In This Newsletter:
New Week – New Arrivals
Nerd Alert Featurette: Klein Constantia
Sicilian Island Vibes: Terre Nere & Occhipinti New Offers
New Arrival Featurette:
Kelley Fox
New Week – New Arrivals
New Week – New Arrivals
Nerd Alert Featurette: Klein Constantia
Sicilian Island Vibes: Terre Nere & Occhipinti New Offers
New Arrival Featurette:
Kelley Fox
“Anyone who avers that New World Pinot cannot match Burgundy for finesse and complexity has clearly never tried anything from this small, impressively consistent producer.” – Josh Raynolds, on Kelley Fox
Kelley Fox makes some of the most elegant and captivating wines in all of the Willamette Valley—fresh and delicate with a palate-pleasing intricacy. Her hands-on approach to farming and use of whole-cluster fermentations mean that the wines have a savoriness and energy that have vaulted her into the stratosphere of Willamette Valley producers. These are true Willamette treasures: hard to find and worth the hunt.
New Arrivals from Kelley Fox:
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Kelley Fox Wines Gruner Veltliner, Willamette Valley 2023 750ml $26 special, 11 bottles in stock now
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2023 Grüner Veltliner has pure, layered scents of quince, honey, radicchio and alpine herbs. The medium-bodied palate offers concentrated, mouth-coating, honeyed flavors. Its generosity is foiled by vibrant acidity, and it has a very long finish. 336 cases were made.”
Kelley Fox Wines Stater Vineyard Pinot Blanc, Dundee Hills 2023 750ml $36 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2023 Pinot Blanc Stater Vineyard has layered aromas of apricot, cereal milk, roasted almonds and flint. The medium-bodied palate features concentrated tree fruit flavors made more intense by its textural grip. Its power is foiled by refreshing acidity, and it has a very long, honeyed finish. I would love to drink this with 3-5 years of bottle age. 108 cases were made.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Kelley Fox Wines Canary Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2022 750ml $89 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 96 points “The 2022 Pinot Noir Canary Hill Vineyard is a bright ruby hue and offers more cherry fruit as well as notes of fresh roses, rocky stones, and gravelly earth. It’s linear but so refined on the palate, with a clean and even feel, it is almost Volnay-like. Drink it over the next 15 years.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Kelley Fox Wines Maresh Vineyard Golden-Crowned Sparrow Blocks Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2022 750ml $89 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Eric Guido-Vinous 94 points “The 2022 Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard Golden Crowned Sparrow Blocks is darkly alluring with crushed woodland berries complicated by blood orange and pine hints. Silky textures and stimulating acidity soothe, washing tart red fruits across the palate guided by zesty acidity. This finishes wonderfully fresh and long with a staining of red and black fruit and crunchy tannins.”
Kelley Fox makes some of the most elegant and captivating wines in all of the Willamette Valley—fresh and delicate with a palate-pleasing intricacy. Her hands-on approach to farming and use of whole-cluster fermentations mean that the wines have a savoriness and energy that have vaulted her into the stratosphere of Willamette Valley producers. These are true Willamette treasures: hard to find and worth the hunt.
New Arrivals from Kelley Fox:
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Kelley Fox Wines Gruner Veltliner, Willamette Valley 2023 750ml $26 special, 11 bottles in stock now
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2023 Grüner Veltliner has pure, layered scents of quince, honey, radicchio and alpine herbs. The medium-bodied palate offers concentrated, mouth-coating, honeyed flavors. Its generosity is foiled by vibrant acidity, and it has a very long finish. 336 cases were made.”
Kelley Fox Wines Stater Vineyard Pinot Blanc, Dundee Hills 2023 750ml $36 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2023 Pinot Blanc Stater Vineyard has layered aromas of apricot, cereal milk, roasted almonds and flint. The medium-bodied palate features concentrated tree fruit flavors made more intense by its textural grip. Its power is foiled by refreshing acidity, and it has a very long, honeyed finish. I would love to drink this with 3-5 years of bottle age. 108 cases were made.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Kelley Fox Wines Canary Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2022 750ml $89 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 96 points “The 2022 Pinot Noir Canary Hill Vineyard is a bright ruby hue and offers more cherry fruit as well as notes of fresh roses, rocky stones, and gravelly earth. It’s linear but so refined on the palate, with a clean and even feel, it is almost Volnay-like. Drink it over the next 15 years.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Kelley Fox Wines Maresh Vineyard Golden-Crowned Sparrow Blocks Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2022 750ml $89 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Eric Guido-Vinous 94 points “The 2022 Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard Golden Crowned Sparrow Blocks is darkly alluring with crushed woodland berries complicated by blood orange and pine hints. Silky textures and stimulating acidity soothe, washing tart red fruits across the palate guided by zesty acidity. This finishes wonderfully fresh and long with a staining of red and black fruit and crunchy tannins.”
New Week – New Arrivals
Oregon & Walla Walla
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The Eyrie Vineyards Chasselas Dore, Dundee Hills 2022 750ml $21.90 special, 10 bottles in stock now
Eric Guido-Vinous 90 points “More savory than sweet, the 2022 Chasselas Dore opens in the glass with an array of incense and dried flowers giving way to ginger-spiked green apples. It’s crisp and chiseled in feel, with bracing acidity enlivening its liquid stone core as sour melon hints settle on the senses. The 2022 tapers off dry, with medium length, yet perfectly refreshing.”
The Eyrie Vineyards Melon de Bourgogne, Dundee Hills 2019 750ml $41.90 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Eric Guido-Vinous 93 points “The 2019 Melon de Bourgogne is honeyed and floral, revealing an entrancing blend of raw almonds, pine nuts, basil and crushed green apples. It opens with a lovely inner sweetness, contrasted by sizzling acidity as ripe orchard fruits and minty herbal tones swirl throughout. Medium in length, this finishes remarkably fresh and lifted, with a note of lemony custard.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Cameron Winery Friulano, Dundee Hills 2023 750ml $41.90 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Winery Note “Friulano is generally considered to be the most significant white wine grape in NE Italy. And no one can top the amazing renditions of this wine than those that occur along the Slovenian border north of Trieste. Having been bestowed cuttings of friulano. many years ago, I set to work trying to emulate the best of these wines from the Collio. And while there are many to appreciate, the most inspiring to me was produced by Vitovska Vodopivec. Inspired by his techniques, we destemmed whole berries off clusters, filled a 300L clay amphora with this must, let ambient yeasts on the skins do their thing and after fermentation was completed, buttoned up the amphorae & let the wine rest on the skins for 60 days (yes you read that correctly). At this point the wine has a bit too much astringency for a white wine, but after 15-18 months in neutral oak barrel, it all comes together! Voila, we have a white wine which is truly a nectar of the gods. This is literally one of the most exciting white wines that Cameron has produced. The biggest problem with it is that our 300L amphora only yields around 300 bottles!”
Cayuse Vineyards Cailloux Vineyard Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2022 750ml $129 special, 6 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 96 points “Complex and tightly wound, this syrah, co-fermented with just a dash of viognier, offers a broad spectrum of aromas. Smoked meat, black olives, crushed violets and thyme are layered with blackberries and a hint of iodine. The palate is deep and structured, balancing juicy acidity with fine but broad and dusty tannins. The savory finish lingers, showing cracked pepper and turned earth. Very tight and compact, this needs some time in bottle. From biodynamically grown grapes. Try from 2028.”
France – Burgundy
Domaine Jean-Marc Pillot Morgeot Les Fairendes, Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru 2023 750ml $145 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Importer Note “Among the crus, Morgeot is known for its broad-shouldered wines, often the most rich and unctuous of Chassagne. In this case, Jean-Marc’s vines are located within the most renowned sector of Morgeot known as Les Fairendes, a–vineyard within a vineyard.” Poorer topsoil here facilitates a more profound mineral expression than is found in its surrounding area. Pillot owns a quarter-hectare of vines planted in 1970, and he has purposefully begun harvesting it a bit earlier the past few vintages to counterbalance the intense richness this site tends to engender. Les Fairendes delivers an appealing combination of textural generosity and firm acidity that characterizes the overall house style here–richness with finesse that elevates it above its more rustic colleagues.”
Domaine Jean-Marc Pillot Les Macherelles, Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru 2023 750ml $128 special, 1 bottle in stock now
Importer Note “Les Macherelles sits just to the south of the premier cru Les Chenevottes in the northern sector of Chassagne-Montrachet, immediately north of the village itself. Pillot’s 0.28 hectares of vines here were planted in the early 1950s, with a portion replanted in 1988, and this cuvée presents a remarkably stony nose, with focused, lean, strikingly refined flavors of lime zest and sea salt.”
Domaine Jean-Marc Pillot Les Vergers, Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru 2023 750ml $145 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Importer Note “Jean-Marc farms half a hectare of vines planted in the late 1940s in this premier cru, which sits immediately above Les Chenevottes and Les Macherelles on the slope, flanking them both. Always a standout in the lineup, it offers a nose of lemon-lime and quinine, and its minerality–while nonetheless formidable–melds sublimely into the fruit, contributing to an overall impression of seamless power.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Jean-Marc Pillot Chassagne-Montrachet Mes Vieilles Vignes Rouge 2020 750ml $41.90 special, 11 bottles in stock now
Importer Note “Jean-Marc produces a remarkable red Chassagne-Montrachet from just over a hectare of Pinot Noir vines planted in 1960, and this old-vine cuvée is noteworthy in its complexity—particularly for a villages-level wine. Exceptionally structured, it nonetheless offers a purity of fruit, plus a gently earthy, brambly edge which speaks clearly of its Chassagne origin … a village that should be more recognized for the high quality of its red wines, this being a prime example. 100% whole-cluster.”
Domaine Simon Bize et Fils Les Champlains Bourgogne Blanc 2022 750ml $57.50 special, 5 bottles in stock now
“Here too the nose displays notes of residual fermentation and reduction. There is slightly better volume to the delicious middleweight flavors that exhibit a touch of minerality on the overtly bitter lemon-infused finish where a touch of youthful austerity eventually emerges. Note that this is sufficiently tightly wound to reward several years of bottle aging. Drink: 2027+.” -Allen Meadows, Burghound
Domaine Simon Bize et Fils Savigny-les-Beaune Aux Grands Liards 2022 750ml $95 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Neal Martin-Vinous 91-93 points “The 2022 Savigny-lès-Beaune Les Grands Liards has a beguiling nose: dark berry fruit,cranberry, hints of iris floor and a light potpourri scent. Wonderful definition. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly powdery tannins at the moment. It offers crisp and vivacious dark berry fruit laced with Earl Grey, gently fanning out towards a refined and cohesive finish. Superb.”
Domaine Simon Bize et Fils Aux Vergelesses Blanc, Savigny-les-Beaune Premier Cru 2022 750ml $149 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Decanter 93 points “Retains surprising freshness for the vintage, with an attractive ripe apple and pear aroma, and an edge of citrus peel and mineral. The texture is substantial but still lively, and the combination of extract and acidity leads the wine to a persistent finish. The grapes are from 0.3ha planted in marl soils facing east and south, complementing the 1.9ha of red from this site.”
Domaine Simon Bize et Fils Les Marconnets, Savigny-les-Beaune Premier Cru 2022 750ml $129 special, 4 bottles in stock now
Neal Martin-Vinous 92-94 points “The 2022 Savigny-lès-Beaune Les Maconnets 1er Cru is a little more fruit-driven on the nose than Bize’s other cuvées, offering lifted blueberry and bilberry scents and hints of wild heather. The medium-bodied palate has fine-grain tannins, a little riper than the Aux Fournaux. There’s more flesh yet with plenty of structure exerting a huge grip, rending this approachable but with the ability to age in bottle. Classic Pinot Noir.”
Domaine Simon Bize et Fils Aux Vergelesses, Savigny-les-Beaune Premier Cru 2022 750ml $139 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Decanter 95 points “Bize owns 2.1 hectares here, including a half-hectare of Chardonnay. The red has an explosive blackberry and wild strawberry fruit aroma with hints of fresh and dried flowers, earth, and cigar leaf. The texture is tannic and firm but less tightly-wound than the 2020s. Fermentation is done as whole clusters; the wine is aged in cask, with just 5 – 10% new. When finished, this delicious wine should be approachable earlier than some vintages have been.”
Italy – Alto Adige
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Terlano Tradition Chardonnay Alto Adige 2023 750ml $21.90 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 89 points “Fresh and open-knit, with flavors of Golden Delicious, persimmon and elderflower, plus a touch of almond skin, all layered with well-cut acidity. Spiced finish. Drink now.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Terlano Tradition Muller Thurgau Alto Adige 2023 750ml $24 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Winery Note “Color: delicate pale yellow. Smell: A fine spicy aroma of grapefruit and white pepper enters into a highly harmonious relationship with ripe peaches. Taste: With a well-balanced structure and a lively acidity, this delicate and elegant Müller Thurgau is a highly convincing tipple. The Müller Thurgau grapes grow in our highest and steepest vineyards, which extend from 500 up to 900 meters above sea-level, where it produces very elegant wines with the peach and nutmeg flavors that are typical of the variety.”
Tradition Pinot Bianco Alto Adige 2023 750ml $21.90 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 90 points “Lithe and graceful, this bright sipper dances across the palate with flavors of Honeycrisp apple, peach skin, blanched almond, orchard blossoms and pickled ginger. Drink now. 16,000 cases made, 2,850 cases imported.”
Terlano Tradition Pinot Grigio Alto Adige 2024 750ml $21.90 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Winemaker Note “An extremely elegant wine is the Pinot Grigio with its multifaceted fruity bouquet. It convinces with its mild, round finish and balanced acidity.”
Italy – Tuscany
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Casa Emma Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG, Tuscany 2019 750ml $59 special, 26 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 94 points “An intense, fruity style, showing tension between its elegant side and firm, dusty tannins, while raspberry, cherry, red currant, rose hip, mint, pine and mineral flavors ply the space between. The finish is austere, yet this reveals lovely fruit and energy. Best from 2026 through 2045. 800 cases made, 350 cases imported.”
Spain
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Bodegas Albamar ‘Finca O Pereiro’ Albarino, Rias Baixas 2023 750ml $49 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 96 points “The stony and mineral 2023 Finca O Pereiro comes from a plot that was planted in 2004 on clay soils that usually give it more weight on the palate, but this year I find it to be very streamlined, austere and mineral, very tasty, almost salty. It fermented in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts—like all the wines here—and halfway through the fermentation, it was transferred to oak foudre where it matured for nine months. It has 13% alcohol and a pH of 3.24, keeping 6.1 grams of acidity. It is complex, deep and harmonious, with clout and elegance and a vibrant and salty mouthfeel. 6,666 bottles produced. It was bottled in June 2024.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Ameztoi Txakoli, Getariako Txakolina 2024 750ml $21.90 special, 32 bottles in stock now
Producer Note “Visual: pale white with greenish, his bright tone has a fine and elegant bubbles. Smelling: fine and sophisticated fragrance, reminiscent of green apples and grapes, with a minty note. To taste: dry in the beginning, harmonious in the mouth, has a wide and aromatic final, and cheerful by their bubbles.”
La Rioja Alta S.A. Vina Alberdi Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2020 750ml $24 special, 23 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 92 points “The younger wine here is the 2020 Viña Alberdi, a versatile version of the Haro reds. It was produced with Tempranillo fermented in stainless steel and matured in American oak barrels for two years (it’s sold as Reserva in international markets and Crianza in Spain). It has 14% alcohol with a pH of 3.6 and five grams of acidity. It has a classical nose of ripe fruit, American oak and spices, the subtle notes of forest floor, still young. The palate is velvety and very balanced with polished tannins. Approachable but should also age. 650,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in June 2023.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
La Rioja Alta S.A. Vina Arana Gran Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2015 750ml $44.50 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 94 points “Brilliant ruby. Energetic, spice- and smoke-accented black raspberry and candied cherry aromas are complemented by suggestions of rose oil, coconut and cured tobacco. Youthfully chewy and focused on entry, offering concentrated red and dark berry, cherry cola and candied licorice flavors that deepen steadily with air. Floral pastille and oak spice notes linger on the impressively long, smoketinged finish, which shows excellent clarity and polished tannins.”
Bodegas Muga Rosado, Rioja DOCa 2024 750ml $18 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Joaquin Hidalgo-Vinous 91 points “The 2024 Rosado Muga, from Alto Najerilla, was aged for 16 weeks on lees. Pale pink, with cherry and mild sour cherry aromas accented by rose petals, it’s light and fresh with malic acidity. Expressive and lively, this is a crisp, uncomplicated Rosé.
Bodegas Muga Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2021 750ml $33 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 94 points “The grapes for the 2021 Reserva (sold as Crianza in Spain), mostly Tempranillo with some Garnacha Tinta, Mazuelo and Graciano, were picked late in a cooler year when they finished the harvest the 20th of October, with plenty of times for the grapes to develop full aromas and flavors and complete ripeness. It fermented destemmed and lightly crushed in oak vats with indigenous yeasts, separating qualities, villages and soils, and matured in 80% French and 20% American oak barrels, 20% of them new, for 24 months, with racking every eight to nine months. It’s a textbook example of their style in a very good year, with power, concentration and clout, elegance and freshness. It was a very harmonious year; the cycle was long and the tannins ripened to perfection. It’s terrific and more so for the volume they produce (984,000 bottles of it). It was fined with egg whites and bottled in January 2024.”
Bodegas Muga ‘Prado Enea’ Gran Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2016 750ml $99 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 97+ points “The expressive, complex and nuanced 2016 Prado Enea Gran Reserva is a textbook traditional Rioja in the making. 2016 was a very elegant year, with aging potential, volume and very good acidity and freshness. It’s full-bodied but fine-boned, has 14.5% alcohol, a pH of 3.6 and 5.25 grams per liter acidity. It has terrific balance, with all the components in the right proportion to age superbly in bottle. They have also been working on the selection of wood used. This wine matured in French and American oak barrels for three years, and the oak is super integrated. 127,808 bottles produced. It was bottled in January 2020. It was an exceptional year with volume and quality.”
Sierra Cantabria Crianza, Rioja DOCa 2020 750ml $20.90 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Joaquin Hidalgo-Vinous 93 points “An intense Sonsierra wine with a modernist touch, the 2020 Crianza is 100% Tempranillo sourced from San Vicente de la Sonsierra and Labastida, Rioja. Aged for 14 months in oak barrels, this purple wine presents aromas of violets and cherry against a balsamic and herbal backdrop. Dry, juicy and compact on the palate, the taut, fine-grained tannins lead to a lingering, mouthwatering finish. This is a wellcrafted Rioja with an enticing style.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Sierra Cantabria Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2016 750ml $29 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Joaquin Hidalgo-Vinous 94 points “The 2016 Reserva is 100% Tempranillo sourced from San Vicente de la Sonsierra and Labastida, Rioja. Aged for 18 months in equal parts American and French oak barrels, this garnet wine unfolds balsamic, mint and bold garrigue-like aromas, accompanied by licorice and briar notes and a sour cherry core. Dry, chalky and juicy on the palate, the delicate and flavorful flow lingers long with a savory finish. Complex and nuanced, the 2016 captures the essence of Sonsierra Tempranillo.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Sierra Cantabria Gran Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2016 750ml $49 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 93+ points “The more classical of the producer’s bottlings in this tasting is the 2016 Gran Reserva, one of the few years when they got quantity and quality: the grapes ripened thoroughly and the wines reveal great balance. This is very clean and still young, only starting to develop more complex tertiary aromas of forest floor and truffles, still pretty fruit driven, with very fine and elegant tannins. The Tempranillo was complemented with 2% Graciano, and they try to select the grapes from north-facing vineyards, which have more freshness and aging potential. 30,000 bottles produced.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The Eyrie Vineyards Chasselas Dore, Dundee Hills 2022 750ml $21.90 special, 10 bottles in stock now
Eric Guido-Vinous 90 points “More savory than sweet, the 2022 Chasselas Dore opens in the glass with an array of incense and dried flowers giving way to ginger-spiked green apples. It’s crisp and chiseled in feel, with bracing acidity enlivening its liquid stone core as sour melon hints settle on the senses. The 2022 tapers off dry, with medium length, yet perfectly refreshing.”
The Eyrie Vineyards Melon de Bourgogne, Dundee Hills 2019 750ml $41.90 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Eric Guido-Vinous 93 points “The 2019 Melon de Bourgogne is honeyed and floral, revealing an entrancing blend of raw almonds, pine nuts, basil and crushed green apples. It opens with a lovely inner sweetness, contrasted by sizzling acidity as ripe orchard fruits and minty herbal tones swirl throughout. Medium in length, this finishes remarkably fresh and lifted, with a note of lemony custard.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Cameron Winery Friulano, Dundee Hills 2023 750ml $41.90 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Winery Note “Friulano is generally considered to be the most significant white wine grape in NE Italy. And no one can top the amazing renditions of this wine than those that occur along the Slovenian border north of Trieste. Having been bestowed cuttings of friulano. many years ago, I set to work trying to emulate the best of these wines from the Collio. And while there are many to appreciate, the most inspiring to me was produced by Vitovska Vodopivec. Inspired by his techniques, we destemmed whole berries off clusters, filled a 300L clay amphora with this must, let ambient yeasts on the skins do their thing and after fermentation was completed, buttoned up the amphorae & let the wine rest on the skins for 60 days (yes you read that correctly). At this point the wine has a bit too much astringency for a white wine, but after 15-18 months in neutral oak barrel, it all comes together! Voila, we have a white wine which is truly a nectar of the gods. This is literally one of the most exciting white wines that Cameron has produced. The biggest problem with it is that our 300L amphora only yields around 300 bottles!”
Cayuse Vineyards Cailloux Vineyard Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2022 750ml $129 special, 6 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 96 points “Complex and tightly wound, this syrah, co-fermented with just a dash of viognier, offers a broad spectrum of aromas. Smoked meat, black olives, crushed violets and thyme are layered with blackberries and a hint of iodine. The palate is deep and structured, balancing juicy acidity with fine but broad and dusty tannins. The savory finish lingers, showing cracked pepper and turned earth. Very tight and compact, this needs some time in bottle. From biodynamically grown grapes. Try from 2028.”
France – Burgundy
Domaine Jean-Marc Pillot Morgeot Les Fairendes, Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru 2023 750ml $145 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Importer Note “Among the crus, Morgeot is known for its broad-shouldered wines, often the most rich and unctuous of Chassagne. In this case, Jean-Marc’s vines are located within the most renowned sector of Morgeot known as Les Fairendes, a–vineyard within a vineyard.” Poorer topsoil here facilitates a more profound mineral expression than is found in its surrounding area. Pillot owns a quarter-hectare of vines planted in 1970, and he has purposefully begun harvesting it a bit earlier the past few vintages to counterbalance the intense richness this site tends to engender. Les Fairendes delivers an appealing combination of textural generosity and firm acidity that characterizes the overall house style here–richness with finesse that elevates it above its more rustic colleagues.”
Domaine Jean-Marc Pillot Les Macherelles, Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru 2023 750ml $128 special, 1 bottle in stock now
Importer Note “Les Macherelles sits just to the south of the premier cru Les Chenevottes in the northern sector of Chassagne-Montrachet, immediately north of the village itself. Pillot’s 0.28 hectares of vines here were planted in the early 1950s, with a portion replanted in 1988, and this cuvée presents a remarkably stony nose, with focused, lean, strikingly refined flavors of lime zest and sea salt.”
Domaine Jean-Marc Pillot Les Vergers, Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru 2023 750ml $145 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Importer Note “Jean-Marc farms half a hectare of vines planted in the late 1940s in this premier cru, which sits immediately above Les Chenevottes and Les Macherelles on the slope, flanking them both. Always a standout in the lineup, it offers a nose of lemon-lime and quinine, and its minerality–while nonetheless formidable–melds sublimely into the fruit, contributing to an overall impression of seamless power.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Jean-Marc Pillot Chassagne-Montrachet Mes Vieilles Vignes Rouge 2020 750ml $41.90 special, 11 bottles in stock now
Importer Note “Jean-Marc produces a remarkable red Chassagne-Montrachet from just over a hectare of Pinot Noir vines planted in 1960, and this old-vine cuvée is noteworthy in its complexity—particularly for a villages-level wine. Exceptionally structured, it nonetheless offers a purity of fruit, plus a gently earthy, brambly edge which speaks clearly of its Chassagne origin … a village that should be more recognized for the high quality of its red wines, this being a prime example. 100% whole-cluster.”
Domaine Simon Bize et Fils Les Champlains Bourgogne Blanc 2022 750ml $57.50 special, 5 bottles in stock now
“Here too the nose displays notes of residual fermentation and reduction. There is slightly better volume to the delicious middleweight flavors that exhibit a touch of minerality on the overtly bitter lemon-infused finish where a touch of youthful austerity eventually emerges. Note that this is sufficiently tightly wound to reward several years of bottle aging. Drink: 2027+.” -Allen Meadows, Burghound
Domaine Simon Bize et Fils Savigny-les-Beaune Aux Grands Liards 2022 750ml $95 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Neal Martin-Vinous 91-93 points “The 2022 Savigny-lès-Beaune Les Grands Liards has a beguiling nose: dark berry fruit,cranberry, hints of iris floor and a light potpourri scent. Wonderful definition. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly powdery tannins at the moment. It offers crisp and vivacious dark berry fruit laced with Earl Grey, gently fanning out towards a refined and cohesive finish. Superb.”
Domaine Simon Bize et Fils Aux Vergelesses Blanc, Savigny-les-Beaune Premier Cru 2022 750ml $149 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Decanter 93 points “Retains surprising freshness for the vintage, with an attractive ripe apple and pear aroma, and an edge of citrus peel and mineral. The texture is substantial but still lively, and the combination of extract and acidity leads the wine to a persistent finish. The grapes are from 0.3ha planted in marl soils facing east and south, complementing the 1.9ha of red from this site.”
Domaine Simon Bize et Fils Les Marconnets, Savigny-les-Beaune Premier Cru 2022 750ml $129 special, 4 bottles in stock now
Neal Martin-Vinous 92-94 points “The 2022 Savigny-lès-Beaune Les Maconnets 1er Cru is a little more fruit-driven on the nose than Bize’s other cuvées, offering lifted blueberry and bilberry scents and hints of wild heather. The medium-bodied palate has fine-grain tannins, a little riper than the Aux Fournaux. There’s more flesh yet with plenty of structure exerting a huge grip, rending this approachable but with the ability to age in bottle. Classic Pinot Noir.”
Domaine Simon Bize et Fils Aux Vergelesses, Savigny-les-Beaune Premier Cru 2022 750ml $139 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Decanter 95 points “Bize owns 2.1 hectares here, including a half-hectare of Chardonnay. The red has an explosive blackberry and wild strawberry fruit aroma with hints of fresh and dried flowers, earth, and cigar leaf. The texture is tannic and firm but less tightly-wound than the 2020s. Fermentation is done as whole clusters; the wine is aged in cask, with just 5 – 10% new. When finished, this delicious wine should be approachable earlier than some vintages have been.”
Italy – Alto Adige
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Terlano Tradition Chardonnay Alto Adige 2023 750ml $21.90 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 89 points “Fresh and open-knit, with flavors of Golden Delicious, persimmon and elderflower, plus a touch of almond skin, all layered with well-cut acidity. Spiced finish. Drink now.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Terlano Tradition Muller Thurgau Alto Adige 2023 750ml $24 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Winery Note “Color: delicate pale yellow. Smell: A fine spicy aroma of grapefruit and white pepper enters into a highly harmonious relationship with ripe peaches. Taste: With a well-balanced structure and a lively acidity, this delicate and elegant Müller Thurgau is a highly convincing tipple. The Müller Thurgau grapes grow in our highest and steepest vineyards, which extend from 500 up to 900 meters above sea-level, where it produces very elegant wines with the peach and nutmeg flavors that are typical of the variety.”
Tradition Pinot Bianco Alto Adige 2023 750ml $21.90 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 90 points “Lithe and graceful, this bright sipper dances across the palate with flavors of Honeycrisp apple, peach skin, blanched almond, orchard blossoms and pickled ginger. Drink now. 16,000 cases made, 2,850 cases imported.”
Terlano Tradition Pinot Grigio Alto Adige 2024 750ml $21.90 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Winemaker Note “An extremely elegant wine is the Pinot Grigio with its multifaceted fruity bouquet. It convinces with its mild, round finish and balanced acidity.”
Italy – Tuscany
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Casa Emma Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG, Tuscany 2019 750ml $59 special, 26 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 94 points “An intense, fruity style, showing tension between its elegant side and firm, dusty tannins, while raspberry, cherry, red currant, rose hip, mint, pine and mineral flavors ply the space between. The finish is austere, yet this reveals lovely fruit and energy. Best from 2026 through 2045. 800 cases made, 350 cases imported.”
Spain
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Bodegas Albamar ‘Finca O Pereiro’ Albarino, Rias Baixas 2023 750ml $49 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 96 points “The stony and mineral 2023 Finca O Pereiro comes from a plot that was planted in 2004 on clay soils that usually give it more weight on the palate, but this year I find it to be very streamlined, austere and mineral, very tasty, almost salty. It fermented in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts—like all the wines here—and halfway through the fermentation, it was transferred to oak foudre where it matured for nine months. It has 13% alcohol and a pH of 3.24, keeping 6.1 grams of acidity. It is complex, deep and harmonious, with clout and elegance and a vibrant and salty mouthfeel. 6,666 bottles produced. It was bottled in June 2024.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Ameztoi Txakoli, Getariako Txakolina 2024 750ml $21.90 special, 32 bottles in stock now
Producer Note “Visual: pale white with greenish, his bright tone has a fine and elegant bubbles. Smelling: fine and sophisticated fragrance, reminiscent of green apples and grapes, with a minty note. To taste: dry in the beginning, harmonious in the mouth, has a wide and aromatic final, and cheerful by their bubbles.”
La Rioja Alta S.A. Vina Alberdi Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2020 750ml $24 special, 23 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 92 points “The younger wine here is the 2020 Viña Alberdi, a versatile version of the Haro reds. It was produced with Tempranillo fermented in stainless steel and matured in American oak barrels for two years (it’s sold as Reserva in international markets and Crianza in Spain). It has 14% alcohol with a pH of 3.6 and five grams of acidity. It has a classical nose of ripe fruit, American oak and spices, the subtle notes of forest floor, still young. The palate is velvety and very balanced with polished tannins. Approachable but should also age. 650,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in June 2023.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
La Rioja Alta S.A. Vina Arana Gran Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2015 750ml $44.50 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 94 points “Brilliant ruby. Energetic, spice- and smoke-accented black raspberry and candied cherry aromas are complemented by suggestions of rose oil, coconut and cured tobacco. Youthfully chewy and focused on entry, offering concentrated red and dark berry, cherry cola and candied licorice flavors that deepen steadily with air. Floral pastille and oak spice notes linger on the impressively long, smoketinged finish, which shows excellent clarity and polished tannins.”
Bodegas Muga Rosado, Rioja DOCa 2024 750ml $18 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Joaquin Hidalgo-Vinous 91 points “The 2024 Rosado Muga, from Alto Najerilla, was aged for 16 weeks on lees. Pale pink, with cherry and mild sour cherry aromas accented by rose petals, it’s light and fresh with malic acidity. Expressive and lively, this is a crisp, uncomplicated Rosé.
Bodegas Muga Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2021 750ml $33 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 94 points “The grapes for the 2021 Reserva (sold as Crianza in Spain), mostly Tempranillo with some Garnacha Tinta, Mazuelo and Graciano, were picked late in a cooler year when they finished the harvest the 20th of October, with plenty of times for the grapes to develop full aromas and flavors and complete ripeness. It fermented destemmed and lightly crushed in oak vats with indigenous yeasts, separating qualities, villages and soils, and matured in 80% French and 20% American oak barrels, 20% of them new, for 24 months, with racking every eight to nine months. It’s a textbook example of their style in a very good year, with power, concentration and clout, elegance and freshness. It was a very harmonious year; the cycle was long and the tannins ripened to perfection. It’s terrific and more so for the volume they produce (984,000 bottles of it). It was fined with egg whites and bottled in January 2024.”
Bodegas Muga ‘Prado Enea’ Gran Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2016 750ml $99 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 97+ points “The expressive, complex and nuanced 2016 Prado Enea Gran Reserva is a textbook traditional Rioja in the making. 2016 was a very elegant year, with aging potential, volume and very good acidity and freshness. It’s full-bodied but fine-boned, has 14.5% alcohol, a pH of 3.6 and 5.25 grams per liter acidity. It has terrific balance, with all the components in the right proportion to age superbly in bottle. They have also been working on the selection of wood used. This wine matured in French and American oak barrels for three years, and the oak is super integrated. 127,808 bottles produced. It was bottled in January 2020. It was an exceptional year with volume and quality.”
Sierra Cantabria Crianza, Rioja DOCa 2020 750ml $20.90 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Joaquin Hidalgo-Vinous 93 points “An intense Sonsierra wine with a modernist touch, the 2020 Crianza is 100% Tempranillo sourced from San Vicente de la Sonsierra and Labastida, Rioja. Aged for 14 months in oak barrels, this purple wine presents aromas of violets and cherry against a balsamic and herbal backdrop. Dry, juicy and compact on the palate, the taut, fine-grained tannins lead to a lingering, mouthwatering finish. This is a wellcrafted Rioja with an enticing style.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Sierra Cantabria Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2016 750ml $29 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Joaquin Hidalgo-Vinous 94 points “The 2016 Reserva is 100% Tempranillo sourced from San Vicente de la Sonsierra and Labastida, Rioja. Aged for 18 months in equal parts American and French oak barrels, this garnet wine unfolds balsamic, mint and bold garrigue-like aromas, accompanied by licorice and briar notes and a sour cherry core. Dry, chalky and juicy on the palate, the delicate and flavorful flow lingers long with a savory finish. Complex and nuanced, the 2016 captures the essence of Sonsierra Tempranillo.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Sierra Cantabria Gran Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2016 750ml $49 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 93+ points “The more classical of the producer’s bottlings in this tasting is the 2016 Gran Reserva, one of the few years when they got quantity and quality: the grapes ripened thoroughly and the wines reveal great balance. This is very clean and still young, only starting to develop more complex tertiary aromas of forest floor and truffles, still pretty fruit driven, with very fine and elegant tannins. The Tempranillo was complemented with 2% Graciano, and they try to select the grapes from north-facing vineyards, which have more freshness and aging potential. 30,000 bottles produced.”
Nerd Alert!
Klein Constantia
Could there be a more satisfying conclusion to a good meal than pouring a small glass of stickie to pair with dessert? Discover the simple and classic pleasure of a sip of one of the finest dessert wines in the world, on par with d’Yquem quality… but not in price.
In Stock Now:
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Klein Constantia Vin de Constance Natural Sweet Wine, Constantia, South Africa 2018 500ml $79 special, 9 500ml-bottles in stock now
Anthony Mueller-Wine Advocate 97 points “Classic and expressive with seductive aromas of marmalade and honeysuckle, the 2020 Vin de Constance Natural Sweet Wine is fresh, balanced and complex, offering a delightful lift from 60% new oak. Clocking in at 13.5% alcohol, the palate displays a harmonious balance between fruit sweetness and energetic acidity. It has layers of complexity with impeccable breadth and depth. It may be one of the finest expressions of Vin de Constance to date, and it ends with succulent flavors of apricots, saffron, quince paste and sweet candied citrus tones over the long, ever-evolving finish. Aged for a year and a half in 50% new Hungarian and French oak barrels, followed by an additional year and a half of large format wooden foudre, only the best lots end up being selected for the final blend. Bravo! Run, don’t walk to buy this world-class sweet wine to put in your cellar!”
In Stock Now:
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Klein Constantia Vin de Constance Natural Sweet Wine, Constantia, South Africa 2018 500ml $79 special, 9 500ml-bottles in stock now
Anthony Mueller-Wine Advocate 97 points “Classic and expressive with seductive aromas of marmalade and honeysuckle, the 2020 Vin de Constance Natural Sweet Wine is fresh, balanced and complex, offering a delightful lift from 60% new oak. Clocking in at 13.5% alcohol, the palate displays a harmonious balance between fruit sweetness and energetic acidity. It has layers of complexity with impeccable breadth and depth. It may be one of the finest expressions of Vin de Constance to date, and it ends with succulent flavors of apricots, saffron, quince paste and sweet candied citrus tones over the long, ever-evolving finish. Aged for a year and a half in 50% new Hungarian and French oak barrels, followed by an additional year and a half of large format wooden foudre, only the best lots end up being selected for the final blend. Bravo! Run, don’t walk to buy this world-class sweet wine to put in your cellar!”
Shop our six South African selections now!
Sicilian Island Vibes:
Terre Nere & Occhipinti New Offers
Arriving August 8th
Terre Nere:
Marc De Grazia founded Tenuta delle Terre Nere over twenty years ago after falling in love with the unique terroir created by the still-active volcano. He was the first to bottle single-parcel wines from the indigenous grapes and brought international focus and admiration to this once-overlooked region. The terroir of high altitude and dark volcanic soils combined with the traditional model inspired by Burgundy help yield distinctive wines from the indigenous grape varieties.
Fiercely dedicated to the terroir of Etna and preserving old rootstocks, some pre-phylloxera vines date back over 130 years, De Grazia owns vines across ten parcels on the slopes Mount Etna. Most vines are between 50 to 100 years old. The single-vineyard red wines are 100% Nerello Mascalese, a variety known for producing wines of great elegance. The whites are based on Carricante, a grape that gives mineral, piercing wines akin to Chablis.
The wines of Terre Nere are an astonishing value considering their quality and terroir. It doesn’t get much better than this.
Arriving August 8th from Terre Nere:
Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Bianco 2024 750ml $31.90 pre-arrival special, 36+ bottles available
Eric Guido-Vinous 90 points “A whiff of lemon oil mixes with sweet mint and crushed rocks as the 2024 Etna Bianco opens in the glass. This is juicy and playful in feel with ripe melon and a cascade of inner florals that swirl throughout. It leaves a salty sensation and nuances of candied citrus on the wickedly fresh finish.”
Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Rosato 2024 750ml $31.90 pre-arrival special, 36 bottles available
Eric Guido-Vinous 91 points “Dusty and floral, the 2024 Etna Rosato lifts up with a delicate mix of peach, ripe melon and minty herbs. It’s juicy in character with crisp white cherry-berry tones that resonate. The 2024 tapers off with a gentle tension as hints of wild strawberry slowly fade.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Tenuta delle Terre Nere Calderara Sottana Etna Rosso 2023 750ml $69 pre-arrival special, 36 bottles available
Eric Guido-Vinous 96+ points “The 2023 Etna Rosso Calderara Sottana is dreamy, with a perfumed bouquet of rose, violet, smoke and sour citrus. This is wildly energetic and spry, with crisp red berry fruits and crunchy mineral tones that create an amazing tactile feel as sweet spice tones resonate throughout. The 2023 closes down hard through the finish, as expected in its youthful state. A saturation of crushed wild blueberry and lavender fades slowly.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Tenuta delle Terre Nere ‘Moganazzi’ Etna Rosso 2023 750ml $59 pre-arrival special, 9 bottles available
Eric Guido-Vinous 93 points “A dusting of sweet spice and minty herbs blows off to reveal dried black cherry and shavings of cedar as the 2023 Etna Rosso Moganazzi comes to life in the glass. This is cool and supple with an exotic tinge of tropical citrus that elevates its ripe wild berry fruits. The 2023 leaves a situation of primary concentration further enhanced by edgy tannins balanced by a bump of juicy acidity. The Moganazzi is already strutting its stuff, yet this has the balance for a steady evolution.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Tenuta delle Terre Nere Prephylloxera ‘La Vigna di Don Peppino’ Calderara Sottana Rosso Etna 2023 750ml $159 pre-arrival special, 15 bottles available
Eric Guido-Vinous 97 points “The 2023 Etna Rosso Prephylloxera La Vigna di Don Peppino Calderara Sottana opens like a flower shop on the nose, intensely layered with depths of black cherry and spice. This is more lifted and graceful than expected, with a sour citrus tinge, tart wild berry fruits and mineral tones. Edgy tannins pinch at the cheeks as the 2023 resonates with blue and purple inner florals and a bitter licorice concentration that lingers impossibly long.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Tenuta delle Terre Nere ‘San Lorenzo’ Etna Rosso 2023 750ml $69 pre-arrival special, 18 bottles available
Eric Guido-Vinous 97 points “The 2023 Etna Rosso San Lorenzo is surprisingly rich and spicy in this vintage. Cloves and cinnamon sticks combine with hints of cherry sauce and blood orange. This is elegant in style, with seamlessly silken textures and depths of ripe red berry fruits that saturate the palate in primary concentration. Powerful and potent, the 2023 finishes with extreme length and a staining of liquid lavender that lingers for well over a minute. The 2023 is unlike any San Lorenzo I’ve yet tasted. This has unbelievable depth.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Tenuta delle Terre Nere Santo Spirito Rosso Etna 2023 750ml $59 pre-arrival special, 12 bottles available
Eric Guido-Vinous 94 points “The 2023 Etna Rosso Santo Spirito is moody in the glass. Dusty rose aromas combine with notes of pine and wild berries, all complicated by a hint of cocoa. Soothingly round and pliant, it splashes across the palate with an array of ripe red and blue fruits guided by vibrant acidity. A saturation of fine tannins emerges through the finish as this tapers off with amazing length and potency, leaving an air of lavender pastille to linger on. The 2023 is a gorgeous interpretation of Santo Spirito.”
Occhipinti:
Arianna Occhipinti is the niece of the legendary winemaker Giusto Occhpinti of COS, where she received her first training as a teenager. Her vineyard’s proximity to the ocean and the nearby Iblei mountains creates a massive diurnal temperature shift between day and night, directly translating into higher acids and a fresher profile.
The grapes for all her wines are grown without any chemical intervention on traditional Sicilian bushvines (Called Albarello in Sicilian) well off the beaten path from other more well-known production zones like Agrigento or Etna.
Arriving August 8th from Occhipinti:
Arianna Occhipinti SP68 Bianco Sicilia IGT 2024 750ml $33 pre-arrival special, 24 bottles available
No reviews for the 2024 vintage. 2023 review provided for reference.
Eric Guido-Vinous 90 points “The 2023 Bianco SP68 is distinctly savory, as wild herbs and wet concrete give way to crushed nectarines. This is soothingly round and supple with a spicy tinge of ginger up front, leading to tart orchard fruits and a cascade of salty minerals. The 2023 finishes vividly fresh yet still potent, leaving hints of green melon and lime zest that linger on and on. Allow the Bianco SP68 some time to open in the bottle to express its aromatics properly. Drink: 2024-2027.”
Arianna Occhipinti SP68 Sicilia Rosso IGT 2024 750ml $33 pre-arrival special, 24 bottles available
No reviews for the 2024 vintage. 2023 review provided for reference.
Eric Guido-Vinous 91 points “The 2023 Rosso SP68 is pretty and perfumed, with a blend of crushed roses and violets accentuating blackberries, white smoke and wet stones. It washes across the palate with a liquid floral concentration and tart wild berry fruits, all guided by a core of brisk acidity. The 2023 leaves the mouth salivating as a tart cranberry crunchiness resonates and hints of blood orange slowly fade. resonates and hints of blood orange slowly fade.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today for the magnum!
Arianna Occhipinti Il Frappato Terre Siciliane IGT 2023 750ml $54.50 pre-arrival special, 24 bottles available
Arianna Occhipinti Il Frappato Terre Siciliane IGT 2023 1.5L $109 pre-arrival special, 3 magnums available
Decanter 93 points “You can feel all of Arianna Occhipinti’s tremendous energy and passion in her wines. The 2023 Il Frappato marks the 20th vintage of this landmark wine for the region. A dark cherry fragrance predominates, while the tight and bright palate is wound around a sapid core with gentle phenolic grip, balanced by breezy herbs and a hint of strawberry on the finish. Pure class. Organic.”
Marc De Grazia founded Tenuta delle Terre Nere over twenty years ago after falling in love with the unique terroir created by the still-active volcano. He was the first to bottle single-parcel wines from the indigenous grapes and brought international focus and admiration to this once-overlooked region. The terroir of high altitude and dark volcanic soils combined with the traditional model inspired by Burgundy help yield distinctive wines from the indigenous grape varieties.
Fiercely dedicated to the terroir of Etna and preserving old rootstocks, some pre-phylloxera vines date back over 130 years, De Grazia owns vines across ten parcels on the slopes Mount Etna. Most vines are between 50 to 100 years old. The single-vineyard red wines are 100% Nerello Mascalese, a variety known for producing wines of great elegance. The whites are based on Carricante, a grape that gives mineral, piercing wines akin to Chablis.
The wines of Terre Nere are an astonishing value considering their quality and terroir. It doesn’t get much better than this.
Arriving August 8th from Terre Nere:
Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Bianco 2024 750ml $31.90 pre-arrival special, 36+ bottles available
Eric Guido-Vinous 90 points “A whiff of lemon oil mixes with sweet mint and crushed rocks as the 2024 Etna Bianco opens in the glass. This is juicy and playful in feel with ripe melon and a cascade of inner florals that swirl throughout. It leaves a salty sensation and nuances of candied citrus on the wickedly fresh finish.”
Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Rosato 2024 750ml $31.90 pre-arrival special, 36 bottles available
Eric Guido-Vinous 91 points “Dusty and floral, the 2024 Etna Rosato lifts up with a delicate mix of peach, ripe melon and minty herbs. It’s juicy in character with crisp white cherry-berry tones that resonate. The 2024 tapers off with a gentle tension as hints of wild strawberry slowly fade.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Tenuta delle Terre Nere Calderara Sottana Etna Rosso 2023 750ml $69 pre-arrival special, 36 bottles available
Eric Guido-Vinous 96+ points “The 2023 Etna Rosso Calderara Sottana is dreamy, with a perfumed bouquet of rose, violet, smoke and sour citrus. This is wildly energetic and spry, with crisp red berry fruits and crunchy mineral tones that create an amazing tactile feel as sweet spice tones resonate throughout. The 2023 closes down hard through the finish, as expected in its youthful state. A saturation of crushed wild blueberry and lavender fades slowly.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Tenuta delle Terre Nere ‘Moganazzi’ Etna Rosso 2023 750ml $59 pre-arrival special, 9 bottles available
Eric Guido-Vinous 93 points “A dusting of sweet spice and minty herbs blows off to reveal dried black cherry and shavings of cedar as the 2023 Etna Rosso Moganazzi comes to life in the glass. This is cool and supple with an exotic tinge of tropical citrus that elevates its ripe wild berry fruits. The 2023 leaves a situation of primary concentration further enhanced by edgy tannins balanced by a bump of juicy acidity. The Moganazzi is already strutting its stuff, yet this has the balance for a steady evolution.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Tenuta delle Terre Nere Prephylloxera ‘La Vigna di Don Peppino’ Calderara Sottana Rosso Etna 2023 750ml $159 pre-arrival special, 15 bottles available
Eric Guido-Vinous 97 points “The 2023 Etna Rosso Prephylloxera La Vigna di Don Peppino Calderara Sottana opens like a flower shop on the nose, intensely layered with depths of black cherry and spice. This is more lifted and graceful than expected, with a sour citrus tinge, tart wild berry fruits and mineral tones. Edgy tannins pinch at the cheeks as the 2023 resonates with blue and purple inner florals and a bitter licorice concentration that lingers impossibly long.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Tenuta delle Terre Nere ‘San Lorenzo’ Etna Rosso 2023 750ml $69 pre-arrival special, 18 bottles available
Eric Guido-Vinous 97 points “The 2023 Etna Rosso San Lorenzo is surprisingly rich and spicy in this vintage. Cloves and cinnamon sticks combine with hints of cherry sauce and blood orange. This is elegant in style, with seamlessly silken textures and depths of ripe red berry fruits that saturate the palate in primary concentration. Powerful and potent, the 2023 finishes with extreme length and a staining of liquid lavender that lingers for well over a minute. The 2023 is unlike any San Lorenzo I’ve yet tasted. This has unbelievable depth.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Tenuta delle Terre Nere Santo Spirito Rosso Etna 2023 750ml $59 pre-arrival special, 12 bottles available
Eric Guido-Vinous 94 points “The 2023 Etna Rosso Santo Spirito is moody in the glass. Dusty rose aromas combine with notes of pine and wild berries, all complicated by a hint of cocoa. Soothingly round and pliant, it splashes across the palate with an array of ripe red and blue fruits guided by vibrant acidity. A saturation of fine tannins emerges through the finish as this tapers off with amazing length and potency, leaving an air of lavender pastille to linger on. The 2023 is a gorgeous interpretation of Santo Spirito.”
Occhipinti:
Arianna Occhipinti is the niece of the legendary winemaker Giusto Occhpinti of COS, where she received her first training as a teenager. Her vineyard’s proximity to the ocean and the nearby Iblei mountains creates a massive diurnal temperature shift between day and night, directly translating into higher acids and a fresher profile.
The grapes for all her wines are grown without any chemical intervention on traditional Sicilian bushvines (Called Albarello in Sicilian) well off the beaten path from other more well-known production zones like Agrigento or Etna.
Arriving August 8th from Occhipinti:
Arianna Occhipinti SP68 Bianco Sicilia IGT 2024 750ml $33 pre-arrival special, 24 bottles available
No reviews for the 2024 vintage. 2023 review provided for reference.
Eric Guido-Vinous 90 points “The 2023 Bianco SP68 is distinctly savory, as wild herbs and wet concrete give way to crushed nectarines. This is soothingly round and supple with a spicy tinge of ginger up front, leading to tart orchard fruits and a cascade of salty minerals. The 2023 finishes vividly fresh yet still potent, leaving hints of green melon and lime zest that linger on and on. Allow the Bianco SP68 some time to open in the bottle to express its aromatics properly. Drink: 2024-2027.”
Arianna Occhipinti SP68 Sicilia Rosso IGT 2024 750ml $33 pre-arrival special, 24 bottles available
No reviews for the 2024 vintage. 2023 review provided for reference.
Eric Guido-Vinous 91 points “The 2023 Rosso SP68 is pretty and perfumed, with a blend of crushed roses and violets accentuating blackberries, white smoke and wet stones. It washes across the palate with a liquid floral concentration and tart wild berry fruits, all guided by a core of brisk acidity. The 2023 leaves the mouth salivating as a tart cranberry crunchiness resonates and hints of blood orange slowly fade. resonates and hints of blood orange slowly fade.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today for the magnum!
Arianna Occhipinti Il Frappato Terre Siciliane IGT 2023 750ml $54.50 pre-arrival special, 24 bottles available
Arianna Occhipinti Il Frappato Terre Siciliane IGT 2023 1.5L $109 pre-arrival special, 3 magnums available
Decanter 93 points “You can feel all of Arianna Occhipinti’s tremendous energy and passion in her wines. The 2023 Il Frappato marks the 20th vintage of this landmark wine for the region. A dark cherry fragrance predominates, while the tight and bright palate is wound around a sapid core with gentle phenolic grip, balanced by breezy herbs and a hint of strawberry on the finish. Pure class. Organic.”
Shop our twenty-six in-stock and on the way Sicilian wines!
Don’t miss our additional sales going on now:
Oregon Chardonnay
5% off any 3-5 in-stock bottles of Oregon Chardonnay
10% off any 6+ or more in-stock bottles of Oregon Chardonnay
Tenuta Degli Dei
10% off 4-7 bottles of Tenuta Degli Dei
15% off any 8 or more bottles of Tenuta Degli Dei
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Oregon Chardonnay sale ends Tuesday, July 29th at 9 am Pacific. Tenuta Degli Dei sale ends Wednesday, July 30th at 9 am Pacific.