In This Newsletter:Special ArrivalThere’s a new Sake in TownNew ArrivalsChimney Rock, Andre Clouet, Falkenstein, Domaine Marc Colin, and more!
Special Arrival
Shimizu-No-Mai
Dawn’s first light descends,
Sake’s warmth melts winter’s snow…
A gentle embrace“Shimizu-No-Mai was the first brewery established in Akita with its own rice-polishing facilities ensuring that they can control the quality of their product from start to finish. Shimizu-No-Mai polishes their rice a minimum of 5% more than required by law to create Junmai Sake of the highest quality.” –
Importer’s Note Shimizu-No-Mai ‘Pure Dawn’ Junmai Ginjo Sake, Akita Prefecture, Japan 720ml $24 special, 11 bottles availableWinery Note “Firm structure of taste with subtle fruity aroma of apple, pear and melon as an accent. With a hint of scent, it remains the traditional sake’s character yet and the taste is sharp.”
Shimizu-No-Mai ‘Pure Snow Junmai Nigori Sake, Akita Prefecture, Japan 720ml $21.90 special, 11 bottles availableWinery Note “Elegant sweetness and well-balanced acidity have a soft taste. Putting a piece of fruits on cold pure snow turns into fancy cocktail easily. You can enjoy the mild palatable taste and clear aftertaste.”
New Arrivals
United States
Chimney Rock Winery
“Established in 1980 by Hack and Stella Wilson, they brought their love of wine and South African winery architecture to the Napa Valley … Focusing on intelligent and sustainable farming and grape growing, along with a soft-handed and thoughtful approach to winemaking led by Winemaker, Elizabeth Vianna, we strive to allow the unique and magnificent Stags Leap District soil and fruit to show themselves in their best light. Through this thoughtful and sustainable approach, our estate has built a reputation for consistently crafting unique wines of exceptional quality that show a true sense of place.”
-John Terlato, Owner Hot deal! Chimney Rock Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap District, USA 2021 750ml $75 special, 12 bottles availableJeb Dunnuck 95 Points “The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District is based on 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Merlot, and minuscule percentages of Petit Verdot and Malbec that’s all from estate fruit in the Stags Leap District. It offers a pure, medium to full-bodied, incredibly elegant style as well as tons of minerality in its red and black fruits, ripe, building tannins, nicely integrated acidity, and just a kiss of background oak. I love the overall style of this beauty, which will compete with wines two to three times the price.”
Marietta Cellars
Marietta Cellars ‘Christo’, California, USA 2021 750ml $21.90 special, 36+ bottles availableErin Brooks-Wine Advocate 93 Points “The 2021 Christo is a blend of 68% Syrah, 20% Grenache, 8% Petite Sirah and 4% Viognier. The nose features fresh blackcurrant and blueberry aromas with tones of cast iron, violet, sagebrush and conifer. The full-bodied palate is chalky and refreshing with restrained, mineral-driven fruit and a long, perfumed finish. Give it 2-3 years in bottle or a couple hours in a decanter.”
Champagne Andre Clouet Silver Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs Brut Nature, Champagne, France NV 750ml $39.50 special, 40 bottles availableStephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 92+ Points “[Reviewed Apr 2021] Clouet’s NV Silver Brut Nature Grand Cru is a pure Bouzy Pinot Noir that was disgorged without any dosage. This disgorgement displays a medium intense golden color and a complex and refined bouquet of ripe and pureed apples and discreet chalky as well as brioche aromas. The palate is elegant, straight and fresh, very pure and salty on the finish. This is a challenging Brut Nature that needs to be aged for two or three years to gain complexity and finesse and to smooth its current edges. The finish is mineral, limestone and salty but also a bit drying at this moment.”
Pehu Simonet ‘Face Nord’ Millesime Grand Cru, Champagne, France 2008 750ml $135 special, 9 bottles availableAntonio Galloni-Vinous 90 Points “Pehu’s 2008 Brut Millésimé Face Nord Grand Cru is powerful, rich and quite vinous in feel. Sweet red berry, kirsch and hard candy give the 2008 an unusually exotic, sweet character that takes a little getting used to. With some air, though, the wine gains freshness and energy as the oak impact – which is quite strong at first – gently softens.”
Germany
Falkenstein Finale!
Zats all folks!We were extremely lucky to get more than our usual allotment of these fabulous wines this year, but the Falkenstein fun has to end sometime. These are the last bottles we’ll be getting this year, don’t miss out! Hofgut Falkenstein Pet-Nat, Mosel, Germany 2023 750ml $29 special, 27 bottles availableVinopolnote “Cool and geeky! This is your entry ticket to a whole new era of Riesling enjoyment.”
Hofgut Falkenstein Krettnacher Ober Schafershaus Riesling Spatlese Trocken AP18, Mosel, Germany 2023 750ml $39 special, 29 bottles availableMosel Fine Wines 93 Points “(Falkenstein Krettnacher Ober Schäfershaus Riesling Spätlese Trocken) AP: 18 24. The 2023er Krettnacher Ober Schäfershaus Riesling Spätlese Trocken comes 60-year-old vines planted in the similarly name Lieu-Dit in the Altenberg vineyard underpinned by Diabas elements. It offers a superb nose of greengage, bergamot, smoke, wet stone, and grapefruit zest sorbet. The wine is racy but beautifully playful on the bone-dry tasting palate and leaves a superbly feel of menthol in the long finish. 2033-2048.”
Falkenstein Niedermenniger Herrenberg Riesling Spätlese Feinherb Meyer Nepal AP11, Mosel, Germany 2023 750ml $34.50 special, 9 bottles availableMosel Fine Wines 96 Points “AP: 11 24. The 2023er Niedermenniger Herrenberg Riesling Spätlese Feinherb Meyer Nepal (the reference to this internal cask name is provided in small print on the label after the AP number) comes from vines planted in the 1950s in the upper part of the vineyard and was fermented to off-dry levels of residual sugar. This offers a stunning nose of bergamot, mint, pineapple, lemon sorbet, and spices. The wine is stunningly precise on the palate where the ripe zesty side is superbly well wrapped into racy elements. The wine is long, ethereally light, yet packed with flavors. This is a modern-day classic in the making! 2038-2048.”
Italy
Campi di Fonterenza
The Padovani Sisters: Francesca and Margherita. Or Margherita and Francesca.“I believe in natural wine because I believe this is going to make a better wine. I personally refer to myself as a natural wine producer. I don’t like to say “organic” or “biodynamic” because I find these terms are often misleading. At least when I say I make natural wine, people more or less have a grasp of what I mean by that. I know it’s difficult to define because many natural wine producers work very differently, but there is definitely a synergy and a like-mindedness that can be tasted in these wines.”
–Francesca Padovani, one half of Fonterenza’s ownership team. Campi di Fonterenza Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany, Italy 2016 750ml $108 special, 16 bottles availableKerin O’keefe 96 Points “Forest floor, new leather and oak-driven spice aromas mingle with ripe berry. Elegantly structured, the smooth, bright palate delivers ripe Morello cherry, blood orange, crushed mint and almond liqueur framed in tightly knit, close-grained tannins. It’s structured and balanced, with bright acidity.”
Campi di Fonterenza ‘Alberello’ Rosso, Tuscany, Italy 2020 750ml $54.50 special, 36 bottles availableEric Guido, Vinous 93+ Points “The 2020 Sangiovese Alberello is dusty in character, smoldering up with a darkly inviting bouquet of dried rose petals and wild strawberries complicated by hints of crushed stone. Its silken textures envelop the palate, quickly offset by a core of tart wild berry fruits and hints of sour citrus, as violet inner florals and lavender tones resonate throughout. This tapers off with a lasting presence, leaving edgy tannins to pinch at the cheeks as a bump of residual acidity keeps the experience vividly fresh and perfumed. The Sangiovese Alberello was once a Rosso di Montalcino yet was elevated within the Fonterenza portfolio to sit somewhere between their Rosso and Brunello. It’s a stunning wine, yet in need of some cellaring to come fully into focus.”
Feudi di San Gregorio
Feudi di San Gregorio Greco di Tufo Cutizzi DOCG, Campania, Italy 2022 750ml $26 special, 18 bottles availableWine Advocate 92 Points “Packaged in a ribbed glass bottle, this is a delightful wine that offers both elegance and accessibility. The Feudi di San Gregorio 2022 Greco di Tufo Cutizzi is just the ticket for a plate of raw fish with spicy wasabi sauce or tuna tartare. Made only in stainless steel, it has the subtle power and firmness to support generous aromas of pear, quince and honeydew melon. The wine’s mineral signature is very developed.”
Nino Franco Rustico, Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG, Italy NV 750ml $19.50 special, 12 bottles availableKerin O’keefe-Wine Enthusiast 94 Points “[Reviewed November 2021] This lovely sparkler never disappoints. It’s fragrant, with delicate scents of white spring flowers and white stone fruits while the dry, refreshing palate offers ripe pear, apple and white peach alongside a hint of fennel seed. An elegant perlage and fresh acidity provide the backdrop.”
Spain The best Albarino on the planet? We think so!Alberto Nanclares Dandelion Albarino Baixas 2022 750ml $28 special, 25 bottles availableLuis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 91 Points “The 2022 Dandelión shows mellow, round and polished, with integrated acidity, a classical profile and varietal notes. It’s vibrant and fresh, with the classical salty twist in the finish.”
France
Domaine Marc Colin
Domaine Marc Colin is a star of the Santenay. Although Marc no longer works the fields, having passed the Domaine on to his children, the fruits of his labor can still be felt in these wines. Reds that are delicate but never brittle, whites that are crisp but never tart, the Domaine’s wines have perfected a skillful balancing act, while still maintaining excellent value. Domaine Marc Colin et Fils Bourgogne Aligote, Burgundy, France 2022 750ml $28 special, 46 bottles availableVinopolNote “This Aligote is effervescent, crisp, with lots of juicy citrus and orchard fruit. It is sharp, with good weight and mineral driven backbone. The touch of salinity makes this a great wine to pair with seafood!”
Marc Colin Bourgogne Blanc, Burgundy, France 2022 750ml $41.90 special, 30 bottles availableBurghound “Attractively fresh aromas include those of freshly sliced citrus and Granny Smith apples. The racy and delicious flavors are not especially dense but they do offer good cut before concluding in a bone-dry and highly refreshing finish. This is lovely for its level and worth considering.”
Marc Colin Montrachet Grand Cru, Burgundy, France 2022 750ml $1,899 special, 1 bottle availableJasper Morris 96-98 Points “One barrel which is by measure – 280 litres, made with new dowels but one year old ends. A fuller yellow, with massive energy, multiple fruits through the yellow and white spectra, yet also rich summer flowers. Impressive density as one would hope, then firm acidity behind, still such a baby, and then suddenly the wine kicks on to another dimension at the finish, with a reprise of all the fruits and a greater sense of harmony. Drink from 2030-2040.”
Luneau-Papin
“Pierre Luneau-Papin: This estate in Le Landreau, now run by Pierre-Marie Luneau and his wife, Marie, produces arguably the most ambitious and complex wines in the region, all from organically farmed vines.”
–Jon Bonne (author of The New French Wine), Punch Drink Domaine Pierre Luneau-Papin Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine Sur Lie La Grange Vieilles Vignes, Loire, France 2022 750ml $21.90 special, 33 bottles availableYohan Castaing-Wine Advocate 90 Points “The 2022 La Grange is made from grapes grown on schist and mica-schist soils. It has a delightful bouquet of lemon oil, menthol and white fruits, followed by a medium-bodied and juicy texture with bright acids and an energetic, tense and mouthwatering finish. This classic Muscadet could evolve beautifully over the next two to four years.”
Domaine Pierre Luneau-Papin Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine Sur Lie Clos des Allees Vieilles Vignes, Loire, France 2022 750ml $33 special, 12 bottles availableImporter Note “From Luneau Papin’s monopole, the Clos de l’Allée has a pale straw hue with aromas that delicately dance between salt and citrus. The palate is intricately laced with jasmine, orange blossom, lemon zest, pear sorbet, beach pebbles, and subtle spice. This storied plot was last planted in 1974. This Clos is adjacent to their winery and is the historical cradle of the Luneau family.”
Domaine Pierre Luneau-Papin Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine Sur Lie ‘Le L d’Or’, Loire, France 2022 750ml $33 special, 12 bottles availableImporter Note “Biodynamic estate vineyard -Vines planted in 1984. Mother rock of granite and gneiss with two micas of the Armoricain Massif. This plot is one of the historical treasures of the Luneau family. It rises up between two villages and has a river running through it.”
Domaine Pierre Luneau-Papin Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine Sur Lie Semper Excelsior, Loire, France 2021 750ml $49 special, 12 bottles available(Not reviewed yet, 2020 vintage presented for reference)Yohan Castaing-Wine Advocate 91+ Points (2020) “The 2020 Excelsior was crafted from vines planted in 1936 with a massal selection on schist and mica-schist soils. Evoking aromas of herbs, smoke, lemon oil and pear, it’s fleshy and tense with excellent concentration, schist structuring extract and a long, saline finish. This well-made, forward, balanced wine will drink well right out of the gate and over the next decade.”
In This Newsletter:Special ArrivalThere’s a new Sake in TownNew ArrivalsChimney Rock, Andre Clouet, Falkenstein, Domaine Marc Colin, and more!
Special Arrival
Shimizu-No-Mai
Dawn’s first light descends,
Sake’s warmth melts winter’s snow…
A gentle embrace
“Shimizu-No-Mai was the first brewery established in Akita with its own rice-polishing facilities ensuring that they can control the quality of their product from start to finish. Shimizu-No-Mai polishes their rice a minimum of 5% more than required by law to create Junmai Sake of the highest quality.” –
Importer’s Note Shimizu-No-Mai ‘Pure Dawn’ Junmai Ginjo Sake, Akita Prefecture, Japan 720ml $24 special, 11 bottles availableWinery Note “Firm structure of taste with subtle fruity aroma of apple, pear and melon as an accent. With a hint of scent, it remains the traditional sake’s character yet and the taste is sharp.”
Shimizu-No-Mai ‘Pure Snow Junmai Nigori Sake, Akita Prefecture, Japan 720ml $21.90 special, 11 bottles availableWinery Note “Elegant sweetness and well-balanced acidity have a soft taste. Putting a piece of fruits on cold pure snow turns into fancy cocktail easily. You can enjoy the mild palatable taste and clear aftertaste.”
New Arrivals
United States
Chimney Rock Winery
“Established in 1980 by Hack and Stella Wilson, they brought their love of wine and South African winery architecture to the Napa Valley … Focusing on intelligent and sustainable farming and grape growing, along with a soft-handed and thoughtful approach to winemaking led by Winemaker, Elizabeth Vianna, we strive to allow the unique and magnificent Stags Leap District soil and fruit to show themselves in their best light. Through this thoughtful and sustainable approach, our estate has built a reputation for consistently crafting unique wines of exceptional quality that show a true sense of place.”
-John Terlato, Owner Hot deal! Chimney Rock Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap District, USA 2021 750ml $75 special, 12 bottles availableJeb Dunnuck 95 Points “The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District is based on 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Merlot, and minuscule percentages of Petit Verdot and Malbec that’s all from estate fruit in the Stags Leap District. It offers a pure, medium to full-bodied, incredibly elegant style as well as tons of minerality in its red and black fruits, ripe, building tannins, nicely integrated acidity, and just a kiss of background oak. I love the overall style of this beauty, which will compete with wines two to three times the price.”
Marietta Cellars
Marietta Cellars ‘Christo’, California, USA 2021 750ml $21.90 special, 36+ bottles availableErin Brooks-Wine Advocate 93 Points “The 2021 Christo is a blend of 68% Syrah, 20% Grenache, 8% Petite Sirah and 4% Viognier. The nose features fresh blackcurrant and blueberry aromas with tones of cast iron, violet, sagebrush and conifer. The full-bodied palate is chalky and refreshing with restrained, mineral-driven fruit and a long, perfumed finish. Give it 2-3 years in bottle or a couple hours in a decanter.”
Champagne Andre Clouet Silver Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs Brut Nature, Champagne, France NV 750ml $39.50 special, 40 bottles availableStephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 92+ Points “[Reviewed Apr 2021] Clouet’s NV Silver Brut Nature Grand Cru is a pure Bouzy Pinot Noir that was disgorged without any dosage. This disgorgement displays a medium intense golden color and a complex and refined bouquet of ripe and pureed apples and discreet chalky as well as brioche aromas. The palate is elegant, straight and fresh, very pure and salty on the finish. This is a challenging Brut Nature that needs to be aged for two or three years to gain complexity and finesse and to smooth its current edges. The finish is mineral, limestone and salty but also a bit drying at this moment.”
Pehu Simonet ‘Face Nord’ Millesime Grand Cru, Champagne, France 2008 750ml $135 special, 9 bottles availableAntonio Galloni-Vinous 90 Points “Pehu’s 2008 Brut Millésimé Face Nord Grand Cru is powerful, rich and quite vinous in feel. Sweet red berry, kirsch and hard candy give the 2008 an unusually exotic, sweet character that takes a little getting used to. With some air, though, the wine gains freshness and energy as the oak impact – which is quite strong at first – gently softens.”
Germany
Falkenstein Finale!
Zats all folks!
We were extremely lucky to get more than our usual allotment of these fabulous wines this year, but the Falkenstein fun has to end sometime. These are the last bottles we’ll be getting this year, don’t miss out! Hofgut Falkenstein Pet-Nat, Mosel, Germany 2023 750ml $29 special, 27 bottles availableVinopolnote “Cool and geeky! This is your entry ticket to a whole new era of Riesling enjoyment.”
Hofgut Falkenstein Krettnacher Ober Schafershaus Riesling Spatlese Trocken AP18, Mosel, Germany 2023 750ml $39 special, 29 bottles availableMosel Fine Wines 93 Points “(Falkenstein Krettnacher Ober Schäfershaus Riesling Spätlese Trocken) AP: 18 24. The 2023er Krettnacher Ober Schäfershaus Riesling Spätlese Trocken comes 60-year-old vines planted in the similarly name Lieu-Dit in the Altenberg vineyard underpinned by Diabas elements. It offers a superb nose of greengage, bergamot, smoke, wet stone, and grapefruit zest sorbet. The wine is racy but beautifully playful on the bone-dry tasting palate and leaves a superbly feel of menthol in the long finish. 2033-2048.”
Falkenstein Niedermenniger Herrenberg Riesling Spätlese Feinherb Meyer Nepal AP11, Mosel, Germany 2023 750ml $34.50 special, 9 bottles availableMosel Fine Wines 96 Points “AP: 11 24. The 2023er Niedermenniger Herrenberg Riesling Spätlese Feinherb Meyer Nepal (the reference to this internal cask name is provided in small print on the label after the AP number) comes from vines planted in the 1950s in the upper part of the vineyard and was fermented to off-dry levels of residual sugar. This offers a stunning nose of bergamot, mint, pineapple, lemon sorbet, and spices. The wine is stunningly precise on the palate where the ripe zesty side is superbly well wrapped into racy elements. The wine is long, ethereally light, yet packed with flavors. This is a modern-day classic in the making! 2038-2048.”
Italy
Campi di Fonterenza
The Padovani Sisters: Francesca and Margherita. Or Margherita and Francesca.
“I believe in natural wine because I believe this is going to make a better wine. I personally refer to myself as a natural wine producer. I don’t like to say “organic” or “biodynamic” because I find these terms are often misleading. At least when I say I make natural wine, people more or less have a grasp of what I mean by that. I know it’s difficult to define because many natural wine producers work very differently, but there is definitely a synergy and a like-mindedness that can be tasted in these wines.”
–Francesca Padovani, one half of Fonterenza’s ownership team. Campi di Fonterenza Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany, Italy 2016 750ml $108 special, 16 bottles availableKerin O’keefe 96 Points “Forest floor, new leather and oak-driven spice aromas mingle with ripe berry. Elegantly structured, the smooth, bright palate delivers ripe Morello cherry, blood orange, crushed mint and almond liqueur framed in tightly knit, close-grained tannins. It’s structured and balanced, with bright acidity.”
Campi di Fonterenza ‘Alberello’ Rosso, Tuscany, Italy 2020 750ml $54.50 special, 36 bottles availableEric Guido, Vinous 93+ Points “The 2020 Sangiovese Alberello is dusty in character, smoldering up with a darkly inviting bouquet of dried rose petals and wild strawberries complicated by hints of crushed stone. Its silken textures envelop the palate, quickly offset by a core of tart wild berry fruits and hints of sour citrus, as violet inner florals and lavender tones resonate throughout. This tapers off with a lasting presence, leaving edgy tannins to pinch at the cheeks as a bump of residual acidity keeps the experience vividly fresh and perfumed. The Sangiovese Alberello was once a Rosso di Montalcino yet was elevated within the Fonterenza portfolio to sit somewhere between their Rosso and Brunello. It’s a stunning wine, yet in need of some cellaring to come fully into focus.”
Feudi di San Gregorio
Feudi di San Gregorio Greco di Tufo Cutizzi DOCG, Campania, Italy 2022 750ml $26 special, 18 bottles availableWine Advocate 92 Points “Packaged in a ribbed glass bottle, this is a delightful wine that offers both elegance and accessibility. The Feudi di San Gregorio 2022 Greco di Tufo Cutizzi is just the ticket for a plate of raw fish with spicy wasabi sauce or tuna tartare. Made only in stainless steel, it has the subtle power and firmness to support generous aromas of pear, quince and honeydew melon. The wine’s mineral signature is very developed.”
Nino Franco Rustico, Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG, Italy NV 750ml $19.50 special, 12 bottles availableKerin O’keefe-Wine Enthusiast 94 Points “[Reviewed November 2021] This lovely sparkler never disappoints. It’s fragrant, with delicate scents of white spring flowers and white stone fruits while the dry, refreshing palate offers ripe pear, apple and white peach alongside a hint of fennel seed. An elegant perlage and fresh acidity provide the backdrop.”
Spain The best Albarino on the planet? We think so!Alberto Nanclares Dandelion Albarino Baixas 2022 750ml $28 special, 25 bottles availableLuis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 91 Points “The 2022 Dandelión shows mellow, round and polished, with integrated acidity, a classical profile and varietal notes. It’s vibrant and fresh, with the classical salty twist in the finish.”
France
Domaine Marc Colin
Domaine Marc Colin is a star of the Santenay. Although Marc no longer works the fields, having passed the Domaine on to his children, the fruits of his labor can still be felt in these wines. Reds that are delicate but never brittle, whites that are crisp but never tart, the Domaine’s wines have perfected a skillful balancing act, while still maintaining excellent value. Domaine Marc Colin et Fils Bourgogne Aligote, Burgundy, France 2022 750ml $28 special, 46 bottles availableVinopolNote “This Aligote is effervescent, crisp, with lots of juicy citrus and orchard fruit. It is sharp, with good weight and mineral driven backbone. The touch of salinity makes this a great wine to pair with seafood!”
Marc Colin Bourgogne Blanc, Burgundy, France 2022 750ml $41.90 special, 30 bottles availableBurghound “Attractively fresh aromas include those of freshly sliced citrus and Granny Smith apples. The racy and delicious flavors are not especially dense but they do offer good cut before concluding in a bone-dry and highly refreshing finish. This is lovely for its level and worth considering.”
Marc Colin Montrachet Grand Cru, Burgundy, France 2022 750ml $1,899 special, 1 bottle availableJasper Morris 96-98 Points “One barrel which is by measure – 280 litres, made with new dowels but one year old ends. A fuller yellow, with massive energy, multiple fruits through the yellow and white spectra, yet also rich summer flowers. Impressive density as one would hope, then firm acidity behind, still such a baby, and then suddenly the wine kicks on to another dimension at the finish, with a reprise of all the fruits and a greater sense of harmony. Drink from 2030-2040.”
Luneau-Papin
“Pierre Luneau-Papin: This estate in Le Landreau, now run by Pierre-Marie Luneau and his wife, Marie, produces arguably the most ambitious and complex wines in the region, all from organically farmed vines.”
–Jon Bonne (author of The New French Wine), Punch Drink Domaine Pierre Luneau-Papin Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine Sur Lie La Grange Vieilles Vignes, Loire, France 2022 750ml $21.90 special, 33 bottles availableYohan Castaing-Wine Advocate 90 Points “The 2022 La Grange is made from grapes grown on schist and mica-schist soils. It has a delightful bouquet of lemon oil, menthol and white fruits, followed by a medium-bodied and juicy texture with bright acids and an energetic, tense and mouthwatering finish. This classic Muscadet could evolve beautifully over the next two to four years.”
Domaine Pierre Luneau-Papin Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine Sur Lie Clos des Allees Vieilles Vignes, Loire, France 2022 750ml $33 special, 12 bottles availableImporter Note “From Luneau Papin’s monopole, the Clos de l’Allée has a pale straw hue with aromas that delicately dance between salt and citrus. The palate is intricately laced with jasmine, orange blossom, lemon zest, pear sorbet, beach pebbles, and subtle spice. This storied plot was last planted in 1974. This Clos is adjacent to their winery and is the historical cradle of the Luneau family.”
Domaine Pierre Luneau-Papin Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine Sur Lie ‘Le L d’Or’, Loire, France 2022 750ml $33 special, 12 bottles availableImporter Note “Biodynamic estate vineyard -Vines planted in 1984. Mother rock of granite and gneiss with two micas of the Armoricain Massif. This plot is one of the historical treasures of the Luneau family. It rises up between two villages and has a river running through it.”
Domaine Pierre Luneau-Papin Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine Sur Lie Semper Excelsior, Loire, France 2021 750ml $49 special, 12 bottles available(Not reviewed yet, 2020 vintage presented for reference)Yohan Castaing-Wine Advocate 91+ Points (2020) “The 2020 Excelsior was crafted from vines planted in 1936 with a massal selection on schist and mica-schist soils. Evoking aromas of herbs, smoke, lemon oil and pear, it’s fleshy and tense with excellent concentration, schist structuring extract and a long, saline finish. This well-made, forward, balanced wine will drink well right out of the gate and over the next decade.”
A rising star, Caparzo is routinely one of our most popular Brunellos (and the incredible price is unrivaled!)