Ameztoi Rubentis:
The Cult Rosé Returns
Clos Erasmus
New Grapelive Review
For a Mini-GG Riesling
Cameron Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
Blink and You’ll Miss It
2016 Domaine des Bosquets
In Stock Now & Arriving Wednesday!
New Lower Price on Ayoub
Trending Wines
Domaine Forey
Staff Pick!
The Cult Rosé Returns
Ameztoi Rubentis
Ameztoi’s Rubentis is one of the fastest wines to sell out every year. This rosé (ok, rosato) Txakolina is a harbinger of warmer weather, even if it’s usually out of stock by the time it’s of full utility. Slightly spritzy, pale pink and pleasantly dry and citric, it’s the perfect wine for drinking outside in the sun. We’ve acquired a larger allocation than ever, but this is a wine that goes quickly. The wine arrives on Friday and we’d encourage you to stock up now for your peak of summer drinking.
Arriving Friday:
Ameztoi Rubentis Rosado, Getariako Txakolina 2018 750ML ($24.95) $19 pre-arrival special
VinopolNote: The long-awaited and lightly fizzy pink from the Basque region in Spain! A staff favorite. Always light, bright, fresh, salty and fun. The perfect aperitif wine for spring and summer.
The next best price is $22.99
In Stock Now:
Ayres Estate Rose of Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2018 750ML ($19.95) $17 special
Winery note “A Rose of Pinot Noir where you can actually experience the Pinot Noir! We deliberately pick this block of Pinot Noir specifically for our Rose. We find our eastern-most Pommard rows offers a nice spicy element to this Rose. Try it. You’ll like it.”
Case-12 Chateau Gassier Cotes de Provence ‘Esprit Gassier’ Rose 2018 750ML ($249.95) $196 special (that’s only $16.33/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Importer Note “‘Esprit Gassier’ is the ‘Gassier Spirit’ that combines the exceptional terroir of the Sainte-Victoire region with Côtes de Provence varietals to produce a wine that expresses the family’s passion, expertise and creativity. The beautiful label, designed by a local artist, is silk-screened on the bottle to create a striking package. A very clear rosé with shades of peach. Intense nose with delicate aromas of white flowers and white fruit (peach). A second nose unveils spicy notes as well as scents of clementine. The mouth is round with notes of citrus fruits and a slight and healthy final acidity.”
Winery note “The Malbec, Tannat and Cab france were picked when the acid was bright and the sugars moderate, and whole clusters pressed directly. The juice was allowed to brown by oxygen and then racked into half stainless steel and half neutral barrels for fermentation. It’s a pale salmon color this year full of bright citrus, floral and red fruit. 67% Malbec, 25% Tannat and 8% Cab franc. On a warm, bluebird, autumn day of harvest, gorgeously glowing red fruit from the Rogue Valley rolled down the sorting table leaving a stream of rosy colored juice in its wake. Across the table I saw the same colored reflected in the sweet little faces of my dear friends’ babies and I knew I needed to make a rosé.”
Drink Pink! Shop our entire selection of rosé wines by clicking here.
Clos Erasmus
Clos Erasmus represents her finest wine and a truly spectacular example of what the region is capable of. Rich, bold and powerful, the wines nonetheless display remarkable subtlety and grace, which is the calling card of her style. She also produces a second wine, called Laurel, which displays all of the style and panache of the estate at a very approachable price tag.
Newly Arrived:
Clos i Terrasses Clos Erasmus, Priorat DOCa 2016 750ML ($219.95) $169 special
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 95-99 points “I sampled a number of different barrels that will contribute to the blend of the 2016 Clos Erasmus, which should be bottled around May 2018, and I couldn’t help but to report on what promises to be a fresh and balanced year. I tasted Syrah and Garnacha from two vineyards (Escales and Socarrat) from new and second use Taransaud barrels that showed very young and precise, somewhat tender, with very precise flavors and velvety texture. There might be some 2,500 bottles of the 2016. But not all of the Syrah will make it into the blend, and there is also a 700-liter amphora I didn’t taste that will also be a component of the final blend (but usually not all 700 liters of it). In addition, I tasted some seven different components of the 2016 Laurel that also looked to be phenomenal!”
The average listed price is $194
Clos i Terrasses Clos Erasmus ‘Laurel’, Priorat DOCa 2016 750ML ($59.95) $41.90 special
No review yet, but this vintage looks “to be phenomenal” per Luis Gutierrez of the Wine Advocate!
The average listed price is $52
New Grapelive Review
For a Mini-GG Riesling
Arriving Friday:
Weingut Carl Loewen Maximiner Klosterlay Riesling, Mosel 2017 ($34.95) $26 special
Grapelive 93 points “The premier cru Maximin Klosterlay, which is all grey slate terroir driven, has made for some outrageously stunning Kabinett(s), but now with Christopher at the helm is Trocken, and this 2017 is so good, you’d be forgiven for not thinking you were drinking a top GG, such is the presence in the glass here, this is serious stuff. The nose starts with that slate smoky intensity before allowing rosewater and chamomile to show that leads to a layered, but crunchy mineral laced palate with salty stones, ginger spice and lovely range of yellow fruits, with apple, apricot, lime, kiwi and quinces. This is brisk and powerful Riesling with plenty of pure extract, ripe golden hues, flavors and vivid acidity, this is a wine that will appeal to Riesling freaks, like me, but also those that love flinty wines, like Premier Cru Chablis and or Cru Sancerre as well. Air brings out texture and adds some peach, cheesy/leesy notes and earthy tones, making for a wine of stylish complexity and a remarkable value for the price, this Riesling is sleeper in Loewen’s latest set of awesomeness, and while I love his Herrenberg 1896 wines, coming from German’s oldest Riesling ungrafted vines, this Klosterlay Trocken is exceptional.”
The next best price is $29.99
Love German Riesling? So do we! Did you know that we offer one of the largest selections in the world? Shop all of our 383 different German Rieslings by clicking here.
Cameron Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
Blink & You’ll Miss It
Arriving March 29th
Cameron Winery Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2017 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 pre-arrival special
2016 Domaine des Bosquets
In Stock Now & Arriving Wednesday!
Domaine des Bosquets has quickly vaulted into the stratosphere of top producers in the Southern Rhone. All it took was a generational change, as Julien Brechet’s uncompromising drive for quality has changed Bosquets from a solid but unspectacular producer to one deservedly commanding some of the top prices in the region.
On the subject of pricing, ours is fantastic—and when you combine our prices with the fact that the top Gigondas is undervalued relative to Chateauneuf, you get some of the best deals in the world of top Rhone wines. The “basic” Gigondas is an intense, rich wine that puts a lot of $50 bottles to shame and the high end wines…well, yes, they’re that much better. We have several bottlings in stock now and a few more on the way—so snap these up if you love classic Gigondas
In Stock Now:
“a terrific introduction to the fruit-forward style at this estate”
Domaine des Bosquets Gigondas, Rhone 2016 750ML ($31.95) $26 special
Jeb Dunnuck 92 points “Leading off the wines from bottle, the 2016 Gigondas is a classic wine from this estate, offering a deeper ruby/purple color as well as tons of garrigue, peppery spice, and earth intermixed with ample red and black fruits. Polished, rounded and sexy, with sweet tannin, it has a modern style that won’t appeal to traditionalists yet is beautifully done. The blend is 60% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, and the rest Cinsault.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 92 points “Vivid ruby-red. Lively, expansive red berry, floral pastille and white pepper scents, along with suggestions of garrigue and smoky minerals. Sweet, focused and seamless in the mouth, offering juicy raspberry, spicecake and lavender flavors that deepen steadily on the back half. Clings with very good authority on the gently tannic finish and leaves succulent floral and herb notes behind.”
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 92 points “Hints of garrigue accent raspberries and Rainier cherries in the 2016 Gigondas. This blend of 60% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre and 5% Cinsault is full-bodied and supple, with no hard edges, just lovely fruit. Long, seamless and delicious for drinking over the next 6-7 years, it’s a terrific introduction to the fruit-forward style at this estate. Tasted twice with consistent notes.”
The average listed price is $31
Domaine des Bosquets Gigondas La Colline, Rhone 2016 750ML ($89.95) $69 special
Jeb Dunnuck 97+ points “The 2016 Gigondas La Colline (100% Grenache from a tiny corner of the La Colline vineyard) gives a big blast of blackberry and kirsch fruit to go with complex garrigue, toasted spice, and dried earth. This full-bodied beauty packs an incredible amount of richness and depth into a seamless, silky, elegant, thrilling package. It’s going to benefit from 1-2 years of bottle age and knock your socks off over the following decade or more.”
Jeb Dunnuck 96-100 points “Utterly sensational, and unquestionably one of the top 2-3 wines in the vintage, the 2016 Gigondas La Colline is 100% Grenache that’s from the La Colline lieu-dit which is close to the domain, at an elevation of 350 meters above sea-level. It was mostly destemmed (there are 20% stems), fermented in concrete tanks and aging all in 2-4-year-old demi-muids. Notes of Camphor, black raspberries, strawberries, crushed rocks, garrigue and ground pepper all flow to an incredibly layered, concentrated 2016 that has sweet tannin, and an opulent, decadent profile that never seems heavy or over the top. It’s a tour de force in winemaking and hats off to the young Julien Brechet for this incredible wine. There are only 250 cases for the world, so don’t miss a chance to latch onto a few bottles.”
Wine Spectator 96 points “This delivers a gorgeous display of fruit, with raspberry, boysenberry and blackberry notes in lockstep as they race through, infused with light anise, bergamot and rooibos tea accents along the way. The racy, chalky structure holds the finish, giving this sleek tension. Best from 2020 through 2036.”
Domaine des Bosquets Gigondas Le Lieu Dit, Rhone 2016 750ML ($79.95) $59 special
Jeb Dunnuck 97 points “From a cooler terroir of sandy soils just beside the domaine, the 2016 Gigondas Le Lieu Dit is another tour de force from this brilliant estate. It sports a medium ruby color as well as a rocking bouquet of kirsch, blackberry liqueur, rose petals, damp earth, incense, and spice. Ultra-fine, seamless, elegant, and pure, it’s nevertheless powerful and rich, with awesome intensity. Readers need to snatch up this blockbuster.”
Jeb Dunnuck 96-98 points “The 2016 Gigondas Le Lieu-Dit is also 100% Grenache and comes from a parcel just beside the winery. This is a cooler, sandy terroir and the style of this cuvée is dramatically different than the La Colline cuvée, showing a much more finesse-driven, elegant, ethereal style. Nevertheless, the 2016 is one of the larger, richer example of the cuvée and sports a deep, inky color as well as to die for notes of black raspberries, crème de cassis, crushed pepper, and ground herbs. With full-bodied richness, polished, sweet tannin, no hard edges and a fabulous length, it’s another best to date cuvée from this estate.”
Wine Spectator 95 points “Deliciously ripe, featuring a bright and lively display of red currant, raspberry and blackberry coulis flavors that race along, underscored by fine but persistent chalky tannins and backed by lilac, violet, rooibos tea and savory notes along the way. The long finish ripples with fresh acidity. Best from 2020 through 2036.”
Arriving Wednesday, March 20th:
Famille Brechet Domaine des Bosquets Gigondas Le Plateau, Rhone 2016 750ML ($79.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 95 points “Bright and juicy, with lovely plum, anise, boysenberry and black cherry compote flavors. Racy acidity and a fine chalky spine give this an elegant profile overall, with a silky texture and refinement in the end. Best from 2019 through 2035.”
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 95 points “Virtually all Mourvèdre (there are a few Grenache and Syrah vines mixed in), the 2016 Gigondas Le Plateau was fermented as whole bunches and developed an exotic nose, ranging from hints of flowers and herbs to fraises des bois, cherries, plums and pineapple. It’s full-bodied and rich, with a supple mid-palate and firm tannins on the finish. Tasted twice, with consistent notes.”
Jeb Dunnuck 94-97 points “A new cuvée made from a parcel selection of old vine Mourvèdre (there are smaller amounts of Syrah, Cinsault, and Grenache) planted on a north-facing, limestone plateau, the 2016 Gigondas Le Plateau sports an inky purple color as well as more black and blue fruits, loads of pepper and garrigue like nuances, full-bodied richness, and a thick, opulent, unctuous texture. It’s a singular beauty that has building tannin and loads of potential, and I can’t wait to taste this from bottle.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 94 points “Bright violet. Expressive blackberry, cassis, incense and spicecake scents show impressive clarity and pick up a smoky mineral nuance with air. Sweet and seamless in the mouth, offering deeply concentrated red and dark fruit preserve, star anise and violet pastille flavors that are given focus and spine by a core of juicy acidity. Deftly blends richness and finesse and finishes extremely long and sappy; pliant tannins add shape and grip.”
In Stock Now:
Ayoub Chardonnay, Dundee Hills 2017 750ML ($59.95) Was $49, Now $41.90, 13 bottles in stock now
Winery note “This is why Oregon is made for world class Chardonnay. The nose has sentiments of lemon zest, pear, honeycomb and brioche. It’s palate is rich with beautiful acid and minerality creating a perfectly balanced wine that will age for as long as you are patient. Focused, energetic and cellar-worthy. Best from mid-2019 to 2027.”
Winery note “Memoirs is my fond personal tribute to my family. This year’s label features a picture of parents at my uncle’s house in the early 70’s. The 2017 Memoirs is a blend of Pinot Noir crafted from all the vineyards I source my fruit from. The nose has incredible aromatics of black cherry, cranberry, graham cracker and allspice. Just from the smell your senses will be provoked. That palate is full bodied with vanilla and black cherry finishing with dusty tannins. This is a flavorful expression of Pinot Noir that has everyone asking for more. It’s a gorgeous & complex wine that is approachable young but will cellar for many years. Best from 2019 to 2030.”
The average listed price is $39
Wine Spectator 91 points “Supple and generous, with vibrant raspberry and hibiscus tea flavors that build richness on the finish. Drink now through 2024. 155 cases made.”
The next best price is $55.82
Winery note “Why ??? Vineyards? Simple, I could not put the name of the vineyards on the label. Sourcing from some of the Dundee Hills finest fruit, the wine quality is tremendous. Flavors of Raspberry, strawberry and mandarin orange dominate the nose and roll into the palate. Red fruit dominated mid-palate with velvety texture lends to a juicy wine with incredible balance. This wine will leave your mouth watering for another glass.. Best from 2020 to 2028.”
Wine Spectator 94 points “Refined, generous and well-built, with expressive raspberry, orange peel and spice flavors that develop tension and richness toward polished tannins. Drink now through 2025.”
Winery note “This is the second release from Anonimo Vineyard, a new vineyard I planted on a great site that I leased in Dundee Hills located near my Estate Vineyard. The four acres lot was planted with nine different clones of Pinot Noir which gives this wine it’s beautiful complexity. Captivating nose with chocolate covered cherries, cinnamon, white pepper with a hint of leather and smoke. The palate leads with dark red fruit that is integrated with distinct tannin structure, juicy acidity, accented with mineral and spice. This is a savory expression of Pinot Noir revealing an assortment of flavors that makes for a broad and inspiring tasting experience. This wine was fermented with 18% Whole Cluster. Tempting to drink now but will develop beautifully with time. Best from 2020 to 2030.”
The average listed price is $55
Winery note “This is a nuanced and captivating red wine. Very aromatic with violet, rose petal, white pepper and cardamom/cinnamon. Seamless and powerful on the palate, with layers of succulent fruit and spice, incredible energy. The harmonious and very expansive finish showcases the wine great structure and lingers endlessly. This is a gorgeous wine, although tempting to drink now, the longer you can wait to drink it the more rewarding it will be. 100% Whole cluster. Best from 2020 to 2032.”
Weingut Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Spatlese, Nahe 2017 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Stuart Pigott-jamessuckling.com 99 points “Most people who drink wine know what a ripe peach tastes like. However, this wine gives you a completely new appreciation of the meaning of the word “peach”. Beyond that, it possesses subtlety that is extremely rare anywhere in the world of food and wine. From organically grown grapes. Fair’n Green certification. Absolutely delicious now, but could be held for decades.”
The average listed price is $65
Olivier Riviere ‘El Cadastro’, Arlanza, Spain 2014 750ML ($39.95) $28 special
Case-12 Olivier Riviere ‘El Cadastro’, Arlanza, Spain 2014 750ML ($419.95) $299 special (that’s only $24.92/bottle!)
Luis Gutierez-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2013 was not produced, so we jumped to the 2014 Viñas del Cadastro, an old-vine cuvée with some varieties mixed in the field together with the Tempranillo, mostly some Garnacha, but also some isolated plants of Bobal, Garnacha Tintorera or other varieties. This is a ‘domaine’ wine, produced with grapes from his own vineyards, including the grapes from his flagship vineyard El Quemado in the years where it’s not bottled. There is a lot more depth and complexity here; it’s not heavy at all and it’s very balanced, and it feels like a very good vintage for this wine. It was produced with extremely low yields, some 1,500 kilos of grapes from hectare, but it doesn’t have the astringency you often find in very low yields; the vines seem to have achieved very good balance. It combines floral notes with some red and black wild berries and just a spicy twist. The wine opens up nicely with time in the glass. The tannins are very fine with the subtle austerity from the stony, deep gravel soils, coming through as extremely elegant and definitively fresher than 2012, with the alcohol pretty integrated despite having some 14.5% by volume. This is a superb Arlanza, by far the best wine I know from the small appellation. This isn’t cheap, but for the quality, it still represents very good value. 6,000 bottles were filled in September 2016. Frenchman Olivier Rivière has decided to only release his top wine from Arlanza, El Quemado, in the very best vintages, so he will bottle it in 2015 and 2016, which will be the first since 2011. In the mean time, all the best grapes go to the Viñas del Cadastro cuvée.”
The average listed price is $33
Chateau de L’Ou ‘Secret de Schistes ‘ Rouge, IGP Cotes Catalanes 2015 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Wine Advocate 96 points “Saturated black in color, the 2015 IGP Côtes Catalanes Secret de Schistes is reminiscent of Manfred Krankl’s SQN Syrahs with its deep, unctuous, layered profile. Cassis, chocolate, licorice, smoked herbs and ample minerality all emerge from this full-bodied, sexy beauty that just begs to be drunk. Possessing ripe tannin, a stacked mid-palate and a great finish, it will be better in a year or two and keep for a decade.”
Giacomo Conterno Cerretta Barbera d’Alba, Piedmont 2016 750ML ($99.95) $69 special
Antonio Galloni 95 points “Whereas the 2016 Barbera d’Alba Francia is reticent, the Barbera d’Alba Cerretta is a total showstopper. A rush of dark red and purplish berry fruit, lavender, mint and white flowers fills out the wine’s ample, broad frame. The Conterno Barberas typically need a few years in bottle to be at their best, but the 2016 is going to be virtually impossible to resist when its young.”
The “other” estate from the owners of Vieux Telegraphe
Vignbles Brunier Piedlong Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Rhone 2015 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
James Suckling 95 points “10 hectares of elevated Châteauneuf-du-Pape, this is an hommage to grenache with just a hatful of mourvèdre. Ripe raspberry and red plum pastry aromas. Super silky, plush and layered. Extremely impressive. Shows fluidity and balance, density and lightness. 50% stalks (crushed).”
The average price nationally is $52
Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr ‘R’ Riesling Spatlese Trocken, Mosel 2014 750ML ($34.95) $28 special
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 12.5% alcohol 2014 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr R Riesling Spätlese trocken was picked on October 20 — so almost one month later than the regular Spätlese — from 80+ year-old, ungrafted vines in and next to the Rotlay plot, with a higher percentage of well selected botrytis. The wine displays a ripe and intense fruit aroma intermixed with coolish stony and flinty, as well as herbal flavors on the nose. Full-bodied, rich and elegant, with a mouthful of concentrated Riesling fruit, a piquant acidity and minerality, this is an expressive and “big,” ripe yet pure and very terroir-driven Riesling of remarkable complexity and length that can go for up to 15 years.”
We’re expecting the wines (especially the Grand Cru wines) to disappear quickly, so it’s remarkable for wines of this quality and rarity to even be offered on the newsletter like this. The 2016 vintage is, of course, a great year and more importantly it’s a year that plays into the style of the house. These look to be monumental wines.
“Régis Forey describes the 2016 vintage as “a massive struggle for the first half of the season and one of cautious optimism for the second.…The fruit was as clean as it was in 2015, which is to say largely spotless so there was not much sorting to be done. Better still, the fruit was quite ripe with potential alcohols that ranged between 12 and 13% so there was little chaptalization. I used around 40% whole clusters during what was an easy vinification and then used more new wood than I usually do, which is to say between 50 and 80%. As to the wines, they are structured and serious but more classic than say 2015 is. In fact the 2016s remind me quite a bit of a more concentrated version of 2014.” As I often do given Forey’s straightforward opinions, I agree with his view of his 2016s. They offer excellent quality and are fashioned in a robust style with a dollop of new wood that usually requires 2 to 5 years to ultimately integrate.” – Burghound
In Stock Now:
Domaine Forey Pere et Fils Morey-Saint-Denis 2016 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Burghound 89 points “From Clos Solon and Les Crais. A discreet application of wood doesn’t materially intrude on the purity of the otherwise pretty, complex and perfumed nose of red currant, plum and a trace of underbrush. The succulent and agreeably punchy medium-bodied flavors retain a lovely sense of detail while delivering fine length on the saline-inflected finish. This is really quite good for its level and could easily be enjoyed young.”
The average listed price is $56
Stephen Tanzer 88-90 points ” (just 13 hectoliters per hectare produced owing to the frost; entirely done in tonneaux): Full medium red. Ripe aromas of black raspberry, dark cherry, clove and mocha are complicated by licorice and mint nuances. Then surprisingly pliant and round in the middle, showing saline soil tones and supple tannins. This wine was made mostly from the contra-bourgeons but Forey eliminated a lot of underripe grapes at the harvest.”
The average listed price is $72
Burghound 89 points “Here too there is just enough reduction to shave the top notes from the black currant, violet, spiced tea and a whiff of wood toast. The notably more refined medium weight flavors possess both fine intensity and delineation while exhibiting good length on the sappy finish. This is very Vosne in style and I particularly like the sleek mouthfeel. A quality Vosne villages.”
Burghound 89-92 points “Once again the nose is exuberantly fresh, evidencing red currant, raspberry, lavender and a hint of wood spice. The vibrant, detailed and utterly delicious flavors are not particularly dense but I like both the mouthfeel and the refreshing finale that is sufficiently complex to make this quite an attractive effort overall, plus it could be enjoyed young.”
Burghound 90 points “Moderate wood surrounds the relatively high-toned aromas of various red berries and markedly floral-infused aromas that include violet, lavender and rose petal. The sappy and sleekly textured medium weight flavors exude a fine bead of minerality on the impressively long and reasonably firm and mildly austere if slightly warm finale. Thanks to the relatively fine-grain of the supporting tannins this is a Nuits of comparative refinement if not actual finesse.”
Thank you for reading!