Wednesday, December 23rd, 2015
Champagne Super-Deal; New Holiday Sale; Breathtaking Champagnes; Newly Arrived Vintage Ports & Maderia; Classy Gifts from Classic Regions
We at Vinopolis would like to wish you a festive & happy holiday season!
Please note our hours change during the next few days:
Vinopolis will close at 4 pm on 12/24 and be
Closed Christmas Day 12/25
Back to Regular Hours Saturday 12/26
10 AM – 6 PM
Thank you!
Champagne Super-Deal
Arriving Today
Moet & Chandon Brut Champagne 2006 750ML ($69.95) $49 special
Wine Spectator 94 points “Sleek acidity trims the sails of this otherwise rich and expansive Champagne, keeping it finely balanced and racy throughout. Flavors of roasted hazelnut, crushed blackberry, ripe apricot, honey and giniger biscuit glide on the silky palate to a slaine-tinged finish. Drink now through 2029.”
Antonio Galloni 92 points ” Moët’s 2006 Brut Grand Vintage is beautiful, finessed and expressive. Smoke, slate, apricot and pastry notes emerge as the wine gradually unfolds. Rich and textured on the palate, yet beautifully supported by veins of minerality, the 2006 is simply impeccable from the very first taste. The richer, honeyed notes typical of Chardonnay in this vintage are particularly evident today while the Meunier, which has higher acidity, keeps things bright, although it plays a lesser part in the overall blend than in years past. The 2006 is 42% Chardonnay, 39% Pinot Noir and 19% Pinot Meunier. Dosage is 5 grams/liter.” AG
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $72
Don’t miss this newly arrived fantastic deal on Champagne, too:
Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Brut Champagne 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Wine Spectator 91 points “A smoky note of roasted nut is subtly woven with the baked apple, lemon meringue and fennel seed flavors in this vibrant Champagne, with a refined, creamy mousse.”
New Holiday Sale
Andre Clouet Brut 2008 750ML ($69.95) $49 special (was $59)
Antonio Galloni 92 points “Clouet’s 2008 Brut Millesime shows quite a bit more tension and focus than the 2007, hardly a surprise given then personality of the vintage. Bright, saline notes frame expressive red fruits, flowers and sweet spices. The 2008 Brut is a gorgeous wine with plenty of appeal today, but it will also develop beautifully in bottle. Stylistically it is less overt than the 2007 but places more emphasis on length. Brut Millesime is mostly Pinot, with 30-40% Chardonnay.” AG
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $60
Breathtaking Champagnes
Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin La Grande Dame Brut 2004 750ML ($169.95) $99 special, 12 bottles available
Wine Spectator 94 points “A fine and lacy mousse is draped over a firm frame of well-integrated acidity, belying the complexity of this elegant Champagne. A delicately woven tapestry of black currant, piecrust, chalk, spring blossom and lemon zest flavors ends with a lasting note of smoke-tinged minerality. Drink now through 2029.” WS
Dom Perignon Brut 2006 750ML ($179.95) $149 special, 6 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 97 points “The 2006 Dom Pérignon is a beautifully balanced, harmonious Dom Pérignon that strikes an incredibly appealing stylistic middle ground. Rich, voluptuous and creamy, the 2006 shows off fabulous intensity in a style that brings together the ripeness of 2002 with the greater sense of verve and overall freshness that is such a signature of the 2004. Bass notes and a feeling of phenolic grip on the finish recall the 2003, as the Pinot Noir is particularly expressive today. After an irregular summer that saw elevated temperatures in July followed by cooler, damp conditions in August, more favorable weather returned in September, pushing maturation ahead and leading to a long, protracted harvest. The 2006 falls into the family of riper, more voluptuous Dom Pérignons, but without veering into the level of opulence seen in vintages such as 2002.”
Richard Juhlin 94(97) points (English translation) ‘It’s not often you fall backwards when a wine is first launched on the market. This time both me and my friends, who got to try this jewel at my champagne bar, fell in love instantly. It is all here so beautifully orchestrated in this incredibly well-balanced and flowing rich symphony. It is so voluptuously charming and welcoming immediately, but at the same time so complex that the interest in what you will discover in the next gulp never ceases. Here are all the pillars that I perceive a Dom Pérignon should have. A gigantic large and intense aroma, a silk caressing structure and a dazzling grand finale. Notes from the sea, roasted nuts, coffee, brioche, tropical green fruits, stone fruit, green apples, sweet orange citrus, gunpowder, nougat, mushroom cream and black truffle are all there like a perfectly tailored tuxedo. Love at first sight.’
Tarlant La Vigne d’Antan Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 2002 750ML ($249.95) $219 special, 6 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 96 points “The 2002 La Vigne d’Antan is utterly breathtaking from the very first taste. A vivid, crystalline wine, the 2002 emerges with the essence of crushed rocks, salt and bright, citrus-infused fruit. Hints of white pepper and flowers add elements of exoticism in a striking, pure Champagne loaded with class. Readers who can find the 2002 should not hesitate as it is magnificent.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Pol Roger Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill 2000 1.5L ($519.95) $449 special, 11 magnums available
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The first thing that is evident about the 2000 Brut Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill is its finesse and total silkiness. The 2000 is a rich, creamy and deeply expressive Winston Churchill. I don’t see the 2000 being an especially long-term ager, but it is wonderfully radiant and open today. Hints of pastry, spice, apricots and succulent ripe pears blossom on the expansive, broad-shouldered finish. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2030.” AG
Bollinger R.D. Extra Brut 2002 750ML ($399.95) $333 special, 2 bottles available
James Suckling 99 points “Super fresh, this is striking given the 10 years in the cellars; it has a fine citrus nose – plenty of lemon, grapefruit, yellow chalky notes, some lighter floral elements too. The palate is super dry (dosage at 3-4g) and there’s a silky, sherbet-like texture, smooth, fine and long. The citrus flavours give way to the driving surging acidity, thunderous acidity, really driving and powerful. The finish twists very slowly through to light-toasted cashew fruit flavours, but lemon citrus prevails. This is thrilling Champagne.” JS
Dom Perignon P2 Plenitude Brut 1998 750ML ($399.95) $319 special, 3 bottles available
Wine Spectator 98 points “Offers precision and finely detailed form, powered by an expansive palate of flavor. The layers of ripe crushed blackberry and glazed apricot fruit complement the saline-tinged minerality and oyster shell notes, graced by hints of pastry, honeycomb and exotic spice. Mouthwatering and persistent on the zesty finish. Drink now through 2030.” WS
James Suckling 97 points “A P2 release indicating it has been matured to the 2nd Plenitude, the middle stage of Dom Perignon’s three-phase life as defined by Richard Geoffroy. This is a wine with some real tension between complexity and freshness that makes for incredibly engaging drinking. The nose offers up a little white peppery edge from the pinot; oyster shell saline freshness, red florals, sweet smelling woody spices and brioche, spiced biscuits and subtle roasted coffee notes – impressively complex. The phenolics register on the palate as a discreetly mineral, saline character, there’s sorbet-like texture through the middle before finishing with comet-like line and length.” JS
Vilmart & Cie Coeur de Cuvee Premier Cru Brut 2007 750ML ($149.95) $125 special, 35 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 94+ points “Another gorgeous wine, the 2007 Coeur de Cuvée is rich, ample and totally seductive. In 2007, the Coeur de Cuvée is intensely aromatic and highly expressive, with striking textural resonance throughout. Creamy and spherical through to the finish, the 2007 is a model of elegance and sumptuousness. The 2007 can be enjoyed today for its generous personality or cellared for another decade-plus.” AG
Terry Theise notes “This will continue Laurent’s streak of making the best wine in Champagne from “difficult” vintages, and indeed this is as good as the GREAT 2001—and maybe better. It brings a nettle-y green sting to the magnificent grace and concentration of this ever-improving wine. The length is replete with pepper, leather and verbena; the salt and stocky savor are mindbending—dried porcini, rare duck breast, clove and satsumas, all into a seemingly endless finish you want scoop back out of your mouth and drink again.”
Piper-Heidsieck Rare Brut 2002 750ML ($219.95) $189 special, 4 bottles available
Wine Spectator 97 points “Impeccably balanced and silky, with finely honed acidity shaping the expansive flavors of toasted brioche, crushed blackberry, lemon preserves and honey, revealing hints of Frangelico liqueur and smoked nut. Rich and vivid, with a lasting finish. Drink now through 2027. 2,500 cases made.” AN
Vintage Ports & Maderia
These selections have newly arrived as cellar releases from the wineries. Enjoy one of these perfectly aged classics with your holiday feast!
Graham’s Vintage Port 1970 750ML ($249.95) $199 special
Wine Spectator 94 points “This is an extremely full-bodied, powerful wine, but it still retains a classy balance. Deep ruby, with chocolate and berry aromas, full-bodied, with anise and dried cherry flavors, full, hard tannins and a long finish…” WS
Wine Advocate 93 points “Graham is another great port house, producing one of the deepest-colored and sweetest styles of vintage port. Along with Taylor and Fonseca, Graham has probably been the most consistent producer of great port in the post- World War II era. Their tawnys are quite good rather than exceptional, but their vintage ports are truly sublime and sumptuous. The 1970 is a monumental vintage port and one of the greats of the vintage. It begs to be drunk now, although it will last for at least another two decades.”
Graham’s Vintage Port 1980 750ML ($119.95) $89 special
Wine Spectator 90 points “This is very impressive, with loads of fruit and tannins. Deep ruby, with a floral, cherry and plum nose, full-bodied, with medium tannins and sweet plum flavors on the finish.”
Graham’s Vintage Port 1983 750ML ($119.95) $99 special
Wine Spectator 93 points “A superb achievement from a very underrated year. Deep dark ruby-purple, with rich floral and violet aromas, full-bodied, with masses of strawberry flavors, full tannins and a long finish.”
Robert Parker 92 points “The 1983, like most vintage ports, seems more forward than normal but has a great depth of very ripe, viscous, unctuous, plummy, tarry fruit and significant tannin in its long finish. It is black-purple in color. I doubt that it will be either as profound or as long-lived as the great 1977, but is is certainly one of the top two or three ports of this vintage, and better than the excellent 1980.” RP
Graham’s Vintage Port 2000 750ML ($119.95) $99 special
Wine Spectator 98 points –#9 Top 100 2003–“Smells like freshly picked orchids, with loads of ripe, clean fruit. Full-bodied, medium sweet and very powerful and racy. It lasts for minutes on your palate. Yet there’s a balance and class to this young Vintage Port. This is the greatest glass of Graham I have ever tasted, young or old. Best after 2014.”
James Suckling 98 points “Aromas of dried fruits, raisins and Christmas cake. Some chocolate undertones too, plus licorice and wet earth. Full body, medium sweet with gorgeous depth and intensity of fruit. So long and beautiful. What an amazing finish already. So sexy. Drink or hold. But this will go on for decades.” JS
Graham’s Vintage Port 2011 750ML ($119.95) $89 special
Wine Spectator 96 points “This offers a decadently fruity aroma, with peppery accents to the cherry, raspberry and dark currant flavors that are lithe and juicy. Grippy tannins grace the mocha- and chocolate-infused finish.” WS
James Suckling 96 points “Aromas of licorice, wet earth and berries follow through to a full body, medium sweetness and a chewy finish. Real deal. Structured. 8,000 cases produced of this mechanically trodden wine. Try after 2023.” JS
Wine Advocate 95-97 points “The 2011 Graham’s comes from the five quintas that have been the source for many years (Malvedos, Tua, Vila Velha, das Lages and Vale de Malhadas). It represents a selection of the 131 pipes from a total production of 1,454 and is a blend of 40% Touriga Nacional, 31% Touriga Franca, 6% Sousao and 23% mixture of very old vines. It has a more “serious” bouquet compared to the Dow, with beguiling scents of blackberry, wild hedgerow, tobacco and cloves. Straight-laced, very well-defined and compelling, the palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannins and supremely well-judged acidity. It is utterly harmonious, with a pure core of ripe black cherries, damson, marmalade, clove and spices, and the finish lingers long in the mouth. The separation of “The Stone Terraces” vines certainly does not appear to have detracted from a great Graham’s. 5,000 cases declared. Tasted May 2013.”
Blandy’s Vintage Bual, Madeira 1948 750ML ($499.95) $359 special
“Aged 56 years in cask; bottled in 2004. Outstanding wine, with a very long finish. Rich, sweet, carmelized, with lemony acidity. A fleshy wine; its concentration and bitter orange finish makes it a standout.”–Wine Review Online.com
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Knockout Gifts from Classic Regions
California
Stonestreet Alexander Mountain Estate Legacy Red, Alexander Valley 2012 750ML ($99.95) $74 special, 12 bottles available
Robert Parker 95 points “The 2012 Proprietary Red Legacy, an 866-case blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot and Cabernet Franc, may turn out to be the finest Legacy ever made. It exhibits terrific intensity along with beautiful notes of plums, blackberries, blueberries, licorice, tobacco leaf and damp earth. Full-bodied, softer, with more velvety tannins than the other Cabernets, it is a plush, drinkable red to consume over the next 15-20 years.” RP
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $83
Spottswoode Family Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon, St. Helena 2011 750ML ($169.95) $99 special (was $119), 11 bottles available
James Suckling 95 points “A solid Spottswoode with mint, currants, berries and flowers. Sweet tobacco and rose petals. Full body with silky tannins and a long, long finish. Tangy, energetic and lively. A wine with form, tension and beauty. This is classic California. 89% cabernet sauvignon, 8% cabernet franc and 3% petit verdot.” JS
Antonio Galloni 94 points “Spottswoode’s 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon is beautiful, immediate and impeccable in its balance. The 2011 doesn’t have the layered, explosive personality of some of the iconic vintages, but it isn’t too far off that level. Spottswoode fans should drink the 2011 relatively early, while some of the more powerful, structured vintages age. I will not be surprised if the 2011 turns out to be one of the jewels of this vintage. The medium-bodied structure argues for early drinking, but there is more than enough energy and acidity to suggest the 2011 will age gracefully for a number of years. Incidentally, the 2011 is the first Spottswoode Cabernet under 14% in a decade. Once again, the winemaking team led by Aron Weinkauf has done a fabulous job. The 2011 is 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petite Verdot.” AG
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $109.99
Araujo Estate Altagracia Red, Napa Valley 2011 750ML ($149.95) $99 special (was $119), 3 bottles available
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2011 Altagracia is round, sexy, supple and beautiful, especially within the context of the year. Sweet red berries, mint, tobacco, savory herbs and anise meld together in a distinctive wine long on personality. With time in the glass the wine fleshes out nicely, as the flavors become darker, richer and layered. Altagracia is a blend of mostly Eisele fruit, plus a bit of Vine Hill Ranch, a well-draining site in Oakville that is among Napa Valley’s very best. The blend is 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Malbec.” WA
Bordeaux
Chateau Cantemerle, Haut-Medoc 2010 750ML ($69.95) $49 special (was $59), 34 bottles available
Robert Parker 94+ points “The wine needs a good 7-10 years of cellaring and should keep for 30 more years, but this is the finest Cantemerle I have encountered in my professional career of tasting young vintages (dating back 34 years now). Stunningly deep ruby/purple, with a beautiful nose of spring flowers intermixed with perfumed raspberry and blueberry notes, it exhibits a sort of cool-climate character. Broad, rich and intense on the palate, the wine has plenty of tannins, but they are sweet and well-integrated. Everything is delicately entwined into this beautiful, medium to full-bodied, dense purple wine, which shows stunning character and a prodigious potential for development. This is definitely a major sleeper of the vintage and even better than I thought from barrel. With its 2010, this classified growth located in the southern end of the Medoc may well have made a modern-day version of their legendary 1949.” RP
Burgundy
Louis Jadot Domaine des Heritiers En Caradeux Clos de la Croix de Pierre Rouge, Pernand-Vergelesses Premier Cru 2010 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 27 bottles available
Wine Enthusiast 92 points “The Clos de la Croix de Pierre forms part of the En Caradeux premier cru, and it creates poised wines. This is the red partner to a white also produced by Louis Jadot, and it displays juicy red fruit, layered with firm tannins. Drinkable now, but also capable of aging for five years.” WE
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Faiveley Chambertin Clos de Beze Grand Cru 2011 750ML ($349.95) $239 special (was $279), 30 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 94 (+?) points “Medium red. Highly nuanced yet quite primary on the nose, offering scents of raspberry, underbrush, dried rose, ginger and smoky oak. Juicy, saline and quite dry, with dark berry and strawberry flavors complicated by an earthy perfume. Finishes with substantial dusty tannins and excellent length. With 24 hours in the recorked bottle, this beauty showed a silkier texture and chewy, deep flavors of raspberry and spices that saturate the palate without leaving any impression of weight. A great effort for the vintage.” ST
Barolo
Alessandro e Gian Natale Fantino Cascina Dardi, Barolo DOCG 2010 750ML ($59.95) $46 special, 36+ bottles available
Case-12 Alessandro e Gian Natale Fantino Cascina Dardi, Barolo DOCG 2010 750ML ($579.95) $469 special, 2 cases available (that’s only $39.08/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Case-6 Alessandro e Gian Natale Fantino Cascina Dardi, Barolo DOCG 2010 750ML ($319.95) $249 special, 3 six-packs available (that’s only $41.50/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2010 Barolo Cascina Dardi Bussia hits all the right marks with a beautiful sense of elegance and grace that is immediately apparent. The aromas dangle in front of you, delicately and seductively, with ethereal layers of spice, blue flower, almond paste, anisette and dried cherry or wild berry. The workmanship here reflects an attention to the minute details offered by Nebbiolo. The tannins are silky and long with deeply polished texture. Barolo Cascina Dardi Bussia is a fine, poised and super-confident expression. Drink: 2016-2026.” WA
Vietti Lazzarito, Barolo DOCG 2011 750ML ($149.95) $119 special, 14 bottles available
Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2011 Barolo Lazzarito is a landmark wine and one of the best expressions made region-wide in this challenging vintage. The bouquet is gorgeous thanks to the never-ending aromas of dark fruit, licorice and balsam herb that peel off the top. The Lazzarito vineyard in Serralunga d’Alba is characterized by thick soils and deep shifts between daytime and nighttime temperatures. These are important factors that lead to quality fruit despite the summer heat.” ML
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2011 Barolo Lazzarito is fabulous in this vintage. Rich, ample and structured, the 2011 is both opulent and savory in style. Iron, plums, dark red cherries, smoke, licorice and tobacco meld together in a remarkably harmonious young Serralunga Barolo. This is the first year the Vietti Lazzarito includes a second recently acquired parcel, which may be one of the factors that influences quality, but at the same time, the Lazzarito has been the most improved Barolo in the range. All the elements come together in the 2011, a wine that has it all. This is a great showing from the Lazzarito. Best of all, readers won’t have to wait forever to enjoy this beautiful, pedigreed Barolo.” AG
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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