In This Newsletter:
Affordable Chianti That’s RTG:
Villa Nozzole
New Week – New Arrivals:
Including K Vintners, Donnhoff,
Terroir Al Limit & more!
Final Stock Arriving Wednesday!
2016 Vouette e Sorbee Fidele
Trending Champagnes
Pink Pre-Arrivals:
Weygandt-Metzler Favorites Arriving Tuesday!
Affordable Chianti That’s RTG:
Villa Nozzole
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $19
New Week – New Arrivals
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $45
Oregon
J.K. Carriere Provocateur Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2018 750ML ($27.95) $24 special
Winery note “The Cliff Notes: The color is deep beet red with a waffle cone nose of concentrated cherry, spice, plum and grilled meat. Experientially, it’s almost as if you had got popped in the mouth in a cherry orchard at harvest — by which I mean, concentrated-saline-Bing cherry on vibrant acidity. The fine emery board texture beautifully meets the acid-laced structure and finishes long. The Name: Provocateurs are, of course, troublemakers. Think of them as emissaries occupying a permeable border between the lands of outright bad and self-righteous good. Now then, who’s up for a trip? A Story: The growing year of 2018 was sunny, warm and powerful, offering a smaller-ish crop — a veritable bruiser, headed for a boozer. Luckily, early September stepped in with some refrain, just in the nick of time, and gave us a week of chill temps that reined in the grapes. The result is pretty massive, but not over-the-top wines that maintain reasonable elegance. Muscles are not the question, but whether or not you can also move your feet.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $27.50
Trathen Hall Wines Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2015 750ML ($29.95) $24 special
Wine Enthusiast 92 points “Editor’s Choice. Past releases of this wine were sourced solely from Antiquum vineyard; here, there is an additional source. The quality remains quite high despite the substantially larger production and lower price. Win, win, win! Raspberry, cherry, sassafras, cola and mocha flavors are in play. The inclusion of 20% whole clusters and aging in neutral barrels have added light touches of flavor.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Trathen Hall Wines Antiquum Vineyard Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2015 750ML ($47.95) $44 special
Wine Enthusiast 94 points “Editor’s Choice. Sourced from a high altitude vineyard at 800 feet on the eastern edge of the Coastal Range, this palate-pleasing wine matches crisp black cherry fruit to nuanced earth, mocha and tobacco highlights. It’s expressive and superbly balanced, ready for immediate enjoyment, but built to cellar as well. Drink now–2026.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $47.99
Washington
K Vintners The Boy Grenache, Walla Walla Valley 2017 750ML ($49.95) $41.90 special
Jeb Dunnuck 96 points “Made from 100% Powerline Vineyard (since 2015), the 2017 Grenache The Boy Powerline Vineyard sports a lighter ruby hue as well as Rayas-like notes of decayed flowers, kirsch liqueur, licorice, and cured meats. Seamless, medium-bodied, and beautifully polished, with fine tannins, it’s a stunning, Burgundian example of this variety to enjoy over the coming 15-20 years. There are a little over 1,000 cases produced.”
K Vintners The Creator Cabernet – Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2017 750ML ($69.95) $49 special
Jeb Dunnuck 94 points “The 2017 Cabernet / Syrah The Creator Powerline Vineyard doesn’t match the 2016 yet is still a brilliant blend (75/25 Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah) sourced from a site on the southern side of the Walla Walla Valley. Loads of jammy blackberry and black cherry fruits as well as hints of chocolate and peppery herbs emerge from this purple/plum-hued 2017. Offering full-bodied richness, a layered, seamless texture, ripe tannins, and a great finish, it’s another sexy, pleasure-bent effort from this team that can be drunk any time over the coming 10-15 years.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $54.99
K Vintners ‘M.C.K. Motor City Kitty’ Syrah, Washington 2017 750ML ($41.95) $36 special
Jeb Dunnuck 95 points “Coming from the Oldfield and Boushey Vineyards (basically the same vineyard), the 2017 Syrah Motor City Kitty Oldfield-Boushey Vineyard is slightly darker colored and, as with all the Rhones here, wasn’t destemmed and was brought up in mostly neutral puncheons. Blackberries, smoked earth, game, chocolate, and chalky minerality all emerge from this beauty, and it’s a powerful, full-bodied, concentrated effort that will evolve positively for 2-4 years and keep for a decade.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The Italian-inspired ‘house wine’ for your table
CasaSmith Cinghiale Sangiovese, Wahluke Slope 2018 750ML ($19.95) $16.60 special
Jeb Dunnuck 91 points “Also terrific, the 2018 Sangiovese Cinghiale has complex, savory notes of dried herbs, new leather, and ripe cherries. Medium-bodied and seamless on the palate, with no hard edges, it’s another wine under this label that delivers the goods at a great price. Drink it over the coming 4-6 years as well.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
CasaSmith Cervo Barbera, Wahluke Slope 2018 750ML ($19.95) $16.60 special
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $21
K Vintners’ day-to-day winemaker is Brennan Leighton. A super-talented voice in the world of Washington wine, Brennan also has his own label, B. Leighton, which is the focus today. These are do-not-miss wines for anyone who loves the K wines and old school, Rhone inflected Washington State reds. Full of generous fruit and beautiful earthy and floral tones, these are wines that are powerful and delicious on release, but have the track record and pedigree to age.
B. Leighton Olsen’s Brothers Vineyard Gratitude, Yakima Valley 2017 750ML ($59.95) $45 special
Jeb Dunnuck 96 points “A cuvée made for winemaker Brennen Leighton’s wife and a field blend of 70% Mourvèdre, 25% Grenache, and 5% Syrah, the 2017 Gratitude ranks with the finest Mourvèdres to come from the state. Awesome notes of black raspberry liqueur, incense, ground pepper, and forest floor give way to a medium to full-bodied, ripe, powerful yet weightless 2017 that does everything right. It’s already just about impossible to resist, yet my money is on it evolving for a solid decade.”
B. Leighton Olsen’s Brothers Vineyard Petit Verdot, Yakima Valley 2016 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Jeb Dunnuck 94 points “Lastly, the 2016 Petit Verdot comes from a higher elevation block and was brought up in 40% new French oak. It has a great bouquet of white pepper, chocolatey dark fruits, tobacco, and a kiss of violets to go with a full-bodied, incredible elegant profile on the palate. You don’t find Petit Verdot with this level of finesse very often, and it has silky tannins, good mid-palate concentration, and a great finish. It’s another stunning wine from Leighton I’d be thrilled to drink over the coming 10-15 years.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $52
B. Leighton Olsen Brothers Vineyard Syrah, Yakima Valley 2017 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Jeb Dunnuck 94 points “The 2017 Syrah comes all from the Olsen Brothers Vineyard in the Yakima Valley and is a mix of the 383 and Phelps clones of Syrah. It was not destemmed and was brought up in just 15% new French oak. Ground pepper, meat, smoked game, and decayed flower notes all emerge from this Northern Rhone look-alike. It’s beautifully balanced, medium to full-bodied, and a rock star expression of Syrah to enjoy over the coming 8-10 years.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
France
Proof that wine from the Champagne region doesn’t need to be sparkling to be fabulous
Bereche et Fils Les Monts Fournois Blanc Ludes, Coteaux Champenois 2016 750ML ($119.95) $89 special
Antonio Galloni 92 points “The 2016 Coteaux Champenois Les Monts Fournois is gorgeous. Supple and inviting, the 2016 is wonderfully expressive and layered. Orchard fruit, white flowers, mint and candied lemon peel all add shades of nuance, but it is the purity of the saline-infused varietal Chardonnay from Ludes and the Blanches Voies lieu-dit that lies on the border between Ludes and Rilly-la-Montagne that comes through most.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine de l’Oiselet Vacqueyras, Rhone 2016 750ML ($34.95) $27 special
Wine Advocate 92 points “More structured than the 2015, this estate’s 2016 Vacqueyras is a full-bodied, richly textured and firm wine that should drink well over the next 5-8 years. Hints of rosemary and cola accent the mixed-berry fruit, finishing dry and savory.”
Domaine du Chateau de Grand Pre Fleurie ‘Cuvee Spaciale’, Beaujolais 2018 750ML ($39.95) $33 special
Importer Note “100% Gamay from 60 to 70 year old vines planted on sandy soil, with a granitic subsoil. The yields are tiny and average 15 hl/ha. The grapes are hand harvested, fermentation with indigenous yeasts, no added sulfite during the vinification. Aged for 7 months in older demi-muids (600 liters). Pronounced aromas of sour cherries, fruity and plump palate with well-integrated tannins. Serve at 59 to 61F.”
Italy
Wine Spectator rated the 2016 vintage the best ever from here, even higher than the 2009 which was a Spectator Top 100!
Rocca di Frassinello ‘Le Sughere di Frassinello’ Maremma Toscana, Tuscany 2016 750ML ($29.95) $21.90 special
Wine Spectator 93 points “SMART BUY. Wild rosemary, thyme and camphor aromas lead off, with concentrated flavors of blackberry and black currant. An iron edge sinks in as this unfolds to the long, staining finish. Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2020 through 2032. 11,000 cases made, 5,500 cases imported.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Perricone is the greatest grape in Sicily that no one’s ever heard of. Nearly extinct at the turn of the 20th century, it survived as a blending partner for Nero d’Avola. Only recently has it been vinified on its own and the results can be fantastic. Carusa e Minini make one of the best out there: pretty, fragrant and zesty.
Caruso & Minini ‘Naturalmente Bio’ Perricone Terre Siciliane IGT, Sicily 2017 750ML ($24.95) $20.90 special
Case-12 Caruso & Minini ‘Naturalmente Bio’ Perricone Terre Siciliane IGT, Sicily 2017 750ML ($299.95) $228 special (that’s only $19/bottle!)
Ian D’Agata-Vinous 95 points “Bright medium red. Pungently perfumed nose offers violet, lavender, Szechuan pepper, lemongrass, blood orange and small red berries. Then juicy and very fresh flavors similar to the aromas, plus a building licorice note, linger impressively on the medium-bodied mouthfeel. Closes with magical, persistent inner-mouth perfume and truly exceptional clarity and cut. This sees no oak whatsoever, and therefore the wine’s magical perfume is really allowed to shine through. A real knockout of a wine, and easily one of the two or three best Perricones I have ever tried.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Castello di Verduno Basadone Pelaverga, Piedmont 2017 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special
Winery Note “Soft, though bright ruby red. Intense fragrant nose, showing clear spicy overtones of black pepper and nutmeg, as well as fruity sensations reminiscent of cherries in spirit and strawberries. Nicely-balanced, lingering dry flavour.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $26
Castello di Verduno S-Ciopet Spumante Metodo Classico Brut Rose, Piedmont 2014 750ML ($69.95) $39 special
Winery note “S-ciopet is the dialect name of selvatic flower reported on label, The Silene Rigonfia. The choice is this because amenable to the sound of opening of sparkling bottle and it join at the line of selvatic flowers already rappresented on our label It is a brut rosè sparkling wine obtained with 100% of our favorite grape variety: the autochthon red variety of our village [Pelaverga]! Excellent wine as an aperitif or throughout the meal.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price about double at $76.99
Germany
Weingut Donnhoff Roxheimer Hollenpfad Riesling Trocken, Nahe 2018 750ML ($44.95) $36 special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2018 Roxheimer Höllenpfad Riesling Trocken is extremely flinty and pure on the nose. Lush but filigreed and refined on the palate, this is a medium-bodied and crystalline, straight and elegant dry Riesling with a remarkably long and tensioned finish. Tasted at the domain in July 2019.”
Terry Theise note “A steep vineyard on sandy loam and weathered sandstone, it’s rather the odd-man-out yet it becomes more part of the family as Dönnhoffs spend more years with it. Sandstone aromas lead to a markedly pretty vintage of this sometimes stolid fellow; it’s structured from fruit, tomato and scree, with filigree detail and length.”
Weingut Donnhoff Norheimer Kirschheck Riesling Spatlese, Nahe 2018 750ML ($39.95) $33 special
John Gilman 92+ points “The 2018 Kirschheck Spätlese from Weingut Dönnhoff is another excellent example of the vintage. The wine is pure, very floral in personality and quite expressive out of the blocks, offering up scents of white cherries, pears, bee pollen, slate and a topnote of spring flowers. On the palate the wine is pure, fullish, vibrant and beautifully detailed, with racy acids, good mineral undertow and a long, refined and complex finish. 2019-2050+. 92+.”
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2018 Norheimer Kirschheck Riesling Spätlese is clear, fresh and flinty on the deep nose, where ripe stone fruit (vineyard peach), raspberry and crushed stone aromas are displayed. Round and salty-piquant on the palate, this is a racy, terribly fresh and stimulating Spätlese whose acidity is really kicking and racy enough to balance this ripe and almost voluptuous wine with ease and joy. A classic. Tasted in July 2019.”
Austria
Schloss Gobelsburg Steinsetz Gruner Veltliner Reserve Erste OTW Lage, Kamptal 2018 750ML ($37.95) $29 special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 92 points “From a cooler, late-ripening vineyard on gravelly soils, the Gobelsburger 2018 Ried Steinsetz offers a deep, intense and elegant, spicy and flinty bouquet of ripe and concentrated white fruits and broken stones. Full-bodied, intense and firmly structured, this is an expressive, elegant and sustainable Veltliner with remarkable purity and finesse as well as a promising phenol structure that gives good, food-friendly tension. Harvested at the end of October 2018. Tasted at the domain in September 2019.”
Terry Theise note “What used to be a radish nettle-y sort of wine has crossed the rubicon as the vineyard got older, and is now more yellow than green, a GV with twinges of hyssop and mints and radishes, but it moves ever closer to Renner in its mirabelles and salts and physio sweetness. The site’s on a plateau on alluvial soil dragged down and deposited by the Danube when it retreated and left a sort of “beach” of big rocks. It also introduces a labeling concept whereby the site name is by itself on the front label, with the grape variety on the back. We’re describing it as we always have, and you won’t confuse it for Riesling (or anything else) because the vineyards don’t overlap; it’s only GV from here, from Renner, Grub and Lamm. And it’s only Riesling from Gaisberg and Heiligenstein.”
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Spain
Ameztoi Txakoli di Getaria Hondarribi Zuri, Getariako Txakolina 2019 750ML ($24.95) $19.90 special
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Olivier Riviere Ganko, Rioja DOCa 2016 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2016 Ganko is a 50/50 blend of Mazuelo and Garnacha matured in a 3,000-liter oak foudre. It has a very low pH and high acidity and is quite tannic and with great complexity, which might make it the most complete, perfumed elegant and at the same time serious and sharp Ganko. It has notes of violets, wild flowers, berries and a spicy twist. The palate shows fine-grained tannins and great freshness with a long, tasty and dry finish. Superb, serious and elegant Rioja fermented with full clusters. 4,000 bottles produced.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Alvar de Dios Hernandez Aciano, Toro 2016 750ML ($31.95) $27 special
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 94 points “Along with the 2015, I also tasted the following vintage of the top Toro red, the 2016 Aciano, which has a spectacular nose, with plenty of aromatic herbs, wild berries and flowers, with contained ripeness and great freshness. The palate has chalky minerality and a dry mouthfeel. The soils are very sandy, and phylloxera never attacked the vines in the village of El Pego. The wine is serious, delicious and has an austere mouthfeel, with those grainy, sandy tannins. This feels like a much more expensive wine. 7,500 bottles were filled in January 2018, from a year that delivered very good quality and quantity.”
Terroir Al Limit Soc. Lda. l’Arbossar, Priorat DOCa 2015 750ML ($119.95) $99 special
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 95 points “The old-vine Cariñena 2015 Arbossar has a distinct note of licorice that grows in the glass. By working the vineyard with compost, they have managed to increase yields around 15%, and they feel the grapes achieve better balance, which is very difficult to see in the very poor llicorella slate soils that have almost no organic matter. It’s a north-facing slope planted some 90 years ago, and the grapes are very concentrated, so it’s a challenge to achieve a floral and fresh Cariñena like this, with notes of blue fruit and violets, quite different from the majority of Cariñena from Priorat. It matured in Stockinger oak foudres for 16 months, and like the majority of wines here, it shows perfectly integrated oak, with just faint spices nicely intermixed with the fruit. There is no heat at all; it’s a cool vineyard, and that freshness is translated into the wine and is especially noticeable in a warm and ripe year like 2015. Superb showing for the Arbossar—it has to be one of the best vintages ever. 3,900 bottles were filled in April 2017.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 95 points “Brilliant violet color. An intensely perfumed bouquet evokes ripe red/blue fruits, Moroccan spices, candied licorice, espresso and smoky minerals, with a sexy floral nuance emerging as the wine stretches out. Appealingly sweet, seamless and penetrating on the palate, offering concentrated yet lively raspberry liqueur, boysenberry lavender pastille and spicecake flavors that are sharpened by a hint of white pepper on the back half. Harmonious tannins build slowly on a strikingly long, mineral- and floral driven finish that shows outstanding definition and vibrant lift.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Marques de Murrieta Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial, Rioja DOCa 2010 750ML ($149.95) $129 special
Falstaff Magazine 100 points “[Translated] Dark ruby garnet, violet reflections, subtle brightening of the edges. Fine mint, fine black cherries, fine herbs, fresh heart cherries, mineral and inviting, a multi-faceted, young bouquet. Juicy, complex, elegant, extract-sweet texture, fine round tannins, ripe heart cherries, delicate nougat, sticks for minutes, enormous future potential. Simple calculation: buy what is possible.”
James Suckling 99 points “Marvelous aromas of crushed berries, tobacco, cedar and mushrooms. Some dried cheese. Then turns to flowers. Very complex. Full and intense with fantastic depth and power. It goes on for minutes. It is a wine that exudes tradition but gives a sense of modernity with precise winemaking. Two years in oak, one in concrete and three or four in bottle. Drink on release and age onwards.”
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 97 points “I had very high expectations for the 2010 Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial, and the wine delivered as expected. 2010 was one of the finest vintages in Rioja in recent years, and this blend of Tempranillo with 15% Mazuelo (Cariñena) has to be one of the finest modern day Castillo de Ygays. The grapes come from a plot planted in 1966 at 485 meters in altitude, the highest in the estate, and the vines yielded 3,500 kilos per hectare. The two varieties fermented separately in stainless steel for 11 days, and the wine spent 26 months in a mixture of American and French oak barrels. I tasted the 2009 next to this 2010, and I had also had a bottle two nights before. So, I was able to compare this with the 2009, which was a very different year, as 2010 was a cooler year and a priori a more adequate year for long-aging wines like this Gran Reserva. The difference was the vegetative cycle, as the vinification and élevage was the same. This is sleeker and sharper, less developed and livelier than the 2009, which already shows some signs of “old wine” with aromas that remind me of the old classical Rioja reds. It has greatness and finesse and is a very attractive wine with all the stuffing and balance that is needed for a long (and positive) aging in bottle. This is one of the finest modern day vintages of Castillo Ygay. This is going to develop in the direction of the classical bottlings from yesteryear. 130,853 bottles produced. It was bottled in March 2015.”
Decanter 97 points “Ygay these days is a blend of Tempranilo and Mazuelo, the later making up 15% in this vintage. 2010 will be remembered in the great vineyards of Europe as a classic year, elegant restraint and wonderful harmonious balance, even in youth, its key characteristics. The Ygay fits this template perfectly; plums and sloes, hints of blueberry and cassis, then figs, cocoa and sousbois, a distinct balsamic note to underline provenance. The Mazuelo etches fresh acidity and a powerful finish, leaving the Tempranillo the opportunity to dance flamboyantly on the mid-palate, the bringer of joy and harmony.”
Wine Spectator 96 points “Maturing well, this round red is a lovely example of the traditional style. Orange peel, dried cherry, forest floor, vanilla and black tea flavors mingle harmoniously over round tannins and citrusy acidity. Generous but gentle, lively, balanced and harmonious. Tempranillo and Mazuelo. Drink now through 2030.”
Final Stock Arriving Wednesday!
2016 Vouette e Sorbee Fidele
We saw overwhelming demand for the 2016-base V&S Fidele. If you’re not familiar with the producer, a long-time favorite at the shop, here’s your quick primer: After some gentle nudging from Anselme Selosse, Champagne grape grower and recent convert to biodynamics, Bertrand Gautherot, decided to produce estate Champagnes from his vineyard holdings. The main wine of the estate is Fidele. It is primarily a blend from two vineyards grown in Kimmeridgian marl, Vouette and Biaunes. It’s mostly from one vintage, with roughly 5% reserve wine from a perpetual reserve begun in 2001. Ever since the 2012-base year garnered 95 points from Antonio Galloni, this Champagne has had a rabid following at the shop. But the wine has been fantastic long before it was discovered.
It’s easy to compare the Fidele to Chablis, given the similarity between the soil types and climate of Gautherot’s vineyards and the very northernly tip of Burgundy. But this is Chablis-eques through a decidedly Pinot Noir lens. The wine has a core of savoriness, with bright acidity, red fruit and spice, and a mineral backbone. The splash of reserve wine adds a complex, oxidative note (the reserve is held in oak foudre). For the lover of Grower Champagnes, it seems to hit all the right spots. It’s vinous like Ulysse Collin, hard to find as Cedric Bouchard, as elegantly austere as Marie-Courtin, and distinctively savory as Bereche.
That we sold out of our first offer of the wine on Thursday was no surprise.
There are no reviews published for this release yet, but if prior years hold any indication, it will do quite well. And at the lowest listed price in the country, when the wine is averaging $82/bottle, you’ll do quite well, too.
Re-Arriving Wednesday, May 27th – Final Stock of the Vintage!
Vouette et Sorbee Cuvee Fidele Extra Brut, Champagne (2016) NV 750ML ($89.95) $54 re-arrival special, 51 bottles arriving Wednesday!
2014-base review: Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 94 points “The NV Brut Nature Fidèle (R14) is a Blanc de Noirs from Pinot Noir on Kimmeridgian soils and is entirely based on the 2014 vintage. Disgorged in October 2017 the oak-fermented wine shows a golden-reddish apricot color and opens with a very delicate, floral and herbal yet intense and vinous bouquet of red fruits, with warm, dry earth and spices and just a hint of oak. Bone dry (of course), fresh and elegant on the palate, this is an impressively delicate and filigreed Champagne to be enjoyed as a still wine rather than a fizz. The finish is long, clear, dry and well-structured (even with fine tannins) and reveals discreet salinity. In fact, Fidèle drinks like a Burgundy-inspired Coteaux Champenois with very fine but not effervescent bubbles, persistent lemon juice and a touch of oaky flavors. Don’t use a flute to enjoy this young, gastronomic wine; instead, use a wine glass or one of the rounder, more voluminous Champagne glasses like the Lehmann Jamesse (which stresses the finesse rather than the vinous character). Don’t serve the Fidèle too fresh, either, but if you must, wait a bit and don’t worry if the wine is suddenly 12 or even 14 degrees Celsius—it’s still delicious and even more vinous then! (To be honest, when tasted at 15 or 16 degrees Celsius, I even got some Gewürztraminer notes (lychees) on the nose…!)”
2013-base review: Antonio Galloni 93 points “The amber-colored NV Brut Nature Fidèle is gorgeous. Lifted, precise and nuanced throughout, the Fidèle possesses a captivating aromatic. Medium in body and tense in style, the Fidèle is super-expressive today. It could use another year in bottle to soften a bit, but it is nevertheless striking.”
2012-base review: Antonio Galloni 95 points “The NV (2012) Extra Brut Fidele is another fabulous wine from Vouette & Sorbée. Here, the richness of Pinot Noir comes through loud and clear in the wine’s depth and overall richness. Creamy and beautifully layered throughout, the 2012 hits all the right notes. Red berry, mint, flowers, sweet spices and candy fill out the wine’s broad frame effortlessly. What a gorgeous wine this is. Simply put, the 2012 is a total knock-out.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $83
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Trending Champagnes
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Andre Clouet Grande Reserve Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($39.95) $36 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Andre Clouet Grande Reserve Brut, Champagne NV 1.5L ($99.95) $89 special, 12 magnums in stock now
Case-12 Andre Clouet Grande Reserve Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($499.95) $399 special (that’s only $33.25/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 90 points “The latest release of André Clouet’s NV Brut Grand Réserve Grand Cru is showing well, exhibiting a nicely integrated bouquet of red apple, ripe citrus fruit, honeycomb and blanched almonds, followed by a medium to full-bodied, enveloping palate with a fine mousse, ripe but racy acids and an elegant, understated profile, concluding with a well-defined finish. This is a stylish, harmonious wine that makes for a fine introduction to the Clouet portfolio.”
Bereche et Fils Brut Reserve, Champagne NV 750ML ($49.95) $40.90 special, 24 bottles in stock now
L17 base. Disgorgement date varies.
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 92 points “The latest release of the NV Brut Réserve was disgorged in October 2019 with seven grams per liter dosage, and it’s based on the 2017 vintage. Exhibiting a glass bouquet of citrus oil, oyster shell, fresh peach and toasted nuts, it’s medium to full-bodied, racy and tensile, with lovely depth and concentration, fine energy and a long, penetrating finish.”
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R.H. Coutier Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Disgorged July 2019
Antonio Galloni 92 points “Coutier’s NV Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru is bright, focused and nuanced, not to mention incredibly delicious. The energy of Chardonnay and structure of Ambonnay yield a Champagne that is singular, classy and bursting at the seams with character. This release is based on 2016, with 40% reserve wines. I would give it another 6-12 months in bottle, although, truthfully, it is pretty hard to resist now. Dosage: 6.5 gr/L. Disgorged: July, 2019.”
The Cote des Blancs region of Champagne is hallowed terroir where such stunning growers such as Gimonnet, Pierre Peters and Doyard are based. Lilbert has been on our radar for a long time from the Cote des Blancs village of Cramant. We’ve always known the wines were amazing, but it wasn’t until this release that we could offer them at the best prices in the country, so we went big.
Lilbert-Fils “Perle” Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($79.95) $59 special, 17 bottles in stock now
William Kelley – Wine Advocate 93 points “This bottle of Lilbert’s NV Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Perle was disgorged in summer 2018 with five grams per liter dosage and is based on the 2013 vintage, with 35% reserve wines. Offering up aromas of lemon oil, crushed chalk and hints of warm biscuits, it’s medium to full-bodied, with an elegant pinpoint mousse, a deep and tight-knit core, racy acids and a penetrating, precise finish. Dry and incisive, it’s classic Lilbert, showing Cramant’s serious side, and it will evolve beautifully in the cellar.”
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The next best price is $65.95
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Pink Pre-Arrivals
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Always the star of the Weygandt-Metzler rose offer at Vinopolis. This is fabulous and always underpriced (especially at less than half the cost of Tempier!).
Domaine de la Bastide Blanche Bandol Rose, Provence 2019 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 pre-arrival special
Domaine de la Bastide Blanche Bandol Rose, Provence 2019 1.5L ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Importer note “Mourvedre, Grenache, Cinsault & Clairette from clay, limestone & cailloux. Organic. Dense cherry and raspberry fruit with citrus and stone flavors. Full body with a perfectly balanced and long finish.”
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This is the lowest listed price in the USA today for the magnum!
A wild and untamed rosé for lovers of spicy/zesty Cinsault. Only three cases available!
Domaine Saint Damien Gigondas Rose, Rhone 2019 750ML ($29.95) $26 pre-arrival special
Importer note “Cinsault, Syrah & Mourvedre from sand, clay & cailloux soils. Organic. Ripe raspberry, bitter cherry, blood orange and stone. Medium body with a long finish…From the lieu dit “La Moutte” this tiny production rosé is from mostly 45 year old Cinsault planted in 1970, and 10-15 year old Mourvèdre and Syrah. Cold maceration for 6 hours in the press and slow pneumatic pressing. Fermentation in stainless steel tanks with occasional lees stirring.”
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Shop all 49 rosé wines in stock now on our web store!
Affordable Chianti That’s RTG:
Villa Nozzole
New Week – New Arrivals:
Including K Vintners, Donnhoff,
Terroir Al Limit & more!
Final Stock Arriving Wednesday!
2016 Vouette e Sorbee Fidele
Trending Champagnes
Pink Pre-Arrivals:
Weygandt-Metzler Favorites Arriving Tuesday!
Affordable Chianti That’s RTG:
Villa Nozzole
Elevate your weeknights with this dark, rich & lush drink-now Chianti. From a historic estate within the rolling hills of Greve, the Villa Nozzole is their modern-styled Chianti meant for immediate enjoyment with no need for cellaring. So stock up & enjoy with pizza, pasta, or anything off the grill.
Arriving Friday, May 29th
Tenuta di Nozzole ‘Villa Nozzole’, Chianti Classico DOCG 2015 750ML ($27.95) $16 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 92 points “A deep and rich Chianti Classico with dark berry and dark chocolate character. Hints of spice, too. Full body, solid core of fruit and a flavorful finish. Drink now.”
Arriving Friday, May 29th
Tenuta di Nozzole ‘Villa Nozzole’, Chianti Classico DOCG 2015 750ML ($27.95) $16 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 92 points “A deep and rich Chianti Classico with dark berry and dark chocolate character. Hints of spice, too. Full body, solid core of fruit and a flavorful finish. Drink now.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $19
New Week – New Arrivals
Rosé
Clos Sainte Magdeleine ‘Marie de Magdala’ Rose, IGP Bouches-du-Rhone 2018 750ML ($47.95) $39 special
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 93 points “Shimmering salmon skin. Displays vibrant, mineral-accented red berry and blood orange scents, along with a sexy floral overtone that gains strength with air. Juicy and sharply focused on the palate, offering intense red currant, strawberry, orange peel and lavender flavors that deftly combine power and delicacy. Finishes with sharp delineation and superb, mineral-driven persistence, leaving a sexy floral note behind.”
Kermit Lynch Note “This is a 100% Grenache rosé—the only such rosé we import—from some of Clos Sainte Magdeleine’s highest-altitude vines. Notes of peaches, sea spray, and strawberries come together in a gorgeously balanced, medium-bodied wine that you will want to drink all year.”
Clos Sainte Magdeleine ‘Marie de Magdala’ Rose, IGP Bouches-du-Rhone 2018 750ML ($47.95) $39 specialJosh Raynolds – Vinous 93 points “Shimmering salmon skin. Displays vibrant, mineral-accented red berry and blood orange scents, along with a sexy floral overtone that gains strength with air. Juicy and sharply focused on the palate, offering intense red currant, strawberry, orange peel and lavender flavors that deftly combine power and delicacy. Finishes with sharp delineation and superb, mineral-driven persistence, leaving a sexy floral note behind.”
Kermit Lynch Note “This is a 100% Grenache rosé—the only such rosé we import—from some of Clos Sainte Magdeleine’s highest-altitude vines. Notes of peaches, sea spray, and strawberries come together in a gorgeously balanced, medium-bodied wine that you will want to drink all year.”
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The next best price is $45
Oregon
J.K. Carriere Provocateur Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2018 750ML ($27.95) $24 special
Winery note “The Cliff Notes: The color is deep beet red with a waffle cone nose of concentrated cherry, spice, plum and grilled meat. Experientially, it’s almost as if you had got popped in the mouth in a cherry orchard at harvest — by which I mean, concentrated-saline-Bing cherry on vibrant acidity. The fine emery board texture beautifully meets the acid-laced structure and finishes long. The Name: Provocateurs are, of course, troublemakers. Think of them as emissaries occupying a permeable border between the lands of outright bad and self-righteous good. Now then, who’s up for a trip? A Story: The growing year of 2018 was sunny, warm and powerful, offering a smaller-ish crop — a veritable bruiser, headed for a boozer. Luckily, early September stepped in with some refrain, just in the nick of time, and gave us a week of chill temps that reined in the grapes. The result is pretty massive, but not over-the-top wines that maintain reasonable elegance. Muscles are not the question, but whether or not you can also move your feet.”
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The next best price is $27.50
Trathen Hall Wines Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2015 750ML ($29.95) $24 special
Wine Enthusiast 92 points “Editor’s Choice. Past releases of this wine were sourced solely from Antiquum vineyard; here, there is an additional source. The quality remains quite high despite the substantially larger production and lower price. Win, win, win! Raspberry, cherry, sassafras, cola and mocha flavors are in play. The inclusion of 20% whole clusters and aging in neutral barrels have added light touches of flavor.”
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Trathen Hall Wines Antiquum Vineyard Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2015 750ML ($47.95) $44 special
Wine Enthusiast 94 points “Editor’s Choice. Sourced from a high altitude vineyard at 800 feet on the eastern edge of the Coastal Range, this palate-pleasing wine matches crisp black cherry fruit to nuanced earth, mocha and tobacco highlights. It’s expressive and superbly balanced, ready for immediate enjoyment, but built to cellar as well. Drink now–2026.”
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The next best price is $47.99
Washington
K Vintners The Boy Grenache, Walla Walla Valley 2017 750ML ($49.95) $41.90 special
Jeb Dunnuck 96 points “Made from 100% Powerline Vineyard (since 2015), the 2017 Grenache The Boy Powerline Vineyard sports a lighter ruby hue as well as Rayas-like notes of decayed flowers, kirsch liqueur, licorice, and cured meats. Seamless, medium-bodied, and beautifully polished, with fine tannins, it’s a stunning, Burgundian example of this variety to enjoy over the coming 15-20 years. There are a little over 1,000 cases produced.”
K Vintners The Creator Cabernet – Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2017 750ML ($69.95) $49 specialJeb Dunnuck 94 points “The 2017 Cabernet / Syrah The Creator Powerline Vineyard doesn’t match the 2016 yet is still a brilliant blend (75/25 Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah) sourced from a site on the southern side of the Walla Walla Valley. Loads of jammy blackberry and black cherry fruits as well as hints of chocolate and peppery herbs emerge from this purple/plum-hued 2017. Offering full-bodied richness, a layered, seamless texture, ripe tannins, and a great finish, it’s another sexy, pleasure-bent effort from this team that can be drunk any time over the coming 10-15 years.”
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The next best price is $54.99
K Vintners ‘M.C.K. Motor City Kitty’ Syrah, Washington 2017 750ML ($41.95) $36 special
Jeb Dunnuck 95 points “Coming from the Oldfield and Boushey Vineyards (basically the same vineyard), the 2017 Syrah Motor City Kitty Oldfield-Boushey Vineyard is slightly darker colored and, as with all the Rhones here, wasn’t destemmed and was brought up in mostly neutral puncheons. Blackberries, smoked earth, game, chocolate, and chalky minerality all emerge from this beauty, and it’s a powerful, full-bodied, concentrated effort that will evolve positively for 2-4 years and keep for a decade.”
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The Italian-inspired ‘house wine’ for your table
CasaSmith Cinghiale Sangiovese, Wahluke Slope 2018 750ML ($19.95) $16.60 special
Jeb Dunnuck 91 points “Also terrific, the 2018 Sangiovese Cinghiale has complex, savory notes of dried herbs, new leather, and ripe cherries. Medium-bodied and seamless on the palate, with no hard edges, it’s another wine under this label that delivers the goods at a great price. Drink it over the coming 4-6 years as well.”
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CasaSmith Cervo Barbera, Wahluke Slope 2018 750ML ($19.95) $16.60 special
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The average price is $21
K Vintners’ day-to-day winemaker is Brennan Leighton. A super-talented voice in the world of Washington wine, Brennan also has his own label, B. Leighton, which is the focus today. These are do-not-miss wines for anyone who loves the K wines and old school, Rhone inflected Washington State reds. Full of generous fruit and beautiful earthy and floral tones, these are wines that are powerful and delicious on release, but have the track record and pedigree to age.
B. Leighton Olsen’s Brothers Vineyard Gratitude, Yakima Valley 2017 750ML ($59.95) $45 special
Jeb Dunnuck 96 points “A cuvée made for winemaker Brennen Leighton’s wife and a field blend of 70% Mourvèdre, 25% Grenache, and 5% Syrah, the 2017 Gratitude ranks with the finest Mourvèdres to come from the state. Awesome notes of black raspberry liqueur, incense, ground pepper, and forest floor give way to a medium to full-bodied, ripe, powerful yet weightless 2017 that does everything right. It’s already just about impossible to resist, yet my money is on it evolving for a solid decade.”
B. Leighton Olsen’s Brothers Vineyard Petit Verdot, Yakima Valley 2016 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Jeb Dunnuck 94 points “Lastly, the 2016 Petit Verdot comes from a higher elevation block and was brought up in 40% new French oak. It has a great bouquet of white pepper, chocolatey dark fruits, tobacco, and a kiss of violets to go with a full-bodied, incredible elegant profile on the palate. You don’t find Petit Verdot with this level of finesse very often, and it has silky tannins, good mid-palate concentration, and a great finish. It’s another stunning wine from Leighton I’d be thrilled to drink over the coming 10-15 years.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $52
B. Leighton Olsen Brothers Vineyard Syrah, Yakima Valley 2017 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Jeb Dunnuck 94 points “The 2017 Syrah comes all from the Olsen Brothers Vineyard in the Yakima Valley and is a mix of the 383 and Phelps clones of Syrah. It was not destemmed and was brought up in just 15% new French oak. Ground pepper, meat, smoked game, and decayed flower notes all emerge from this Northern Rhone look-alike. It’s beautifully balanced, medium to full-bodied, and a rock star expression of Syrah to enjoy over the coming 8-10 years.”
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France
Proof that wine from the Champagne region doesn’t need to be sparkling to be fabulous
Bereche et Fils Les Monts Fournois Blanc Ludes, Coteaux Champenois 2016 750ML ($119.95) $89 special
Antonio Galloni 92 points “The 2016 Coteaux Champenois Les Monts Fournois is gorgeous. Supple and inviting, the 2016 is wonderfully expressive and layered. Orchard fruit, white flowers, mint and candied lemon peel all add shades of nuance, but it is the purity of the saline-infused varietal Chardonnay from Ludes and the Blanches Voies lieu-dit that lies on the border between Ludes and Rilly-la-Montagne that comes through most.”
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Domaine de l’Oiselet Vacqueyras, Rhone 2016 750ML ($34.95) $27 special
Wine Advocate 92 points “More structured than the 2015, this estate’s 2016 Vacqueyras is a full-bodied, richly textured and firm wine that should drink well over the next 5-8 years. Hints of rosemary and cola accent the mixed-berry fruit, finishing dry and savory.”
Domaine du Chateau de Grand Pre Fleurie ‘Cuvee Spaciale’, Beaujolais 2018 750ML ($39.95) $33 special
Importer Note “100% Gamay from 60 to 70 year old vines planted on sandy soil, with a granitic subsoil. The yields are tiny and average 15 hl/ha. The grapes are hand harvested, fermentation with indigenous yeasts, no added sulfite during the vinification. Aged for 7 months in older demi-muids (600 liters). Pronounced aromas of sour cherries, fruity and plump palate with well-integrated tannins. Serve at 59 to 61F.”
Italy
Wine Spectator rated the 2016 vintage the best ever from here, even higher than the 2009 which was a Spectator Top 100!
Rocca di Frassinello ‘Le Sughere di Frassinello’ Maremma Toscana, Tuscany 2016 750ML ($29.95) $21.90 special
Wine Spectator 93 points “SMART BUY. Wild rosemary, thyme and camphor aromas lead off, with concentrated flavors of blackberry and black currant. An iron edge sinks in as this unfolds to the long, staining finish. Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2020 through 2032. 11,000 cases made, 5,500 cases imported.”
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Perricone is the greatest grape in Sicily that no one’s ever heard of. Nearly extinct at the turn of the 20th century, it survived as a blending partner for Nero d’Avola. Only recently has it been vinified on its own and the results can be fantastic. Carusa e Minini make one of the best out there: pretty, fragrant and zesty.
Caruso & Minini ‘Naturalmente Bio’ Perricone Terre Siciliane IGT, Sicily 2017 750ML ($24.95) $20.90 special
Case-12 Caruso & Minini ‘Naturalmente Bio’ Perricone Terre Siciliane IGT, Sicily 2017 750ML ($299.95) $228 special (that’s only $19/bottle!)
Ian D’Agata-Vinous 95 points “Bright medium red. Pungently perfumed nose offers violet, lavender, Szechuan pepper, lemongrass, blood orange and small red berries. Then juicy and very fresh flavors similar to the aromas, plus a building licorice note, linger impressively on the medium-bodied mouthfeel. Closes with magical, persistent inner-mouth perfume and truly exceptional clarity and cut. This sees no oak whatsoever, and therefore the wine’s magical perfume is really allowed to shine through. A real knockout of a wine, and easily one of the two or three best Perricones I have ever tried.”
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Castello di Verduno Basadone Pelaverga, Piedmont 2017 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special
Winery Note “Soft, though bright ruby red. Intense fragrant nose, showing clear spicy overtones of black pepper and nutmeg, as well as fruity sensations reminiscent of cherries in spirit and strawberries. Nicely-balanced, lingering dry flavour.”
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The average price is $26
Castello di Verduno S-Ciopet Spumante Metodo Classico Brut Rose, Piedmont 2014 750ML ($69.95) $39 special
Winery note “S-ciopet is the dialect name of selvatic flower reported on label, The Silene Rigonfia. The choice is this because amenable to the sound of opening of sparkling bottle and it join at the line of selvatic flowers already rappresented on our label It is a brut rosè sparkling wine obtained with 100% of our favorite grape variety: the autochthon red variety of our village [Pelaverga]! Excellent wine as an aperitif or throughout the meal.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price about double at $76.99
Germany
Weingut Donnhoff Roxheimer Hollenpfad Riesling Trocken, Nahe 2018 750ML ($44.95) $36 special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2018 Roxheimer Höllenpfad Riesling Trocken is extremely flinty and pure on the nose. Lush but filigreed and refined on the palate, this is a medium-bodied and crystalline, straight and elegant dry Riesling with a remarkably long and tensioned finish. Tasted at the domain in July 2019.”
Terry Theise note “A steep vineyard on sandy loam and weathered sandstone, it’s rather the odd-man-out yet it becomes more part of the family as Dönnhoffs spend more years with it. Sandstone aromas lead to a markedly pretty vintage of this sometimes stolid fellow; it’s structured from fruit, tomato and scree, with filigree detail and length.”
Weingut Donnhoff Norheimer Kirschheck Riesling Spatlese, Nahe 2018 750ML ($39.95) $33 special
John Gilman 92+ points “The 2018 Kirschheck Spätlese from Weingut Dönnhoff is another excellent example of the vintage. The wine is pure, very floral in personality and quite expressive out of the blocks, offering up scents of white cherries, pears, bee pollen, slate and a topnote of spring flowers. On the palate the wine is pure, fullish, vibrant and beautifully detailed, with racy acids, good mineral undertow and a long, refined and complex finish. 2019-2050+. 92+.”
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2018 Norheimer Kirschheck Riesling Spätlese is clear, fresh and flinty on the deep nose, where ripe stone fruit (vineyard peach), raspberry and crushed stone aromas are displayed. Round and salty-piquant on the palate, this is a racy, terribly fresh and stimulating Spätlese whose acidity is really kicking and racy enough to balance this ripe and almost voluptuous wine with ease and joy. A classic. Tasted in July 2019.”
Austria
Schloss Gobelsburg Steinsetz Gruner Veltliner Reserve Erste OTW Lage, Kamptal 2018 750ML ($37.95) $29 special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 92 points “From a cooler, late-ripening vineyard on gravelly soils, the Gobelsburger 2018 Ried Steinsetz offers a deep, intense and elegant, spicy and flinty bouquet of ripe and concentrated white fruits and broken stones. Full-bodied, intense and firmly structured, this is an expressive, elegant and sustainable Veltliner with remarkable purity and finesse as well as a promising phenol structure that gives good, food-friendly tension. Harvested at the end of October 2018. Tasted at the domain in September 2019.”
Terry Theise note “What used to be a radish nettle-y sort of wine has crossed the rubicon as the vineyard got older, and is now more yellow than green, a GV with twinges of hyssop and mints and radishes, but it moves ever closer to Renner in its mirabelles and salts and physio sweetness. The site’s on a plateau on alluvial soil dragged down and deposited by the Danube when it retreated and left a sort of “beach” of big rocks. It also introduces a labeling concept whereby the site name is by itself on the front label, with the grape variety on the back. We’re describing it as we always have, and you won’t confuse it for Riesling (or anything else) because the vineyards don’t overlap; it’s only GV from here, from Renner, Grub and Lamm. And it’s only Riesling from Gaisberg and Heiligenstein.”
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Spain
Ameztoi Txakoli di Getaria Hondarribi Zuri, Getariako Txakolina 2019 750ML ($24.95) $19.90 special
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Olivier Riviere Ganko, Rioja DOCa 2016 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2016 Ganko is a 50/50 blend of Mazuelo and Garnacha matured in a 3,000-liter oak foudre. It has a very low pH and high acidity and is quite tannic and with great complexity, which might make it the most complete, perfumed elegant and at the same time serious and sharp Ganko. It has notes of violets, wild flowers, berries and a spicy twist. The palate shows fine-grained tannins and great freshness with a long, tasty and dry finish. Superb, serious and elegant Rioja fermented with full clusters. 4,000 bottles produced.”
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Alvar de Dios Hernandez Aciano, Toro 2016 750ML ($31.95) $27 special
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 94 points “Along with the 2015, I also tasted the following vintage of the top Toro red, the 2016 Aciano, which has a spectacular nose, with plenty of aromatic herbs, wild berries and flowers, with contained ripeness and great freshness. The palate has chalky minerality and a dry mouthfeel. The soils are very sandy, and phylloxera never attacked the vines in the village of El Pego. The wine is serious, delicious and has an austere mouthfeel, with those grainy, sandy tannins. This feels like a much more expensive wine. 7,500 bottles were filled in January 2018, from a year that delivered very good quality and quantity.”
Terroir Al Limit Soc. Lda. l’Arbossar, Priorat DOCa 2015 750ML ($119.95) $99 special
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 95 points “The old-vine Cariñena 2015 Arbossar has a distinct note of licorice that grows in the glass. By working the vineyard with compost, they have managed to increase yields around 15%, and they feel the grapes achieve better balance, which is very difficult to see in the very poor llicorella slate soils that have almost no organic matter. It’s a north-facing slope planted some 90 years ago, and the grapes are very concentrated, so it’s a challenge to achieve a floral and fresh Cariñena like this, with notes of blue fruit and violets, quite different from the majority of Cariñena from Priorat. It matured in Stockinger oak foudres for 16 months, and like the majority of wines here, it shows perfectly integrated oak, with just faint spices nicely intermixed with the fruit. There is no heat at all; it’s a cool vineyard, and that freshness is translated into the wine and is especially noticeable in a warm and ripe year like 2015. Superb showing for the Arbossar—it has to be one of the best vintages ever. 3,900 bottles were filled in April 2017.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 95 points “Brilliant violet color. An intensely perfumed bouquet evokes ripe red/blue fruits, Moroccan spices, candied licorice, espresso and smoky minerals, with a sexy floral nuance emerging as the wine stretches out. Appealingly sweet, seamless and penetrating on the palate, offering concentrated yet lively raspberry liqueur, boysenberry lavender pastille and spicecake flavors that are sharpened by a hint of white pepper on the back half. Harmonious tannins build slowly on a strikingly long, mineral- and floral driven finish that shows outstanding definition and vibrant lift.”
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Marques de Murrieta Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial, Rioja DOCa 2010 750ML ($149.95) $129 special
Falstaff Magazine 100 points “[Translated] Dark ruby garnet, violet reflections, subtle brightening of the edges. Fine mint, fine black cherries, fine herbs, fresh heart cherries, mineral and inviting, a multi-faceted, young bouquet. Juicy, complex, elegant, extract-sweet texture, fine round tannins, ripe heart cherries, delicate nougat, sticks for minutes, enormous future potential. Simple calculation: buy what is possible.”
James Suckling 99 points “Marvelous aromas of crushed berries, tobacco, cedar and mushrooms. Some dried cheese. Then turns to flowers. Very complex. Full and intense with fantastic depth and power. It goes on for minutes. It is a wine that exudes tradition but gives a sense of modernity with precise winemaking. Two years in oak, one in concrete and three or four in bottle. Drink on release and age onwards.”
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 97 points “I had very high expectations for the 2010 Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial, and the wine delivered as expected. 2010 was one of the finest vintages in Rioja in recent years, and this blend of Tempranillo with 15% Mazuelo (Cariñena) has to be one of the finest modern day Castillo de Ygays. The grapes come from a plot planted in 1966 at 485 meters in altitude, the highest in the estate, and the vines yielded 3,500 kilos per hectare. The two varieties fermented separately in stainless steel for 11 days, and the wine spent 26 months in a mixture of American and French oak barrels. I tasted the 2009 next to this 2010, and I had also had a bottle two nights before. So, I was able to compare this with the 2009, which was a very different year, as 2010 was a cooler year and a priori a more adequate year for long-aging wines like this Gran Reserva. The difference was the vegetative cycle, as the vinification and élevage was the same. This is sleeker and sharper, less developed and livelier than the 2009, which already shows some signs of “old wine” with aromas that remind me of the old classical Rioja reds. It has greatness and finesse and is a very attractive wine with all the stuffing and balance that is needed for a long (and positive) aging in bottle. This is one of the finest modern day vintages of Castillo Ygay. This is going to develop in the direction of the classical bottlings from yesteryear. 130,853 bottles produced. It was bottled in March 2015.”
Decanter 97 points “Ygay these days is a blend of Tempranilo and Mazuelo, the later making up 15% in this vintage. 2010 will be remembered in the great vineyards of Europe as a classic year, elegant restraint and wonderful harmonious balance, even in youth, its key characteristics. The Ygay fits this template perfectly; plums and sloes, hints of blueberry and cassis, then figs, cocoa and sousbois, a distinct balsamic note to underline provenance. The Mazuelo etches fresh acidity and a powerful finish, leaving the Tempranillo the opportunity to dance flamboyantly on the mid-palate, the bringer of joy and harmony.”
Wine Spectator 96 points “Maturing well, this round red is a lovely example of the traditional style. Orange peel, dried cherry, forest floor, vanilla and black tea flavors mingle harmoniously over round tannins and citrusy acidity. Generous but gentle, lively, balanced and harmonious. Tempranillo and Mazuelo. Drink now through 2030.”
Final Stock Arriving Wednesday!
2016 Vouette e Sorbee Fidele
We saw overwhelming demand for the 2016-base V&S Fidele. If you’re not familiar with the producer, a long-time favorite at the shop, here’s your quick primer: After some gentle nudging from Anselme Selosse, Champagne grape grower and recent convert to biodynamics, Bertrand Gautherot, decided to produce estate Champagnes from his vineyard holdings. The main wine of the estate is Fidele. It is primarily a blend from two vineyards grown in Kimmeridgian marl, Vouette and Biaunes. It’s mostly from one vintage, with roughly 5% reserve wine from a perpetual reserve begun in 2001. Ever since the 2012-base year garnered 95 points from Antonio Galloni, this Champagne has had a rabid following at the shop. But the wine has been fantastic long before it was discovered.It’s easy to compare the Fidele to Chablis, given the similarity between the soil types and climate of Gautherot’s vineyards and the very northernly tip of Burgundy. But this is Chablis-eques through a decidedly Pinot Noir lens. The wine has a core of savoriness, with bright acidity, red fruit and spice, and a mineral backbone. The splash of reserve wine adds a complex, oxidative note (the reserve is held in oak foudre). For the lover of Grower Champagnes, it seems to hit all the right spots. It’s vinous like Ulysse Collin, hard to find as Cedric Bouchard, as elegantly austere as Marie-Courtin, and distinctively savory as Bereche.
That we sold out of our first offer of the wine on Thursday was no surprise.
There are no reviews published for this release yet, but if prior years hold any indication, it will do quite well. And at the lowest listed price in the country, when the wine is averaging $82/bottle, you’ll do quite well, too.
Re-Arriving Wednesday, May 27th – Final Stock of the Vintage!
Vouette et Sorbee Cuvee Fidele Extra Brut, Champagne (2016) NV 750ML ($89.95) $54 re-arrival special, 51 bottles arriving Wednesday!
2014-base review: Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 94 points “The NV Brut Nature Fidèle (R14) is a Blanc de Noirs from Pinot Noir on Kimmeridgian soils and is entirely based on the 2014 vintage. Disgorged in October 2017 the oak-fermented wine shows a golden-reddish apricot color and opens with a very delicate, floral and herbal yet intense and vinous bouquet of red fruits, with warm, dry earth and spices and just a hint of oak. Bone dry (of course), fresh and elegant on the palate, this is an impressively delicate and filigreed Champagne to be enjoyed as a still wine rather than a fizz. The finish is long, clear, dry and well-structured (even with fine tannins) and reveals discreet salinity. In fact, Fidèle drinks like a Burgundy-inspired Coteaux Champenois with very fine but not effervescent bubbles, persistent lemon juice and a touch of oaky flavors. Don’t use a flute to enjoy this young, gastronomic wine; instead, use a wine glass or one of the rounder, more voluminous Champagne glasses like the Lehmann Jamesse (which stresses the finesse rather than the vinous character). Don’t serve the Fidèle too fresh, either, but if you must, wait a bit and don’t worry if the wine is suddenly 12 or even 14 degrees Celsius—it’s still delicious and even more vinous then! (To be honest, when tasted at 15 or 16 degrees Celsius, I even got some Gewürztraminer notes (lychees) on the nose…!)”
2013-base review: Antonio Galloni 93 points “The amber-colored NV Brut Nature Fidèle is gorgeous. Lifted, precise and nuanced throughout, the Fidèle possesses a captivating aromatic. Medium in body and tense in style, the Fidèle is super-expressive today. It could use another year in bottle to soften a bit, but it is nevertheless striking.”
2012-base review: Antonio Galloni 95 points “The NV (2012) Extra Brut Fidele is another fabulous wine from Vouette & Sorbée. Here, the richness of Pinot Noir comes through loud and clear in the wine’s depth and overall richness. Creamy and beautifully layered throughout, the 2012 hits all the right notes. Red berry, mint, flowers, sweet spices and candy fill out the wine’s broad frame effortlessly. What a gorgeous wine this is. Simply put, the 2012 is a total knock-out.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $83
Have Wine Ready to Pick Up?
Stop by our shop 10 am – 6 pm daily
Feel free to call ahead before you arrive or for curbside service:
#503-223-6002
(You’ll help free up some space for your next order!)
Trending Champagnes
More stock arriving Friday, May 29th!
Diebolt-Vallois Brut Tradition, Champagne NV 750ML ($49.95) $33 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 91 points “Bright, with citrusy acidity, this harmonious Champagne offers a creamy mousse and a minerally underpinning layered with flavors of apricot, honeysuckle, salted almond and biscuit. A crowd-pleaser. Drink now through 2020. 125 cases imported.”
Diebolt-Vallois Brut Tradition, Champagne NV 750ML ($49.95) $33 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 91 points “Bright, with citrusy acidity, this harmonious Champagne offers a creamy mousse and a minerally underpinning layered with flavors of apricot, honeysuckle, salted almond and biscuit. A crowd-pleaser. Drink now through 2020. 125 cases imported.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Andre Clouet Grande Reserve Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($39.95) $36 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Andre Clouet Grande Reserve Brut, Champagne NV 1.5L ($99.95) $89 special, 12 magnums in stock now
Case-12 Andre Clouet Grande Reserve Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($499.95) $399 special (that’s only $33.25/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 90 points “The latest release of André Clouet’s NV Brut Grand Réserve Grand Cru is showing well, exhibiting a nicely integrated bouquet of red apple, ripe citrus fruit, honeycomb and blanched almonds, followed by a medium to full-bodied, enveloping palate with a fine mousse, ripe but racy acids and an elegant, understated profile, concluding with a well-defined finish. This is a stylish, harmonious wine that makes for a fine introduction to the Clouet portfolio.”
Bereche et Fils Brut Reserve, Champagne NV 750ML ($49.95) $40.90 special, 24 bottles in stock now
L17 base. Disgorgement date varies.
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 92 points “The latest release of the NV Brut Réserve was disgorged in October 2019 with seven grams per liter dosage, and it’s based on the 2017 vintage. Exhibiting a glass bouquet of citrus oil, oyster shell, fresh peach and toasted nuts, it’s medium to full-bodied, racy and tensile, with lovely depth and concentration, fine energy and a long, penetrating finish.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
R.H. Coutier Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Disgorged July 2019
Antonio Galloni 92 points “Coutier’s NV Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru is bright, focused and nuanced, not to mention incredibly delicious. The energy of Chardonnay and structure of Ambonnay yield a Champagne that is singular, classy and bursting at the seams with character. This release is based on 2016, with 40% reserve wines. I would give it another 6-12 months in bottle, although, truthfully, it is pretty hard to resist now. Dosage: 6.5 gr/L. Disgorged: July, 2019.”
The Cote des Blancs region of Champagne is hallowed terroir where such stunning growers such as Gimonnet, Pierre Peters and Doyard are based. Lilbert has been on our radar for a long time from the Cote des Blancs village of Cramant. We’ve always known the wines were amazing, but it wasn’t until this release that we could offer them at the best prices in the country, so we went big.
Lilbert-Fils “Perle” Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($79.95) $59 special, 17 bottles in stock now
William Kelley – Wine Advocate 93 points “This bottle of Lilbert’s NV Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Perle was disgorged in summer 2018 with five grams per liter dosage and is based on the 2013 vintage, with 35% reserve wines. Offering up aromas of lemon oil, crushed chalk and hints of warm biscuits, it’s medium to full-bodied, with an elegant pinpoint mousse, a deep and tight-knit core, racy acids and a penetrating, precise finish. Dry and incisive, it’s classic Lilbert, showing Cramant’s serious side, and it will evolve beautifully in the cellar.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $65.95
We love Champagne.
How much?
We stock an insane range and volume,
with over 93 options in stock right now.
Want proof?
Shop our entire selection on our web store!
Vinopolis Wine Shop Curbside Pick Up
Order Online / By Phone / By Email
When you’re ready to pick up, just park in our lot,
give us a call, & we’ll bring your order to your car.
(If another adult is picking up for you, please let us know
their name when placing your order.)
#503-223-6002
Pink Pre-Arrivals
Chinon is the source of some of our favorite rosé and none is better value than Plouzeau’s. Pale pink, it’s got the snappy, red-berry fruit and peach of lightly macerated Franc with a touch of the rosemary and thyme the variety brings to the table as well. Even better, it’s extremely well priced, so this is one to buy by the case and drink with gusto.
M Plouzeau Chinon Rive Gauche Rose, Loire 2019 750ML ($19.95) $16 pre-arrival special
Importer note “Cabernet Franc from river gravel & pebbly soils. Rich raspberry, hints of green pepper and a touch of white peach. Medium body with a long, elegant finish.”
M Plouzeau Chinon Rive Gauche Rose, Loire 2019 750ML ($19.95) $16 pre-arrival specialImporter note “Cabernet Franc from river gravel & pebbly soils. Rich raspberry, hints of green pepper and a touch of white peach. Medium body with a long, elegant finish.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Always the star of the Weygandt-Metzler rose offer at Vinopolis. This is fabulous and always underpriced (especially at less than half the cost of Tempier!).
Domaine de la Bastide Blanche Bandol Rose, Provence 2019 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 pre-arrival special
Domaine de la Bastide Blanche Bandol Rose, Provence 2019 1.5L ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Importer note “Mourvedre, Grenache, Cinsault & Clairette from clay, limestone & cailloux. Organic. Dense cherry and raspberry fruit with citrus and stone flavors. Full body with a perfectly balanced and long finish.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today for the magnum!
A wild and untamed rosé for lovers of spicy/zesty Cinsault. Only three cases available!
Domaine Saint Damien Gigondas Rose, Rhone 2019 750ML ($29.95) $26 pre-arrival special
Importer note “Cinsault, Syrah & Mourvedre from sand, clay & cailloux soils. Organic. Ripe raspberry, bitter cherry, blood orange and stone. Medium body with a long finish…From the lieu dit “La Moutte” this tiny production rosé is from mostly 45 year old Cinsault planted in 1970, and 10-15 year old Mourvèdre and Syrah. Cold maceration for 6 hours in the press and slow pneumatic pressing. Fermentation in stainless steel tanks with occasional lees stirring.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Shop all 49 rosé wines in stock now on our web store!
Vinopolis is an independent wine shop in Portland that opened in 2004. Our goal has always been to offer the finest, broadest, and largest selection of wines at the best prices to our customers in Portland, in Oregon, across the West Coast, and throughout the United States.
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