Midweek VinopolPick 4-7-20

In Today’s Newsletter:


Subscriber Special
A New Reference Point Cristal:
Announcing the Release of 2012 At Exceptional Pricing


Grower Champagne Greatness

Krug 2004: Grace Under Glass

Champagnes of Class and Value

Two Icons of Priorat
Clos Erasmus and Familia Nin-Ortiz


New Grapelive Review for a Rhone Cult Favorite

Trending Wines

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Subscriber Special

A New Reference Point Cristal

Announcing the Release of 2012 At Exceptional Pricing

One of the most magnificent Champagnes produced in history. A groundbreaking, extravagant and biodynamic release!

Cristal is a Champagne that seems to capture both sheer mineral elegance and poise with an extravagant, rewarding profile. Exquisite and profound, Cristal can capture your imagination while hitting all your pleasure buttons at the same time.  We’re excited to announce the arrival of the 2012 on Friday—the first Cristal release exclusively from biodynamically farmed vineyards and a true landmark vintage for the famed wine.

In a recently published article in the Wine Advocate, William Kelley asks the question we’ve all been seriously considering: “Is Louis Roederer today the greatest of Champagne’s Grandes Marques?”  Kelley goes on today to state that the quality of  Roederer’s wines, along with their “unparalleled commitment to organic and biodynamic farming” put the venerable estate “two decades ahead of many of their rivals.” Indeed, Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon, Roederer’s chef des caves, asserts that this obsession over farming (already a hallmark for Selosse and every top producer in Burgundy) produces better wines “what he likes to call ‘the pursuit of taste.’”

That renewed commitment to farming shines through in the 2012— the first from biodynamically farmed grapes and one of the best editions in recent memory.  We’re offering it at a special pre-arrival Subscriber Special until Friday at 10AM


Subscriber Special Pricing Valid Until Friday, April 10th at 10AM (PT)

Arriving Friday:

Only 24 bottles available!
Louis Roederer Cristal Brut Millesime, Champagne 2012 750ML ($299.95) $249 pre-arrival Subscriber Special
Antonio Galloni 98 points
“The 2012 Cristal is another absolutely stellar wine this flight of recent releases. Rich, vinous and beautifully textured, the 2012 has been nothing short of magnificent on the three occasions I have tasted it so far. In the glass, the 2012 is radiant and luscious, yet it possesses remarkable transparency and striking aromatic depth. Light tropical notes develop in the glass, giving the 2012 a real feeling of exotic beauty. The 2012 is the first vintage of Cristal done with 100% organically-farmed fruit, an approach introduced gradually starting with the 2007 that has profoundly changes Cristal, especially in its aromatic breadth. Two thousand twelve is the vintage where endless trials and experiments in farming and winemaking are fully realized. The 2012 is just stunning. It’s as simple as that. Dosage is just over 7 grams per liter, the lowest it has even been for Cristal.”
James Suckling 98 points “Such attractive, fresh, floral aromas here with fine bread, hints of white almonds and a lemon edge. White cherries and strong, chalky minerals, too. The palate has a very composed feel. Seamless and quite silky texture with effortless length and flow. Very fluid and composed. Very late, warming almond flavors. This is very long and smooth with a velvety finish. Super long pinot weight. Resolved and drinkable, but will age so well.”
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 97+ points “Aromas of clear honey, crisp green orchard fruit, white peach, pastry cream and dried white flowers introduce the 2012 Cristal, a full-bodied, concentrated and powerful wine that’s built for the cellar. Broader, more textural and more muscular than the 2008 Cristal, with seemingly even greater reserves of structuring dry extract, the 2012 is incisive and searingly chalky. This is the first Cristal produced exclusively from organically farmed fruit, and it marks the opening of a new chapter for Louis Roderer. The blend is 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, vinified without malolactic fermentation and disgorged with 7.5 grams per liter dosage. Chef de Caves Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon has once again excelled himself.”
Jancis Robinson 19/20 points “To be launched December 2019 or January 2020. Not affected by the oidium problems experienced elsewhere. 60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay (the same as 2008). ‘You have to adapt and stay on the blank page. If you try to tick too many boxes, you go in the wrong direction.’ It will be the average age for Cristal launch. It was 2008 that was late. This will be the first 100% biodynamic Cristal. Rich and ripe, like 2002. Pungent nose — straight up the nose. Gorgeous and seductive. Complex and embroidered. Already lovely. 19/20 points.”

Subscriber Special Pricing Valid Until Friday, April 10th at 10AM (PT)


In Stock Now from Roederer:

“one of the most complete, most dazzling Champagnes I have ever tasted. A stunning wine from any and all perspectives, the 2008 simply has it all” – Antonio Galloni
Louis Roederer Cristal Brut Millesime, Champagne 2008 750ML ($339.95) $249 special, 11 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 99 points
“The 2008 Cristal is one of the most complete, most dazzling Champagnes I have ever tasted. A stunning wine from any and all perspectives, the 2008 simply has it all. Spherical in construction, with superb persistence. The 2008 takes hold of all the senses and never gives up. One of the many things that makes the 2008 special is a combination of ripe fruit and bright, piercing acidity. Marzipan, lemon confit, dried flowers and orchard fruit all build into the explosive, resonant finish. “We learned from the mistakes of 1996, when we picked more on acid than ripeness, as was the norm in Champagne back then” Chef de Caves Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon told me recently. “In 1996, the best fruit turned out to be the last picks, where the fruit was physiologically ripe. Today, we aim to pick all our fruit with that criteria.””
Wine Enthusiast 100 points Top Cellar Selection ; James Suckling 100 points ; Jeb Dunnuck 100 points 


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Be a Friend/Tell a Friend

About Our Oregon Shipping Special

Now extended through April!


Free Oregon Ground Shipping on Orders Over $120


Looking for our great deals and shipping specials to continue? Tell a friend who’s not on our email list to take advantage of this great offer and keep us busy in these unusual times!

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Grower Champagne Greatness

Although the Cristal is now more or less a Grower Champagne (given the extensive holdings of Roederer), we present to you one of the finest Grower Champagnes available: the 2008 Millesime de Collection Vieilles Vignes de Chardonnay. More simply, this is the 2008 Special Club in magnum. A profound wine to rival other greats from the Cote des Blancs. 2008 was an exceptional year for Champagne—in contention for the best vintage of the decade (with ’02) and arguably the best year since 1996. 

Arriving April 10th:

Pierre Gimonnet et Fils Blanc de Blancs ‘Millesime de Collection Vieilles Vignes de Chardonnay’, Champagne 2008 1.5L ($349.95) $299 pre-arrival special, 18 magnums available
Decanter 97 points
“The best-value sparkling wine of any kind that I have tasted in the past five years. In all its raw, youthful innocence, this is the epitome of introverted, tightly coiled restraint. A beguiling transparency of pure acid drive propels an incredible finish that splashes long and strong with breathtaking, scintillating, crystalline minerality. This is a cuvée of effortless poise and boundless energy. Drinking Window 2023 – 2038.” [Review is for the 750ml, which is bottled as the Special Club. This is the same wine, bottled in magnum.] 


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Vinopolis Wine Shop Curbside Pick Up

Order Online / By Phone / By Email

When you’re ready to pick up, just park in our lot,
give us a call, & we’ll bring your order to your car.


(If another adult is picking up for you,
please let us know their name when placing your order.)

www.vinopoliswineshop.com

info@vinopoliswineshop.com

503-223-6002

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Krug 2004

Grace Under Glass


“2004 is clearly superior to the consistently underwhelming 2002” –Antonio Galloni

“There’s a controlled power to this poised, vinous, linear 2004… It has a luminous freshness and good density” –Decanter

“There is marvelous precision here on both the nose and palate, not to mention a sense of harmony and grace” –John Gilman, A View from the Cellar

At Krug, ’04>’02—which is really saying something.
Krug Brut, Champagne 2004 750ML ($299.95) $259 special, 24+ bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 97+ points
“Krug’s 2004 Vintage is absolutely mesmerizing. Layers of bright, chiseled fruit open up effortlessly as the wine fleshes out with time in the glass. Persistent and beautifully focused, with a translucent sense of energy, the 2004 captures all the best qualities of the year. Moreover, the 2004 is clearly superior to the consistently underwhelming 2002 and the best Krug Vintage since 1996. Readers who can find it should not hesitate, as it is a magical bottle.”
Wine Advocate 97 points “Combining subtleness with complexity, the coolish Krug 2004 Brut opens with a highly elegant, fascinatingly clear, bright and refreshing bouquet of ripe (apple) fruits. Dense and round, with a delicate mineral soul, the pure but perfectly balanced 2004 reveals great finesse and weightless elegance with a long and round finish. This is a gorgeous Krug vintage that is 14 years old but still on the rise. Tasted from ID 316034 in New York in November 2018.”-SR
Decanter 97 points “This is the current and latest vintage release from Krug, and is a fitting successor to 2002, though it’s very different in style – unusually, the blend contains more Chardonnay than Pinot Noir. Despite this, it is hallmark Krug with its oxidative profile. It has a luminous freshness and good density without heaviness. There’s a controlled power to this poised, vinous, linear 2004, displaying candied fruits, minerals, gingerbread, white chocolate, caramel and marzipan. This has a long, dry autolytic finish, great balance and lovely bead. Disgorged just after the next, and very different, vintage we tasted, the Krug 2003. Drinking Window 2017-2037.”
John Gilman 97 points “The new release of 2004 Krug is absolutely beautiful and is already quite elegant and open on both the nose and palate and is drinking with great finesse. I had expected this wine to be a bit more steely in structure out of the blocks, but the refinement of the blend this year has produced a wine that is already a joy to drink at age thirteen, though it will continue age gracefully for many, many decades to come. The cépages in 2004 is thirty-nine percent Chardonnay, thirty-seven percent Pinot Noir and twenty-four percent Pinot Meunier, with the wine having been disgorged in the winter of 2016. The bouquet jumps from the glass in a refined mix of apple, a touch of walnut, warm bread, lavender, a superb base of soil tones and a topnote of smokiness. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and utterly seamless, with vibrant acids, great focus and grip, a lovely core, refined mousse and a very long, complex, racy and energetic finish. There is marvelous precision here on both the nose and palate, not to mention a sense of harmony and grace that is fairly rare in the 2004 vintage. Chapeau! 2017-2060.”
 
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Champagnes of Class and Value

In Stock Now:

Andre Clouet Grande Reserve Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($39.95) $36 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Andre Clouet Grande Reserve Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($599.95) $399 special, (that’s only $33.25/bottle —the lowest listed price in the country!)
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 90 points
“The latest release of André Clouet’s NV Brut Grand Réserve Grand Cru is showing well, exhibiting a nicely integrated bouquet of red apple, ripe citrus fruit, honeycomb and blanched almonds, followed by a medium to full-bodied, enveloping palate with a fine mousse, ripe but racy acids and an elegant, understated profile, concluding with a well-defined finish. This is a stylish, harmonious wine that makes for a fine introduction to the Clouet portfolio.” [Reviewed April 2019]

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!

Andre Clouet Silver Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs Brut Nature, Champagne NV 750ML ($39.95) $36 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Andre Clouet Silver Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs Brut Nature, Champagne NV 750ML ($599.95) $399 special (that’s only $33.25/bottle!)
John Gilman 90 points
“I believe that this bottle of André Clouet “Silver” Blanc de Noirs non-vintage Brut Nature is from the base year of 2013, as it has a small code printed on the back of the neck label that says “LS13”. In any case, the wine is quite good, showing that lovely structural rounding from a bit of additional aging in the cellars. The bouquet offers up scents of apple, nectarine, bread dough, a good base of soil and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and nicely balanced, with refined mousse, bright, nicely-integrated acids and a long, complex finish. This is a quite good bottle of Brut Nature. 2019-2030+.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Thierry Triolet Cuvee Grande Reserve Blanc de Blancs, Champagne NV 750ML ($44.95) $36 special, 26 bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 91 points
“Pale gold. Intense citrus and orchard fruit aromas are complicated by notes of honeysuckle, tarragon and iodine. Chewy tangerine and pear skin flavors become silkier and spicier with aeration. Shows a seductive floral quality on the clinging finish, which features a dusty mineral nuance and a touch of buttered toast.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!

R.H. Coutier Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 92 points
“Coutier’s NV Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru is bright, focused and nuanced, not to mention incredibly delicious. The energy of Chardonnay and structure of Ambonnay yield a Champagne that is singular, classy and bursting at the seams with character. This release is based on 2016, with 40% reserve wines. I would give it another 6-12 months in bottle, although, truthfully, it is pretty hard to resist now. Dosage: 6.5 gr/L. Disgorged: July, 2019.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $44.55
The average listed price is $48

Pierre Gerbais Grains de Celles Extra Brut, Champagne NV (2016) ($49.95) $39 special, 10 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 93 points
“Bread, white peaches and nectarines with a neat, grilled hazelnut and pastry edge. The palate has attractive depth. Really crisp and juicy with plenty of punchy fruit. Drink now.”
Wine Enthusiast 91 points “Based in Celles-sur-Ource in the Seine Valley on the Côte des Bar, this producer’s nonvintage wine is ripe despite its dry extra brut dosage. With the unusual proportion of 25% Pinot Blanc in the blend, it is smooth and soft, finishing with just the right tangy acidity and a steely texture. Drink now.”
Importer note “Pinot Noir (50%), Chardonnay (25%), Pinot Blanc (25%). Vine Age: 30 years old on average. Terroir: Celles-sur-Ource, Kimmeridgian bedrock. Viticulture: Certified sustainable (Ampelos) since 1996. Vinification: Indigenous yeast fermentation in stainless steel tanks, aged on fine lees. Reserve wine (up to 5%) added prior to second fermentation with organic yeasts. 30 months sur lattes, 3-4g/L extra-brut dosage.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Lilbert-Fils Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($69.95) $49 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 92 points
“A fresh and elegant blanc de blancs Champagne, with juicy nectarine and mango fruit accented by hints of candied kumquat, spring blossom and salted almond. Long and creamy on the mouthwatering finish. Disgorged summer 2016. Drink now through 2022. 1,650 cases made, 100 cases imported. — AN”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Looking for even more Champagne? Just head to our webstore to see all of our 150+ available bottlings, in stock and arriving soon!

We take Champagne seriously.  Could you find 150 different Champagne bottlings in all the other wine outlets in Oregon combined?
 
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Two Icons of Priorat

Clos Erasmus and Familia Nin-Ortiz



Clos Erasmus

It seems nearly impossible for any winery to have collected the scores and praise that Clos Erasmus has, while still being available for purchase in the open market.  Since the turn of the century, their flagship wine has scored over 96 points fifteen times—from the Wine Advocate alone!  That’s across multiple critics (Robert Parker to Luis Guitierrez) who have all recognized the impressive class and iconic power of one of Spain’s greatest wines.

Daphne Glorian, who was born in Switzerland, seems an unlikely figure to be a leading winemaker in Priorat.  However, she fell in love with the region, moving there to help revive old vines and she’s now a rock star in the region on the level of Palacios and Barbier.

Clos Erasmus represents her finest wine and a truly spectacular example of what the region is capable of.  Rich, bold and powerful, the wine is quintessential Priorat through and through and is one of the truly iconic bottlings of Spain. She also produces a second wine, called Laurel, which displays all of the style and panache of the estate at a very approachable price.


In Stock Now:

Only twelve bottles available
Clos Erasmus, Priorat DOCa 2017 750ML ($219.95) $199 special
Wine Advocate 98 points
“The just-bottled 2017 Clos Erasmus is a blend of Garnacha with 25% Syrah that fermented with indigenous yeasts in oak vats and matured in 228-liter oak barrels (40% new). It feels very aromatic, expressive and open, floral and elegant and surprisingly fresh for the conditions of the year. It’s still young and undeveloped, with the puppy fat still to be rendered, and right now, it comes through as juicy and elegant, with very good freshness and super fine tannins. It’s very aromatic and floral, really impressive for 2017. It seems like the year was much better in the Mediterranean part of Spain than in the rest of the country. 3,000 bottles produced.-Luis Gutierrez”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!

Clos Erasmus ‘Laurel’, Priorat DOCa, 2017 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Case-12 Clos Erasmus ‘Laurel’, Priorat DOCa, 2017 750ML ($719.95) $549 special (that’s only $45.75/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 95 points
“The 2017 Laurel is a blend of the younger vines, some barrels that were declassified from Clos Erasmus and the remaining Cabernet Sauvignon, and in the low-yielding and dry 2017 vintage, it’s 70% Garnacha, 20% Syrah and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, with 15% alcohol. The wine fermented mostly in concrete and oak vats with indigenous yeasts and matured in a combination of oak vats, concrete, used barriques and amphorae for 16 months. They produce this to be approachable from the moment it’s released. The 2017s feel very aromatic, open, expressive and young, quite primary, tender and juicy and surprisingly fresh for a dry, warm year that resulted in a very early harvest. There is a peachy, soft, approachable quality here that I like very much. Surprisingly enough, winemaker and proprietor Daphne Glorian sees reminiscences of the 2013s in the 2017s, and I have to agree. Different from 2016, but at the same quality level. 19,126 bottles were filled in May 2019.-Luis Gutierrez”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

 
Familia Nin-Ortiz

Top Priorat From Clos Erasmus’ Vineyard Whisperer

Familia Nin-Ortiz is one of the leading lights of New Priorat.  Both Ester Nin and Carles Ortiz are renowned viticulturists (Ester, notably, was the vineyard guru behind Clos Erasmus) and some of the earliest proponents of biodynamics in Priorat, but what they’re doing together on the winery side is stunning indeed.  Their wines are some of the most compelling in Priorat, combining the power inherent in the terroir with a stunning sense of energy and vitality.

They’re best known for their “Nit de Nin” single vineyard bottlings—wines which the top restaurants in Spain fight over.  Both the “Mas d’En Cancador” and “La Coma d’En Romeu” are monuments of Priorat and channel the power of the appellation into focused beams of schist-based energy.  Their “Planetes” releases offer a gentler, more elegant approach to the wines, perfect for drinking now.

The only complaint about these excellent bottles is the quantities.  Every notable restaurant in Barcelona and Madrid (and London) are trying to put these on their wine lists, so often there’s not a lot available by the time the US gets access to them.  Only 30 and 9 bottles are available of the two single vineyards and the Planetes wines are coming under four cases each.  These are wines to secure now, before you can’t any more.


Arriving ETA April:

Familia Nin-Ortiz ‘Planetes de Nin’ Blanc, Priorat DOCa 2018 750ML ($99.95) $75 pre-arrival special
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 94 points
“Cariñena Blanca has finally been added to the registry of varieties in Spain, which means it should soon be allowed by the Priorat appellation, so they could start putting it on the labels of the 2018 Planetes de Nin Carinyena Blanca. This fermented and matured in used 300-liter oak barrels for seven months. It’s 13% alcohol and has a pH of 3.2 with 6.5 grams of acidity (tartaric); they struggled to get the minimum 13% alcohol required by the appellation, as the year was very cold and they lost a lot of grapes waiting for the alcohol level. It’s a year with lots of freshness, and the wine, which feels really young and undeveloped, needs some time in the glass to open up. This is an exceptional year that is going to develop slowly in bottle. The palate is vibrant, focused and dry, with citrus freshness and a mineral finish. 1,948 bottles were filled in April 2018.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Familia Nin-Ortiz ‘Nit de Nin’ La Coma d’en Romeu, Priorat DOCa 2017 750ML ($179.95) $149 pre-arrival special
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 98+ points
“The 2017 Nit de Nin La Coma d’en Romeu is from an extremely dry and early harvest that delivered just five hectoliters per hectare! That means they only produced 1,330 bottles from the 1.5 hectares of Garnacha on those slate terraces at 350 meters in altitude. It was bottled in April 2019. It has a beautiful and subtle nose that’s very spicy (cloves and cumin, curry and pink pepper) and floral, with a palate that feels light but has great depth and inner power, with pungent flavors and subtle minerality.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Familia Nin-Ortiz ‘Nit de Nin’ Mas d’en Cacador, Priorat DOCa 2017 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 97+ points
“The 2017 Nit de Nin Mas d’en Caçador is a vintage they talk about like this: “We will remember this vintage as one of the most extreme of the decade, along with that of 2012. It is in years like these that the work we do in the field is rewarded. In spite of the climatic exceptionality, we have acidity and pH that seem like a miracle to us. Our vines did not suffer the severe frosts of this 2017.” The wine has lower alcohol than the 2016 but the same pH of 3.3; insultingly young and tender, it doesn’t feel like the wine had a long élevage in oak. It has kept very good freshness and great balance. It’s tasty, pungent and long, with power and elegance and all the components to develop nicely in bottle. 1,440 bottles were filled in April 2019.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Familia Nin-Ortiz Planetes de Nin Classic, Priorat DOCa 2017 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 95 points
“The 2017 Planetes de Nin comes from the four hectares of 20-year-old Garnacha and 11-year-old Cariñena in the Planetes vineyard in Porrera at 450 meters in altitude. It’s 60% Garnacha (some of it Peluda) and the rest Cariñena, harvested early. It fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in 3,200-liter oak vats and one 1,000-liter amphora for 17 months. It has depth and harmony, and the vines are getting older and seem to be better and better balanced. This is not that different from the 2016; it feels quite stable and has its style and character, especially since the 2015 vintage. 9,704 bottles were filled in April 2019.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Familia Nin-Ortiz ‘Planetes de Nin’ Garnatxes en Amfora, Priorat DOCa 2018 750ML ($49.95) $41.90 pre-arrival special
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 93 points
“Produced with Garnacha grapes from their four hectares in Finca Planetes in Porrera, the 2018 Planetes de Nin Garnatxes en Amfora fermented with indigenous yeasts for four weeks and matured in 700- and 1,000-liter terracotta amphorae for seven months. The nose jumps out of the glass with very clean aromas that are expressive, floral and pure, with a profile of juicy fruit, like biting into a bunch of ripe Garnacha. Delicious! 6,200 bottles were filled in June 2019.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
 
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New Grapelive Review

For a Rhone Cult Favorite


In Stock Now:

Saint Jean du Barroux Ventoux La Source, Rhone 2016 750ML ($24.95) $19.50 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Grapelive  93 points
” The dark purple/garnet hued, full bodied and aromatic 2016 vintage Saint Jean du Barroux La Source Ventoux Rouge, crafted using 70% Grenache, 25% Carignan and 5% Cinsault all from organic vines set on classic rocky top soils over limestone and hardened clay, it easily could pass for, and tastes like a top-flight Gigondas or Rasteau with exceptional purity, made from a tank raised selection… . This 2016 La Source by Domaine Saint Jean du Barroux is absolutely fabulous with the depth, perfume, ripe smooth tannins and concentration of flavors that rivals many wines three, four or five times the price, this is stunning lavender scented wine that delivers layers of rich boysenberry, dusty plum, pomegranate and strawberry fruits along with dried flowers, wild garrigue (herb/shrub) or sage, peppercorns, licorice as well as lingering creme de cassis and kirsch, adding a touch of loamy stones and clay contrasting savory elements….The Saint Jean du Barroux wines are made by Philippe Gimel, the talented winemaker who is an ex chemist that first worked at top names such as Château de Beaucastel in Chateauneuf du Pape, as well as La Janasse, Pierre Bise and Château Devès, names his Ventoux cuvées of Saint Jean Du Barroux after an element of the surrounding terroir, like this La Source Rouge being influenced by a local natural spring near by… Gimel pays careful attention to each parcel and he, according to the winery, harvests and sorts by hand, does his fermentation using indigenous yeasts in cement tanks, where it also spends its elevage, and he only bottles after the wines age 18 months at the minimum…. the Saint Jean du Barroux wines have a fanatic following with Rhone fans and bargain hunters, these are insanely good wines, especially in years like 2016 and this wine in particular is a steal with its serious palate impact and deliciousness.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!


Also In Stock From St. Jean du Barroux

The estate’s top wine—a monument to what’s possible from Ventoux
Saint Jean du Barroux Ventoux La Pierre Noire, Rhone 2015 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Importer Note
“La Pierre Noire, or “the black stone,” is a cuvée made from Grenache and Syrah grown on clay limestone soils marked by abrupt appearance of black gravel. So sudden and noticeable is this change in the vineyard that Philippe has always known that this site was its own cuvée. At once more stern but contradictorily more elegant, La Pierre Noire is fermented and aged in concrete for at least 36 months before bottling and released only when Philippe feels it’s ready.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Saint Jean du Barroux Ventoux L’Argile, Rhone 2016 750ML ($29.95) $26 special, 11 bottles in stock now
Decanter 94 points
“Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, Cinsault. Yields 20hl/ha, hand-harvested and 75% destemmed. Light reduction on the nose calls for a decant. Gently serrated tannic weave, with taut, juicy acidity and a saline dimension that spreads across the palate like an electric current. Real intensity of searching fruit flavour and a textured finish. It’s about texture and feel at this stage – aromatic fireworks to follow in time. drinking Window 2019 – 2026.”
Importer Note “After working at Chateau Beaucastel and Domaine de la Janasse Philippe Gimel purchased 12.5 hectares of vines in the unheralded Ventoux. After years of working in abject penury devoting his energies into organic farming, tending his vines by hand and working (and living!) out of a makeshift cellar Philippe is beginning to get the attention that his talent and hard work deserves. The rocky clay soils of his vineyards are devoted to producing a wine he calls l’Argile which is a blend of Grenache and Syrah with small proportions of Carignan and Cinsault. Thoroughly old school, he ferments and ages his wine in concrete tanks for a very long time before bottling – in the cases of L’Argile, at least two years. Naturally he also waits to release the wines after an additional time in bottle; when he feels they are drinking well.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
 
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Trending

Very California Chardonnay—rich, decadent and compelling, especially for the price.
The Calling Dutton Ranch Chardonnay, Russian River Valley2018 750ML ($34.95) $16 special, 24+ bottles in stock now
Winery Note
“Inviting notes of honeysuckle, white rose, lemon meringue and baked brioche on the nose. Balanced yet with crisp acidity on the palate with flavors of ripe Asian pear, melon and Meyer lemon with a lingering, elegant finish. Dutton Ranch is composed of 1,100 acres of premium Sonoma County vineyards planted on coveted Goldridge sandy loam soil. Fruit for this vintage was sourced from several locations within Dutton Ranch’s Russian River Valley vineyards. Plots in the warmer end of the valley contributed ripe tropical elements, while those from cooler areas lent minerality and a structural backbone.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average listed price is $31

Looking for an alternative to Dönnhoff GG’s at half the price?
Weingut Korrell Johanneshof Kreuznacher Paradies Riesling Trocken, Nahe 2017 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Weingut Korrell Johanneshof Kreuznacher Paradies Riesling Trocken, Nahe 2017 1.5L ($99.95) $79 special, 8 magnums in stock now
Grapelive 94 points
“The radiant and graceful Korrell Paradies Trocken leads with expressive pure apple tones. [It] impresses for its elegance and subtle character. It’s a wine of great poise and delicacy, especially admirable for such a young Riesling. The monopole estate vineyard, Paradies, is the oldest single site Korrell has and is the flagship wine from winemaker Martin Korrell. It comes from his family’s vines that are set on limestone and clay soils in Bad Kreuznach area of the Nahe region. The Paradies Riesling Trocken is a gorgeous white of depth and precise winemaking that takes advantage of this unique site in the Nahe. This wine is the heart and soul of Korrell and it is product of its unique climat,or terroir. It sees more sunshine and the limestone allows for serious concentration, while retaining acidity, though there is always great attention paid to pick dates to finely tune this signature bottling to place and vintage. Korrell mixes some traditional stainless fermentations with some native yeast and barrel ferments to craft his wines. The Paradies shows a beautiful leesy finesse that reminds me a bit of the Von Winning GG’s, with a long time on the lees adding a beautiful glycerin density to this gorgeous dry Riesling. Coming off Korrel’s incredible Riesling Cup win for his Von den Grossen Lagen (Grand Crus) Riesling Trocken, I was absolutely thrilled to be able to try this wine, and found this particular wine just as intriguing. Martin focuses on preserving heightened aromatics and crisp mineral tones, while allowing the mouth feel and depth to shine through. It is an amazing accomplishment to get it all right, and Korrell deserves his time in the limelight. This is complex and glorious stuff. Layers of green apple, peach, mixed fresh citrus and melon fruits are lifted by liquid rock, steely mineral and faint perfume of white flowers along with a silkiness of mouth feel. While still delightfully crisp, [this delivers] an exciting energy filled performance. This is a winery that about to break out and join some elite company, in fact they are riding high after winning, as mentioned, the famous Riesling Cup award with their unique multi (Grand) cru Von den Grossen Lagen Trocken Riesling. This wine is just extra proof there is real quality here! The lightly golden hued and generously textured Paradies will age well. It’s full of charm, class and potential. Best to let this one have another 3 to 5 years, though it certainly is delicious right now.”
Stuart Pigott-jamessuckling .com 94 points “Very clean and fresh, but behind the effusive, fruit-salad character that makes this so seductive, there is a lot of structure and the finish keeps pumping out the fruit and chalky minerality. Drink or hold.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

What a bottle of Brunello.  The top 2013’s are some of the best out there.
Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2013 750ML ($89.95) $61.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 96 points
“The 2013 Brunello di Montalcino lives up to the impeccable reputation garnered by this estate over the years. This is a profound and beautifully rendered Sangiovese that delivers bold and luscious fruit quality with black cherry and spicy plum at the start. The bouquet follows through with mild oak notes of smoke, tar and toasted nut. There is another aromatic component that includes crushed stone and dried herb or mint. This Brunello shows elegant evolution in the glass and promises a very long aging future ahead. Some 200,000 bottles were made, so it should be easy to locate this excellent wine.”
Ian D’Agata – Vinous 95 points “Bright red. Pure, refined red cherry and wild strawberry aromas and flavors complicated by sweet spices and aromatic herbs. Deep and multilayered, the wine boasts polished tannins and a harmonious acid spine that lifts and extends the red fruit on the long, suave finish. An essence of Sant’Angelo in Colle with bigger body and palate weight than, for example, the Brunellos of Montosoli, but still sleek and refined as the best wines of Sant’Angelo in Colle can be. The cool-climate-styled 2013 vintage is precisely the type of year in which Il Poggione excels: this lovely, focused wine is the best classico Brunello from Il Poggione in years. Superb.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
The average price nationally is $77

One of the two or three best values in Zinfandel out there.
Marietta Cellars Angeli Cuvee Zinfandel, Alexander Valley 2017 750ML ($39.95) $29 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 94 points
‘The 2017 Zinfandel Angeli, from a site in Alexander Valley, is rich, pliant and expressive. Super-ripe black cherry, hard candy, new leather, lavender and mint give the Angeli decidedly dark shades of expression. This sumptuous, flavorful Zinfandel should drink well for another decade or more.”
 
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
 
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