In This Newsletter:
Just announced:
New Cavallotto Barolo Riserva en route!
Friday, We’re in love:
New Arrivals
Producer Spotlight:
Doyard
Kruger-Rumpf:
Nahe Wine Royalty
Half-Bottle Bonanza:
Straight outta Napa
Collector’s Corner:
Pierre Morey: The Master of Meursault
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Just announced:
New Cavallotto Barolo Riserva en route!
The 2015 vintage in Barolo has gone down as one of the best in the decade, with the best examples delivering the perfect balance of fruit, minerality and body. Cavallotto delivered in spades with their legendary house style coming through in the pervasive aromatics and secondary character. Bold but not brash, this is a classically styled Barolo from one of the most traditional houses on the market.
Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe Barolo Riserva DOCG 2015 750ML ($189.95) $139 pre-arrival special
Jeb Dunnuck 98 points “The 2015 Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe is ripe with dried plum, saddle leather, crushed rock, and tar. Revealing a mineral-rich earth and full structure, with black tea, dried porcini, and cherry pit, it is warming with a wintery feel. This is a great one to lay down and check in on in 4-6 years. Drink 2025-2050. Located in Castiglione Falletto, Cavallotto has owned the estate Tenuta Bricco Boschis. It is operated today by the fourth generation of the estate, Laura, Alfio, and Giuseppe. In the cellar, they utilize 20- to 100-hectoliter untoasted Slavonian oak botti.”
Wine Enthusiast 98 points “Aromas of underbrush, camphor, new leather and woodland berries mingle with a whiff of pressed rose petal on this compelling red. Still youthfully austere but already incredibly delicious, it delivers raspberry compote, truffle, tobacco and licorice framed in tightly knit, noble tannins. Fresh acidity keeps it balanced. Another fantastic showing from this wonderful estate. Drink 2025–2040. -Kerin O’Keefe”
Antonio Galloni 96 points “Cavallotto’s 2015 Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe rounds out this trio of new releases. A big, strapping wine, the 2015 possesses remarkable intensity to match its classic, mid-weight frame. Like all of these Barolos, it seems to have less overt fruit and more classicism. Camphor, licorice, menthol, pine, underbrush and scorched earth all run through the 2015, a big, brawny Riserva that will delight for many years to come. The 2015 San Giuseppe is what Barolo is all about. It’s a must for Cavallotto fans.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 96 points “The flagship wine from the talented Cavallotto family, comprising 8,938 bottles and 666 magnums, the 2015 Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe is still quite young but equally promising at its release. This is one of my favorite vineyard sites, and Castiglione Falletto, located at the center of the appellation, boasts prime positioning that unites the best qualities of its surroundings. Keeping in line with the vintage characteristics, the wine is generous in terms of aromas and fleshed out in terms of mouthfeel. There is plenty of red and purple fruit, and the wine gains complexity, thanks to pretty appearances of blue flower, spice, toast and powdery earth. The 2015 vintage is slightly softer and more accessible overall compared to the tightly knit 2013 and 2010 editions, two classic vintages for this Riserva.”
Decanter 96 points “Alfio Cavallotto, a well known organic producer in Castiglione Falletto, owns 15.5 hectares of Bricco Boschis from its total of 17ha – it was a monopole of the estate until 2014. Vigna San Giuseppe is located at the top of the cru, where the soils are even sandier than in other parts of the MGA, due to the simultaneous presence of Diano sandstones and sandy Sant’Agata Fossili marls. His 2015 is as much austere as detailed: rose, plum and prune aromas are joined by smoky woodland and a depth of forest floor. Prunes appear on the palate too, with an earthy minerality and muscular yet ripe, sweet tannins due to old vines (around 50 years old). This also displays refreshing acidity and balanced alcohol. Extremely consistent with the vintage, it is now available and ready for the long haul. Drinking Window 2021 – 2040.”
Can’t wait? We carry a number of classic Barolo producers in-house including Conterno, Fenocchio and Burlotto!
Friday, We’re in love:
New Arrivals
New Arrivals
Oregon – Eola-Amity Hills
Brooks Hope Well Vineyard Riesling Eola-Amity Hills 2018 750ML ($27.95) $26 special, 11 bottles in stock now
Winery note “This dry Riesling has mouth-watering acidity with ripe and generous notes of pineapple, star fruit, kumquat and quince. With only 100 cases produced, this wine will move quickly. It’s organically farmed by one of the valley’s visionaries, Mimi Casteel. A second generation wine grower, her commitment to the environment and restoring native habitat is unequaled. We love this wine, not only because it’s a truly stunning Riesling, but because it embodies everything that is good about the land that is being healed and the people whose lives are dedicated to crafting exceptional expressions of time and place.”
Brooks Hope Well Vineyard Riesling Eola-Amity Hills 2018 750ML ($27.95) $26 special, 11 bottles in stock now
Winery note “This dry Riesling has mouth-watering acidity with ripe and generous notes of pineapple, star fruit, kumquat and quince. With only 100 cases produced, this wine will move quickly. It’s organically farmed by one of the valley’s visionaries, Mimi Casteel. A second generation wine grower, her commitment to the environment and restoring native habitat is unequaled. We love this wine, not only because it’s a truly stunning Riesling, but because it embodies everything that is good about the land that is being healed and the people whose lives are dedicated to crafting exceptional expressions of time and place.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Brooks Temperance Hill Pinot Noir Eola-Amity Hills 2017 750ML ($54.95) $42.50 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds 95 points “Deep garnet. Highly complex on the nose, displaying cherry preserve, raspberry, vanilla and allspice scents and a sexy floral note that gains strength with air. Intense, appealingly sweet red and dark berry, cherry cola, lavender pastille and spicecake flavors possess outstanding depth and energy. Tightens up on the impressively long finish, where fine-grained tannins frame resonating floral, cherry and spice notes.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
California- Napa Valley
Heitz Cellar Martha’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2015 750ML ($279.95) $249 special, 12 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 98 points “Structured and powerful with chewy and firm tannins with a light vanilla and currant undertone. Full bodied. Juicy and savory. Luscious and intense yet polished. Tension, energy and wonderful length and brightness. Drinkable but needs another three to four years to come around.”
Decanter 97 points “No other Cabernet has the aromatic profile of Martha’s, its signature eucalyptus note being perennially present and well documented. It is quite floral for a Cabernet, with aromas of dried cherry blossom, fresh sage, dry earth and cocoa powder. Aged three years in French oak and an additional two in bottle before release, there is clear evidence of new oak, but in a deliciously creamy, enhancing way rarely found in modern Cabernet. The palate is juicy, clean, dark and deep all at once. Explosive and long on the finish, showing multidimensional layers of black fruits, fresh herbs and charred earth with stunning delineation. There isn’t a more definitive Cabernet Sauvignon in the world, at any price. Drinking Window 2021 – 2061.”
Wine & Spirits 96 points “Extended bottle age at Heitz’s cellar is a long-term investment in a wine like this 2015 Martha’s Vineyard. Mysteriously, the wine manages to be plump and austere at once, like an aristocrat who’s a little soft in the middle but tough as nails. The vintage has the eucalyptus scent that famously marks this vineyard’s cabernet, a complex element in the midst of the wine’s fresh, bright red fruit and silken texture. Seriously grand Napa Valley cabernet, bristling with energy, this has a long life ahead. —J.G.”
Wine Spectator 95 points “Enticing, with the frankly ripe profile of the vintage showing off in a display of slightly exotic plum and blackberry coulis flavors, while dark licorice, menthol and sassafras notes course through. Sweet spice accents sparkle through the finish, revealing a lingering hint of singed juniper. The long finish features rippling acidity. Best from 2022 through 2038. 2,300 cases made. — JM”
France- Alsace
F E Trimbach Riesling Clos Sainte Hune Alsace 2016 750ML ($519.95) $379 special, only 6 bottles in stock now
Ian D’Agata-Vinous 98+ Points “Luminous straw. Penetrating nuances of lime and guava join the lemon verbena, jasmine, mineral and white stone fruit aromas on the knockout, captivating nose. Then dense, complex and multilayered, offering profound flavors of fresh citrus fruit, sweet spices and talcum powder. Closes extremely long, clean and precise; this is a young white wine of utterly mesmerizing beauty. I find this to be one of the best young CSHs I have ever tasted; it is stylistically different but almost on the same quality level as the marvelous 2010 CSH. One sniff (never mind taste) and I was left almost speechless – and I’m not usually one who keeps his mouth shut when I recognize a truly great wine.”
Jancis Robinson 19-20 “Just 7,000 bottles produced in an average year from this 1.67-ha muschelkalk enclave within the Rosacker Grand Cru vineyard. Always vinified bone dry for a long life. So fresh and minerally and complete. Already gorgeous with beautifully judged balance. Such tension and this is already approachable, I’m delighted to say. Really vibrato and vibrant. So long and as though on a tightrope. Then a beautiful undertow with some lime and a lot of stones. Riesling perfection!”
Wine & Spirits 96 points “Luminous straw. Penetrating nuances of lime and guava join the lemon verbena, jasmine, mineral and white stone fruit aromas on the knockout, captivating nose. Then dense, complex and multilayered, offering profound flavors of fresh citrus fruit, sweet spices and talcum powder. Closes extremely long, clean and precise; this is a young white wine of utterly mesmerizing beauty. I find this to be one of the best young CSHs I have ever tasted; it is stylistically different but almost on the same quality level as the marvelous 2010 CSH. One sniff (never mind taste) and I was left almost speechless – and I’m not usually one who keeps his mouth shut when I recognize a truly great wine.”
Wine Spectator 95 points “A chiseled white, deftly knitting a lovely range of ripe nectarine and plum fruit, Meyer lemon peel and fresh rosemary notes with laserlike acidity and a rich undertow of petrol and brine. It’s finely detailed and lightly chalky in texture, with the juicy fruit and mineral notes returning to echo on the finish. This is a pleasure right now but will continue to shine over time. Drink now through 2036. 650 cases made, 75 cases imported. — AN”
France- Beaujolais
Chateau Thivin Cote de Brouilly Beaujolais 2020 750ML ($34.95) $28 special
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2020 Côte de Brouilly is already very expressive, bursting with aromas of ripe berry fruit, plums and cherries mingled with hints of raw cocoa and spices. Medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated, it’s rich and fleshy, with powdery tannins, lively acids and a sapid finish. In style, this is more muscular than the more elegant 2019, but both represent benchmarks for Beaujolais in their respective vintages.”
Domaine Diochon Moulin-a-Vent Vieilles Vignes Beaujolais 2018 750ML ($29.95) $24.50 special
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 94 points “Revisited a year later, the 2018 Moulin-à-Vent Vieilles Vignes continues to show very well, exhibiting a rich and inviting bouquet of black cherries, licorice, smoked meats, anise, orange rind and peonies. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and enveloping, its deep core of fruit is framed by ripe tannins and succulent acids, concluding with a sapid finish. This is sufficiently demonstrative to drink well today—preferably with a rare steak or similar—but it will also age well. In style, it’s quite reminiscent of the 2009, which is in its prime.”
France- Loire
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Le Haut Lieu’ Demi-Sec Loire 2018 750ML ($49.95) $29 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 93 points “Round and expressive, with great balance between the sweetness of orchard fruit and bracing acidity reminiscent of clementine. Jasmine and sweet spice notes emerge midpalate, while ground ginger details mark the velvety finish. Drink now through 2034. 2,100 cases made. –AZ”
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2018 Vouvray Le Haut-Lieu Demi-Sec is clear, bright and fresh on the chalky/spicy nose. Round and lush on the palate, the 2018 is a dense, refined and charmingly sweet Haut-Lieu with accessible fruit and a stimulatingly salty finish that reveals very fine tannins and lovely sur-lie texture. This is a delicious Chenin from Vouvray but still young. Tasted in May 2019.”
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2018 Demi-Sec Le Haut-Lieu offers up a beguiling mix of candied lemon peel, passion fruit, jasmine, ginger and marzipan. Medium in body and intensely perfumed, the Demi-Sec is so harmonious. Bright saline underpinnings add a lovely counterpoint to the wine’s natural richness.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Le Haut Lieu’ Moelleux Loire 2018 750ML ($54.95) $29 special, 36+bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2018 Moelleux Le Haut-Lieu is a gorgeous, exotic wine. Jasmine, lemon oil and ginger lead into a core of green orchard fruit as the 2018 shows off its considerable charms. A wine of absolutely exquisite beauty, the 2018 is precise and sculpted, with its sweetness very nicely integrated.”
Jason Wilson-Vinous 94 points “A perfect example of how 2018 wanted to be sweet and not dry. Harvested late, this sweet wine has 48 grams per liter of residual sugar. Beautiful pear and quince, as well as white blossoms on the nose. Pretty and complex on the palate, with lots of finesse and verve, this is a shapely, stunning sweet wine.”
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2018 Vouvray Le Haut-Lieu Moelleux is clear and seductively ripe on the elegant, still yeasty nose with a mineral backbone and its chalky background. Sweet and lush but fine and filigreed on the palate, this is a salty, frisky, elegant, densely woven and well-structured Haut-Lieu with fine tannins and a long, complex finish that is rich and finessed at the same time, with lingering piquancy and stimulating salinity. This 2018 is a very charming but also serious Chenin Blanc with fine tannins, good tension and aging potential. Tasted in May 2019.”
Wine Spectator 93 points “Round and harmonious, with a suave texture and notes of ripe Bosc pear, white peach and elderflower. Shows hints of brioche and glaze, while the acidity cuts through, giving this balance and vibrancy. Drink now through 2033. 3,800 cases made. –AZ”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Le Mont’ Demi-Sec Loire 2018 750ML ($49.95) $33 special, 11 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 95 points “This elegant white shows pedigree, featuring wonderful harmony and great complexity, with persimmon and quince flavors, while cardamom, coriander and star anise notes glide along the edges. The acidity gives this power, providing balance, but also incredible energy that runs throughout. Very long and inviting. Best from 2020 through 2038. 1,000 cases made. –AZ”
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 94+ points “From green clay and pebbly silex soils, the 2018 Vouvray Le Mont Demi-Sec offers a clear, intense but elegant and sublime nose that intermixes ripe fruit and ginger aromas with spicy-flinty notes. Very well articulated and precise on the nose, it is lush and intense on the palate, with a good structure and complex finish. This is a highly promising Vouvray whose combination of 14% alcohol and unfermented sugar asks for a couple of years of cellar aging. The finish is salty, pure, tight and vibrantly fresh. A gorgeous, highly energetic wine. Tasted in May 2019.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Le Mont’ Moelleux Loire 2018 750ML ($54.95) $36 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2018 Vouvray Le Mont Moelleux is clear, deep, pure and flinty on the intense but fine and coolish-mineral nose. Very distinctive! Lush and intense but also pure, vital and tensioned on the palate, this elegant and seductive Le Mont offers a straightforward drive and a highly complex and energetic finish with grip and great mineral tension. A gorgeous, crystalline, persistently salty and tightly woven Chenin with great complexity and energy. Very attractive already today! Tasted in May 2019.”
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2018 Moelleux Le Mont is a pretty rich wine. Apricot, orange confit, spice and mint infuse the 2018 with tons of nuance to match its viscous, textured personality. Time in the glass brings out the wine’s natural lushness. Le Mont will appeal most to readers who appreciate richer Vouvrays.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Doyard
“This Vertus domaine numbers among my favorite addresses on the Côte de Blancs, and the Doyard family’s vinous, incisive Champagnes deserve a place in any well-stocked cellar. Deep, concentrated and characterful, everything that bears the Doyard label is well worth serious attention.” -William Kelley, Wine Advocate
It goes without saying that fruit from the Côte des Blancs is among the most in demand in all of Champagne. Krug, Bollinger, Roederer, Piper-Heidsieck and Moët & Chandon all have holdings in the region, and often use it for their top offerings. With this much corporate influence from the Grand Marquises you’d be hard pressed to find grower-producers, and yet Doyard has been one since 1677!
With family holdings in Vertus, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Cramant, Oger, Avize and Aÿ you’d be hard pressed to find a better expression of Chardonnay anywhere in the world, let alone Champagne. This exceptional quality is a result of meticulous farming practices and exacting cellarwork. Organic standards, 45 year old average vine age, horse plowing and 4 years minimum on lees aging are only a few examples of these practices in action.
Doyard Wines in stock now:
Doyard Cuvee Vendemiaire Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru Brut Champagne NV 750ML ($69.95) $54.50 special, 18 bottles in stock now
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 92 points “The NV Brut Blanc de Blancs Cuvée Vendémiaire (2014 base) Doyard’s latest release. It was disgorged in February 2020 with four grams per liter dosage after 89 months on the lees. Wafting from the glass with aromas of honeycomb, yellow orchard fruit, dried citrus peel, warm bread and toasted almonds. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy but incisive, it’s elegantly layered and racy, with a pinpoint mousse and a long, sapid finish.” [Base year may vary from review]
2016-base, disgorged 02/06/2021
Doyard Clos de l’Abbaye Premier Cru Extra Brut Champagne 2016 750ML ($149.95) $119 special, 3 bottles in stock now
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 96+ points “Disgorged in January 2021 with two grams per liter dosage, the 2015 Extra-Brut Premier Cru Clos de l’Abbaye has turned out brilliantly. Wafting from the glass with aromas of citrus oil, warm bread and honeycomb that are still a little reserved after its recent disgorgement, this is a full-bodied, layered and concentrated Champagne that’s vinous and textural, displaying notable depth and mid-palate amplitude that’s framed by lively acids and an enlivening pinpoint mousse, concluding with a long resonant finish. As I’ve written before, this cuvée derives from a walled 0.4-hectare plot of 60-year-old cordon-pruned vines just behind the winery in Vertus, and only the first and second “serres” of the press are used.”
Doyard Wines arriving March, 2022:
Doyard Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Champagne 2013 750ML ($149.95) $119 pre-arrival special
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 95+ points “The 2013 Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru has also turned out beautifully, unwinding in the glass with notes of citrus oil, peach, white flowers and freshly baked bread. Medium to full-bodied, seamless and complete, it’s taut and chiseled, with serious reserves of concentration and a long, mineral finish. Disgorged in spring 2021, while its quality is apparent, this is predictably a little introverted out of the gates, so I look forward to revisiting it later this year.”
It goes without saying that fruit from the Côte des Blancs is among the most in demand in all of Champagne. Krug, Bollinger, Roederer, Piper-Heidsieck and Moët & Chandon all have holdings in the region, and often use it for their top offerings. With this much corporate influence from the Grand Marquises you’d be hard pressed to find grower-producers, and yet Doyard has been one since 1677!
With family holdings in Vertus, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Cramant, Oger, Avize and Aÿ you’d be hard pressed to find a better expression of Chardonnay anywhere in the world, let alone Champagne. This exceptional quality is a result of meticulous farming practices and exacting cellarwork. Organic standards, 45 year old average vine age, horse plowing and 4 years minimum on lees aging are only a few examples of these practices in action.
Doyard Wines in stock now:
Doyard Cuvee Vendemiaire Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru Brut Champagne NV 750ML ($69.95) $54.50 special, 18 bottles in stock now
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 92 points “The NV Brut Blanc de Blancs Cuvée Vendémiaire (2014 base) Doyard’s latest release. It was disgorged in February 2020 with four grams per liter dosage after 89 months on the lees. Wafting from the glass with aromas of honeycomb, yellow orchard fruit, dried citrus peel, warm bread and toasted almonds. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy but incisive, it’s elegantly layered and racy, with a pinpoint mousse and a long, sapid finish.” [Base year may vary from review]
2016-base, disgorged 02/06/2021
Doyard Clos de l’Abbaye Premier Cru Extra Brut Champagne 2016 750ML ($149.95) $119 special, 3 bottles in stock now
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 96+ points “Disgorged in January 2021 with two grams per liter dosage, the 2015 Extra-Brut Premier Cru Clos de l’Abbaye has turned out brilliantly. Wafting from the glass with aromas of citrus oil, warm bread and honeycomb that are still a little reserved after its recent disgorgement, this is a full-bodied, layered and concentrated Champagne that’s vinous and textural, displaying notable depth and mid-palate amplitude that’s framed by lively acids and an enlivening pinpoint mousse, concluding with a long resonant finish. As I’ve written before, this cuvée derives from a walled 0.4-hectare plot of 60-year-old cordon-pruned vines just behind the winery in Vertus, and only the first and second “serres” of the press are used.”
Doyard Wines arriving March, 2022:
Doyard Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Champagne 2013 750ML ($149.95) $119 pre-arrival special
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 95+ points “The 2013 Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru has also turned out beautifully, unwinding in the glass with notes of citrus oil, peach, white flowers and freshly baked bread. Medium to full-bodied, seamless and complete, it’s taut and chiseled, with serious reserves of concentration and a long, mineral finish. Disgorged in spring 2021, while its quality is apparent, this is predictably a little introverted out of the gates, so I look forward to revisiting it later this year.”
Kruger-Rumpf:
Nahe Wine Royalty
Kruger Rumpf is a consistent favorite at Vinopolis, and justifiably so. Sitting at the most northerly point of the Nahe, one of the world’s new favorite German wine regions, they have been growing wine grapes since 1708. Grapes were sold to a regional cooperative until Stefan Rumpf began their estate program in 1984. Their estate holdings now encompass just under 124 acres in both the Nahe and Reinhessen, the majority planted to Riesling. This embrace of innovation has continued into the next generation, with Georg Rumpf transitioning the estate to organic farming practices and spearheading a reduced spray program. Also members of the VDP, an invite-only consortium of German producers largely considered the best in the country (membership numbers less than 200 nationwide), they have clearly not let their size interfere with the quality of their wines.
At Vinopolis we carry a dizzying array of their wines. The majority are Riesling from their estate holdings. The top off-dry wine from the estate comes from the “Dautenpflänzer” from near the town of Munster. This is a prime Grand Cru site of the lower Nahe, a place that yields wines of power and resonance, and Kruger-Rumpf is the primary (and best) landholder. Their top dry wine comes from the Abtei, Im Pitterberg, and Burgberg vineyards, which are more suited to the production of bright, dry bottlings than the Dautenpflänzer. Their “1937” is a single-block bottling of the Abtei vineyard’s oldest and steepest section. Despite the vine age and fantastic quality, it’s just half the price of similar unicorn wines (think Carl Loewen’s “1896”). The Burgberg is one of the top GG sites in the upper Nahe, tiny and impossibly steep, and the Kruger-Rumpf version shows off the classicism and elegance of the site.
Kruger Rumpf in stock now:
Kruger-Rumpf Munsterer Dautenpflanzer Riesling Grosses Gewächs Nahe 2016 750ML ($49.95) $41.90 special, 5 bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott – Jamessuckling 93 points “Quite a powerful ripe wine, but with a serious acidity that you’ll either go for or you won’t. If the first impression doesn’t decide that, then the whiplash finish will either knock you into ecstasy or knock you out of the game! Drink now and for many years beyond.”
David Schildknecht-Vinous 92 points “Suggestions of rutabaga mingle with thyme, oregano, and intimations of fresh lemon on the nose, then translate into a brightly juicy, intriguingly earthy impression on a palpably high-extract palate. This finishes with glowing piquancy, consummate refreshment and plenty of intrigue. It should prove fascinating to follow.”
Wine Advocate 91+ points “From quartzite soils with loess and slate and fermented in 1,200-liter oak vats, Georg Rumpf’s 2016 Nahe Riesling (Münsterer) Dautenpflänzer “GG” is round, rich and juicy on the palate but also light and well structured by fine and grippy tannins. Very long finish.”
At Vinopolis we carry a dizzying array of their wines. The majority are Riesling from their estate holdings. The top off-dry wine from the estate comes from the “Dautenpflänzer” from near the town of Munster. This is a prime Grand Cru site of the lower Nahe, a place that yields wines of power and resonance, and Kruger-Rumpf is the primary (and best) landholder. Their top dry wine comes from the Abtei, Im Pitterberg, and Burgberg vineyards, which are more suited to the production of bright, dry bottlings than the Dautenpflänzer. Their “1937” is a single-block bottling of the Abtei vineyard’s oldest and steepest section. Despite the vine age and fantastic quality, it’s just half the price of similar unicorn wines (think Carl Loewen’s “1896”). The Burgberg is one of the top GG sites in the upper Nahe, tiny and impossibly steep, and the Kruger-Rumpf version shows off the classicism and elegance of the site.
Kruger Rumpf in stock now:
Kruger-Rumpf Munsterer Dautenpflanzer Riesling Grosses Gewächs Nahe 2016 750ML ($49.95) $41.90 special, 5 bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott – Jamessuckling 93 points “Quite a powerful ripe wine, but with a serious acidity that you’ll either go for or you won’t. If the first impression doesn’t decide that, then the whiplash finish will either knock you into ecstasy or knock you out of the game! Drink now and for many years beyond.”
David Schildknecht-Vinous 92 points “Suggestions of rutabaga mingle with thyme, oregano, and intimations of fresh lemon on the nose, then translate into a brightly juicy, intriguingly earthy impression on a palpably high-extract palate. This finishes with glowing piquancy, consummate refreshment and plenty of intrigue. It should prove fascinating to follow.”
Wine Advocate 91+ points “From quartzite soils with loess and slate and fermented in 1,200-liter oak vats, Georg Rumpf’s 2016 Nahe Riesling (Münsterer) Dautenpflänzer “GG” is round, rich and juicy on the palate but also light and well structured by fine and grippy tannins. Very long finish.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Kruger-Rumpf Munsterer Pittersberg Riesling Grosses Gewächs Nahe 2018 750ML ($51.95) $46 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 93+ points “The 2018 Im Pitterberg Riesling GG is bright and floral on the fragrant and elegant, spicy-mineral nose. Full-bodied and intense on the palate, with rich and concentrated fruit that is balanced by a tight and mineral structure and lingering salinity, this is an elegant, very complex and sustainable dry Riesling with crunchy stone flavors and a gripping finish. This is a great Nahe wine from the 2018 vintage. Tasted in July 2019.”
David Schildknecht-Vinous 92 points “Scents of white peach anticipate the cool juiciness as well as the peach fuzz invigoration and peach kernel piquancy that emerge on a firm palate. A bright influx of fresh lime lends animation and enhances refreshment on a finish that also features mouthwatering veal stock savor and vivid wet stone. (For background on the naming of this site and the origin of its fruit, consult my review of the corresponding 2015.)”
Terry Theise note “Here’s how it goes. I taste through all the GGs and try to glean where they each will go, and which are likely to be best. Then a year or two later I drink them in their finished form and see how wrong I was. Or was I wrong? I make the best guess I can, with 30-some years behind me, knowing how wines generally behave and how they might surprise you, and to feign certainty under those circumstances is a knave’s game. But what else can I trust? I’m not always wrong; sometimes I’m right! Maybe even often. Just know, please, that this is educated guesswork—but with that out of the way, this is what I found on the day…. Pitterberg has what the Germans call “Fond,” which connotes a sort of concentrated stock, more than broth and less than demi-glace. It has density, and it seems to have been born balanced.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Kruger-Rumpf Munsterer Pittersberg Riesling Spatlese Nahe, 2018 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 32 bottles in stock now
David Schildknecht-Vinous 95 points “Picked at the end of October but with minimal botrytis, this certainly stands in magnificent contradiction to my vintage generalization that picking past the middle of that month was not advantageous. Unlike its counterpart form the Dautenpflänzer, this was raised in cask, and was allowed to ferment to a lower level of residual sugar. It comes off as a riper, richer sibling of the corresponding Im Pitterberg Riesling Kabinett, its gloss merging with creaminess, yet with fresh white peach and lime juiciness complementing ripe quince and serving for animation and refreshment. The finish is unexpectedly electrifying in its vibrancy and mouthwateringly saline, and gains stimulating counterpoint from peach kernel piquancy, peach fuzz prickle and a crystalline sense of stone-showering mineral impingement. (If there is a second, “regular” Im Pitterberg Spätlese from this vintage, I am not aware of it.)”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Kruger-Rumpf Munsterer Rheinberg Riesling Kabinett Nahe 2018 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 89 points “From a southeast-facing vineyard, picked at 83/84° Oechsle around the 20th of September and vinified in stainless steel and large oak in equal parts, the 2018 Münster Rheinberg Riesling Kabinett is beautifully clear, fresh and stony/piquant on the precise, stimulating, slightly nutty and coffee-bean nose. Round, lush and sweet on the first palate, this is a fresh, salty-piquant and elegant Kabinett with stimulating grip on the finish. This is a beautifully lean, light and digestible Kabinett in the good old style. Tasted in July 2019.”
Terry Theise note “Our basic and faithful friend, this perennial and tasty Kabinett from the steep quartzite vineyard, and this ’18 is sleek and rippling and snappy and racy.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Kruger-Rumpf Munsterer Dautenpflanzer Riesling Spatlese Nahe 2018 750ML ($29.95) $24 special bottles in stock now
David Schildknecht-Vinous 92 points “An effusively fruity nose anticipates the generously juicy peach and nectarine that feature on a glossy palate, with a hint of almond paste as well as pronounced sweetness tugging things in a confectionary direction. Happily, an influx of limey brightness and tangy fresh-fruitedness serve for welcome pushback as well as animation and refreshment on a long-lasting finish. As with others of the best Kruger-Rumpf 2018s, this manages to combine richness and high ripeness with brightness and transparency to stony inflections. That juxtaposition may have been underscored in the case of this Spätlese by its having been raised partly in cask and partly in tank.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Kruger Rumpf wines arriving March:
Kruger-Rumpf Riesling Trocken Nahe 2020 ($21.95) $18 pre-arrival special
Kruger-Rumpf Scheurebe Spatlese Nahe 2020 750ML ($31.95) $26 pre-arrival special
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Half-Bottle Bonanza: Straight outta Napa
For those looking to experience what the ‘Luxury’ category of Napa Valley Cabernet tastes like but aren’t interested in forking over the typical toll, half bottles provide a great hack. They’re perfect for weeknights, when quality is often valued over quantity. Beyond the convenient size there is also a faster turn-around due to the smaller format, removing the “Locked down” character of many of these wines when opened too young. In another Vinopolis coup, we’ve just secured insane pricing on half bottles from two of Napa Valley’s top producers.
La Jota’s roots in Howell Mountain date back to 1898, but their modern reincarnation began in 1982. Over the ensuing 40+ years, La Jota has secured its reputation as one of Howell Mountain’s benchmark producers. Across the valley, Mt Brave is making equally exciting ‘Mountain Cabernet’ high up in the famous hills of Mt Veeder. The vineyards that produce both wines benefit from their perch above Napa Valley’s stubborn fog line, resulting in wines that are not only more structured and fresh, but also (paradoxically) more generous. There’s a reason why many Napa enthusiasts remain so enchanted by the region’s hillside vineyards.
So take advantage of these attractively priced half bottles, and spice up your life!
We carry premium Napa wines throughout the Valley, including Diamond Creek, Bond Estates, Opus One and Continuum!
Half-Bottles in stock now:
Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder 2014 375ML ($49.95) $33 special, 15 half-bottles in stock now
Robert Parker 95+ points “The top score, though, has to go to the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, which is 90.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest small quantities of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec. This wine has an opaque purple color, a big, sweet kiss of blueberry and blackberry liqueur, some graphite, a juicy, full-bodied, savory mouthfeel, and excellent purity and underlying balance. This seamlessly rich mountain Cabernet Sauvignon should age effortlessly for two decades or more.”
Jeb Dunnuck 95 points “The star of the show is clearly the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon which has everything you could want from a Mountain Cabernet. Cassis, blueberries, violets, leafy herbs, and graphite notes all emerge from this full-bodied, concentrated, yet plush, forward, incredibly sexy 2014. With no hard edges, impeccable balance, and a great finish, drink this beauty anytime over the coming 15+ years.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
La Jota Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain 2014 375ML ($59.95) $39 special, 36+ half-bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 96+ points “Checking in as a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon is another gorgeous wine from winemaker Chris Carpenter. Brought up in 90% new French oak, this classic, tight, focused beauty boasts sensational notes of crème de cassis, graphite, toasty oak, and ample minerality. These all flow to a full-bodied, beautifully concentrated, layered, tannic 2014 that has remarkable purity, impeccable balance, and a great, great finish. It’s classic, old-school, yet awesome Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon that needs 3-4 years of bottle age and will keep for 2-3 decades.”
Robert Parker 95 points “The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon is 75.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc and the rest Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec, aged in 89% new French oak. The wine displays the great fruit that is possible from these two sites owned by the Jacksons. It has an opaque purple color, a big, sweet kiss of crème de cassis and blackberry with a touch of lead pencil shavings, vanilla and incense. It is full-bodied and dense, with moderately high tannins but beautiful sweetness and fruit. Drink it over the next 25-30 years.”
Wine Enthusiast 95 points “Cellar Selection. Blended with small percentages of 12% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, and then aged in 90% new French oak for 19 months, this stellar effort offers reduced oak, bark, toast and clove aromas and flavors alongside sizable, structured tannin and hearty ripeness. Black currant and chocolate dust a layer of tobacco. Enjoy best 2024 through 2034. -Virginie Boone”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Collector’s Corner:
Pierre Morey: The Master of Meursault
Meursault is village synonymous with superstar talent. You can hardly throw a stone without hitting an iconic producer’s fields like Coche, Faiveley, or Boillot. Equally as talented but still relatively unknown is Pierre Morey. With family roots in the village going back to the 18th century and a work history with the legendary house Lafon, these are the hidden gems in the treasure chest of Burgundy. The Morey portfolio features a complete set of wines featuring Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from across their holdings. For a village that’s associated almost exclusively with Chardonnay, their Pinot offers a rare look into what Meursault’s terroir can do. As you can expect with a biodynamic producer with old vines, quantities are extremely limited, so get these before they’re only available on the auction block!
Pierre Morey wines in stock now:
Domaine Pierre Morey Santenots Volnay Premier Cru 2018 750ML ($179.95) $149 special, 4 bottles in stock now
Neal Martin-Vinous 91-93 points “The 2018 Volnay Les Santenots 1er Cru, matured with around 50% new oak, has a lovely, lilting bouquet of blueberry, raspberry and light cassis fruit, floral tones developing with time in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple but quite firm, Pommard-like tannins, and blessed with disarming purity of fruit and just the right amount of spiciness toward the finish to beckon you back for another sip. This will be wonderful once in bottle.”
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 91-93 points “More reserved than the exuberant Volnay Pitures from Maison Morey-Blanc, the domaine’s 2018 Volnay 1er Cru Les Santenots unwinds to reveal notes of cherries, plums, burning embers, sweet soil tones and spices. Medium to full-bodied, it’s muscular and nicely concentrated, with powdery tannins and chalky grip on the finish.”
Importer note “From 48-year-old biodynamically-farmed vines from the lieu-dit ‘Les Pétures’ in the north of Meursault, purchased by the domaine in 2003. This parcel is in the center of the slope and is well protected from wind, and the soils are shallow, fine red clay. This is a more powerful Volnay. The grapes are fully destemmed and fermented in open vats with native yeasts. Aged for 15-20 months with a significant percentage of new wood.”
Domaine Pierre Morey Meursault Les Tessons Cote de Beaune 2018 750ML ($159.95) $139 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Neal Martin-Vinous 91-93 points “The 2018 Meursault Les Tessons comes from a single parcel close to Jean-Marc Roulot’s. It has a very pure and very Meursault bouquet with all the leitmotifs one expects: grilled walnut, touches of almond and a little passion fruit. The palate is very well balanced with a fine bead of acidity. A subtle spiciness defines that finish, which offers just the right amount of salinity. Superb.”
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 91-93 points “The 2018 Meursault Les Tessons reveals a lovely bouquet that mingles scents of citrus oil and green pear with hints of white flowers, blanched almonds and honeycomb. Medium to full-bodied, textural but racy, it’s beautifully seamless and complete, structured around lively acids and chalky dry extract.”
Importer note “From a steep site on rocky soils with limestone bedrock, close by to several famous 1er crus, and considered by many to be the one of the best village-level vineyards in Meursault and an honorary 1er cru (it wasn’t included because it was mostly unplanted after phylloxera). This vineyard is up high and harvested late, resulting in a more restrained and mineral Meursault. Gentle pneumatic pressing, fermented on fine lees in 20-50% new barrels and aged 16-20 months.”
Domaine Pierre Morey Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru Cote de Beaune 2013 750ML ($599.95) $519 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Importer note “An upper parcel of .49 ha just under Le Montrachet with rich and shallow soils, planted in 1965. Gentle pneumatic pressing, fermented in barrel on fine lees and aged for 16-20 months in small barrels, some new.”
Pierre Morey wines in stock now:
Domaine Pierre Morey Santenots Volnay Premier Cru 2018 750ML ($179.95) $149 special, 4 bottles in stock now
Neal Martin-Vinous 91-93 points “The 2018 Volnay Les Santenots 1er Cru, matured with around 50% new oak, has a lovely, lilting bouquet of blueberry, raspberry and light cassis fruit, floral tones developing with time in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple but quite firm, Pommard-like tannins, and blessed with disarming purity of fruit and just the right amount of spiciness toward the finish to beckon you back for another sip. This will be wonderful once in bottle.”
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 91-93 points “More reserved than the exuberant Volnay Pitures from Maison Morey-Blanc, the domaine’s 2018 Volnay 1er Cru Les Santenots unwinds to reveal notes of cherries, plums, burning embers, sweet soil tones and spices. Medium to full-bodied, it’s muscular and nicely concentrated, with powdery tannins and chalky grip on the finish.”
Importer note “From 48-year-old biodynamically-farmed vines from the lieu-dit ‘Les Pétures’ in the north of Meursault, purchased by the domaine in 2003. This parcel is in the center of the slope and is well protected from wind, and the soils are shallow, fine red clay. This is a more powerful Volnay. The grapes are fully destemmed and fermented in open vats with native yeasts. Aged for 15-20 months with a significant percentage of new wood.”
Domaine Pierre Morey Meursault Les Tessons Cote de Beaune 2018 750ML ($159.95) $139 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Neal Martin-Vinous 91-93 points “The 2018 Meursault Les Tessons comes from a single parcel close to Jean-Marc Roulot’s. It has a very pure and very Meursault bouquet with all the leitmotifs one expects: grilled walnut, touches of almond and a little passion fruit. The palate is very well balanced with a fine bead of acidity. A subtle spiciness defines that finish, which offers just the right amount of salinity. Superb.”
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 91-93 points “The 2018 Meursault Les Tessons reveals a lovely bouquet that mingles scents of citrus oil and green pear with hints of white flowers, blanched almonds and honeycomb. Medium to full-bodied, textural but racy, it’s beautifully seamless and complete, structured around lively acids and chalky dry extract.”
Importer note “From a steep site on rocky soils with limestone bedrock, close by to several famous 1er crus, and considered by many to be the one of the best village-level vineyards in Meursault and an honorary 1er cru (it wasn’t included because it was mostly unplanted after phylloxera). This vineyard is up high and harvested late, resulting in a more restrained and mineral Meursault. Gentle pneumatic pressing, fermented on fine lees in 20-50% new barrels and aged 16-20 months.”
Domaine Pierre Morey Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru Cote de Beaune 2013 750ML ($599.95) $519 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Importer note “An upper parcel of .49 ha just under Le Montrachet with rich and shallow soils, planted in 1965. Gentle pneumatic pressing, fermented in barrel on fine lees and aged for 16-20 months in small barrels, some new.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Vinopolis is an independent wine shop in Portland that opened in 2004. Our goal has always been to offer the finest, broadest, and largest selection of wines at the best prices to our customers in Portland, in Oregon, across the West Coast, and throughout the United States.
Thank you for reading and for continuing to support our team!
Stay safe, be well, & drink well.
Thank you for reading and for continuing to support our team!
Stay safe, be well, & drink well.