Rare de Montille Malconsorts
Four Collectible Italian Gems
Staff Pick: A Baby Brunello Bargain
More Forey Arriving Friday
Trending Wines of the Weekend
Who Makes the Best Value Beaujolais?
The Chambolle of Brunello
Raul Perez – Icon of the New Spain
Excellence in Brauneberg: Willi Haag Riesling
February Sale Recap
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The Rare de Montille Malconsorts
Domaine de Montille remains one of the most hallowed names in Burgundy, producing a spectacular array of whites and reds, mostly from their home base in Volnay. Their most sought after and hardest to find wines come from the Vosne site Malconsorts—a legendary vineyard adjacent to La Tache. We have a small allocation of their classic Malconsorts from the legendary 2016 vintage arriving Friday.
Arriving Friday
Domaine de Montille Les Malconsorts, Vosne-Romanee Premier Cru 2016 750ML ($419.95) $359 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer 93-96 points “(vinified with two-thirds whole clusters and aged in 60% new oak; no frost damage here but the yield was just under 40 hectoliters per hectare): Healthy dark red. Explosive aromas of black raspberry, cocoa powder and espresso. Wonderfully sweet and savory, offering very intense yet silky flavors of black raspberry and minerals framed by harmonious acidity. Really outstanding inner-mouth energy and definition here! The resounding finish features firm, chalky tannins and terrific length and lift. This wine comes from vines at the top of this premier cru on hard limestone.”
Neal Martin-Wine Advocate 93-95 points “The 2016 Vosne-Romanee 1er Cru Les Malconsorts includes two-thirds whole cluster and 55% new oak. It has a deep color and a very complex bouquet with blackberry, raspberry coulis, iris and touches of woodland, all reticent at first but unfolding with time in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin and a fine line of acidity, fresh and vibrant with a gentle but insistent grip on the saline finish. It is a structured Malconsorts that deserves several years in bottle. This is on par with the excellent 2015 Malconsorts.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $399
That’s a difference of $40/btl!
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Four Collectible Italian Gems
Arriving February 12th:
Case-3 Masseto Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2015 750ML ($2199.95) $1949 pre-arrival special (that’s $649.67/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 100 points “The release of this wine comes at a very happy time for the Masseto brand. The stunning 2015 Masseto is hitting the market just as the final touches are being made to the new Masseto winery. I’m told that Masseto might one day see other wines made under that same roof, so we can’t exclude a future enlargement of the Masseto portfolio. The Masseto vineyard now covers seven hectares (divided into three plots), and the vines range from 30 to 40 years old. The wine is absolutely teeming with sensorial spirit that is transmitted through the bounty of the bouquet and the solid tannins of the mouthfeel. Nothing about the wine goes unnoticed or unchecked. Its many working pieces fit together with precision like a well-oiled machine. The 2015 vintage is characterized by a level of sheer exuberance that also defined the 2004 and 2007 vintages. Yet, it also reveals similar power, directness and linearity that we saw in the 2010 vintage. The 2015 Masseto takes the best of all those past vintages and confines those qualities to this single, spectacular bottle.”
Antonio Galloni 99 points “The 2015 Masseto is simply extraordinary. Soft, silky and seamless, the 2015 possesses remarkable balance and harmony from the very first taste. What surprises me most about the 2015 is how fresh and vibrant the flavors are. Sweet red cherry, pomegranate, mint, and wild flowers are all beautifully lifted in this exquisitely perfumed, gracious Masseto. Despite the warm, drought conditions of the early summer, the 2015 is a wine of mid-weight structure, polish and restraint. In this tasting, it positively dazzles. I can’t remember ever tasting a young Masseto with this much pure harmony. Other vintages have been super-impressive upon release. The 2004, 2006, 2010 and 2013 all come to mind. But the 2015 has a level of pure sensuality and allure none of those vintages had when young, with the possible exception of the 2004.”
James Suckling 99 points “The aromas are profound here with a deep and vast character of black olives, cedar, chocolate and berries, as well as vanilla essence and light coffee. Flamboyant. Full-bodied, this powerful young Masseto is chewy, muscular and rich. Dusty tannins, yet wonderfully polished. A wine for the cellar. Try in 2022.”
Wine Spectator 98 points “This red leads off with exquisite notes of vanilla and toast, framing black cherry, blackberry, cedar and iron flavors. Ripe and powerful, yet polished and silky, with dense tannins well-integrated into the structure. The fruit returns in the end, along with a licorice note. A superb young version, showing fine potential. Merlot. Best from 2021 through 2035. 390 cases imported.”
Tenuta Sette Ponti Oreno Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2015 750ML ($99.95) $69 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 98 points “Plenty of blackcurrant, blackberry and dark chocolate character with oyster shell and walnut undertones. Full body, extremely tight and structured with blueberry and light vanilla and coffee highlights. A gorgeous Oreno. Give this wine two or three years to come together.”
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2015 Oreno is fabulous. Rich, sumptuous and yet very much medium in body, the 2015 has it all going on. Silky tannins and juicy, pliant fruit add to the wine’s considerable appeal. Succulent dark cherry, plum, chocolate, mocha and licorice infuse this racy, showy Tuscan red. The 2015 is one of the best vintages of Oreno I have tasted of late.”
Tenuta Sette Ponti Oreno Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2014 750ML ($89.95) $49 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 94 points “Aromas of blueberries and blackberries with hints of minerals. Full body, very fine tannins with orange peel and currant character. Chewy yet polished tannins. Better in 2018 but already delicious. Impressive for the difficult 2014 vintage.”
Antonio Galloni 92+ points “The 2014 Oreno is an intense wine with tremendous depth and pure power. Smoke, tobacco, menthol and earthiness add nuance throughout, but it is the wine’s explosive energy that stands out most today. The incisive tannins need time to soften, but if they do, the 2014 might merit an even more positive note”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Elio Grasso Runcot, Barolo Riserva DOCG 2006 1.5L ($249.95) $199 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 96+ points “The 2006 Barolo Riserva Runcot is a huge, structured wine bursting at the seams with fruit. The French oak (100% new) is beautifully integrated. Today the wine is understandably quite reticent but its pedigree is hard to miss. Flowers, licorice and minerals linger on the finish. The 2006 Runcot needs time, most likely lots of it. Let me just say I can’t wait to taste this powerhouse once it has had more time in bottle. It is a dazzling effort.”
James Suckling 94 points “Racy wine with a leanness but elegance that makes my mouth water. Full to medium body with racy tannins and a long and salty finish. So beautiful. One of the best 2006s.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
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Staff Pick
A Baby Brunello Bargain
Andy:
When I am looking for a Rosso di Montalcino, I typically buy with some hesitation. Occasionally the wines are overblown, trying to live up to full fledged Brunello, and on occasion they’ve tasted like a poor imitation of what passes for Sangiovese. My expectations were far surpassed with the delicious Sassetti Rosso. The wine looked shimmery and bright red in the glass – no browning or oversaturation here. The typical scents were there without detracting from the purely exceptional fruit. Freshly turned earth, graphite, cherry and blueberry, with maybe a dusting of cocoa powder. The flavors were all brightness and light; fresh red cherry and orange peel with no heaviness. The wine could certainly hold on for a number of years, but there’s really no need. It is drinking truly well right now.
Sassetti Livio ‘Pertimali’ Rosso di Montalcino, Tuscany 2014 750ML ($29.95) $24 special
Case-12 Sassetti Livio ‘Pertimali’ Rosso di Montalcino, Tuscany 2014 750ML ($329.95) $259 special
James Suckling 92 points “Lots of earth and richness to this rosso with plums, mushrooms, violets and dark fruit. Full body with soft, velvety tannins and a long finish. This is masterful rosso. From one of the top producers of Brunello. Drink now.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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More Forey Arriving Friday
Domaine Forey’s wines exist in an odd medium place—quantities are extremely scarce because of the size of the domaine (and demand on the east coast) but somehow isn’t quite a “name” in the sense of a Coche or Roumier. The result is that we actually get to offer the wines to you, however briefly.
We’re expecting the wines (especially the Grand Cru wines) to disappear quickly, but it’s a rarity for wines of this quality and rarity to even be offered on the newsletter like this. The 2016 vintage is, of course, a great year and more importantly it’s a year that plays into the style of the house. These look to be monumental wines. They arrive in March, but if you want anything in particular, you’d be well advised to grab them well before then.
“Régis Forey describes the 2016 vintage as “a massive struggle for the first half of the season and one of cautious optimism for the second.…The fruit was as clean as it was in 2015, which is to say largely spotless so there was not much sorting to be done. Better still, the fruit was quite ripe with potential alcohols that ranged between 12 and 13% so there was little chaptalization. I used around 40% whole clusters during what was an easy vinification and then used more new wood than I usually do, which is to say between 50 and 80%. As to the wines, they are structured and serious but more classic than say 2015 is. In fact the 2016s remind me quite a bit of a more concentrated version of 2014.” As I often do given Forey’s straightforward opinions, I agree with his view of his 2016s. They offer excellent quality and are fashioned in a robust style with a dollop of new wood that usually requires 2 to 5 years to ultimately integrate.” – Burghound
Newly Secured, Arriving Friday
Domaine Forey Pere et Fils Morey-Saint-Denis, Cote de Nuits 2016 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Burghound 89 points “From Clos Solon and Les Crais. A discreet application of wood doesn’t materially intrude on the purity of the otherwise pretty, complex and perfumed nose of red currant, plum and a trace of underbrush. The succulent and agreeably punchy medium-bodied flavors retain a lovely sense of detail while delivering fine length on the saline-inflected finish. This is really quite good for its level and could easily be enjoyed young.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $59.99
That’s a difference of over $10/btl!
Domaine Forey Pere et Fils Nuits-Saint-Georges, Cote de Nuits 2016 750ML ($79.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Burghound 89 points “Touches of reduction and wood do not completely mask the earthy red berry fruit aromas. There is fine concentration to the muscular flavors that possess good underlying tension that continues onto the delicious, balanced and sneaky long finish. While this isn’t especially refined, it’s certainly less rustic than it usually is plus it offers very fine complexity. Good stuff.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $69.99
That’s a difference of over $10/btl!
Domaine Forey Pere et Fils Vosne-Romanee, Cote de Nuits 2016 750ML ($79.95) $69 pre-arrival special
Burghound 89 points “Here too there is just enough reduction to shave the top notes from the black currant, violet, spiced tea and a whiff of wood toast. The notably more refined medium weight flavors possess both fine intensity and delineation while exhibiting good length on the sappy finish. This is very Vosne in style and I particularly like the sleek mouthfeel. A quality Vosne villages.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $76
Also Arriving Friday:
(Only a few bottles of each are remain available)
Domaine Forey Pere et Fils Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2016 750ML ($219.95) $189 pre-arrival special
Burghound 92-94 points “This is actually aromatically similar to the Echézeaux if slightly earthier and not quite as spicy. There is by contrast both more volume and more concentration as well to the bold, robust and broad-shouldered flavors that possess a velvety mid-palate that contrasts markedly with the distinctly firm and even mildly rustic and warm finish that is fashioned in a take-no-prisoners style. This is also potentially excellent but while the Ech could be approached young, this is a Clos de Vougeot that will definitely need extended cellaring.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $195
Domaine Forey Pere et Fils Echezeaux Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2016 750ML ($219.95) $179 pre-arrival special
Burghound 92 points “Here too there is a touch of reduction that pushes the notes of red currant, cherry, violet and spice elements to the background. There is though good freshness to richer and even more full-bodied flavors that possess outstanding concentration thanks to the abundance of dry extract that coats the palate and buffers the slightly less structured finale that also offers fine length and solid depth. As pretty as this is though, it can’t match the evident class of the Gaudichots good as it is.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Forey Pere et Fils Morey-Saint-Denis Premier Cru, Cote de Nuits 2016 750ML ($119.95) $89 pre-arrival special
Burghound 89-92 points “Once again the nose is exuberantly fresh, evidencing red currant, raspberry, lavender and a hint of wood spice. The vibrant, detailed and utterly delicious flavors are not particularly dense but I like both the mouthfeel and the refreshing finale that is sufficiently complex to make this quite an attractive effort overall, plus it could be enjoyed young.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Domaine Forey Pere et Fils Les Perrieres, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2016 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Burghound 90 points “Moderate wood surrounds the relatively high-toned aromas of various red berries and markedly floral-infused aromas that include violet, lavender and rose petal. The sappy and sleekly textured medium weight flavors exude a fine bead of minerality on the impressively long and reasonably firm and mildly austere if slightly warm finale. Thanks to the relatively fine-grain of the supporting tannins this is a Nuits of comparative refinement if not actual finesse.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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Trending Wines of the Weekend
“reminiscent of Manfred Krankl’s SQN Syrahs”
Chateau de L’Ou ‘Secret de Schistes ‘ Rouge, IGP Cotes Catalanes 2015 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Case-12 Chateau de L’Ou ‘Secret de Schistes ‘ Rouge, IGP Cotes Catalanes 2015 750ML ($549.95) $419 special (that’s only $34.92/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 96 points “Saturated black in color, the 2015 IGP Côtes Catalanes Secret de Schistes is reminiscent of Manfred Krankl’s SQN Syrahs with its deep, unctuous, layered profile. Cassis, chocolate, licorice, smoked herbs and ample minerality all emerge from this full-bodied, sexy beauty that just begs to be drunk. Possessing ripe tannin, a stacked mid-palate and a great finish, it will be better in a year or two and keep for a decade.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
“serious Saar riesling for the acid hounds”
Peter Lauer Ayler Kupp Fass 2 Riesling Extra Trocken, Mosel2017 750ML ($31.95) $26 special
Stuart Pigott-jamessuckling.com 91-92 points “Although this is a serious Saar riesling for the acid hounds, it has plenty of smoky and candied-citrus character. Generous substance, too. Better from 2019.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
“possesses striking nuance from start to finish”
Forman Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2014 750ML ($119.95) $99 special
Antonio Galloni 95+ points “A weightless, translucent wine, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon exudes class. Vibrant and finely sculpted, the 2014 possesses striking nuance from start to finish. Scents of lavender, rose petal, mint and sweet spice notes give the 2014 its brightness and sense of energy. Today, the 2014 is a bit compact relative to how it showed from barrel. I expect the wine will put on a bit more weight during its aging. Readers should plan on cellaring the 2014 at least a few years. Even today, though, the 2014 is a very pretty and pure wine.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Staff Pick!
Domaine Alain Jeanniard Coteaux Bourguignons, Burgundy 2015 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special
VinopolNote: 50%Pinot Noir, 50% Gamay from the hillsides of Burgundy. This represents the entry level wine from the domaine and is a delicious vin de soif that drinks especially well in 2015.
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Powerful Chateauneuf Blanc—a perfect winter white.
Domaine La Roquete Chateauneuf-du-Pape Clos La Roquete Blanc, Rhone 2015 750ML ($49.95) $36 special
Wine Spectator 94 points “Intense, with creamed papaya, Cavaillon melon and Jonagold apple flavors pouring forth, underscored by heather honey, almond and salted butter notes. The long finish has a bitter citrus hint to help the length match the weight. Drink now through 2019. 100 cases imported.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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Who Makes the Best Value Beaujolais?
“The Beaujolais is coming of age. This bucolic landscape’s rolling hills may seem like an unlikely background for a revolution, but its hard-working—and often hard-partying—wine growers, persevering in the face of entrenched stereotypes and marginal economics, are producing some of France’s most exciting wines. Every year, their ranks are swelling. And quality doesn’t come at a premium….In short, there has never been a better time for consumers to discover the wines of this underrated region
“2017 is a warmer, sunnier vintage of very high quality, with some producers comparing it to a hypothetical blend of 2015 and 2016 and others looking back to 2011. The wines are richer and more textural than the 2016s, without attaining the extremes of over-ripeness and hard tannin that sometimes mark the drought-impacted 2015s.” – William Kelley, The Wine Advocate
Pierre-Marie Chermette’s Domaine du Vissoux wines are a great value; the quality is uncompromised and the wine is joyful and vibrant. From their simplest bottlings through their top crus, the wine expresses Beaujolais terroir in spades. The fruit is deep and pure, but it doesn’t go beyond perfectly ripe. The top wines age beautifully over a 5-15 year period but always seem to drink well on release. We’ve never managed to avoid drinking the less expensive bottles to find out how they age. The wines are quite simply a near perfect reflection of what Beaujolais should be. Chermette killed it in 2017 and these wines are as good as have ever been produced by the estate.
2017’s In Stock Now
Pierre-Marie Chermette Domaine du Vissoux ‘Origine’ Vieilles Vignes, Beaujolais 2017 750ML ($19.95) $16 special
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 91 points “A superb wine, the 2017 Beaujolais-Villages Origine unfurls in the glass with a classy bouquet of smoky cassis, plums and subtle notions of loamy soil. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, juicy and ample, with supple tannins, succulent acids and impressive concentration, concluding with a mouthwatering, flavorful finish”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Pierre-Marie Chermette Domaine du Vissoux Brouilly Pierreux, Beaujolais 2017 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 90+ points “Notes of crushed cassis, ripe plums and dried flowers introduce the 2017 Brouilly Pierreux, a crunchy, medium to full-bodied wine with good depth at the core, juicy balancing acids and a somewhat rustic chassis of structuring tannin. I’d be inclined to forget it in the cellar for a year or two and drink it over the following five.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Pierre-Marie Chermette Domaine du Vissoux Fleurie les Garants, Beaujolais 2017 750ML ($31.95) $27 special
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2017 Fleurie Garants is a warmer, southwest-facing site, and its bouquet is correspondingly richer and more sun-kissed than that of Chermette’s Poncié, exhibiting notes of ripe, plummy fruit, rich spices and subtle hints of loamy soil. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, ample and expansive, with a generous core of fruit, framed by fine tannins.”
Pierre-Marie Chermette Domaine du Vissoux Fleurie Poncie, Beaujolais 2017 750ML ($31.95) $27 special
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2017 Fleurie Poncié hails from a southeast-facing, higher-altitude site that’s typically quite cool, and that’s reflected in its bright, perfumed bouquet of raspberries, rose petals and Griotte cherries, with suggestions of darker fruits emerging with air. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, pure and nicely concentrated, with fine tannins, a bright line of acidity and good length on the finish.”
Pierre-Marie Chermette Domaine du Vissoux Moulin-a-Vent Les Trois Roches, Beaujolais 2017 750ML ($34.95) $29 special
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2017 Moulin-à-Vent Les Trois Roches is superb—and likely the king of the cellar chez Chermette this year—wafting from the glass with a beautiful bouquet of raspberries, potpourri, orange rind and rose petal. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, layered and supple, with the most depth and amplitude of any wine in the portfolio and the most held in reserve, too. This is a fantastic expression of Moulin-à-Vent from one of Beaujolais’s greatest winemakers, and it comes warmly recommended.”
Pierre-Marie Chermette Domaine du Vissoux Saint Amour, Beaujolais 2017 750ML ($27.95) $24 special
Nick Stock-Jamessuckling.com 93 points “Rich aromas of poached strawberries and pastries, as well as pomegranate and blood oranges. Really fresh. The palate has a very plush and lively strawberry core. Raspberries, too. Juicy, sapid appeal. Drink now or hold.”
Want to see all the Vissoux wines, from both 2016 and ’17, in stock now? Just click here for the full list on our webstore!
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The Chambolle of Brunello
Limited stock of Salicutti’s brilliant, elegant 2011 arrives later this week, at fantastic pricing.
Arriving Thursday:
Podere Salicutti Piaggione, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2011 750ML ($99.95) $69 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2011 Brunello di Montalcino Piaggione is one of the most sensual wines of the vintage. Racy, open-knit and expressive, the 2011 will thrill Salicutti fans who are looking for a wine to drink young. Silky tannins wrap around the succulent fruit and add t the wine’s total sense of allure. The warmth of the vintage comes through, yet the wine is never heavy or ponderous. Sweet macerated cherries, cinnamon and rose petal meld into the sumptuous, inviting finish. A wine of weightless elegance, the 2011 is superb. It’s hard to imagine the Riserva will be better than this. Proprietor Francesco Leanza gave the 2011 three years in barrel, starting with a year and a half in 500-liter and 10-HL casks, followed by another year and a half in 20 and 40-HL casks.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $85
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Raul Perez
Icon of the New Spain
Raul Perez has emerged as one of the most exciting Spanish winemakers of the last few years. He’s done it in an interesting way: not with bombastic wines, but rather by honing in on the terroirs in Galicia, a relatively unromantic vinicultural region. Perez, unlike his also famous mentor, Alvaro Palacios, focuses on wines made from Atlantic-influence climates in villages like Villadecanes or Cacabelos. As a result, the wines tend to be impressive, but in an introspective, earthy way. In the winery, he combines a hands-off approach with whole-cluster fermentation and long post-fermentation macerations. This results in powerful, yet elegant, wines that complement food exceptionally well. When you roll all of this together, you understand why Perez is making waves—these are unique and exceptional wines that show off terroirs previously unexplored by serious winemakers.
In Stock Now from Raul Perez:
Raul Perez Ultreia de Valtuille, Bierzo 2014 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 32 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2014 Ultreia de Valtuille was very open and expressive, impressive too, with notes of freshness, blood orange, red cherries and also flowers (violets, lilies) and an earthy touch. It’s elegant and complex, with very fine tannins and a velvety sensation. As with all the reds, the oak is unnoticeable, perfectly integrated and folded into the wine.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $64
Raul Perez Ultreia Rapolao, Bierzo 2014 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 29 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 95+ points “There is a new Ultreia bottling, the 2014 Ultreia El Rapolao, from a vineyard that now sees five or six different bottlings, sourced from their old vineyards that used to go to the Vizcaína bottling. This is really pretty, with intense floral aromas, spices, a touch of earth and something herbal. The palate is medium-bodied with refined tannins, great balance and a tasty, long, sapid, almost salty finish. There were some 600 bottles produced. it was bottled in January 2017. Outstanding.”
Raul Perez Prieto Picudo Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y Leon 2011 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 20 bottles in stock now
Grapelive 96 points “The rare Prieto Picudo is an odd varietal with high acid, high tannin and slightly oval shaped with a pointy tip, it’s native and almost only found here in Tierra de Leon, the name means beaked, hence the name, Raul Perez’s is from a high elevation old vine site on sandy clay soils with river rocks, making for a unique wine that has an almost Nebbiolo or Ramisco like flavor profile. This extraordinary red, from vines planted in 1900 in the village of Pajares de los Oteros at about 900 feet above sea level, was fermented whole cluster in chestnut wood vats with a cool 60 day maceration and then raised for about 60 months in French barriques, this long elevage adding to the wine’s refinement and mature character. The 2011 Prieto Picudo, from 111 year old vines when harvested, is a brilliant ruby/dark red color with herb and floral notes on the nose with mineral tones as well as a slight earthy/spice and kirsch note before opening to a medium full palate of racy red fruits including brambly forest berry, cherry, plum and mulberry plus dried flowers, peppercorns, grilled fennel and light cedar. The texture is fantastic and mouth filling with satiny feel, this is mind-blowing stuff with great depth and layers of pleasure, but with firm tannins and glowing vibrancy making this wine really pop, lingering distilled strawberry, salty stones, sweet tobacco leaf and baking spice. This is one of the coolest wines I’ve tried this year, again it reminds me somewhat of Lessona DOC, Nebbiolo based reds that spend 4 to 5 years in cask, of the upper Piedmonte area. The fruit is ripe and polished, this is very much a classic Perez wine, it was great to taste it with the winemaker himself, you could see just how thrilled he was with this Prieto Picudo and his passion was thick in the air, and I think this wine has potential to age another decade, I hope to get a chance to see how it evolves. Wow.”
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Willi Haag
Excellence in Brauneberg
The Haag family dates its history in the region back to the 1500s. The Willi Haag branch, the less famous of the two Haag wineries, makes more-than-solid Mosel wines (in styles ranging from dry to slightly off dry to fruity) and all are outstandingly reasonable for their prices. The grandson of the estate’s found, Marcus Haag, runs the winery today from his modest holdings on steeply planted vineyards in the village of Brauneberg.
In Stock Now:
Weingut Willi Haag Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2016 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
David Schildknecht – Vinous 90 points “Picked from October 17 to 19, this bottling reflects the characteristic ripeness of Juffer-Sonnenuhr as well as relatively early noble rot. Muskmelon, peach and mango are laced with rowan and almond extract on an impressively heady nose. The extremely ripe fruits reconvene on a sumptuously creamy, glycerol-rich palate, with peach kernel piquancy adding welcome counterpoint and pushback to the wine’s prominent sweetness. While lusciously long, this finishes less brightly than the corresponding Juffer and without its mineral savor.”
Weingut Willi Haag Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2016 750ML ($37.95) $33 special
David Schildknecht – Vinous 91 points “Originating in the Haags’ prime parcel of Bürgerslay, this delivers a headily ripe, tropical nose of mango, muskmelon and peach. Hints of almond turn into suggestions of marzipan on a creamy and lusciously fruited palate, whose tropicality is nicely cut by tangy and piquant suggestions of peach near the pit. Fresh lime adds welcome brightness and a pinch of salt lends saliva-inducement to a lingering finish. Picking here was relatively early – October 18. Markus Haag said that these vines being trained to wires, rather than in the old single-post style still prevalent in his vineyards, is one reason their fruit tends to ripen more rapidly than elsewhere in the Juffer.”
Weingut Willi Haag Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2016 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special
David Schildknecht – Vinous “Fresh lime, white peach and apple are incisively tinged with fresh ginger on the nose and on a silken, glycerol-rich palate, displaying textural allure that is regrettably rare among the Willi Haag 2016s. But that sense of richness has not come at the expense of refreshing primary juiciness. Peach kernel and almond lend bittersweet counterpoint, fresh ginger invigoration and a touch of salinity saliva-inducement to a lingering finish. There is a faintly dank, earthy note hiding out there, but it is, for now at least, not upsetting. “If there was any botrytis here, it was minimal,” noted Markus Haag, a remark by implication revealing of how widespread it was for him in 2016, depriving some wines of edge, clarity and brightness that they might otherwise have possessed.”
Weingut Willi Haag Piesporter Goldtropfchen Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2016 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special
David Schildknecht – Vinous “Penetrating scents of lemon and grapefruit laced with woodruff and wintergreen usher in a palate unusually citric and coolingly herbal when compared with the Willi Haag 2016s from Brauneberg or Veldenz. But given that midpalate citricity, I’m surprised at a finish that proves rather sedate and only modest in length. Still, it offers admirable refreshment and a hint of counterpoint by way of stony impingement. Last year’s more exciting inaugural bottling from this famous site was also a Kabinett. Hopefully we’ll soon get to experience a Willi Haag Goldtröpfchen Spätlese.”
Weingut Willi Haag Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2016 750ML ($37.95) $33 special
David Schildknecht – Vinous 91 points “A gorgeous nose offers rowan, almond extract, ripe white peach, honeydew melon and quince. The glycerol-slicked palate offers a similarly colorful array of flavors. And for a wine obviously marked by botrytis, this finishes with unexpected clarity and abundance of fresh fruit juiciness (aided by an influx of grapefruit) to accompany its honeyed undertone and heady inner-mouth perfume. The overall effect is irresistibly luscious. This fermented until February, long by estate standards, which seems to have been all to the good.”
Weingut Willi Haag Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2016 750ML ($31.95) $28 special
David Schildknecht – Vinous “Mirabelle, muskmelon and pineapple inform the nose and a juicy yet creamy, subtly glossy palate, on which an appealing slick of quince jelly points to the influence of botrytis. The finish here is lusciously sustained albeit rather sedate, lacking in non-fruit nuances and dominantly sweet.”
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February Sale Recap
We’ve slashed prices on Tuscan icons, Chateauneuf, great red Burgundy and classic Cote Rotie (and a whole lot more). It’s an amazing way to begin the month (provided you like excellent deals on outstanding wines) and we’re excited to bring you more in the days/weeks ahead. As with all of our Sale Wines—these prices are limited to stock on hand, so once we sell out, the sale pricing is gone forever. View the complete list below, and shop our web store.