Monday VinopolPick 5-7-18

In Today’s Newsletter:

Elio Grasso’s Majestic Riservas
Staff Pick: X Marks the Spot
“One of the Brunellos of the Vintage” At Unbeatable Pricing
Trending Wines of the Weekend
The May Sale Gets Hot
Deals Abound on Zind-Humbrecht: An Alsatian Icon
St. Cosme’s Legendary 2016’s
The Best Tignanello in Twenty Years?

Elio Grasso’s Majestic Riservas

Back Vintages of Runcot Here Now

“Elio Grasso was my first stop on my fall tasting trip. As has been the case for a number of years, Grasso’s Barolos sit at a very high level within the hierarchy of Piedmont’s top estates.” “Grasso is among the producers who deftly bridge modern and traditional styles with stylish, powerful wines that also age beautifully.” “Over the last decade or so, Grasso has stepped up quality in a meaningful way. There seems to be no limit where this small family-run estate can go from here.” – Antonio Galloni

The wines that Elio Grasso’s son, Gianluca, has been making over the last decade and a half have catapulted the estate into the very top tier of Piemontese producers.  These are Barolos that are compelling, thrilling wines; made in a style which bridges modern and traditional into something very much the estate’s own.

The highlight of the wines in the Elio Grasso portfolio is almost certainly the Runcot Riserva, made only in the best years.  This is their most flamboyant wine, made in new barrique, but it has the concentration and power to handle it—and more.  These are some of the most coveted wines in Barolo and we managed to score some back vintages from the winery cellars.  These come from 2006 and 2008, some of the best vintages in recent memory (ie since 2001) in Barolo and are every bit as good as you’d expect.  Although they’re expensive, the relative value vis-à-vis Bordeaux or Burgundy is huge.  You simply cannot find wines of this pedigree from those regions at this sort of pricing.  We’re excited to offer them to you and think they’ll bring you a lot of joy over the coming decades.

Back-Vintage Riserva In Stock Now:

Elio Grasso Runcot, Barolo Riserva DOCG 2006 750ML ($159.95) $119 special, 30 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 96+ points
“The 2006 Barolo Riserva Runcot is a huge, structured wine bursting at the seams with fruit. The French oak (100% new) is beautifully integrated. Today the wine is understandably quite reticent but its pedigree is hard to miss. Flowers, licorice and minerals linger on the finish. The 2006 Runcot needs time, most likely lots of it. Let me just say I can’t wait to taste this powerhouse once it has had more time in bottle. It is a dazzling effort.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $125

Elio Grasso Runcot, Barolo Riserva DOCG 2008 750ML ($169.95) $119 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 97 points
“The 2008 Barolo Riserva Rüncot is an exceptional wine that is only made in the best years. It was produced in 2008, 2010 and 2013. The wine undergoes a 40-day maceration time with four years in oak and one more year of bottle aging. The results are sublime and generous. Riserva Rüncot opens to a beautifully tempered and expressive bouquet that exhibits elements of wild berry, forest floor, candied fruit, licorice, cola and dried ginger. The balsamic signature is particularly beautiful and elegant. Smooth and silky tannins denote the mouthfeel and carry the wine forward over the palate. This is one of the top releases from Piedmont this year.”
Antonio Galloni 95+ points “The 2008 Barolo Riserva Runcot is a drop-dead gorgeous beauty. Smoke, tar, licorice, menthol, plums and spices form a tapestry of undeniable class. The sweet, perfumed fruit typical of the 2008s here is evident in the glass. A rich, sumptuous wine, the 2008 Runcot is fabulous. The 2008 spent 45 months in new French oak, all of which it has handled with superb grace. Even though the Runcot is one of the few Barolos that handles new French oak this well, once again I wonder what it might taste like if aged like the rest of the Grasso Barolos. Dark red/black fruit, spices, new leather and smoke add the last nuances of complexity.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $127.98
Other Notable Elio Grasso Wines:

Elio Grasso Gavarini Vigna Chiniera, Barolo DOCG 2013 750ML ($99.95) $89 special, 7 bottles in stock now
Elio Grasso Gavarini Vigna Chiniera, Barolo DOCG 2013 1.5L ($219.95)
$189 special, 3 magnums in stock now
Antonio Galloni 95+ points “The 2013 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera is racy, exotic and super-elegant, with a finesse to tannins that is almost impossible to believe in a young Barolo. This is an especially delicate, refined style that shows just how elegant Nebbiolo can be. Sweet red cherry, kirsch, chalk, mint, white pepper and rose petals meld into a super expressive, inviting finish laced with veins of bright, salivating acidity. The 2013 gets better and better with time in the glass, but its finest drinking belongs to the future.”
Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2013 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera stands apart in this tasting of Elio Grasso’s new releases. The fruit portrayed shows a very crisp and focused quality. It absolutely pops from the glass with brilliant sharpness. Gianluca Grasso tells me lab reports confirm the higher acidic tenor of the wine, although this is not necessarily perceived acidity that you taste. Aromas of wild berry, balsam herb, licorice and smoke emerge delicately from the bouquet. The wine’s mouthfeel evokes a profound sense of elegance thanks to those noble tannins and its silky texture.”

Elio Grasso Ginestra Vigna Casa Mate, Barolo DOCG 2013 750ML ($99.95) $89 special, 8 bottles in stock now
Elio Grasso Ginestra Vigna Casa Mate, Barolo DOCG 2013 1.5L ($219.95)
$189 special, 3 magnums in stock now
Antonio Galloni 96 points
“The 2013 Barolo Ginestra Casa Matè is powerful and intense, with huge beams of tannin underpinning the fruit. Black cherry, plum, violet, mint and licorice develop in the glass. Today, the 2013 is quite reticent, with tons of power in reserve, but all the elements are in the right place. Not surprisingly, the 2013 is a tightly wound ball of energy. Readers need to be patient.”
Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2013 Barolo Ginestra Casa Maté does a great job of portraying its vineyard characteristics. This single vineyard is located at higher altitudes with thicker clay soils. This combination helps to build the wine’s intensity, structure and muscle. It undergoes 45 days of submerged cap fermentation. Dark cherry and blackberry open the bouquet. These aromas are followed by spice, smoke, iron and crushed mineral. The robust nature of those aromas makes for a beautiful contrast to the fine, silky and more delicate (relatively speaking) nature of the mouthfeel.”

Want to see all 74 Barolos available right now at www.vinopoliswineshop.com? Just click here to view the full list on our website!

Staff Pick

Pradeaux’s X Marks the Spot

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

“One of the Brunellos of the Vintage”

Piancornello Delivers at an Unbeatable Tariff

Piancornello makes some of the best Brunello out there.  That they do it at affordable prices is astounding to us—everyone else in their peer group costs 50%-100% more on the shelf.  These are classically made wines with pedigree and power.  They’re made with care and craftsmanship and the quality of both shows through in the end wine.

The Pieri family has owned Piancornello since 1950, but it wasn’t until the 1990 vintage that they began estate-bottling their wines. Their organic viticulture, patient and traditional winemaking style, and stewardship of the land and Montalcino name earned a Slow Food award in 2014.  They’ve moved from strength to strength since then and are just releasing their 2013 Brunello and 2012 Riserva, two landmark wines that are going to define them for generations to come.  We just managed to increase our allocation for these wines and also get a lower price at the same time, taking what was a good deal into the stratosphere!

Arriving ETA July:

Piancornello Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2013 750ML ($69.95) $48 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Piancornello Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2013 750ML ($399.95) $269 pre-arrival special (that’s only $44.83/bottle!)
Ian D’agata-Vinous 96 points
“Deep red-ruby. Highly perfumed, mineral aromas of raspberry, red cherry, violet and iron. Wonderfully sappy but youthfully imploded in the mouth, this remarkably precise and well-delineated Brunello offers an extremely refined set of flinty red and black fruit herbal flavors. Finishes with a firm edge of tannins and very good floral and spicy lift. An outstanding, very pure and deep wine that really needs about a decade of patience. One of the Brunellos of the vintage.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Piancornello Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG, Tuscany 2012 750ML ($99.95) $69 pre-arrival special
Ian D’agata-Vinous 97 points “Luminous deep red. Less stony and scented on the nose than Piancornello’s memorable 2013 Brunello, offering hints of gingerbread and exotic fruit elements to the red berry and cherry aromas and flavors. Thick and creamy in the mouth, but lovely acidity and a saline element give the wine a three-dimensional texture and keep it light on its feet despite noteworthy concentration of extract and flavor. This densely packed, rich and ripe Brunello will age splendidly. Not surprisingly, this 2012 Riserva is weightier and fuller than the 2013 Brunello from Piacornello, but still comes across as refined and steely in the typical house style.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $79.99

Trending:

The Hottest Wines of the Weekend

Chateau de L’Ou ‘Secret de Schistes ‘ Rouge, IGP Cotes Catalanes 2015 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Case-12 Chateau de L’Ou ‘Secret de Schistes ‘ Rouge, IGP Cotes Catalanes 2015 750ML ($549.95) $419 special (that’s only $34.92/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 96 points
“Saturated black in color, the 2015 IGP Côtes Catalanes Secret de Schistes is reminiscent of Manfred Krankl’s SQN Syrahs with its deep, unctuous, layered profile. Cassis, chocolate, licorice, smoked herbs and ample minerality all emerge from this full-bodied, sexy beauty that just begs to be drunk. Possessing ripe tannin, a stacked mid-palate and a great finish, it will be better in a year or two and keep for a decade.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Thibaud Boudignon Anjou Blanc, Loire 2016 750ML ($44.95) $38 special
Importer note “With a tight core of saline terroir enveloped within ripe medium bodied fruit, this chenin blanc delivers a focused example of Thibaud’s style of ripe fruit matched with elegance and precision.”
Importer note “100% Chenin Blanc from 35 year old, high density plantings grown on shallow soils of grey schist and rhyolite (volcanic soil. Indigenous yeast fermentation with no malo. Aged in 350l and 700l barrels (30% new).”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Fattoria dei Pagliaresi ‘Pagliarese’ Chianti Classico DOCG, Tuscany 2015 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 92 points “The 2015 Chianti Classico is a new wine from Fèlsina’s Pagliarese property. For what seems like forever, Giuseppe Mazzocolin has been the ultimate champion of Sangiovese, long before it was fashionable. With Pagliarese, Mazzocolin and Fèlsina return to a super-classic Chianti Classico based on Sangiovese, of course, but with dollops of Canaiolo, Mammolo and Colorino aged in cask. The debut 2015 is fabulous. Bright, red-toned fruit and an array of floral/savory notes are nicely delineated, but the wine’s purity and extraordinary balance elevate it into the realm of the sublime. What a gorgeous wine this is! ”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Bear Flag Wines Zinfandel, Sonoma County 2015 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
Wine Spectator 92 points “Plump and piquant, with expressive blackberry and orange zest aromas and lots of personality, accenting smoky cracked pepper and black olive flavors that build toward zesty tannins. Drink now through 2022. 11,000 cases made.”

Crowley Chardonnay, Willamette Valley 2016 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special
VinopolNote: Always a beautiful wine in its youth, this is actually all Four Winds fruit of barrels declassified from the single vineyard. This year the blend is four barrels of Dijon clone and 9 of Wente with a mix of new, one year old and much older oak. Bottled in December, this is showing very well at the moment with air. The signature note of dried ginger and spice shows beneath a restrained note of citrus and orchard fruit and a creamy texture. Balanced, elegant, and a bargain.

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Domaine Francois Lumpp A Vigne Rouge, Givry Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($49.95) $29 special
Case-12 Domaine Francois Lumpp A Vigne Rouge, Givry Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($399.95) $319 special (that’s only $26.58/bottle!)
Grapelive 92 points
“This Domaine is getting a lot of buzz for value, and I was very excited to try this Givry by Francois Lumpp. This area is in the Cote Chalonnaise, not far from the more famous Mercurey. There are a total of 240 acres of red and just 24 acres of white in the 27 climats within the Givry AOC (appellation) that are classified as Premier Cru vineyards, with wines designated Givry Premier Cru that show a vineyard name. This Lumpp A Vignes Rouge cuvee [is] a single vineyard Premier Cru Givry. Even though it’s a lesser known place, Burgundy fans have long looked here for purity, character and especially value, and with this Francois Lumpp you can see why. Kermit Lynch now imports Lumpp, who was founded in 1991 and produce just about 4,000 cases annually. Every wine François makes is from Givry, and interestingly from vineyards that he planted and nurtured–something that is exceedingly rare in Burgundy today. His vines are a massale selection of old bud wood grown on, in this case, a mix of Oxfordian Nantoux Limestone, Fine Marl, and Clay with A Vignes Rouge coming off 15 year old vines at 850 feet above sea level. Givry’s best premier cru sites are situated on the mid to upper level slopes of the rolling hillsides. These form the base of Lumpp’s holdings (all of which are in fact Premier Cru plots, except one white Lieu-Dit). Lumpp uses stainless steel to ferment with gentle punch downs then the wine is raised in barriques, of which surprisingly are about 70% new each vintage. The Premier Crus get one year in barrel as this one did with only one racking to clarify before bottling. This 2013 is astonishingly fresh and deeply flavored with a rich dark garnet/ruby hue and a vivid grapey nose that leads to a textured palate that shines with blackberry, plum, bramble berry and cherry fruits along with a streak of mineral, earth and briar adding sweet woody notes along with hint of tobacco, tangy currant, minty herb and apple skin. The tannins are supple, but firmer than you’d expect of a wine of this vintage and there’s a lot of pop from vital acidity, while being rather lush and dense. Certainly this Burgundy has ages to go and it’s a huge bargain, best with robust cuisine, and it must be said it has resolved almost all the oak making for a real entertaining and stylish wine.  Best from 2019 to 2026.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2013 750ML ($44.95) $36 special
Wine Spectator 95 points “This cuts more of a broad swath than its peers, yet remains graveful, evoking strawberry, cherry, tobacco and stony mineral flavors. Long and dense in structure, with a tobacco- and under-brush-tinged finish. Best from 2021 through 2033.”
The May Sale:

Hot Like Fire

The May Sale is full of great wines that are at even better pricing than you’re used to from us.  These are some real gems, made more precious as we’ve upgraded the deals for you. They range from the powerful reds of Saint Damien in Gigondas to some of our favorite producers in Austria and an Argentine Pinot that flies under the radar but is spectacular.  Want to see the rest of the sale?  Just click here to view a full list on the website.

Domaine Saint Damien Gigondas Rose, Rhone 2016 750ML ($24.95) Was $21.90, Now $16.60
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 91 points “Bright orange-pink. Ripe red berries and blood orange on the fragrant nose. In a warm, fleshy style, offering juicy, nicely concentrated raspberry and orange zest flavors that turn livelier on the back half. Smooth and seamless on the impressively persistent and penetrating finish, which leaves a sappy red berry note behind.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Domaine Saint Damien Gigondas ‘Les Souteyrades Vieilles Vignes’, Rhone 2015 750ML ($41.95) Was $39, Now $36
Jeb Dunnuck 97 points “The most opulent and voluptuous of the 2015s, the 2015 Gigondas Les Souteyrades is heavenly juice that, again, drinks well past its humble price point. Just loaded with notions of strawberries, framboise, spring flowers, dried orange peels and spice, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a thick, unctuous texture, sweet tannin and a great, great finish. This cuvee is the normal 80/20 split of Grenache and Mourvèdre, aged all in foudre, and there’s just 750 cases made.”
Wine Advocate 94 points “Like the La Louisiane, the 2015 Gigondas les Souteyrades spent a year in foudres prior to bottling. It a similar blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Mourvèdre, but grown on north-facing gray clays. There’s more pepper and herb here, still wonderfully ripe raspberries but less chocolate. Full-bodied, it’s still silky and refined, with tremendous length on the finish.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Weingut Hirsch Lamm Gruner Veltliner Erste Lage, Kamptal 2011 750ML ($59.95) Was $49, Now $39
Stephen Tanzer 92 points “Slowly emerging aromas of honeyed peach, lime zest and ripe plum. Harmoniously herbal and subtly austere, with wonderfully integrated acidity lending a particularly refreshing quality to the peach and apricot flavors. This is less a veltliner to drink on its own than a very versatile food wine.” ST

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $56.99
Weingut Leo Alzinger Loibenberg Riesling Smaragd, Wachau 2015 750ML ($69.95) Was $59, Now $49 
David Schildknecht–Vinous 90-91 points “Last tasted in June 2016 from tank (after having briefly sojourned in cask), this is tight, firm and bright in a way one doesn’t typically associate with its site, much less from an unremittingly warm vintage. “With our higher, east-facing Riesling sites,” noted Alzinger, “you could say that our Loibenberg Riesling is really not all that Loibenberg-typical,” though he acknowledged that acid retention seemingly specific this year to the Loibenberg and Dürnstein sectors is something of a mystery. All of that having been noted, the midpalate impression here is also expansive, with its ripe peach and pear accompanied by eau de vie-like inner-mouth esters. Stone and peach kernel lend slightly austere counterpoint to a pithily concentrated, seriously sustained finish.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Zorzal Eggo Filoso Pinot, Tupungato 2014 750ML ($29.95) Was $24, Now $21.90
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2014 Eggo Filoso Pinot Noir is produced with fruit from Gualtallary. It fermented after carbonic maceration in cement vats and like the whole Eggo line, it matured in cement eggs for some nine months and never saw any oak. Pale-colored, floral and showing a lactic touch, it is earthier than the Gran Terroir. The palate is medium-bodied, with floral flavors, very good acidity and a fine texture.”

This was the lowest listed price in the USA today,
Now it’s even lower!
Want to see all of the hot deals on the May Sale?
Just click here to view a full list on our website!

Zind Humbrecht

Outstanding Prices on the Alsatian Landmark

The Zind-Humbrecht winery only dates back to 1959, but the family has been growing and making wine since the 1600s, and it shows. Old wisdom prevails at this Alsatian estate: Get it right in the vineyard. Meticulous vineyard management throughout the year, biodynamics and ploughing by horse, and exclusion of any grapes that don’t do justice to the names Zind-Humbrecht and Alsace, such are the roots of fine wine. In the cellar, the wines stay on their lees until bottling, and Z-H abandoned chaptalization in 1993. They make only serious, concentrated examples of Alsace and its grape varieties here, including superb Grand Crus: Zind-Humbrecht serves as a reference estate for their beloved region.

We went a few years without being able to get ahold of the Zind-Humbrecht wines and it’s certainly not for lack of trying. They left their old importer and were homeless (in that sense) for a while.  When we heard the wines were in the market again we dropped everything to snap them up and are pleased to offer them for a second year in a row. We are quite proud of the range – many of these new arrivals were initially not intended for release in the USA. You’ll be glad we kept at it when you see the unreal deal on these wines and have them in your glass!

Arriving Late This Month:

Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Roche Calcaire, Alsace 2015 750ML ($49.95) $33 pre-arrival special

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $42.80
Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Clos Windsbuhl, Alsace 2015 750ML ($79.95) $66 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 95 points “Lemon pie and almond aromas. Steel undertones. Full body, dense and layered. Big and rich style yet it’s dry. An oily profile yet turns dry and satisfying. Drink now. Made from organically grown grapes.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Brand, Alsace Grand Cru 2014 750ML ($99.95) $69 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 96 points “A dense and linear riesling with sliced limes, lemons and flint. Bright and precise. Full-bodied, layered and beautiful. Great finish to this. Big and flavorful. Yet not showy. Drink now.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $89.94
Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Rangen de Thann Clos Saint Urbain, Alsace Grand Cru 2014 750ML ($99.95) $79 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 97 points “A fabulous 2014 with amazing aromas of spices, light cheese and walnuts. Full body, dried lemons, limes, stones and saltiness. Pumice as well and a layered, velvety texture. A joy to taste. Made from biodynamically grown grapes. Drink now.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $89.94

Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Clos Windsbuhl, Alsace 2014 750ML ($79.95) $59 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 93 points “Love the lemon rind and hints of cream and stones. Some flinty undertones. Full-bodied, bright and beautiful. Tangy, lime finish. Drink now.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $69.99
Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Gewurztraminer Clos Windsbuhl, Alsace 2015 750ML ($89.95) $69 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2015 Gewurztraminer Clos Windsbuhl is in fact a Vendange Tardive that was picked at 16.66% potential alcohol, since it stopped fermentation at 12.5% and 70.7 grams of residual sugar. However, Oliver did did not announce that he would produce a VT in the Windsbuhl, so he isn’t allowed to sell this wine as a such. Even without the Vendange Tardive predicate, the 2015 is a great and age-worthy Gewurz that is rich, sweet and concentrated but enormously well structured. It is made for long-term bottle aging of 10, 20 or 30 years. Tasted in February 2017.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Brand Vendange Tardive, Alsace Grand Cru 2004 375ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 97 points “Apricot preserves, candied violets, licorice, marzipan, rowan, gardenia, white raisin, and tangerine mark both the nose and palate of the 2004 Riesling Brand Vendange Tardive, a wine of enormous botrytized ripeness, high acidity, and low alcohol, but in none of these respects quite as extreme as the Clos Windsbuhl. Here there is already elegance, refinement and lift, a ravishing combination of textural richness and palpable extract with delicacy and buoyancy, and an extraordinarily clear, pure finish with a mineral dimension as unmistakable as it is ineffable. Compared with the Clos Windsbuhl, the density here is allied to more winsome creaminess of texture (with patisserie-like flavors of vanilla cream and marzipan), and the finish – while no less penetrating and fresh – caries an intricate interplay of flavors and is not at all severe. This breathtakingly beautiful Riesling is too complex and ravishing today to tell you “wait!- but it can certainly be safely followed for a quarter century.”

 
Saint Cosme’s Legends in the Making

At the Best Prices in the Country
This is the only listing in the USA today!

Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas, Rhone 2016 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas, Rhone 2016 750ML ($289.95) $219 pre-arrival special (that’s only $36.50/bottle!)
Case-12 Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas, Rhone 2016 750ML ($519.95)
$419 pre-arrival special (that’s only $34.92/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 90-92 points
“Even Saint Cosme’s 2016 Gigondas looks built to age. It’s full-bodied and firmly tannic but balanced by ripe fruit notes of cherries, peaches and chocolate.”
Jeb Dunnuck 90-92 points “Looking first at the base 2016 Gigondas, it’s certainly going to be another outstanding wine from Barruol. Based on 70% Grenache and the rest close to an even split of Syrah and Mourvèdre, it offers classic St Cosme notes of dark fruits, tapenade, pepper and smoked earth. It has plenty of tannin and will need 2-3 years of cellaring and shine for a decade or more.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $49.99
Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas Hominis Fides, Rhone 2016 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Jeb Dunnuck 98-100 points “Leading off the special cuvees and from the sandiest parcel of the estate, the 2016 Gigondas Hominis Fides (100% Grenache) has perfection written all over it! Just as fine, elegant and seamless as it gets, yet also with blockbuster depth and richness, it boasts incredible notes of black raspberries, loamy/sandy soils nuances, game, and camphor. Don’t miss it!”
Wine Advocate 94-96 points “Rich and velvety but undeniably tannic, the 2016 Gigondas Hominis Fides is another stunning wine from proprietor Louis Barruol. Stone fruit, cherries and chocolate notes all mingle easily on the full-bodied palate, ending in a supple flurry of tannins.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $149.99
Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas Le Claux, Rhone 2016 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Jeb Dunnuck 99-100 points “The 2016 Gigondas Le Claux has slightly more mid-palate depth compared to the Hominis Fides, yet is also more tannic and structure. Damp clay, forest floor, currants spice and huge minerality all soar from the glass and this full-bodied beauty has an unctuous texture that’s currently hiding serious amounts of tannin. Forget bottles for 4-5 years and enjoy over the following 15+.”
Wine Advocate 95-97 points “More approachable than the blockbuster Le Poste, the 2016 Gigondas le Claux looks to be another Gigondas legend in the making. Apricot and cherry fruit lead the way, backed by masses of creamy, lush tannins and savory notes of dark chocolate and black olive on the long finish.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $149.99
Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas Le Poste, Rhone 2016 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Jeb Dunnuck 97-99 points “Coming from Barruol’s favorite vineyard located on just up the hill from the domaine, the 2016 Gigondas Le Poste is another huge wine, and probably the richness, ripest example of this cuvee I’ve tasted. Possessing almost overflowing amounts of blackberry fruits, graphite, spring flowers and huge minerality, it offers awesome purity, full-bodied richness, and a great, great finish. I can’t wait to taste this from bottle.”
Wine Advocate 96-98 points “Even tasted blind, it’s immediately apparent that the 2016 Gigondas le Poste is something special. It’s a sneaky, seductive kind of special at first, sparked by subtle hints of toast and baking spices, then super ripe Grenache notes of cherries and stone fruit. It’s full-bodied, supple and creamy on the palate, things are cruising right along and then bam! There’s a wall of ripe tannins on the finish, promising so much more in the years and decades ahead. As a singular expression of grape variety, site and vintage, from a vigneron at the top of his game, this is a must for serious collectors.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $149.99

Other Rhone Wines Arriving in July:

Saint Cosme Condrieu, Rhone 2016 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Importer Note “Saint Cosme Condrieu is produced from fully-ripened Viognier which Louis Barruol believes is essential to achieving the variety’s full potential. “But ripeness must not imply excessive alcohol,” says Barruol, “We seek balance.” The wine is matured for eight months in used 228-liter barrels, and undergoes full malolactic fermentation on fine lees for 12 months…Saint Cosme Condrieu shows classic aromas and flavors of dried apricot, peach, and orange blossom with fennel, anise, and elderflower. Twelve months of aging on its fine lees in used Burgundian pièce brings texture to the palate. This is a classic Condrieu.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Saint Cosme Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Rhone 2015 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 93 points “Sourced from three lieux-dits (including La Crau), Saint Cosme’s 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape is a blend of approximately 60% Grenache, 20-25% Mourvèdre and bits and pieces of other varieties. It’s full-bodied, rich and spicy, with hints of cumin, licorice, cinnamon and clove all swirling about on the long finish.”

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Saint Cosme Cote Rotie, Rhone 2016 750ML ($64.95) $52.50 pre-arrival special
Importer Note “Côte-Rôtie is produced from 100% Sérine, an ancient and local variety of Syrah that is markedly different from modern selections. It is more oval, with lots of space in the bunch, resulting in a very aromatic wine. It is sourced from the schist soils of Le Plomb, Besset, La Viallière, and Neve climats. These hillsides are among the steepest in France with an incline as much as 55 degrees. The wine is made with whole cluster fermentation from indigenous yeasts, aged for 12 months in 40% new 228-liter barrels, and bottled without fining or filtration… On the palate, it reveals a fresh attack followed by an ample, structured, long-lasting finish. The wine unfurls in successive stages and ends with top-quality tannins produced by whole cluster fermentation. It features aromas and flavors of smoked ham, violet, graphite, graphite, and licorice.”

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Saint Cosme Crozes-Hermitage, Rhone 2016 750ML ($27.95) $24 pre-arrival special
Importer Note “Saint Cosme Crozes-Hermitage is produced from 100% Sérine, an ancient and local variety of Syrah …It is made from 100% destemmed grapes, fermented with indigenous yeasts, aged in 20% new 228-liter barrels, and bottled without fining or filtration…Granite slopes rather than flatlands give Saint Cosme’s Crozes-Hermitage greater structure and complexity. The wine shows classic aromas and flavors of black fruits, smoked bacon, black peppercorn, and incense.”

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Saint Cosme Saint-Joseph, Rhone 2016 750ML ($29.95) $26 pre-arrival special
Importer Note “Saint Cosme Saint-Joseph is produced from 100% Sérine, an ancient and local variety of Syrah that is markedly different from modern selections…The wine is made from 70% destemmed with 30% whole clusters, fermented with indigenous yeasts, and aged in 20% new 228-liter barrels… Louis Barruol describes the microclimate of the vineyard Malleval as “very cold” which allows the grapes to retain acidity and showcase the floral aromas of the local Sérine variety. Aromas and flavors of blackberries and wild strawberries are accented by notes of peppercorns, tobacco, peonies, and violets.”

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The Best Tignanello in Two Decades?

The 2015 Arrives in September

Marchesi Antinori Tignanello Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2015 750ML ($149.95) $119 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 98 points “Fantastic aromas of dark berries, sandalwood and Spanish cedar that are ever so deep. Full body, an incredible spin of polished tannins and bright acidity. Incredible depth. Like looking over the edge of a skyscraper. Powerful and structured. A great Tignanello. A little more sangiovese than usual. Best since the legendary 1997?

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