In This Newsletter:
Fèlsina Sale
Collector’s Corner: Dagueneau
Chianti’s Gold Standard
Stock Up & Save On:
Fèlsina
Fèlsina Sale
Collector’s Corner: Dagueneau
Chianti’s Gold Standard
Stock Up & Save On:
Fèlsina
Fèlsina is a major leader in Chianti’s quality revolution. They offer some of the most collectible in the appellation, as well as age worthy. Few producers worldwide can claim to have the consistent quality of Fèlsina. We’re proud to be longtime supporters of their work.
Explore our in-stock options below!
Explore our in-stock options below!
5% off any 4-8 in-stock bottles of Felsina
10% off any 9+ or more in-stock bottles of Felsina
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Sale ends Monday, August 25th at 9 am Pacific.
10% off any 9+ or more in-stock bottles of Felsina
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Sale ends Monday, August 25th at 9 am Pacific.
We offer eight in-stock Felsina options on sale now, including:
This is delicious out of the gate, with refined tannins and dark fruit.
Felsina Berardenga Chianti Classico DOCG 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $28, that’s $26.60 at 5% off and $25.20 at 10% off, 19 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.”
Felsina Berardenga Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $34.50, that’s $32.78 at 5% off and $31.05 at 10% off, 22 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 95 points “The core of cherry, pomegranate and raspberry fruit is detailed with Tuscan scrub, iron, vanilla and tobacco notes as this intense red builds in power to the expansive conclusion, where its fruit, mineral and wild herb flavors converge. Shows fine balance and length; this just needs time to absorb the oak. Best from 2027 through 2043. 5,000 cases made, 2,000 cases imported.”
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.
Felsina 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
Felsina 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
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!
Felsina 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.”
Felsina Berardenga Fontalloro Toscana IGT 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $66, that’s $62.70 at 5% off and $59.40 at 10% off, 18 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.”
Bottled under the elite Chianti Classico Gran Selezione classification, the Rancia is Felsina’s calling card. 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.
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Felsina 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, 33 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 95+ points “The 2021 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Rancia is the rst 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 nely knit in a brooding yet elegant Gran Selezione that delivers the goods. Superb.”
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.
Felsina 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.”
The Dagueneau estate elevated Pouilly-Fumé and Sancerre, though not without controversy and drama. Didier Dagueneau founded the estate in the 1980s. He was decades ahead of his time, introducing biodynamics and quality-focused viticulture such as reduced yields to the region all while calling out his fellow winemakers for poor practices (not exactly endearing himself to the winemaking community).
When Didier passed in a plane crash in 2008, his son and daughter, Louis-Benjamin and Charlotte, assumed the reins. They continue their father’s rebellious mission for quality. They’ve refocused the region as a whole towards craft-oriented production, despite the foot-dragging. Collectors and wine drinkers have much to admire them for.
In Stock Now:
Louis-Benjamin Dagueneau Buisson-Renard, Loire 2018 750ml $139 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Rebecca Gibb MW-Vinous 93 points “Returning in 2018 after 2017 was wiped out by frosts, this is an intense, wild 2018 Buisson Renard, like an untamed head of curls. In clear evidence at this early stage, it has floral and boxwood characters and a nutty oak-derived influence. There’s even an intriguing note of peppermint on the sinewy, lengthy finish. In a mid-weight, linear style with a firm, phenolic finish that almost requires knife and fork. This needs more time in bottle to shed its austere frame, but if you’re not in a hurry…”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Louis-Benjamin – Didier Dagueneau Buisson-Renard, Loire 2019 750ml $149 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Rebecca Gibb MW-Vinous 92 points “The Buisson Renard tends to be a more supple, more aromatically restrained cuvée in the Dagueneau stable, and the 2019 is no different. It’s probably the richer clay soils on this section of the domaine. There’s a delicate savory, herbal and oak-derived nutty character. It is fine and fresh with a supple texture that holds the mouth like a gentle embrace.”
Louis-Benjamin – Didier Dagueneau ‘Blanc etc.’, Loire 2019 750ml $99 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Importer Note “Sauvignon Blanc. Vineyard: Produced from holdings of younger vines and from parcels not located on the St. Andelain hill. Soil: Kimmeridgian, clay-limestone. Viticulture: Farmed biodynamically. The domaine employs twice the number of employees than a conventional winery would use for the same acreage. The goal is to produce, on the average, 75% of the yields common to neighboring wineries.”
Louis-Benjamin – Didier Dagueneau Silex, Loire 2020 750ml $185 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Rebecca Gibb MW-Vinous 93-94 points “While this was a warm season leading to richness in many wines from the region, the Silex 2020 shows ripe fruit, but there’s no sense of being overblown. The fine line that races through many wines relying on flint-based parcels is there, carrying the nectarine and oak-derived vanilla flavors, but its influence never tips into austerity nor firmness. There’s a sense of tenderness that runs through its core while remaining light in body.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Louis-Benjamin – Didier Dagueneau Pouilly-Fume Intouchables, Loire 2019 750ml $279 special, 1 bottle in stock now
VinopolNote: Crafted from the rare Fié Gris grape (Sauvignon Gris), which is an ancient and incredibly rare pink-skinned clone of Sauv Blanc.
Louis-Benjamin – Didier Dagueneau Les Jardins de Babylone Sec, Jurancon 2019 750ml $99 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Polaner Importer Note “Dagueneau makes a limited number of bottles of dry wine from these beloved Jurancon hectares. The aim is to produce a wine that brings out the natural minerality of the soil and have balance, harmony and longevity. Concentrated, racy and extremely memorable.”
When Didier passed in a plane crash in 2008, his son and daughter, Louis-Benjamin and Charlotte, assumed the reins. They continue their father’s rebellious mission for quality. They’ve refocused the region as a whole towards craft-oriented production, despite the foot-dragging. Collectors and wine drinkers have much to admire them for.
In Stock Now:
Louis-Benjamin Dagueneau Buisson-Renard, Loire 2018 750ml $139 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Rebecca Gibb MW-Vinous 93 points “Returning in 2018 after 2017 was wiped out by frosts, this is an intense, wild 2018 Buisson Renard, like an untamed head of curls. In clear evidence at this early stage, it has floral and boxwood characters and a nutty oak-derived influence. There’s even an intriguing note of peppermint on the sinewy, lengthy finish. In a mid-weight, linear style with a firm, phenolic finish that almost requires knife and fork. This needs more time in bottle to shed its austere frame, but if you’re not in a hurry…”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Louis-Benjamin – Didier Dagueneau Buisson-Renard, Loire 2019 750ml $149 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Rebecca Gibb MW-Vinous 92 points “The Buisson Renard tends to be a more supple, more aromatically restrained cuvée in the Dagueneau stable, and the 2019 is no different. It’s probably the richer clay soils on this section of the domaine. There’s a delicate savory, herbal and oak-derived nutty character. It is fine and fresh with a supple texture that holds the mouth like a gentle embrace.”
Louis-Benjamin – Didier Dagueneau ‘Blanc etc.’, Loire 2019 750ml $99 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Importer Note “Sauvignon Blanc. Vineyard: Produced from holdings of younger vines and from parcels not located on the St. Andelain hill. Soil: Kimmeridgian, clay-limestone. Viticulture: Farmed biodynamically. The domaine employs twice the number of employees than a conventional winery would use for the same acreage. The goal is to produce, on the average, 75% of the yields common to neighboring wineries.”
Louis-Benjamin – Didier Dagueneau Silex, Loire 2020 750ml $185 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Rebecca Gibb MW-Vinous 93-94 points “While this was a warm season leading to richness in many wines from the region, the Silex 2020 shows ripe fruit, but there’s no sense of being overblown. The fine line that races through many wines relying on flint-based parcels is there, carrying the nectarine and oak-derived vanilla flavors, but its influence never tips into austerity nor firmness. There’s a sense of tenderness that runs through its core while remaining light in body.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Louis-Benjamin – Didier Dagueneau Pouilly-Fume Intouchables, Loire 2019 750ml $279 special, 1 bottle in stock now
VinopolNote: Crafted from the rare Fié Gris grape (Sauvignon Gris), which is an ancient and incredibly rare pink-skinned clone of Sauv Blanc.
Louis-Benjamin – Didier Dagueneau Les Jardins de Babylone Sec, Jurancon 2019 750ml $99 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Polaner Importer Note “Dagueneau makes a limited number of bottles of dry wine from these beloved Jurancon hectares. The aim is to produce a wine that brings out the natural minerality of the soil and have balance, harmony and longevity. Concentrated, racy and extremely memorable.”
Browse our six selections from Dagueneau now!
Don’t miss our additional sale going on now:
Carl Loewen
5% off any 4-8 in-stock bottles of Carl Loewen
10% off any 9+ or more in-stock bottles of Carl Loewen
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Carl Loewen sale ends Saturday, August 23rd at 9 am Pacific.