Does Germany have growing regions other than cool climate? The Pfalz and her 1800 hours of sunshine during the growing season would make a strong argument for just that. Closer to Strasbourg than Berlin; the Pfalz is nestled between the Haardt Mountains and the Rhine River in a veritable oasis of forests and hills. Archeological records show that the district was one of the first areas in the entire world to have widespread consumption and production of wine, dating back to 550 B.C.E. 

The beneficial growing conditions make for some of the most interesting and diverse expressions of German wine, with Riesling still being the crown jewel. The warmer average temperature that’s seen creates Rieslings with less acidity and concentrated fruit flavors like apricot, mango and nectarine. Aromas usually feature a headier and effusive quality in comparison to other regions that brings to mind daffodils, yarrow and lilies. In spite of the richer character, the Pfalz is a major hub for dry Riesling and features some of the most full bodied expressions of the category, with sweeter examples being made by only a handful of producers. In spite of being one of the largest growing districts the soils are relatively uniform, with sandstone, limestone and loess being the most commonly found, further boosting the organoleptic qualities of the finished wine.

Pfalz selections on sale now: 

Von Winning Kirchenstuck Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Pfalz 2017 750ML ($149.95) Was $119, Now $109, 4 bottles in stock now
David Schildknecht – Vinous 93-94 points “Site-typically musky notes of narcissus mingle with anticipations of the bright lime and pure, luscious white peach that dominate a silken, subtly oily, expansive palate. The layering of inner-mouth floral perfume, high-toned green herbal essences and mouthwateringly scallop-like savor is hugely impressive, leading to a finish whose musky bittersweetness reminds me of sucking on the stem-end of honeysuckle blossoms; whose salinity tugs at the salivary glands; and whose effusive fruit is transparent to stony underpinnings.”
 

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Reichsrat von Buhl Deidesheimer Leinhohle Riesling, Pfalz 2015 1.5L ($79.95) Was $59, Now $49, 7 magnums in stock now
Wine Advocate 91 points “The golden/yellow-colored 2015 Deidesheimer Leinhöhle Riesling (AP 1416) has an intense nose with pretty ripe, but also refreshing and slightly greenish fruit aromas with sur-lie characteristics. Round and elegant on the palate, this is a balanced, fruit-intense and well-structured Riesling with nice concentration and a long, intense finish. Pretty accessible already, but also with tension. This is a very well-made Riesling from a warmer terroir in a warm vintage. The acidity is ripe and well integrated, and the creamy texture and long lees aging make this a pretty Burgundian Riesling, with 13.5% alcohol.”
 

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Reichsrat von Buhl Deidesheimer Maushohle Riesling Trocken, Pfalz 2015 1.5L ($79.95) Was $59, Now $51.90, 5 magnums in stock now
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2015 Deidesheimer Mäusehöhle Riesling (AP 2216) opens with a pure and refreshing, rather coolish aroma (compared to the Leinshöhle) of ripe yellow fruits intertwined with stony aromas. Round, fresh and elegant on the palate, this full-bodied and well-balanced Riesling is tightly woven, but fine and very mineral. It displays ripe yellow apple flavors in the finish, as well as nice and stimulating grip. The finish is pure and salty, really vitalizing in its freshness and clarity. According to the label, this is 12.5% alcohol.”
 

This is the only listing in the USA today for the magnum!

Reichsrat von Buhl Forster Musenhang Riesling Trocken, Pfalz 2015 1.5L ($79.95) Was $59, Now $51.90, 5 magnums in stock now
Wine Advocate 92 points “The intensely citrus-yellow 2015 Forster Musenhang Riesling (AP 2416) shows a clear, aromatic, and slightly flinty nose with ripe pip fruit and refreshing lemon; there are even green paprika and apple flavors on the intense and elegant nose. This Musenhang is medium-bodied, clear, fresh and racy on the palate. It is a straight and mineral, edgy and merciless Riesling with no ornaments, no meat and no charm. But it does have a lot of freshness, raciness and character. This is probably not a wine for the U.S. market, whereas Wikings would probably die for it. Great finesse and purity here, this is an old-school Riesling from the pre-global warming area. Some would say it is unripe, while other would say it’s just ripe. I’d say: the ripeness is at maximum, but I like it due to its refreshing and mineral expression. This Riesling is 12.5% alcohol.”
 

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“A stone’s throw from Barbaresco’s village centre, the winery and its vineyards were founded by Giovanni Giordano in the 1930s during a time of profound crisis in the Italian wine world. After a period of growing and selling grapes, Giovanni’s son, Luigi, made the bold decision to vinify his own grapes in 1960. Luigi Giordano is now a fourth-generation winery whose vineyards are planted in some of Barbaresco’s most prestigious crus, including Asili and Montestefano. One particular Barbaresco bottling from the cru of Cavanna showcases the winery’s elegant, hands-off style of winemaking and currently represents the only single-vineyard cru of its kind on the market.” – Importer note

Luigi Giordano is a small, family-owned winery producing elegant and classically framed Barbaresco. Sourcing from some of the region’s most celebrated vineyards, including Asili and Montestefano, Giordano’s wines are consistently excellent. Fortunately for us, Giordano remains a bit of an insider’s secret. As a result, the cru bottlings sell for nearly half as much as the same vineyard bottlings from Produttori and others. But tasting these wines, we can’t imagine that this will remain true much longer. Their wines are both thought provoking and accessible with the classic sandy tannins of Barbaresco against fabulous length on the finish. Even in examples from hotter vintages there is no lack of freshness or impression of heat, which is no small feat to achieve in the cellar.   

Giordano wines in stock now: 

Luigi Giordano Asili Barbaresco DOCG 2015 750ML ($69.95) $45 special, 22 bottles in stock now
Decanter 92 points “From vines planted in 2000, this has a red fruit nose that’s not very expressive presently, but the palate is fresh and limpid with very ripe fruits but with no sweetness showing, thanks to the lively acidity. It has some tension, persistence and style, with a long finish.”
Importer Note “Definite garnet red colour enriched with delicate orange highlights on ageing; ample and intense perfume with good floral and fruit jammy notes plus ethereal hints ofspices. The flavour is dry, full, elegant and aristocratic. Traditional red wine maceration for 12-15 days with ferment-ation in temperature controlled stainless steel vats using frequent pumping-over. The wine is aged for at least 18-24 months in large (30-50 hectolitre) barrels of Slavonian oak, then refined in horizont-ally-placed bottles for another 6 months.”
 

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Luigi Giordano Cavana Barbaresco DOCG 2017 750ML ($44.95) $33 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 92 points ” The 2017 Barbaresco Cavanna is lifted with a delicate amount of rusticity, with dried sour cherry, rhubarb, and leather. The palate is fresh and ripe, with fine tannins and notes of cranberry cocktail, fresh orange, and dusty earth. Open and inviting, the Cavanna is easy-drinking and medium-bodied. Drink 2021-2031.” 
Importer Note “Brilliant garnet red colour with orange highlights developing with age; ample and intense perfume with fruity, jammy and spicy notes; dry, full and aristocratic flavour. Traditional red wine maceration for 15-20 days with temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel vats and frequent pumping-over. This wine is left to age for at least 18-24 months in large (30-50hectolitre)  barrels of Slavonian oak and is then refined in horizontally-placed bottles for at least 6 months.”
 

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Luigi Giordano Montestefano Barbaresco DOCG 2016 750ML ($69.95) $49 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 93 points “A beam of cherry, strawberry and rose aromas and flavors permeates this vibrant red. Hints of thyme, menthol and tar add depth as this builds to a long, resonant finish. Shows fine energy and intensity on a slim frame. Best from 2023 through 2042. 500 cases made, 150 cases imported. — BS”
Antonio Galloni 92 points “The 2016 Barbaresco Montestefano offers all of the breadth that distinguishes this site while retaining its classic, mid-weight feel. Darker shades of Nebbiolo emerge in the black cherry, plum, lavender, licorice, sage and spice flavors. Like all of these Barbarescos, the Montestefano is super intriguing. The potential here is evident.”
 

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Luigi Giordano Vino Rosato Alba Piedmont 2020 750ML ($24.95) $19 special, 30 bottles in stock now
Importer note “100% Nebbiolo from family parcels inside Barbaresco crus of Ovello, Ronchi & Cars. Hand-picked in September. Soft pressing followed by 3-hour maceration. 2,400-bottle production.”
Region: (Barbaresco), Piedmont, Italy.
 

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The ancestral home of Sangiovese, Chianti produces the widest array of styles in part due to stratified geological, topographical and administrative processes. As one of the first established wine regions in Italy after the country’s unification in the 30’s, Chianti is synonymous with Italy’s quality revolution in recent decades. 

You can often find bright and juicy Sangiovese or highly structured and rustic examples from the same producer offering an expression for every palate. These wide ranging styles are in part due to the soil differences seen the further up the hills, with heavy clay and compacted sandstone giving way to limestone sand and marl on the higher elevation sections. The high percentage of clay in the soil contributes the famous terra-cotta rusticity of Tuscan wine, and can be seen in even Bordeaux blends. Castell ‘in Villa takes full advantage of their estate’s high proportion of alluvial pebbles by crafting 100% Sangiovese with pervasive minerality and extensive aging trajectories, attributable to their meticulous production standards. Described by Antonio Galloni as “One of the most age worthy houses in all of Italy” these are wines for everyone’s cellar and priced accordingly. 

Castell ‘in Villa in stock now: 

Castell’in Villa Gazzarina Toscana IGT Tuscany 2019 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Castell’in Villa Gazzarina Toscana IGT Tuscany 2019 750ML ($239.95) $195 special, (That’s only $16.25 per bottle!)     
Vinpol Note: 100% Sangiovese vinified in stainless steel prior to elevage in traditional botti. Classic Chianti flavors of sour cherries, leather and terra cotta. 

Castell’in Villa ‘Poggio delle Rose’ Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2006 750ML ($149.95) $119 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 95 points “[Reviewed Jun 2012] The 2006 Chianti Classico Riserva Poggio delle Rose brings together all of the best elements of this site and house style. Firm tannins frame a core of deeply expressive, opulent fruit in this full-throttle, huge Chianti Classico. Threads of sweet perfumed fruit run through the 2006 as it shows off its class and personality. Mint, flowers and sweet red berries punctuate the explosive finish. This is a dazzling showing from Castell’in Villa.”
 

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Tête de Cuvees are the crown jewel of any Champagne producer, and that goes double for a Grande Marque due to their roles as the region’s metaphorical “Face”. Of these houses, few are as synonymous with Chardonnay as Perrier-Jouët. Their first vintage of the Belle Époque was in 1964, and has only been made 30 times in decades since. In comparison Dom Perignon has been made 74 different times between Brut and Rose bottlings. Sourced from 5 different villages and aged for 6 years prior to disgorgement, there is meant to be both fruit and tertiary character present. We have released our final allotment of the 2011 bottling with no ETA on our next vintage!

Perrier-Jouët in stock now: 

Perrier-Jouet Belle Epoque – Fleur de Champagne Millesime Brut Champagne 2011 750ML ($179.95) $149 special, 19 bottles in stock now
Wine Enthusiast 94 points “Always a light, ethereal style of wine, this is also very fresh and still young. It will age with its taut minerality from the Chardonnay in the blend. A softer background will become toasty over the next few years. The vintage date on this bottle is 200 years after the foundation of this producer. Drink from 2021.”

 

You’ve heard of sister regions Barolo and Barbaresco but did you know that there is a third sibling that also specialized in Nebbiolo? The Italian Alps are home to some of the most ethereal and mineral driven expressions of wine in the entire world. Naturally insulated from the rest of the country due to the topography, the villagers practice winemaking exactly as they have for centuries. Alto Piemonte as it’s known by the locals was formed during the shift of the African and European tectonic plates millions of years ago, creating one of the most diverse mix of soils in the world. 

You see everything from prehistoric marine sediment, schist, fractured limestone, granite and even sandstone. There is so much complexity that only the locals have dared to try classifying the contents of their soil. Located near the Italian-Swiss border Arpepe does exactly that, producing Chiavennasca (The local name for Nebbiolo) from terraced vineyards that have been in their family for generations. Steadfastly traditional in their winegrowing and fermentation practices, there is a tantalizing juxtaposition between elegance and rusticity that can be seen only amongst the best Italian producers. 

Known as a benchmark producer for the regions wines, Arpepe is a fantastic introduction to the particular stylings of Chiavennasca in way that draws comparisons to Barolo and Barbaresco of years past. Considering the advancement of climate change these wines are well on their way to becoming the next hotbed for Nebbiolo in Italy, as freshness and elegance become more elusive further south. The reserve bottlings are all comprised of vines that are at least 50 years old, with some of them being over 100! 

Ar.Pe.Pe wines in stock now: 

Ar.Pe.Pe. Buon Consiglio Riserva Valtellina Superiore Grumello DOCG 2013 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 23 bottles in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95+ points “One of two late-release wines from Ar. Pe. Pe., the 2013 Valtellina Superiore Grumello Riserva Buon Consiglio is a beautifully light and delicate expression of Nebbiolo with a lean, ruby-tinged appearance. The wine ages to silkiness and extreme suppleness, and I cannot help but notice the unique aromas of toasted hazelnut, mountain flower and balsam herb that rise so delicately from the bouquet. These results are exquisite and ultra delicate, giving the wine a lithe or ethereal personality. What a beauty. Only 6,000 bottles were released.”
Wine Spectator 94 points “A perfumed red, exuding aromas and flavors of crushed raspberry and pureed strawberry, exotic spice and graphite, dried marjoram and thyme. It’s finely knit, with silky tannins and mouthwatering, citrus peel acidity. A graceful version with a lasting, mineral-laced finish. Drink now through 2028. 500 cases made, 175 cases imported.  –AN”
Wine Enthusiast 93 points “Camphor, wild rose and botanical herbs mingle with a whiff of wet granite. On the elegantly structured, still youthfully austere palate, tight, refined tannins lithely support sour cherry, orange zest and star anise. It’s vibrant and balanced, with bright acidity. Drink 2023–2033. -Kerin O’Keefe”
 

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Ar.Pe.Pe. Sesto Canto Riserva Valtellina Superiore Inferno DOCG 2013 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 17 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 93 points “There’s a lovely juiciness to the crushed black raspberry and strawberry fruit on display in this elegant, medium- to full-bodied red, yet sleek tannins are well-integrated and provide fine definition. Fragrant notes of tea leaf, pomegranate and hot stone chime on the silky finish. Drink now through 2033. 500 cases made, 175 cases imported.  –AN”
 

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Ar.Pe.Pe. Vigna Regina – Nuova Regina Riserva Valtellina Superiore Sassella DOCG 2013 750ml ($119.95) $99 Special, 21 bottles in stock now
Wine Enthusiast 96 points “Loaded with finesse and energy and still youthfully austere, this linear, structured red offers tart cranberry, blood orange and star anise sensations. A vein of salty mineral provides the backdrop while fine-grained tannins provide elegant structure and support. Racy acidity keeps it balanced. Give it time to fully develop and blossom into even more of a beauty. Drink 2025–2035. -Kerin O’Keefe”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95 points “A release of about 6,000 bottles, the Ar. Pe. Pe. 2013 Valtellina Superiore Riserva Sassella Nuova Regina draws its fruit from terraced vineyards delineated by rocky drywalls. The vines are at least 50 years old and planted in friable metamorphic rock or gneiss shaped by glaciers. This wine is made in a highly traditional manner with extended skin maceration in oak casks, and all the harvest work is done by hand. This is a true beauty with enormous finesse and a deep well of aromatic nuances that center around wild berries, blue flowers and iron ore. The wine is carefully aged with fine and silky tannins. It tastes great, so if you have a bottle you can drink it now or wait longer if that is your pleasure.”
 

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Ar.Pe.Pe. ‘Il Pettirosso’ Valtellina Superiore DOCG 2016 750ML ($54.95) $45 special, 15 bottles in stock now
Decanter 93 points “Il Pettirosso, or ‘robin redbreast’, is a dedication to Ar Pe Pe’s founder, Arturo who first created this bottling in 1997. A selection of casks ready to be bottled after relatively minimal ageing, it brings together parcels in the subzones of Sassella and Grumello. Piercing pure rose, cherry blossom and tobacco lead the way to a nucleus of sweet raspberry, red cherry and subtle flintiness. It’s fine-boned in frame and zesty in acidity, with silky-smooth tannins that glide effortlessly across the palate. The epitome of elegance. Drinking Window 2021 – 2028.”
Antonio Galloni 92 points “The 2016 Valtellina Superiore Il Pettirosso is a terrific choice for readers who want to explore the Ar.Pe.Pe. wines before delving into some of the more pricey bottlings. Dried autumn leaves, cedar, pipe tobacco, herbs and licorice are some of the many notes that grace this wonderfully expressive, super-classic Valtellina Nebbiolo. Aging in cask brings out the nuances of these old vines so well. The transparency of Nebbiolo comes through beautifully.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 92 points “Here’s a beautiful wine with a great human story behind it. Fruit from 50-year-old vines planted in friable granitic mountain soils is carried down to the winery in small cassettes on the hearty shoulders of the harvesters. With some 24,000 bottles made, the Ar. Pe. Pe. 2016 Valtellina Superiore Nebbiolo Il Pettirosso is perfumed with rosebud, wild berry, sour cherry and crushed stone. All that backbreaking human labor leads to a soft and gently polished red wine to pair with a classic buckwheat pasta from this ski-loving region.”
Wine Enthusiast 92 points “Bright and tangy, this fragrant wine offers head scents of red rose, pine forest, wet flint and Alpine herb. Vibrant and savory, the racy palate has lovely mineral energy and tension, doling out juicy Marasca cherry, ground clove and a hint of hazelnut alongside taut, refined tannins and bright acidity. Drink through 2026. -Kerin O’Keefe”
 

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Ar.Pe.Pe. Grumello Rocca de Piro Riserva Valtellina Superiore Grumello DOCG 2015 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 93 points “Fruit for this wine comes from the high altitudes of the Rhaetian Alps, where decomposed granite soils make for a dark contrast against brilliant white ice and snow falls. The Ar. Pe. Pe. 2015 Valtellina Superiore Nebbiolo Grumello Rocca de Piro reveals a long succession of dried raspberry, cassis, pressed violets, iron ore and crushed stone. This wine promises to make a terrific pairing with a simple plate of thinly sliced Valtellina bresaola. Some 30,000 bottles were made.”
Wine Enthusiast 92 points “Initially shy, the subtle nose eventually reveals new leather, Alpine herb and wild berry. The savory palate has an understated elegance, offering Marasca cherry, pomegranate and graphite alongside refined tannins. Drink through 2027. -Kerin O’Keefe”
Wine Spectator 92 points “An elegant light- to medium-bodied red, with fine tannins creating a supple frame for flavors wild strawberry, black tea leaf and a ferrous, minerally underpinning. It’s fresh and focused, with a lingering, lightly spiced finish. Drink now through 2030. –AN”
 

 

Aged Burgundies are among the greatest wine experiences in the world. As you could expect they are often the top seller of auctions around the world, with price tags to match. Considering the stellar quality of the 2010 vintage these are among the most collectible wines in the shop. The critical reception categorized the vintage as “Succulent and Structured” as a way of encapsulating a ripe, yet acid driven vintage. Burgundian Pinot is famous for the silky texture that it develops after age, with these being no exception!

2010 Jadot’s in stock now: 

Louis Jadot Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru Cote de Nuits 2010 750ML ($249.95) $219 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Stephen Tanzer 95 points “Good full, medium red.  Expressive, nuanced aromas of strawberry, raspberry, crushed stone, smoke and flowers.  Glyceral yet light on its feet, with a suave, silky texture to its vibrant, savory red fruit, floral and mineral flavors.  Not at all a superripe style:  really perks up the palate and leaves the mouth refreshed on the very long, sweet/savory finish.  This classy grand cru finishes with captivating perfumed lift.” ST
 

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Louis Jadot Clos de la Roche Grand Cru Cote de Nuits 2010 750ml ($249.95) $219 special, 6 bottles in stock now

 

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Louis Jadot Domaine Gagey Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru Cote de Nuits 2010 750ML ($499.95) $449 special, 4 bottles in stock now
Stephen Tanzer 93-96 points
John Gilman 95 points “The Gagey family’s parcel of Clos St. Denis is planted with eighty year-old vines, and these old vines have performed beautifully in this great vintage. The beautiful nose soars from the glass in a classy mélange of red plums, cherries, raw cocoa, mustard seed, wonderfully complex soil tones, cloves and cedar. On the palate the wine is deep, fullbodied and very pure on the attack, with a sappy core of fruit, tangy acids, laser-like focus and stunning complexity on the moderately tannic and perfectly poised finish…”
 

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Louis Jadot Estournelles-Saint-Jacques Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru 2010 750ML ($149.95) $119 special, 8 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 92-94 points “The 2010 Gevrey-Chambertin Estournelles Saint Jacques bursts from the glass with layers of dark fruit. Black cherries, flowers, mint and sweet spices wrap around the palate in this flashy, extroverted wine. The Estournelles Saint Jacques turns a bit more feminine in the glass, yet it remains exuberant, flashy and full of life. This isn’t the last word on subtlety, but it is a delicious wine in its own way.”
 

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Louis Jadot Nuits-Saint-Georges Cote de Nuits 2010 750ML ($99.95) $89 special, 1 bottles in stock now
John Gilman 88+ points “The current rendition of the 2010 Jadot Nuits AC is long and complex, but a bit four-square at the present time. Keep in mind though that this wine will probably be ‘dressed up’ a bit with the addition of some barrels of premier cru, so in all likelihood, my score will ultimately prove to be quite conservative for this wine in its finished form.Today, the nose offers up notes of red and black cherries, coffee, woodsmoke, fresh herbs and a fine, complex base of soil. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and impressively sappy at the core, with a very good signature of soil, ripe tannins and fine length and grip on the finish. If this wine gains a bit more refinement from its addition of de-classified premier cru, this will be outstanding.”
 

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Louis Jadot Les Beaux Monts Vosne-Romanee Premier Cru 2010 750ML ($199.95) $179 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Stephen Tanzer 91-93 points “Good medium red. Sexy, slightly high-toned aromas of black raspberry liqueur, coffee, dark chocolate, licorice and minerals. Sweet, silky and densely packed, conveying a strong impression of saline concentration. Peppery acidity gives definition and punch to the middle palate. Finishes firmly tannic, savory and very long, with enticing lingering perfume.”

 

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Farmed since the 1800’s, what is now known as Spring Valley Ranch in the Walla Walla Valley was planted to grapevines in 1993. As you can expect with a producer in the beating heart of Washington Wine country their specialty is Cabernet Sauvignon and Red blends. With the 2016 vintage being one of the best regarded in recent memory, these are just starting to enter their drinking windows and are will be perfect come barbeque season! With the new French oak percentage clocking in at 40% these are built for the long haul for those with the space and patience to do so. 

Spring Valley Cabernet arriving Friday, March 18th 

Spring Valley Vineyard Frederick Red Walla Walla Valley 2016 750ML ($59.95) $36 special 
Case-6 Spring Valley Vineyard Frederick Red Walla Walla Valley 2016 750ML ($359.95) $199 special, (that’s only $33.16 per bottle) 
Jeb Dunnuck 95 points “A blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Syrah, and 2% Malbec aged 19 months in 40% new oak, the 2016 Frederick Red Wine is another classic, beautifully balanced, age-worthy wine from this estate that has lots of blackcurrant, leafy tobacco, and damp earth-like aromas and flavors. With a seamless, texture, it shows the style of the estate. It will benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for 20 years or more.”
Stephen Tanzer-Vinous 92+ points “Bright, dark red. Brooding, slightly medicinal scents of black cherry and menthol lifted by flowers. The densest and sweetest of these 2016s, but conveys a youthfully brooding quality to its flavors of red and black fruits, menthol and spices. Finishes classically dry, with substantial firm but ripe tannins and the density to support an extended life in bottle. (a different blend from normal, featuring an unusually high percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon, most of it from blocks planted in 2006, 2001 and 1999)”
 

There may be no more ambitious winemaker in the world than Markus Molitor. His determination and drive to make the best possible wines has made him a towering figure in the Mosel, with an impressive, modern winery and holdings in almost every important vineyard in the region. This drive also means there are a lot of different bottlings—Molitor believes that every single sub-parcel and selective pick should be vinified to its utmost potential.

Most winemakers would pick a vineyard once or twice and vinify the 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— Markus Molitor’s wines are some of the most celebrated in the world. We have a dazzling selection of Markus Molitor’s wines in stock, and are eager to share them with you. Whether white capsule (dry), green capsule (off-dry), or gold capsule (fruity to nobly sweet), you can’t really go wrong with any of the numerous bottlings. So pick your favorite style and discover for yourself why we insist on carrying so many of these brilliant wines!

Markus Molitor Graacher Domprobst Riesling Kabinett Trocken (White Capsule), Mosel 2018 750ML ($34.95) Was $26, Now $21.90, 19 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 90 points “The 2018 Riesling Graacher Domprobst Kabinett (White Capsule) is deep and flinty on the terroir-driven, dark and smoky nose. Full, round and juicy on the palate, this is a rich yet pure and slatey Domprobst with crunchy grip and fruity intensity. Tasted at the domain in September 2020.”
Decanter 90 points “South-southwest-facing steepness defines the Domprobst, as does some water-holding clay in the Devonian slate. An exquisitely aromatic nose combines ripe Amalfi lemon and Granny Smith with a floral notion of white summer blossom. The nose alone delivers refreshment. The palate bursts with the same fresh, pristine but notably ripe fruit. This is a mellow Kabinett with bright but tame acidity, not typical maybe, but nonetheless compelling. The finish is dry and beautifully stony.”
Mosel Fine Wines 90 points “The 2018er Graacher Domprobst Riesling Kabinett (White Capsule) offers a delicate nose of vineyard peach, tangerine, smoke, almond cream, and spices. The wine is nicely dynamic and fresh on the creamy and juicy palate and leaves a superbly light and elegant feel in the fully dry finish. 2022-2033”
 

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Markus Molitor Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spatlese Trocken (White Capsule), Mosel 2018 750ML ($37.95) Was $31.90, Now $28, 31 bottles in stock now
Decanter 94 points “Here, the first notion is not of fruit but of slate. That lovely, reduced, stony precision that could not hail from anywhere else in the world. Bit by bit apple starts shining through and takes over with bright, apple-scented, citrus-edged luminosity. This sits at a most lovely junction of ripeness where fully ripe fruit was captured at just the right moment, so it brings vivid but ripe freshness that strikes a natural, unforced beautiful balance. Texture, concentration and that tangy slateyness combine to make this irresistible. Long citrus finish.”
Stephen Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2018 Riesling Graacher Domprobst Spätlese (White Capsule) offers a concentrated, very intense and flinty bouquet. Crystalline and round on the palate, this is a full-bodied, dense and juicy, intense yet not really dry Spätlese with elegance and a nervy mineral acidity. Tasted at the domain in September 2020.”
 

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Markus Molitor Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spatlese Feinherb (Green Capsule), Mosel 2018 750ML ($44.95) Was $33, Now $29, 21 bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott-Jamessuckling 95 points “The stunning aromas of cassis, fresh garden herbs and Amalfi lemons make this a very expressive, mid-weight wine that’s barely off-dry and extremely food-friendly. Great interplay of tannins, minerals and live-wire acidity at the very long finish. Drink or hold.”
Stephen Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2018 Riesling Graacher Himmelreich Spätlese (Green Capsule) is crystalline on the coolish, pure and refreshing nose with its white fruit and crunchy slate aromas. Crystalline and piquant on the palate, this is an intense and round yet finessed and elegant Himmelreich with perfectly ripe and juicy fruit, delicate slate grip and tension on the finish. This is a classic with juicy-refined Riesling fruit. Bottled with AP number 13 19. Tasted at the domain in September 2020.” [AP number may vary from review]
David Schildknecht-Vinous 92 points “Golden Delicious apple mingles with lime and grapefruit on the nose, while on the polished, silken, buoyant palate, brightness of citrus takes the lead. Bruised apple skin and citrus peels serve for bittersweet counterpoint on an infectiously juicy, vibrant, stone-kissed finish.”
 

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Markus Molitor Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese *** Feinherb (Green Capsule), Mosel 2017 750ML ($119.95) Was $99, Now $89, 18 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 98 points “The 2017 Riesling Graacher Himmelreich Auslese *** (Green Capsule) is intensely yellow in color and, straight from the bottle, still has prominent smoky oak aromas but also highly intense yet refined fruit on the nose as it opens. This aromatic bouquet combines perfectly ripe and concentrated Riesling scents with the crunchy-coolish slate notes of the Himmelreich and, after a couple of days of aeration, adds concentrated lemon zest and pink grapefruit aromas. Rich and lush but highly elegant on the palate, this is a precise, finessed, nobly textured and juicy Himmelreich with very fine tannins and a long, complex and elegant finish. This is a nearly perfect, nearly dry Auslese, and the seamless texture makes this highly concentrated and refined Riesling flow down your throat without any effort. Give it air, give it time, give it years! This Auslese just flows. And one day, it will stay in your memories forever. Fabulous. Divine. Unforgettable. Tasted three times in April 2019.”
 

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Markus Molitor Kinheimer Hubertuslay Riesling Auslese *** (Gold Capsule), Mosel 2017 750ML ($179.95) Was $149, Now $119, 15 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 99 points “The 2017 Riesling Kinheimer Hubertuslay Auslese *** (Golden Capsule) is clear and concentrated, on the deep and complex nose with stewed peach aromas intertwined with spicy notes of a fleeting kiss of oak and nougat. It has a highly elegant, refined and salty-piquant palate with fine grip and mineral tension. This Hubertuslay is rich, lush and sweet, with remarkable concentration but also weightless finesse and a lean, salty-piquant finish that tickles the palate. Lemon chutney flavors intertwined with the crystalline salinity characterize the long finish of this beauty. Tasted at the domain in April 2019.”
 

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Markus Molitor Kinheimer Hubertuslay Riesling Beerenauslese, Mosel 2017 375ML ($99.95) Was $89, Now $79, 31 half-bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 99 points “The 2017 Riesling Kinheimer Hubertuslay Beerenauslese is very concentrated and fresh and needs time to open up and unfold its flavors. Salty-piquant and terribly fresh on the palate, this is another exciting discovery from the Hubertuslay, a former highly regarded cru that Molitor has brought back onto the track of the Mosel’s finest terroirs. His 2017 BA is, of course, sweet and concentrated but also stunningly precise and fresh, crystalline and salty and reveals great energy and finesse. It’s a gorgeous wine and almost too good to be true. Tasted at the domain in April 2019.”
Mosel Fine Wines 96+ points “The 2017er Kinheimer Hubertuslay Beerenauslese (Golden Capsule) offers a hugely complex and big nose of pear, grapefruit, orange blossom, candied pineapple and fine spices. The wine is beautifully playful and superbly precise on the palate, where gorgeous fruity and exotic flavors of pear, mango and apricot mingle with some almond paste and minerals. The finish is long, suave and above all very precise. Sweetness still dominates the after-taste. But give this beauty ideally more than a decade and it will prove utterly irresistible. 2032-2067.”
 

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Markus Molitor Kinheimer Rosenberg Riesling Auslese *** (Gold Capsule), Mosel 2017 750ML ($119.95) Was $99, Now $89, 17 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 98+ points “The 2017 Riesling Kinheimer Rosenberg Auslese *** (Golden Capsule) is super fine and delicate on the concentrated and peach-scented nose, which reveals an unexpected subtleness for this terroir that normally leans toward ruthless opulence. On the palate, this is a lush, highly refined and salty Auslese with amazing purity, piquancy, finesse and elegance. The acidity is pronounced but also delicate and gives this very fine Auslese piquancy and precision. Tasted at the domain two times in April 2019.”
 

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Markus Molitor Kinheimer Rosenberg Riesling Kabinett Feinherb (Green Capsule), Mosel 2018 750ML ($29.95) Was $24, Now $21.90, 28 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2018 Riesling Kinheimer Rosenberg Kabinett (Green Capsule) displays an intense yet pure and mineral bouquet with fully ripe Riesling and mirabelle aromas that intertwine with very fine slate aromas. Very fine and delicate on the palate, this is a lush yet crystalline, fresh and intense, persistently mineral and sustainable Rosenberg with a slightly sweet but elegant and structured finish. This Kabinett could be served as a Spätlese as well. 9.5% alcohol. Delicious and perfectly balanced. Tasted at the domain in September 2020.”
 

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Markus Molitor Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Auslese *** Trocken (White Capsule), Mosel 2017 750ML ($129.95) Was $119, Now $99 special, 10 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 98 points “The 2017 Riesling Ockfener Bockstein Auslese *** (White Capsule) is bright, deep and elegant on the nose, with perfectly ripe white-fleshed stone fruit and pineapple scents intertwined with very fine toast aromas. Concentrated, intense and juicy on the palate, with lots of flesh and the crystalline precision of broken slate, this is a generous but pure, close-meshed, highly elegant and finessed Auslese with pink grapefruit and raisin flavors on the persistently salty finish. This concentrated and densely textured Bockstein reveals great energy and finesse with filigreed mineral tension and lingering, mouthwatering salinity. The finish is intense and delicate at the same time. A fabulous, not really dry but dry-styled Riesling of great complexity. Tasted several times in March and April 2019.”
 

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Markus Molitor Saarburger Rausch Riesling Auslese ** (Gold Capsule), Mosel 2017 750ML ($89.95) Was $79, Now $69 special, 22 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.”

Markus Molitor Saarburger Rausch Riesling Auslese *** (Gold Capsule), Mosel 2017 750ML ($179.95) Was $149, Now $119 special, 18 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.”
 

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The ancestral home of Sangiovese, Chianti produces the widest array of styles in part due to stratified geological, topographical and administrative processes. As one of the first established wine regions in Italy after the country’s unification in the 30’s, Chianti is synonymous with Italy’s quality revolution in recent decades.

Felsina has been a major leader in this quality revolution, with their single vineyard Riservas being among the most collectible in the appellation, as well as age worthy. Their Riserva offering, called “Rancia” is sourced from a single vineyard formerly used to supply the Benedictine Monks with sacramental wine in the Middle Ages. Felsina rehabilitated the site and cloned the best vines throughout the vineyard, eventually spreading them throughout their other holdings. The dominant soil type of the vineyard is albarese, a type of limestone-infused sandstone that’s famous for the aromatic punch it contributes to the wine.    

Unlike the Rancia bottling, the Fontalloro is a blend between two sub regions just outside of the borders of Chianti Classico. Still entirely sourced from Sangiovese like her Riserva sister, the Fontalloro is meant to offer a snapshot of Tuscan Sangiovese as a whole.

Felsina Berardenga Chianti Classico DOCG Tuscany 2016 1.5L ($69.95) $59 special, 5 magnums in stock now
Wine Advocate 92+ points “This is an excellent vintage in Chianti Classico that shows especially well in the simple, more accessible wines such as this. The 2016 Chianti Classico Berardenga delivers the power and density of its territory. The southern side of the appellation often shows the richest expressions of Sangiovese. This wine opens to sweet aromas of dark fruit, cherry and plum. The wine shows a slightly savory side as well with spice and dried terracotta that recalls the gray gravel soils of the region. Bay leaf, cola and chopped mint appear as subtle background notes. Some 260,000 bottles were made.”
Wine & Spirits 92 points “The temperate 2016 growing season yielded a beautifully perfumed and posed Chianti Classico at Felsina. The aromas and flavors are pure Tuscany, with scents of lavender and dried thyme that lead into flavors of ripe black cherry and even savory tomato skin. Notes of pink peppercorns and leafy tobacco emerge with air, adding layers to the fleshy fruit.”
Antonio Galloni 91+ points “The 2016 Chianti Classico Berardenga is a stellar, joyous wine. Bold, powerful and ample, with a good deal of finesse for such a big wine, the 2016 shows why this is such a compelling vintage for Chianti Classico. Leather, game, smoke, tobacco and licorice infuse a wine that oozes Sangiovese character. The 2016 needs a few years in bottle to be at its best, but is already pretty alluring. Moreover, this is a fabulous expression of the estate. Don’t miss it.”
James Suckling 93 points “This is fragrant and floral with dark berries on the nose. Medium body, firm and silky tannins and a fresh, clean finish. A driven and linear Chianti Classico. The backbone of fresh acidity gives this focus. Drink now or hold.”
 

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Felsina Berardenga Chianti Classico DOCG Tuscany 2019 750ML ($31.95) $23.75 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
James Suckling 94 points “A beautiful, creamy red with cherry and chocolate character. Hints of dried earth. It’s medium-to full-bodied with creamy tannins and a long, flavorful finish. shows firmness and tension. Very drinkable now, but will improve beautifully with age. Drink or hold.”
Decanter 92 points “At the southeastern limit of Chianti Classico, Fèlsina’s expansive vineyards look towards Montalcino. The annata is assembled from various parcels rising from 320 to 420 metres on rocky calcareous soil with layers of sandstone. As usual, it is more earthy than fruity, bringing in evocative accents of violet, liquorice and pepper. The palate is superbly textured with fine, grainy tannins providing a sensuous grip. Dark fruited and tangy with admirable depth, it will drink well now and over the next decade. Finishes with a sprinkle of cinnamon. Drinking Window 2021 – 2031.”
Antonio Galloni 91 points “The 2019 Chianti Classico Berardenga is a classic wine for the year. Bright, perfumed and light on its feet, the 2019 Chianti Classico Berardenga is so wonderfully expressive. There is a feeling of vibrancy to the 2019 that is hugely appealing. A wine of energy more than power. Crushed red berry fruit, cinnamon linger in a gorgeous Chianti Classico that is more about transparency than power.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 91 points “One of the best vantage points for drinking Chianti Classico is at the entry level. A wine like the Fèlsina 2019 Chianti Classico Berardenga offers so much freshness and cheerful, easy-drinking appeal. It’s a terrific partner to pizza, pasta or basically anything on the trattoria menu tonight. This wine shows bright cherry flavors and redcurrant with pressed flowers and some tangy blood orange. It is steady and generous, with lots of bright primary intensity.”
 

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Felsina Berardenga Rancia Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2017 750ML ($59.95) $48 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
James Suckling 95 points “Plenty of fruit concentration with cherry and strawberry aromas and flavors. Full-bodied with chewy tannins and lots of concentration. Intense and rich. Give it a year or two to come together.”
Vinous 95 points “The 2017 Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia is incredibly polished and sophisticated. Silky tannins give the 2017 its racy, sleek personality. Over the last year, the 2017 has really settled into a gorgeous place. There is plenty of vintage 2017 intensity, but Rancia is distinctly medium in body and restrained. The wilder side of Sangiovese, one of the signatures of Rancia and Fèlsina more broadly, tastes a bit baked out. I can’t wait to see how the 2017 develops over the coming years and decades.”
Wine Advocate 94 points “Rancia is always one of my favorite wines from this storied appellation (and the Castelnuovo Berardenga subzone). This vintage threw quite a few challenges at the winemaking team, but the Fèlsina 2017 Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia emerges intact, intense and beautiful. It is virtually unscathed by the heat and drought that marked this growing season. In fact, that brilliant radiance, linearity and energy of the Sangiovese grape comes through loud and clear. The bouquet is redolent of red fruit, wild berry, toasted almond, violet and potting soil. My score is a little lower (compared to past vintages) in terms of mouthfeel because I found this edition to be a bit shorter and less impactful on the finish, but not by much. It ages in barrique for up to 20 months.”
Decanter 93 points “In 2017, Giovanni Poggiali describes the work in the vineyard as focused on the vines’ root system to reduce water stress. Harvest started 15 days earlier than average and at the beginning of September he did a qualitative thinning to get rid of any shrivelled bunches or those showing problems with ripening. Fèlsina’s flagship wine, Rancia is still brooding. Plum and tar show up on a backdrop of vanilla and exotic spice. Though fruit is supple, layers of assertive tannins need time to loosen their grip. Appetizingly savoury, this finishes with an intense, irony character.”
 

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Felsina Berardenga Rancia Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2018 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Felsina Berardenga Rancia Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG2018 750ML ($359.95) $285 special, (That’s $47.50 per bottle)
Case-12 Felsina Berardenga Rancia Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG2018 750ML ($719.95) $549 special, (That’s $45.75 per bottle!) 
Antonio Galloni 97 points “The 2018 Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia is an absolutely stunning wine. The archetype of Rancia in the past has been of a big, potent Chianti Classico but in 2018, Rancia is a wine of mind-blowing elegance and finesse. Silky, perfumed and indescribably finessed, the 2018 dazzles from start to finish. It’s a magical wine in every way.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2018 is an unusual vintage that shows an especially austere character. Off the bat, it must be said that the Fèlsina 2018 Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia would certainly benefit from more cellar time and a long drinking window. The Rancia is elegant and streamlined with a medium-bodied style that breaks from some of the more concentrated vintages we’ve seen in the past. The bouquet reveals a lot of dark or black character with blackcurrant, tar, resin, iron ore and a dusty hint of dry graham cracker (which reminds us of the vintage heat). Structurally, the wine offers a solid and firm footing, but it would benefit from further evolution.”
 

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Felsina Berardenga Fontalloro Toscana IGT Tuscany 2017 750ML ($69.95) $54.50 special, 23 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 95 points “$70. Fontalloro is exquisite in 2017. It is also such a contrast to the Rancia, as the two wines could not possibly be more different. Fontalloro is bright and vibrant, with more sweet red Sangiovese character than the darker Rancia. It is also incredibly delicious now, even though it clearly has the energy to age for many years. The 2017 is one of the finest Fontalloros I can remember tasting.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95 points “The Fèlsina 2017 Fontalloro pours out of the bottle with a bang. This pure expression of Sangiovese is luscious and dark with thick layers of dark fruit, plum, cherry, leather and tilled earth. This hot-vintage edition shows good depth and intensity with lots of that black-fruit energy and extra concentration that is typical of this growing season. However, you can always count on Fontalloro to show balance, and that’s exactly what you get here despite the adversity of the scorching summer season. That Sangiovese acidity remains intact and crisp. Production is 30,000 bottles.”
James Suckling 94 points “I like the clarity and linear quality to this with ripe-cherry and bark flavors. It’s full-bodied, though not heavy and ponderous. Racy and bright at the end. Drink or hold.”
Decanter 93 points “In the commune of Castelnuovo Berardenga, the Fèlsina property spills over the Chianti Classico border into Chianti Colli Senesi. Fontalloro is a blend of vineyards from both sides. Artfully tousled, it captures Sangiovese’s untamed side. Sunbaked herbs and irony earth permeate exuberant wild berries. There is plenty to chew on without being heavy and while tannins are a bit gritty, this has a ton of personality.”
Wine Spectator 93 points “The flavors of cherry, strawberry and rose are pure, with a backbone of acidity and dense tannins for support. Iron and wild herb accents add depth as this red lingers, showing smoke and spice notes. Features a sense of urgency, driven by vivid acidity. The finish evokes energy. Best from 2022 through 2038.”
 

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Felsina Berardenga Fontalloro Toscana IGT Tuscany 2018 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Felsina Berardenga Fontalloro Toscana IGT Tuscany 2018 750ML ($419.95) $343 special, (That’s $57.16 per bottle!) 
Case-12 Felsina Berardenga Fontalloro Toscana IGT Tuscany 2018 750ML ($839.95) $663 special, ($That’s $55.25 per bottle!)     
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2018 Fontalloro is bright, floral and full of energy. In most vintages, Fontalloro is quite open, but the 2018 is especially nervy and taut. That won’t be an issue in time, of course, but readers should plan on being patient. Sangiovese is so expressive here. A whole range of floral and savory accents lingers on the close.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95 points “To my palate, the 2018 vintage sometimes feels a little too ripe or baked. I was reminded of those characteristics when tasting the Fèlsina 2018 Fontalloro. There is plenty of dark fruit at its core, but this wine also reveals dry tones of jarred oregano, grilled Mediterranean herb, crushed aspirin and graham cracker. The mouthfeel is pleasantly lean and silky, and perhaps the wine delivers more in terms of length than it does weight or texture. A little more bottle age should help flesh out and soften these results.”

 

Bucklin’s wines come from the historic vineyard Old Hill Ranch , originally planted in 1851. This is a field blend that is a snapshot of American wine history. Coming right after the Gold Rush and the beginning of the phylloxera blight this is a field blend selected for resilience above all else. Primarily made from Zinfandel with a smattering of Grenache, Alicante Bouchet, Petite Sirah, Carignan and Mourvèdre this is only a fraction of the 30 varietals planted at the time. Farmed organically since the inception of the farm and dry farmed. 

Their Ancient is gorgeously saturated in color and leaves a spectrum of purple and red in the Marangoni flow, throwing out aromas of lavender, 5 spice, dried cherries and terra cotta in a multilayered spectacle. On the palate the old vine influence is evident, with a full body serving spiced marionberries, Italian plum, and blueberry compote by the bucketful interspersed with juniper berries, bay leaf, and sage.

There’s a beautiful minerality that is reminiscent of hot sandy loam and granite. The acid and tannins are stratospheric on this wine, which speaks to a long life in the bottle but also temper the alcohol level to the point you’d expect it to be 13-14% ABV.  Get one if you can resist opening it, and a few if you can’t.

Also offered by Bucklin, the stewards of Old Hill Ranch for over 3 generations are wines made from their “younger” parcels of vines. Otto’s Grenache is composed of a hillside planting done in 2010 over decomposed volcanic tuff and basalt. Incredibly structured and burly on first pour, Otto throws out strawberry jam, kirsch cherry and fresh raspberry, but with a subtle note of dried hibiscus, daffodil and honeysuckle. There’s a tremendous minerality throughout the wine, exhibited by hot pumice in the aromas and a savory basaltic note on the finish. Otto’s Grenache is something to cellar for at least 5 years after the vintage, or to be had by the glass over the course of a week.

The Bambino was planted in 1998 and is generally around 75% Zinfandel co-fermented with Alicante Bouchet and Petite Sirah. The exact blend is vintage dependent as a result of Bucklin’s commitment to entirely estate grown fruit. Bambino exhibits an old world character that would have me thinking this was imported from Puglia. There’s a fruit character that sets it aside from its centarian counterparts on the ranch, but sharing in the layers of purity, spice, minerality and old world rusticity.

Bucklin wines in stock now: 

Bucklin Old Hill Ranch Ancient Field Blend Sonoma Valley 2019 ($49.95) $37.70 special, 6 bottles in stock now
 

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Bucklin Anne’s Upper 5th Vineyard Ancient Field Blend Sonoma Valley 2018 750ML ($39.95) $30.90 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Winery note “Our Mom, Anne Teller has been farming commercially in Sonoma Valley since the late 1970’s. Her 50-acre farm includes the Upper 5th Vineyard, a century old, one-acre vineyard that is promiscuously interplanted with nut and fruit trees. Managed with Anne’s conscientious and benevolent farming practices, including no-till dry farming. The Upper 5th is a field blend of five grape varieties: 67% Zinfandel, 19% Peloursin, 8% Petite Sirah.”

Bucklin Old Hill Ranch Bambino Zinfandel Sonoma Valley 2019 750ML ($29.95) $26 special, 11 bottles in stock now
 

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Bucklin Old Hill Ranch Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County 2018 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 10 bottles in stock now
VinpolNote: Old Hill Ranch planted a block of Cabernet in 1983 on a rootstock known as “AXR”. Fast forward 20 years and the block was infected by phylloxera due to an undiagnosed susceptibility in AXR. This means that the block is in the process of dying, with the resulting wine being every bit of a “Swan song” you’d expect.
 

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Bucklin Old Hill Ranch Otto’s Grenache Sonoma Valley 2019 750ML ($49.95) $36 special, 16 bottles in stock now
Winery note “Otto’s Grenache was planted to honor our Step Father Otto Teller.  Opinionated and cantankerous, Otto believed grapevines were too coddled and needed great stress to produce the best wines.  This field blend was planted in 2010 on a modestly steep hillside that faces the hot setting sun. The soils are shallow, between two to three feet deep, and they are underlain with a thick impermeable volcanic tuff made from ejected rock and ash that is compacted and cemented into rock.  If these growing conditions aren’t challenging enough, the vines are also dry farmed.  Average yields are low primarily because the berries are so small and these grapes produce very intense and colorful wine.”
Dry farmed.
 

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De Venoge is an old-school Champagne house that’s relatively unknown in the United States, a fact that means even their finest and rarest wines continue to be undervalued relative to their peers. This is no better exemplified than their prestige cuvee, the LXV bottling. Named after Louis the 14th (The Sun King) it sees extensive aging on it’s lees and are true monuments of vintage champagne. 
De Venoge has a strong following in Europe for good reason—they source from some of the best vineyards in Champagne and produce prestige cuvées of immense quality, built on long lees aging. They source Pinot Noir from Grand Cru villages like Verzenay, Ambonnay and Bouzy and pair it with a murderer’s row of Chardonnay sources, including Avize, Mesnil, and Cramant. The resulting wines capture the essence of classical Champagne and are in high demand in Europe’s top restaurants. 
De Venoge prestige cuvées are outstanding wines for lovers of truly mature Champagne in all its glory, rich, creamy textures from extended lees aging married to surprisingly fresh, mineral personalities. There’s a reason this house has such a following overseas, they produce stunning wines and then age them until they’re ready to go, so consumers don’t need to leave them in the cellar for decades. Now’s your chance to try them for yourself! These are perfect “occasion” wines that make for fantastic birth year or anniversary gifts.  

In Stock Now:

De Venoge Louis XV de Venoge Brut Millésime, Champagne 2006 750ML ($219.95) $189 special, 21 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 96 points “The assemblage of the 2006 Louis XV Brut Millésimé is about the same as the 1995 and 1996—composed of 50/50 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, all from grand cru villages. The only difference is that the Chardonnay from Le Mesnil-sur-Oger (10% of the assemblage) spent 12 months in oak barrels. Disgorged in January 2017 (dosage: six grams per liter), the 2006 has a golden color and opens with a deep, ripe, elegant and vinous bouquet with toasty and chalky lemon and fresh white fruit flavors. On the palate, this is an intense, round, fresh and complex Louis XV with great purity and finesse. The wine opens on the palate like a soufflé, coating the whole palate without any pressure or weight—gorgeous! This is a delicate and fresh yet well-structured and persistent Louis XV whose intense and long but weightless finish reveals lovely, almost juicy fruit concentration with perfectly integrated freshness and lasting minerality that seems to give additional structure. The 2006 shows a lot of Chardonnay features right now and drinks perfectly today; however, it can be kept under perfect conditions for decades. Just keep it in the box, because the bottle is white and nothing makes a Champagne age faster than exposure to daylight. (Tasted in November 2017 from Lot LL15067017BT.)-SR”
 

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De Venoge Louis XV de Venoge Brut Millésime, Champagne 2008 750ML ($299.95) $249 special, 16 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 95 points “This is really punchy and broad-shouldered with muscular structure and citrusy undertones. Full body. Lightly tannic and a fresh and vivid finish. This is the first vintage without malolactic fermentation ever. One for the cellar. Better in 2022.”
Wine Advocate 93+ points “The straw-yellow/white-golden colored 2008 Louis XV Brut Millésimé blends 50% Chardonnay (20 % from Avize, 15% from Oger and 15% from Mesnil) with 50% Pinot Noir (41.5% from Verzenay and 8.5% from Bouzy). Disgorged in January 2018 with a dosage of six grams per liter, the 2008 displays a clear, pure, fresh, chalky-tinged and vinous nose with lemon, white fruits, brioche, hazelnuts, white blossoms and some caramel notes. Pure, lean, fresh and elegant on the palate, with a lingering hazelnut flavor, this is a straight yet complex cuvée with grip and a long, well-structured and textured finish. This 2008 is still terribly fresh and should benefit from further bottle aging. For the moment, I am missing the mouth-filling generosity of the 2006 and 1995. Mind that this is the first vintage of de Venoge’s prestigious Louis XV where the base wines didn’t undergo malolactic fermentation! Total production: 10,326 bottles. Tasted October 2018.”
 

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De Venoge Louis XV de Venoge Extra Brut Rosé Millésime, Champagne 2002 750ML ($219.95) $189 special, 25 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 93 points “Harmonious, with fine intensity, offering rich notes of spice cake, toasted almond, dried cherry, grilled plum and smoky mineral. Almost velvety in texture, with juicy acidity that brings you back for another sip. Delicious. Drink now through 2022. 54 cases made.”
 

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De Venoge ‘Princes’ Tour Eiffel 130 Anniversary Edition Champagne  NV 750ML ($99.95) $79 special, 22 bottles in stock now
Envie de Champagne “The Maison De Venoge was founded in 1837 by Henri-Marc De Venoge. Innovation in the production and marketing of champagnes were the founding values of this of champagne house, which won the Excellence Price in Philadelphia in 1876. A few years later, in 1889, during the World Fair in Paris, the house became the partner of the event. This exhibition celebrated the centenary of the French Revolution and it is on this occasion that the Tower designed by Gustave Eiffel has been inaugurated. This monument, with a height of 312 meters during its construction can now 337 meters in 2019 following the installation of antennas. In addition to its cultural and tourist use, the Eiffel Tower is used as a transmitter for TV and radio programs. The Eiffel Tower, object of discord at the time of its creation has become today the most visited paying monument of France. It has about 7 million visitors a year. It is also inseparable from the history of the French capital. For the 130 years of this first collaboration, De Venoge signs a beautiful partnership with the company in charge of the exploitation of the iron lady (surname of the Eiffel Tower). This collaboration is obvious because of  the common history of both parties but also because of the characteristic shape of the bottles of the Princes cuvée. This limited edition vintage is named “Cuvée Princes Tour Eiffel”. Only 10,000 bottles have been marketed for this partnership.”
 

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In the newest episode of the shops closeout series, we’ve put a number of exceptional Spanish wines on sale. Representing some of the most in-demand regions and styles this is your opportunity to find a new favorite amongst our holdings 

Spanish Wines on sale now:  

Familia Nin-Ortiz ‘Planetes de Nin’ Blanc, Priorat DOCa 2018 750ML ($99.95) Was $75, Now $69, 13 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 94 points “Cariñena Blanca has finally been added to the registry of varieties in Spain, which means it should soon be allowed by the Priorat appellation, so they could start putting it on the labels of the 2018 Planetes de Nin Carinyena Blanca. This fermented and matured in used 300-liter oak barrels for seven months. It’s 13% alcohol and has a pH of 3.2 with 6.5 grams of acidity (tartaric); they struggled to get the minimum 13% alcohol required by the appellation, as the year was very cold and they lost a lot of grapes waiting for the alcohol level. It’s a year with lots of freshness, and the wine, which feels really young and undeveloped, needs some time in the glass to open up. This is an exceptional year that is going to develop slowly in bottle. The palate is vibrant, focused and dry, with citrus freshness and a mineral finish. 1,948 bottles were filled in April 2018.”
 

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Raul Perez La Vizcaina ‘Las Gundinas’ Lomas de Valtuille, Bierzo 2016 750ML ($39.95) Was $30.90, Now $28, 9 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2016 La Vizcaína Las Gundiñas comes from a plot with deeper soils, and the wine feels quite immediate and fruit driven. There is a bitter touch in the palate. I’ve seen some ups and downs with this wine, and Raúl Pérez confirmed that the wines are variable, but they tend to deliver in the medium term. It’s not particularly complex, but it drinks well. 4,500 bottles produced.”
 

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The next best price is $38.99

Raul Perez Ultreia de Paluezas, Bierzo 2016 750ML ($79.95) Was $66, Now $54.50, 21 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 96 points “One of the few vineyards in Bierzo where the soils have a significant content of limestone is San Juan de Paluezas, in a different valley looking into Las Médulas goldmines. They produce three barrels of the 2016 Ultreia de Paluezas from this vineyard. This year it had a shorter élevage, only around 12 months, as they saw it was ready and was racked out of the wood. Limestone soils always deliver dry, chalk-like tannins and a special tastiness that often translates in an almost salty feeling. It has more bones than flesh; it’s austere and should develop slowly in bottle. In fact, they are now releasing the 2015, as they feel it benefits from some more time in bottle. I like the austerity here. 850 bottles produced from a small plot with very low yields.”
 

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Familia Nin-Ortiz ‘Planetes de Nin’ Garnatxes en Amfora, Priorat DOCa 2016 750ML ($44.95) Was $33, Now $29, 11 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2016 Planetes de Nin Garnatxes en Amfora was produced with biodynamically farmed Garnacha that fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in 700- and 1,000-liter terracotta amphorae for seven months. They do two versions, one with a little SO2 and the other without, and the difference is minimal. At first one was more closed, but when it opened up, they were very similar and showed some herbal and raspberry leaf aromas intermixed with wild berries and notions of earth, aromatic and balanced. It has fine tannins and a velvety texture. 7,395 bottles were filled in April 2017.”
 

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Pago Casa Gran Malvasia, Valencia 2019 750ML ($19.95) Was $14.40, Now $11.90, 7 bottles in stock now
 

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Compania de Vinos Telmo Rodriguez ‘Molino Real’ Mountain Wine (Dry), Malaga 2015 750ML ($21.95) Was $18, Now $16, 17 bottles in stock now
De Maison note “Molino Real’s dry wine is surprising and original, marked by the aromatic intensity of the muscat grape and an incredible mouthfeel, showing complexity and great balance between freshness and ripeness. Málaga is traditionally known for its sweet wines, but dry wines are also produced in the area under the Sierras de Málaga DO. Mountain Blanco is made from 100% moscatel de alejandría sourced from three steep sites grown in polyculture on slate slopes from 500m to 1000m elevation. It is a dry, refreshing table wine with remarkable minerality and ability to develop in bottle; in fact, it needs extensive bottle age before it is released. Grüner veltliner comparisons come to mind, with a similarly rich, yet acid-driven mouthfeel and a white flower, orange zest and white pepper flavor profile. Vintage – 2015 was a warm, early vintage in Málaga that produced incredible wines with great complexity and potential to develop in bottle. Harvest started on the 12th of August and concluded on September 27. Considered by locals to be one of the great vintages in recent memory.” 
 

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Ameztoi Primus Txakoli di Getaria Hondarribi Zuri, Getariako Txakolina 2019 750ML ($29.95) Was $24, Now $21.90, 22 bottles in stock now
Winery note “[Edited for clarity] A white wine from the Hondarrabi Zuri grape. Naturally lightly sparkling. Pale with a touch of green, its bright tone has fine and elegant bubbles. Has a delicate and sophisticated fragrance, reminiscent of green apples and grapes, with a minty note. Opens dry, and is harmonious in the mouth. It has a broad and aromatic finish, which is cheerful because of its bubbles.”
Note on the 2018 vintage by Luis Gutierrez (provided for reference) “The white 2018 Primus is 100% Hondarribi Zuri and was selected with the idea of aging potential. It has 11% alcohol and seven grams of acidity balanced by three grams of sugar, which resulted from fermenting the must in stainless steel at low temperature and keeping the wine with the lees at zero degrees to preserve the dissolved gas. This has a more traditional style with quite a lot of gas, closer to the light, sharp and citrus style, finishing dry with notable tart acidity.”
 

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Atance Bobal, Valencia 2019 750ML ($17.95) Was $14, Now $11.90, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Atance Bobal, Valencia 2019 750ML ($199.95) Was $149, Now $128 (that’s only $/bottle!)
Importer note “Organic viticulture and hand picked grapes from bush vines in Requena, specifically the Casa Segura estate vineyards with well drained, sandy soils.”
 

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $15

Granja Nuestra Senora de Remelluri ‘Remelluri’ Gran Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2012 750ML ($99.95) Was $89, Now $79, 12 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 96 points “The DNA of Remelluri is here. Wild mountain herb character, structured and firm, these tannins are succulent and deeply expressive. Powerful and assertive red plums, wild cherries and roasting herbs with the oak sitting well. Power and balance. Try from 2021.”
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 94+ points “A blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha and Graciano, the 2012 Granja Remelluri Gran Reserva represents what they are aiming for with this wine, a classical expression of the place, the quintessence of the vineyards. The select their oldest vineyards and age the wine for a long time, coming back to those early years of a modern Rioja that has now turned into a classic. It has some dusty tannins, with good grip and length. It was bottled in 24,238 bottles after an élevage of 26 months. It has been in bottle since May 2015.”

Alvaro Palacios ‘Les Terrasses’ Velles Vinyes, Priorat DOCa 2017 750ML ($44.95) Was $36, Now $33, 10 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 93 points “I’ve always had a special interest in this Garnacha and Cariñena blend from Álvaro Palacios, and the current vintage is now the 2017 Les Terrasses Velles Vinyes. It’s produced with grapes from 80 different vineyards in eight villages and therefore is a regional wine. 2017 was a warm and ripe year that produced powerful wines. This 2017 is 55% Garnacha with 44% Cariñena and a 1% pinch of white grapes that fermented in concrete and oak vats with indigenous yeasts and matured in barrique and oak vat for 11 months. This is the earthiest of the bottlings, and it has some rustic touches from the Cariñena, which gives it its personality. 2017 was their earliest harvest ever (the first time they ever started harvesting in August!). They used a little more new oak, yet the wine is not oaky or excessively ripe. There is no room for sweetness here, and the wine is clean, reflecting very healthy grapes and very elegant tannins, quite transparent, not dry, but rather juicy. Great Terrasses, a triumph over the conditions of the vintage. 126,000 bottles produced.”
 

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The average price is $45

Galia Villages, Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y Leon 2015 750ML ($49.95) Was $45, Now $39, 30 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 95 points “The regular Galia has been renamed and is now the 2015 Villages since there are two more reds in the portfolio this year. It’s a blend of grapes from different soils in all the villages they work (Piquera de San Esteban, Fuentelcesped, Hontangas, Cuevas de Provanco and Trigueros del Valle), trying to represent the Duero Valley as a whole. It has an intoxicating, perfumed and really attractive nose full of flowers, wild herbs and spices. The palate is medium-bodied and has the elegance and poise the nose was pointing out, with ultra refined tannins, great balance and freshness. It has to be one of the most elegant wines produced from the Ribera del Duero zone, and it doesn’t show any of the heat from the warm and dry 2015 vintage. They included the white grapes from their vineyards in Piquera, Fuentelcesped and Trigueros, so the estimated breakdown of the blend is 88% Tempranillo, 10% Garnacha and 2% Albillo—and 100% produced in their own, brand new winery. All this must have contributed to a more relaxed wine, with perfectly integrated oak and a sense of harmony and elegance despite the 15% alcohol and relatively high pH (3.8). It fermented with indigenous yeasts, with some full clusters and aged in oak barrels and vats of different sizes for some 20 months. 14,559 bottles and 196 magnums were filled in June 2017. I was really blown away by this.”
 

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Daniel Gomez Jimenez-Landi ‘Cantos del Diablo’, Mentrida 2016 750ML ($119.95) Was $95, Now $85, 3 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 95+ points “The 2016 Cantos del Diablo, single vineyard from the village of Real de San Vicente, the one plot that is bottled separately from within the Méntrida zone of Gredos, had notes of pomegranate, blood orange and wild cherries, showing elements of ripeness and restraint. It’s much more mineral, with a chalky sensation on the nose and palate. In fact, it started with a reductive personality, so decanting in advance might not be a bad idea. This cool year is quite pale and sharp, at times closer to a white than a red that is wild in nature and has a sharp palate. This is going to be phenomenal in four or five years. 1,737 bottles and 50 magnums were filled in March 2018.”
 

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Daniel Gomez Jimenez-Landi ‘Cantos del Diablo’, Mentrida 2017 750ML ($119.95) Was $99, Now $79, 11 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 94+ points “The single-vineyard 2017 Cantos del Diablo was produced with the grapes from 0.35 hectares in the village of El Real de San Vicente (Toledo), the highest vineyard in the Méntrida appellation. It’s a north-facing plot at 900 meters in altitude that was planted some 70 years ago on sandy granite soils rich in silt and is worked biodynamically. The grapes, with all the stems, fermented with indigenous yeasts in oak vats, and the wine matured in a 1,200-liter oak foudre for 12 months. This was one of the few villages from Gredos that escaped the hail and frost, and it was a dry year, so harvesting was early (10 to 15 days earlier compared with a “normal” vintage!). It’s aromatic and floral but has the austerity of the wines from El Real de San Vicente as well as a texture like liquid chalk and very fine, powdery tannins. It’s clean and ripe without excess, with a nice combination of fruit and minerality, really balanced, with intensity and finesse. Excellent 2017! 1,362 bottles were filled in March 2019.”
 

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The average price is $101

Daniel Gomez Jimenez Landi ‘Las Iruelas’ El Tiemblo, Castilla y Leon 2016 750ML ($119.95) Was $99, Now $89, 1 bottle in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 97 points “As a result of a soil study, the 2016 Las Iruelas comes only from the higher altitude part of the vineyard, a stonier and convex part that deliver more subtle wines with positive intensity, subtleness and detail. It felt a little shy and reticent, with finesse, tons of white pepper, wildflowers, herbs and berries with a depth and clout, which I had not seen in previous years. This can feel a little tight, even reductive at first and decanting it in advance can be a good idea. This character tells me that this wine might behave brilliantly in the bottle and have a long and positive evolution. 2,821 bottles and 50 magnums were filled in February 2018.”
 

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Daniel Gomez Jimenez Landi ‘El Reventon’, Cebreros 2017 750ML ($134.95) Was $119, Now $99, 4 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 94+ points “El Reventón in the village of Cebreros (Ávila) is really two plots just a few meters apart, but with different exposition, altitude and soils that make up one hectare of vines. Given the differences and the fact that part of the vineyard has basically no soil and the mother rock on the surface, they have been studying these soils and making further selections to decide which plants go into the wine. In 2016, they experimented with two different bottlings. But the 2017 El Reventón is a single cuvée of the grapes from both plots, as they had hail and used all the grapes that could be saved. The vinification follows the same modus operandi as with the rest of the wines—manual selection of every bunch, discarding all the single grapes that are not perfect, then fermentation with the stems and a long maceration in oak vats, of course with indigenous yeasts. The élevage was in used oak barrels and lasted for a year. The wine has good ripeness, more power than wines like Las Iruelas and more fruit and a rounder palate, but it’s a more delicate vintage than other years, more fragile because of hail. It developed a high-pitched note of curry with time in the glass, a recurring note in this wine. Only 775 bottles were filled in March 2019.”
 

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The average price is $125

Javi Revert ‘Sensal’, Valencia 2017 750ML ($39.95) Was $33, Now $29, 2 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez – Wine Advocate 91 points “The red 2017 Sensal is a blend of Garnacha Tintorera and 30% Monastrell, with each variety from one vineyard, but in the future, it will contain Monastrell from one more vineyard and Garnacha that was planted in a new plot. The name is provided by the Garnacha Tintorera plot, a vineyard planted in 1965 on limestone soils. The two varieties fermented separately with some full clusters, then the wines were blended and matured in used French oak barrels for ten months. It feels quite ripe and a bit heady, and it’s powerful, concentrated and juicy, with notes of black olive and black berries. It’s rounder and gentler than the 2016, but it’s a powerful and rustic red, thinking that it has a majority of Garnacha Tintorera. 1,800 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2018.”
 

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Bernabeleva Arroyo del Tortolas, Madrid 2017 750ML ($44.95) Was $34.50, Now $29,26 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 93+ points “The pale and aromatic 2017 Arroyo del Tórtolas has a herbal twist perhaps because of the hurried ripening of the grapes in a very warm year. At the same time, it has contained alcohol, and with the benefit of one extra year in bottle, the nose is fully open, expressive and approachable. It is medium-bodied and fresh, with fine tannins, and is lighter than the 2018 but beautiful to drink now. Delicious. 2,500 bottles produced. It was bottled in March 2019.”
 

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Goyo Garcia Viadero Vinas de Anguix – Fincas Vinas de Arcilla, Ribera del Duero 2014 750ML ($79.95) Was $66, Now $56, 5 bottles in stock now
John Gilman 93+ points “The 2014 Finca Vinas de Arcilla from Goyo Garcia is a tad riper than his other two single vineyard wines in 2014, coming in at an even fourteen percent, but offering the same classic balance and sense of classical restraint that defines all of Senor Garcia’s wines. The bouquet wafts from the glass in more black fruity blend of cassis, black cherries, cigar smoke, lovely soil tones (there is more clay here than in el Peruco or Valdeolmos), chocolate and vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, ripe and beautifully balanced, with a rock solid core, still very good acidity, ripe, well-integrated tannins and a very long, still fairly primary finish. There is terrific backend energy here, but the wine is properly structured and will need some cellaring before it is ready for primetime drinking. 2025-2065.”
 

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“When one considers the winemaking effort that goes into producing these cuvées of Vérité, from Bordelais Pierre Seillan, the fastidious attention to detail and the use of only the crème de la crème of fruit from some of the finest vineyards in the Jackson family empire, the results are not that surprising. …. All of these wines, basically, are aged in 100% new French oak, given 3-4 day cold pre-fermentation, cold macerations, treated like spoiled children during élevage, and bottled with no fining or filtration.…These are legendary wines of great extract, richness and potential of longevity and complexity. No compromises are made and the credit goes certainly to the Jackson family for supporting the efforts of winemaker Pierre Seillan.
“Jess Jackson has clearly positioned Verite as one of the two or three flagship wines in his impressive empire. These cuvees represent California versions of Bordeaux appellations, with the Merlot-dominated La Muse very Pomerol-like, the Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated La Joie a hypothetical California version of a Medoc, and the St.-Emilion look-alike, the Merlot and Cabernet Franc blend, Le Desir. These wines are fashioned from the finest Sonoma vineyard sites owned by Jackson, and are meant for long-term aging.” – Robert Parker

Vérité is one of the toughest wineries for us to source.  Between the insanely high scores every vintage, the tiny supply and the winery trying to police the re-selling of their bottles, it’s always an adventure to acquire their wines.

Vérité Arriving Friday March 11th: 

Verite La Muse Sonoma County 2018 750ML ($499.95) $419 pre-arrival special, only 6 bottles arriving 
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate 100 points “A blend of 90% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 4% Malbec, the 2018 La Muse was matured 16 months in 100% new French oak barrels. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the nose delivers a powerful perfume of cherry pie, blackberry preserves and baked plums, followed by suggestions of red roses, cast-iron pan, underbrush and unsmoked cigars, plus wafts of licorice and oolong tea. Medium to full-bodied, the black fruit and exotic spice layers flow so gracefully over the palate, textured by plush tannins and lifted with seamless freshness, finishing epically long and achingly fragrant. The intensity and complexity of aromas and flavors—all waltzing in captivating harmony—cannot fail to make your head spin in the best possible way. Electrifying!”
Jeb Dunnuck 99 points “Checking in as 90% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Malbec that was raised in new French oak, the 2018 La Muse reveals a dense purple hue to go with plenty of black cherry and currant fruits as well as cedar pencil, graphite, dark chocolate, and smoked tobacco. Ripe, full-bodied, and brilliantly balanced on the palate, with both elegance and incredible opulence, it’s a hypothetical mix of Châteaux Canon and Lafite. This masterpiece of a Merlot can be drunk any time over the coming 20-30 years. Give bottles an hour in a decanter if drinking any time soon.”
Decanter 98 points “Such a pretty nose, floral, redolent also of autumn fruits and damsons, which over time in the glass releases the more oak driven mocha notes. The palate is compact, dense, the tannins are remarkably silky despite the youthfulness, the fruit is intensely ripe but not sweet. The overall impression is one of a circular wine, plush, hedonistic in the making, the flavours still in motion, becoming darker as they progress through the palate. There’s a freshness, a ‘tingle’ almost to the acidity mirroring the earlier picking regime, the efforts taken in the vineyard and at harvest to capture the essential freshness of Sonoma. The wine ends on black liquorice and coffee and the finish is seemingly endless – cut short only by the next wine. It’s a baby for sure. Drinking Window 2025 – 2050.”

Other Allocated Napa Arriving Friday: 

Anakota Helena Montana Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Knights Valley 2017 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate 96 points “Fruit for this was harvested on September 8th, and the wine was bottled six months ago. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Montana Vineyard gives up exuberant notions of warm blueberries, crème de cassis, lilacs and chocolate box with hints of fertile loam, licorice and menthol. Medium-bodied, elegant, very fresh and juicy, the palate has beautifully ripe, fine-grained tannins supporting the generous fruit, finishing long and perfumed. 1,200 cases produced.”
 

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!

Anakota Wines Helena Dakota Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Knights Valley 2017 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special, only 6 bottles arriving 
 

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!

 

 

Patz & Hall is one of the classic names in Somoma County for a reason, known for delivering site-specific examples of their Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. We’ve got absurdly good pricing on their bottlings—the lowest in the country by a wide margin, both of which are perfect for drinking today.

Patz and Hall wines on sale now: 

Patz & Hall Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay Carneros  2015 750ML was $39, now $35 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Decanter 93 points “Restraint in the use of oak paid off here. Distant smoke mingles with sea air on the nose. It’s on the palate that the ripeness and richness of the wine becomes apparent – there is bundled force and warmth at the centre of this, radiating outward with finessed power. A big but elegant wine. Drinking Window 2020 – 2030.”
Wine Enthusaist 92 points “Rich in green apple and fig, this wine offers medium-bodied weight and breadth and grainy acidity. From the famous site planted to densely concentrated berries, it’s fleshy and textured, with plenty of complexity from spice and oak. -Virginie Boone”
 

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Patz & Hall Chenoweth Ranch Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2013 750ML was $49, now $39 special, 30 bottles in stock now
Case-6 Patz & Hall Chenoweth Ranch Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2013 750ML was $269, now $219 special, that’s $36.50 per bottle!) 
Wine Enthusiast 94 points “This lush, voluptuous and tenderly textured wine is still grippy in its youth. Dark cherry, cranberry and pomegranate round out the layers of juicy fruit, buoyed by rocky minerality, measured oak and firm tannins. Medium bodied, it can be enjoyed with or without a meal. -Virginie Boone”
Antonio Galloni 92 points “(15% alcohol, but this was the first of these vineyards to be picked in 2013): Pure aromas of cherry, dark berries, mulled spices and rooty underbrush. Fat, thick and sweet but suave, showing sexy, savory soil tones and a rather opulent texture. Finishes with sweet, fine-grained tannins and sneaky length. (ST)”
Decanter 92 points “This is plush and polished, with fine French oak (about two-thirds new) lending an almost floral overtone of peony to the black and red cherry fruit on the nose. The palate is full and juicy, with ripe but fresh cherry, rich yet toned. Beautifully balanced. Drinking Window 2018 – 2028.”

Patz & Hall Hyde Vineyard Pinot Noir Carneros 2013 750ML Was $49 now $45 special, 4 bottles in stock now
Wine Enthusiast 95 points “Editor’s Choice. High in acidity with a voluptuously sleek and supple body, this is a smoothly tamed wine. It’s youthful and structured, with a mix of citrus, black cherry and cola. Medium bodied, it’s memorably balanced and possesses subtle power. -Virginie Boone”
Antonio Galloni 92+ points “Bright, dark red-ruby. Pure but reticent aromas of mint, cinnamon, clove and licorice. Plush, shapely and deep, offering lovely perfumed lift to the flavors of mulled cranberry and dark spices. Fine-grained tannins spread out to saturate the palate on the long, aromatic finish. (ST)”
 

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Patz & Hall Pisoni Vineyard Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands 2013 750ML Was $49, now $45 special, 8 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 92+ points “Saturated ruby-red color. Knockout nose combines blackberry, black cherrry and Oriental spices; reminded me of a wine from the Vosne-Romanée/Nuits-Saint-Georges neighborhood. Powerful and large-scaled but a bit youthfully monolithic, with black fruit flavors lifted by mint and ginger high notes. This big boy finishes with huge tannins that avoid coming off as hard. Hall picks this fruit late, as it’s necessary to wait for the acidity to go down, but noted that in the hot years it can get porty. “And it’s necessary to be gentle with the extraction,” he added. This would be a perfect Pinot for a steak house. (ST)”
 

Looking for a cult producer that’s still affordable? There are very few producers who are synonymous with the production of their entire region’s output. Dal Forno in Valpolicella, Dönnhoff and the Nahe, Cayuse and Walla Walla, the list is as long as there are production zones. In that same vein you cannot talk about Lebanese wine without mentioning Chateau Musar. 

Founded by Gaston Hochar in 1930, his son Serge took the world by storm in the late 1970’s after leaving Bordeaux for the Bekka Valley. Lebanon is one of the world’s first producers of wine that dates back over 6,000 years and was mentioned throughout antiquity for its quality, but has seen almost constant unrest since World War 2. The Hochar family has reported driving finished wines through minefields, witnessing the spillover of the Syrian Civil War, and delaying harvest in 2017 because ISIS and the Lebanese army were on their vineyard’s doorstep!  

In spite of that, Musar has consistently delivered exceptional reds, whites and rose year after year to the international market. This is in part from their vineyards located in the Bekka Valley of Lebanon, A high elevation region between Mt. Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon mountains. The elevation and mountainous conditions allows for massive temperature shifts during the evenings, allowing for the grapes to slowly ripen with good acidity. 

Working exclusively with old vines that have always been farmed organically, Musar makes a fantastic single village wine named after Gaston in addition to their Cuvee that’s made them world famous. Working with a blend of varietals including Cinsault, Carignan, Grenache, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvigion for reds, the reds are built for serious aging and collecting. Expect all the power and nuance of a super Tuscan, with the lift of Bandol and a totally unique frankincense, oud, cumin and sumac character that is definitively Middle Eastern.

In spite of the extensive history growing winegrapes, there are only two indigenous varieties that see commercial production anymore. Obaideh and Merwah as they’re called are white varietals produced in highly limited qualities and are famous for their age worthiness. Musar theorizes that the varietals are native to the mountains and describes them as “perfectly suited for the Lebanon, requiring no irrigation, canopy management or agrochemical application”. Full bodied and textured the Musar Blanc exhibits a creamy and spiced character underscored by Meyer lemon, Black Lime, frankincense, apricots and beeswax with high acidity and incredibly long finish. 

Chateau Musar wines in stock now: 

Chateau Musar Blanc Bekaa Valley  2013 750ML ($69.95) $57 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Winery note “In their youth: yellow-gold, subtly oaky, and creamy-textured, rich yet dry and intensely citrusy, with honeyed nuances. Wholly unique, the style has been described as resembling ‘dry Sauternes’ or mature white Graves. Chateau Musar Whites develop tawny hues and mellow spicy characters as they age. The cellars at Ghazir holds bottles of this wine dating as far back as 1954. Seven years in the making, Chateau Musar White is a blend of ancient grape varieties Obaideh and Merwah, indigenous to the mountains of Lebanon and said to be related to Chasselas Chardonnay and Semillon. The Obaideh vineyards are in the foothills of the Anti-Lebanon mountains on stony, chalky soils, while the Merwah vines are on the seaward side of Mount Lebanon, on calcareous gravels. Yields are very low for these untrained bushvines: 10 – 20 hl per hectare. At high altitude (around 1400m) they are still on their own roots, among very few vineyards in the world of this calibre.”
 

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Chateau Musar ‘Hochar Pere et Fils’ Red Bekaa Valley  2017 750ML ($34.95) $28 special, 29 bottles in stock now
Decanter 91 points “This single-vineyard wine, from Aana, is made in a modern style: concentrated and slightly reductive. It shows notes of new oak barrels, lovely red berry fruit (reminiscent of Grenache) and garrigue aromas. So Mediterranean on the palate, with sweet tannins, spices and a meaty hint on the aftertaste. A very friendly, easy-to-drink and enjoyable wine. It becomes even better and more refined a day after the bottle is opened. I would recommend decanting it.”
Antonio Galloni 90 points “The 2017 Hochar is powerful and dense in the glass. Ripe flavors and incisive tannins give the 2017 much of its brooding personality. Readers should plan on opening the 2017 at least an hour or two in advance, as the tannins are rather grainy at the outset. With time ripe black cherry, spice, leather and licorice flavors emerge nicely. The blend is 55% Cinsault, 35% Grenache and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.”
 

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Chateau Musar Bekaa Valley  2015 750ML ($69.95) $54.50 special, 25 bottles in stock now
    

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Soothsayer of Swartland: 
Johan Meyer’s Mother Rock wines 
 

Johan Meyer is one of the biggest names in the “New School” of South African wine. Working exclusively with old vines in Swartland, he strives to be as low intervention as possible. That philosophy is present from grape to glass as it were; with irrigation and chemical input not practiced in the vineyard and the finished wines receiving no filtration, fining and minimal sulfur. As you can expect after almost a year of not exporting, South African wine has become a rarity in the United States market with what remains being in highly limited quantities.

The Holocene is a blend of Cinsault, Carignan and Mourvèdre sourced from a single vineyard in Malmesbury. Dry farmed and practicing organic this could be seen as South Africa’s riposte to the GSM blends of the Southern Rhone. Very easy to enjoy in that Holocene is perfectly juicy with a minerality that brings to mind crushed lava rock with the classic fynbos you find with South African wine. 

Cinsault is rapidly becoming one of the top red varietals in South Africa and the world on account of it’s drought tolerance and ability to retain acidity during heat waves. As a single varietal there is often a spectrum of blue and red fruits with high acidity and perfumed aromatics. Cinsault pairs beautifully with various cuisines including Nigerian, Lebanese, Greek and barbeque on account of the fruit tea esque tannins and refreshing acidity.     

Most unique out of the Mother Rock wines is their Pet-Nat. Comprised of Chenin Blanc and Pinotage sourced from a single farm. Grown at over 1,000 feet above sea level, the wine is bottled before fermentation completes, creating bubbles from the last of the remaining sugars. Pinotage takes on a spectrum of blue, black and purple fruits underscored by a tertiary plethora of smoke and earth, with the Chenin contributing beeswax, honeysuckle, chamomile, quince and yellow apple. If one had to summarize the wine in a word: Crushable.

Mother Rock wines in stock now: 

Mother Rock ‘Force Majeure – Force Celeste’ Cinsault Swartland 2020 750ML ($19.95) $16 special, 32 bottles in stock now
Importer note “A medium-bodied red with ripe tannins, depth and drinkability from whole bunch fermentation. A great addition to the Force Majeure range.”
 

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Mother Rock ‘Holocene’ Swartland 2018 750ML ($37.95) $31.90 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 91 points “Fragrant and distinctive, this tangy red is light- to medium-bodied and racy, offering an expressive profile of steeped raspberry and peach fruit flavors meshed with notes of dried flowers, blood orange zest and medicinal herbs. Lingering, zesty finish. Carignan, Mourvèdre and Cinsault. Drink now through 2025. 222 cases made, 56 cases imported. — AN”
 

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Mother Rock ‘Force Majeure – Force Celeste’ Cuvee PN Pet Nat Swartland  2021 750ML ($27.95) $24 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Importer note “A Pet-Nat that puts Pinotage in the spotlight. South Africa’s native grape is best known for its bright fruit and deep earthy character, which translate beautifully in this joyful rosé fizz. Slightly hazy salmon-pink in the glass, with aromas of raspberries, blood orange and earthy rhubarb. Fresh in the mouth, with crunchy cranberry fruit and a savoury edge. Delicious and dangerously drinkable at only 11%!”
 

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