In This Newsletter:
Cheers to Chenin
Collector’s Corner: Corton In Its Many Guises
Cheers to Chenin
Stock Up & Save On:
Twelve Select Chenin Wines
Cheers to Chenin
Collector’s Corner: Corton In Its Many Guises
Cheers to Chenin
Stock Up & Save On:
Twelve Select Chenin Wines
We’ve handpicked twelve Chenin wines to share with you on our three-day sale!
5% off any 3-7 bottles from our Cheers to Chenin list below
10% off any 8+ or more bottles from our Cheers to Chenin list below
Please note: Only the selected wines below are included in this sale. Click here to see the full list on our webstore.
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Sale ends Monday, September 22nd at 9 am Pacific.
10% off any 8+ or more bottles from our Cheers to Chenin list below
Please note: Only the selected wines below are included in this sale. Click here to see the full list on our webstore.
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Sale ends Monday, September 22nd at 9 am Pacific.
Shop our twelve Cheers to Chenin options on sale now:
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Dry Creek Vineyard Dry Chenin Blanc, Clarksburg 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $16, that’s $15.20 at 5% off and $14.40 at 10% off, 26 bottles in stock now
Winery Note “We are proud to have produced Dry Chenin Blanc each and every year since our family winery was founded in 1972. Extremely versatile and food friendly, it is the perfect aperitif and one of our most beloved wines. Fermented in 100% stainless steel barrels, this beautiful wine is wonderfully bright and consistent vintage after vintage. At first swirl, aromatics of honeydew, watermelon and pineapple spring forward from the glass with floral notes of jasmine and honeysuckle. On the palate, the wine has refreshing flavors of cucumber, lime and nectarine with hints of geranium, sweet basil and ripe orange. The mouthfeel is soft but inviting, with a lively acidity. This classic, Loire Valley-style wine is excellent when paired with fresh oysters, seafood, or just about anything!”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Arnaud Lambert ‘Breze’ Saumur Blanc Clos David, Loire, France 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $41.90, that’s $39.81 at 5% off and $37.71 at 10% off, 11 bottles in stock now
Importer Note “The wine starts out aromatically expressing the magic that limestone seems to impart to its wines. Pure and striking fruits, like sweet lime, meyer lemon with lemon curd, exotic spice and flint dart out of the glass and into the nose. If you can manage to keep it in the glass for a couple of hours of slow observation and drinking, the wine will take you on a rollercoaster of highs that seem only to climber higher with every passing minute. Acidity? More than you can imagine but somehow it presents itself gently on the finish after a somewhat overwhelming initial attack from the first sip.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Thibaud Boudignon Anjou Blanc ‘a Francoise..’, Loire, France 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $74.50, that’s $70.78 at 5% off and $67.05 at 10% off, 10 bottles in stock now
Rebecca Gibb MW-Vinous 93 points “Made from a small parcel in the village of Saint-Lambert, the 2022 Anjou Blanc à Francois(e) is a mouth-filling style without any heaviness. The generosity of the 2022 season has been curbed, and there’s a nervousness and slightly reductive nature that keeps it tight. Expect an attractive sourness from the acidity and salinity. The finish has a nice twist of savory character with 20% new oak (500-liter and cigar format). Time is needed here to ameliorate.”
Thibaud Boudignon Savennieres Clos de la Hutte, Loire, France 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $119, that’s $113.05 at 5% off and $107.10 at 10% off, 10 bottles in stock now
Rebecca Gibb MW-Vinous 97 points “Although it’s ungenerous on the nose, the 2022 Savennières Clos de la Hutte is tender and generous in the mouth, welcoming you in. There’s a cloud of gently handled fruit that embraces the palate, but it does so in an elegant and light-on-its-feet way. Texturally, it’s seamless and coats the mouth with fine texture. In terms of flavor, expect salty, briny notes and citrus tones alongside a touch of spice and nutty oak on the finish. This is a wine that seems to be able to take a deep, calming breath and become more complete.”
Thibaud Boudignon Savennieres Clos de Fremine, Loire, France 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $86, that’s $81.70 at 5% off and $77.40 at 10% off, 8 bottles in stock now
Thibaud Boudignon Savennieres Clos de Fremine, Loire, France 2021 1.5L Displayed Price: $179, that’s $170.05 at 5% off and $161.10 at 10% off, 1 magnum in stock now
Yohan Castaing-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2021 Savennières Clos de Frémine opens with aromas of pear, rose, green mango, ripe orchard fruits and spring flowers. It is a full-bodied, intense and bright wine with a chiseled, crystalline, elegantly tense palate. The flinty structuring extract adds a unique character to the wine, and its pure minerality is impressive. Hide bottles for seven to eight years and enjoy over the following decades.”
Nicolas Joly Clos de la Coulée de Serrant, Loire, France 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $141.90, that’s $134.81 at 5% off and $127.71 at 10% off, 5 bottles in stock now
Rebecca Gibb MW-Vinous 95 points “The 2021 Clos de la Coulée de Serrant is a dry, floral Chenin Blanc produced from late-picked grapes, done in 3 passes with around 1/10th affected by botrytis. Grown biodynamically and vinified with minimal intervention, the resulting wine is intriguing and idiosyncratic. With a rich golden color, there’s a sensation of sweetness allied with honeyed fruit and fullness of high alcohol. Low yields are reflected in the intense concentration. It is a serious, structured style with well-handled phenolics providing grip and contributing to its length, while the season’s bright acidity ensures freshness and tension. It is a much cleaner, less oxidative style in 2021, and for that, you have to be thankful. This will be a long-lived wine that would need decanting.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Perrault-Jadaud ‘Bacchanales’ Vouvray, Loire, France 2018 500ml Displayed Price: $33, that’s $31.35 at 5% off and $29.70 at 10% off, 10 bottles in stock now
Wine Terroirs Note “Bacchanales, Vouvray 2018, back to the whites for the sweetest, the liquoreux and its 120 grams of residual sugar. Elevage in barrels. 11 % alcohol. Bottled in 50 centiliter bottles. Golden color, the maturity, and oxidation as well, ans as Anne-Cécile reminds me, the negligible doses of sulfites (high dosages of sulfites gives you colorless whites, that’s why commercial sweet wines are mostly colorless, it’s because of excessive SO2). Excellent wine which remains fresh in the mouth even with this sugar, there an acidulous feel which is very enjoyable. Anne-Cécile says that the fermentation stops by itself at one point, they don’t have to do anything. They often sell this wine in the wine fairs they attend in november or december, when people presumably look for wines to pair with foie gras and other Christmas/New Year delicacies. For me it’s a good apéritif wine as well, by itself.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Philippe Foreau Domaine du Clos Naudin Vouvray Moelleux, Loire, France 2015 750ml Displayed Price: $66, that’s $62.70 at 5% off and $59.40 at 10% off, 12 bottles in stock now
Neal Rosenthal Tasting Note “The 2015 Moelleux is really a step up in concentration and complexity from the Sec and Demi-Sec. It is at this level where the ultimate potential of Vouvray begins to reveal itself. The dense aromas lean bitter, with notes of pear, pit fruits, and fresh honey. On the palate, the fruit is warm and leans toward plum and quince, with an undercurrent of sea foam and Indian spices. Wearing 70 grams of sugar, this wine’s intense minerality keeps it fresh and structured, which adds to its incredible persistence and surprisingly dry finish.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Le Mont’ Moelleux, Loire, France 2016 750ml Displayed Price: $59, that’s $56.05 at 5% off and $53.10 at 10% off, 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 in the USA today!
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Clos du Bourg’ Moelleux, Loire, France 2016 750ml Displayed Price: $69, that’s $65.55 at 5% off and $62.10 at 10% off, 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, Loire, France 2016 750ml Displayed Price: $49, that’s $46.55 at 5% off and $44.10 at 10% off, 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 lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Clos du Bourg’ Premiere Trie Moelleux, Loire, France 2016 750ml Displayed Price: $69, that’s $65.55 at 5% off and $62.10 at 10% off, 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.”
The Hill of Corton, or Montage de Corton, is a landmark in Burgundy, not just for its stunning appearance, but also for its stunning wines. This is a Grand Cru in the more southern Côte de Beaune subregion of Burgundy. Corton-Charlemagne (named for the demand of the wife of Charlemagne to grow white wines so her husband’s beard would not be stained) produces astonishing Chardonnay wines heralded for their longevity and complexity. The vines surround the trees at the very top of the hill.
The Grand Cru of Le Corton produces Pinot Noir wines known for their high tannins, longevity and richness. The larger-production Corton Les Bressandes produces highly regarded Pinot Noir from rocky soils in the more eastern side.
In Stock Now:
Bouchard Pere & Fils Le Corton Grand Cru 2020 750ml $199 special, 5 bottles in stock now
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 93-95+ points “The 2020 Le Corton Grand Cru is a worthy successor to the striking 2019 (which I probably underrated last year). Soaring from the glass with aromas of rose petals, orange rind, raspberries, rich soil tones and cinnamon, it’s full-bodied, velvety and seamless, with a deep and layered core of fruit, vibrant acids and fine, melting tannins, concluding with a long, saline finish. This emblematic cuvée has always been a solid bottling chez Bouchard, but in the last few years it seems to have attained a whole new level of quality. When I asked Frédéric Weber what might account for this shift, he explained that he picks later and includes more whole bunches in the vinification. Whatever the reason, readers are advised to take note, as I don’t think the market has yet factored in quite how good this wine is. “
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Joseph Drouhin Corton Grand Cru 2018 750ml $219 special, 6 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 94 points “Cherry crushed-strawberry and rose aromas with notes of fresh herbs. It’s medium-to full-bodied with sleek tannins and lively acidity. Round and juicy with a bright core of fruit on the mid-palate. Fresh, with soft power and a flavorful finish. Needs two or three years to soften.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Jean-Marc Pillot Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2022 750ml $499 special, 1 bottle in stock now
Importer Note “Jean-Marc Pillot typically makes two barrels a year from fruit purchased from his friend Blair Pethel of Domaine Dublère; Blair spent a year working alongside Jean-Marc and has generously allowed him access to a small part of his vineyard (a parcel formerly farmed by the Rollin family, our vignerons in Pernand-Vergelesses). Aromatically complex, honeyed, with wild herbs, mint and chamomile, the Corton-Charlemagne is massively scaled–both intensely mineral and nearly unctuous in its sappiness of fruit–and its 50% new oak is all but swallowed by the wine’s sheer concentration. We are fortunate to receive 5 cases of this a year for the US.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Michel Juillot Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2016 1.5L $289 special, 7 magnums in stock now
Burghound 91 points “Generous wood dominates the otherwise fresh green apple, pear and white flower scents. There is ample minerality on the solidly dense and relatively powerful medium weight flavors that possess a caressing mouth feel that contrasts markedly with the powerful and impressively long finish where the wood is again quite prominent. I can’t say that the style appeals to me as the wood is more than I prefer but this should still make for fine drinking in a few years time.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Ponsot Corton-Bressandes Grand Cru 2013 750ml $449 special, 4 bottles in stock now
Jancis Robinson 18/20 points “Mid crimson. Very expressive nose and savoury. Lip smacking and hugely appetising with its medium weight of red-fruit flavours – pomegranate? – and bone-dry finish. Most attractive. Great balance and very neat finish.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Vincent Girardin Quintessence de Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2017 750ml $219 special, 20 bottles in stock now
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 93+ points “The 2017 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru Quintessence de Corton-Charlemagne was one of the most introverted wines in the range when I revisited it from bottle, unwinding to reveal scents of pear, white flowers, confit citrus and a delicate top note of petrol. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, ample and satiny, with a deep and intensely concentrated core, but it’s still very reserved after its recent bottling. Some patience will be in order here, though at maturity, I’m sure my score will look conservative.”
The Grand Cru of Le Corton produces Pinot Noir wines known for their high tannins, longevity and richness. The larger-production Corton Les Bressandes produces highly regarded Pinot Noir from rocky soils in the more eastern side.
In Stock Now:
Bouchard Pere & Fils Le Corton Grand Cru 2020 750ml $199 special, 5 bottles in stock now
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 93-95+ points “The 2020 Le Corton Grand Cru is a worthy successor to the striking 2019 (which I probably underrated last year). Soaring from the glass with aromas of rose petals, orange rind, raspberries, rich soil tones and cinnamon, it’s full-bodied, velvety and seamless, with a deep and layered core of fruit, vibrant acids and fine, melting tannins, concluding with a long, saline finish. This emblematic cuvée has always been a solid bottling chez Bouchard, but in the last few years it seems to have attained a whole new level of quality. When I asked Frédéric Weber what might account for this shift, he explained that he picks later and includes more whole bunches in the vinification. Whatever the reason, readers are advised to take note, as I don’t think the market has yet factored in quite how good this wine is. “
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Joseph Drouhin Corton Grand Cru 2018 750ml $219 special, 6 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 94 points “Cherry crushed-strawberry and rose aromas with notes of fresh herbs. It’s medium-to full-bodied with sleek tannins and lively acidity. Round and juicy with a bright core of fruit on the mid-palate. Fresh, with soft power and a flavorful finish. Needs two or three years to soften.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Jean-Marc Pillot Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2022 750ml $499 special, 1 bottle in stock now
Importer Note “Jean-Marc Pillot typically makes two barrels a year from fruit purchased from his friend Blair Pethel of Domaine Dublère; Blair spent a year working alongside Jean-Marc and has generously allowed him access to a small part of his vineyard (a parcel formerly farmed by the Rollin family, our vignerons in Pernand-Vergelesses). Aromatically complex, honeyed, with wild herbs, mint and chamomile, the Corton-Charlemagne is massively scaled–both intensely mineral and nearly unctuous in its sappiness of fruit–and its 50% new oak is all but swallowed by the wine’s sheer concentration. We are fortunate to receive 5 cases of this a year for the US.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Michel Juillot Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2016 1.5L $289 special, 7 magnums in stock now
Burghound 91 points “Generous wood dominates the otherwise fresh green apple, pear and white flower scents. There is ample minerality on the solidly dense and relatively powerful medium weight flavors that possess a caressing mouth feel that contrasts markedly with the powerful and impressively long finish where the wood is again quite prominent. I can’t say that the style appeals to me as the wood is more than I prefer but this should still make for fine drinking in a few years time.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Ponsot Corton-Bressandes Grand Cru 2013 750ml $449 special, 4 bottles in stock now
Jancis Robinson 18/20 points “Mid crimson. Very expressive nose and savoury. Lip smacking and hugely appetising with its medium weight of red-fruit flavours – pomegranate? – and bone-dry finish. Most attractive. Great balance and very neat finish.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Vincent Girardin Quintessence de Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2017 750ml $219 special, 20 bottles in stock now
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 93+ points “The 2017 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru Quintessence de Corton-Charlemagne was one of the most introverted wines in the range when I revisited it from bottle, unwinding to reveal scents of pear, white flowers, confit citrus and a delicate top note of petrol. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, ample and satiny, with a deep and intensely concentrated core, but it’s still very reserved after its recent bottling. Some patience will be in order here, though at maturity, I’m sure my score will look conservative.”
Browse our 233 selections from Burgundy now!
Don’t miss our additional sale going on now:
Bubbly Bargains
5% off any 3-7 bottles from our Bubbly Bargains list
10% off any 8+ or more bottles from our Bubbly Bargains list
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Our Bubbly Bargains sale ends Saturday, September 20th at 9 am Pacific.