Monday Bonus Newsletter!
Subscriber Special
Deep Discounts on Classic California Cabernets
First Offer: Elvio Cogno’s Majestic Barolo
The Follow Up To Our Best (Ever) Selling Pinot
Trending Wines
New Grapelive Review for a Spanish Value Star
Two Exceptional Bordeaux from Great Vintages
Rose of the Day
James Suckling’s Wine of the Decade
Collector’s Corner
The Captivating Domaine Fourrier
Subscriber Special
Deep Discounts on Classic California Cabernets
But Only Until Thursday Evening
Only eleven bottles available
Bevan Cellars Tench Vineyard Red EE, Oakville 2016 750ML ($249.95) Was $199, Now $179 Subscriber Special
Wine Advocate 98 points “A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Cabernet Franc and 5% Merlot, the deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Proprietary Red EE Tench Vineyard is scented of pure plums and ripe blueberries with redcurrants and touches of lavender, roses, bay leaves and dusty earth. The palate is medium to full-bodied, firm, fine-grained, vibrant and refreshing, finishing long and perfumed. 1,403 cases produced.”
Jeb Dunnuck 98 points “The 2016 Tench Vineyard EE Red Wine checks in as a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Merlot, which is the smallest amount of Cabernet Franc to date. Brought up in new barrels, it has gorgeous blue fruits, violets, spring flowers, and damp earth. Medium to full-bodied, elegant, and just about as seamless and silky as it gets, this is a magical wine to drink over the coming 15 years or more.”
Only five bottles available
Bevan Cellars Wildfoote Vineyard Vixen Block Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap District 2015 750ML ($279.95) Was $199, Now $179 Subscriber Special
Wine Advocate 98 points “Very deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Vixen Block Wildfoote Vineyard offers up a very serious nose of cassis, blackberry pie and blueberry compote with hints of dried lavender, underbrush, Chinese five spice and cigar box, plus a waft of dark chocolate. Full-bodied and densely packed with black fruit preserves and earthy layers, it has a firm frame of finely grained tannins and just enough freshness, finishing with epically long exotic spice nuances. Only 125 cases were produced.”
Jeb Dunnuck 96 points “The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Wildfoote Vineyard Vixen Block is one of the more refined, elegant wines in the lineup and reveals a perfumed bouquet of white flowers, blue fruits, violets, and spice. It’s seamless and silky on the palate, yet has building underlying tannin and is beautifully balanced. It’s one of those wines that carry loads of intensity and texture yet just glides over the palate. Drink it anytime over the coming two decades.”
Only six bottles available
Clos du Val Hirondelle Vineyard Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap District 2014 750ML ($149.95) Was $119, Now $89 Subscriber Special
Antonio Galloni 94 points “Deep, inky and enveloping, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Hirondelle Estate Vineyard captures all the elements that make Stags Leaps Cabernets so compelling. A host of lavender, mint, sage, graphite and crème de cassis notes flesh out in an effortless, noble Cabernet Sauvignon endowed with notable depth and intensity.”
Only six bottles available
Colgin Cellars IX Estate Red, Napa Valley 2014 750ML ($699.95) Was $499, Now $399 Subscriber Special
Robert Parker 98+ points “From their steep hillside vineyards on Pritchard Hill, the 2014 Proprietary Red IX Estate is an old-fashioned Médoc blend dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, but with some Cabernet Franc (rarely seen in the Médoc these years) as well as Merlot and Petit Verdot. Striking aromatics of violets, forest floor, loamy soil nuances, blueberry, black raspberry and blackberry soar from the glass of this spectacular 2014. The acidity seems reasonable but on the lower side, the texture is magnificent, and the overall purity and equilibrium flawless. This is a wine pushing, even demanding, a three-digit score once again, but I’m holding back – at least for now. This magnificent effort from Colgin should drink beautifully for 25-30 years.”
Only twenty four bottles available
Forman Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2014 750ML ($119.95) Was $99, Now $89 Subscriber Special
Decanter 96 points ” A brooding and nuanced bouquet of red and black fruit, petroleum jelly, woodsmoke, bitter cocoa, truffle and violet leads into a supple, elegant palate with fine savoury tannins and juicy acidity. Balanced, sapid and sophisticated. (WK) “
Antonio Galloni 94 points “Forman’s 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon offers lovely precision to match its mid-weight, gracious personality. The flavors are bright, floral and nicely focused. The 2014 is attractive, but it remains on the lighter side of things, even within the context of Ric Forman’s Cabernets. I imagine the 2014 will age well on its freshness. It will be interesting to see if the 2014 gains depth in bottle. What is clear, though, is that the 2014 has been more and more reticent each time I have tasted it. Readers will have to be patient.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average listed price is $115
Arriving Later This Month
Dunn Vineyards Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, California 2014 750ML ($149.95) Was $128, Now $115 Subscriber Special, ETA May
Stephen Tanzer-Vinous 96+ points “Dark ruby. Captivating violet lift to the aromas and flavors of cassis, kirsch, licorice and mocha. Plush and fine-grained; extremely deep in the middle palate but this extremely rich wine impresses as much for its finesse as for its sheer density and power. Finishes with wonderfully harmonious tannins and great slow-mounting length. Owing to its sheer density and baby fat, the wine is edge-free from the start, but it’s likely to evolve at a snail’s pace and last for decades.”
Wine Advocate 95 points “Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain has an incredibly evocative nose of crème de cassis, plum preserves and fresh wild blueberries with touches of chocolate mints, tilled soil, yeast extract, chargrill and scorched earth. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the mouth with fresh, crunchy black fruit, framed by firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long with bags of energy.”
First Offer:
Elvio Cogno’s Majestic Barolo
Subscriber Special
The Follow Up To Our Best (Ever) Selling Pinot
2017 Goodfellow “Willamette Valley”
Also, In Stock Now:
Don’t miss out on the last few cases of our best-seller!
Goodfellow Family Cellars Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2016 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
Case-6 Goodfellow Family Cellars Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2016 750ML ($129.95) $99 special (that’s only $16.50/bottle!)
Case-12 Goodfellow Family Cellars Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2016 750ML ($219.95) $189 special (that’s only $15.75/bottle!)
Trending Wines
From one of St. Innocent’s favorite vineyards, this 2016 is drinking beautifully now.
St. Innocent Zenith Vineyard Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2016 750ML ($39.95) $29 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 St. Innocent Zenith Vineyard Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2016 750ML ($229.95) $166 special (that’s only $27.67/bottle —the lowest listed price in the country!)
Josh Raynolds 93 points “Deep, bright-hued red. Spice-accented cherry and black raspberry aromas are complemented by hints of woodsmoke, baking spices and pungent flowers. Densely packed and energetic on the palate, offering cherry, red berry and candied rose flavors that become sweeter as the wine opens up. Lingers with strong persistence and sneaky tannins, leaving behind sappy red fruit preserve and floral notes.”
James Suckling 93 points “This has attractive aromas and flavors of fresh red cherries with very well defined style in every regard. The oak is subtly played and delivers a swirling, spicy thread. The tannins are smooth and fine and there’s a superb sense of freshness driving the finish. Drink or hold.”
Wine Spectator 92 points “Polished and multilayered, with expressive raspberry, rose petal and spiced tea flavors that gather richness toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2028. 968 cases made.”
The best vintage yet for this bottling? A new-world standard for the grape.
Cameron Nebbiolo, Willamette Valley 2016 750ML ($49.95) $33 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Winery note “Our Nebbiolo is denominated “Willamette Valley” because the wine is a blend of fruit from Clos Electrique (Dundee Hills AVA) and Foster Farms (Ribbon Ridge AVA). It is garnet red, with a complex bouquet of tart cherries, rosehips, tobacco and dried orange peel. The palate has bright acidity, a long finish and firm “sand on the teeth” tannins that typify the Nebbiolo grape. Just like the “real deal” from Northern Piedmont!”
Simply one of the best values in Malbec among a category known for great value.
Vaglio “Aggie” Malbec, Val De Uco Gualtallary 2018 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 36+ bottles in stock now’
Case-12 Vaglio “Aggie” Malbec, Val De Uco Gualtallary 2018 750ML ($249.95) $199 special (that’s only $16.58/bottle!)
James Suckling 95 points “Wonderful intensity of crushed berries, pink pepper and volcanic salt. Full-bodied, yet fresh and vivid with energy and focus. Extremely long and flavorful. Drink or hold.”
Looking for old vines? Look here.
Domaine Olivier Hillaire Chateauneuf-du-Pape ‘Les Terrasses’, Rhone 2016 750ML ($89.95) $69 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Terrasses is a fine example of old-vine Grenache from a parcel of vines near La Nerthe. Rose petals and black tea accent pristine cherry and raspberry fruit in this full-bodied but silky-lacy, delicate wine. Long, briny and refreshing on the finish, it’s deceptively drinkable but undoubtedly packs a wallop.”
Josh Raynolds 94 points “Brilliant violet. Lively, mineral-accented red and blue fruit aromas are complemented by suggestions of lavender and vanilla. Silky and energetic on the palate, offering concentrated raspberry and boysenberry flavors that deepen and become spicier as the wine opens up. Closes sweet, energetic and very long, displaying harmonious tannins and lingering smoke and red berry liqueur notes.”
One of the hidden gems of the greater Rhone.
Saint Jean du Barroux Ventoux La Pierre Noire, Rhone 2015 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
No reviews available for the 2015. Reviews for 2014 vintage provided for reference.
Decanter 96 points “[2014 vintage] Lifted loganberry, leaf tea and tarragon. Beautifully mouthcoating, elegant and harmonious, long and svelte, with a tapered finish. Gently perfumed, beautifully balanced. It’s concentrated without over-extraction, combining the elegance of the northern Rhône with the generosity of the south. A beautiful wine.”
Jeb Dunnuck 95 points “[2014 vintage] A total gem in the vintage, the 2014 La Pierre Noire is an insanely good wine made from 80/20 Grenache and Syrah that spent three years in concrete tanks. Black raspberries, kirsch, pepper, garrigue and liquid flowers notes all soar from the glass of this incredibly elegant, seamless, silky red that does everything right. With medium to full-bodied richness, ultra-fine tannin, no hard edges and a seamless texture, it’s at the top of the heap in 2014. Don’t miss a chance to try this beauty!”
Importer Note “La Pierre Noire, or “the black stone,” is a cuvée made from Grenache and Syrah grown on clay limestone soils marked by abrupt appearance of black gravel. So sudden and noticeable is this change in the vineyard that Philippe has always known that this site was its own cuvée. At once more stern but contradictorily more elegant, La Pierre Noire is fermented and aged in concrete for at least 36 months before bottling and released only when Philippe feels it’s ready.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
New Grapelive Review
For a Spanish Value Star
Rose of the Day
Muga’s Flor de Muga
Few rose wines reach for greater heights: Chateau Simone Palette, Tempier Bandol, Peyrassol Clos de Peyrassol and Clos Ste Magdeliene Cassis rose are the rare examples that prove that the oft-derided category of unoxidized rose can truly express terroir. What does Spain have to offer that can compare? Muga’s old-vine Flor de Muga. Not to be confused with their entry-level bottling, the Flor de Muga is 100% Grenache from select parcels of 70 to 90 year old vines grown on clay, limestone and iron soils at high elevations in the Najerilla Valley.
There’s an intoxicating freshness to the wine that hides a lengthy, complex finish. If this were red wine, one could expect to shell out $50 or more for such a pedigreed wine. Fortunately for you, unlike its peers, the 2018 is under $30.
Bodegas Muga ‘Flor de Muja’ Rosado, Rioja DOCa 2018 750ML ($35.95) $28 special, 28 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 92 points “The top rosé is the 2018 Flor de Muga Rosado, which is 100% Garnacha from older vines that spent five months on lees. It’s a beautiful, elegant rosé that offers terrific notes of ripe strawberries, white flowers, white peach, and honeysuckle. It’s layered and medium-bodied, has a rounded, deep texture, and is seamless on the palate. This is pure class and up there with the crème de la crème in rosé. Count me impressed.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
The average price nationally is $30
James Suckling’s Wine of the Decade
2017 Almaviva – Arriving This Summer
Collector’s Corner
The Captivating Domaine Fourrier
Domaine Fourrier makes some of the most captivating wines in Burgundy. To Burgophiles, this isn’t much of a claim—the wines that Jean-Marie has produced since taking over from his father have become hot tickets in the Burgundy world. If you aren’t familiar, though, these are wines to put on your radar. Fourrier’s style is heavily influenced by his time working under Henri Jayer and the wines show this.
When young they’re among the most impressive in Burgundy, combining succulent fruit with minerality and a complexity that’s nearly unmatched in newly released wines. They improve with age, as well, though we’ve always had a hard time keeping our hands off of the lower-tier wines in the first five years after the vintage. Fourrier works exclusively with old massale vineyards (anything from vines younger than 30 years is sold off) and that sort of soul really makes it into the bottle.
We’ve secured an astounding array of back-vintage Fourrier, plus some current releases—47 different wines in all. It’s far too many to feature here, but you can view the entire list on our webstore.
Highlights of Fourrier Wine In Stock Now:
Domaine Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes, Cote de Nuits 2017 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 10 bottles in stock now
Decanter 92 points “Vieille Vigne (always singular at Fourrier) is sourced from 12 different parcels, most of them on the better, western side of the route nationale. This is always a pleasure to drink, and the 2017 is no exception, with supple, scented, alluring red berry notes, some vanilla oak and a zesty finish.”
Domaine Fourrier Clos Saint-Jacques, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru 2016 750ML ($999.95) $599 special, 2 bottles in stock now
William Kelley – Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2016 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Saint-Jacques is brilliant, unfurling in the glass with a multifaceted bouquet in which aromas of raspberries, orange rind and cassis mingle with nuances of peony, spice and subtle grilled meat. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, ample and pure, with a deep, multidimensional mid-palate that’s framed by satiny tannins and juicy acids, concluding with a long, fragrant finish. The exquisite textural elegance that Fourrier routinely achieves with this site does not conceal the wine’s underlying power and concentration.”
John Gilman 94 points “With the shortened crop in Clos St. Jacques, there is no Cuvée Centennaire here this year, just a single, truly lovely bottling of this great vineyard. The nose is pure, nascently complex and very precise, offering up scents of red plums, cherries, gamebird, mustard seed, a complex base of soil, roses and cedar. On the palate the wine is deep full-bodied and classically structured, with a sappy core, excellent backend mineral drive, ripe tannins and a very long, vibrant and promising finish. 2030-2070.”
Neal Martin- Vinous 94 points “The 2016 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint-Jacques 1er Cru has a lucious slightly exotic nose that sports a metallic reduction. One hopes that it will dissipate with time. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit, cranberry and red plum, touches of orange rind and marmalade developing towards the finish that is one of the spiciest among the five Clos Saint-Jacques this year. It just seems to take its foot off the accelerator pedal in the glass. Tasted blind at the 2016 Burgfest tasting.”
Domaine Fourrier La Combe Aux Moines Vieilles Vignes, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru, 2017 750ML ($279.95) $229 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Decanter 96 points “Combe Aux Moines is something of a signature wine from Fourrier alongside his Clos-St-Jacques. Reflecting its elevated position, this is a bright, aromatic, wonderfully refreshing style with some ferrous notes and a smooth, balanced finish.”
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2017 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Combe Aux Moines is also showing beautifully from bottle, revealing aromas of cherries, raspberries and cassis complemented by suggestions of rose petals and sweet forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, supple and succulent, it’s broad shouldered and attractively complete, but it also exemplifies the weightless charm that typifies the vintage at its best.”
Domaine Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin Aux Echezeaux Vieilles Vignes, Cote de Nuits 2008 750ML ($149.95) $119 special, 4 bottles in stock now
David Schildknecht-Wine Advocate 89 points “Fourrier’s 2008 Gevrey-Chambertin Aux Echezeaux (from nearly 90 year-old vines) is intensely scented with kirsch, herbs, and sea spray, which adumbrate its bright, saline, firm but not hard or angular palate impression. Strong cherry pit, stone, and charred meat notes lend this energetic but athletically lean and bright Gevrey a hint of austerity, but it has me salivating uncontrollably. For those who like the style and pair the wine creatively, this should give plenty of pleasure over at least the next 6-8 years, though as Fourrier is eager to concur with me, following the course of 2008s in bottle is bound to mean venturing into relatively uncharted territory.”
Burghound 87-90 points “An intensely, even pungently earthy nose of red and dark berry fruit is very much in keeping with the firm, precise and layered flavors that possess a lovely sense of relief and tension on the solidly long finish. This is very Gevrey in character and offers fine quality for a villages.”
Subscriber Special
Deep Discounts on Classic California Cabernets
First Offer: Elvio Cogno’s Majestic Barolo
The Follow Up To Our Best (Ever) Selling Pinot
Trending Wines
New Grapelive Review for a Spanish Value Star
Two Exceptional Bordeaux from Great Vintages
Rose of the Day
James Suckling’s Wine of the Decade
Collector’s Corner
The Captivating Domaine Fourrier
Subscriber Special
Deep Discounts on Classic California Cabernets
But Only Until Thursday Evening
We have a pretty big selection of top California Cabernet (over forty excellent bottlings in stock right now) and we’re dropping the price on eight of the best of them for you, our email subscribers. Until we close for business on Thusrday, save up to $100/btl on some of the finest wines to come out of the Golden State. These prices are only good until the wines sell out and quantities are limited—don’t miss out.
Subscriber Special Pricing Valid Until Thursday, May 14th at 6PM (PT)
In Stock Now:
Only fourteen bottles available
Bevan Cellars Tench Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville 2016 750ML ($249.95) Was $199, Now $169 Subscriber Special
Wine Advocate “97+ points The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Tench Vineyard is very deep purple-black in color with an earthy, meaty, broody nose with notes of mocha over baked plums and crème de cassis plus wafts of spice box and mincemeat. The palate is full-bodied, concentrated, rich and earthy with great vibrancy on the finish. 839 cases produced.”
Jeb Dunnuck 97 points “From a steep hillside in Oakville, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Tench Vineyard offers a more savory, masculine, layered style as well as a huge nose of red and black fruits, dried herbs, chocolate, and earth. It hits the palate with a full-bodied, mouthfilling style that carries plenty of tannins, a deep, concentrated mid-palate, and a great finish. I like it today, yet it’s going to continue drinking brilliantly for two decades.”
Subscriber Special Pricing Valid Until Thursday, May 14th at 6PM (PT)
In Stock Now:
Only fourteen bottles available
Bevan Cellars Tench Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville 2016 750ML ($249.95) Was $199, Now $169 Subscriber Special
Wine Advocate “97+ points The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Tench Vineyard is very deep purple-black in color with an earthy, meaty, broody nose with notes of mocha over baked plums and crème de cassis plus wafts of spice box and mincemeat. The palate is full-bodied, concentrated, rich and earthy with great vibrancy on the finish. 839 cases produced.”
Jeb Dunnuck 97 points “From a steep hillside in Oakville, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Tench Vineyard offers a more savory, masculine, layered style as well as a huge nose of red and black fruits, dried herbs, chocolate, and earth. It hits the palate with a full-bodied, mouthfilling style that carries plenty of tannins, a deep, concentrated mid-palate, and a great finish. I like it today, yet it’s going to continue drinking brilliantly for two decades.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $185
The average listed price is $251
The next best price is $185
The average listed price is $251
Only eleven bottles available
Bevan Cellars Tench Vineyard Red EE, Oakville 2016 750ML ($249.95) Was $199, Now $179 Subscriber Special
Wine Advocate 98 points “A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Cabernet Franc and 5% Merlot, the deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Proprietary Red EE Tench Vineyard is scented of pure plums and ripe blueberries with redcurrants and touches of lavender, roses, bay leaves and dusty earth. The palate is medium to full-bodied, firm, fine-grained, vibrant and refreshing, finishing long and perfumed. 1,403 cases produced.”
Jeb Dunnuck 98 points “The 2016 Tench Vineyard EE Red Wine checks in as a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Merlot, which is the smallest amount of Cabernet Franc to date. Brought up in new barrels, it has gorgeous blue fruits, violets, spring flowers, and damp earth. Medium to full-bodied, elegant, and just about as seamless and silky as it gets, this is a magical wine to drink over the coming 15 years or more.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $194
The average listed price is $251
The next best price is $194
The average listed price is $251
Only five bottles available
Bevan Cellars Wildfoote Vineyard Vixen Block Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap District 2015 750ML ($279.95) Was $199, Now $179 Subscriber Special
Wine Advocate 98 points “Very deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Vixen Block Wildfoote Vineyard offers up a very serious nose of cassis, blackberry pie and blueberry compote with hints of dried lavender, underbrush, Chinese five spice and cigar box, plus a waft of dark chocolate. Full-bodied and densely packed with black fruit preserves and earthy layers, it has a firm frame of finely grained tannins and just enough freshness, finishing with epically long exotic spice nuances. Only 125 cases were produced.”
Jeb Dunnuck 96 points “The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Wildfoote Vineyard Vixen Block is one of the more refined, elegant wines in the lineup and reveals a perfumed bouquet of white flowers, blue fruits, violets, and spice. It’s seamless and silky on the palate, yet has building underlying tannin and is beautifully balanced. It’s one of those wines that carry loads of intensity and texture yet just glides over the palate. Drink it anytime over the coming two decades.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $198
The average listed price is $221
The next best price is $198
The average listed price is $221
Only six bottles available
Clos du Val Hirondelle Vineyard Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap District 2014 750ML ($149.95) Was $119, Now $89 Subscriber Special
Antonio Galloni 94 points “Deep, inky and enveloping, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Hirondelle Estate Vineyard captures all the elements that make Stags Leaps Cabernets so compelling. A host of lavender, mint, sage, graphite and crème de cassis notes flesh out in an effortless, noble Cabernet Sauvignon endowed with notable depth and intensity.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $99
The average listed price is $123
The next best price is $99
The average listed price is $123
Only six bottles available
Colgin Cellars IX Estate Red, Napa Valley 2014 750ML ($699.95) Was $499, Now $399 Subscriber Special
Robert Parker 98+ points “From their steep hillside vineyards on Pritchard Hill, the 2014 Proprietary Red IX Estate is an old-fashioned Médoc blend dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, but with some Cabernet Franc (rarely seen in the Médoc these years) as well as Merlot and Petit Verdot. Striking aromatics of violets, forest floor, loamy soil nuances, blueberry, black raspberry and blackberry soar from the glass of this spectacular 2014. The acidity seems reasonable but on the lower side, the texture is magnificent, and the overall purity and equilibrium flawless. This is a wine pushing, even demanding, a three-digit score once again, but I’m holding back – at least for now. This magnificent effort from Colgin should drink beautifully for 25-30 years.”
Only twenty four bottles available
Forman Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2014 750ML ($119.95) Was $99, Now $89 Subscriber Special
Decanter 96 points ” A brooding and nuanced bouquet of red and black fruit, petroleum jelly, woodsmoke, bitter cocoa, truffle and violet leads into a supple, elegant palate with fine savoury tannins and juicy acidity. Balanced, sapid and sophisticated. (WK) “
Antonio Galloni 94 points “Forman’s 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon offers lovely precision to match its mid-weight, gracious personality. The flavors are bright, floral and nicely focused. The 2014 is attractive, but it remains on the lighter side of things, even within the context of Ric Forman’s Cabernets. I imagine the 2014 will age well on its freshness. It will be interesting to see if the 2014 gains depth in bottle. What is clear, though, is that the 2014 has been more and more reticent each time I have tasted it. Readers will have to be patient.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average listed price is $115
Only eleven bottles available
Mayacamas Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Mount Veeder 2015 750ML ($299.95) Was $179, Now $149 Subscriber Special
Wine Spectator #2 Wine of the Year 2019
Antonio Galloni 97+ points “Another stellar wine from Mayacamas, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon continues to be quite reticent, which is probably a very good thing for its long-term prospects. Even so, the 2015 is dense, powerful and super-concentrated, with a level of finesse in its tannins that separates it from so many wines in this challenging vintage. Time in the glass brings out graphite, menthol, licorice, sage and spice notes that add a sense of gravitas. I would prefer to cellar the 2015 for at least a few years to allow some of the baby fat to melt away. I expect the 2015 will always remain an exotic, full-throttle wine relative to the norm here. I can’t wait to see how it ages.”
Wine Spectator 96 points “Youthfully compact, with tightly wound black currant, bitter plum and dark blueberry notes, this needs time to meld with the charcoal, bay leaf and tar streaks, but the mouthwatering cut on the finish suggests that won’t be a problem. Offers a long echo of juniper at the end. Best from 2023 through 2040. 2,250 cases made. — JM”
Only five bottles available
Ramey Pedregal Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville 2014 750ML ($219.95) Was $169, Now $149 Subscriber Special
Jeb Dunnuck 97 points “The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Pedregal Vineyard is a dead ringer for a great vintage of Ducru-Beaucaillou. Pure crème de cassis, graphite, smoked earth, and tobacco leaf notes all flow to a full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon that exudes class, elegance, and purity, all while still carrying serious depth and richness. Made from 88% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Petit Verdot, it has ripe tannin, impeccable balance and a great finish, all promising a long life.”
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Pedregal Vineyard is a classic wine from the Eastern Hills of Oakville. Pliant, supple and radiant in the glass, the 2014 offers superb depth and textural richness. The dark cherry, plum, espresso, licorice and floral notes all blossom in an effortless, sumptuous Cabernet endowed with personality and class. The 2014 will be easy to drink with minimal cellaring. Today, it is fabulous.”
Mayacamas Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Mount Veeder 2015 750ML ($299.95) Was $179, Now $149 Subscriber Special
Wine Spectator #2 Wine of the Year 2019
Antonio Galloni 97+ points “Another stellar wine from Mayacamas, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon continues to be quite reticent, which is probably a very good thing for its long-term prospects. Even so, the 2015 is dense, powerful and super-concentrated, with a level of finesse in its tannins that separates it from so many wines in this challenging vintage. Time in the glass brings out graphite, menthol, licorice, sage and spice notes that add a sense of gravitas. I would prefer to cellar the 2015 for at least a few years to allow some of the baby fat to melt away. I expect the 2015 will always remain an exotic, full-throttle wine relative to the norm here. I can’t wait to see how it ages.”
Wine Spectator 96 points “Youthfully compact, with tightly wound black currant, bitter plum and dark blueberry notes, this needs time to meld with the charcoal, bay leaf and tar streaks, but the mouthwatering cut on the finish suggests that won’t be a problem. Offers a long echo of juniper at the end. Best from 2023 through 2040. 2,250 cases made. — JM”
Only five bottles available
Ramey Pedregal Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville 2014 750ML ($219.95) Was $169, Now $149 Subscriber Special
Jeb Dunnuck 97 points “The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Pedregal Vineyard is a dead ringer for a great vintage of Ducru-Beaucaillou. Pure crème de cassis, graphite, smoked earth, and tobacco leaf notes all flow to a full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon that exudes class, elegance, and purity, all while still carrying serious depth and richness. Made from 88% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Petit Verdot, it has ripe tannin, impeccable balance and a great finish, all promising a long life.”
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Pedregal Vineyard is a classic wine from the Eastern Hills of Oakville. Pliant, supple and radiant in the glass, the 2014 offers superb depth and textural richness. The dark cherry, plum, espresso, licorice and floral notes all blossom in an effortless, sumptuous Cabernet endowed with personality and class. The 2014 will be easy to drink with minimal cellaring. Today, it is fabulous.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average listed price is $180
The average listed price is $180
Arriving Later This Month
Dunn Vineyards Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, California 2014 750ML ($149.95) Was $128, Now $115 Subscriber Special, ETA May
Stephen Tanzer-Vinous 96+ points “Dark ruby. Captivating violet lift to the aromas and flavors of cassis, kirsch, licorice and mocha. Plush and fine-grained; extremely deep in the middle palate but this extremely rich wine impresses as much for its finesse as for its sheer density and power. Finishes with wonderfully harmonious tannins and great slow-mounting length. Owing to its sheer density and baby fat, the wine is edge-free from the start, but it’s likely to evolve at a snail’s pace and last for decades.”
Wine Advocate 95 points “Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain has an incredibly evocative nose of crème de cassis, plum preserves and fresh wild blueberries with touches of chocolate mints, tilled soil, yeast extract, chargrill and scorched earth. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the mouth with fresh, crunchy black fruit, framed by firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long with bags of energy.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average listed price is $144
The average listed price is $144
Subscriber Special Pricing Valid Until Thursday, May 14th at 6PM (PT)
First Offer:
Elvio Cogno’s Majestic Barolo
If you’ve heard about the Ravera cru in Barolo (see: Vajra) you have Elvio Cogno to thank. Born and raised in Novello, the village associated with the famous vineyard, he left his partnership with Marcarini in his sixties to start his namesake winery in 1990. He purchased Cascina Nuova, an underperforming but historic estate, and started making wines under his own name from the Ravera cru.
The resulting wines have been stupendous ever since, prompting a rush on land in Novello (and Ravera in particular) but no wineries have surpassed the original master and his son-in-law (winemaker since ’96 Valter Fissore). From their entry level “Cascina Nuova” Barolo up to his Riservas from the choicest parts of his holdings, these are wines that will appeal to every lover of classicist Barolo.
Antonio Galloni agrees as well, consistently praising the wines over multiple vintages and price levels. Their 2014 Riserva earned a 97 point score and the wines since have more than lived up. This is a classical estate that over delivers. We just secured our allocation of the new wines, arriving this summer.
Arriving ETA July:
Elvio Cogno Ravera, Barolo DOCG 2016 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2016 Barolo Ravera shows all of the energy and tension this site is so well-known for. Penetrating acids and veins of tannin give the Ravera its drive and overall feel. Naturally, the 2016 is going to need at least a few years to be at its best, but it has tremendous breeding and character to burn. White pepper, mint, sweet red cherry and citrus add to the wine’s high-toned profile. This is another stellar wine from Cogno.”
Elvio Cogno Barolo Cascina Nuova, Barolo DOCG 2016 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 92 points “Cogno’s 2016 Barolo Cascina Nuova is absolutely gorgeous. Pliant and expressive on the palate, the 2016 has a touch more mid-palate sweetness and texture than in the past, when the wine has been more nervous in feel. Sweet red cherry, blood orange, mint, wild flowers, cedar, sweet tobacco and anise all open up effortlessly. Silky tannins add to its considerable immediacy and appeal. This is such a pretty wine in its peer group and also a terrific example of how attractive more modestly priced Barolos are in 2016.”
Elvio Cogno Barolo Bricco Pernice, Barolo DOCG 2015 750ML ($149.95) $119 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2015 Barolo Bricco Pernice is an exotic, beguiling wine. Blood orange, mint, sweet red cherry, star anise and a range of spice notes give the Bricco Pernice striking aromatic and flavor complexity. Medium in body, refined and super-expressive, the 2015 has so much to offer. Best of all, it will drink well with just a few years in bottle. It is such an effortless, gracious wine. Very polished, nuanced and elegant, this silky Barolo has a ton of structure but is also impeccable in its balance.”
Importer Note “Bricco Pernice is named for the rock on which courting partridges build their nest. “Pernice” translates as “rock ptarmigan” or “partridge,” “Bricco” is a hill. This is the very latest wine from Elvio Cogno. Until a few years ago this was part of the Ravera Barolo cru; in recent years it has been expanded to incorporate the neighboring hills. The fruit of years of hard work, this wine is a dream come true, made from the finest vineyard in Novello in the most historic part of the Ravera cru. The label is designed by Elena, Elvio’s granddaughter.”
Elvio Cogno Barolo Vigna Elena, Barolo DOCG 2014 750ML ($179.95) $135 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 97 points “The 2014 Barolo Riserva Ravera Vigna Elena is seamless in the glass, with stunning balance and all of the pedigree of this year. Medium in body and gracious, it shows elegant notes of rose petal, mint, white pepper, sweet tobacco and dried flowers. Sweet red stone fruit marry with a classic sense of austerity. All of the elements here come together in this stunning, gloriously beautiful Barolo from Cogno. Deeply expressive and intense, the 2014 Vigna Elena is not an obvious wine, but instead it is ethereal, lifted and with pure class.”
Elvio Cogno Langhe Nebbiolo Montegrilli, Piedmont 2017 750ML ($34.95) $29 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Elvio Cogno Langhe Nebbiolo Montegrilli, Piedmont 2017 750ML ($419.95) $319 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 91 points “The 2017 Langhe Nebbiolo Montegrilli is a very pretty wine. The warm, dry vintage has given Cogno’s Nebbiolo an extra kick of richness, but without robbing the wine of its personality. Sweet dried cherry, mint, tobacco, crushed flowers and anise all flesh out in an expansive, inviting Nebbiolo that will drink nicely for at least a number of years.”
The resulting wines have been stupendous ever since, prompting a rush on land in Novello (and Ravera in particular) but no wineries have surpassed the original master and his son-in-law (winemaker since ’96 Valter Fissore). From their entry level “Cascina Nuova” Barolo up to his Riservas from the choicest parts of his holdings, these are wines that will appeal to every lover of classicist Barolo.
Antonio Galloni agrees as well, consistently praising the wines over multiple vintages and price levels. Their 2014 Riserva earned a 97 point score and the wines since have more than lived up. This is a classical estate that over delivers. We just secured our allocation of the new wines, arriving this summer.
Arriving ETA July:
Elvio Cogno Ravera, Barolo DOCG 2016 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2016 Barolo Ravera shows all of the energy and tension this site is so well-known for. Penetrating acids and veins of tannin give the Ravera its drive and overall feel. Naturally, the 2016 is going to need at least a few years to be at its best, but it has tremendous breeding and character to burn. White pepper, mint, sweet red cherry and citrus add to the wine’s high-toned profile. This is another stellar wine from Cogno.”
Elvio Cogno Barolo Cascina Nuova, Barolo DOCG 2016 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 92 points “Cogno’s 2016 Barolo Cascina Nuova is absolutely gorgeous. Pliant and expressive on the palate, the 2016 has a touch more mid-palate sweetness and texture than in the past, when the wine has been more nervous in feel. Sweet red cherry, blood orange, mint, wild flowers, cedar, sweet tobacco and anise all open up effortlessly. Silky tannins add to its considerable immediacy and appeal. This is such a pretty wine in its peer group and also a terrific example of how attractive more modestly priced Barolos are in 2016.”
Elvio Cogno Barolo Bricco Pernice, Barolo DOCG 2015 750ML ($149.95) $119 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2015 Barolo Bricco Pernice is an exotic, beguiling wine. Blood orange, mint, sweet red cherry, star anise and a range of spice notes give the Bricco Pernice striking aromatic and flavor complexity. Medium in body, refined and super-expressive, the 2015 has so much to offer. Best of all, it will drink well with just a few years in bottle. It is such an effortless, gracious wine. Very polished, nuanced and elegant, this silky Barolo has a ton of structure but is also impeccable in its balance.”
Importer Note “Bricco Pernice is named for the rock on which courting partridges build their nest. “Pernice” translates as “rock ptarmigan” or “partridge,” “Bricco” is a hill. This is the very latest wine from Elvio Cogno. Until a few years ago this was part of the Ravera Barolo cru; in recent years it has been expanded to incorporate the neighboring hills. The fruit of years of hard work, this wine is a dream come true, made from the finest vineyard in Novello in the most historic part of the Ravera cru. The label is designed by Elena, Elvio’s granddaughter.”
Elvio Cogno Barolo Vigna Elena, Barolo DOCG 2014 750ML ($179.95) $135 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 97 points “The 2014 Barolo Riserva Ravera Vigna Elena is seamless in the glass, with stunning balance and all of the pedigree of this year. Medium in body and gracious, it shows elegant notes of rose petal, mint, white pepper, sweet tobacco and dried flowers. Sweet red stone fruit marry with a classic sense of austerity. All of the elements here come together in this stunning, gloriously beautiful Barolo from Cogno. Deeply expressive and intense, the 2014 Vigna Elena is not an obvious wine, but instead it is ethereal, lifted and with pure class.”
Elvio Cogno Langhe Nebbiolo Montegrilli, Piedmont 2017 750ML ($34.95) $29 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Elvio Cogno Langhe Nebbiolo Montegrilli, Piedmont 2017 750ML ($419.95) $319 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 91 points “The 2017 Langhe Nebbiolo Montegrilli is a very pretty wine. The warm, dry vintage has given Cogno’s Nebbiolo an extra kick of richness, but without robbing the wine of its personality. Sweet dried cherry, mint, tobacco, crushed flowers and anise all flesh out in an expansive, inviting Nebbiolo that will drink nicely for at least a number of years.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Subscriber Special
The Follow Up To Our Best (Ever) Selling Pinot
2017 Goodfellow “Willamette Valley”
We initially offered the 2016 Goodfellow Willamette Valley (Restaurant Edition) just over a month ago and it’s gone on to smash Vinopolis sales records—for good reason. It’s a delicious, drink-now version of one of the best values out there. We have just a few cases of it left, so we cajoled Marcus Goodfellow into letting us sell you some of the 2017 edition—a more than worthy follow up that’s sure to delight.
Like the previous edition, this is a bottling that Marcus put together to be a glass-pour wine for local restaurants. It doesn’t see out of state distribution and you can’t buy it at the winery—it’s a bit softer than the “standard” WV, but drinks like a champ. What sets the ’17 version apart is the bright, aromatic profile that’s made 2017 a favorite among local winemakers. The vintage favors finesse and elegance, but with real drive and substance backing it up. It’s definitely a more red-fruited, linear version than the 2016, but is qualitatively its equal.
Like the 2016, this is one of the most delicious, complete bottles of WV Pinot we’ve tasted for the price. As you’d expect of a wine blended for glass pouring, this is fantastic out of the gate, no need to age this one. We’re sure it’ll improve over the next 5ish years, but if you’re looking for a Willamette wine to keep you company during a self-quarantine, you should pop (many) of them now.
We’re able to offer it to you for a truly stunning price—under $20 a bottle, hard to believe for a wine of this quantity. If you’re willing to commit to a half or a full case (and why wouldn’t you?) the price gets truly nuts: $16.50/btl or just $15.75 respectively.
Arriving Friday:
Goodfellow Family Cellars Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2017 750ML ($21.95) $18 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Goodfellow Family Cellars Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2017 750ML ($129.95) $99 pre-arrival special (that’s only $16.50/bottle!)
Case-12 Goodfellow Family Cellars Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2017 750ML ($219.95) $189 pre-arrival special (that’s only $15.75/bottle!)
VinopolNote: We can’t get enough of Marcus Goodfellow’s Willamette Valley Pinots. With restaurants only offering takeout for the foreseeable future, Marcus is letting us share his by-the-glass Pinot with you. It’s an insane value!
Like the previous edition, this is a bottling that Marcus put together to be a glass-pour wine for local restaurants. It doesn’t see out of state distribution and you can’t buy it at the winery—it’s a bit softer than the “standard” WV, but drinks like a champ. What sets the ’17 version apart is the bright, aromatic profile that’s made 2017 a favorite among local winemakers. The vintage favors finesse and elegance, but with real drive and substance backing it up. It’s definitely a more red-fruited, linear version than the 2016, but is qualitatively its equal.
Like the 2016, this is one of the most delicious, complete bottles of WV Pinot we’ve tasted for the price. As you’d expect of a wine blended for glass pouring, this is fantastic out of the gate, no need to age this one. We’re sure it’ll improve over the next 5ish years, but if you’re looking for a Willamette wine to keep you company during a self-quarantine, you should pop (many) of them now.
We’re able to offer it to you for a truly stunning price—under $20 a bottle, hard to believe for a wine of this quantity. If you’re willing to commit to a half or a full case (and why wouldn’t you?) the price gets truly nuts: $16.50/btl or just $15.75 respectively.
Arriving Friday:
Goodfellow Family Cellars Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2017 750ML ($21.95) $18 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Goodfellow Family Cellars Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2017 750ML ($129.95) $99 pre-arrival special (that’s only $16.50/bottle!)
Case-12 Goodfellow Family Cellars Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2017 750ML ($219.95) $189 pre-arrival special (that’s only $15.75/bottle!)
VinopolNote: We can’t get enough of Marcus Goodfellow’s Willamette Valley Pinots. With restaurants only offering takeout for the foreseeable future, Marcus is letting us share his by-the-glass Pinot with you. It’s an insane value!
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Also, In Stock Now:
Don’t miss out on the last few cases of our best-seller!
Goodfellow Family Cellars Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2016 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
Case-6 Goodfellow Family Cellars Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2016 750ML ($129.95) $99 special (that’s only $16.50/bottle!)
Case-12 Goodfellow Family Cellars Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2016 750ML ($219.95) $189 special (that’s only $15.75/bottle!)
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!)
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 Wines
From one of St. Innocent’s favorite vineyards, this 2016 is drinking beautifully now.
St. Innocent Zenith Vineyard Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2016 750ML ($39.95) $29 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 St. Innocent Zenith Vineyard Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2016 750ML ($229.95) $166 special (that’s only $27.67/bottle —the lowest listed price in the country!)
Josh Raynolds 93 points “Deep, bright-hued red. Spice-accented cherry and black raspberry aromas are complemented by hints of woodsmoke, baking spices and pungent flowers. Densely packed and energetic on the palate, offering cherry, red berry and candied rose flavors that become sweeter as the wine opens up. Lingers with strong persistence and sneaky tannins, leaving behind sappy red fruit preserve and floral notes.”
James Suckling 93 points “This has attractive aromas and flavors of fresh red cherries with very well defined style in every regard. The oak is subtly played and delivers a swirling, spicy thread. The tannins are smooth and fine and there’s a superb sense of freshness driving the finish. Drink or hold.”
Wine Spectator 92 points “Polished and multilayered, with expressive raspberry, rose petal and spiced tea flavors that gather richness toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2028. 968 cases made.”
The best vintage yet for this bottling? A new-world standard for the grape.
Cameron Nebbiolo, Willamette Valley 2016 750ML ($49.95) $33 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Winery note “Our Nebbiolo is denominated “Willamette Valley” because the wine is a blend of fruit from Clos Electrique (Dundee Hills AVA) and Foster Farms (Ribbon Ridge AVA). It is garnet red, with a complex bouquet of tart cherries, rosehips, tobacco and dried orange peel. The palate has bright acidity, a long finish and firm “sand on the teeth” tannins that typify the Nebbiolo grape. Just like the “real deal” from Northern Piedmont!”
Simply one of the best values in Malbec among a category known for great value.
Vaglio “Aggie” Malbec, Val De Uco Gualtallary 2018 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 36+ bottles in stock now’
Case-12 Vaglio “Aggie” Malbec, Val De Uco Gualtallary 2018 750ML ($249.95) $199 special (that’s only $16.58/bottle!)
James Suckling 95 points “Wonderful intensity of crushed berries, pink pepper and volcanic salt. Full-bodied, yet fresh and vivid with energy and focus. Extremely long and flavorful. Drink or hold.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Looking for old vines? Look here.
Domaine Olivier Hillaire Chateauneuf-du-Pape ‘Les Terrasses’, Rhone 2016 750ML ($89.95) $69 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Terrasses is a fine example of old-vine Grenache from a parcel of vines near La Nerthe. Rose petals and black tea accent pristine cherry and raspberry fruit in this full-bodied but silky-lacy, delicate wine. Long, briny and refreshing on the finish, it’s deceptively drinkable but undoubtedly packs a wallop.”
Josh Raynolds 94 points “Brilliant violet. Lively, mineral-accented red and blue fruit aromas are complemented by suggestions of lavender and vanilla. Silky and energetic on the palate, offering concentrated raspberry and boysenberry flavors that deepen and become spicier as the wine opens up. Closes sweet, energetic and very long, displaying harmonious tannins and lingering smoke and red berry liqueur notes.”
One of the hidden gems of the greater Rhone.
Saint Jean du Barroux Ventoux La Pierre Noire, Rhone 2015 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
No reviews available for the 2015. Reviews for 2014 vintage provided for reference.
Decanter 96 points “[2014 vintage] Lifted loganberry, leaf tea and tarragon. Beautifully mouthcoating, elegant and harmonious, long and svelte, with a tapered finish. Gently perfumed, beautifully balanced. It’s concentrated without over-extraction, combining the elegance of the northern Rhône with the generosity of the south. A beautiful wine.”
Jeb Dunnuck 95 points “[2014 vintage] A total gem in the vintage, the 2014 La Pierre Noire is an insanely good wine made from 80/20 Grenache and Syrah that spent three years in concrete tanks. Black raspberries, kirsch, pepper, garrigue and liquid flowers notes all soar from the glass of this incredibly elegant, seamless, silky red that does everything right. With medium to full-bodied richness, ultra-fine tannin, no hard edges and a seamless texture, it’s at the top of the heap in 2014. Don’t miss a chance to try this beauty!”
Importer Note “La Pierre Noire, or “the black stone,” is a cuvée made from Grenache and Syrah grown on clay limestone soils marked by abrupt appearance of black gravel. So sudden and noticeable is this change in the vineyard that Philippe has always known that this site was its own cuvée. At once more stern but contradictorily more elegant, La Pierre Noire is fermented and aged in concrete for at least 36 months before bottling and released only when Philippe feels it’s ready.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
New Grapelive Review
For a Spanish Value Star
The Raul Perez Ultreia St. Jacques already had a gleaming 93 point review from Luis Gutierrez of The Wine Advocate, but we can now add a second 93 point score for this stellar Spanish value. Grapelive, one of our favorite indie reviewers out there, just added their praise for what’s become one of our best value reds in the shop.
In Stock Now:
Raul Perez Ultreia Saint Jacques, Bierzo 2017 750ML ($22.95) $16.60 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Grapelive 93 points “The awesomely priced Ultreia Saint Jacques Bierzo, from the famed Raul Perez, is a deep and full flavored wine with lovely balance and energy that shows off its old vine concentration and clay based soil terroir. This multi vineyard field blend style red from Bierzo’s Valtuille zone comes from vineyard plots ranging in age from 80 to 120 years old shows Mencia in a richer form than say the Ribeira Sacra, but the small bit of Bastardo (believed to be Trousseau) and Garnacha Tintorera (Alicante Bouschet) plus lots whole bunches keeps things well balanced and the fruit is contrasted by a light earthiness, savory notes, spice and mineral elements. This 2017 is ripe and dark fruited with bright blackberry, plum, currant and black cherry layers as well as snappy herbal notes, cedar and cinnamon all flowing in a rush of vivid flavors and authentic character. The vines, for all of Perez’s lineup are all organic, and for this one, were all hand tended and harvested with the oldest being from plants that date back to 1900 and the youngest from 1940, making for a wonderful regional expression of varietal character and a wine with a proud sense of place and being, it is also a fantastic gateway into Raul’s brilliant set of vinous glories. As mentioned here and across the world of wine, Raul Perez is a grand master of Mencia and the godfather of the Bierzo region with a huge impact on how this wine is seen, clearly defining what it is and should be.…This Ulteia Saint Jacques is one of Perez’s entry level bottlings, but you’d be hard pressed to find anything lacking here, though his upper end cru stuff is out of this world. The Saint Jacques was about 80% whole cluster and fermented with indigenous yeasts in large wooden vats with maceration(s) lasting between two and five months, which is a long cool period, which adds to the dimension in this beautiful Tinto. The wine, after primary is then rack to an assortment of vessels to age with a combination of French casks including 225L, 500L, foudre and with some of the wine seeing its elevage in cement cuve, after which the Saint Jacques was bottled unfined and unfiltered to preserve every nuance and show the purity of this wine’s personality. I love this fresh and easy to drink young red, well I love all of Raul’s wines, but this one delivers so much for the price it is impossible to resist, drink with simple country dishes, hard cheeses and or BBQ. It’s hard to imagine a better deal on such quality old vine, medium bodied stuff!”
In Stock Now:
Raul Perez Ultreia Saint Jacques, Bierzo 2017 750ML ($22.95) $16.60 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Grapelive 93 points “The awesomely priced Ultreia Saint Jacques Bierzo, from the famed Raul Perez, is a deep and full flavored wine with lovely balance and energy that shows off its old vine concentration and clay based soil terroir. This multi vineyard field blend style red from Bierzo’s Valtuille zone comes from vineyard plots ranging in age from 80 to 120 years old shows Mencia in a richer form than say the Ribeira Sacra, but the small bit of Bastardo (believed to be Trousseau) and Garnacha Tintorera (Alicante Bouschet) plus lots whole bunches keeps things well balanced and the fruit is contrasted by a light earthiness, savory notes, spice and mineral elements. This 2017 is ripe and dark fruited with bright blackberry, plum, currant and black cherry layers as well as snappy herbal notes, cedar and cinnamon all flowing in a rush of vivid flavors and authentic character. The vines, for all of Perez’s lineup are all organic, and for this one, were all hand tended and harvested with the oldest being from plants that date back to 1900 and the youngest from 1940, making for a wonderful regional expression of varietal character and a wine with a proud sense of place and being, it is also a fantastic gateway into Raul’s brilliant set of vinous glories. As mentioned here and across the world of wine, Raul Perez is a grand master of Mencia and the godfather of the Bierzo region with a huge impact on how this wine is seen, clearly defining what it is and should be.…This Ulteia Saint Jacques is one of Perez’s entry level bottlings, but you’d be hard pressed to find anything lacking here, though his upper end cru stuff is out of this world. The Saint Jacques was about 80% whole cluster and fermented with indigenous yeasts in large wooden vats with maceration(s) lasting between two and five months, which is a long cool period, which adds to the dimension in this beautiful Tinto. The wine, after primary is then rack to an assortment of vessels to age with a combination of French casks including 225L, 500L, foudre and with some of the wine seeing its elevage in cement cuve, after which the Saint Jacques was bottled unfined and unfiltered to preserve every nuance and show the purity of this wine’s personality. I love this fresh and easy to drink young red, well I love all of Raul’s wines, but this one delivers so much for the price it is impossible to resist, drink with simple country dishes, hard cheeses and or BBQ. It’s hard to imagine a better deal on such quality old vine, medium bodied stuff!”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Rose of the Day
Muga’s Flor de Muga
Few rose wines reach for greater heights: Chateau Simone Palette, Tempier Bandol, Peyrassol Clos de Peyrassol and Clos Ste Magdeliene Cassis rose are the rare examples that prove that the oft-derided category of unoxidized rose can truly express terroir. What does Spain have to offer that can compare? Muga’s old-vine Flor de Muga. Not to be confused with their entry-level bottling, the Flor de Muga is 100% Grenache from select parcels of 70 to 90 year old vines grown on clay, limestone and iron soils at high elevations in the Najerilla Valley.
There’s an intoxicating freshness to the wine that hides a lengthy, complex finish. If this were red wine, one could expect to shell out $50 or more for such a pedigreed wine. Fortunately for you, unlike its peers, the 2018 is under $30.
Bodegas Muga ‘Flor de Muja’ Rosado, Rioja DOCa 2018 750ML ($35.95) $28 special, 28 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 92 points “The top rosé is the 2018 Flor de Muga Rosado, which is 100% Garnacha from older vines that spent five months on lees. It’s a beautiful, elegant rosé that offers terrific notes of ripe strawberries, white flowers, white peach, and honeysuckle. It’s layered and medium-bodied, has a rounded, deep texture, and is seamless on the palate. This is pure class and up there with the crème de la crème in rosé. Count me impressed.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
The average price nationally is $30
James Suckling’s Wine of the Decade
2017 Almaviva – Arriving This Summer
James Suckling published his “wine of the decade”—the single bottling that impressed him most over the course of the last ten years. His choice? The profoundly powerful 2017 Almaviva Puente Alto—a perfect wine made under the auspices of Mouton Rothschild and Concha y Toro.
The winery has been one of the best in the world over the course of the decade, earning two perfect scores, and Suckling notes that “”For the last 10 years, vintage after vintage, Almaviva vineyard has been quietly, consistently establishing a track record as one of the greatest wine producers in Chile, if not all of the world.”
The 2017 is the best vintage they’ve made—a powerful Cabernet based blend that resembles the First Growth Bordeaux that inspired it. This is a wine that’s going to become a legend—the ’85 Heitz Martha’s or 1982 Mouton of Chilean wine. In summarizing the bottling, James suckling declared that “Almaviva set a new bar for Chilean wines with nuanced, rigorously blended vintages that marry classic Bordeaux expertise with New World vitality.” All that’s left is for you to secure some while you can.
Arriving ETA Summer:
Vina Almaviva, Puente Alto 2017 750ML ($179.95) $149 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Vina Almaviva, Puente Alto 2017 750ML ($1,079.95) $849 pre-arrival special (that’s only $141.50/bottle!)
James Suckling 100 points “The estate, which is a joint venture between Chateau Mouton Rothschild and Concha y Toro, has been striving for perfection since its launch in 1998. And, with the Almaviva Puente Alto 2017, they’ve achieved it…. The aromas of blackberry leaves and iodine are wild and exotic here with mussel shells and earth underneath. Full-bodied, tight and chewy with powerful tannins that show muscle. It’s structured and powerful. Dense and very, very deep. Don’t touch this until 2025.”
Wine & Spirits 95 points “The joint venture between Baron Philippe de Rothschild (Mouton) and Concha y Toro began in the mid-1990s, launched with the 1996 vintage. The winery was constructed in the midst of the 148 acres of vines dedicated to Almaviva at Puente Alto. It’s an ideal site for cabernet sauvignon, a plateau at 2,130 feet, nestled into the Andes on a terrace above the north bank of the Maipo River. In 2017, the blend includes cabernet sauvignon (65 percent), carmenere (23 percent), cabernet franc, petit verdot and merlot, the wine aged 19 months in new Fresh oak barrels. It’s a dynamic red, its distinctive red fruit seriously concentrated yet carrying the freshness of mountain air. The tannins have a cocoa richness and subtle nuances of truffles. While the vintage may have been hot and dry, there is no apparent heat in the wine, just plump ripeness and impressive power, ready to carry it for a decade or more in the cellar.”
The winery has been one of the best in the world over the course of the decade, earning two perfect scores, and Suckling notes that “”For the last 10 years, vintage after vintage, Almaviva vineyard has been quietly, consistently establishing a track record as one of the greatest wine producers in Chile, if not all of the world.”
The 2017 is the best vintage they’ve made—a powerful Cabernet based blend that resembles the First Growth Bordeaux that inspired it. This is a wine that’s going to become a legend—the ’85 Heitz Martha’s or 1982 Mouton of Chilean wine. In summarizing the bottling, James suckling declared that “Almaviva set a new bar for Chilean wines with nuanced, rigorously blended vintages that marry classic Bordeaux expertise with New World vitality.” All that’s left is for you to secure some while you can.
Arriving ETA Summer:
Vina Almaviva, Puente Alto 2017 750ML ($179.95) $149 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Vina Almaviva, Puente Alto 2017 750ML ($1,079.95) $849 pre-arrival special (that’s only $141.50/bottle!)
James Suckling 100 points “The estate, which is a joint venture between Chateau Mouton Rothschild and Concha y Toro, has been striving for perfection since its launch in 1998. And, with the Almaviva Puente Alto 2017, they’ve achieved it…. The aromas of blackberry leaves and iodine are wild and exotic here with mussel shells and earth underneath. Full-bodied, tight and chewy with powerful tannins that show muscle. It’s structured and powerful. Dense and very, very deep. Don’t touch this until 2025.”
Wine & Spirits 95 points “The joint venture between Baron Philippe de Rothschild (Mouton) and Concha y Toro began in the mid-1990s, launched with the 1996 vintage. The winery was constructed in the midst of the 148 acres of vines dedicated to Almaviva at Puente Alto. It’s an ideal site for cabernet sauvignon, a plateau at 2,130 feet, nestled into the Andes on a terrace above the north bank of the Maipo River. In 2017, the blend includes cabernet sauvignon (65 percent), carmenere (23 percent), cabernet franc, petit verdot and merlot, the wine aged 19 months in new Fresh oak barrels. It’s a dynamic red, its distinctive red fruit seriously concentrated yet carrying the freshness of mountain air. The tannins have a cocoa richness and subtle nuances of truffles. While the vintage may have been hot and dry, there is no apparent heat in the wine, just plump ripeness and impressive power, ready to carry it for a decade or more in the cellar.”
Collector’s Corner
The Captivating Domaine Fourrier
Domaine Fourrier makes some of the most captivating wines in Burgundy. To Burgophiles, this isn’t much of a claim—the wines that Jean-Marie has produced since taking over from his father have become hot tickets in the Burgundy world. If you aren’t familiar, though, these are wines to put on your radar. Fourrier’s style is heavily influenced by his time working under Henri Jayer and the wines show this.
When young they’re among the most impressive in Burgundy, combining succulent fruit with minerality and a complexity that’s nearly unmatched in newly released wines. They improve with age, as well, though we’ve always had a hard time keeping our hands off of the lower-tier wines in the first five years after the vintage. Fourrier works exclusively with old massale vineyards (anything from vines younger than 30 years is sold off) and that sort of soul really makes it into the bottle.
We’ve secured an astounding array of back-vintage Fourrier, plus some current releases—47 different wines in all. It’s far too many to feature here, but you can view the entire list on our webstore.
Highlights of Fourrier Wine In Stock Now:
Domaine Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes, Cote de Nuits 2017 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 10 bottles in stock now
Decanter 92 points “Vieille Vigne (always singular at Fourrier) is sourced from 12 different parcels, most of them on the better, western side of the route nationale. This is always a pleasure to drink, and the 2017 is no exception, with supple, scented, alluring red berry notes, some vanilla oak and a zesty finish.”
Domaine Fourrier Clos Saint-Jacques, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru 2016 750ML ($999.95) $599 special, 2 bottles in stock now
William Kelley – Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2016 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Saint-Jacques is brilliant, unfurling in the glass with a multifaceted bouquet in which aromas of raspberries, orange rind and cassis mingle with nuances of peony, spice and subtle grilled meat. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, ample and pure, with a deep, multidimensional mid-palate that’s framed by satiny tannins and juicy acids, concluding with a long, fragrant finish. The exquisite textural elegance that Fourrier routinely achieves with this site does not conceal the wine’s underlying power and concentration.”
John Gilman 94 points “With the shortened crop in Clos St. Jacques, there is no Cuvée Centennaire here this year, just a single, truly lovely bottling of this great vineyard. The nose is pure, nascently complex and very precise, offering up scents of red plums, cherries, gamebird, mustard seed, a complex base of soil, roses and cedar. On the palate the wine is deep full-bodied and classically structured, with a sappy core, excellent backend mineral drive, ripe tannins and a very long, vibrant and promising finish. 2030-2070.”
Neal Martin- Vinous 94 points “The 2016 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint-Jacques 1er Cru has a lucious slightly exotic nose that sports a metallic reduction. One hopes that it will dissipate with time. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit, cranberry and red plum, touches of orange rind and marmalade developing towards the finish that is one of the spiciest among the five Clos Saint-Jacques this year. It just seems to take its foot off the accelerator pedal in the glass. Tasted blind at the 2016 Burgfest tasting.”
Domaine Fourrier La Combe Aux Moines Vieilles Vignes, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru, 2017 750ML ($279.95) $229 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Decanter 96 points “Combe Aux Moines is something of a signature wine from Fourrier alongside his Clos-St-Jacques. Reflecting its elevated position, this is a bright, aromatic, wonderfully refreshing style with some ferrous notes and a smooth, balanced finish.”
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2017 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Combe Aux Moines is also showing beautifully from bottle, revealing aromas of cherries, raspberries and cassis complemented by suggestions of rose petals and sweet forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, supple and succulent, it’s broad shouldered and attractively complete, but it also exemplifies the weightless charm that typifies the vintage at its best.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Domaine Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin Aux Echezeaux Vieilles Vignes, Cote de Nuits 2008 750ML ($149.95) $119 special, 4 bottles in stock now
David Schildknecht-Wine Advocate 89 points “Fourrier’s 2008 Gevrey-Chambertin Aux Echezeaux (from nearly 90 year-old vines) is intensely scented with kirsch, herbs, and sea spray, which adumbrate its bright, saline, firm but not hard or angular palate impression. Strong cherry pit, stone, and charred meat notes lend this energetic but athletically lean and bright Gevrey a hint of austerity, but it has me salivating uncontrollably. For those who like the style and pair the wine creatively, this should give plenty of pleasure over at least the next 6-8 years, though as Fourrier is eager to concur with me, following the course of 2008s in bottle is bound to mean venturing into relatively uncharted territory.”
Burghound 87-90 points “An intensely, even pungently earthy nose of red and dark berry fruit is very much in keeping with the firm, precise and layered flavors that possess a lovely sense of relief and tension on the solidly long finish. This is very Gevrey in character and offers fine quality for a villages.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin Aux Echezeaux Vieilles Vignes, Cote de Nuits 2013 750ML ($149.95) $119 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Burghound 89-91 points – Outstanding Top Value “An expressive nose of relatively high-toned red currant, floral and warm earth scents precedes the equally refined and delineated middle weight flavors that culminate in a balanced, complex and beautifully persistent finish. This is notably finer than the old vines cuvée if not quite a long or concentrated. Still this is lovely and also worth your consideration as it should drink reasonably well young.”
See the complete grand selection of 47 Fourrier wines, including rare back vintages, in stock and arriving soon, on our webstore.
Burghound 89-91 points – Outstanding Top Value “An expressive nose of relatively high-toned red currant, floral and warm earth scents precedes the equally refined and delineated middle weight flavors that culminate in a balanced, complex and beautifully persistent finish. This is notably finer than the old vines cuvée if not quite a long or concentrated. Still this is lovely and also worth your consideration as it should drink reasonably well young.”
See the complete grand selection of 47 Fourrier wines, including rare back vintages, in stock and arriving soon, on our webstore.
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. Thank you for reading and for continuing to support our team at Vinopolis!
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