Rosé from Provence; New Rosé Reviews From Raynolds; Molitor Arrives; Case Picks; Vissoux’s Fantastic Beaujolais; Screaming Deals on Torii Mor; 2009 Bordeaux; New Rosenthal Selections—Including New Gravner;
~~~~~~~~~~
Summer Shipping Special:
Midwest, East, & South
For the summer season we are offering UPS Three Day Select Service for the price of UPS Ground for shipments normally traveling 4 or more business days by ground.
Free service upgrade only applies on single orders purchased and shipped during the promotional period. Additional fees will apply to orders held for any reason until after the promotional period and shipped by Three Day Select. Offer not valid on items purchased before the promotional period or on pre-arrival items that arrive after the promotional period ends.
~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~
Provence en Vinopolis?
Vinopolis en Provence?
We have 16 different Rose’s from Provence in stock now, and more coming every week.
‘tis the Season, Provence is the epicenter of the Finest Rose wines.
And Vinopolis? Well, we hunt for Provence Rosés and bring the catch here for you…
Chateau Routas
Chateau Routas was just another unassuming winery in Provence until it was purchased by a Scottish Nobleman in 2005 who overhauled the entire estate. With a renewed focus on viticulture, he wanted to make some of the finest wines in Provence and managed to hire Jean-Louis Bavay, who used to work for legendary rosé producer Domaine Ott.
Ott is probably what this wine will remind you most of—crisp and eleganct with a gracefulness that’s pure Provence. James Suckling recently held a 80+ wine rosé shootout and this one came out on top, so clearly we aren’t the only ones who were impressed…
Arrived today:
Chateau Routas Coteaux Varois Rouviere Rose, Provence 2015 750ML ($14.95) $10.90 special
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 89 points “Extremely pale pink. Orange zest, strawberry and a subtle floral quality on the incisive nose. Brisk and racy in the mouth, offering lithe red berry and floral flavors that become sweeter as the wine opens up. In a nervy style, with the floral quality returning on the smooth, nicely persistent finish.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Arriving late June:
Chateau Routas Coteaux Varois Rouviere Rose, Provence 2016 750ML ($17.95) $14 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 93 points “A very pretty, elegant rosé with light plum and peach character. Light pepper. Medium-bodied, fresh and clean. Attractive lightly bitter finish. Complex. Cinsault, grenache and syrah. Screw cap.”
~~~~~~~~~~
New Rosé Reviews
From Vinous Media
Josh Raynolds is one of our favorite critics and he just published a pretty comprehensive review of the new crop of rosé to hit the market. We’ve got a lot of things in stock that he just reviewed, but wanted to show you the highlights:
Pierre-Marie Chermette Domaine du Vissoux Les Griottes Rose, Beaujolais 2016 750ml ($17.95) $14 special
Josh Raynolds—Vinous Media 90 points “Light brilliant orange. Bright and energetic on the nose, displaying ripe tangerine and strawberry flavors and suggestions of candied rose and succulent herbs. Fleshy and dry on the palate, offering sappy red fruit and melon flavors and a refreshingly bitter suggestion of orange peel on the back half. Finishes long, smooth and broad; a bracing jolt of juicy acidity extends the finish.”
Chateau de Manissy Tavel Cuvee des Lys Rose Rhone 2016 750ML ($17.95) $14 special
Josh Raynolds—Vinous Media 90 points “Brilliant orange-pink. Powerful, mineral-accented aromas of ripe red berries and citrus fruits, joined by a suave floral topnote that builds in the glass. Sappy and concentrated on the palate, offering fresh raspberry, bitter cherry and blood orange flavors and a hint of honeysuckle. Finishes long, chewy and precise, delivering strong mineral cut and lingering florality.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Chateau Beaubois Costieres de Nimes Cuvee Expression Rose Rhone 2016 750ml ($14.95) $11.90 special
Josh Raynolds—Vinous Media 89 points “Very light orange. Pungent red berries and orange pith on the nose and palate, complicated by suggestions of fresh herbs and flowers. Silky and open-knit, showing no rough edges and good energy on the back half. Finishes smooth and broad, featuring appealingly fruity persistence and a late suggestion of spicy white pepper.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Marc Plouzeau Chinon Rive Gauche Rose Loire 2016 750ml ($17.95) $14 special
Josh Raynolds—Vinous Media 90 points “Vivid orange-pink. Cherry pit, red currant, pungent flowers and a suggestion of succulent herbs on the nose. Sappy and focused in the mouth, offering bitter cherry and orange flavors and a zesty hint of white pepper that adds back-end spiciness. Closes supple and long, featuring lingering florality and a sweet raspberry flourish. This wine has the heft to work with full-flavored food, but there’s also a raciness that makes it extremely easy to drink by itself.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Chateau de Trinquevedel Tavel Cuvee Traditionelle Rose Rhone 2016 750ml ($19.95) $16.60 special
Josh Raynolds—Vinous Media 91 points “Deep orange-pink. Pungent, expressive aromas of dried red berries, orange pith and succulent herbs; floral and mineral elements emerge as the wine opens up. Concentrated cherry and blood orange flavors show very good clarity and energy thanks to a core of juicy acidity. Lingers with strong tenacity on the sappy finish, which leaves a suave candied lavender note behind.”
Clos Cibonne Cotes de Provence Tibouren Cuvee Tradition Rose Provence 2015 750ml ($29.95) $24 special
Josh Raynolds—Vinous Media 91 points “Brilliant orange-pink. A perfumed, mineral-accented bouquet evokes dried red berries, orange pith, lavender and jasmine, along with a suggestion of peach pit in the background. Silky and broad on entry and then more taut in the middle, offering juicy red currant and blood orange flavors and a hint of anise. Shows a suave blend of depth and energy and finishes long and seamless, leaving behind floral, mineral and red berry notes.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Clos Cibonne Cotes de Provence Tibouren Cuvee Speciale des Vignettes Rose Provence 2015 750ml ($37.95) $30.90 special
Josh Raynolds—Vinous Media 92 points “Limpid orange. Vibrant, mineral-tinged red berry and pit fruit aromas, along with suggestions of jasmine, orange pith and succulent herbs. Smooth and energetic in the mouth, offering concentrated raspberry and peach flavors and a hint of bitter blood orange. Powerful yet graceful in style, showing outstanding energy and thrust on a very long, sappy finish that leaves behind juicy red berry and citrus fruit notes.”
Domaine Chevreau Sancerre Rose Les Terres Blanches Loire 2016 750ml ($24.95) $21.90 special
Josh Raynolds—Vinous Media 89 points “Bright pink. Ripe red berries, cherry pit and a hint of pungent flowers on the deeply perfumed nose. Plush and open-knit, displaying good focus to the juicy raspberry and tangerine flavors. In a generous, supple style for a pink Sancerre, offering good closing cling and a lingering suggestion of candied rose.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Le Galantin Bandol Rose Provence 2016 750ml ($21.95) $17 special
Josh Raynolds—Vinous Media 90 points “Light brilliant orange. Mineral-tinged red berry, blood orange and fennel scents, along with a hint of honeysuckle. Dry and nervy on the palate, offering bitter cherry and orange pith flavors that flesh out slowly on the back half. Clings with very good intensity on the finish, leaving a suave floral note behind.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Saint Damien Gigondas Rose Rhone 2016 750ml ($24.95) $21.90 special
Josh Raynolds—Vinous Media 91 points “Bright orange-pink. Ripe red berries and blood orange on the fragrant nose. In a warm, fleshy style, offering juicy, nicely concentrated raspberry and orange zest flavors that turn livelier on the back half. Smooth and seamless on the impressively persistent and penetrating finish, which leaves a sappy red berry note behind.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Pascal et Nicolas Reverdy Sancerre Terre de Maimbray Rose Loire 2016 750ml ($24.95) $21.90 special
Josh Raynolds—Vinous Media 90 points “Pale bright orange-pink. Vibrant, mineral-accented strawberry, tangerine and quince scents, along with subtle herb and floral nuances in the background. Concentrated yet lithe in character, offering sappy red berry and citrus fruit flavors that deepen steadily on the back half. The mineral note comes back strong on the long, seamless finish, which shows excellent clarity.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Ameztoi Rubentis Rosado, Getariako Txakolina, Spain 2016 750ml ($21.95) $19 special
Josh Raynolds—Vinous Media 91 points “Light brilliant pink. Incisive, mineral-accented citrus fruit and red berry scents, along with a suave floral nuance. Silky and sharply focused on the palate, showing juicy strawberry, orange zest and mineral qualities and a deeper suggestion of peach pit. Packs a lot of flavor but comes off lithe. The mineral and floral elements carry through a very long, precise, seamless finish.”
~~~~~~~~~~
Arriving Tomorrow!
From Markus Molitor
Scoring spectacularly high marks across the board from Stephan Reinhardt of the Wine Advocate!
This outstanding collection of 2015 Molitor Rieslings make its triumphant arrival tomorrow:
Markus Molitor Alte Reben Riesling Trocken WK, Mosel 2015 750ML ($31.95) $28 pre-arrival special
Markus Molitor Alte Reben Riesling Trocken WK, Mosel 2015 1.5L ($69.95) $51.90 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2015 Riesling Alte Reben (formerly known as Alte Reben Mosel) is an old vine selection from crus in Zeltingen, Wehlen and Erden. The wine combines ripe and concentrated Riesling flavors with the typical slate aroma of the Mosel. Highly elegant, with perfectly ripe and balanced fruit and a juicy-piquant, finesse-full finish, this is a picture book dry Mosel Riesling with a lingering salty finish.”
This is the only listing in the USA today for the magnum!
Markus Molitor Alte Reben Saar Riesling Trocken WK, Mosel 2015 750ML ($31.95) $28 pre-arrival special
Markus Molitor Alte Reben Saar Riesling Trocken WK, Mosel 2015 1.5L ($79.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 93+ points “Sourced entirely from the Ockefen Bockstrein, the 2015 Riesling Alte Reben Saar has a clear, bright, intense and spicy Saar Riesling bouquet with great concentration and attractive flinty slate aromas. On the palate, this dry Riesling is concentrated, rich and powerful but tightly woven, very precise and provided with piquant acidity and very finessed minerality. The finish is intense and compact, indicating great aging potential. This Riesling from approximately 80-year-old vines in the Bockstein grand cru should be cellared for five to seven years at minimum.”
This is the only listing in the USA today for the magnum!
Markus Molitor Kinheimer Hubertuslay Riesling Auslese *** GK, Mosel 2015 750ML ($99.95) $86 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 99 points “The 2015 Riesling Kinheimer Hubertuslay Auslese *** (Golden Capsule) is clear, deep and complex on the nose and opens with ripe but fresh fruit aromas intermixed with herbal notes. Highly elegant, precise and finessed but also rich and lush on the palate, this is a well textured Auslese with super finesse and present acidity but also some fine tannins. This wine is partly fermented in a small barrel, which gives it greater development and a silky textured complexity. It is more dense and concentrated than the Rosenberg, but it also has great finesse and precision. Highly digestible even today, but I wouldn’t waste its greatest talents before the wine is fully developed.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $105.99
Markus Molitor Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Auslese *** GK, Mosel 2015 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 98+ points “The 2015 Riesling Ürziger Würzgarten Auslese *** (Golden Capsule) offers a very clear, deep, intense and complex stone fruit aroma with some very discreet toast and crushed stone flavors. Full-bodied, rich and powerful but enormously racy-piquant and mineral so that you don’t taste its sweetness, this is a great, expressive terroir wine with a huge inner concentration that comes from the soils rather than dried berries. It is based on grapes with dry raisins due to perfect botrytis combined with healthy berries that deliver the tremendous freshness in this gorgeous Auslese that also reveals some fine tannins from the aging partly in small oak.”
Markus Molitor Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Kabinett GK, Mosel 2015 750ML ($31.95) $28 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points “The (medium-) sweet 2015 Riesling Ürziger Würzgarten Kabinett (Golden Capsule) displays a clear, intense and remarkably fine nose of perfectly ripe and healthy small Riesling berries. This is a lush, piquant and salty Riesling of great finesse and aromatic intensity. The finish is super long and aromatic, with a very fine mineral grip and a fascinating combination of perfectly ripe, lush fruit and a weightless elegance.”
Markus Molitor Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Spatlese GK, Mosel 2015 750ML ($41.95) $36 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2015 Riesling Ürziger Würzgarten Spätlese (Golden Capsule) opens with a very clear and aromatic white stone fruit aroma intermixed with clear and smoky aromas. Sweet, lush and intense, this is a concentrated, already densely textured Spätlese with a firm mineral grip and tension that gives this 2015 unreal aging potential and great complexity. Readers should cellar this wine for at least 15- 20 years since there are so many more delicate Rieslings to buy in the category. Molitor’s Würzgarten, though, will still be young in 30 or 40 years, and that’s not due to very generous sulfur doses but thanks to the old, ungrafted vines and the well-elaborated selection for the Spätlese category. Keep in mind, you are already on a top Grand Cru level here, and this wine is in fact a top Auslese.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Markus Molitor Wehlener Klosterberg Riesling Auslese ** GK, Mosel 2015 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 96+ points “The 2015 Riesling Wehlener Klosterberg Auslese *** (Golden Capsule) is very clear, intense and concentrated yet stunningly precise and fresh on the nose. Concentrated, very fine and elegant on the palate, this Auslese has enormously racy yet fine acidity with a very long, crystalline and stimulatingly salty finish. Despite its concentration and sweetness, this wine shows remarkable finesse and elegance, revealing a lean and crystalline style.”
Mosel Fine Wines 93 points “This delivers a beautiful nose of yellow peach, almond cream, pineapple and poached pear. The wine proves juicy and quite ripe on the palate with honeyed flavors of yellow fruits coming through in the long and smooth finish. There is a touch of acidity coming through in the after-taste which lifts up the aromatic. This needs a decade to fully shine. 2025-2045.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Markus Molitor Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese *** GK, Mosel 2015 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 99 points “The 2015 Riesling Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese *** (Golden Capsule) shows a perfectly ripe, concentrated but fresh and elegant fruit aroma intertwined with mineral and refreshing grapefruit flavors of crushed stones, perfect botrytis and still fresh, healthy berries. Rich, round, dense and piquant, this is a highly finessed and very elegant, sweet, lush and intense Wehlener Sonnenuhr with a super clear, precise and salty, stimulatingly pure and piquant finish with a lot of grip and tension. This is a skyrocketing Auslese that will fly over your palate over decades if only you give it the time it deserves. Its acidity is finer than that of the Zeltinger Sonnenuhr, which makes the Wehelner more sweet, lush and round. It is the nearest to perfection of the sweet Ausleses at this early moment, and it will surely never step back from this level.”
Mosel Fine Wines 95-97 points “This stunner of a wine offers a ravishingly airy and silky nose of yellow fruits, grapefruit, pear and spices. The wine is delicately oily yet aromatically incredibly precise as raisin, date and spices emerge on the palate. The finish, far from being cloying, proves airy, elegant and hugely persistent. This is a great slightly powerful BA-styled wine in the making! 2030-2055+.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Markus Molitor Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett GK, Mosel 2015 750ML ($27.95) $24 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2015 Riesling Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett (Golden Capsule) opens with beautifully clear, super ripe, aromatic and mouth-watering tropical fruit on the nose. On the palate, this is a lush but highly finessed and delicate Sonnenuhr with super fine and ripe acidity and a crystalline texture. This is a gorgeously sensual and exotic Kabinett in perfect balance. Probably there has been no Sonnenuhr Kabinett produced in 2015 that is more attractive than this.”
Markus Molitor Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese, Mosel GK 2015 750ML ($39.95) $33 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2015 Riesling Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spätlese (Golden Capsule) opens with a clear, crazy deep, intense and complex bouquet of tropical flavors but most of all smoky aromas of a rocky mountain massive. On the palate, this is a rich, complex, highly finessed, piquant and refreshing Spätlese with concentrated fruit and a tight, persistent structure. The finish is dangerously attractive, but this Sonnenuhr will always be ticking; it should have spectacular aging potential!”
Mosel Fine Wines 93 points “This wine is still very much reduced but already hints at gorgeous scents of white mint, pear, yellow peach and minerals on the nose. It proves rather creamy on the palate (by Spätlese standards) as exotic pineapple and coconut give the finish an almost Auslese GK style. As such, it is a truly remarkable effort but wine lovers expecting a light Spätlese should stay clear of this. 2025-2045.”
Markus Molitor Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese ** GK, Mosel 2015 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 97 points “The 2015 Riesling Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Auslese ** (Golden Capsule) is entirely based on healthy, botrytis-free grapes and opens with intensely herbal flavors in the first moments before very fine Riesling, slate and lemon aromas take over. This Auslese is intense, rich and round, perfectly ripe and concentrated but also super precise, highly elegant and finessed. The finish is super fine, endlessly salty and stimulatingly piquant. This is a mouth-watering sweet Riesling with great tension and finesse!”
Markus Molitor Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese *** GK, Mosel 2015 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 99 points “The 2015 Riesling Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Auslese *** (Golden Capsule) is clear, fresh and concentrated on the nose nose where deep and smoky flavors of crushed stones are displayed, giving just a hint of the true potential of this wine. Round and seamless on the palate, with perfectly ripe but vital and fresh fruit, this has a gorgeous mineral raciness and tension. There is also a quiet stream of perfectly balanced and concentrated melting stones and very fine salts that flows over the palate. This is an exiting, very well structured and tightly woven Riesling legend that will still fascinate wine lovers in 50, 60, maybe 70 years. This is a laser beam of great Riesling, tight and concentrated but still not that open like the corresponding Wehlener.”
Mosel Fine Wines 94-97 points “This offers a beautiful nose driven by baked pineapple, apricot, herbs and spices. The wine is beautifully elegant and, despite being creamy and oily on the palate, retains great vibrancy with zesty acidity wrapping passion fruit and other exotic fruits. This beautiful “Auslese lange GK”-styled wine proves superbly well-made as it leaves an ethereally long feel in the intense finish. 2030-2055+.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Markus Molitor Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett GK, Mosel 2015 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 pre-arrival special
Mosel Fine Wines 92 points “This delivers a gorgeous nose of cassis, minty herbs and spices. The wine delivers the rich creaminess of a Spätlese if not Auslese on the palate but leaves a stunningly floral and fruit-infused feel in the long and intense finish. This may not be a light Kabinett but proves an utterly delicious light Auslese. 2025-2045.”
Markus Molitor Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese GK, Mosel 2015 1.5L ($79.95) $69 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 96-97 points “The 2015 Riesling Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Spätlese (Golden Capsule) displays the herbal bouquet of the Kabinett but is certainly more deep, concentrated and complex. The wine has great finesse on the palate, and its crystalline acidity and lingering salinity carry the perfectly ripe and lush fruit to a long, vibrating and mouth-watering finish. This Spätlese is highly finessed and complex and—along with the 2015 Scharzhofberger—probably the finest Spätlese I have tasted from the vintage.”
~~~~~~~~~~
Staff Picks
Andy:
My touchstone winery for Alsace has always been Domaine Weinbach. A big part of this loyalty was the seemingly unshakeable presence of Colette Faller. In the wake of her passing, the winery has renamed the Cuvee St. Catherine the Cuvee Colette; they couldn’t have chosen a better wine. The Cuvee Colette is bigger than you might imagine, Alsatian Rieslings often are, and there are some seemingly rustic touches which can surprise you. There is the distinctive lush aromatic signature of citrus, poached pears, cardamom and crushed stone. It can be heady at first, but it softens and develops ginger and light ruby grapefruit notes. On the palate, Cuvee Colette seems to circle your entire mouth in a moment, but the initial explosiveness then turns delicate and lacy. Pairing a meal should be considerate of that secondary softness since you don’t want to overwhelm the wine. It brings a good many things to life: Sashimi, fresh greens and spring vegetables, and apple or pear desserts.
Domaine Weinbach Riesling Cuvee Colette, Alsace 2014 750ML ($44.95) $33 special, 15 bottles available
Wine Enthusiast 94 points “Citrus blossom is evoked on the nose, aromatic mandarin peel and the dark, crushed foliage of citrus, too. On the palate there is a purity that is both mellow and taut, generous and restrained. The body is slender and willowy, while breezes of herbs and citrus come and go. Do not smother this dry, delicate veil of Riesling with big food. Choose light, delicate fare and this will simply sing.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $39.98
~~~~~~~~~~
Trending Case Picks
We Offered ‘em, You Picked ‘em!
Bow & Arrow Rhinestones Red, Willamette Valley 2015 750ML ($24.95) $19.60 special, 23+ bottles available
Bow & Arrow Rhinestones Red, Willamette Valley 2015 1.5L ($59.95) $39 special, 30 magnums available
Case-12 Bow & Arrow Rhinestones Red, Willamette Valley 2015 750ML ($299.95) $219 special, 8 cases available (that’s only $18.25/bottle!)
Grapelive 94 points ” The 2015 starts with a nose of dark roses, spice, truffle and blue fruits leading to a vivid palate of black cherry, blueberry, plum and tart currant fruits along with walnut/cedar, peppery stones, sage/mint/anise, cinnamon and iron/mineral tones finishing long and lingering with strawberry, earthy beet root and lavender. The texture is amazing and the mouth feel is exceptional considering how alive and bright this brilliant medium weight wine is. It is a satiny stunner with glorious vitality and grace. Don’t over think the grapes or label: this wine is the new Oregon and it deserves your open mind and attention. Drink this over the next 5 to 10 years. What a truly fantastic effort! I’m a huge fan of Frank’s wines, but this is by far the best vintage of Rhinestones.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $23.99
Matello ‘Souris’ Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2012 750ML ($.95) Was $37, Now $29
Case-12 Matello ‘Souris’ Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2012 750ML ($449.95) $299 May Sale special (that’s only $24.92/bottle!)
Case-6 Matello ‘Souris’ Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2012 750ML ($249.95) $166 May Sale special (that’s only $27.67/bottle!)
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 93 points “Vivid ruby-red. Heady, complex scents of fresh red and dark berries, incense and Asian spices, with a bright mineral overtone. Intense black raspberry and spicecake flavors convey a shapely, seamless quality. Fleshes out and deepens with aeration and finishes sweet and extremely long, with lingering smokiness and harmonious tannins.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $42
Tranche Cellars Blue Mountain Vineyard Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2010 750ML ($39.95) $21.90 special, 36+ bottles available
Case-12 Tranche Cellars Blue Mountain Vineyard Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2010 750ML ($419.95) $219 special, 4 cases available (that’s only $18.25/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 93 points “A gorgeous effort, the 2010 Syrah Blue Mountain Estate Vineyard offers up ripe, full throttle aromas of smoked black fruits, hints of chocolate, toast and spice to go with a full-bodied, rich and layered profile on the palate that has no hard edges, a great mid-palate and ripe tannin that emerges on the finish. A superb value, it will dish out loads of pleasure over the coming decade. Made by the team at Corliss, these Tranche Cellars releases are not only superb, they represent excellent value as well.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $29.98
Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2012 750ML ($79.95) $59 special
Case-6 Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2012 750ML ($449.95) $333 special (that’s only $55.50/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 95+ points “Il Poggione is a Brunello superstar and a vintage like this reveals every reason why that affirmation is true. From the second the 2012 Brunello di Montalcino pours into the glass, you know you are in for something special. The wine is darkly saturated and rich in appearance. Absent are those slightly amber or browning hues you often get with Sangiovese in a hot vintage. Nor does the wine show flat or tired characteristics. Instead, the quality of fruit is vibrant and rich. This is a healthy, generous and exuberant Brunello with dark density and succulent fruit flavors that are followed by integrated spice and tobacco. The balance is impressive and one thing you get here is fresh acidity. This is not to be underestimated, because the acidity quota in the 2012 vintage across the appellation is not as high or evident as usual. This is one of the year’s best Brunellos.”
Jean-Claude Dagueneau Domaine des Berthiers Pouilly-Fume, Loire 2015 750ML ($24.95) $20.90 special
Case-12 Jean-Claude Dagueneau Domaine des Berthiers Pouilly-Fume, Loire 2015 750ML ($299.95) $219 special (that’s only $18.25/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Winery note “100% Sauvignon blanc from 20 to 30 year old vines grown in Silex and calcaire soils. Golden green reflections. Discreet aromas on the nose with a hint of ripe orange. A taste of fruit drops and lemon peel on the palate.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
~~~~~~~~~~
Domaine du Vissoux – Pierre-Marie Chermette
Over Delivering, Under the Radar
Poor little Beaujolais; so often overlooked for big wines that have too much power for their own good. The resulting points bonanza across the globe has influenced a number of producers of traditional Beaujolais to push their Gamay further and further in order to try and grab the attention of the critics. This is why we send out a heartfelt thank you to the beautiful wines coming from Domaine du Vissoux. Pierre-Marie Chermette has been making the wine since the 1982, showcasing old vines and pure Beaujolais flavor.
The Domaine du Vissoux wines are a great value; the quality is uncompromised and the wine is joyful and vibrant. Even their Cœur de Vendanges, featuring 100 year-old vines and 6 months in barrel shows only a subtle touch of wood. The fruit is deeper and pure, reminiscent of the ripest of early summer berries, but it doesn’t go beyond perfectly ripe. The wines are quite simply a near perfect reflection of what Beaujolais should be and the value it provides.
We offer 10 different cuvees from Domaine du Vissoux in-stock now, below our 6 top picks:
Domaine du Vissoux Les Griottes Rose, Beaujolais 2016 750ML ($17.95) $14 special, 36+ bottles available
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 90 points “This Gamay offers bright aromatics along with ripe tangerine, strawberry, candied rose and succulent herb flavors. Fleshy and dry on the palate, the 2016 finishes long, smooth and broad, with a bracing jolt of juicy acidity extending the finish.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Domaine du Vissoux Cuvee Traditionnelle Vieilles Vignes, Beaujolais 2015 750ML ($19.95) $16 special, 15 bottles available
Case-12 Pierre-Marie Chermette Domaine du Vissoux Cuvee Traditionnelle Vieilles Vignes, Beaujolais 2015 750ML ($199.95) $169 special, 1 case available (that’s only $14.08/bottle!)
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 91 points “Vivid ruby. Expansive, highly perfumed raspberry and floral pastille aromas are complemented by a suggestion of Asian spices. A core of minerality adds definition and spine to juicy red fruit flavors, which show impressive focus and back-end lift. Finishes gently sweet and very long, leaving behind sappy red fruit and rose pastille notes. As always, this wine delivers excellent value.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Domaine du Vissoux Brouilly Pierreux, Beaujolais 2015 750ML ($29.95) $24 special, 35 bottles available
Case-12 Domaine du Vissoux Brouilly Pierreux, Beaujolais 2015 750ML ($299.95) $259 special, 1 case available (that’s only $21.58/bottle!)
John Gilman 93+ points “As I have mentioned in the past, the Brouilly “Pierreux” bottling from Pierre-Marie Chermette hails from the southern part of Brouilly appellation, just to the east of the village of Odenas, and often this wine has more in common with bottlings of Côte de Brouilly as a result. The 2015 Pierreux is fairly low octane for the vintage, coming in at 13.5 percent, but offering plenty of depth and structure, which are the hallmarks of this year. The complex bouquet is a bit more black fruity out of the blocks than the 2014 was at a similar age, offering up scents of black cherries, pomegranate, a striking base of soil tones, woodsmoke, fresh rosemary, chicory and a nice touch of meatiness. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, tangy and laser-like in its focus, with a rock solid core, some firm, well-integrated tannins and superb soil drive on the very long and youthful finish. This is going to be a stunning bottle of Brouilly, but, like many of the very best 2015s, it is going to want some time in the cellar. 2019-2045+. 93+.”
Josh Raynolds 91 points “Bright violet. Ripe cherry and dark berries on the powerful, spice-accented nose. Supple and open-knit, offering fleshy cherry and cassis flavors lifted by a jolt of juicy acidity. Shows very good energy and breadth on the gently tannic, dark-fruit-dominated finish, which leaves a sappy blue fruit note behind.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Domaine du Vissoux Coeur de Vendanges, Beaujolais 2014 750ML ($24.95) $17 special, 36+ bottles available
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 91 points “Lurid ruby-red. Pungent raspberry and cherry pit on the fragrant nose, with hints of white pepper and smoky minerals adding lift and complexity. Spicy and sharply focused, offering vibrant red berry and blood orange flavors that put on weight with air. Closes taut and gently sweet, with strong spicy lift and silky tannins coming in late.”
Wine Enthusiast 90 points “This “heart of the harvest” Gamay is produced from 100-year-old vines, a rarity in any appellation. With less than five acres to work with, this ripe and structured wine shows the potential even of “simple” Beaujolais-appellation wines. It has weight, spice and warm red fruits that are laced with acidity. Drink this wine from 2016. — R.V. (12/1/2015)
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $22
Domaine du Vissoux Fleurie les Garants, Beaujolais 2014 750ML ($27.95) $24 special, 36+ bottles available
Case-12 Domaine du Vissoux Fleurie les Garants, Beaujolais 2014 750ML ($319.95) $259 special, 2 cases available (that’s only $21.58/bottle!)
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 93 points “Deep ruby. Intense black raspberry, cherry and floral pastille aromas are complemented by suggestions of licorice and smoky minerals. Juicy and penetrating, offering sappy red and blue fruit flavors that effortlessly marry power to finesse. The mineral and floral notes linger impressively on the finish, which is given shape by fine-grained, sneaky tannins.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine du Vissoux Moulin-a-Vent Les Trois Roches, Beaujolais 2014 750ML ($29.95) $21.90 special, 11 bottles available
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 92 points “Vivid ruby. Assertive dark berry and floral pastille aromas show very good energy, with a spicy nuance adding complexity. Juicy and pliant, offering sweet, nicely concentrated blackberry and cherry flavors and a of touch of spicecake. Dusty tannins build slowly on a long, smooth and impressively persistent finish, with the dark fruit and spice notes echoing.”
Wine Advocate 90 points “The 2014 Moulin-à-Vent les Trois Roches was matured in 1- to 5-year-old half-tuns. Some attractive undergrowth/woodland scents permeate the dark berry fruit, a touch of cold black tea in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with supple, ripe tannin. There is appreciable depth and roundness here, with a soft and fleshy, but quite complex finish. This is an excellent Moulin-à-Vent from Pierre-Marie Chermette.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine du Vissoux “Pierre Chermette” Beaujolais 2015 750ML ($17.95) $14 special, 5 bottles available
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 90 points “Bright violet. Vibrant cherry and dark berry aromas, along with lively floral and spice qualities. Silky and incisive, offering bitter cherry and blackberry flavors given lift by tangy acidity. Clean and nervy on the finish, which features hints of candied flowers and licorice.”
~~~~~~~~~~
Torii Mor:
Look out for hot deals with both “I’s”
Torii Mor is one of the established names in high quality Oregon Pinot Noir, making a splash ever since they made their first vintage in 1993. Starting off with a mere 1,000 cases that first year, they’ve grown steadily since but have always managed to make impressively high quality wines. The style here is for richer, more powerful Pinot Noir, though they make wines which are still lively and energetic. These wines today are from the acclaimed 2014 vintage, so we’re very excited to offer them to you with the lowest pricing in the country!
Torii Mor Wines Available Here Now
Torii Mor ‘Dundee Hills Select’ Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2014 750ML ($49.95) $33 special, 28 bottles available
Wine Advocate 90+ points “The 2014 Pinot Noir Dundee Hills Select comes from four vineyards fermented separately and matured in 20% new oak. It has quite a lively bouquet with small red cherries, redcurrant and cranberry, although I would have liked more complexity to show through given the vintage. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp tannin. This is well balanced though toward the finish it tends to clam up a little and feel somewhat “rigid.” Give this another 12-18 months to loosen its tie.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $38.98
Torii Mor ‘Olson Estate Vineyard’ Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2014 750ML ($59.95) $38 special, 30 bottles available
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 91 points “Brilliant violet. Dark berries, cola, musky herbs and a subtle floral nuance on the fragrant nose. Fleshy and expansive on the palate, offering gently sweet blackberry and spicecake flavors that tighten up steadily with air. Shows an appealing blend of power and vivacity and finishes very long and spicy, displaying repeating florality and smooth tannins.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $42.98
The average price is $44
~~~~~~~~~~
2009 Bordeaux
In many ways, the 2009 Bordeaux vintage represented the crest of the wave for futures offerings. Prices were high and so many big-time players sat out the vintage when the wines were released. Now, that looks like the smart play as a backlog in inventory has forced Bordeaux estates and brokers to cut prices on what has been hailed as an exceptional vintage. The high end wines might hold pricing, but the “lesser” estates need to sell their wines and so we’re seeing really incredible deals come through.
The trickledown effect has been great for the average consumer, especially those looking to try some of the cru bottlings of the vintage. The wines are ready to roll now, the prices are terrific, and if you’re looking to try picking up some of the classified growths, it is a good way to test the waters to see if it is the vintage for you.
So how are the wines? They’re as subtle as the Rose Parade. Compared to the wound up ’10 vintage these are showing their stripes now, in all their ripe glory: lush fruit, soft tannins, and perfume for days. This makes for wines that are accessible now and, while traditionalists might pooh-pooh such opulence, this is a great intro for many drinkers who are trending toward domestic producers. At a recent dinner with friends, who collect almost exclusively California reds, we drank some of the 09 Chateau Bel Air. The wine was definitely right bank Bordeaux, with licorice, dark fruit and plenty of spice, but the intensity of the fruit wowed my friends into asking about what else we could try from Bordeaux.
We offer 10 different 2009 Bordeaux options in stock now and 2 arriving in the next few months. See our special highlight below. If you are a CA drinker looking to dip your toes on the other side of the pond, here are a few to try, including the insanely popular Chateau Bel-Air and Malescot St. Exupery:
Chateau Bel-Air Pomerol 2009 750ML ($37.95) $29 special, 17 bottles available
“Owned by the Martin family (who also own Gloria), this dense ruby/plum-colored sleeper of the vintage displays oodles of fruit as well as some notes of Christmas fruitcake and roasted herbs along with loads of cassis. Tasty, round, generous, and ripe, this 2009 has a lot going for it.”–Robert Parker
Malescot St. Exupery 2009 750ML ($179.95) $149 special, 21 bottles available
James Suckling 98 points “A wine with intense spice and berry character with hints of sweet tobacco. It changes all the time from flowers to fruit and wet earth. Full-bodied with super fine tannins and ripe fruit. It’s long and juicy with lovely fruit. Super long and beautiful with fine tannins that last for minutes. Tight now but juicy and gorgeous. Best ever from here.”
Le Carre, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2009 750ML ($179.95) $149 special, 6 bottles available
Robert Parker 97 points “Achieving nearly 15% natural alcohol (one of the highest of the Jonathan Maltus St. Emilion estates) , this blend of approximately 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc is from vineyards that sit on limestone soils near Clos Fourtet, an area that performed brilliantly in 2009. Inky purple, with notes of graphite, vanillin, blackberry and cassis as well as crushed rock and floral notes, the wine has breathtaking extravagance and a luxuriant fruit quality that simply has to be tasted to be believed. Phenomenally rich, full-bodied, and brilliantly poised and well-balanced, this is a tour de force in winemaking and a colossal Le Carre, the finest Jonathan Maltus has yet produced. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2028.”
Chateau d’Arcole, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2009 750ML ($34.95) $29 special, 36+ bottles available
“A light-bodied, open-knit red, with direct damson plum and cherry preserves notes backed by modest toast that hangs on the slightly lean finish.”–Wine Spectator
This is the only listing in the USA today for the 750ML!
Chateau Grand-Puy Ducasse, Pauillac 2009 750ML ($79.95) $59 special, 9 bottles available
James Suckling 93 points “A solid red, with raspberry and currant aromas and flavors. Full body, with solid tannins. Polished texture. Well crafted. Try after 2018.”
2009 Bordeaux Arriving This Month:
Chateau Grand-Puy-Lacoste, Pauillac 2009 750ML ($149.95) $99 pre-arrival special, ETA June 2017
Robert Parker 95 points “Performing better from bottle than it did from cask (and comparable to their wines 2005, 2000, 1990 and 1982), this is a great classic from Xavier Borie’s estate situated on the back roads west of the town of Pauillac. Its dense ruby/purple color is followed by hints of spring flowers, crushed rocks, black currants, cedar and earth/underbrush. Precise and elegant as well as backward and foreboding, it should put on weight in the bottle and evolve for two decades. Very concentrated as well as velvety-textured, it is a beauty of finesse, balance, purity and nobility. It will benefit from 5-7 more years of bottle age.”RP
2009 Bordeaux Arriving in September:
Chateau Gazin, Pomerol 2009 750ML ($179.95) $149 pre-arrival special
Robert Parker 96 points “Ferocious extract, huge tannin, an opaque purple color, and enormous richness all make for a potentially brilliant wine from this vineyard, located on the plateau of Pomerol just adjacent to Petrus. Probably a late finisher of malolactic given its showing on three separate occasions, this wine, which is enormously endowed, very rich, and full-bodied, has a chance to be the best Gazin ever made. However, patience will be a virtue, as the wine will certainly need 5-8 years of cellaring” RP
~~~~~~~~~~
Hot Picks From Neal Rosenthal
We keep singing the praises of the Rosenthal portfolio of wines and are bringing some more great picks that we think are awesome, including some new wines from Gravner and some really wonderful Beaujolais. All arrive Friday and are fantastic.
Arriving Friday:
Beaujolais:
Domaine de la Chapelle des Bois Fleurie Cuvee Vieilles Vignes de la Cadole, Beaujolais 2014 750ML ($21.95) $19 pre-arrival special
“This cuvée of Fleurie is sourced from a single parcel planted to vines eighty years old. In contrast to the other wines of the domaine, this special selection is aged 12 months in large, older foudres to best express its formidable character. Surprisingly, this structured wine is supremely elegant and fine; and, it is surely capable of providing pleasure over an extended period of time.”–Importer note
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine de la Chapelle des Bois Morgon ‘Les Rontay’, Beaujolais 2014 750ML ($21.95) $19 pre-arrival special
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Muscadet:
Hubert Rousseau Domaine des Trois Toits Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine Sur Lie, Loire 2015 750ML ($19.95) $16 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Hubert Rousseau Domaine des Trois Toits Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine Sur Lie, Loire 2015 750ML ($219.95) $169 pre-arrival special (that’s only $14.08/bottle!)
“After harvest the grapes are pressed and the juice is placed in underground cuves in typical and ancient fashion in the Muscadet district. The alcoholic fermentation proceeds at low temperatures for three to five weeks. Afterwards the wine is racked off the gross lies and is left to age on the fine lies until bottling. During the period of elevage, the wines are in constant contact with the lies, with frequent batonage. The result is a fresh, mineral-driven wine that occasionally carries an almost imperceptible effervescence. Bottling normally occurs during the period of March through May of the year following harvest.”–Importer note
Friuli:
Gravner Breg Anfora Venezia Giulia IGT, Friuli-Venezia Giulia 2008 750ML ($89.95) $77 pre-arrival special
“Grape blend obtained from different vine varieties (Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Pinot grigio and Riesling italico) which are fermented separately and aged together. While fermenting in Georgian amphorae buried underground, it underwent a long maceration with wild yeasts and no temperature control. After the drawing off and pressing phases the wine was poured back into amphorae for five more months before it started ageing in large oak barrels, where It was left for six years. Wine is bottled without fining or filtration.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Gravner Anfora Ribolla Gialla Venezia Giulia IGT, Friuli-Venezia Giulia 2008 750ML ($89.95) $79 pre-arrival special
“Made from Ribolla grapes which have been cultivated in this area for more than a thousand years. While fermenting in Georgian amphorae buried underground, it underwent a long maceration with wild yeasts and no temperature control. After the drawing off and pressing phases the wine was poured back into amphorae for at least five more months before it started ageing in large oak barrels, where it was left for six years. Wine is bottled without fining or filtration.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Thanks for reading!