In This Newsletter:
Vintage Champagne Sale
Collector’s Corner: Domaine Huet
Celebrate In Style
Stock Up & Save On:
Vintage Champagnes from 2008, 2012 & 2015
Shop some of the most lauded vintages of the previous two decades!
Vintage Champagne Sale
Collector’s Corner: Domaine Huet
Celebrate In Style
Stock Up & Save On:
Vintage Champagnes from 2008, 2012 & 2015
Shop some of the most lauded vintages of the previous two decades!
“The 2008 Champagnes that have been released so far capture all the potential I sensed when I first tasted the young vins clairs right after harvest. The 2008s are racy, energetic and tense, in the style of cool years like 1996, but with more fruit depth and less austerity. At the top end, the finest 2008 Champagnes are viscerally thrilling, chiseled wines that will soon be recognized as modern-day icons.” -Antonio Galloni, Vinous
“A vintage that has come on strong, 2012 offers some of the best Champagnes for drinking today. Rich and radiant, the 2012s continue to surpass early expectations.” -Antonio Galloni, Vinous
“The (2012) vintage is widely acknowledged as one of Champagne’s greatest in decades and many wines are likely to be drinking superbly now, particularly from the top estates.” -Wine-Searcher
“2015: Outstanding. Early maturing and accessible.” -The Wine Advocate
“Despite the smaller than average yields, the resulting wines were stunning. Conditions were such that both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay excelled, and the wines tended to be beautifully balanced with rich, intense fruit. Clearly a superb vintage, 2015 Champagne will drink very nicely now but the best examples are likely to cellar and develop even further.” -Wine-Searcher
“A vintage that has come on strong, 2012 offers some of the best Champagnes for drinking today. Rich and radiant, the 2012s continue to surpass early expectations.” -Antonio Galloni, Vinous
“The (2012) vintage is widely acknowledged as one of Champagne’s greatest in decades and many wines are likely to be drinking superbly now, particularly from the top estates.” -Wine-Searcher
“2015: Outstanding. Early maturing and accessible.” -The Wine Advocate
“Despite the smaller than average yields, the resulting wines were stunning. Conditions were such that both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay excelled, and the wines tended to be beautifully balanced with rich, intense fruit. Clearly a superb vintage, 2015 Champagne will drink very nicely now but the best examples are likely to cellar and develop even further.” -Wine-Searcher
5% off any 3 or more in-stock bottles of 2008, 2012 &/or 2015 Vintage Champagne
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Sale ends Monday, November 10th at 9 am Pacific.
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Sale ends Monday, November 10th at 9 am Pacific.
We offer twenty-four in-stock Champagnes from 2008 / 2012/ 2015 on sale now, including:
Billecart-Salmon Cuvee Louis Blanc de Blancs Millésime 2012 750ml Displayed Price: $199, that’s $189.05 at 5% off, 4 bottles in stock now
Yohan Castaing-Wine Advocate 96 points “A 100% Chardonnay, sourced from vines planted in the communes of Mesnil-sur-Oger, Chouilly, Cramant, and Oiry, the 2012 Brut Blanc de Blancs Cuvée Louis Salmon evokes aromas of lemon oil, pastry, baked bread, walnuts and chalk. Medium to full-bodied, deep and seamless, it’s vinous, almost creamy, with a layered, delicate structure that leads to a delicately citrusy, long and delicate finish. This Champagne is built to age, thanks to the power of the 2012 vintage and the house’s signature tension. Disgorged in the second quarter of 2023 with 3.9 grams per liter dosage, it was matured 75% in stainless steel and 25% in barrels.”
Billecart-Salmon ‘Cuvee Nicolas-Francois Billecart’ Millésime 2012 750ml Displayed Price: $219, that’s $208.05 at 5% off, 2 bottles in stock now
Billecart-Salmon ‘Cuvee Nicolas-Francois Billecart’ Millésime 2012 1.5L Displayed Price: $459, that’s $436.05 at 5% off, 3 magnums in stock now
James Suckling 97 points “This complex Champagne has delicious aromas of waffle cones, vanilla beans, apricots and pastry with touches of white chocolate and salted caramel. It’s electric on the palate, which is creamy yet structured and focused, with a fine bead of bubbles and a zesty, tangy backbone of acidity. Long and tense finish. 60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay (all premier and grand cru), 10% of wines are vinified in oak casks. 10 years on lees. 3.8 g/L dosage. Disgorged in the second half of 2024. Drink or hold.”
Louis Roederer Cristal Millésime Brut 2015 750ml Displayed Price: $379, that’s $360.05 at 5% off, 5 bottles in stock now
The Wine Independent 98 points “The 2015 Cristal is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. No malo-lactic was employed and 25% wine was aged in oak. The dosage is 7 grams per liter. An exquisitely delicate yet complex perfume of clover honey freshly shaved ginger marzipan and jasmine slowly emerges from the nose giving way to a core of pear tart persimmons and apple butter. The palate is an exercise in finesse featuring very fine bubbles and fantastic intensity with a myriad of spice and floral nuances finishing with impressive persistence and jaw-dropping poise. This is a style for those that embrace purity soft-spoken expression and impeccable crafting. It won’t disappoint those who love Champagne in its initial youthful perfume flushes yet will undoubtedly reward the patient with a richer toastier more obvious and opulent style with 5-10 years+ of cellaring.”
Doyard Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 2015 750ml Displayed Price: $149, that’s $141.55 at 5% off, 7 bottles in stock now
Decanter 93 points “Fermented and aged for 10 months in second-hand Burgundy barrels. Immensely stylish and satisfying Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs, showing plenty of 2015 ripeness and weight with mandarin, lime and juicy white peach notes backed up by toasted hazelnut. A real sense of refreshment and precision, even with the heat of the vintage in tow. (Drink between 2023-2030).”
Autumn Savings Wine!
De Venoge Louis XV de Venoge Brut Millésime 2008 750ml Was $249, Displayed Price: $219, that’s $208.05 at 5% off, 28 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 95 points “This is really punchy and broad-shouldered with muscular structure and citrusy undertones. Full body. Lightly tannic and a fresh and vivid finish. This is the first vintage without malolactic fermentation ever. One for the cellar. Better in 2022.”
H. Billiot Fils Grand Cru Millésime Brut 2015 750ml Displayed Price: $89, that’s $84.55 at 5% off, 29 bottles in stock now
Audrey Frick-Jeb Dunnuck 91 points “The nose of the 2015 Champagne Millésime Brut is confected and sunny, although it keeps a fresh fruit profile without oxidation, offering notes of preserved strawberry, fresh pressed roses, and grapefruit. The palate is more open knit that the previous two vintages and is the most approachable for drinking now. It is flush with fresh raspberry, salted citrus, and a floral profile continuing through the end. Drink over the next 10 to 15 years. (Drink between 2022-2037).”
Philipponnat Cuvee 1522 Grand Cru Extra Brut Millésime 2008 750ml Displayed Price: $199, that’s $189.05 at 5% off, 4 bottles in stock now
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2008 Extra Brut Grand Cru 1522 is also showing very well, offering up aromas of citrus, confit citrus, blackcurrants, marzipan and spice. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a layered and multidimensional core that marries the tangy acidic spine of the vintage with plenty of flesh and fruit, concluding with a long and chalky finish. While it’s in a very different stylistic register to the 2009, the two are on a similar qualitative plane.”
Pommery Grand Cru Brut Millésime 2008 750ml Displayed Price: $79, that’s $75.05 at 5% off, 6 bottles in stock now
Decanter-World Wine Awards 94 points “Melon, peach and toast bouquet. Superbly fresh palate with an elegant texture, mouthwatering acidity and confit lemon, dark chocolate and bitter orange flavours.”
Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill Brut 2015 750ml Displayed Price: $299, that’s $284.05 at 5% off, 5 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 95 points “The 2015 Brut Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill shows off the savory side of the vintage to great effect. Hints of dried pear, sage, mint, dried flowers, lemon oil and chamomile open gradually in this mid-weight, lithe edition of Pol Roger’s tête de cuvée. The 2015 unfolds nicely with time in the glass, but I wouldn’t think of opening a bottle anytime soon. Readers will find a nervy Winston Churchill marked by notable freshness and vigor more than size. This is a fine effort in a vintage that has proven to be far trickier than most observers originally envisioned. Dosage is 7 grams per liter. Disgorged September 2022. “
Pehu Simonet ‘Face Nord’ Millésime Grand Cru 2008 750ml Displayed Price: $135, that’s $128.25 at 5% off, 8 bottles in stock now
Skurnik Wines Importer Note “50% Pinot Noir, 50% Chardonnay. Assemblage: 100% 2008. Vineyard/Village: 50% old vine Verzenay Grand Cru Pinot Noir, 50% Chardonnay from Les Mesnil-sur-Oger Grand Cru. Malo: no. Elevage: Pinot Noir in used French oak, Chardonnay in stainless steel. En Tirage Aging: 102 months.
“A fourth-generation producer, David Pehu has taken this 7.5-hectare domaine, located in the Grand Cru of Verzenay in a decidedly ‘Burgundian’ direction. After coming to the estate in 1988, David’s philosophy changed with time, adjusting to focus on certified organic farming and single site and single Cru expressions… In Verzenay Grand Cru, David farms 3.5 hectares including very old vine parcels. Apart from a very small parcel in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, the majority of the holdings are all in the Grand Crus of Verzy, Sillery, Mailly, and Bouzy… Pehu strictly avoids the malolactic for all of his wines, including the red wines used for making rosé, as he believes that blocking the malo through a very cold cellar better preserves the finesse and expression of fruit in the long run.”
Tarlant Zero Brut Nature NV (2015) 750ml Displayed Price: $69, that’s $65.55 at 5% off, 3 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 94 points “Already in the nose this Brut Nature makes a bold statement with full aromas of quince and spice. Powerful and seriously structured with stacks of candied citrus and dried pear character on the ample palate. Complex autumnal finish. From vineyards in the villages of Oeuilly, Boursault, Celles-les-Conde and Saint-Agnan, a blend of 2015 and reserve wines matured in oak. Bottled in April 2016 and disgorged on June 27th 2022. Drink or hold.”
Tarlant ‘Saignee des Tempetees’ Rosé Brut Nature 2015 750ml Displayed Price: $119, that’s $113.05 at 5% off, 4 bottles in stock now
Audrey Frick-Jeb Dunnuck 93+ points “The first release of this cuvée, the 2015 Champagne Saignée Des Tempetée Brut Nature Rosé is 100% Pinot Noir, macerated on the skins for 16 hours and disgorged in March 2021. A deep salmon/garnet hue, it offers a very expressive, savory profile, with notes of blood orange, candied roses, and crushed rocks. Full-bodied with a pillowy mousse, it opens to notes of fleshy ripe apricot, which is followed by a long-lasting finish. It’s ripe with generous fruit and has no harsh edges to it. It is a very attractive wine to add to the range. Drink 2024-2034. Only 888 bottles were produced. (Drink between 2024-2034).”
Valentin Leflaive Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil Sur Oger Grand Cru Extra Brut NV (2015) 750ml Displayed Price: $99, that’s $94.05 at 5% off, 9 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 94 points “[Review is for different disgorgement] Aromas of apple pie with lemon curd and stone. Full-bodied with a solid palate of layered fruit and phenolics. Dense and focused with lots of fruit, yet composed and focused. Structured. Almost tannic. Dosage 5g/L.”
Collector’s Corner:
Domaine Huet
A pioneer in biodynamic viticulture, Domaine Huet is the most sought-after Vouvray producer. Today, horses still plough between the rows of their three vineyards, considered some of the greatest terroir in all of the Loire. These vineyards have very distinct personalities worth exploring. Wines from Le Haut-Lieu are their most approachable, offering softer and younger-drinking wines. Le Mont wines are dense, chock-full of minerals (or should we say chalk-full?), and the most age-worthy, per insiders. Clos du Bourg wines lie somewhere in between the others in terms of youthful approachability and minerality. Gaston Huet, the estate’s famous winemaker for 55 years, considered Clos du Bourg to be the greatest vineyard in Vouvray. Find your favorite now!
In Stock Now:
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Clos du Bourg’ Moelleux 2016 750ml $69 special, 34 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 97 points “A stunner, with beautiful pear, green fig, yellow apple and quince notes that are creamy and flirtatiously sweet, yet seamless and refined in feel. The extremely long finish lets honeysuckle and verbena notes dance throughout, with a light echo of white ginger at the very end. Best from 2020 through 2040.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Le Haut Lieu’ Moelleux 2016 750ml $49 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 95 points “Gorgeous crystallized ginger, dried quince, glazed pear and warm persimmon notes are seamlessly interwoven here, gliding through a lengthy finish that picks up a lilting green tea accent. Frankly off-dry but wonderfully pure. Drink now through 2035.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Le Mont’ Moelleux 2016 750ml $59 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 96 points “Bright, even exuberant in feel, with a parade of Jonagold apple, green melon, Bosc pear and quince flavors streaming through, gilded with heather, honeysuckle and verbena notes on the long, lithe finish. Remarkably elegant despite the off-dry style. Drink now through 2035.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Clos du Bourg’ Premiere Trie Moelleux 2016 750ml $69 special, 36+bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 96 points “This is ripe and broad, taking a slightly more power-driven approach, with a mix of tropical mango and papaya fruit, backed by orchard fruit accents of yellow apple and peach. The long, heather honey–accented finish has light piecrust and crystalized ginger hints. Best from 2020 through 2035.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Le Mont’ Premiere Trie Moelleux 2016 750ml $69 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 97 points “The 2016 Vouvray Le Mont Moelleux Première Trie opens with a very clear, deep and flinty/herbal bouquet of ripe concentrated stone fruits intermixed with chalky/smoky aromas, very complex and truly exciting! Light, fresh and tensioned on the palate, that is very pure and salty but also tight and concentrated. The 2016 Le Mont reveals crystalline acidity, delicate but serious tannin grip and a long, complex, stimulating finish. This is Chenin Blanc full of energy and aging potential, provided with concentration, lingering salinity and vibrancy. This is a fascinating Le Mont, surely the top wine of Huet’s excellent 2016 series. Bottled with 92 grams of residual sugar, it tastes less sweet than the corresponding Clos du Bourg. Tasted February 2018.”
In Stock Now:
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Clos du Bourg’ Moelleux 2016 750ml $69 special, 34 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 97 points “A stunner, with beautiful pear, green fig, yellow apple and quince notes that are creamy and flirtatiously sweet, yet seamless and refined in feel. The extremely long finish lets honeysuckle and verbena notes dance throughout, with a light echo of white ginger at the very end. Best from 2020 through 2040.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Le Haut Lieu’ Moelleux 2016 750ml $49 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 95 points “Gorgeous crystallized ginger, dried quince, glazed pear and warm persimmon notes are seamlessly interwoven here, gliding through a lengthy finish that picks up a lilting green tea accent. Frankly off-dry but wonderfully pure. Drink now through 2035.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Le Mont’ Moelleux 2016 750ml $59 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 96 points “Bright, even exuberant in feel, with a parade of Jonagold apple, green melon, Bosc pear and quince flavors streaming through, gilded with heather, honeysuckle and verbena notes on the long, lithe finish. Remarkably elegant despite the off-dry style. Drink now through 2035.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Clos du Bourg’ Premiere Trie Moelleux 2016 750ml $69 special, 36+bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 96 points “This is ripe and broad, taking a slightly more power-driven approach, with a mix of tropical mango and papaya fruit, backed by orchard fruit accents of yellow apple and peach. The long, heather honey–accented finish has light piecrust and crystalized ginger hints. Best from 2020 through 2035.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Le Mont’ Premiere Trie Moelleux 2016 750ml $69 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 97 points “The 2016 Vouvray Le Mont Moelleux Première Trie opens with a very clear, deep and flinty/herbal bouquet of ripe concentrated stone fruits intermixed with chalky/smoky aromas, very complex and truly exciting! Light, fresh and tensioned on the palate, that is very pure and salty but also tight and concentrated. The 2016 Le Mont reveals crystalline acidity, delicate but serious tannin grip and a long, complex, stimulating finish. This is Chenin Blanc full of energy and aging potential, provided with concentration, lingering salinity and vibrancy. This is a fascinating Le Mont, surely the top wine of Huet’s excellent 2016 series. Bottled with 92 grams of residual sugar, it tastes less sweet than the corresponding Clos du Bourg. Tasted February 2018.”
Don’t miss our additional sales going on now:
Sicilian Wine Sale
5% off any 3-5 in-stock bottles of Sicilian wines
10% off any 6+ or more in-stock bottles of Sicilian wines
Domaine Tempier
5% off any 3-5 in-stock bottles of Tempier
10% off any 6+ or more in-stock bottles of Tempier
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Sicily sale ends Saturday, November 8th at 9 am Pacific. Tempier sale ends Sunday, November 9th at 9 am Pacific.