel aged at least 15+ months, and obviously aged in bottle for several additional years in accordance with their desire to offer an ‘aged release.’    As a result, immediately present is a beautiful intense ruby color with a touch of dark plum. On the nose, lots of fruits with hints of chocolate and a slight suggestion of vanilla. Full-bodied and polished on the palate, a rich, generous wine with refined silky tannins.” –Importer note
 
This is the only listing in the USA today!

Tan Fruit Vojtilla Vineyard Chardonnay Chehalem Mountains 2019 750ML ($79.95) $64.50 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 97 points
 “Vojtilla is a small, four-acre vineyard in the Chehalem Mountains that sits at around 500 to 600 feet in elevation and, says Jim Maresh, is influenced by the nearby Willamette River. Harvested in October this vintage, the 2019 Chardonnay Vojtilla Vineyard comes from Dijon clone vines planted in 1991, and it was matured in about 25% new Damy barrels. It has a stunning perfume of quince paste and mushrooms, pastry and flowers, and the palate is satiny, plush and pure, with a seamless tangy streak and long, powerful finish.”

Beau Marchais Soberanes Vineyard Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands 2019 750ML ($99.95) $89 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 96 points
 ” loved these wines from barrel last year, and they didn’t disappoint from bottle. Starting with the Santa Lucia Highlands release, the 2019 Pinot Noir Soberanes Vineyard has a deep, nuanced yet powerful style that offers impressive black raspberry and red currant fruits to go with lots of spice, loamy soil, spring flower, and earthy forest floor notes. Gorgeously textured on the palate, this medium to full-bodied Pinot has ripe, polished tannins, a great mid-palate, and the fruit and opulence to drink nicely today yet also evolve for a good 7-8 years, if you’re so inclined.”
Wine Enthusiast 96 points “This collaboration between California’s Adam Lee and the Rhône Valley’s Phillipe Cambie yields a rich, spicy wine. Heavy aromas of cola, root beer, baked cherry and boysenberry gummies lead into a multi-layered palate of cardamom, clove, nutmeg and baked fruit, framed by polished tannins.”
Wine Advocate-Erin Brooks 92-94 points “I tasted the 2019 Pinot Noir Soberanes Vineyard as a final blend while still in barrel, aging in about 90% new oak. Medium ruby-purple, it’s loaded with dark fruits and nuances of bitter chocolate, mint leaves, charcuterie and fragrant earth. In the mouth, it’s medium-bodied with a firm, grainy frame and good freshness, opening up to brighter fruits on the long finish. This is shaping up to be a concentrated, savory and structured Pinot Noir. This is due to be bottled sometime around August 2020.”
 
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
 
Chateau Angelus Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2016 1.5L ($1049.95) $899 special, only 8 magnums in stock now 
Case-6 Chateau Angelus Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2016 1.5L ($5999.95) $5099.95 special, (that’s $849.83 per magnum)
Wine Enthusiast 100 points
 “Top 100 Cellar Selection In 2019. This is a rich, perfumed wine, with dense tannins and intense layers of black plum and spice. The palate is firmly built yet broadened out by plump dark-fruit tones and honed by a solid, dry core. Drink from 2025. -Roger Voss”
 
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Legendary Fashion to Legendary wine in the making: 
Tenuta Degli Dei

  
Did you know the fashion house Cavalli also has a wine in their family of products? After the initial success of his fashion brand in the 1970’s, Roberto Cavalli purchased the estate to serve as a personal oasis for him and his beloved German Shepard; Degli Dei who later became the estate’s namesake.

Now run by Roberto’s son Tommaso, operations have expanded into another property in Florence, to further diversify the wine portfolio with a different set of soil types and growing condition. We’re pleased to offer their Toscana IGT, a Bordeaux blend made from both properties. Combining the aromatics and tannin structure of their Florence estate with the richness and minerality of Degli Dei, you have to taste it to fully see how this is a match made in heaven!

Cavalli Tenuta degli Dei Toscana IGT Tuscany 2016 750ML ($59.95) $46 special
Case-12 Cavalli Tenuta degli Dei Toscana IGT Tuscany 2016 750ML ($719) $499 special (that’s only $41.58/bottle!)
James Suckling 97 points
 “What an amazing nose with pure herbs coming to the fore, soon to be joined by fresh brambleberries, blueberries, violets, heather, lavender, pine needles and forest floor. Full body, chewy but incredibly fine tannins, and tons of floral undertones. Elegant and resoundingly beautiful. Delicious now, but better in 2023.”
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 96 Points “The 2016 Tenuta Degli Dei is gorgeous. Power, structure and finesse come together in a wine that impresses for its superb balance and sheer class. Medium in body, but with tremendous fruit density and persistence, the 2016 has so much to offer. Sweet floral notes develop on the finish, adding perfume, lift and sensuality. I would cellar it for at least a few years to allow its full aromatic presence to emerge.”  
 
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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Collector’s Corner 
Pommery: The “other” Madame 

 
You’ve heard of the Champagne widow and pioneer Madame Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin (also known as Madame Clicquot), but have you heard of Madame Pommery? While you can be forgiven for not knowing her, Champagne as we know it would not exist without her contributions. In the 1870’s Champagne was one of the sweetest wines of the world for a number of reasons. The first and foremost was to balance out the otherwise searing acid that was seen in Champagnes of the period. The second was to cater to commercial preferences of the era, particularly from the Russian royal family and their contemporaries who loved exceptionally sweet wines. 

This all changed when Madame Louise Pommery commissioned her cellarmaster to make a champagne with as little added sugar as possible, creating the category we now know to be “Brut”. The debut vintage in 1874 was an overnight success in England, who had developed a preference for drier styles of wine. It was so popular in fact, that it set records in London for the highest ever paid for champagne at auction. The Brut style clearly outlived its sweeter contemporary, given the latter is rarely seen on the market anymore.

The Tête de cuvee from Pommery is named after Madame Louise and in honor of her legacy has the barest amount of sugar added. Comprised of 3 Grand Cru vineyard sources Avize, Cramant and Aÿ and aged for 11 years on its lees before disgorgement. The blend itself is predominantly Chardonnay but has 40% Pinot Noir inclusion as well. The grand cru sources for the fruit are clearly evident in the concentrated flavors, strong mineral character and high acidity with notes of toasted brioche, blackcurrant preserves, hazelnut paste, pine nuts and lemon curd. With the “Current” release being the 2004, this is a Champagne built for the long haul to say the least. We also carry a number of magnums, back vintages and the elusive Rosé bottling!

In stock and available now: 

Pommery Cuvee Louise Brut Millesime 2004 750ML ($149.95) $125 special, 14 bottles in stock now
Pommery Cuvee Louise Brut Millesime 2004 1.5L ($299.95) $279 special, 4 magnums in stock now 
James Suckling 95 points
 “A very fine-textured Champagne with lovely density and finesse. The bubbles roll off the palate. Full body. Extremely creamy and flavorful. Shows wonderful finesse and a lovely, chalky, lemon-curd and brioche aftertaste. Drink now.”
Wine Enthusiast 94 points “Pommery’s prestige Champagne is named after one of the great Champagne widows of the 19th century who took over when her husband, Alexandre Pommery, died. It is a rich, mature wine, with toast and almond flavors as much as fruit. Full of mineral Chardonnay (60% of the blend), this ripe wine is very ready to drink.”
Wine Spectator 93 points “Bright and minerally, featuring smoke and pastry dough notes layered with lemon curd and pureed black currant details, riding the lively bead. Offers a creamy finish, with a lightly floral overtone. Drink now through 2024. 16,666 cases made.”
 
This is the only listing for a magnum in the USA today!

Pommery Cuvee Louise Brut Nature 2004 750ML ($199.95) $149 special, 34 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 97 points
 “A creamy and refined 2004 with a very reserved and tight palate of ultra fine tannins that lend the wine beautiful creaminess and finesse. Subtly floral, offering lightly cooked apples and lemons. Flavorful, yet always hiding behind the fine bubbles. Drink now.”
 
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!

Pommery Cuvee Louise Brut Rose Millesime 2004 750ML ($299.95) $219 special, 25 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 95 points
 “This is a new release and shows wonderful finesse and beauty. You know that the moment you see the pale-amber color. It’s medium bodied with freshness and energy and a long, vivid finish. A joy to taste. Drink now.”
 
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!

Pommery Grand Cru Brut Millesime 2008 750ML ($99.95) $79 special, 30 bottles in stock now
Winery note
 “It was a must for Pommery not to miss out on one of the greatest vintages of champagne. One single term to characterise 2008: unexpected! After a difficult summer, nature succeeded in aligning its stars and allowed us to have an exceptional harvest. 2008 has already conquered aficionados from all over the world, but it is a special vision of 2008 in the pure style of our Maison that we propose to you. Only originating from grands crus, with an exceptional ageing potential, slowly brought to maturity in the freshness of our 18 kilometres of galleries, it is necessary to wait to taste a Pommery vintage at its zenith: the precise moment when all the components are in harmony and when maturity, freshness and complexity come together. This moment has come for our 2008 vintage. The nose presents the patina of the Pommery vintages: elegance, minerality, freshness. First of all intense floral notes reach us: the peony floats around the hawthorn. Maturity is expressed by fruity notes of pear and fresh apricot. The great Pinot Noir present themselves with notes of crushed fresh strawberries. On the palate, the tasting is floating, with a great uprightness. A mineral structure fills the palate from the attack to the finish like a spine. Notes of acacia honey and Mirabelle underline the central element of the tasting. The finish is punctuated by a nice sweetness, marked by flavours of blood orange.”
 
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!

We carry a number of Les Grandes Marques in store including BollingerRoederer and Lanson