Vinopolis Newsletter – Friday 3-1-24

 In This Newsletter:

Special Arrivals
Scorching hot wines from the “Land of volcanoes”
New Arrivals
Charles Heidsick, Kelley Fox, Lingua Franca, 4 Monos, Il Poggione, and much more!
Pre-Arrivals
Coming later this month: Bereche, William Fevre, and Produttori
“California Dreaming”
Collectable cult wines from Screaming Eagle and Sine Qua Non
Leap Year Close-Out Sale- ENDS SUNDAY
Save up to 10% extra on close-out wines from across the globe!

Bodega Los Bermejos

Scorching hot wines from the “land of volcanos”
 

Lanzarote, the easternmost of the Canary Islands, received its famous, dark soils from a series of volcanic eruptions in the 1700’s earning it a reputation as the “land of Volcanos” along with volcanic soils that naturally limit grape growth, concentrating the vines and producing elegant, sparkling wines.
 

AVAILABLE NOW
 

Bodegas Los Bermejos Diego Seco Ecologico, Lanzarote, Spain 2022 750ml $33 special, 6 bottles available
Importer Notes “100% Diego, a variety endemic to Lanzarote and La Palma that is high-acid and mineral-driven. Fermented in stainless steel and aged three months in tank sur lie.”
John Gilman-View from the Cellar 91 Points “The 2022 vintage of Diego Seco from Bodega Los Bermejos is another superb wine from this consistently excellent producer. The bouquet delivers a fine blend of tart orange, breadfruit, lemongrass, volcanic minerality, a touch of sea salt and a topnote of dried flowers. On the palate the wine is focused, complex and full-bodied, with a lovely core, good soil undertow, sound acids and fine balance on the long and vibrant finish. This is not quite as complex as the winery’s Malvasia Volcánica bottling, but it is very close in quality and a lovely wine. 2023-2033.”
 
Bodegas Los Bermejos Malvasia Volcanica Seco, Lanzarote, Spain 2022 750ml $29.50 special, 6 bottles available
Importer Notes “100% tank-aged Malvasía Volcanica, a grape that is truly indigenous to the Canary Islands, a crossing of Marmajuelo (an indigenous peach-skinned white grape) and Malvasía Aromatica.”
John Gilman-View from the Cellar 92+ Points “The 2022 Malvasia Volcánica from Bermejo is a fine, fine follow-up to the excellent 2021 version. The bouquet wafts from the glass in a vibrant and complex blend of tangerine, peach, lime blossoms, a lovely base of volcanic minerality, a touch of wild fennel and a lovely array of other floral tones in the upper register. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, focused and zesty, with a superb core of fruit, excellent mineral drive and grip, lovely balance and a long, complex and very classy finish. This is superb wine. 2023-2035.”

 

Bodegas Los Bermejos Listan Negro Maceracion Carbonica, Lanzarote, Spain 2022 750ml $29.50 special, 6 bottles available
Importer Notes “100% Listán Negro that gets a full carbonic maceration treatment. An extremely fresh and bright wine meant to drink young and with a chill.”
 

These are the only listings on the West Coast today!

 
ARRIVING MID MARCH

 

Los Bermejos Listan Negro Rosado 2023 750ml $31.90 special, 12 bottles available
Importer Notes “A hard year for growers in Lanzarote with extremely low yields due to severe droughts. The little wine that was produced continues to stun with its minerality, salinity, and elegance. Made from direct press.”

Los Bermejos Espumoso Brut Nature 2019 750ml $39 special, 12 bottles available
Importer Notes “100% sparkling Malvasía Volcanica (from a single vintage), made using méthode Champenoise and aged at least 18 months sur lie. The prise de mousse used to start the second fermentation is made with Malvasía must rather than sugar. Zero dosage.”

Los Bermejos Espumoso Rosado Brut Nature 2022 750ml $39 special, 12 bottles available
Importer Notes “The base wine is 100% Listán Negro from a single vintage. The grapes are very gently pressed in a pneumatic press, resulting in a very pale salmon-hued wine. Aged 15 months sur lie and made using Méthode Champenoise. Zero dosage.”

 

 
CHAMPAGNE

 
Charles Heidsieck Brut Millesime, Champagne 2006 750ml $119 special, 30 bottles available
Decanter 94 Points “For those who like their champagne delicate, with the smile of a warm summer, this is the vintage to go for. Fine-drawn and elegant, It has a nice structure and well-defined flavours of red fruits, quince and a touch of apricot, accompanied by a subtle spiciness. The one criticism aimed at 2006 is that the wines can lack acidity – but not this one. Ready to drink now, maybe with blinis. Disgorged in 2017.”
Wine Advocate 93 Points “The 2006 Brut Millésimé spent nine years on the lees and was disgorged in 2017 with ten grams per liter dosage. The wine expresses the sunny vintage, exhibiting generous aromas of mirabelle plum, crisp yellow orchard fruit, confit citrus, toasted nuts and dried white flowers. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, ample and mouthfilling, with a youthfully boisterous but elegant mousse, a fleshy core of fruit and a rich, expansive finish. This is a gourmand vintage of Heidsieck’s vintage Brut, and it will be best enjoyed at table; it will age more on its concentration and extract than its acidity. The blend is a classic 59% Pinot Noir and 41% Chardonnay.”
 

OREGON
 

 
“The wine from these vines leads me to imagine a beautiful threshold of Earth and stars, and its essence and mystery is this living edge.” –Kelley Fox
 
Kelley Fox Wines Maresh Vineyard Liminal Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2022 750ml $89 special, 12 bottles available
Winery Notes “The Maresh bottling is one I feel very deeply entrained with each year, and more so with each vintage. These vines planted on their own roots in 1970. This time spent each year working in these blocks has changed me. I have the utmost love and respect for these plants of great and sometimes mischievous character.”
Winery Tasting Notes “The Maresh Liminal is a medium, youthful and rich blue-red with that is full of light-flickering transparency. It is ethereal and light of being-and beautifully disarming. Of course, the nose is full of Hood strawberries with the cool freshness of rain and the Pacific Ocean in the spring air, along with spices and other delicious notes that are ineffable. This wine has both depth and a soaring nature. The energy is still in the most alive way-and serene. This Liminal has a long, beautiful, silky finish and it’s just the beginning.”
 

Lowest price on the west coast

 

Certified organic and biodynamic wines from the Columbia Gorge!
 
Analemma Blanc de Noir, Columbia Gorge 2018 750ml $75 special, 6 bottles available
Winery Notes “A true Méthode Champenoise from a single variety, single vintage, and single vineyard, aged 51 months sur lie…”
 
Analemma Oakridge Pinot Noir, Columbia Gorge 2018 750ml $39 special, 7 bottles available
Winery Notes “This multi-vintage expression combines youthful fruity aromas with concentration that comes from extra time in the cellar…”
 

These are the lowest prices in the USA

 

 
Lingua Franca Avni Chardonnay 2021 750ml $31.90 special, 12 bottles available
Winery Notes “The 2021 Chardonnay AVNI is a total pleasure on the nose. Perfumed, it blends crushed stone mineral tones with crisp green apples and suggestions of fresh mint. This flows across the palate with silky textures and medium-bodied weight traversing both savory and sweet, with a saline tinge developing toward the close. It finishes with a lingering sour lime twang, potent with a cheek-puckering sensation.”
 
Lingua Franca Avni Pinot Noir 2021 750ml $31.90 special, 12 bottles available
Vinous 92 Points “The 2021 Pinot Noir AVNI is distinctly savory and earthy, blending flowery underbrush and dusty sage with dried black cherries and a lifting hint of mint. This is racy and sleek, with vividly ripe red and blue fruits energized by vibrant acidity. Tactile mineral tones and rosy inner florals emerge as the 2021 finishes incredibly long with youthful tension, and a tart wild berry tinge lingers on and on. 20% whole clusters and 25% new French oak.

 
 Hot Deal!  Benton Lane Estate Grown Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2022 750ml $21.90 special, 24 bottles available
Winery Notes “Vibrant ripe cherry, cranberry, and raspberry nose unfold into dried blueberries, plum, and lively summer herbs. Full, plush, and balanced textures with fine grained tannins and a gentle, bright acidity. This wine is complex and layered, with ripe, fresh flavors and elegance.:Vibrant ripe cherry, cranberry, and raspberry nose unfold into dried blueberries, plum, and lively summer herbs. Full, plush, and balanced textures with fine grained tannins and a gentle, bright acidity. This wine is complex and layered, with ripe, fresh flavors and elegance.”
 
Benton Lane First Class Chardonnay 2019 $21.90 special, 26 bottles available
Erin Brooks, Wine Advocate “The 2019 Chardonnay First Class has a nose of baked apples, cream, banana and toast. The medium-bodied palate is creamy and yeasty, with some bitterness on the finish.”

 
FRANCE
 
Domaine Arlaud Les Ruchots, Morey-Saint-Denis Premier Cru 2014 750ml $119 special, 22 bottles available
Winery Tasting Notes  “The wines from this plot are ethereal, smooth. The aromas remember the grenade, gooseberry. This premier Cru is strait forward and easy drinking.”
Stephen Tanzer-Vinous 92-94 Points “Bright red-ruby. Sexy iron and fresh blood notes on the reduced nose. Rich, broad and mouthfilling without any heaviness, thanks to strong minerality. The wine’s red fruit flavors are under wraps today but show enough power and depth to support the serious, ripe tannins. For all its volume, this premier cru boasts terrific spine and energy. Arlaud told me that this cru “both eats and showcases the vintage,” by which he means that it can mask a vintage’s more obvious traits while presenting it to best advantage.”
 

Lowest price in the USA
Average price is $179!

 
Domaine de la Vougeraie Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2013 750ml $189 special, 15 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer-Vinous 91-94 Points “(tasted from cuvee; 50% new oak; 75% vendange entier; a blend of two parcels–0.3 hectare in the bottom middle section of the Clos and 1.2 hectares at the top, in front of the entrance to the castle): Healthy bright red. Musky aromas of dark cherry, wild herbs and smoky minerality. Concentrated and sweet, with pronounced soil tones to the strawberry and game flavors. Finishes juicy and very long, with building but fully ripe tannins. Since 2009 this cuvée has had a healthy level of acidity thanks to organic farming, noted Vincent. The estate’s two parcels of Clos-Vougeot were blended just a week before my visit. Highly promising.”
 

Lowest price in the USA
Average price is $256!

 
CALIFORNIA
 
My Favorite Neighbor Blanc (Chardonnay) 2020 750ml $33 special, 18 bottles available
Wine Advocate 95 Points “The Chardonnay-based 2020 Blanc has lush tropical fruits on the nose with accents of toast, almonds and sweet spice. The palate offers generous fruits, a sleek, polished texture, youthful new oak spices and expansive flavors on the long finish. Super classy!”
 
ITALY
 
“Sophisticated and eminently drinkable, especially at this price point.”
 Hot Deal!  Il Poggione Toscana Rosso 2020 750ml $16 special, 36 bottles available
Wine Enthusiast 90 Points “New leather, cocoa, strawberries and cherries are on the nose of this Sangiovese blended with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, with hints of tar and roses as it opens up. The palate is crisp and precise, with fresh, crunchy cherries, snappy new leather and the mineral edge of a wet rock. Sophisticated and eminently drinkable, especially at this price point.”
 
SPAIN
 
Descendientes de J. Palacios ‘Petalos’, Bierzo 2021 750ml $21.90 special, 36+ bottles available
Wine Advocate 93+ Points “2021 is clearly the finest vintage of the trio of 2020, 2021 and 2022, and the bottled 2021 Pétalos delivers what the unbottled samples promised: a wine with lower alcohol than ever (13.5%), lighter, a little narrower but with the juiciness of Mencía that seems to come back after some time in bottle. It has lots of notes of aromatic herbs, with some similar aromas to the La Faraona. It’s quite expressive and showy, very pleasant and easy to drink, very gourmand, with a velvety mouthfeel and very fine tannins.”

GERMANY
 
Weingut Donnhoff ‘Felsenturmchen’ Schlossbockelheimer Felsenberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Nahe 2022 1.5L $199 special, 3 magnums available
Stuart Pigott (Suckling) 95 Points “Ripe and concentrated, but also quite austere with stacks of spice and grapefruit character; everything from the juice to the pith and zest! A seriously dry riesling, but with moderate acidity. Long crushed rock finish. From organically grown grapes with Fair’n Green certification. Drink or hold.”
 

Lowest price on the west coast

 
Weingut Donnhoff Hollenpfad Im Muhlenberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Nahe 2022 1.5L $199 special, 1 magnum available
Stuart Pigott (Suckling) 97 Points “What a dramatic wine this is, at once ripe and austere, super-stony and super-herbal with a touch of peppermint. Compact core in spite of the sleek and very focused body. Electric freshness at the vibrant finish although the acidity is anything but dominant. From organically grown grapes with Fair’n Green certification. Drink or hold.”
 

 
NON-ALCOHOLIC WINE
 
For in store pickup only!
“Hollow Leg” Non-Alcoholic Albarino Rias Baixis NV $18 special, 12 bottles available
Non-alcoholic still Albarino. Price includes 10 cent OR deposit. Shipping not available.
Winery Note: “A gentle, fresh aroma of green apple leads to a bright, dry and crunchy palate that finishes with a deliciously clean elderflower and apple drop flavour.”
 

 

 
CHAMPAGNE
 
Raphael et Vincent Bereche ‘Cote’ Grand Cru Extra-Brut Millesime, Champagne 2016 750ml $149 special, 30 bottles available
New wine from one our favorite Champagne houses! Featuring Bereche et Fils ‘Cote’ cuvee is sourced Grand Cru vineyards like d’Avize, du Mesnil, de Vertus.
 
FRANCE
 
William Fevre Bougros, Chablis Grand Cru 2019 750ml $99 special, 18 bottles available
Jasper Morris-Inside Burgundy 94 Points “This is not the legendary Côte de Bouguerots bottling, but the regular Bougros – which still stood out alongside its peers. The fruit shows grand cru weight and the sunshine quality of the vintage, juicy but well balanced, while the crystalline purity of the finish sets this wine apart.”
James Suckling 94 Points “Aromas of aniseed and lemon rind with dried apple and pear follow through to a full body. Yet, it’s tight and layered with a compact palate and plenty of fruit. Needs time to open. Try after 2023.”
 
ITALY

“There are few producers making Barbaresco in the same class as the wines of the Produttori, but none who surpasses them.” – Sheldon Wasserman

Produttori del Barbaresco Montestefano, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2017 1.5L $169 special, 6 bottles  available

Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 96 Points “The 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano is darkly concentrated and among the richest wines in this series of single-vineyard Riservas. Montestefano is angular, textured and bold with dark fruit aromas, dried blackberry, toasted almond and cured tobacco. With this vintage, you get an age-worthy wine that offers brawn and power for drinking in the medium term, but it will become increasingly silky and slender with time. Dusty tannins and crushed stone appear on the long finish. There were 14,486 bottles produced.”
Antonio Galloni 93+ Points “The 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano is a potent, savory wine. Today, the fruit is very much in the background. A brooding, backward Barbaresco, the Montestefano clearly needs time, it is a somber, imposing Barbaresco. Dark plum, earthiness, cloves, menthol and licorice infuse the finish with notable gravitas. There’s plenty of Montestefano breadth and resonance.
 
Produttori del Barbaresco Ovello 2017 1.5L $179 special, 6 bottles available
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 94+ Points “One of the bigger productions (with 17,744 bottles) in the Produttori del Barbaresco’s portfolio is the 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello. All of the Riservas in this vintage are characterized by especially exuberant and bold aromas, and this bottle is a prime example. Cassis, wild cherry, tobacco, rusty nail and licorice build intensity. The wine is tapered and silky in texture, but it also offers a good amount of power (and 15% alcohol) to carry it through the aging process.”
Antonio Galloni 94 Points “The 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello is a heady, explosive wine. I don’t think I have ever tasted an Ovello from the Produttori with this much heft. The strong mineral and saline accents typical of this site are present, but they are matched pound for pound by notable mid-palate richness and intensity in its fruit. The 2017 is a brooding powerhouse that needs time to unwind.”
 
Produttori Del Barbaresco Rabaja 2017 1.5L $189 special, 6 bottles available
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 96+ Points “The Produttori del Barbaresco 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà is another spectacular release from this cooperative winery that hits it out of the ballpark with each set of new releases. That impressive track record includes this wine that delivers extreme focus, depth and integrity. The bouquet is very clear cut with dark cherry, tart plum, spice and blood orange, but it is also complex and fluid. It offers new perspectives with each swirl of the glass. From a hot vintage, the Rabajà is smooth, powerful and balanced. I would bet on long aging for this bottle. 14,438 bottles were produced.”
Wine Spectator 95 Points “Dense, featuring fruit flavors of plum, cherry and raspberry, with accents of tar, eucalyptus and iron. A powerful red that needs time to resolve the muscular tannins, with plenty of ripe fruit coursing underneath. Best from 2026 through 2043. —B.S.”

Re-Arrivals 
 

 
Started by 4 wine loving friends in 2010 (Javier García, Laura Robles, David Velasco and David Moreno) who were awestruck by the beauty and wines of the Sierra de Gredos mountains, located west of Madrid.
 
The high altitude influence of the region and its relatively wild and “scrubby” landscape has attracted some of Spain’s hottest natural winemakers. These new single vintage bottlings are produced from old vines with extended maceration periods.
 
4 Monos Viticultores ‘Aguja del Fraile’ Sierra de Gredos, Madrid, Spain 2020 750ml $44.50 special, 12 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94 Points “I only tasted the 2020 Aguja del Fraile because there is not a single bottle of the 2019 in their cellar. This is their village red that contains around 5% Cariñena that fermented together with the Garnacha using full clusters and a longer maceration of 54 days. They also added some new plots in the paraje of La Isilla in this bottling. It has 14.5% alcohol and a pH of 3.29 coupled with 6.35 grams of acidity. This 2020 fermented in an oak vat (it used to be stainless steel and plastic bins in the past), and that seems to have given it an extra dimension. There’s more fruit and an earthy character, and it has the Italian tannins from Cadalso. It’s more structured than the wines from Cenicientos, wines that develop very nicely in bottle. This is seriously built, with an electric freshness.”
 

Lowest price in the USA

 
4 Monos Viticultores ‘Cien Lanzas’ Cenicientos Sierra de Gredos, Madrid, Spain 2020 750ml $33 special, 12 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94 Points “The 2020 Cien Lanzas was produced with Garnacha (and around 5% Cariñena and Garnacha Blanca) from four plots in Cenicientos. It is fermented in concrete and oak vat with a long maceration, and it matured for five months in oak vats and 500-liter barrels and then in a 4,800-liter foudre for another 12 months. It has 14.5% alcohol but doesn’t show it. The expressive nose is very floral coupled with good freshness and mellow acidity. The tannins are similar to previous vintages, but the nose has gained in detail and refinement, which also comes back on the finish. This is the best vintage so far for this bottling.”
 

Lowest price in the USA

 
Also available from 4 Monos…
 
4 Monos Viticultores ‘GR10’ Vino Blanco de la Sierra de Gredos, Spain 2021 750ml $26.50 special, 12 bottles available
Wine Advocate 91+ Points “The regional white 2021 GR-10 Blanco was produced with 60% Albillo Real and 15% Viura, with the remaining 25% composed of a mixture of varieties including Moscatel and Chelva Rosa from different vineyards in Cadalso de los Vidrios and San Martín de Valdeiglesias. It’s a little lighter than the wines produced with pure Albillo, with 13.5% alcohol. It’s a refreshing white with good balance and acidity. This is fermented in a mixture of barrels and stainless steel and matured in used barrels for six months. The varietal mix changes here quite a lot, and so does the character of the wine. This feels fresher (it does have less alcohol), but the effect of the skin contact is also more noticeable; it’s a little cloudier and feels a bit wilder, and the chalky sensation is also stronger (it did have more skin contact than the 2020). It also comes through as a little funkier (but I like it!).”
 

Lowest price on the West Coast

 
4 Monos Viticultores ‘GR10’ Vino de la Sierra de Gredos, Spain 2020 750ml $24.50 special, 12 bottles available
Wine Advocate 92 Points “The 2020 GR-10 Tinto was produced with 92% Garnacha and 8% Cariñena from different vineyards in the villages of San Martin de Valdeiglesias, Cenicientos and Cadalso de los Vidrios. It fermented with full clusters and matured for nine months in barrels of different sizes and one 4,200-liter oak vat. It has 13.5% alcohol and very good freshness, but it’s a little darker than the 2021 I tasted next to it. It also comes through as riper, as it was a slow-ripening year that allowed them to wait for rounder tannins.”
 

Lowest price in the USA

 

 

Arriving in Early March



 

The Eagle is landing! The original Napa cult winery, Screaming Eagle’s quality was already a poorly kept secret among oenophiles before a perfect 100 point review by Robert Parker launched its reputation into the stratosphere.
 
Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2021 750ml $2,699 special, 3 bottles available
Vinous 98-100 Points “The 2021 The Flight is magnificent. The aromatics alone are utterly beguiling. Crushed flowers, mint and red/purplish berry fruit make a strong opening statement. Medium in body and supremely gracious, the Flight possesses silky tannins that wrap it all together in style, with bright acids that punctuate the finish. Readers will find a wine of supreme elegance and class. This is a phenomenal showing. I loved it.”
 

Lowest price in the USA
Average price is $3,066!

 
 

 
Sourcing fruit from a wide variety of growers from year to year, and increasingly from their own vineyards has caused the winery to never make exactly the same wine twice, of which winemaker  Manfred Krankl has said, “People buy Sine Qua Non. They don’t seem to give a toot where it’s from.” Krankl is unique among European winemakers turned American winery owners as he did not start in the wine industry until after relocating to America. A man of assuredness and many talents, Manfred is famous for not only his wines but the original artwork that adorns each new bottling he produces.
 
Sine Qua Non Distenta “III” Grenache, California 2021 750ml $289 special, 2 bottles available
Vinous 96-99 Points “The 2021 Grenache Distenta III is one of the most refined wines I have tasted from Sine Qua Non. Floral aromatics make a strong first impression. There’s plenty of SQN richness, but also less overt opulence than most vintages. I tasted this from a tank sample just prior to bottling. The 2021 is simply magnificent. I can’t wait to taste it from bottle.”
Wine Advocate 96-98 Points “Because my visit was scheduled for July 6, just two weeks after bottling on June 22, I tasted the 2021 Grenache Distenta III as a precise blend from barrel. It comes mostly from the Eleven Confessions Vineyard (71%) and The Third Twin (23%) with the balance from the Cumulus Vineyard. It is a blend of 79% Grenache, 8.4% Syrah, 7.4% Mourvèdre, 3.2% Petite Sirah, 1.6% Petit Manseng and 0.4% Muscat. The Distenta III was vinified using about 35% whole Grenache clusters, and it matured in 42% new French oak of various sizes for around 23 months. It has a medium to deep ruby color and is incredibly fragrant at this stage. Wild berry jam aromas are accented by tones of wildflower, tar, tangerine and coffee beans. The full-bodied palate is concentrated yet lively, bursting with crunchy, floral fruit and surprisingly energetic acidity. It has detailed, grainy tannins and a long, lifted finish that wears its alcohol well.”
 
Sine Qua Non Distenta “III” Syrah, California 2021 750ml $289 special, 2 bottles available
Erin Brooks- Wine Advocate 98-100 Points “I tasted the 2021 Syrah Distenta III as a precise blend from barrel on July 6—it’s due to be bottled in August. It comes from three estate vineyards: The Third Twin (51%), Cumulus (26%) and 23% Eleven Confessions (23%). The Syrah is blended with 11.3% Grenache, 3.3% Mourvèdre, 2.1% Petite Sirah, 0.9% Petit Manseng and 0.7% Muscat and was vinified using 21% whole clusters. It matured around 23 months in 53% new French oak, 43% one- to three-year-old barrels and 4% concrete. Opaque ruby-purple in the glass, the Distenta III’s aromatic complexity requires plenty of patience, as a singular truffle, earth and coffee bean character gives way to electric streaks of crème de violette, blueberry liqueur and peppermint patty. The palate is medium to full-bodied and exceptionally light on its feet. It glides silkily through the mouth with fireworks of freshness, and its floral fruit is tempered by graphite tones.”
Vinous 95-98 Points “The 2021 Syrah Distenta III continues the theme seen in the Grenache Distenta III, namely a theme of elegance, finesse and nuance to play off the natural richness these wines always have. Black/purplish fruit, new leather, spice, licorice and chocolate saturate the 2021 with tons of depth.”
 
Sine Qua Non Distenta “III” White, California 2021 750ml $219 special, 2 bottles available
Not yet reviewed, previous review provided for reference
Erin Brooks- Wine Advocate 98 Points (2020 vintage) “Drinking the White Distenta II is an omakase-like experience, an unexpected journey that begins with naturally bitter phenolics, blossoms into soaring perfume and finishes with dessert-like honeyed tones. On day one, the wine is overt and bold, while day two reveals a fresher, livelier white with finer detail, as if the wine is coming into focus. In the mouth, it’s expansive and luxuriously satiny. Despite its powerful style and unabashed ripeness, it carries its 15.8% alcohol expertly and maintains a focused streak of tangy acidity. The finish is especially unique, offering touches of butterscotch that complement its perfumed fruit—a rare combination of aromatic grape varieties and classy new wood that works surprisingly well! If you’re a fan of aromatic, textural whites, purchase as many bottles as you can so that you can follow what’s sure to be unique savory development in bottle over the next 10 to 15+ years.”
 

Lowest price in the USA

 
Sine Qua Non Eleven Confessions Vineyard Grenache, Sta. Rita Hills 2020 750ml $399 special, 3 bottles available
Not yet reviewed, previous review provided for reference
Erin Brooks Wine Advocate 97 Points (2019 vintage) “Deep ruby-purple in color, it takes significant time to open and is mostly coiled and shy on day one. On day two, its aromas unfurl: cherry pie and wild berry jam scents are layered with tones of cured meat, peppercorn, bergamot and wildflowers. The full-bodied palate is seamless and ultra powdery in texture, with balancing bursts of juicy acidity that highlight pretty spice and floral tones that fan across the long finish. It deserves generous cellar time and will be long lived. 922 cases and 240 magnums were made.”
 

Only listing in the United States!

 
Sine Qua Non Eleven Confessions Vineyard Grenache, Sta Rita Hills  2020 750ml $399 special, 3 bottles available
Not yet reviewed, previous review provided for reference
Erin Brooks Wine Advocate 99 Points (2019 vintage) “This gorgeous Syrah opens over several days and never seems to diminish. It offers pure aromas of crème de cassis, tar, salami and ringing tones of violet. The full-bodied palate is incredibly velvety in texture, and despite its concentration and powerful style, it manages noticeable freshness and detail, with that magical violet perfume echoing across the long finish. This will develop gracefully in the cellar over the next two decades or more.”

Leap Year Close-Out Sale
 
We’re offering an additional discount on our already slashed price!
 
5% off any 6-11 in-stock Vinopolis Close-Out wines
10% off any 12 or more in-stock Vinopolis Close-Out wines
 
Discount does not combine with other current sales,
but it DOES apply to Close-Out case skus.
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice
before processing your charge.
 
Discount ends Sunday, March 3rd at 9 am Pacific

We have over 240 wines to choose from! Click here to browse for all of them!
 

 

Barr-Eden Estate ‘Dreams of Gold’ Mengler’s Hill Shiraz, Eden Valley 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $33, that’s $31.35 at 5% off and 29.70 at 10% off, 36+ bottles available
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 90 Points “…Aged in older French oak, it boasts scents of “Eden Valley garrigue”—notes that suggest eucalyptus, bay leaf and wild thyme—set against a backdrop of blueberries … suave and silky in feel, with a clean, mouthwatering finish and a soft dusting of tannins…”

 

 

Stephane Robert Domaine du Tunnel Cornas, Rhone 2018 750ml Displayed Price: $69, that’s $65.55 at 5% off and $62.10 at 10% off, 18 bottles available
Jeb Dunnuck 95-97 Points “Readers looking for the essence of Cornas would do well to pick up a case of the 2018 Cornas … a balanced, classy texture, building yet polished tannins, and a great finish … It’s a winner…”

 

 

James Suckling 98 Points “…Compact and concentrated, but the more important things are the coolness and gracefulness of this moderately sweet Auslese that turns in a dark, “earthy” direction at the powerful finish…”

 

 

Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 94+ Points “…shows good focus, structure and a sharper character that is often the distinguishing factor in this wine … This is not the first time that Colonnello is my favorite wine in this lineup…”

 

 

Familia Nin-Ortiz ‘Nit de Nin’ Mas d’en Cacador, Priorat DOCa 2017 750ml Displayed Price: $89, that’s $84.55 at 5% off and $80.10 at 10% off, 24 bottles available
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 97+ Points “… It has kept very good freshness and great balance. It’s tasty, pungent and long, with power and elegance and all the components to develop nicely in bottle…”

 

Wine Enthusiast 96 Points “A top bottling of the variety, this small-production wine is structured and strong, opening reductively, with elements of tobacco leaf, oak and sage. The savory character persists in the form of leather and black pepper, allowing just a touch of sharp red fruit to enter and complement.”

 

Was $133
Cayuse Vineyards Impulsivo Tempranillo, Walla Walla Valley 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $119, that’s $113.05 at 5% off and $107.10 at 10% off, 23 bottles available
Jeb Dunnick 94+ Points “…medium to full-bodied richness, a nicely balanced, layered mouthfeel, and ripe tannins that emerge on the finish. I like its concentration, and its tannins are polished and beautifully integrated…”