Category Archives: Newsletter Archive

Vinopolis Newsletter – Friday 12/01/2023

In This Newsletter:

Special Arrival- Burgundy Bonanza!
Library selections from top producers
New Arrivals
Champagne Gatinois, Bereche, Felsina, Paitin, and more!
Recently Reviewed
Zola Crown
Staff Pick
The Perfect Barolo for your table– and Budget!
Arnaud Lambert
Something Magic from Saumur
Close-out Sales
Riesling Roulette

Burgundy Bonanza

“Maison Joseph Drouhin”

Joseph Drouhin Griottes-Chambertin Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2009 750ml $579 special, 2 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94 Points “The 2009 Griotte-Chambertin is beautiful, elegant and totally weightless. This shows gorgeous subtlety and inner juiciness through to the nuanced finish. Griottes, spices and flowers linger on the close. My sense is this is holding a lot back in reserve at the moment. The Griotte-Chambertin is made from estate fruit. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2029.”

Joseph Drouhin Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru, Cote de Nuits 2010 750ml $189 special, 2 bottles available
Int’l Wine Cellar 90-93 points “(a blend of seven parcels, stretching from the north to the south end of the village): Good bright red-ruby. Musky blackberry, licorice, bitter chocolate and stony minerality on the nose. Dense, pliant and seamless, with a thickness to the dark berry flavors that’s leavened by well-integrated acidity and a spicy component. Still rather tight and primary. This should age nicely.”
Wine Spectator 92 points “A languid red, with cherry, raspberry and currant flavors that float across the palate on a silky texture. Spice and earth notes add depth to this long and harmonious version. Best from 2015 through 2028.”

Only single bottle listing in the United States today!

“Laurent Tribut”

What’s in a name? Well, when the name is Dauvissat… everything! When a young Laurent Tribut married his wife Marie-Clothilde, his new father-in-law Rene Dauvissat gifted him several Premier Cru vineyards in Chablis. The family even began their new business making wine in the same cellars as Rene under direct supervision of the master. Over the years, these wines have accrued a legacy all their own, coveted for their minerality and balance.

Laurent Tribut Cote de Lechet, Chablis Premier Cru 2018 750ml $54.50 special, 5 bottles available
Wine Advocate 91-93 points “Notes of white flowers, apples, oyster shells and wet stones preface the 2018 Chablis 1er Cru Côte de Léchet, a medium to full-bodied, satiny and impressively incisive wine in this warm vintage, with plenty of chalky extract and a mineral finish. At this early stage, the Côte de Léchet looks to be one of the premier cru highlights of the vintage.”
Vinous 91 points “The 2018 Chablis Côte de Léchet 1er Cru has a clean, fresh nose with touches of menthol and pine needles joining the citrus aromas, though it is never what you would call intense. The palate is the finest of Tribut’s 2018s, quite spicy with a dash of white pepper, fresh and slightly minty, especially toward the finish. It is not a long-term Côte de Léchet like the 2014 or 2017, but it is a well-crafted, enticing expression of this vineyard.”

Lowest listed price nationwide!

“Domaine Louis Boillot”

A buffet of Burgundy—multiple vintages from one of the best small producers in the Côte d’Or.

Domaine Louis Boillot Chambolle-Musigny, Cote de Nuits 2016 750ml $79 special, 6 bottles available
Domaine Louis Boillot Chambolle-Musigny, Cote de Nuits 2017 750ml $75 special, 6 bottles available

These are the lowest listed prices for these wines nationwide!

Domaine Louis Boillot Chambolle-Musigny, Cote de Nuits 2018 750ml $79 special, 6 bottles available

Domaine Louis Boillot Chambolle-Musigny, Cote de Nuits 2019 750ml $89 special, 6 bottles available
Wine Advocate 90 points “Pretty and perfumed, the 2019 Chambolle-Musigny Village opens in the glass with notes of cherries, raspberries, rose petals and spices, framed by a deft touch of new oak. Medium to full-bodied, layered and velvety, with a lively core of fruit and refined tannins, it concludes with a long, floral finish. As I’ve written before, this bottling is largely derived from the lieu-dit Beaux Bruns, part of which is only entitled to the communal appellation—supplemented by some fruit from lieu-dit Derrière la Four.”

These are the lowest listed prices for these wines on the west coast!

“Domaine Jean Grivot”

A multi-generational Burgundian enterprise, Jean took over his father Etienne’s Vosne-Romanee vineyards in 1987 including six Grand Crus in the Côte de Nuit. They practice sustainable farming in their vineyards and even employ a horse for ploughing the fields. These wines are a powerful and energetic expression of Burgundy that expertly showcases terroir without sacrificing concentration.

Jean Grivot Clos De Vougeot 2010 750ml $349 special, 1 bottle available
Wine Advocate 94-96 Points “The 2010 Clos de Vougeot is another fabulous wine bursting with energy and a sense of urgency that is hard to capture with mere words. Freshly cut roses, crushed rocks and red berries come together beautifully in the glass. The Clos de Vougeot is impeccable and totally engaging from start to finish. The only possible downside is that the seriously firm tannins will require considerable bottle age to soften.”

Jean Grivot Clos De Vougeot 2011 750ml $179 special, 1 bottle available

You will not find lower bottle prices anywhere in the country!

“Domaine Michel Bouzereau et Fils”

Domaine Michel Bouzereau et Fils Meursault Les Tessons, Cote de Beaune 2018 750ml $89 special, 12 bottles available
Vinous 92 points “The 2018 Meursault Les Tessons has a nicely detailed bouquet of walnut and light smoky aromas that unfold in the glass. The palate is very well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, nice poise and a touch of dried honey and lemon curd toward the finish. Apricot lingers on the aftertaste. Very easy to drink now, yet it has the legs to give 15 years of drinking pleasure.

Domaine Michel Bouzereau et Fils Meursault Les Tessons, Cote de Beaune 2020 750ml $89 special, 9 bottles available
Vinous 91-92 points “The 2020 Meursault Les Tessons has a more complex bouquet than the Les Grands Charrons, honeysuckle and touches of peach skin, just a hint of menthol in the background. The palate is well balanced with a slightly honeyed texture on the entry, well-judged acidity, good substance for a Village Cru with veins of stem ginger and lemongrass furnishing the finish. Delightful.”

“Domaine Louis Michel et Fils”

Domaine Louis Michel & Fils Montee de Tonnerre, Chablis Premier Cru 2015 750ml $59 special, 8 bottles available
Vineyard Notes “Terroir: Kimmeridgian. Right bank, lots of marl oyster fossils, fairly sticky, shallow soil with plenty of limestone pebbles. Moderate but steady slope. Sunny and warm south-west exposure.”

“Domaine Leflaive”

Leflaive Bienvenues-Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune 2021 750ml $1,799 special, 2 bottles available

“Domaine des Chezeaux”

Domaine des Chezeaux Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2009 750ml $299 special, just 1 bottle available!
This bottle was produced by the legendary Laurent Ponsot for Domaine des Chezeaux. While it was not reviewed by any wine periodicals, here is the review for a version bottled under Domaine Ponsot’s own label for reference:
Burgundy Report “The colour is relatively modest – it least with 2015s in mind – though not brilliantly bright. The first sniff is round and tight but within minutes the aromas open their arms with complexity and depth, first with a silky and deep red cherry and then adding mineral complexity and even more width and depth – ooh – this is one of the best things that I’ve sniffed in a long time – it’s that good! Medium weight, silky wine but with a growing intensity of fine flavour that persists as well as a 2015. For such a baby, this an über-covetable wine. Bravo!”

Lowest listed price in the USA! Average Price is $359

New Arrivals

Champagne

“Gatinois”

“The mousse of Ay radiates happiness!”
-Alfred Victor, Comte de Vigny and Romantic Poet.

This small 12th generation producer in the Village of Ay in Vallee de Marne is neighbors with famous names like Bollinger, Gosset, and Deutz but continues to fly under the radar, focusing on quality over production.

Gatinois Ay Grand Cru Reserve Brut, Champagne NV 750ml $59 special, 24 bottles available
Tasting Note “With the classic dark cherry notes of Ay Pinot Noir, this Brut Tradition from historic Gatinois family has incredible depth of fruit and a mineral backbone that makes for easy drinking!”
Gilbert & Gaillard “Golden hue. The nose opens up to wonderful fruity notes of pear flesh and red fruits. Full-bodied, melted palate with fine bubbles showcased by persistent freshness. A long, expressive Champagne with real allure, perfect for parties.”

Only listing in the United States Today!

Gatinois Ay Grand Cru Tradition Brut, Champagne NV 750ml $49 special, 12 bottles available
Gilbert & Gaillard “Light gold with iridescent highlights flirting with orange. Crunchy fruit on the nose (apple flesh, red berry fruits). Fleshy, quite full-bodied palate brimming with freshness. Highly expressive, lingering fruit aromas.”

Gatinois Ay Grand Cru Brut Rose, Champagne NV 750ml $64.50 special, 24 bottles available
Gilbert & Gaillard “Salmon-pink. Focused, fruit-forward nose of raspberry and strawberry. Full, melted and full-bodied palate with precise, intense fruit expression framed by freshness. A nicely crafted rosé Champagne drinking well from the aperitif through to dessert.”

“Bereche”

Bereche Brut Reserve, Champagne NV (2020 base) 750ml $65 special, 24 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 92 points “The NV Brut Réserve is bright and finely sculpted right out of the glass. There’s terrific purity and energy running through the Brut Réserve. Crushed red berry fruit, white pepper, crushed rocks and mint all race out of the glass. This release is based on 2020, with a good bit of reserve wine (35%) that serves to create terrific balance. The 5.5 grams of dosage is not at all felt.”

Diebolt-Vallois Tradition Brut, Champagne NV 750ml $38 special, 36 bottles available
Wine & Spirits 93 points “[Most recent review for a previous disgorgement] Deep in color, with rich scents of peach and toasty notes of fresh almond, this is clean and compact, finishing with the creaminess of hazelnut flan. What’s hard to describe is the beauty of its simple line—one taster compared it to the sleek design of a vintage Ferrari.”
Winery Note “The Champagne Tradition is assembled from the three major champagne grape varieties and is the only white wine of the whole range which is not pure chardonnay.”

Best listed single bottle price in the USA!

Andre Clouet Brut Grande Reserve, Champagne NV 1.5L $89 special, 12 bottles available
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 90 Points “The latest release of André Clouet’s NV Brut Grand Réserve Grand Cru is showing well, exhibiting a nicely integrated bouquet of red apple, ripe citrus fruit, honeycomb and blanched almonds, followed by a medium to full-bodied, enveloping palate with a fine mousse, ripe but racy acids and an elegant, understated profile, concluding with a well-defined finish. This is a stylish, harmonious wine that makes for a fine introduction to the Clouet portfolio.”
Importer Note “Initially showing a very fresh bouquet of high toned fruits with hints of hazelnuts and yeasty aromas, the Grande Réserve cuvée displays highly structured red fruit notes on the palate for which the area is so famous. Long lees aging, low dosage and Grand Cru Pinot Noir fruit combine for an opulent yet balanced Champagne.”

Italy

Paitin di Pasquero-Elia ‘Sori Paitin Serraboella’, Barbaresco DOCG 2020 750ml $57.50 special, 12 bottles available
Wine Spectator 95 Points “Alluring aromas and flavors of cherry, raspberry, leafy underbrush, tar, iron and hay mark this luscious red, which is fresh and firm at once, with a chalky, minerally essence on the long finish. Best from 2026 through 2042. 974 cases made.”

Best listed price in the USA!

Felsina Vin Santo Del Chianti Classico 2015 375ml $49 special, 22 bottles available
Wine Spectator 97 Points “An exquisite Vin Santo, with aromas and flavors of brown butter, caramel, molasses, gingerbread and roasted walnut riding the vibrant structure. Impeccably balanced, with fine complexity and a long, resonant aftertaste. Malvasia, Trebbiano and Sangiovese. Drink now through 2040. 1,000 cases made, 600 cases imported.”

Recently Reviewed
High Marks for Zola Crown Vineyard!

Zena Crown Vineyard Slope Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2019 750ml $99 special, only 6 bottles available
Erin Brooks – Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2019 Pinot Noir Slope is pleasantly restrained and earthy. Medium ruby-purple in color, it has intense aromas of cranberries, blueberries, potpourri, tobacco and tea leaves. The medium-bodied palate is chalky and fresh with concentrated, mineral-driven fruits and a very long finish.”
Producer’s Vineyard Note “The vineyard sits in a direct path of the Van Duzer Corridor winds that slow phenological ripening, allowing for a cooler climate and longer hangtimes. Diverse facings, elevation, clones, and soil types provide opportunity and nuance. Beyond these technical components, are intangible elements of the vineyard that produce world-class wines. The vineyard is a living, breathing entity with evolving preferences, whims, and stubborn streaks.”

Staff Pick

Do you like Burlotto??! Fratelli Alessandria is a beautiful, elegant, and old school style of Barolo in a similar vein as Burlotto. It’s a beautiful thing when you find a great wine like this at such a value.

Fratelli Alessandria Barolo DOCG, Piedmont 2019 750ml $59 special, 33 bottles available
Wine Advocate 95 points “These village-specific wines are growing in popularity, and among the various expressions on the market today, this wine from Verduno is really quite special thanks to its highly distinctive floral aromas and its delicate sense of inner balance. A new project being inaugurated with this vintage, the Fratelli Alessandria 2019 Barolo del Comune di Verduno shows a fine, streamlined mouthfeel with polished tones of river stone, crushed rose and licorice root. The aromas are refined and fragile.”

This is an amazing wine for the Holiday season and we have the best price in the United States!

Staff Pick Winery: Arnaud Lambert

Something magic from Saumur

Much like Baudry and Pabiot, Arnaud Lambert’s name is becoming a secret handshake for Loire lovers in the know. Located in the Saint-Cyr-en-Bourg in the heart of Saumur Champigny where tuffeau soils (a chalky and sandy variety of limestone) dominate which help produce excellent minerality and imparts body and richness.

His Clos de Midi Chenin blanc is a stunner: at first it’s all stones and stone-fruit on the nose. Upon further interrogation, the complexities really come out… honeysuckle and white clovers along with Himalayan sea-salt and a dash of white pepper. Toasted hay around the edges. The profile is lifted and pleasant, with a round mouthfeel that is never too plush.

Featuring bio-dynamic viticulture and winemaking techniques that enhance the expression of terroir in his wines, this is a natural and unadulterated wine. It tastes and feels like the land.

It has long been my contention that while good wines may remind you of other good wines, great wines are more primal and evocative of your earliest, foundational sense memories. Clos de Midi brings back childhood memories of time spent at my Grandfather’s farm in Southern Oregon… picking herbs and white flowers in the fields … plucking apart clover blossoms and drinking their nectar. I’m rambling… but who can blame me? This is great wine. I am instantly transported whenever I pour a glass of it.

Arnaud Lambert ‘Breze’ Saumur Blanc Clos de Midi, Loire 2022 750ml $23.50 special, 23 bottles available

We have the best listed price on the west coast.
The average price is $28!

Also Available:

Arnaud Lambert ‘Breze’ Saumur Rouge Clos Tue Loup, Loire 2020 750ml $31.90 special, 12 bottles available

Lowest listed Price in the United States today!

Arnaud Lambert Saumur-Champigny Terres Rouges, Loire 2021 750ml $24 special, 24 bottles available
Importer Notes “The fragrant dark earth notes of Cabernet Franc give the impression of black soils unearthed from a thick overlay of wet forest moss, grass and bramble. Despite this dark soil impression and its name (which translates to “the red soils”), the soil is light brown clay with alluvial sands resting on a bed of stark white limestone. The cool harvest conditions, clay and limestone soils, and a life spent in stainless steel tanks renders this wine medium bodied with a clean and refreshing finish. Indeed, the sand plays its part as well bringing the fruits and flowers in the bouquet to the ethereal realm.”

Arnaud Lambert ‘Breze’ Saumur Rouge Clos Mazurique, Loire 2021 750ml $21.90 special, 16 bottles available
Importer Note “The single vineyard wines from Arnaud Lambert get farmed with biodynamic techniques and are certified organic. This single vineyard has sandy topsoils, creating a fresher aromatic Cabernet Franc. The subsoil is the classic Saumur Turonian limestone, giving the wine its signature mineral structure. The 2021 vintage is back to being mostly destemmed, contrary to a trial in 2020 with some whole cluster, and is fermented with native yeast. The 2021 in my opinion is one of the most balanced vintages of late: good definition of fruit with some black currant and wild strawberries, a subtle hint of tobacco and pimenton paprika. Texturally the wine is fresh and lifted with just the perfect amount of Brézé textural tannins to show terroir and give the wine a dynamic food pairing quality. This is a wine for Spring food.”

Lowest listed Price in the United States today!

Close-out Sales

Riesling Roulette

“Weingut Emrich-Schonleber”

Emrich-Schonleber Fruhtau Riesling Trocken, Nahe 2020 750ml WAS $41.90 NOW $33 special, 36+ bottles available
Wine Advocate 93 Points “The 2020 Monzingen Riesling trocken Frühtau comes from younger vines in the Frühlingsplätzchen and opens with a clear, fine and reductive bouquet with coolish stony and herbal notes. Crystalline and very elegant on the palate, this is a tight, straight and still challenging, very mineral dry Riesling that will benefit from longer bottle aging. The finish is long and enormously salty. A wine to keep.”

Emrich-Schonleber Halenberg TBA Riesling, Nahe 2018 375ml WAS $299 NOW $249 special, 21 Bottles Available
Wine Advocate 98+ Points “The 2018 Halenberg Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese is incredibly pure and aromatic on the nose where super ripe but clear peach aromas are displayed. Extremely rich and refined on the palate, this is a ripe, terribly sweet but refined, fresh and salty-piquant TBA with a stimulating finish. A fabulous wine.”

These are the best prices in the United States!

“Weingut Donnhoff”

Donnhoff Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Auslese Gold Kapsel, Nahe 2018 750ml CLOSE-OUT SALE WAS $69 NOW $59 special, 36+ bottles available
Weingut Donnhoff Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Auslese GK, Nahe 2018 375ml CLOSE-OUT SALE WAS $39 NOW $33 special, 24 half bottles available
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2018 Oberhäuser Brücke Riesling Auslese is perfectly clear and fresh but still intense and concentrated on the spicy and complex nose. Lush and piquant on the palate, this is a fresh, stunningly pure and playful Brücke that is singing and dancing on the knife’s edge. Fabulous in its purity, tension and finesse. Nevertheless, there is the ripeness you can expect from an Auslese. Tasted in July 2019.”

These are the best prices in the United States!

Donnhoff Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Auslese Gold Kapsel, Nahe 2020 375ml CLOSE-OUT SALE WAS $49 NOW $39 special, 31 bottles available
James Suckling 98 points “Such an exotic nose with a slew of passion fruit, mangosteen and King Alfonso mango. Compact and concentrated, but the more important things are the coolness and gracefulness of this moderately sweet Auslese that turns in a dark, “earthy” direction at the powerful finish. Very limited production. From organically grown grapes with Fair’n Green certification. Drink or hold.”
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 97 points “The 2020 Oberhäuser Brücke Riesling Auslese is super clear, precise and coolish on the concentrated but highly refined and flinty/stony nose. Round and refined on the palate, this Auslese has a highly refined raisin tone intertwined with crunchy slate aromas. The wine comes across as a very complex and juicy but always highly finessed Auslese with eternal beauty. Almost zero botrytis, but the most perfect berries of the vintage made it into this adorable Auslese. 8% alcohol. Tasted at the domain in July 2021.”

“Weingut Markus Molitor”

Markus Molitor Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Spatlese Trocken, Mosel White Kapsel 2018 750ml WAS $31.90 NOW $28 special, 32 bottles available
93 Points Decanter “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.”

Molitor Urziger Wurzgarten Auslese** Trocken, Mosel 2017 750ml WAS $69 NOW $49 special, 36+ bottles available
Wine Advocate 96+ Points “Bottled with moderate 11% alcohol, the 2017 Riesling Ürziger Würzgarten Auslese ** (White Capsule) is crystalline and super precise on the clear and flinty nose that exhibits crunchy, iron-rich stone and lime zest aromas. It is lean and fresh but dense and intense on the palate, with ripe, round and concentrated Riesling fruit, some sweetness and refined acidity. This is an elegant, highly finessed and stimulating Würzgarten with a lingering, salty-piquant finish. This wine pairs its moderate alcohol level with great complexity and mineral tension.”

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Molitor Extravaganza 11-30-2023

In This Newsletter:

Special Feature
Wines of Markus Molitor On Sale Now
Plus: A Look at the 2019 Vintage from a Single Vyd Perspective

Markus Molitor:

Superb Selections On Sale Now!

Ambition and drive define Markus Molitor and his incredible wines. After 35 years at the helm of the family business, Markus remains one of the most respected winemakers in the world.

As a towering figure in the Mosel, with an impressive, modern winery and holdings in almost every important vineyard in the region, Molitor crafts dozens of wines each year. He believes that every single sub-parcel and selective pick should be vinified to its utmost potential. He not only keeps specific vineyard blocks separate, but also specific passes through the vineyard. What results is a somewhat confusing, especially to those unfamiliar with German labeling conventions, but deeply rewarding portfolio of wines to explore.

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 – including Ürziger Würzgarten, Graacher Himmelreich, and Zeltinger Sonnenuhr, just to name a few.

It’s no secret that we’ve long adored these wines, having stocked every bottle available since the 2015 vintage. And that’s excellent news for you: that means we can offer this massive array at rock-bottom prices. How to choose? Why not start with our selections on sale now!

In Stock & On Sale Now from Markus Molitor:

Markus Molitor Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Auslese** Green Capsule, Mosel 2016 750ml WAS $51.90 NOW $46 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2016 Riesling Bernkasteler Badstube Auslese ** (Green Capsule) offers a pretty clear and delicate, fresh and flinty bouquet with bright fruit aromas and clayey wet slate notes. On the palate, this is a tensioned, fresh, mineral and tightly woven Auslese in the medium sweet style. It’s truly piquant and fresh, and the ripe, concentrated fruit is well balanced by vibrating minerals and phenolic grip. The finish is very long and fine, with a lot of salinity and slatey freshness. This is an impressive wine, but you should be patient with it. Tasted March 2018.”

Markus Molitor Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese*** Green Capsule, Mosel 2016 750ml WAS $89 NOW $79 special, 18 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 98 points “The 2016 Riesling Graacher Himmelreich Auslese *** (Green Capsule) is deep and complex on the nose, though discreet in its fruit expression straight from the bottle. However, the fruit is beautifully flinty, fresh and really fine. Lush and round on the palate, this is a full-bodied, ripe and intense yet well-balanced and elegant Himmelreich whose sweetness of roughly 30 grams per liter is still prominent at this young age. However, the wine is intense, long, firmly structured, very mineral and provided with serious tannins and a lot of stones. I am tasting it far too early (and straight after the three-starred Rosenberg Auslese), but it’s a highly promising Riesling from a great vintage for the Mosel. Bottled in September 2017; tasted March 2018.”

Markus Molitor Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese*** Green Capsule, Mosel 2018 750ml WAS $125 NOW $99 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 97 points “Typically bright and open on the nose, with crunchy and flinty slate aromas, the coolish and precise 2018 Riesling Graacher Himmelreich Auslese *** (Green Capsule) is a very fine and elegant, crystalline, fresh and precise, very long and salty Riesling with sweet and concentrated fruit and a long, intense and tightly structured finish. This is a laser-sword Riesling that needs about a decade to refine, yet it will deliver for sure. Tasted at the domain in September 2020.”

Markus Molitor Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese** Gold Capsule, Mosel 2019 750ml WAS $59 NOW $49 special, 20 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 96+ points “The yellow-golden 2019 Graacher Himmelreich Auslese ** (Golden Capsule) is brilliantly clear yet also intense and concentrated on the pure, fresh, finely raisined and herbal (rosemary), slightly honeyed nose that is complex and ambitious. Dense and juicy, with a vivacious purity and great finesse, this is a concentrated, vibrantly fresh and tightly structured Auslese with a remarkably digestible finish. There might be some percentage of botrytis that gives this Auslese a lush texture that is otherwise terribly clear and vital. I’d keep it for at least 7 years and up to 40, if only I could. Attention, though, the wine has serious acidity. Tasted from AP 39 20 in May 2021.”

Markus Molitor Kinheimer Rosenberg Riesling Auslese*** Green Capsule, Mosel 2016 750ml WAS $89 NOW $79 special, 23 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 97 points “The 2016 Riesling Kinheimer Rosenberg Auslese *** (Green Capsule) offers a super fine raisin and refreshing slatey/flinty bouquet that indicates great purity, finesse and crunchy/slatey freshness. The fermentation stopped at 34 grams of residual sugar per liter (11% alcohol), and the resulting wine is highly delicate, pure, lush and piquant on the palate. It is quite sweet and shows celery flavors as well as great tension that is neither rustic nor challenging but really fine, giving vibrancy, grip and energy to the lush and generous but always precise and elegant Riesling fruit. This is an exciting wine, and Markus filled it as a three-starred Auslese for the first time because he was convinced the wine deserves it. Tasted March 2018.”

Markus Molitor Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Spatlese White Capsule (Trocken), Mosel 2018 750ml WAS $31.90 NOW $28 special, 32 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.”

Markus Molitor Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Auslese** White Capsule (Trocken), Mosel 2017 750ml WAS $59 NOW $49 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 96+ points “Bottled with moderate 11% alcohol, the 2017 Riesling Ürziger Würzgarten Auslese ** (White Capsule) is crystalline and super precise on the clear and flinty nose that exhibits crunchy, iron-rich stone and lime zest aromas. It is lean and fresh but dense and intense on the palate, with ripe, round and concentrated Riesling fruit, some sweetness and refined acidity. This is an elegant, highly finessed and stimulating Würzgarten with a lingering, salty-piquant finish. This wine pairs its moderate alcohol level with great complexity and mineral tension. It’s a fabulous yet still very young Würzgarten of extraordinary class and style. Tasted in March and April 2019.”

Markus Molitor Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Auslese*** Gold Capsule 2015 750ml WAS $99 NOW $89 special, 5 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 98+ points “The 2015 Riesling Ürziger Würzgarten Auslese *** (Golden Capsule) offers a very clear, deep, intense and complex stone fruit aroma with some very discreet toast and crushed stone flavors. Full-bodied, rich and powerful but enormously racy-piquant and mineral so that you don’t taste its sweetness, this is a great, expressive terroir wine with a huge inner concentration that comes from the soils rather than dried berries. It is based on grapes with dry raisins due to perfect botrytis combined with healthy berries that deliver the tremendous freshness in this gorgeous Auslese that also reveals some fine tannins from the aging partly in small oak.”

Markus Molitor Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese** Gold Capsule, Mosel 2016 750ml WAS $69 NOW $59 special, 7 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 97 points “Molitor and Mosel fans shouldn’t miss the chance to buy at least a case of the 2016 Riesling Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Auslese ** (Golden Capsule)—one of the five different Auslesen Markus Molitor selected in his most important grand cru. The sweet two-starred Auslese comes from the Schiesswingert and the Fliegenberg. It opens with a deep, clear, very fine and complex bouquet of perfectly ripe Riesling berries with very fine botrytis flavors and refreshing flinty notes from the fine slate of the Sonnenuhr. Lush and generous on the palate, with a perfectly ripe and concentrated Riesling fruit, very fine minerals and crunchy slate flavors, this is an exciting Auslese of great finesse and elegance. The finish is delicate but tensioned thanks to the crunchy-salty slate sensation that gives structure as well as finesse and energy. Bottled in September 2017; tasted March 2018.”

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Markus Molitor:

2019 in Urziger Wurzgarten

The Urziger Wurzgarten, or ‘spice garden’ is an intensely steep, iron-rich red slate vineyard. Though it’s located right next to the Erdener vineyards, the Ürziger wines are vastly different: the volcanic soils and favorable drainage lead to an earthy, spice-laden, tropical fruit-tinged wine. The confluence, too, of its steep slope and refraction from the Mosel River create a richer and fuller bodied style of Riesling that acts as a measuring rod for the rest of the country.

The awe-inspiring growing conditions allow for the entire spectrum of Riesling to be produced ranging from dry to lusciously sweet. Much like the Grand Cru vineyards of France there are multiple owners sourcing from the same vineyard, creating a tapestry of interpretations from the same vintage and site.

At the top echelon of growers is Markus Molitor. Most winemakers would pick once or twice (or three times) in a vineyard and vinify many lots together—it’s easier and the wines are good. Molitor, though, asks what each parcel and pick would be like on its own—treated as if it were a wine of distinction rather than a blending component. This is a lot of extra work and requires time and space that most winemakers would rather not spend, but the result is a dizzying number of bottlings that all strive toward perfection.

The critical praise backs this up—Marcus Molitor’s wines are some of the most lauded in the world. Whether white capsule (dry), green capsule (off-dry), or gold capsule (fruity to nobly sweet), he manages to produce wines that captivate and astound. Don’t miss his 2019s, in stock now.

“After a stunning 2018 vintage, 2019 is another top vintage for Markus Molitor… Molitor’s 2019 Rieslings are bright, precise, laser-sharp and super clear. They exhibit ripe and aromatic fruit and precise terroir flavors that make all the wines incredibly distinctive.” -Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate

2019 Markus Molitor Rieslings In Stock Now from Urziger Wurzgarten:

Markus Molitor Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Kabinett White Capsule (Trocken), Mosel 2019 750ml $28 special, 33 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2019 Ürziger Würzgarten Kabinett (White Capsule) is highly refined and almost floral in its precisely slatey and flinty finesse that integrates very fine Riesling aromas. Everything seems to be in a young style for this wine that is pure, structured and dry, with a lovely mix of tannins, crystalline slate acidity and lingering salinity. This is not really fragile like, say, a Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr; instead, it’s filigreed and has strong bones. Fine tannins structure the fresh and lemony yet rich finish. A serious terroir wine with just 10.5% alcohol. Tasted in May 2021.”

Markus Molitor Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Spatlese White Capsule (Trocken), Mosel 2019 750ml $29.90 special, 19 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93+ points “The 2019 Ürziger Würzgarten Spätlese (White Capsule) already shows on the nose its perfect ripeness and elegant richness in a highly refined and enormously flinty, even tannic manner. The palate is very elegant, lush and ripe yet most of all vibrantly fresh and salty-piquant, revealing a salivating, firmly structured and tannic finish. This is a Würzgarten to keep for at least 3-4 years before opening. Tasted in May 2021.”

Markus Molitor Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Auslese** White Capsule (Trocken), Mosel 2019 750ml $54.50 special, 21 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2019 Ürziger Würzgarten Auslese ** (White Capsule) is deep, pure, fresh and flinty as well as floral on the dense and complex nose. Round, lush and elegant on the palate, this is a salty, piquant and textural Würzgarten with dramatic tension and grip. This is a gorgeous, highly potential dry Riesling with lingering salinity and serious tannin grip. I highly recommended cellaring this for 5-10 years. Tasted in May 2021.”

Markus Molitor Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Kabinett Green Capsule, Mosel 2019 750ml $28 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 94+ points “Molitor’s 2019 Ürziger Würzgarten Kabinett (Green Capsule) opens pure and flinty on the deep and complex, very intense yet bright and fascinating, seductive and terroir-driven nose. Lush and round on the palate yet with salty-piquant and vibrantly fresh acidity, this is a structured, even somewhat tannic Kabinett to cellar for at least 2-3 more years. Very long and endlessly salty. Tasted in May 2021.”

Markus Molitor Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Kabinett Gold Capsule, Mosel 2019 750ml $26 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 92 points “From the higher parts of the cru, the 2019 Ürziger Würzgarten Kabinett (Golden Capsule) is clear, bright, intense and fruity on the elegant, slatey nose. The palate is lush, round and aromatic as well as refined, and the sweetness is balanced by the delicate, vivid, crystalline acidity. The finish is stimulatingly salty. A lovely wine that I would keep for some years, though the 2019 already drinks very well. Tasted in May 2021.”

Markus Molitor Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Spatlese Gold Capsule, Mosel 2019 750ml $33 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 94+ points “The 2019 Ürziger Würzgarten Spätlese (Golden Capsule) opens with a clear, refined and elegant, perfectly ripe and lush Riesling bouquet with floral, slate and honey notes. Round and intense on the palate, this is a piquant Würzgarten with vibrantly fresh acidity and crunchy slate tannins, a combination with the ripe and juicy fruit that is irresistible. Tasted in May 2021.”

Markus Molitor Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Auslese** Gold Capsule, Mosel 2019 750ml $49 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2019 Ürziger Würzgarten Auslese ** (Golden Capsule) is another absolutely brilliant Riesling that opens incredibly pure and coolish with a perfume of crushed slate and lemon verbena notes on the dense, stony and herbal nose. Succulent yet refined and elegant on the superbly balanced and seamless palate, this is a generous yet refined Auslese with subtle yet sustainable mineral finesse and energy. Stimulatingly salty and crystalline on the airy finish. Tasted from AP 89 20 in May 2021.”

Markus Molitor Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Auslese*** Gold Capsule, Mosel 2019 750ml $125 special, 19 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 98+ points “The golden-yellow-colored 2019 Ürziger Würzgarten Auslese *** (Golden Capsule) is highly refined and perfectly precise on the nose that has slate and herbal notes as well as very fine Riesling aromas. Lush and generous on the sweet and concentrated palate yet super fine and with stimulating grip, this is an utterly refined and salivating Auslese with an enormously long, complex and stimulating grippy and salty finish. Gorgeous and mouth-titillating. Tasted in May 2021.”

Markus Molitor Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Beerenauslese, Mosel 2019 375ml $79 special, 11 half-bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2019 Ürziger Würzgarten Beerenauslese is clear, fresh and very delicate on the subtle yet complex nose that reveals white tea aromas along with lemon-scented notes of crushed stones. Round and filigreed on the palate, this is a light and delicate, finessed yet intense and salty BA whose sweetness is well captured by mineral grip and tension. This is a really excellent, frisky and digestible BA for aperitifs, entrées and desserts. 6% alcohol. Tasted in May 2021”

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Vinopolis Newsletter – Wednesday 11/29/2023

In This Newsletter:

Arrivals
Champagne Suenen, Chartogne-Taillet, Faiveley, Felsina, Paitin, and more!
Willi Schaefer– Presale Opportunity
Tradition And Refinement in Mosel
Close-out Sales
Some of the USA’s best prices for one of the world’s best Rieslings
Collector’s Corner
Just in time for the holidays– Kopke ports up to 50 years old

New Arrivals

Champagne

“Champagne Suenen”

Suenen Oiry Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, Champagne NV 3L $599 special, just 1 bottle available!
3 liters; Vendages 2009 / 08 / 07; Disgorgement 2/11/2013.
Not reviewed, 2018 disgorgement review provided for reference
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 92 Points “Including 50% reserve wines, Suenen’s NV Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Oiry (2018 base) offers up inviting aromas of sweet orchard fruits, dried white flowers, baking spices and fresh bread. Medium to full-bodied, racy and vibrant, with a fleshy core of fruit, excellent concentration and a sapid finish, it’s a terrific effort from one of the new stars of Champagne.”
Importer’s Notes “A single Cru bottling from Oiry located next to Cramant, originally the fruit from this site was blended along with what goes into the C+C bottling to produce a straight Blanc de Blancs. The single cru bottlings reflect Aurélien’s terroir driven focus of highlighting the uniqueness between all his plots. Fermented in neutral oak & enamel lined steel vats and aged around 9 months in neutral oak foudre, demi-muids & concrete eggs, and a further 2 years on the lees in bottle under cork.”

“Chartogne-Taillet”

Chartogne-Taillet Cuvee Orizeaux Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut, Champagne 2010 750ml $249 special, 3 bottles available

Chartogne-Taillet Cuvee Orizeaux Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut, Champagne 2012 750ml $219 special, 2 bottles available
Vinous 94 points “The NV (2012) Extra-Brut Cuvée Orizeaux is Chartogne’s Pinot Noir Champagne from a parcel originally planted in 1961. The Orizeaux manages to somehow be both translucent and deep. Surprisingly bright and focused, the 2012 offers quite a bit of aromatic lift and intensity throughout. White orchard fruit, white flowers and lemon peel are nicely delineated. The flavor profile is more like Chardonnay, while the structure and phenolic impression are, indeed, those of Pinot. What a gorgeous wine this. Disgorged: February 2016. Dosage is 5 grams per Liter.”

These are the only listings for these wines in the world today!

“Marc Hebrart”

Marc Hebrart Noces de Craie 2012 750ml $125 special, 5 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94 points “Another new cuvée for Hébrart debuts with the 2012 Extra Brut Blanc de Noirs Grand Cru Noces de Craie, a bottling sources from Ay that has only been produced in good years for Pinot Noir: so far, 2012, 2015, 2016 and 2018. Offering up aromas of red berries, minty pear, clear honey and spices, it’f full-bodied, broad and concentrated, with a powerful but reserved profile that prophesies and exciting future, concluding with a chalky, mineral finish.”

Lowest listed price on the West Coast today!

Burgundy

Domaine Faiveley Les Cazetiers, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru 2011 750ml $179 special, 2 bottles available
International Wine Cellar 92-94 points “Good bright, full red. Knockout perfume of raspberry and rose petal offers an element of lift that I associate more with Clos Saint-Jacques. Then sappy and vibrant in the mouth, with outstanding purity and salty intensity to the flavors of red fruits and blood orange. Utterly fine-grained premier cru with perfectly harmonious acidity. The very long, rising finish features terrific floral, mineral lift. A great Cazetiers in the making.”

Only bottle listing in the United States today!

Domaine Henri Boillot Les Caillerets, Volnay Premier Cru 2011 750ml $119 special, 4 bottles available
Vinous 93+ points “Bright, dark red. Ripe, deep, multifaceted nose offers black cherry, raspberry, licorice, earth, gunflint and smoky minerality. Much denser than the Chevrets, showing terrific concentration and balance to its dark fruit, mineral and spice flavors. Finishes spicy, chewy and very long, with serious fine-grained tannins and sexy hints of pepper and herbs. Really perfectly integrated acidity here. This was a knockout from barrel a year ago and has been bottled with its tightly coiled spring intact.”

Lowest listed bottle price in the United States today!

Joseph Drouhin Gevrey-Chambertin, Cote de Nuits 2011 750ml $69 special, 5 bottles available
Wine Advocate “The 2011 Gevrey-Chambertin Village, which includes 20-30% Premier Cru fruit, has a lovely, very elegant bouquet with plenty of rounded raspberry and strawberry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with a soft entry. It is slightly lower in acidity, very approachable and is bestowed a finish that slips down the throat. You’ll finish a bottle faster than you think.”

Only listing in the United States today!

JF Mugnier Chambolle-Musigny, Cote de Nuits 2011 750ml $419 special, 3 bottles available
Vinous- Antonio Galloni “Mugnier’s 2011 Chambolle-Musigny boasts marvelous complexity and nuance. Sage, rosemary, dried flowers, graphite and black cherries form a complex mosaic of aromas and flavors in a wine of unusual complexity at this level. The 2011 is beautifully lifted, aromatic and impeccable in its balance.”

This is the lowest listed price in the United States!

France

Solitude loves company… bring a bottle of this showstopper Rhône wine to your next Holiday gathering and be the most popular person at the party!

Domaine de la Solitude Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Barberini, Rhone 2019 750ml $69 special, 22 bottles available
Decanter 97 Points “The Lançon family’s history at Domaine de la Solitude dates back to the 15th century, with 17th-century links to Tuscany and even Popes (Barberini was the family name of Pope Urban VIII). This cuvée, aged mainly in barrique for 18 months, is made up of old-vine parcels of Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah, grown on the high alluvial terraces around the domaine. Matt Walls: The sweet clove oak is quite forthright for now, but should settle into the wine in time, and adds some structured tannins. Long finish. Will be very good in time. Tanguy Martin: Explosive nose, bright and intense with mixed spices, savoury and fruity notes. Firm and crunchy style, with a big hit of sweet spices on the finish. David Round: Beautifully aromatic, refined nose, with raspberry, black pepper and vanilla. Purity and velvety texture, precision and persistence. Elegant.”
James Suckling 96 Points “A seriously exotic nose of pomegranate, coconut and black leaf tea. Very concentrated and polished on the expansive palate, with as much vitality as richness, this currently impresses most at the super-long, silky finish. Still very young with excellent aging potential. Drink or hold.”
Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points “The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée Barberini is more dense and modern in style, with beautiful cassis and blackberry fruits as well as peppery herbs, white flowers, and spice. Rich, full-bodied, and concentrated on the palate, with a great texture, it’s another powerful yet fresh, balanced wine from this impeccably run estate. Give it a few years. Despite it’s more modern style, it stays firmly planted in the Southern Rhône.”
Wine Spectator 94 Points “Seductive, with a mix of boysenberry, raspberry and fig preserve flavors laced with hints of anise, red tea and fruitcake. There’s a nice underlying juiciness and a flash of tar through the finish. Rock solid. Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Best from 2024 through 2036. 600 cases made, 100 cases imported.”

Compare to an average listing price of $72!

Arriving Friday

Felsina Berardenga Vin Santo Chianti Classico, Tuscany 375ml $49 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 97 points “An exquisite Vin Santo, with aromas and flavors of brown butter, caramel, molasses, gingerbread and roasted walnut riding the vibrant structure. Impeccably balanced, with fine complexity and a long, resonant aftertaste. Malvasia, Trebbiano and Sangiovese. Drink now through 2040. 1,000 cases made, 600 cases imported.”

Paitin di Pasquero-Elia ‘Sori Paitin Serraboella’, Barbaresco DOCG 2020 750ml $57.50 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 95 points “Alluring aromas and flavors of cherry, raspberry, leafy underbrush, tar, iron and hay mark this luscious red, which is fresh and firm at once, with a chalky, minerally essence on the long finish. Best from 2026 through 2042. 974 cases made.”

This is the lowest price in the United States today

Arriving December

Felsina Berardenga Fontalloro Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2020 750ml $66 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 95 points “A vibrant red, with fleeting aromas of lavender and wild rosemary mingling with cherry, orange peel, earth, mineral and tobacco flavors. On the elegant side, despite its youthful power, with excellent harmony, refined tannins and a long, complex aftertaste. Sangiovese. Best from 2026 through 2045. 3,800 cases made, 1,200 cases imported.”

Felsina Berardenga Rancia, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2020 750ml $51.90 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 95 points “Intense, with complex flavors of cherry, blackberry, violet, mineral and leafy underbrush, this red is silky and verges on racy. Harmonious and persistent, with a long, resonant aftertaste that echoes red fruit, mineral and savory elements. Best from 2025 through 2045. 4,100 cases made, 1,800 cases imported.”

These are the lowest prices on the West Coast today!

Weingut Willi Schaefer

Tradition And Refinement in Mosel

Weingut Willi Schaefer is one of the most renowned wine producers based in Graach, in the Mosel region of Germany. The Schaefer family has been making wine in this area since the 16th century, and is now considered one of the best producers in the Mosel, consistently receiving high scores from top wine periodicals.

The Schaefer family’s vineyards cover about 4 hectares and feature some of the steepest slopes in the region, creating a unique microclimate that allows for the production of exceptional sugar-dense grapes. While the estate has steadily increased its reputation over the centuries, it has not expanded its perimeter or branched out into new regions, allowing the family to obsess over and improve each single row over many generations.

Willi Schaefer wines are known for their purity and finesse, as well as their ability to age gracefully. The winemaking philosophy is centered around minimal intervention and allowing the terroir and the grapes to express themselves fully. The grapes are still hand-harvested and sorted, and all fermentation is allowed to occur naturally with the area’s wild yeasts. These wines are characterized by their delicate aromas of white flowers and citrus, vibrant acidity, and long, mineral-driven finishes.

Arriving December 5th

Willi Schaefer Graacher Riesling Trocken, Mosel 2022 750ml $34.50 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 93 points “Sourced predominantly in the Himmelreich and racked from the lees until March due to a slow fermentation of the dry and feinherb wines, the 2022 Graacher Riesling trocken opens with a clear, deep and flinty, still nicely reductive bouquet of ripe, aromatic and juicy yellow stone fruits. Bottled in late April, this is a round and elegant, mouth-filling, juicy and well-balanced Graacher with savory acidity and a stimulating, saline and citric finish. This is a gorgeous dry Riesling from Graach that didn’t suffer any heatwaves like in 2018, 2019 or 2020, although it was an extraordinarily warm and dry vintage. 11.5% stated alcohol. Screw-cap closure. Tasted in May 2023. Drink: 2023-2040.”
James Suckling 93 points “Lovely nose of lemon blossom and lemon curd. Lovely balance of restrained creaminess and bright acidity with intense wet stone minerality. Long light-footed finish with excellent balance. Drink or hold.”

Willi Schaefer Graacher Riesling Feinherb, Mosel 2022 750ml $34.50 pre-arrival special, just 6 bottles arriving
James Suckling 95 points “The freshness of spring and the fruits of fall. Astonishing finesse and slatey intensity for a village wine. Sleek and silky on the barely medium-bodied palate. Super-long and graceful finish that takes your breath away. Drink or hold. Screw cap. Inner quote mark (8/2023)”
Wine Advocate 92 points “Predominantly from the Himmelreich but from different parcels than its dry counterpart, the 2022 Graacher Riesling feinherb is bright and refined on the fresh and pure nose that reveals white peach aromas intertwined with discreetly flinty slate aromas. Round and lush on the palate, this is a quite intense and textured Graacher with ripe, elegant acidity, yet it (still?) doesn’t have the sharpness and precision of the dry Graacher. The finish is mouth-filling and fruity, though, and delicate in acidity, with good length. 10.5% stated alcohol. Screw-cap closure. Tasted in May 2023.(SR) Inner quote mark (5/2023)”

Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2022 750ml $49 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 98 points “The staggering nose of fresh pineapple invites you to a voyage to the tropics with their rich colors and lush vegetation. Then comes the no less amazing palate which is simultaneously extraordinary in concentration yet miraculously feather light. Great citrusy freshness, but it’s impossible to say which citrus fruit it is because it seems to flicker from Amalfi lemon to bergamot and then to pomelo, and on and on. Almost endless finish with the merest hint of unfermented grape sweetness. Drink or hold.”
Decanter 95 points “Balances perfectly the richness of the slate terroir with fresh, zesty fruit. Aromatics show slightly reduced notes of flint, pencil lead and streaks of graphite. The palate matches this intensity with flavours of crushed stone, graphite and spice, and a zesty hint of greengage. There is an overall ethereal character that gives it so much freshness and laser focus.”
Vinous 95 points “The 2022 Riesling Graacher Domprobst Kabinett #01 opens with an initial, enticing whiff of tart but fully ripe passion fruit and a clarity that speaks of whistle-clean fruit. The palate is sweet, clear, bright and vividly rich with rounded but precise fruit. Wonderfully clean, with a slightly richer fruit appeal, there’s utter juiciness and mid-weight on the palate. The finish tones this down with subtle zestiness, but the fruit remains full, rounded and sweet on the long finish.”
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2022 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Kabinett is pure, cool and flinty on the deep, dark and discreet, more aristocratic nose compared to the Himmelreich. It is utterly complex and with bright shimmers in the darkness of the Domprobst due to the flavors of juicy Sicilian lemons. Round, lush and elegant on the palate, this is a highly refined and saline, beautifully balanced and weightless as well as seamless Kabinett with a savory finish. Perfect balance. 7.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork.”

Willi Schaefer Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2022 750ml $47.50 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 95 points “Wonderful nose of spring meadows and ferns with delicate stone fruit aromas filling out the complex and very detailed picture. Astonishing silky elegance and a freshness that defies easy description, but makes us swoon. And in spite of the incredible depth this is so transparent and refined right through the very long finish. Drink or hold.”
Decanter 94 points “Great elegance and focus. The aromatics of lime zest and pronounced notes of spiced pear intermingle with notes of freshly cut nectarine. The Himmelreich is all about fruit character for the Schaefer wines. The palate is a blend of cardamom, nectarine flesh and honeyed pear. Its fleshy, textured fruit balances intensity with what Christoph calls ‘a light impression.”
Vinous 94 points “The 2022 Graacher Himmelreich Kabinett is a little subdued on the nose. The palate, however, is a tender veil of fruit: vivid citrus is expressed as tart lemon sorbet, gaining a slightly fuller sweetness and a hint of Mirabelle on the mid-palate. The lightness of the body is sensational, beguiling with lemony zestiness and brightness. This lightness is incredibly seductive.”

Willi Schaefer Graacher Himmelreich Spatlese 2022 750ml $59 pre-arrival special, only 6 bottles arriving!
James Suckling 96 points “Lovely nose of white peach with just a whisker of caramel. Also a wealth of white flowers. Simultaneously succulent and super-elegant thanks to the thread of slatey minerality that runs through this sensual beauty. The considerable power is so impeccably underplayed that you barely feel it. Very long, pristine finish. Drink or hold.”
Wine Advocate 96 points “Sourced in the same parcel as the legendary 1976 Auslese and picked rather early, the 2022 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese opens with a clear, precise and elegant nose of white fruits and flinty notes of coolish crushed slate. Intense and lush on the palate, this is mouth-filling and charming, very long and mineral/saline Spätlese that doesn’t show exceptionally high acidity but a ripe one that is completely interwoven with the mineral/phenolic structure. This is a hedonistically juicy but weightless and finessed, stimulating and saline Spätlese from the Himmelreich, which didn’t produce an Auslese in 2022. All the fully ripe and golden berries went into the Spätlese. 7.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in May 2023.”

Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spatlese #5, Mosel 2022 750ml $69 pre-arrival special, only 6 bottles arriving!
James Suckling 97 points “The astonishing precision of the exotic ripeness and enveloping floral aromas make this extremely concentrated 2022 Mosel Spatlese stand head and shoulders above the majority of the vintage. Then comes the fabulous wet stone freshness that drives the extremely long and totally cool finish. Great aging potential. Drink or hold.”
Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2022 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese #5 is the only one next to the Domprobst Spätlese reserved for the auction (AP 13), so the more classic AP 10 wasn’t been produced in 2022. The AP 5 Domprobst offers a very bright, clear, flinty and aristocratic nose that is still discreet and quite citric but most of all coolish and stony. On the palate, the wine becomes immediately hedonistic; it is round but refined and elegant, with great balance and a mouth-tickling, saline, crystalline and salivating finish. This is the Spätlese to be cellared, whereas the Himmelreich is already so seductive that it will be hard to forget it for a couple of years. The Domprobst is a classic that will surely improve with more bottle age. 7.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork.”
Vinous 96 points “The 2022 Riesling Graacher Domprobst Spätlese #13 immediately promises exquisite purity on the nose with white pepper and creamy apricot. The palate is wonderfully sweet and gentle but also shows grapefruit tanginess, spice and some white pepper. The lightness is astonishing. The combination of cream and pepper, both bathed in citrus, is vivid, unusual, but utterly beguiling. The finish is so balanced. Only heaven knows where the sweetness goes.”
Mosel Fine Wine 95 points “The 2022er Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese is a sweet wine made from picked mainly in the Gerdsgrub and Nikolauslay. It offers a superb nose but still rather reduced nose made of pear, smoky-reductive elements, a hint of cassis and blackberry, and fresh herbs. The wine proves superbly playful and delicate on the palate and leaves a great feel of spices and ripeness in the long finish. This is a marvelous Spätlese in the making.”

Why wait? More Willi Schaefer wines available now:

Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Auslese #11, Mosel 2018 750ml $89 special, 16 bottles available
John Gilman 95 Points “According to Christophe Schaefer, the 2018 Domprobst Auslese AP #11 has just a tiny touch of botrytis in it, as it has almost exclusively been produced from golden berries. The wine is truly stunning on both the nose and palate, with the bouquet soaring from the glass in a blaze of pear, yellow plum, fresh pineapple, a gorgeous base of slate, citrus blossoms, bee pollen and lilacs. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, focused and zesty, with a lovely core, great backend mineral drive and outstanding complexity and grip on the vibrant, snappy and electric finish. This is just beautiful Auslese! 2026-2085+. 95.”

Willi Schaefer Graach Domprobst Auslese #14, Mosel 2018 375ml $69 special, 18 bottles available
John Gilman 96 Points “The 2018 Domprobst Auslese AP #14 is also an outstanding wine in the making, with just a touch more fruit-driven personality than the AP #11 version. The bouquet is very expressive out of the blocks, offering up a gorgeous mix of pear, mirabelle, tangerine, slate, gentle notes of honeycomb and a topnote of citrus blossoms. On the palate the wine is pure, fullbodied and absolutely loaded with beautiful fruit on the attack and mid-palate, with a lovely undertow of slate, great focus and grip and a long, zesty and beautifully balanced finish. This is another breathtakingly beautiful Auslese from the estate in 2018! 2026-2085. 96.”

Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Spatlese #5, Mosel 2020 750ml $59 special, 9 bottles available
James Suckling 97 Points “Could a modern Mosel Spätlese be more classic than this? Stunningly ripe stone-fruit and floral character, married to considerable richness, with an almost buttery texture on the mid-palate. Long and succulent finish that remains fresh and vivid. Drink or hold.”

Willi Schaefer Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2020 750ml $31.90 special, 23 bottles available
Mosel Fine Wines 94 Points “The 2020er Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett was fermented down to fruity-styled levels of residual sugar. It offers a superb nose made of residual scents from the spontaneous fermentation, chalky minerals, wet stone, mirabelle, cassis, melon, pear, and some subtle aniseed elements. The wine is beautifully pure and airy on the palate and leaves a stunningly juicy feel in the long, subtly ripe, and spicy finish. The wine really shines through its incredible silky airiness delivered with the presence and zest of a light Spätlese. This Kabinett is truly remarkable! 2030-2050.”

Willi Schaefer Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spatlese 2019 $45 special, 20 bottles available
James Suckling 95 Points “Play me a love song to the Mosel! Super fresh and super precise, this Spätlese has a ton of floral delight and a wonderful interplay of the most delicate, white and yellow character with vibrant acidity. Such a clean, filigree finish you want to bathe in it. Drink or hold.”
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 94 Points “The 2019 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese is precise, fresh and pure on the nose that displays notes grated lemon rind and crushed stones. Round, piquant and juicy on the palate, this is an utterly refined yet sustainable and firmly structured Spätlese with dense and vibrating fresh Riesling fruit whose sweetness is well-compensated by mineral grip, salinity and tension. 7.5% alcohol. Tasted from AP 08 20 in June 2010.”

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Focus on Donnhoff

Donnhoff is one of the best Riesling producers in the world. Ever.

Just one sip of this stuff paired with something spicy like Phad Thai or Szechuan crab and you’ll be doing cartwheels.

These are the kinds of wines that can turn even the staunchest critics of Riesling into fans and casual fans into obsessives.

Enjoy!

Donnhoff Estate Riesling, Nahe 2021 750ml CLOSE-OUT SALE WAS $21.90 NOW $19 special, 12 bottles available
Donnhoff Estate Riesling, Nahe 2021 1.5L CLOSE-OUT SALE WAS $59 NOW $49 special, 4 magnums available
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 88 Points “The 2021 Riesling is pure, clear and refined yet also intense on the nose that is immediately attractive. Lush on the palate, this is a round and charming yet also stimulating, piquant and grippy Riesling. 10% stated alcohol. Screw cap. Tasted in July 2022.”

Donnhoff ‘Felsenturmchen’ Schlossbockelheimer Felsenberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Nahe 2018 750ml CLOSE-OUT SALE WAS $69 NOW $56, 26 bottles available
John Gilman 94 Points “The 2018 Felsenberg GG is also absolutely outstanding this year. The bouquet is impressively expressive at this early stage, soaring from the glass in a blaze of pear, tart orange, a beautiful base of slate minerality, wild yeasts, a touch of fleur de sel and a potpourri of floral scents in the upper register. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, focused and seamless, with outstanding mid-palate depth, powerful mineral drive and great cut and grip on the long, perfectly balanced and youthful finish. This will be show stopping juice in the fullness of time. 2028-2070. 94.”
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93+ Points “Bottled in July, just two days before I tasted the 2018 Schlossböckelheimer Felsenberg Riesling trocken –GG– for the first time, the nose was ripe and generous but fine and flinty-mineral. Lush and salty-piquant, this is a full-bodied, rich and powerful yet vital Riesling with lots of body but also tension, purity and grip. Tasted again in August 2019.”

Donnhoff ‘Felsenturmchen’ Schlossbockelheimer Felsenberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Nahe 2020 750ml CLOSE-OUT SALE WAS $79 NOW $66 special, 35 bottles available
James Suckling 98 Points “If you are a terroir fundamentalist, then this enormous depth of smoky and wild-herb character will light your fire, but otherwise approach with caution. With the second and third sip you feel the attractive, grapefruity side of the wine. Then comes the paradox. There is also a touch of grapefruit-pith bitterness at the radically mineral finish, and this adds to the excitement. From organically grown grapes with Fair’n Green certification. Drink or hold.”
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 95 Points “The 2020 Felsenberg GG is deep, intense and complex on the pure and elegant, well-defined and slightly flinty nose. Pure, intense and juicy on the palate, this is a crystalline, refined and salty Felsenberg with great terroir expression and length, even though the wine is still puristic or even ascetic in the finish. Not as charmingly fruity as Crusius’s interpretation but with the same length and tension. 13% alcohol. Tasted at the domain in July 2021 and again six weeks later in Wiesbaden during the GG tastings.”

These are the lowest listed prices for these wines in the United States today!

Donnhoff ‘Felsenturmchen’ Schlossbockelheimer Felsenberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Nahe 2021 750ml CLOSE-OUT SALE WAS $70 NOW $69 special, 14 bottles available
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 96 Points “Dönnhoff’s 2021 Felsenberg GG is pure, bright and flinty on the deep, intense and iodine nose that also reveals phenolic complexity. Full-bodied but refined and elegant on the plate, this is a balanced and light-footed, rich and dense Felsenberg with juicy fruit and crystalline acidity, whereas the tannins step back compared to the Höllenpfad im Mühlenberg. The finish is rich yet refined and saline, with delicate lemon bitters and lush fruit. Although the 2021 is already charming, the wine needs some years on the bottle to show all its complexity and finesse without its youthful charm. This is not an austere wine that needs to soften its edges; it’s already dangerously good or even too good to cause patience. But the wine will reward those who can wait. 13% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in July 2022.”

Donnhoff Hollenpfad Im Muhlenberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Nahe 2018 750ml CLOSE-OUT SALE WAS $59 NOW $49 special, 14 bottles available
John Gilman 93+ points “The Grosses Gewächs bottling from the filet section of the Höllenpfad im Mühlenberg is also very promising and again, shows the beautifully elegant refinement of all the dry Rieslings from the Dönnhoff family this year. Helmut estimates that this is thirteen percent octane or just under in this vintage. The bouquet wafts from the glass in a very refined and expressive blend of tangerine, blood orange, salty minerality, citrus peel, smoky overtones and a topnote of dried flowers. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and really packed at the core, with racy acids, great soil signature, laser-like focus and a very long, youthfully complex and very promising finish. 2028-2060+. 93+.”
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2018 Roxheimer Höllenpfad Im Mühlenberg Riesling trocken –GG– is super clear and flinty on the crystalline and herbal nose. On the palate, this is a medium-bodied, round and piquant dry Riesling that has been bottled with less than two grams of residual sugar, which underlines the crystalline purity and refreshing mineral character. The wine reveals a long and intense, quite powerful and textured as well as salty and piquant finish. This is the first release of the Im Mühlenberg, and it is an impressive wine that has been aged on the lees until the end of June. Tasted in July 2019.”