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In celebration of the worker – from Chairman of the Board to humble wine retail newsletter writers; of teachers and architects, union bosses and non-profit underwriters – we thought we’d send over ten wines which really deliver and don’t cost a ton. Enjoy your day, raise a glass, and take a load off!
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Nino Franco Rustico, Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Superiore DOCG NV 750ML ($17.95) $14 special, 31 bottles available
Case-12 Nino Franco Rustico, Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Superiore DOCG NV 750ML ($179.95) $149 special, 3 cases available (that’s only $12.42/bottle!)
VinopolNote: This sparkler hails from the most revered region for Prosecco: the Conegliano-Valdobbiadene. The DOCG distinction is reserved for the highest quality of Prosecco wines made near the town of Valdobbiandene. The winery was founded in 1919 by Antonio Franco and is today run by the third generation of the family, Primo Franco, and fourth generation, Silvia Franco. Primo was the driving force behind exporting his Prosecco to the US – and the winery was one of the first to do so. The Rustico is dry and has classic aromas of white flowers and citrus zest with soft, persistent bubbles. It makes an excellent pairing with light appetizers, cheeses or cured meats. It is 100% Glera grapes grown along the foot of the Prealps on medium to high altitude hillside vineyards.
James Suckling 91 points “Delicious, creamy texture to this with dried apple, pear and lemon curd. Subtle and flavorful. Full, dry and fresh. A mineral and white pepper undertone. Spicy green apple too. Drink now. Serious Prosecco as always.”
Wine Enthusiast 90 points “This luminous sparkler opens with aromas of jasmine, orange blossom and white peach. The crisp, refreshing palate doles out green apple, Bartlett pear and white almond alongside vibrant acidity and a silky mousse.”
Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2014 750ML ($27.95) Was $21.90, Now $18, 24 bottles available
Vinopolnote: Fantastic balance and layers of fruit rind; a multifaceted presentation of tropical notes alongside beautiful stoniness, smoke, and minerals.
Wine Advocate 91 points “The 2014 Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Kabinett offers a coolish, pure and stony bouquet with herbs and bright, healthy Riesling fruits. Light and elegant on the palate, with a nice transparency and finesse, this is a lovely, pure, piquant and mineral Riesling with a finely juicy mid-palate and a stimulatingly pure, salty and stunningly persistent finish. Excellent!”
Mosel Fine Wines 91+ points “This still quite reduced wine delivers a gorgeous nose of pear, cumin and spices on the nose and a beautifully reduced feel of herbs on the palate.The wine is comparatively light yet packed with intense minerals and greengage infused fruits in the crisp and beautifully mouth-watering finish. This is still on the reduced side of life but there is everything here for a proper old-style Spätlese from the 1990s in the making here! This is a great effort, with plenty of upside potential. 2024-2044” MFW
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $25
Chateau de Manissy Tavel Cuvee des Lys Rose 2014 750ML ($19.95) $16 special, 36+ bottles available
Vinopolnote: Old vines planted in sand and stone give way to this round and fruit-forward Tavel. Raspberry and strawberry fruit dominate, with soft minerals and a thirst-quenching finish. Rich and delicious – an unbeatable picnic rose!
Wine Advocate: “Seemingly slightly evolved, with notions of sweet cherries, raspberry, lavender and dried Provencal herbs, the 2014 Tavel Cuvee des Lys Tavel is a richer, fuller style of rosé that has medium to full-bodied richness, plenty of heft to its fruit and texture, and a good finish…certainly has great texture and will be food friendly.”
Chateau Henri Bonnaud Cotes de Provence Sainte-Victoire Terre Promise Rose 2014 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 24 bottles available
Case-12 Chateau Henri Bonnaud Cotes de Provence Sainte-Victoire Terre Promise Rose 2014 750ML ($249.95) $199 special, 5 cases available (that’s only $16.58/bottle!)
Vinopolnote: A perfectly balanced rose of Grenache and Cinsault – aromatic and textural, with apricot, peach, and melon fruits. The finish is delicate but enduring, making it a great sipping rose.
Winery note “The texture is smooth, rich, and silky. The wine has a long finish with notes of red fruits and spices. A structured rosé, as is ideal for a Côtes de Provence Rose. 50% Grenache, 50% Syrah.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Plouzeau Chinon Rive Gauche 2014 750ML ($19.95) $14 special, 36+ bottles available
Case-12 M. Plouzeau Chinon Rive Gauche 2014 750ML ($199.95) $149 special, 5 cases available (that’s only $12.42/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Vinopolnote: The working man’s Loire red! Entirely hand-harvested, with gravity-fed tanks and gentle extraction. No lab yeasts, no chapitalization, no fining or filtration. A perfect expression of Chinon terroir – if it’s good enough for the zinc tables in Paris bistros, it’s surely good enough for spring picnics and summer barbecues stateside!
Zorzal Gran Terroir Malbec, Tupungato, Argentina 2013 750ML ($27.95) $18 special, 11 bottles available
Case-12 Zorzal Gran Terroir Malbec, Tupungato, Argentina 2013 750ML ($299.95) $196 special, 1 case available (that’s only $16.33/bottle!)
Vinopolnote: The ‘Eggo’ from Zorzal was a very pleasant surprise the first time we tasted it here at the shop. The wine had generated a fair amount of buzz and prior vintages scored quite impressively; suffice it to say that expectations were high. By all accounts, ‘Eggo’ performed well beyond our expectations. The Malbec-dominant blend presented a beautiful, balanced array of dark fruits and earth without an overabundance of showiness.
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2013 Gran Terroir Malbec is a blend from different vineyards in Gualtallary, the highest part of the department of Tupungato in the Valle de Uco. The grapes fermented in cement vats and matured in used oak barrels for approximately one year. It’s very perfumed and spicy, aromatic in a way that makes you go to the glass over and over again. The palate has the 2013 electricity and the Gualtallary chalkiness making for supple, tasty and saline flavors and a very long finish. Simply superb!” LG
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Albert Bichot Savigny-les-Beaune, Cote de Beaune 2012 750ML ($29.95) $21.90 special, 36+ bottles available
Case-12 Albert Bichot Savigny-les-Beaune, Cote de Beaune 2012 750ML ($319.95) $219 special, 4 cases available (that’s only $18.25/bottle!)
VinopolNote: Savigny les Beaune is an excellent region in Burgundy to find great value Pinot. The Bichot family has roots in Burgundy dating back to the 1350s. Since 1996, Albéric Bichot has managed the family’s four estates and negociant arrangements. His 2012 Savigny-les-Beaune is medium-bodied, juicy and inviting.
Winery note “Tasting notes: This Savigny les Beaune has a deep ruby red robe. Fruity aromas of red and black woodland berries, enhanced by aromas of mild spices. With an initial pleasant ampleness , this harmonious wine leads on to a subtle and fruity finish.”
Atalon Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2011 750ML ($31.95) $18 special, 36+ bottles available
Case-12 Atalon Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2011 750ML ($319.95) $199 special, 11 cases available (that’s only $16.58/bottle!)
Vinopolnote: Classic, complex, and easy on the wallet! A go-to Napa Cab with versatility and finesse.
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 89+ points “(at 13.5% alcohol, this is a full degree lower than the Pauline’s Cuvee; includes tiny bits of merlot and petit verdot): Bright red-ruby. Musky black raspberry, blackberry, licorice, menthol and oak on the nose. Distinctly tighter and less pliant now than the Pauline’s Cuvee, displaying a touch of medicinal reserve to the sappy dark berry, violet and menthol flavors. Shows serious spine without coming off as hard: I’d give this persistent cabernet a year or two to mellow in bottle.” ST
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $29
Georges Duboeuf Jean Claude Debeaune Morgon Belles Grives, Beaujolais 2014 750ML ($17.95) Was $14, Now $11.90, 36+ bottles available
Vinopolnote: A postcard from Beaujolais – tension and spice, with ripe fruit, good structure, and a good sense of minerality. Always a solid buy!
Wine Advocate 90 points “The 2014 Morgon Belles Grives has a more taciturn nose compared to Duboeuf’s other 2014 Morgons, so be patient with it, since it reveals traces of blackcurrant and kirsch with time, all nicely defined but constantly demanding coaxing from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, well-balanced and focused, with cracked black pepper enlivening the structured finish. Don’t be afraid to give this a little decanting before pouring.” NM
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $14.39
Arriving Next Week:
Descendientes de J. Palacios Petalos, Bierzo, Spain 2013 750ML ($21.95) $18 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Descendientes de J. Palacios Petalos, Bierzo, Spain 2013 750ML ($249.95) $199 pre-arrival special (that’s only $16.58/bottle!)
#53 Wine Spectator Top 100 in 2015
Vinopolnote: Predominantly Mencia, that grape native to northwestern Spain that we cannot get enough of! Minerals and smoke meld perfectly with red and black fruit and a kiss of licorice – a wonderfully integrated and thought-provoking wine.
Wine Advocate 92 points “Always among the best values of Spain, the 2013 Pétalos del Bierzo has an extra degree of freshness in a cool vintage, and some time in bottle always does this wine wonders. It’s aromatic, open and expressive, with floral aromas and bright fruit, wild strawberries and violets. This is always a subtle, medium-bodied wine, with fine tannins, sleek acidity and a fine minerality. Ready now.”
Wine Spectator 91 points “Expressive black cherry, currant, licorice, mineral and smoke flavors mingle in this focused red. The texture is gentle but firm, with well-integrated tannins and racy acidity providing structure. A compact wine that shows good intensity. Drink now through 2023.”TM
Back tomorrow with your regularly scheduled programming…
Thanks for reading!