In This Newsletter:
Fèlsina Sale
Australia’s Cult Winery: Standish
Fèlsina Sale
Fèlsina Sale
Australia’s Cult Winery: Standish
Fèlsina Sale
Fèlsina is a leader in Chianti’s quality revolution, emphasizing terroir and the expressive potential of Sangiovese with their impressive cuvées. Their wines offer beauty and boldness in their youth with a long track record of rewarding cellar potential. They offer some of the most collectible wines in the appellation but at far more consumer-friendly price points than their peers (Isole e Olena and Castello di Ama’s top Gran Seleziones average well over double Felsina’s Colonia and don’t get us started on Fontalloro, their 100% Sangiovese Toscana IGT). Few producers worldwide can claim to have the consistent quality of Fèlsina. We’re proud to be longtime supporters of their work.
The 100% Sangiovese Fontalloro is a Brunello-drinker’s dream, with explosive aromatics and lots of power to back it up. With its rich, velvety texture, enticing aromas, and long, satisfying finish, Fontalloro embodies the perfect marriage of tradition and innovation. Averaging $76/bottle online (all in-stock vintages are under $66/bottle chez Vinopolis), this clocks in well below its peers.
Next up is the exceptional Rancia, bottled under the elite Chianti Classico Gran Selezione classification. Felsina rehabilitated the site and cloned the best vines throughout the vineyard, eventually spreading them throughout their other holdings. The dominant soil type of the vineyard is albarese, a type of limestone-infused sandstone that’s famous for the aromatic punch it contributes to the wine.
Last but not least is the Colonia vineyard, a true passion project. The family began replanting and developing the vineyard in 1966, only completing the project in 1993 due to the difficulty of the terrain. It sits atop the hill of Poggio a Rancia. Only 3,000 bottles are produced annually, a tiny quantity of this precious wine. The resulting wine is spectacular with unrivaled precision and focus.
The 100% Sangiovese Fontalloro is a Brunello-drinker’s dream, with explosive aromatics and lots of power to back it up. With its rich, velvety texture, enticing aromas, and long, satisfying finish, Fontalloro embodies the perfect marriage of tradition and innovation. Averaging $76/bottle online (all in-stock vintages are under $66/bottle chez Vinopolis), this clocks in well below its peers.
Next up is the exceptional Rancia, bottled under the elite Chianti Classico Gran Selezione classification. Felsina rehabilitated the site and cloned the best vines throughout the vineyard, eventually spreading them throughout their other holdings. The dominant soil type of the vineyard is albarese, a type of limestone-infused sandstone that’s famous for the aromatic punch it contributes to the wine.
Last but not least is the Colonia vineyard, a true passion project. The family began replanting and developing the vineyard in 1966, only completing the project in 1993 due to the difficulty of the terrain. It sits atop the hill of Poggio a Rancia. Only 3,000 bottles are produced annually, a tiny quantity of this precious wine. The resulting wine is spectacular with unrivaled precision and focus.
5% off any 3-5 in-stock bottles of Fèlsina
10% off any 6+ or more in-stock bottles of Fèlsina
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Sale ends Monday, November 17th at 9 am Pacific.
10% off any 6+ or more in-stock bottles of Fèlsina
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Sale ends Monday, November 17th at 9 am Pacific.
We offer eight in-stock Fèlsina options on sale now, including:
Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico DOCG 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $28, that’s $26.60 at 5% off and $25.20 at 10% off, 9 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 92 points “A well-balanced, seductive and lively red with aromas of forest berries, red currants, warm herbs and some crushed peppercorns. It’s medium-bodied with fine tannins. Juicy berry character with a lift of spices bringing energy and vitality on the palate and onto the tactile finish.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Fèlsina Berardenga Fontalloro Toscana IGT 2018 750ml Displayed Price: $59, that’s $56.05 at 5% off and $53.10 at 10% off, 36+ bottles in stock now
Fèlsina Berardenga Fontalloro Toscana IGT 2018 1.5L Displayed Price: $128, that’s $121.60 at 5% off and $115.20 at 10% off, 6 magnums in stock now
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 95 points “The 2018 Fontalloro is bright, floral and full of energy. In most vintages, Fontalloro is quite open, but the 2018 is especially nervy and taut. That won’t be an issue in time, of course, but readers should plan on being patient. Sangiovese is so expressive here. A whole range of floral and savory accents lingers on the close.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95 points “To my palate, the 2018 vintage sometimes feels a little too ripe or baked. I was reminded of those characteristics when tasting the Fèlsina 2018 Fontalloro. There is plenty of dark fruit at its core, but this wine also reveals dry tones of jarred oregano, grilled Mediterranean herb, crushed aspirin and graham cracker. The mouthfeel is pleasantly lean and silky, and perhaps the wine delivers more in terms of length than it does weight or texture. A little more bottle age should help flesh out and soften these results.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Fèlsina Berardenga Fontalloro Toscana IGT 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $62.50, that’s $59.38 at 5% off and $56.25 at 10% off, 36+ bottles in stock now
James Suckling 96 points “A fresh and crunchy Fontalloro with currants, orange peel and hints of peaches and cedar. Medium body, firm and fine tannins and a crisp and bright finish. Lots of energy and verticality to this! Drink after 2025.”
Fèlsina Berardenga Fontalloro Toscana IGT 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $66, that’s $62.70 at 5% off and $59.40 at 10% off, 16 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 95 points “A vibrant red, with fleeting aromas of lavender and wild rosemary mingling with cherry, orange peel, earth, mineral and tobacco flavors. On the elegant side, despite its youthful power, with excellent harmony, refined tannins and a long, complex aftertaste. Sangiovese. Best from 2026 through 2045. 3,800 cases made, 1,200 cases imported.”
Fèlsina Berardenga ‘Colonia’, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG 2010 750ml Displayed Price: $149, that’s $141.55 at 5% off and $134.10 at 10% off, 8 bottles in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95+ points “When you hear the story of the effort that went into making the Colonia vineyard, you have to wonder if the fine folks at Fèlsina are absolutely mad. It took them two years of dynamite blasting to clear the imposing rock that had forced previous generations of the Poggiali family to virtually abandon this site. But an ambitious Giovanni Poggiali takes credit for making this spectacular vineyard what it is today. The wine produced here is quickly becoming the second flagship product after Fontalloro. The 2010 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Colonia is a wine of enormous beauty and depth. This is Sangiovese at its highest expression and any doubt I had about the previous vintage (which was the first time this wine appeared as a Gran Selezione) have been washed away by this current release. What really stands out are the wine’s precise mineral and graphite aromas that lend an incredible sense of focus and balance. The oak element is also beautifully integrated.”
Fèlsina Berardenga Rancia, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $54.50, that’s $51.78 at 5% off and $49.05 at 10% off, 20 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 95+ points “The 2021 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Rancia is the first vintage in which Rancia moves from Riserva to Gran Selezione. More importantly, Fèlsina appears to be back on track after two years, during which Rancia underperformed because of the inclusion of a parcel that did not work in the blend and contributed a slight vegetal character. The 2021 marries power and finesse in the way only Rancia can. Black cherry, leather, game, spice, licorice, tobacco and grilled herbs are all finely knit in a brooding yet elegant Gran Selezione that delivers the goods. Superb.”
In 1999, Dan Standish, the winemaker at Torbreck (an Australian estate famous for its bold and powerful ancient-vine Shiraz), acquired an eight-hectare vineyard of Shiraz to make his own wine. Taking inspiration from his experience in the Northern Rhone, Standish’s cuvées put a spotlight on old-vine and ungrafted Syrah (Shiraz). Wild and “beguiling,” these wines will leave you breathless.
In Stock Now:
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Standish ‘Lamella’ Shiraz, Eden Valley 2021 750ml $115 special, 4 bottles in stock now
Erin Larken-Wine Advocate 98+ points “The 2021 Lamella Shiraz is made with fruit from the Angas family vineyard, Hutton Vale Farm, Eden Valley. The vineyard was planted with cuttings from the Mt Edelstone (Henschke) vineyard and represents the final pick of the season each year. Made with 100% whole bunches in the ferment, the wine opens with characteristic jasmine tea, bergamot, raspberry, graphite and star anise on the nose. The whole-bunch component, far from overtaking the fruit, is seamlessly integrated from the first instance this year. The wine is a cohesive whole and shows an elegance and presence that is beguiling, to say the least. If anything, the 2021 Lamella is full of aching potential; its future is writ upon the balance of fruit and skin/stalk tannin, freshness and density. For lovers of this cuvée, I cannot recall seeing it so balanced and poised on release. The 2018 (a vintage I reference constantly for its high quality and fruit presence) may challenge this statement, however the cool vintage that birthed the Lamella this year has produced a wine of definition and untold potential. Super. Sealed under natural cork. 14.9% alcohol.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Standish The Relic Shiraz – Viognier, Barossa Valley 2021 750ml $119 special, 9 bottles in stock now
Erin Larken-Wine Advocate 98 points “The 2021 The Relic Shiraz-Viognier is made with fruit from the Hongell family vineyard, Krondorf. It was made with 1% Viognier co-fermented, with 25% whole bunches in the ferment this year, up from 15% to 20% in 2020. The Relic is one of Australia’s greatest Shiraz Viognier wines, and it’s a sure thing each year for quality and execution of style. In 2020, it was my preferred wine of the collection for its savory, meaty/bacon fat/bloody character. All elements were in balance, and it managed a savory and floral drive within the same glass. Super cool. This year, I love the wine for all the opposite reasons. The 2021 is creamy, plush and almost sybaritic in its outlay of fruit and tannin. At 15.5% alcohol, it’s the highest alcohol wine in the 2021 release, yet it doesn’t show that via warmth or harshness in the wine. The whole-bunch component is up slightly this year from last, and honestly, it feels completely invisible in the wine. This is undoubtedly the biggest, most plush wine in the collection, but true to form for Standish, it is balanced and fresh, with a long future in front of it.”
In Stock Now:
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Standish ‘Lamella’ Shiraz, Eden Valley 2021 750ml $115 special, 4 bottles in stock now
Erin Larken-Wine Advocate 98+ points “The 2021 Lamella Shiraz is made with fruit from the Angas family vineyard, Hutton Vale Farm, Eden Valley. The vineyard was planted with cuttings from the Mt Edelstone (Henschke) vineyard and represents the final pick of the season each year. Made with 100% whole bunches in the ferment, the wine opens with characteristic jasmine tea, bergamot, raspberry, graphite and star anise on the nose. The whole-bunch component, far from overtaking the fruit, is seamlessly integrated from the first instance this year. The wine is a cohesive whole and shows an elegance and presence that is beguiling, to say the least. If anything, the 2021 Lamella is full of aching potential; its future is writ upon the balance of fruit and skin/stalk tannin, freshness and density. For lovers of this cuvée, I cannot recall seeing it so balanced and poised on release. The 2018 (a vintage I reference constantly for its high quality and fruit presence) may challenge this statement, however the cool vintage that birthed the Lamella this year has produced a wine of definition and untold potential. Super. Sealed under natural cork. 14.9% alcohol.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Standish The Relic Shiraz – Viognier, Barossa Valley 2021 750ml $119 special, 9 bottles in stock now
Erin Larken-Wine Advocate 98 points “The 2021 The Relic Shiraz-Viognier is made with fruit from the Hongell family vineyard, Krondorf. It was made with 1% Viognier co-fermented, with 25% whole bunches in the ferment this year, up from 15% to 20% in 2020. The Relic is one of Australia’s greatest Shiraz Viognier wines, and it’s a sure thing each year for quality and execution of style. In 2020, it was my preferred wine of the collection for its savory, meaty/bacon fat/bloody character. All elements were in balance, and it managed a savory and floral drive within the same glass. Super cool. This year, I love the wine for all the opposite reasons. The 2021 is creamy, plush and almost sybaritic in its outlay of fruit and tannin. At 15.5% alcohol, it’s the highest alcohol wine in the 2021 release, yet it doesn’t show that via warmth or harshness in the wine. The whole-bunch component is up slightly this year from last, and honestly, it feels completely invisible in the wine. This is undoubtedly the biggest, most plush wine in the collection, but true to form for Standish, it is balanced and fresh, with a long future in front of it.”
Don’t miss our additional sales going on now:
Rosé
5% off any 3-7 in-stock bottles of non-sparkling rosé
10% off any 8+ or more in-stock bottles of non-sparkling rosé
Saint Cosme & Chateau de Rouanne Sale
5% off any 3-7 in-stock bottles of Saint Cosme &/or Chateau de Rouanne
10% off any 8+ or more in-stock bottles of Saint Cosme &/or Chateau de Rouanne
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Rosé sale ends Saturday, November 15th at 9 am Pacific. Saint Cosme & Chateau de Rouanne sale ends Sunday, November 16th at 9 am Pacific.