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Andre Clouet Sale 7-30-24

Andre Clouet Champagnes
 

Your Three-Day Discount Starts Now
 
Long time readers will know that Andre Clouet is the closest thing we have to a house Champagne. It’s consistently the best bang for the buck in bubbles from the tippy top tête de cuvée to the not-to-be-overlooked non-vintage.
 
Never heard of them? Welcome, new friend, to the Vinopolis Newsletter! Andre Clouet is a small-but-mighty Champagne House headed by the rather-eccentric Jean-François Clouet. The House is known for many things, including crafting some of the best values to be found from their Grand Cru home village of Bouzy (the most fun Champagne village name!). The wines are fantastic, loved by staff and bought in bulk by savvy shoppers (oh, heck, and by the staff, too).

Clouet’s Champagnes are mostly Pinot Noir-based. They are extraordinarily delicious and captivating, inside and out. Bouzy is known for producing wines with profound body and intensity of flavor, all stemming from sunny, southern exposure vineyards that provide ample ripeness to maturing grapes. Clouet’s Champagnes live up to the reputation.
 
So, of the thirteen bottlings we offer, what to choose? Prefer a steelier, aperitif-style Champagne? Look for the Silver label: it’s made without dosage, so offers a more nuanced, mineral-laden experience than the more generous Brut Grande Reserve. The latter is a favorite of Portland festivities and incredible with food (it’s been our go-to Thanksgiving Day recommendation for years).
 
Prefer pink? The rosé offers glorious spice and red berry notes for a decadently delicious experience. The House claims to have invented the style (with a tale of André Clouet adding drops of still, red Bouzy wine to Marie Antoinette’s glass of Champagne), but Ruinart and Veuve Clicquot might have a few choice words on the subject. Though Clouet’s N°3 Rosé is not sweet, it does make a lovely pairing with fresh fruit, runny cheeses, cream-sauces, and tall tales.
 
Want the crème-de-la-crème expérience chez Clouet? Turn to the top-of-the-line “Un Jour du 1911”. Made from 100% Bouzy Pinot Noir, this tête de cuvée is crafted from top aged vintages at the estate. Well worth slumpering a few more years in your cellar, this is bold, impactful, and simply a steal for its under-$100 entry fee.
 
Searching for that rich and yeasty, brioche-like Champagne of your dreams? Look no further than Clouet’s stunningly well-priced line: the Dream Vintages. These wines are made with Grand Cru fruit from Bouzy, of course, but also with fruit from the ultimate Blanc de Blancs village in all of Champagne: Le Mesnil, the village where dreams, Salon, Pierre Peter’s Les Chetillons, and Krug’s Clos du Mesnil, are made of… er, grown. Clouet sources this fruit from a small grower. The Dream Vintage Champagnes are bottled a year after harvest and then disgorged to order.
 
Don’t skip the “The V6 Experience” or “Chalky” Brut Champagnes. The former is Pinot Noir made in the style of the Dream Vintages (it’s held on the lees for six years) and is a sweet spot for value and impact (and has the best label in all of Champagne). “Chalky” is the House’s homage to chalk: the ancient, Jurassic-era soil that gives the region its minerality, salinity, and underground cellars. To showcase its impact on Champagne, Clouet bottled a mineral-driven Chardonnay-based wine from the 2013 vintage – one of the last late harvests in the region, perhaps ever. It lives up to its name in the glass with a creamy mouthful to balance the mineral-drenched austerity.
 
The only catch when it comes to these Champagnes? Well, as one of the smaller Houses, these wines aren’t bottled by the millions like those of a certain starry-eyed monk. The quantities available are tiny, though you wouldn’t guess when glancing at our backstock. We stock up as much as possible every year to give you access to the satisfaction of late-disgorged, Grand Cru, budget-friendly Champagne year-round, and now on our three-day sale.
 
It’s been one hell of a decade and it looks like we’re in for quite the ride for the next few months. Stock up now to celebrate the happy moments with a little affordable luxury.
 
5% off any 4-8 in-stock wines from Clouet
10% off any 9 or more in-stock wines from Clouet

 
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.

 
Sale ends Friday, August 2nd at 9 am Pacific.
 
We offer thirteen options from Clouet on sale now, including:
 
Andre Clouet Un Jour de 1911… Brut NV 750ml Displayed Price: $85, that’s $80.75 at 5% off and $76.50 at 10% off, 36+ bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 96 points
“[Reviewed 2021] The NV Un jour de 1911… is another 100% Bouzy Pinot Noir with an ancient label design. The shining golden-colored cuvée combines ripeness, complexity and finesse with intensity and elegance on both the nose and palate. It’s a powerful and rich yet very fine and balanced Champagne with great freshness and complex length. It is juicy and intense but also highly delicate, and its mineral tension and persistent finish make it a first-class wine for elaborate dishes. A great Champagne, with a label that doesn’t give any more detailed information regarding vintages or disgorgement date, but we know it’s always a 50/50 blend of three vintages (including one great millésime at least 10 years old) and reserve wines from a solera system. I tasted the wine as a Brut with Clouet’s German importer in Bremen. You shouldn’t drink it too early, as it would be a waste of its talents.”
James Suckling 95 points “[Reviewed 2021] A rich and expansive champagne with tons of mature aromas of dried fruit (apricots!) and candied orange. Teeters on the edge of decadence, but has enough vitality to stay on the right side of that line. Plenty of textural complexity on the palate and a long, chalky finish that keeps giving and giving. Spot-on balance. Drink or hold.”
 
Andre Clouet Grande Réserve Grand Cru Brut NV 750ml Displayed Price: $39, that’s $37.05 at 5% off and $35.10 at 10% off, 9 bottles in stock now
Andre Clouet Grande Réserve Grand Cru Brut NV 1.5L Displayed Price: $89, that’s $84.55 at 5% off and $80.10 at 10% off, 4 magnums in stock now
Andre Clouet Grande Réserve Grand Cru Brut NV 3L Displayed Price: $279, that’s $265.05 at 5% off and $251.10 at 10% off, 4 double-magnums in stock now
Lobenberg-Gute Weine 93 points
“Strong and lush, very creamy, mild acidity, great perlage, very intense and expressive. You could easily decant it. No branded champagne can achieve this extremely good substance in terms of quality. Fantastically creamy apple note, nuts and pear in the aftertaste, infinitely charming and everybody’s darling. Unique in the price range.”
Decanter 92 points “[Reviewed 2021] Incredible value for a blanc de noirs (100% Pinot Noir) grower Champagne from the grand cru vineyards of Bouzy. It shows gorgeous aromas of stone fruit, citrus and strawberry, with complex brioche nuances, remarkable balance, ongoing elegance and a rich, refined, persistent finish. Drinking Window 2021 – 2026.”
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 91 points “[Reviewed Apr 2021] The NV Brut Grand Réserve Grand Cru is a pure Pinot Noir from Bouzy. It’s pure, fresh, fine and aromatic on the nose and round and delicate on the palate. The fruit-intense finish is chalky-mineral and stimulatingly fresh in its salty finesse and elegant yeastiness. Nice lemon juice flavors give an extra kick of refreshment. This is a picture-book NV Brut. No indication of disgorgement given.”
 
Andre Clouet Silver Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs Brut Nature NV 750ml Displayed Price: $39, that’s $37.05 at 5% off and $35.10 at 10% off, 18 bottles in stock now
Andre Clouet Silver Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs Brut Nature NV 3L Displayed Price: $279, that’s $265.05 at 5% off and $251.10 at 10% off, 15 double-magnums in stock now
Stephan 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.”
 
Andre Clouet N°3 Grand Cru Brut Rosé NV 750ml Displayed Price: $49, that’s $46.55 at 5% off and $44.10 at 10% off, 17 bottles in stock now
Andre Clouet N°3 Grand Cru Brut Rosé NV 3L Displayed Price: $319, that’s $303.05 at 5% off and $287.10 at 10% off, 3 double-magnums in stock now
Tyson Stelzer-The Champagne Guide 94 points
“[2020-2021 review] Clouet N°3 was inspired by Coco Chanel, the number introduced to denote the style, recognising that the colour is different each year, with the number 3 representing a light, elegant apéritif style. Clouet’s base rosé epitomises elegance and focus, while flamboyantly celebrating the generous raspberries, red cherries and pomegranates of Bouzy. The depth and presence of the village are sensitively toned by the lively, bright acidity and fresh precision of the house. Structure is fine and confident, driven by the chalk minerality of the village, working seamlessly in concert with finely executed tannin texture. It finishes with great length, vibrancy and elegance, with lingering poise and detail of exquisite red berry fruits. An engaging and enticingly priced rosé of primary integrity and pretty medium salmon crimson hue.”
 
Andre Clouet “Chalky” Brut NV 750ml Displayed Price: $54.50, that’s $51.78 at 5% off and $49.05 at 10% off, 11 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 93 points
“Brimming with fresh apple, lemon and wild-berry aromas underlined by a note of freshly baked baguette, this begins so charming, then it turns in a fascinating mineral direction with a pronounced saline quality. The excitement comes from the tension between these two sides of this very distinctive champagne. Very long, chalky finish. 100% chardonnay from the 2013 vintage. Drink now.”
 
Andre Clouet ‘Dream Vintage’ Blanc de Blancs Brut 2009 750ml Displayed Price: $54.50, that’s $51.78 at 5% off and $49.05 at 10% off, 6 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 92 points
“The 2009 Brut Dream Vintage is a very pretty, expressive Champagne. Hazelnut, dried flowers, spices, mint, chamomile, and lightly honeyed notes are all wonderfully laced together. Medium in body, radiant and quite open, the 2009 will drink well upon release.”
 
Andre Clouet ‘Dream Vintage’ Blanc de Blancs Brut 2013 750ml Displayed Price: $53.50, that’s $50.83 at 5% off and $48.15 at 10% off, 5 bottles in stock now
“André Clouet is one of my favorite small domaines in Champagne. At their best, proprietor Jean-François Clouet’s wines are distinctive and full of character.” -Antonio Galloni, Vinous
 
Andre Clouet ‘Dream Vintage’ Blanc de Blancs Brut 2016 750ml Displayed Price: $54.50, that’s $51.78 at 5% off and $49.05 at 10% off, 10 bottles in stock now
Winery Notes
“Dream Vintage by Andre Clouet is dedicated to the grand vintages of Champagne. In contrast to the other wines, Dream Vintage is 100% grand cru Chardonnay from the vineyards in Bouzy. Label inspiration comes from the striking colours of Cadillac cars from the 1950s.”
 
Andre Clouet “The V6 Experience” Brut NV 750ml Displayed Price: $51.90, that’s $49.31 at 5% off and $46.71 at 10% off, 13 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93+ points
“Aged for six years on the second lees, the yellow-golden NV Brut The V6 Experience is a Bouzy Pinot Noir that displays great purity and intensity but also reduction on the mineral-scented nose. This is deep and complex, but it needs all our patience and perhaps even a decanter or at least a big glass and lots of aeration. The palate is rich and powerful, firmly structured, very tight and still astringent on the finish, but there is so much finesse paired with power, concentration and fruit, which give the V6 a promising future. The wine just starts a bit slowly (like a rocket, which is pictured on the label), but it will most probably go very steep in a couple of years. I have ever had this cuvée before, so I can only guess, though.”
 
Shop our thirteen Clouet selections on sale now on our webstore!


 
Don’t miss our additional sales going on now:
 
Foradori
 
5% off any 3-5 bottles of in-stock Foradori wines
10% off any 6 or more bottles of in-stock Foradori wines
 
Molitor’s Satellites Sale:
5% off any 3-5 bottles
10% off any 6 or more bottles
From Erdener Treppchen, Ockfener Bockstein, and/or Saarburger Rausch

 
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.

 
Foradori sale ends Wednesday, July 31st at 9 am Pacific. Molitor’s Satellites sale ends Thursday, August 1st at 9 am Pacific.

Molitor’s Satellites Sale 7-29-24

Molitor Satellites:
 
Erdener Treppchen, Ockfener Bockstein, Saarburger Rausch
 
Your Three-Day Discount Starts Now

 
After 35 years at the helm of the family business, Markus Molitor remains one of the most respected winemakers in the world. With broad holdings, Molitor crafts dozens of wines each vintage. He believes that every single sub-parcel and selective pick should be vinified to its utmost potential. What results is a deeply rewarding if sprawling portfolio.
 
Whether white capsule (dry), green capsule (off-dry), or gold capsule (fruity to nobly sweet), Markus’ wines represent some of the Mosel’s best. And thanks to his extensive holdings, Molitor offers German Riesling lovers with a passport to explore many of the region’s most important vineyards. How to choose? Let’s explore Markus Molitor’s notes on the three vineyards on our three-day sale!
 
Erdener Treppchen:
 
“This steep 39 hectare (74 acres) southwest-facing site features red soil from weathered slate, with a high stone content. Wines from the Erdener Treppchen are marked by minerality, with silken structure, and impressively mouth-filling, with ripe fruit and much finesse.”
 
Ockfener Bockstein:
 
“This 53 hectare (130 acres) steep slope adjacent to the Saar is southwest-facing composed of weathered grey slate and greywacke (quartz-rich sandstone in places transformed into quartzite). Wines from the Ockfener Bockstein are powerful and full-bodied, typically zesty in a distinctive interplay of yellow fruits and minerality.”
 
Saarburger Rausch:
 
“This steep 26 hectare (64 acres) faces southeast to east along the Saar. It features considerable reddish fine earth along with an unusual combination of greywacke (a sandstone); soft, thinly-plated Devonian slate; and diabase (a coarse-grained variation on basalt) Saarburger Rausch Rieslings captivate with their vivid and fine slate notes – higher predicates show fruit-driven nuances in addition. These wines are elegant and delicate, always complemented by a tender acidity structure.”
 
We’re offering all of our Molitor wines from these three vineyards on our three-day sale. Stock up and explore the terroir-driven wines from one of German’s most famous winemakers!
 
Molitor’s Satellite Sale:
5% off any 3-5 bottles
10% off any 6 or more bottles
From Erdener Treppchen, Ockfener Bockstein, and/or Saarburger Rausch

 
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.

 
Sale ends Thursday, August 1st at 9 am Pacific.
 
We offer eleven Molitor options from the three vineyards on sale now, including:
 
Markus Molitor Erdener Treppchen Riesling Spätlese Trocken (White Capsule) 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $29.50, that’s $28.03 at 5% off and $26.55 at 10% off, 6 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93+ points
“The 2019 Erdener Treppchen Spätlese (White Capsule) is pretty reduced and flinty on the stony, iron-scented nose. Round, refined and elegant on the palate, this is a generous, crystalline, enormously salty, piquant and even powerful dry Riesling with tropical fruit flavors and very fine tannins. Very impressive yet still too young to enjoy. Tasted in May 2021.”
 
This is the only listing in the USA today!
 
Markus Molitor Erdener Treppchen Riesling Auslese *** Trocken (White Capsule) 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $119, that’s $113.05 at 5% off and $107.10 at 10% off, 13 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 98+ points
“Partly from the Felsentreppe, the 2019 Erdener Treppchen Auslese *** (White Capsule) opens with a pure, fresh and flinty, iron-rich and refined bouquet of tropical fruit aromas with notes of broken (red) slate, lemon oil and lemon juice. Fat but refined, this wine combines the incompatible. Round and wide as well as precise and piquant on the palate, this is a full-bodied, rich and concentrated yet powerful, vibrantly fresh and persistently salty Riesling with cognac or whisky features due its oaky and iodine character. Highly vital and salty, very elegant and complex, vibrantly fresh, with seriously firm tannin grip and a generous tropical stone fruit aroma, this is a giant in the making, but it needs some years to celebrate its class. Any Meursault would honor this Mosel Riesling that has been aged in a 770-liter Stockinger vat and a Burgundy pičce. Tasted in May 2021.”
 
This is the only listing in the USA today!
 
Markus Molitor Erdener Treppchen Riesling Auslese *** (Gold Capsule) 2017 750ml Displayed Price: $99, that’s $94.05 at 5% off and $89.10 at 10% off, 14 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 98+ points
“The 2017 Riesling Erdener Treppchen Auslese *** (Golden Capsule) is bright and even floral (hyacinths) on the clear, slatey, highly refined but aromatic nose with its precise stone fruit and delicate flinty aromas. Silky, sweet and round, with great finesse, elegance and seamless, perfectly balanced texture, this is a lean but lush, incredibly fine and filigreed Auslese with a long, fresh, piquant and salty finish. A divine Riesling whose acidity is perfectly intermingled with the fruit and texture. Tasted at the domain in April 2019.”
 
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
 
Markus Molitor Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Spätlese Trocken (White Capsule) 2018 750ml Was $31.90, Displayed Price: $28, that’s $26.60 at 5% off and $25.20 at 10% off, 26 bottles in stock now
Decanter 93 points
“Here we jump to an iconic Saar site, defined by Devonian slate, greywacke, some quartzitic sandstone and steepness. Wet stone, white currant, yellow apple and some lemon combine in a lovely vision of freshness. This is bright but even in this iconic Saar vineyard the warmth of 2018 is apparent. Yet the stoniness cuts through and leaves us with that lovely, racy zestiness we all crave from Riesling. These citrus notions linger and will you to take another sip. Wonderful.”
 
This is the only listing in the USA today!
 
Markus Molitor Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Spätlese Trocken (White Capsule) 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $29.50, that’s $28.03 at 5% off and $26.55 at 10% off, 13 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points
“The 2019 Ockfener Bockstein Spätlese (White Capsule) opens with an intense, ripe and aromatic tropical fruit aroma intertwined with flinty slate aromas. On the palate, this is a full-bodied and mouth-filling, piquant and crunchy, finely tannic, sustainable and salty dry Riesling with grip and lush fruit on the long finish. Excellent. 11% alcohol. Tasted in May 2021.”
 
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
 
Markus Molitor Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Auslese *** Trocken (White Capsule) 2018 750ml Displayed Price: $99, that’s $94.05 at 5% off and $89.10 at 10% off, 20 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 94+? points
“The 2018 Riesling Ockfener Bockstein Auslese *** (White Capsule) is pure yet intense and concentrated on the coolish, flinty/slatey nose that displays a super ripe and elegant bouquet with fine phenols, great precision and fine mirabelle and raisin aromas. Intense and juicy on the palate, with a stony-mineral grip, this is a concentrated, rich and powerful yet still reductive and yeasty Bockstein with a tight, still somewhat astringent phenol structure and not much length and finesse. Difficult at this stage. Tasted at the domain in September 2020.”
David Schildknecht-Vinous 93 points “A Muscat-like amalgam of orange blossom and mint segues into a more diffuse, greenhouse-like sense of flowers and foliage typical of Molitor 2018s and here present also as prominent inner-mouth fragrance. The polished palate delivers juicy apple, cherry and hints of orange cream, with piquant accents of apple seed and cherry pit morphing into an impressive glow to accompany the lusciously lingering, bell-clear finish, whose touch of mint lends appealingly cooling contrast. For a wine registering 12.5% alcohol, this evinces a surprising not to mention welcome sense of buoyancy.”
 
This is the only listing in the USA today!
 
Markus Molitor Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Auslese *** (Gold Capsule) 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $119, that’s $113.05 at 5% off and $107.10 at 10% off, 23 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 98 points
“The golden-yellow colored 2019 Ockfener Bockstein Auslese *** (Golden Capsule) is concentrated, fresh and piquant on the highly refined nose that shows very fine berry aromas intertwined with crushed slate and therefore with coolish and flinty, immediately attractive and stimulating notes. Lush and elegant on the immaculate and seamless palate, this is rather smooth but mouth-salivating and stimulating salty Auslese with great finesse and concentration. Tasted in May 2021.”
 
Markus Molitor Saarburger Rausch Riesling Spätlese Trocken (White Capsule) 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $29.50, that’s $28.03 at 5% off and $26.55 at 10% off, 13 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points
“The 2019 Saarburger Rausch Spätlese (White Capsule) is intense and crunchy-slatey on the piquant and characterful nose that reveals ripe fruit and stony/herbal notes. Salty, piquant and highly stimulating on the palate, this is a dense, perfectly ripe and juicy Riesling with salty-crystalline acidity and a salivating finish that also reveals delicate tannins. This is another excellent, terroir-driven Riesling with fully ripe and generous yet structured fruit. Tasted in May 2021.”
 
Markus Molitor Saarburger Rausch Riesling Auslese ** (Gold Capsule) 2017 750ml Displayed Price: $69, that’s $65.55 at 5% off and $62.10 at 10% off, 16 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 98 points
“The 2017 Riesling Saarburger Rausch Auslese ** (Golden Capsule) is intense and concentrated on the fresh and piquant nose that indicates fine botrytis with lemon confit and pumpernickel notes. Lush and smooth as well as refined and piquant on the palate, this is an incredibly fruity and mouth-filling Auslese with great finesse and a lightweight but intense and aromatic body. The finish is intense but delicate, full of layers and finesse. A gorgeous Auslese from the Rausch in Saarburg. Tasted in April 2019.”
 
This is the only listing in the USA today!
 
Markus Molitor Saarburger Rausch Riesling Auslese *** (Gold Capsule) 2017 750ml Displayed Price: $99, that’s $94.05 at 5% off and $89.10 at 10% off, 17 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 99 points
“Like the Bockstein, the 2017 Riesling Saarburger Rausch Auslese *** (Golden Capsule) is also enormously concentrated on the nose, where fine botrytis aromas intermingle with dried apricots, peaches, notes of quince, lime and lemon chutney and even fig mustard. Concentrated and velvety on the viscous palate, this is a pretty sweet but highly refined and salty-piquant Auslese with an enormously long and concentrated finish. This is a wine to be served in 20 or 30 years, unless you like this bigger but balanced style at this early age. The wine seems to be less racy because the acidity is already integrated and provides structure for the sweet, stewed fruit, but it comes back on the finish and reveals the piquancy and precision of an Eiswein with botrytis. Tasted at the domain in April 2019.”
 
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
 
Shop our eleven selections on sale now on our webstore!


 
Don’t miss our additional sales going on now:
 
Rioja
 
5% off any 4-8 in-stock wines from Rioja
10% off any 9 or more in-stock wines from Rioja
 
Foradori
 
5% off any 3-5 bottles of in-stock Foradori wines
10% off any 6 or more bottles of in-stock Foradori wines

 
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.

 
Rioja sale ends Tuesday, July 30th at 9 am Pacific. Foradori sale ends Wednesday, July 31st at 9 am Pacific.

Rioja * Region-Wide Sale * 7-27-24

Rioja
 
Your Three-Day, Region-Wide Sale Starts Now

 
Rioja, Spain’s most renowned wine region, offers bold and nuanced wines based on Tempranillo and Garnacha. Wineries are well-known for their long love-affair with French and American oak barriques, which impart signature accents to these deeply impressive reds.
 
There’s plenty of options to choose from amongst our in-stock selections, from budget-friendly to cellar star. We offer releases from some of the region’s oldest producers, including Remelluri (founded in the 14th century), and most notable producers, such as Lopez de Heredia. You’ll find wineries with cult and popular followings, such as Marques de Murrieta and La Rioja Alta. Here too are picks from long-time favorites at the shop, such as CVNE/CUNE and Muga, and new and exciting pairings such as Benjamin de Rothschild & Vega Sicilia’s Macán.
 
You might just say Rioja has it all… and so do we. Now you can too, with our three-day sale.
 
5% off any 4-8 in-stock wines from Rioja
10% off any 9 or more in-stock wines from Rioja

 
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.

 
Sale ends Tuesday, July 30th at 9 am Pacific.
 
We offer thirty-six options from Rioja on sale now, including:
 
Bodegas y Vinedos Artuke ‘Pies Negros’, Rioja DOCa 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $21.90, that’s $20.81 at 5% off and $19.71 at 10% off, 23 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 92+ points
“As I’ve explained in previous vintages, this wine is produced with grapes from the Sierra Cantabria in the village of Ábalos, so the 2020 Pies Negros is another village wine, even if it won’t get the official qualification, as they don’t have a winery in Ábalos. It’s a blend of 85% Tempranillo with 15% Graciano that fermented with destemmed but uncrushed grapes with indigenous yeasts and matured in 500-liter oak barrels for 12 months but with 10% of the volume kept in concrete. It has strong aromatics with pungent notes of licorice and ripe fruit without excess. This is 14% alcohol and has nice balance, a soft texture and very fine and grainy tannins. 63,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in February 2022.”
 
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
 
Bodega Alegre Valganon Tinto, Rioja DOCa 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $24, that’s $22.80 at 5% off and $21.60 at 10% off, 14 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 93+ points
“The 2021 Tinto, produced with 75% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha and 5% white grapes, is serious and austere, produced with grapes from cooler parts of Rioja to achieve freshness and aging potential without having to resource to very long aging in barrel (this was in barrels and foudres of different ages and sizes for some 16 months). It opened up with time in the glass to a medium to full-bodied palate with very fine tannins and a clean, long and tasty, almost salty finish. It’s a wine that transcends its price.”
 
Benjamin Romeo ‘La Vina de Andres Romeo’, Rioja DOCa 2004 750ml Was $199, Displayed Price: $179, that’s $170.05 at 5% off and $161.10 at 10% off, 6 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 98 points
“There are a mere 200 bottles of the 2004 La Vina de Andres Romeo. This wine is tightly wound and remains an infant developmentally. Nevertheless, all the ingredients for greatness are present but it will take a decade of cellaring for them to be full expressed. This sensational effort should easily drink well for 40-50 years like a great first growth Bordeaux.”
 
Cuentavinas CDVIN Garnacha, Rioja DOCa 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $69, that’s $65.55 at 5% off and $62.10 at 10% off, 13 bottles in stock now
Guia Penn 94 points
“Style: taut; Colour: bright cherry; Aroma: complex, expressive, spicy, mineral, red berry notes, balsamic herbs; Flavour: elegant, full-bodied, long, great length.”
 
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $84.99
 
CVNE-CUNE ‘Imperial’ Gran Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2015 750ml Displayed Price: $79, that’s $75.05 at 5% off and $71.10 at 10% off, 7 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 97 points
“This is very ripe with blackberries, dried fruit, toasted oak and black licorice on the nose. Full-bodied with ultra-fine, linear tannins and a racy, refined finish. This has fantastic structure and length. It goes on for minutes. It needs time to open and refine even more. One of the best Imperiale Gran Reservas in a very long time. Drink after 2023.”
 
La Rioja Alta S.A. Vina Ardanza Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2016 750ml Displayed Price: $44.50, that’s $42.28 at 5% off and $40.05 at 10% off, 24 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 95 points
“Savory and complex with dried orange peel, cedar and plenty of sweet spices, walnuts, caramel, dried mushrooms and pine needles. Shows maturity here, with a medium body and superb freshness. Incredibly long finish with lots of truffle and walnut. Lasts over a minute. Very complete now, but you can still hold it.”
 
R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2006 750ml Displayed Price: $59, that’s $56.05 at 5% off and $53.10 at 10% off, 5 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 95 points
“The red flagship 2006 Viña Tondonia Reserva was inspired by the vineyards of the Médoc but produced with local grapes, 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacho, 5% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo, which achieved 13% alcohol in 2006. It always matures in used American oak barriques for some six years. The oldest of all the reds I tasted, it was also the one with more freshness, which speaks to the quality of the vineyard. This takes the lion’s share of the 400,000 bottles the winery produces, with some 220,000 bottles filled over a period of 12 consecutive days in May 2014.”
 
R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2011 1.5L Displayed Price: $119, that’s $113.05 at 5% off and $107.10 at 10% off, 4 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 95 points
“A traditional beauty that effuses iron, warm earth and savory tobacco leaves, together with plums, spices and orange zest. This is juicy and still tight, with firm but savory tannins. Medium-weight and quite zesty in texture, as is the case with the other López de Heredia reds tasted this session. Drink now or hold.”
 
Marques de Murrieta “Finca Ygay” Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2018 750ml Displayed Price: $28, that’s $26.60 at 5% off and $25.20 at 10% off, 23 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 94 points
“The flagship red 2018 Rioja Reserva was produced with a blend of 86% Tempranillo, 8% Graciano, 4% Mazuelo (a.k.a. Cariñena) and 2% Garnacha selected from their 300 hectares of vineyards that exemplifies the character of the vintage and the place. 2018 was a year with good rain and a cool season that resulted in a late harvest, which started on October 1 and was slow and delivered grapes with good freshness. Each variety and plot fermented separately in stainless steel. and the wines aged separately in American oak barrels for 21 months and then settled in concrete until bottling. It follows the path of the 2016, where I noticed a change that is taken further in this, controlling the power and increasing the freshness. It’s very aromatic, a year completely different from the 2017; it has less structure and more freshness and subtler balance and enough oomph, concentration and power neatly compensated by freshness. I believe 2018 was a very good vintage to implement this change. It’s perfumed, fresh, elegant and medium-bodied, with a velvety texture. Superb!”
 
Marques de Murrieta Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial, Rioja DOCa 2012 750ml Displayed Price: $275, that’s $261.25 at 5% off and $247.50 at 10% off, 12 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 100 points
“So much dried flower, mushroom, iron, rust, sweet berry, and grilled orange. Full-bodied with very elegant and refined tannins that melt in the mouth and give a real sense of place and integrity. Balanced and harmonious. The finesse and finish is endless. Production was 30% less than in 2011. Already so drinkable. A wonderful future. This is the new 1934 or 1964, two legends. Drink or hold.”
 
Bodegas Muga Torre Muga, Rioja DOCa 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $108.50, that’s $103.08 at 5% off and $97.65 at 10% off, 19 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 98 points
“The 2019 Torre Muga is always a more powerful, ripe expression of Rioja that never loses its sense of place. Deep ruby/purple, with a glorious bouquet of cassis, graphite, tobacco leaf, chocolate, and crushed stone, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a deep, pure, multi-dimensional texture, building tannins, and good acidity. It’s young, unevolved, yet oh, so promising. Hide bottles for 7-8 years if you can, and it will cruise for 20-30 years. The blend is 80% Tempranillo and the balance Mazuelo and Graciano, aged 18 months in French oak.”
 
Vinedos de Paganos El Puntido Gran Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2007 750ml Displayed Price: $59, that’s $56.05 at 5% off and $53.10 at 10% off, 14 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 96 points
“Putting my nose in the glass of the 2007 El Puntido Gran Reserva transported me to the classical Riojas from yesteryear. The wine has a fully developed nose with all the textbook descriptors of a good aged Rioja—forest floor, cigar ash, cold bonfire, truffle, cherries in liqueur, blonde tobacco, spices and iodine. But this is a classical Gran Reserva that has something that was not that traditional, and it comes from a single vineyard and matured in brand new French oak barrels for 28 months. But time in bottle has polished it (it was bottled in June 2010, almost nine years ago); the tannins are mostly resolved and it’s nicely textured. It has what I love about the best red wine—it’s salty rather than sweet, there is no room for sweetness here, and it’s sapid and tasty and has great balance and freshness. This is developing at a very slow pace and should continue doing so for a very long time. A great Gran Reserva in the making. Only 5,000 bottles were produced from 2007, a very cold vintage, when the grapes were harvested the last three days of October, and it snowed the first of November!”
 
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
 
“Telmo Rodriguez, one of the most iconic and best winemakers of his generation…. has accomplished himself as a champion of terroir over varietal and employs artisan craftsmanship in the cellar, with his wines hardly ever showing overt oak or aggressive alcohol, they always show distinctive purity and a sense of place.” -Kerry Winslow, Grapelive
 
Remelluri Lindes de Remelluri 2020 Mixed Rioja Six-Pack 750ml Displayed Price: $249, that’s $236.55 at 5% off and $224.10 at 10% off, 3 mixed six-packs in stock now
Contents of the Mixed Rioja Six-Pack, Lindes de Remelluri:

1 x Limited Edition Printed Booklet
1 x Viñedos de Salinillas de Buradón, 2020
1 x Viñedos de Pecina, 2020
1 x Viñedos de Labastida, 2020
1 x Viñedos de Ábalos, 2020
1 x Viñedos de Rivas de Tereso, 2020
1 x Viñedos de San Vicente de la Sonsierra, 2020
 
Remelluri Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de Ábalos, Rioja DOCa 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $39, that’s $37.05 at 5% off and $35.10 at 10% off, 19 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 93+ points
“The serious and austere new 2020 Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de Ábalos was produced with grapes on marl and limestone from the Marqués de Legarda, who is mentioned on the label. It’s a blend of 73% Tempranillo, 17% Graciano, 6% Garnacha and 4% other varieties, presented in a straight Bordeaux bottle. It reflects more the character of Haro than the Rioja Alavesa, wines with more Graciano. It’s medium to full-bodied with 14.17% alcohol and has fine-grained, chalky tannins. 13,205 bottles were filled in May 2022.”
 
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
 
Remelluri Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de Rivas de Tereso, Rioja DOCa 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $39, that’s $37.05 at 5% off and $35.10 at 10% off, 21 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 93+ points
“Rivas de Tereso are parishes of San Vicente de la Sonsierra, but the difference with the 2020 Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de Rivas de Tereso is that the vineyards are at higher altitude and the percentage of Garnacha is much higher here (38%), so there’s more mountain character and more herbal notes in the wine. It has 57% Tempranillo and some 5% other varieties. Despite a moderate 13.95% alcohol, the nose shows good ripeness, and there is some wilderness here, perhaps a little more rusticity too. The soils are very stony and rich in limestone, and the altitude gives the wine an austere twist. 19,742 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2022.”
 
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
 
Remelluri Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de Salinillas de Buradón, Rioja DOCa 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $46.50, that’s $44.18 at 5% off and $41.85 at 10% off, 29 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 95 points
“The 2020 Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de Salinillas de Buradón, a parish of Labastida, was produced with a blend of 91% Tempranillo, 4% Garnacha and 5% other varieties from south-facing vineyards behind the Sierra de la Cantabria, the last vineyards that they recovered on quartz salt, gypsum and red clay soils. These are the last grapes to be picked, and the wine has 14.22% alcohol but doesn’t show any heat. It comes through as serious, shy and austere, a little closed at first. The tannins are a little rustic, but the wine has a strong mineral streak that made it my favorite from the lot. 20,114 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2022.”
 
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $54.99
 
Remelluri Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de Labastida, Rioja DOCa 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $33, that’s $31.35 at 5% off and $29.70 at 10% off, 22 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 93+ points
“The 2019 Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de Labastida is a selection from 14.1 hectares of vineyards in 34 plots from growers in the village of Labastida at 440 to 710 meters in altitude on the alluvial terraces of clay and limestone soils. It fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel and matured in barrels of different sizes and origins for 13 months. This is ripe and expressive, with a juicy palate and chalky tannins. 57,800 bottles and 490 magnums produced. It was bottled in May 2021.”
 
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Benjamin de Rothschild & Vega Sicilia Macán, Rioja DOCa 2018 750ml Displayed Price: $99, that’s $94.05 at 5% off and $89.10 at 10% off, 10 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 94+ points
“The 2018 Macán has moderate alcohol (14%) and more freshness (pH 3.69), reflecting a cooler and rainier year that forced them to fine-tune the sorting and selection of the grapes, which fermented with selected yeasts. The élevage was in barrel (55%) and larger foudres for 16 months. 2018 was quite different from 2019, as it was cooler and rainier. The wine is serious and harmonious, which was a challenge, and winemaker Gonzalo Iturriaga told me that they had to be very careful and sort and select the grapes. It’s textured and elegant, a style that follows the path of the 2016; it’s elegant but with depth, managing the élevage in foudre better, which was a learning process they started in 2016. 74,570 bottles, 2557 magnums and some larger formats produced. It was bottled in September 2020.”
 
Benjamin de Rothschild & Vega Sicilia Macán Clásico, Rioja DOCa 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $59, that’s $56.05 at 5% off and $53.10 at 10% off, 24 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 93+ points
“The second wine in the Bordeaux sense is the 2019 Macán Clásico, a more concentrated and powerful wine cropped from a warmer and drier year that was saved by the 80 liters of rain in the first half of September. It fermented in stainless steel with 10% of their own yeasts, and the élevage was 22% in stainless steel and the rest in new and used oak barrels, mostly French but with around 5% of them American, and lasted 12 months. It has a moderate 14% alcohol, mellow acidity and good freshness and balance. 2019 was a dry and warm year when they did a soft vinification to avoid harsh tannins. The nose is ripe without excess, and the oak is neatly integrated. The palate is juicy and round, with fine tannins and a velvety texture. 77,316 bottles, 1,050 magnums and some larger formats produced. It was bottled in August 2021.”
 
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Sierra Cantabria Finca El Bosque, Rioja DOCa 2019 750ml Was $139, Displayed Price: $119, that’s $113.05 at 5% off and $107.10 at 10% off, 5 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 98 points
“The 2019 Finca el Bosque is another single vineyard and comes from a site on a deep, gravelly escarpment overlooking the Ebro River. It offers more ripe blue fruits and cassis as well as sappy herbs, flowers, violets, graphite, and chalky minerality. It shows a more elegant, flawlessly balanced, incredibly pure style on the palate, with ultra-fine tannins, wonderful overall balance, and no hard edges. This is pure class. Give bottles 3-4 years in the cellar and enjoy over the following two decades of more.”
 
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Sierra de Tolono ‘La Dula’ Garnachas de Altura, Rioja DOCa 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $31.90, that’s $30.31 at 5% off and $28.71 at 10% off, 16 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 93 points
“I loved the perfumed and varietal nose of the 2022 La Dula—pure Garnacha from high-altitude vineyards in the village of Rivas de Tereso. It’s ripe without excess, with 14% alcohol, a low pH (3.39) and very good acidity despite the warm year. It’s clean, transparent and precise. It feels young but has an approachable and juicy palate with very fine tannins. Elegant, nuanced and clean. 5,800 bottles produced. It was bottled in August 2023 after it matured in foudres and amphorae for eight months.”
 
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Villota Tinto, Rioja DOCa 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $29, that’s $27.55 at 5% off and $26.10 at 10% off, 21 bottles in stock now
Joaquin Hidalgo-Vinous 90 points
“The 2020 Tinto is composed of 88% Tempranillo and 12% Graciano from Laserna in Laguardia, Rioja Alavesa. Displaying a dark garnet color, it features balsamic aromas ranging from bay leaf to wild herbs in a garrigue-like mood, with hints of blackberry chutney. Dry, rich and intense, the fairly structured palate is flavorful—a potent and ripe Rioja.”
 
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
 
Shop our thirty-six Rioja selections on sale now on our webstore!


 
Don’t miss our additional sale going on now:
 
Arterberry Maresh & Tan Fruit Sale
 
5% off any 4-8 in-stock wines from Arterberry Maresh and/or Tan Fruit
10% off any 9 or more in-stock wines from Arterberry Maresh and/or Tan Fruit

 
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Sale ends Sunday, July 28th at 9 am Pacific.

Arterberry Maresh & Tan Fruit July Sale

Your Three-Day Discount Starts Now
 
As the third-generation in his family to make wine, Jim Maresh knows a thing or two about crafting Grand Cru-level Willamette Valley Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. From the Arterberry Maresh’s prized position in the Dundee Hills, he releases what critics praise as “are some of the most impressive wines I’ve tried anywhere—not just in the US”, per Erin Brooks of the Wine Advocate.
 
Tan Fruit is Jim’s experimental Chardonnay side project. Now, you could assume that the wines are throwaway gags not meant to see the light of day, but leave it to Jim to make his side project a points-sweeping EVENT. Wine Advocate gushed over the first releases from 2019, granting the wines top marks for Oregon whites in the vintage. Subsequent vintages were just as breathlessly adored—as seen below.
 
These are stunning wines offer even more exploration of Oregon, sourcing from a mixture of vineyards, including new sites with each release. Stock up and make sure to watch this space!
These are benchmark wines for the region that somehow capture Jim’s easy-going yet seriously-nerdy-under-the-skin personality.
 
If you haven’t reserved a shelf or two in your cellar for Arterberry Maresh and Tan Fruit wines, well, that’s your business, but if you’ve been dragging your feet, are a first-time buyer, or need to round out your selections, now is the time to buy. New releases from both just hit our shelves. We’re sweetening the deal with our three-day sale. So, stock up and be amazed for years to come.
 
5% off any 4-8 in-stock wines from Arterberry Maresh and/or Tan Fruit
10% off any 9 or more in-stock wines from Arterberry Maresh and/or Tan Fruit

 
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Sale ends Sunday, July 28th at 9 am Pacific.
 
We offer twenty options from Arterberry Maresh & Tan Fruit on sale now, including:
 
Arterberry Maresh ‘Maresh Vineyard’ Chardonnay, Dundee Hills 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $72, that’s $68.40 at 5% off and $64.80 at 10% off, 18 bottles in stock now
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 96 points
“The 2021 Chardonnay Maresh Vineyard comes from Wente vines planted in 1983 and was matured in 20% Damy barrels for nine months before finishing in stainless steel. The nose is alluringly spicy, opening from flint and roasted almonds to an intense core of savory yellow peach and beeswax. The palate is satiny and unctuous with ripe fruit, floral perfume and flinty streaks. Despite its luxurious texture and flavor, it maintains its shimmery acidity and boasts a long, dynamic finish. It’s a special expression that offers pleasurable generosity and precision.”
 
Arterberry Maresh Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $31.90, that’s $30.31 at 5% off and $28.71 at 10% off, 36+ bottles in stock now
Eric Guido-Vinous 91 points
“A deep magenta, the 2022 Pinot Noir Dundee Hills is lifted and floral, with fruit verging more toward raspberry than strawberry, with dusty rose and hints of spice. It’s sleek and racy, with supple textures and crisp wild berries cascading across a core of juicy acidity. This finishes long and staining yet remarkably fresh, leaving a lingering whisper of licorice and a gentle tension.”
 
Arterberry Maresh Old Vines Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $59, that’s $56.05 at 5% off and $53.10 at 10% off, 22 bottles in stock now
Producer Note
“A blend of Weber and Maresh. Darker red fruit, silky and floral from a long hang time in October.”
 
Arterberry Maresh ‘Maresh Vineyard’ Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2018 750ml Displayed Price: $64.50, that’s $61.28 at 5% off and $58.05 at 10% off, 18 bottles in stock now
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 95+ points
“The 2018 Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard is an incredible wine. It opens slowly to an arresting perfume of dusty earth, dried rose petals, tea leaves, licorice and amaro with a wealth of bright red berry fruit at the core. The palate is elegant, supple and juicy, with an expansive fan of layered, spicy flavors and a very long finish. It’s hard to resist now, but it will have more to offer with time in bottle.”
 
Arterberry Maresh ‘Maresh Vineyard’ Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $69, that’s $65.55 at 5% off and $62.10 at 10% off, 12 bottles in stock now
Producer Note
“From 50+ year old vines, rose petal, red plum, rhubarb. Harmonious, complete and in the groove right under 13%.”
 
Arterberry Maresh Weber Vineyard Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $74.50, that’s $70.78 at 5% off and $67.05 at 10% off, 12 bottles in stock now
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 97+ points
“Out of curiosity, winemaker Jim Maresh and I re-tasted the 2019 Pinot Noir Weber Vineyard to compare to the recently bottled 2021s. (Weber Vineyard was previously owned by Jim’s grandfather and part of the Maresh Vineyard.) It’s beginning to curl inward, taking plenty of time to blossom from touches of iodine and flint to wild blackberries, tea leaves, lavender, salted licorice and candied orange peel. The medium-bodied palate is powerful and refreshing, with youthfully latent fruit and a long, spicy finish. Purchasers can look forward to an exciting evolution as this matures over the next 10-15 years.”
 
Tan Fruit ‘Petite Tan Fruit’ Chardonnay 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $19, that’s $18.05 at 5% off and $17.10 at 10% off, 36+ bottles in stock now
Eric Guido-Vinous 90 points
“The 2022 Chardonnay Petite Tan Fruit is perfumed with notes of young peach, crushed stones and savory herbs. It’s silky-smooth with hints of citrus and white pit fruits, decidedly savory, with a saline mineral tinge that forms toward the close. It finishes crisply refreshing yet long and potent, leaving a spicy touch.”
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 90 points “The Petite Chardonnay has soft aromas of flint, marzipan and fresh bread accenting a core of white peach. The light-bodied palate balances a concentrated core of stone fruit with bright, gently tangy acidity, and it has a long, nutty finish. A great value and introduction to Oregon Chardonnay, I suspect it will show up on savvy sommeliers’ by-the-glass lists.”
 
Tan Fruit ‘Cuvee Tan Fruit’ Chardonnay, Willamette Valley 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $39, that’s $37.05 at 5% off and $35.10 at 10% off, 36+ bottles in stock now
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 96 points
“The 2021 Chardonnay Cuvée Tan Fruit comes from Dijon vines in the Maresh Vineyard, planted on a south-facing slope in 1991, plus a number of other sources around Willamette Valley. Bottled a few months earlier than the other Tan Fruit Chardonnays, its savory aromas explode from the glass: a core of peachy fruit is streaked with touches of candle smoke, matchstick, pie crust and floral tones. Medium-bodied, seamless and satiny, it flows effortlessly through the mouth with both depth of flavor and freshness. It has a pleasing touch of grip to anchor the long finish and feels like it has more to give as it unwinds in bottle over the next several years”
 
Tan Fruit ‘Tank Fruit’ Chardonnay, Williamette Valley 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $59, that’s $56.05 at 5% off and $53.10 at 10% off, 15 bottles in stock now
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 97 points
“The 2021 Chardonnay Tank Fruit is composed of fruit from the White Walnut Vineyard, a relatively new vineyard comprising eight acres planted around 2015 in the Dundee Hills. “The genetics that produced this is rare,” winemaker Jim Maresh explains, noting that the diverse clonal material in this vineyard includes 10 different heritage selections. The White Walnut Vineyard cuvée was fermented in oak and finished in stainless steel—the opposite of this 2021 Chardonnay Tank Fruit, which also comes from the White Walnut Vineyard but is fermented in stainless steel and finished in oak—although both wines offer singular exoticism. The Tank Fruit is bursting with intense aromas of peaches, fruit cocktail, lemongrass and orange oil with streaks of spice and herbs. The medium-bodied palate is satiny and seamless, gaining amplitude in the mouth as it releases wave after wave of concentrated fruit. It has a soft frame of flinty accents, and its fresh acidity calls you in for another sip on the long finish.”
 
Tan Fruit Anela Vineyard Chardonnay, Chehalem Mountains 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $59, that’s $56.05 at 5% off and $53.10 at 10% off, 25 bottles in stock now
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 96 points
“The 2022 Chardonnay Anela is singular and savory. Candied peaches and manuka honey mingle with dried sage, roasted hazelnuts and struck flint on the nose, and it teases you with slowly blossoming, spicy undertones. The palate is luxurious and satiny with kaleidoscopic, mouth-coating flavors, and its modest 30% new French oak is already well integrated. It has a foil of laser-like acidity, and its juiciness and hauntingly long finish draw you back to the glass again and again.”
James Suckling 96 points “Very delicate and pristine fruit character, with salted lemons, pineapple, lemon curd and subtle notes of pastry and almonds. Medium- to full-bodied, firm and structured, with a lot of layers and a lot of potential. Voluptuous texture with precision and agility. Mineral backbone with crushed stones and chalk. Focused, succulent finish with length. Better after a year or two.”
 
Tan Fruit Dupee Vineyard Chardonnay, McMinnville 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $59, that’s $56.05 at 5% off and $53.10 at 10% off, 25 bottles in stock now
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 94 points
“The Dupee Chardonnay was barrel fermented and matured for 10 months in 25% new French oak. It opens with youthful flinty character that gives way to alluring scents of white peach, brioche and meringue. The light-bodied palate features dynamic flavors of ripe citrus and saline, honey and nuts. Its satiny texture is structured by tense, linear acidity, and it has a long, mineral-driven finish. It will be long lived in the cellar.”
 
Tan Fruit Maresh Vineyard Chardonnay, Dundee Hills 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $59, that’s $56.05 at 5% off and $53.10 at 10% off, 25 bottles in stock now
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 95 points
“The 2022 Chardonnay Maresh Vineyard comes from a block of Dijon clone vines planted in 1991 in the Dundee Hills on a steep, south-facing slope at 675 feet of elevation. Barrel fermented and matured for 10 months in 15% new French oak, plus four months in stainless steel, it’s reminiscent of Chablis and boasts exceptionally pure aromas. It opens with flint and petrichor before blossoming to apricot, elderflower liqueur, lime peel and hazelnuts. The palate is vibrant and silky with understated layers of creamy, peachy fruit, and its linear acidity and flinty tones come together for a shimmery finish. For several days after it’s opened, the Maresh Vineyard becomes more and more expressive, pointing to a long life in the cellar.”
 
Tan Fruit Sophie’s Vineyard Chardonnay, Umpqua Valley 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $59, that’s $56.05 at 5% off and $53.10 at 10% off, 36+ bottles in stock now
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 93 points
“The 2021 Chardonnay Sophie’s Vineyard comes from an isolated vineyard near the town of Yoncalla in the Umpqua Valley, planted in the late 1970s with Draper and Wente selections. Matured in oak and finished with four months in stainless steel, it has fresh scents of green pear, quince and citrus blossom with undertones of almonds, flint and honey. The light-bodied palate is creamy and plush with gently nutty fruits and a long, refreshing finish.”
 
Tan Fruit White Walnut Vineyard Chardonnay, Dundee Hills 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $59, that’s $56.05 at 5% off and $53.10 at 10% off, 17 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 97 points
“Perfumed nose expressing notes of baked pears, almond powder, cream, baked lemons, chamomile and some white flowers. Medium-bodied with bright acidity and character. Vertical with so much tension. Vibrant and intense but remains in control. Plenty of verve and brightness. There is a purity to it. Textural and well-composed. A brilliant white with a long, mineral finish. Drink or hold.”
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 96 points “Last year’s debut of Tan Fruit’s 2021 White Walnut Chardonnay was extraordinarily singular and expressive, and this 2022 Chardonnay White Walnut Vineyard is just as arresting. Matured for 12 months in barrel, plus six months in stainless steel, it explodes from the glass with a kaleidoscopic perfume of lychee and peach preserves streaked with accents of honey, hazelnut and green herbs. The medium-bodied palate is satiny and mouth coating and echoes the exoticism of the nose as it unfolds layer after layer of honeyed, spicy, floral fruit. Its focused spine of acidity expertly balances its natural opulence, and it has a hauntingly long finish.”
 
Shop our twenty Arterberry Maresh & Tan Fruit selections on sale now on our webstore!


 
Don’t miss our additional sales going on now:
 
Huet & Foreau
 
5% off any 3-5 in-stock wines from Huet and/or Foreau
10% off any 6 or more in-stock wines from Huet and/or Foreau
 
Clos Mogador & Espectacle Sale
 
5% off any 3-5 in-stock wines from Clos Mogador and/or Espectacle
10% off any 6 or more in-stock wines from Clos Mogador and/or Espectacle

 
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Huet & Foreau sale ends Friday, July 26th at 9 am Pacific. Clos Mogador & Espectacle sale ends Saturday, July 27th at 9 am Pacific.

Clos Mogador & Espectacle: Glorious Garnatxa Sale 7-24-24

Clos Mogador & Espectacle:

Glorious Garnatxa Sale
 

Your Three-Day Discount Starts Now
 
Photograph of the terraced vineyards in Clos Mogador

© Clos Mogador

René Barbier can be credited with bringing Priorat out of obscurity. In 1979, he founded a small estate winery on 20 hectares. He carved terraces into the steep hillsides and planted Garnatxa alongside some French varieties into the unique llicorella soil found in the region. He waited a decade to release his first wine, which was a blend with nine other area producers. Today, the flagship red shares its name with the estate, Clos Mogador.
 
Barbier describes himself on the winery’s website as “obsessed by the expression ‘terroir’.” He lives and breathes the vineyard, and is nourished by its biodiverse flora of fruit trees, olives, and herbs. His obsession was rewarded when the flagship wine was the first Catalonian wine to achieve “Vi de Finca” status, certifying it as a single-vineyard estate-bottled wine from a notable site with at least five years of production.
 
Though the flagship is still considered one of Priorat’s top wines, the Barbier family has expanded their estate’s lineup, including adding fascinating white based on indigenous varieties. They have also expanded their reach. In Montsant, they, along with friends in the wine industry, founded Espectacle. This estate boasts old Garnatxa vines grown in a centuries-vineyard so steep and impressive that Barbier calls it “L’Ermita of Monsant,” or Hermitage of Montsant.
 
By any measure, these are impressive wines that deserve a proud place in your cellar and a prime location on your table.
 
“Clos Mogador needs no introduction; it’s the family project of René Barbier, the father of modern Priorat. Located in Gratallops, they work 50 hectares of vineyards, which range between seven and 100 years old… In 2020, they have bought the vineyard next to the original one that is now a Vi de Vinya Clasificada. Their son Christian leads the team in the vineyards, working with biodynamics and regenerative agriculture to achieve natural balance. The French grape varieties are now playing a less important role (especially in Clos Mogador and Nelin), and they are refocusing on the local grapes.” – Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate
 
5% off any 3-5 in-stock wines from Clos Mogador and/or Espectacle
10% off any 6 or more in-stock wines from Clos Mogador and/or Espectacle

 
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Sale ends Saturday, July 27th at 9 am Pacific.
 
We offer seven options from Clos Mogador & Espectacle on sale now, including:
 
Clos Mogador ‘Nelin’ Blanco, Priorat DOCa 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $75, that’s $71.25 at 5% off and $67.50 at 10% off, 22 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 96 points
“Marking the 20th anniversary of this white wine, the 2021 Nelin was produced with Garnacha Blanca, Macabeo, Xarel.lo and Picapoll white and Cariñena Blanca—in the future, there will be more and more of the last two varieties in the blend, a big change from the beginning. Produced with the juice from the direct pressing, the wine spent one year in oak and six months in tank. It’s balsamic, eminently Mediterranean and ripe, with 14% alcohol (a little lower through the change of varieties) and notes of hay and straw, aromatic herbs and waxy apples. It has volume and density but with the freshness from a cooler year. It’s approachable but should develop a lot more complexity with time in bottle. They planted three new hectares of white grapes, so volumes will grow in future years.”
 
Clos Mogador Gratallops Vi de Finca (Estate Wine), Priorat DOCa 2012 1.5L Displayed Price: $399, that’s $379.05 at 5% off and $359.10 at 10% off, 1 magnum in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 98 points
“The 2012 Clos Mogador is nothing short of spectacular. They started in 1999 with some Cariñena, and they gradually increased the Garnacha and reduced the Cabernet. 2012 is possibly the vintage of Mogador with less Cabernet, as it didn’t behave well in such warm year. René Barbier senior tells me it reminds him of the freshness of the 2000 that he generously uncorked for me to compare; they only have a handful of bottles for the old vintages! The nose of this 2012 is still little reticent but not reduced like many vintages in the past, slowly showing a great Mediterranean-Atlantic balance with notes of herbs, wet slate and graphite. The super-elegant palate offers great acidity and freshness with incredibly layered and delineated flavors that have an electric, mineral sensation with tension and really fine tannins. There are no traces of oak and no edges… rugged silk? This is a Mogador for decades. If this is always a bargain for the quality it delivers, it is even more so in 2012!”
 
Clos Mogador Gratallops Vi de Finca (Estate Wine), Priorat DOCa 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $99, that’s $94.05 at 5% off and $89.10 at 10% off, 20 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 98 points
“The eponymous red 2021 Clos Mogador fermented with some 30% full clusters trying to give it more freshness (but without noticing the stems) with a long maceration (40 to 50 days) and (almost) no punching down, with less extraction. There’s been a progressive change in the vineyard (they removed the south-facing Cabernet Sauvignon), and they increased Cariñena (around 30%), which in the future will be almost as much as Garnacha. It has aromatic complexity and a beautiful texture. It matured in 2,000-liter oak foudres and a small part in barrel and later in concrete. The wine has 14% alcohol and has the Priorat, Mogador and Mediterranean character (wet slate, graphite, aromatic herbs) with more elegance and freshness. The tannins are also a lot more elegant, and the wine comes through as very balanced. They produced 35,000 bottles of this. It was bottled in June 2023”
 
“I visited the Espectacle vineyard, which is true to its name, truly spectacular. This is a joint venture between René Barbier from Clos Mogador, importer Christopher Cannan and some other friends. When René saw the vineyard, and once the owner was going to retire, he knew he had to buy it. This is one of those places that when you see them you realize they HAVE to produce great wine. And it does…” – Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate
 
Espectacle del Montsant, Montsant 2018 750ml Displayed Price: $119, that’s $113.05 at 5% off and $107.10 at 10% off, 16 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 98 points
“As with other wines, I also tasted the 2018 Espectacle del Montsant next to the 2017 to catch up, as I last tasted the region some 16 months ago. 2018 was a cooler year of slow ripeness, and the grapes achieved an amazing 16% alcohol. The wine is truly spectacular, true to its name. It has tons of violet notes and aromatic herbs, the palate is gentler, and the tannins are rounder, polished and elegant. It has full body but isn’t heavy. There is a lot of complexity, and the wine developed slowly in the glass, showing nuances of cereals, kirsch, orange peel and lots of spices and herbs. It’s opulent and full, deep and complex. Amazing in its style. Some 6,500 bottles produced.”
 
Espectacle del Montsant, Montsant 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $125, that’s $118.75 at 5% off and $112.50 at 10% off, 25 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 99 points
“It’s always an exciting moment tasting a new vintage of the wine from one of the most beautiful vineyards in Montsant, and the 2019 Espectacle del Montsant didn’t disappoint. It’s always Mediterranean, heady and ripe, decadent and hedonistic. 2019 was a warm and quite classical vintage in the zone, with good ripeness (the wine’s label lists 15.5% alcohol), and the wine is hedonistic, nuanced and complex, with very good acidity, which is one of the characteristics that makes this vintage so complete. Despite everything, the wine is medium to full-bodied and comes through as perfumed and ethereal. They do long macerations and long aging in foudre. 2019 is a very serious vintage for this wine; it’s a little closed and needs time in the glass, and it’s tight and seamless, a little austere for what this wine usually is. This is truly spectacular.”
 
Espectacle del Montsant, Montsant 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $135, that’s $128.25 at 5% off and $121.50 at 10% off, 22 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 97 points
“The 2020 Espectacle del Montsant has 15% alcohol, lower than the two previous vintages despite being a warmer year, and it has power and concentration (from the weather and the low yields from mildew), reaching a good concentration with freshness, which is the key to having a balanced 2020. The wine is floral, and the profile of fruit is more primary. It also has abundant, fine-grained tannins that are going to require some more time in bottle. Espectacle always has the floral expression and the elegance of this unique vineyard in Montsant. Starting in 2022, Christian Barbier, who is leading the regenerative viticulture in the Priorat/Montsant zone, will be in charge of the viticulture here.”
 
Espectacle del Montsant, Montsant 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $119, that’s $113.05 at 5% off and $107.10 at 10% off, 32 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 99 points
“The 2021 Espectacle del Montsant has a bright ruby color and a very perfumed and elegant nose with no signs of excess ripeness, with 14.5% alcohol. As 2021 was a much cooler year, the wine is more elegant than ever (following the cooler years like 2014), textured and with very fine tannins. It has an intoxicating nose of red fruit and blood orange, violets and a spicy twist with pungent flavors and a finish that is dominated by violet pastille and is pungent, intense, clean and very long. It’s multi-layered, precise, nuanced and ever-changing in the glass. It has to be one of the most elegant and finest vintages of Espectacle, with the natural freshness from the year. Bravo! There are some 7,500 bottles of this elixir.”
 
Shop our seven Clos Mogador & Espectacle selections on sale now on our webstore!


 
Don’t miss our additional sales going on now:
 
Molitor in Zeltingen
 
5% off any 3-5 in-stock Molitor selections from Zeltingen
10% off any 6 or more in-stock Molitor selections from Zeltingen
 
Huet & Foreau
 
5% off any 3-5 in-stock wines from Huet and/or Foreau
10% off any 6 or more in-stock wines from Huet and/or Foreau

 
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
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Molitor in Zeltingen sale ends Thursday, July 25th at 9 am Pacific. Huet & Foreau sale ends Friday, July 26th at 9 am Pacific.