In This Newsletter:
Forja Friday:
New vintage of Forja Del Salnes Leirana Albariño
Arriving Friday, March 4th
Drappier and their Heart of Gold
Jet Setting Zorzal:
New Vintages En Route from two continents
New Barbaresco on the Way:
Nada Giuseppe
Stickies for all seasons:
Producer Spotlight:
Feudo Montoni
Collector’s Corner:
Domaine Du Pegau
We’re Open for In-Store Shopping!
10AM – 6PM Daily
Properly worn masks are required at all times.
We also offer Curbside Pickup
Order Online / By Phone / By Email
Forja Friday:
New vintage of Forja Del Salnes Leirana Albariño
Arriving Friday, March 4th
The DO Rias Baixas is famous for her exquisite seafood and spectacular vistas of where mountains meet the Atlantic Ocean. Consisting of several growing regions, the Val do Salnes is the closest to the sea out of the five sub-appellations. Some of the biggest contributors to the terroir of Salnes are the granitic mountains and blankets of sea fog found throughout the area, creating the building blocks for an invigorating and savory wine with surprising aging potential.
These features also have a meteorological effect, creating an exceptionally cool and oftentimes wet growing season with the average temperature being 55-60 degrees Fahrenheit. As a result of these challenges, there has been very little deviation from the traditional growing practices. The winemaker for Leirana named Rodrigo Mendez exemplifies this in spades, farming ancestral plots just as his family has done for 5 consecutive generations. Previous vintages have garnered worldwide attention, with the New York Times naming the 2012 vintage the best in the entire reigon!
With the average planting date being in 1967 the influence from the granitic bedrock is evident from first pour. Vinified in a combination of steel and neutral foudre, there’s a plethora of highly aromatic fruit and floral elements underscored by a saline and mineral finish. The fruit character ranges from Green pineapple, papaya and guava with a topknot of geranium, honeysuckle and ‘ōhi‘a lehua. The extended hang time practiced by Rodrigo pays off in a richer texture than your standard Rias Baixas without overstaying or being cloying.
Forja Del Salnes arriving Friday, March 4th:
Bodegas Forjas del Salnes Leirana Albarino Rias Baixas 2020 750ML ($39.95) $26.60 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Bodegas Forjas del Salnes Leirana Albarino Rias Baixas 2020 750ML ($479.95) $299 pre-arrival special, (that’s only $24.92/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 94 points “The vibrant 2020 Leirana was produced with a blend of 60% wine matured in used oak foudre and the rest stainless steel, as the wine has very high acidity (9 to 9.5 grams with a pH of 2.99!) and doesn’t go through malolactic; so, it is very sharp, and the higher percentage of oak makes it a little rounder. It’s powerful and pungent, serious and with granite minerality, showcasing the serious style of the whites from 2020. It has moderate alcohol (12.9%) and an electric palate that is clean and tasty, with a stony finish.”
These features also have a meteorological effect, creating an exceptionally cool and oftentimes wet growing season with the average temperature being 55-60 degrees Fahrenheit. As a result of these challenges, there has been very little deviation from the traditional growing practices. The winemaker for Leirana named Rodrigo Mendez exemplifies this in spades, farming ancestral plots just as his family has done for 5 consecutive generations. Previous vintages have garnered worldwide attention, with the New York Times naming the 2012 vintage the best in the entire reigon!
With the average planting date being in 1967 the influence from the granitic bedrock is evident from first pour. Vinified in a combination of steel and neutral foudre, there’s a plethora of highly aromatic fruit and floral elements underscored by a saline and mineral finish. The fruit character ranges from Green pineapple, papaya and guava with a topknot of geranium, honeysuckle and ‘ōhi‘a lehua. The extended hang time practiced by Rodrigo pays off in a richer texture than your standard Rias Baixas without overstaying or being cloying.
Forja Del Salnes arriving Friday, March 4th:
Bodegas Forjas del Salnes Leirana Albarino Rias Baixas 2020 750ML ($39.95) $26.60 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Bodegas Forjas del Salnes Leirana Albarino Rias Baixas 2020 750ML ($479.95) $299 pre-arrival special, (that’s only $24.92/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 94 points “The vibrant 2020 Leirana was produced with a blend of 60% wine matured in used oak foudre and the rest stainless steel, as the wine has very high acidity (9 to 9.5 grams with a pH of 2.99!) and doesn’t go through malolactic; so, it is very sharp, and the higher percentage of oak makes it a little rounder. It’s powerful and pungent, serious and with granite minerality, showcasing the serious style of the whites from 2020. It has moderate alcohol (12.9%) and an electric palate that is clean and tasty, with a stony finish.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Drappier and their Heart of Gold
Drappier might sound like a Grande Marque, but they’re really a grower producer at heart having been founded in the 12th century and still under family ownership. They own 53 hectares of vines in the Aube (where they were the first to plant Pinot Noir) and make forward thinking wines at a very friendly price-point. As one of the only carbon-neutral houses in the entire world, they place as much care in the cellar as they do in the vineyards—and the wines show it.
Forbes placed the estate’s Carte d’Or, as the #3 “Best Champagne You’ve Never Heard Of” for good reason. Drappier makes big, flamboyantly rich Champagne that is always a crowd pleaser—at prices that mean you can actually pour it for crowds. It’s hard to find better bubbly under $40/btl, so if you’re a Champagne drinker you should stock up now. Drappier recently made waves in Europe after refusing to rename their Champagne to “Sparkling Wine” costing them several lucrative contracts with the Russian Federation, including one with the National Airline for the country.
Drappier in stock now:
Drappier Carte d’Or Brut Champagne NV 750ML ($49.95) $38 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Drappier Carte d’Or Brut Champagne NV 750ML (299.95) $219 special, That’s only $36.50 per bottle)
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 91 points “Disgorged in April 2021, Drappier’s new NV Brut Carte d’Or delivers attractive aromas of golden orchard fruit, stone fruit, honeycomb and white flowers. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and enveloping, it’s charming and elegantly vinous, with a flavorful core of fruit, lively acids and a chalky finish.”
Wine Spectator 90 points “Racy acidity enlivens this crisp and lacy Champagne. Well-knit, with the delicate mix of ripe white cherry, blanched almond, yellow plum and grated ginger flavors. Drink now. 3,000 cases imported. — AN”
[Disgorgement date may vary from reviews]
Can’t get enough Champagne? We have over 197 bottlings in-store and online
Jet Setting Zorzal:
New Vintages En Route from two continents
It’s relatively common for producers to work with vineyards from different wine regions but what about different hemispheres? We love the wines from Zorzal for that reason. They’re a winery that’s not afraid to think outside the box in how they farm and vinify their wines. That’s led to a lot of brilliant moments from regions that have been historically overlooked. Not just content to work with underrated vineyards in their native Argentina, they’ve been spending the other half of the year in the Northern Hemisphere since 2007, where they’re translating their visionary approach to off-the-radar terroirs in Spain.
Their entire Spanish portfolio offer outstanding value. These are wines that have tons of immediate appeal, with rich textures and juicy fruit flavors. They’re also loaded with character, with Zorzal’s light touch in winemaking (native fermentations, minimal new oak) allowing the grapes and terroirs to shine through. In a break from traditional Spanish winemaking Zorzal bottles the majority of their wines as single varietals, with their Graciano being one of the few affordable examples currently on the market. Often compared to Petit Verdot, the varietal largely fell out of favor due to her low yields and stubbornly long growing time compared to Tempranillo and Grenache.
Best of all they’re all priced below $30/bottle –with their entry-level Garnacha and Graciano at $12.50/bottle and $14.17/bottle when you purchase by the 6-pack. Time to see what you’ve been missing!
Zorzal wines arriving Friday March 4th:
Zorzal Eggo Blanc de Cal Tupungato 2019 750ML ($29.95) $24 pre-arrival special
Luis Gutierrez Wine Advocate 94 points “2019 was cooler than 2018, and the 2019 Eggo Blanc de Cal is even fresher and stonier than the 2018 I tasted last time. This wine is never about the grape variety, and it’s like liquid chalk, even more so in 2019. It matured in concrete eggs for 10 months. This is always produced from a limestone-rich plot in the Tupungato Winelands. Half of the wine fermented with the skins, but it doesn’t have any “orange” characteristics. It’s sharp and super tasty. Amazing value. 7,775 bottles produced. It was bottled in December 2019.”
Their entire Spanish portfolio offer outstanding value. These are wines that have tons of immediate appeal, with rich textures and juicy fruit flavors. They’re also loaded with character, with Zorzal’s light touch in winemaking (native fermentations, minimal new oak) allowing the grapes and terroirs to shine through. In a break from traditional Spanish winemaking Zorzal bottles the majority of their wines as single varietals, with their Graciano being one of the few affordable examples currently on the market. Often compared to Petit Verdot, the varietal largely fell out of favor due to her low yields and stubbornly long growing time compared to Tempranillo and Grenache.
Best of all they’re all priced below $30/bottle –with their entry-level Garnacha and Graciano at $12.50/bottle and $14.17/bottle when you purchase by the 6-pack. Time to see what you’ve been missing!
Zorzal wines arriving Friday March 4th:
Zorzal Eggo Blanc de Cal Tupungato 2019 750ML ($29.95) $24 pre-arrival special
Luis Gutierrez Wine Advocate 94 points “2019 was cooler than 2018, and the 2019 Eggo Blanc de Cal is even fresher and stonier than the 2018 I tasted last time. This wine is never about the grape variety, and it’s like liquid chalk, even more so in 2019. It matured in concrete eggs for 10 months. This is always produced from a limestone-rich plot in the Tupungato Winelands. Half of the wine fermented with the skins, but it doesn’t have any “orange” characteristics. It’s sharp and super tasty. Amazing value. 7,775 bottles produced. It was bottled in December 2019.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Zorzal Eggo Franco Cabernet Franc Tupungato 2017 750ML ($29.95) $24 pre-arrival special
Luis Gutierrez – Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2017 Eggo Franco is pure Cabernet Franc cropped from seven-year-old vines on alluvial soils high in calcium carbonate. It fermented with 10% full clusters in concrete vats, where it matured with the full lees until bottling at the end of the year. It’s very varietal, herbal and spicy, with good structure and body, great balance and power, with fine-grained, chalky tannins. 6,000 bottles produced.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Zorzal Eggo Tinto de Tiza Gualtallary 2017 750ML ($29.95) $24 pre-arrival special
Luis Gutierrez – Wine Advocate 94 points “The mouthfeel of the 2017 Eggo Tinto de Tiza was like biting into a piece of chalk (“tiza” is the Spanish word for chalk), the texture provided by the limestone-rich soils from Gualtallary, especially in the higher part of this large region. This wine is not about the varieties (it’s a blend to start with) but about the place, the soils, the local vegetation, the austerity and the wilderness. 33,000 bottles. It was bottled in January 2018.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Vina Zorzal Garnacha Navarra 2020 750ML ($17.95) $14 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Vina Zorzal Garnacha Navarra 2020 750ML ($214.95) $149 special, (that’s only $12.42/bottle!)
Luis Gutierrez – Wine Advocate 92 points “The incredibly young and juicy 2020 Garnacha was produced with grapes from different villages, Corella, Cintruénigo, Fitero and Lerga, hence a regional blend that for the first time contains grapes from the cooler Lerga that adds lower pH, more freshness and complexity to the blend. They do a soft extraction in stainless steel using 20% full clusters and indigenous yeasts, achieving a wine with moderate alcohol (13.47%) and good freshness (pH 3.47). I felt like the wine had gone one step up in complexity and depth from the previous vintage; it’s precise, harmonious, elegant and nuanced and keeps varietal purity. It’s medium-bodied and has very fine tannins with herbal freshness, reminiscent of acid berries and bay leaf. This is a steal! One to buy by the case… 137,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in February 2021.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Zorzal Wines in stock now:
Vina Zorzal Corral de los Altos Navarra 2018 750ml ($29.95) $24 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Vina Zorzal Corral de los Altos Navarra 2018 750ml ($149.95) $135 special, (That’s $22.50 per bottle!)
Luis Gutierrez – Wine Advocate 92 points “All the guest winemakers that take part in the Lecciones de Vuelo joint venture with Viña Zorzal are offered to produce their interpretation of the paraje Corral de los Altos in Fitero. The 2018 Corral de los Altos is Zorzal’s own interpretation of a 45-year-old plot of 2.1 hectares of Garnacha planted on a north-facing stony part of the village. The grapes fermented in stainless steel with some 25% full clusters and indigenous yeasts and matured in seven used (second and third use) 500-liter oak barrels. This has contained ripeness and a medium to full-bodied palate with the classical chalky tannins and texture from the limestone-rich soils and the length and tastiness they provide”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Vina Zorzal ‘Cuatro del Cuatro’ Navarra 2018 750ml ($36.95) $29 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Vina Zorzal ‘Cuatro del Cuatro’Navarra 2018 750ml ($199.95) $165 special, (That’s only $27.50 per bottle)
Luis Gutierrez – Wine Advocate 94 points “The pure Graciano 2018 Cuatro del Cuatro was first produced in 2015 as an homage to the Sanz brothers’ father, who kept his Graciano vines when the majority ripped them up. They have seen that, with a soft vinification, the variety is not as rustic as most think and, in fact, can be quite elegant. 2018 was a tricky vintage for the variety, and the wine has moderate alcohol (13.3%), a very low pH (3.35) and notable acidity (six grams of tartaric acid per liter). It was produced with grapes grown in the village of Corella (especially from a vineyard planted in 1978), which has more Mediterranean influence that Fitero, the other village where they have the majority of their vineyards. This is a super serious Graciano, fresher than the majority of varietal bottlings out there, as they have lost the fear of harvesting it earlier, and it delivers a very spicy wine, with lots of black and even white peppercorns. I think this is very much in line with the 2016. It matured in used oak barrels of different sizes, and they did a barrel selection to produce 2,900 bottles of it.”
Vina Zorzal Graciano Navarra 2018 750ml ($19.95) $16 special, 17 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez – Wine Advocate 91 points “The 2018 Graciano, the first wine they produced at the new Viña Zorzal in 2007, was produced with grapes from the village of Corella, and they want to show the expression of the grape in the village, more Mediterranean than Fitero, where they have a significant percentage of their vines. The spicy character of the wine and the lively palate are the expression of the Graciano in their village, what they have been trying to express since 2015. It fermented in stainless steel with moderate extraction and matured in used French oak barrels of different sizes for nine months. This is a very fresh vintage, and the wine is harmonious, spicy, with an herbal hint, with some dusty tannins, chalky and a bitter twist in the finish. I think the earlier harvest of the grape delivers wines that are more transparent, and this is quite stony and tasty. This is a very good value and a great introduction to Graciano”.
This is the only listing in the USA today!
New Barbaresco on the Way:
Nada Giuseppe
“Perhaps not the most complex vintage, nor the most long lived, but there is plenty to enjoy” – Walter Speller, Jancis Robinson
“We have clean and perfumed Barbaresco with plenty of fresh, if not tart, fruit character and softer extraction, resulting in wines that are poised right now: a gift for the current consumer trend which favours polished wines with complexity yet minimal austerity.” – Aldo Fiordelli, Decanter
After several jaw dropping vintages, the 2018 is welcomed as a relative “Return to normal” for the appellation. Barbaresco saw substantial amounts of rain and snow during the entire season that replenished groundwater reserves that were largely parched during the at-times scorching 2015 and 2017 vintages, making the 2018 an overall much softer and plush year. These promise much better drinking windows than 2016, of which many examples remain almost painfully austere without extensive decanting. One of the few producers to bottle their single vineyard expression, Nada Giuseppe offers a snapshot of Barbaresco’s past, before the prying eyes and words of the international wine press put the areas farmers under a microscope.
Arriving Friday, March 4th:
Nada Giuseppe Casot Barbaresco DOCG 2018 750ML ($49.95) $33 pre-arrival special
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2018 Barbaresco Casot is a fragrant and immediate wine that shows a good amount of ripeness and richness up front. This was a cool vintage overall, although the fruit ripened quickly toward the end of the growing season. There are sweet cherry aromas with spice and licorice. The wine drapes over the palate with silky and smooth intensity. The Casot vineyard is distinguished by layers of bluish tufo soil and layers of looser sand. Production is 10,000 bottles.”
Shop our full selection of Barbaresco online and in-store!
Stickies for all seasons:
Can you think of a wine style more versatile than sweeter wines? There are few culinary experiences that can compare to eating something high in fat or exceptionally spicy with a sweeter style of wine. This is on account of the sweetness acting as a palate cleanser and the acid cutting through the fat. For a more heightened experience, wines that have undergone botrytis and bottle age offer additional characteristics like crystallized ginger, Manuka honey, honeysuckle and caramel.
Likely the first area in Germany to be planted en masse with grapevines, its first mention is by the Roman poet Magnus Ausonius in 370 A.D with their first settlement being founded in 15 B.C. In the same way that Neuschwanstein Castle is the face of Bavaria and German architecture as a whole, the Mosel Valley is the face of the Rhine and German wine. Unlike other German wine regions that see a diverse assortment of grapes under cultivation, the Mosel produces Riesling almost exclusively along the banks of the river.
These vineyards feature vast percentages of the trademark blue and gray slate which also aids in ripening, and contributes a clean slate-like character to the wine. The more favorable growing conditions allow for the entire spectrum of Riesling to be produced ranging from dry to lusciously sweet. Aj Adam delivers this reputation in spades with his old vine estate vineyard located in Dhron Hofberg, one of the “Grand Cru’s” of the Mosel River Valley.
Famous in the 20th century for its multifaceted and mineral driven wines, the site rests on a small tributary of the Mosel that allows for incredibly versatile expressions of Riesling. The Hofberg Auslese made by Adams exemplifies these factors perfectly, being made from Riesling that was originally intended for Eiswein (The latest harvested of all German Wine). The resulting wine features an entire kaleidoscope of flavors ranging from pineapple, lychee, guava, passionfruit, and Valencia orange. There’s also a definite mineral character on the finish, with an electric acidity that acts as a through line.
In stock and available now:
Weingut A.J. Adam Dhroner Hofberg Riesling Auslese 2016 Mosel375ML ($69.95) $39 special, 19 bottles in stock now
Mosel Fine Wines 92 points “The 2016er Auslese * was made from the second pressing of the Eiswein grapes harvested on November 30. This already golden-colored wine delivers a rather ripe and exotic nose of grapefruit, candied passion fruit and backed pineapple. It is nicely balanced on the palate and does not exhibit the usual “Eiswein bite” of such wines but proves more luscious in style. The acidity comes eventually through in the sweet and complex finish. 2023-2036.”
David Schildknecht – Vinous 91 points “This “one-star” Auslese represents the later fraction of pressing from the frozen grapes harvested on November 30. Papaya, peach and candied lemon peel on the nose set the tone for a silken-textured, tartly tingling palate. An influx of salinity provides welcome saliva-inducement in a rich yet bright, albeit relatively opaque finish. The sense of invigoration and grip here are highly impressive. And possibly it will clarify more with some time in bottle, though as with most Riesling crushed from frozen grapes, I would monitor this one’s evolution cautiously if I were planning to cellar any.”
Likely the first area in Germany to be planted en masse with grapevines, its first mention is by the Roman poet Magnus Ausonius in 370 A.D with their first settlement being founded in 15 B.C. In the same way that Neuschwanstein Castle is the face of Bavaria and German architecture as a whole, the Mosel Valley is the face of the Rhine and German wine. Unlike other German wine regions that see a diverse assortment of grapes under cultivation, the Mosel produces Riesling almost exclusively along the banks of the river.
These vineyards feature vast percentages of the trademark blue and gray slate which also aids in ripening, and contributes a clean slate-like character to the wine. The more favorable growing conditions allow for the entire spectrum of Riesling to be produced ranging from dry to lusciously sweet. Aj Adam delivers this reputation in spades with his old vine estate vineyard located in Dhron Hofberg, one of the “Grand Cru’s” of the Mosel River Valley.
Famous in the 20th century for its multifaceted and mineral driven wines, the site rests on a small tributary of the Mosel that allows for incredibly versatile expressions of Riesling. The Hofberg Auslese made by Adams exemplifies these factors perfectly, being made from Riesling that was originally intended for Eiswein (The latest harvested of all German Wine). The resulting wine features an entire kaleidoscope of flavors ranging from pineapple, lychee, guava, passionfruit, and Valencia orange. There’s also a definite mineral character on the finish, with an electric acidity that acts as a through line.
In stock and available now:
Weingut A.J. Adam Dhroner Hofberg Riesling Auslese 2016 Mosel375ML ($69.95) $39 special, 19 bottles in stock now
Mosel Fine Wines 92 points “The 2016er Auslese * was made from the second pressing of the Eiswein grapes harvested on November 30. This already golden-colored wine delivers a rather ripe and exotic nose of grapefruit, candied passion fruit and backed pineapple. It is nicely balanced on the palate and does not exhibit the usual “Eiswein bite” of such wines but proves more luscious in style. The acidity comes eventually through in the sweet and complex finish. 2023-2036.”
David Schildknecht – Vinous 91 points “This “one-star” Auslese represents the later fraction of pressing from the frozen grapes harvested on November 30. Papaya, peach and candied lemon peel on the nose set the tone for a silken-textured, tartly tingling palate. An influx of salinity provides welcome saliva-inducement in a rich yet bright, albeit relatively opaque finish. The sense of invigoration and grip here are highly impressive. And possibly it will clarify more with some time in bottle, though as with most Riesling crushed from frozen grapes, I would monitor this one’s evolution cautiously if I were planning to cellar any.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Eiswein is among the hardest wines to make on the entire planet, and is becoming rarer as climate change advances. This is on account of the time the Riesling grapes must spend on the vine as decreed by German law. During the extended hang time the grapes will freeze and thaw multiple times, further concentrating the sugars and acids. There’s an endless list of things that could go wrong for the selected clusters during this time. Between the risks of rotting, not freezing enough to be harvested as eiswein or simply eaten by passing birds and deer you can see why production quantities are minuscule to say the least.
Eiswein in stock now:
Weingut Korrell Johanneshof Kreuznacher Paradies Riesling Eiswein Nahe 2016 375ML ($99.95) $79 special, 21 half-bottles in stock now
Grapelive 94 points “Korrell is one of the Nahe’s latest break out stars and every wine I’ve tried from Martin Korrell has been absolutely stunning, including this Eiswein. Crafted from old vines at their estate monopole Paradies Vineyard in Bad Kreuznach, from those grapes that hang out until the first freeze and were individual berry picked off the vine. Concentrated in sugars, but still bristling with natural acidity the gorgeous and opulent 2016 Korrell Eiswein Paradies goes on and on in mouth. Even with the residual sugar levels off the carts, this wine stays incredibly balanced and doesn’t drink as sweet as you’d imagine, making for a heavenly experience from its perfumed nose to its lingering tropical fruits. This is entrancing stuff with layers of lychee, candied pineapple, apricot jelly, honeycomb, lime blossom, white roses, chamomile, a hint of spearmint, mineral spice and cool wet stone. A rare and exotic, this Korrell Eiswein is treat beyond words, and, while the Mosel is better known for sweet wines, I have found the Nahe in some vintages are more than equal. In fact I still think a contender for the greatest wine I ever tasted was one of Donnhoff’s version of Eiiswein from just up the river! While Tokaji and Sauternes grab sweet wine headlines, I honestly believe the Germans have them beat with TBA’s and Eiswein, because of the racy acidity that still remains in these Riesling beauties. Korrell used specially selected yeasts as there is no chance to do Sponti on the ultra concentrated Paradies Eiswein, it needs extra special attention to detail, Korrell adds. It is pressed in a special small press for sweet wines with low quantity, read tiny production, but not wooden because they don’t want too much air contact [so as] to keep and preserve the exotic fruit aromas as much as possible as well as fresh details. Tasted from 375ml, half bottle, the 2016 Korrell Paradies Eiswein is an amazing product, and sadly isn’t listed in the United States as of yet, though their Trocken(s) should be available later this spring or early summer, so remember this one for if and when you get to Germany.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Prinz Hallgarten Wurzgarten Riesling Eiswein 2016 375ML ($149.95) $119 special, 12 half-bottles in stock now
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Have you ever experienced the traditional Italian digestif of sweet wine and Biscotti? Much like olive oil and wine production it is one of the great “unifiers” of Italian culture, with examples seen from Sicily to the northern reaches of the Veneto. Traditionally sourced from local varietals, there are a number of techniques that have been developed over the centuries to make these wines, with their use largely being confined to celebrations and welcoming guests.
The main styles are Passito, Recioto and Vin Santo with the latter being first mentioned by Ancient Roman writer Pliny the Elder. There is a dizzying assortment of producers, sweetness levels, and varietals used with only a handful making it to the United States. Most examples feature medium-to-high levels of residual sugar, with a medium of acidity and an incredibly full body that can be almost syrupy.
In addition to all three being late harvested wines another shared characteristic is the drying that happens pre fermentation. Passito and Recioto wines involve adding dried or raisinated grapes to a batch of wine that’s still fermenting. This results in a wine high in alcohol with a healthy dose of residual sugar, and a dollop of tannins to round out the whole thing. Vin Santo in comparison is much more variable, with the final sugar content being determined by when the fermentation stops. This variance is on account of the use of wild yeasts, which stop fermenting at unpredictable times.
Across the board the wines tend to be medium to full bodied, with flavors becoming more textured and nuanced as they age in bottle. After 5-10 years after their vintage date they take on flavors like hazelnut, almond, dried orange peel, cloves and earth with their color darkening from gold to bronze. The time needed to late harvest, dry the grapes, slowly press and ferment make these some of the most labor intensive dessert wines in the entire world.
Highlights in stock now:
Arnaldo-Caprai Sagrantino di Montefalco Passito DOCG Italy 2016 375ML ($69.95) $59 special, 10 bottles in stock now
Wilson Daniels tasting note “AROMA: The sweetness arrives first to the nose with scents of blackberry and strawberry jam, revealing vanilla and cinnamon. TASTE: warm and sweet, soft and intense. The tannins work to balance the sugars and leave the palate cleansed, ready for another taste.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Avignonesi Vin Santo di Montepulciano Tuscany 2001 375ML ($219.95) $169 special, 20 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 98 points “The 2001 Vin Santo di Montepulciano (375 milliliters) is a divine and superbly delicious sweet blend of Trebbiano, Malvasia and Grechetto. The results are super concentrated and simmered down to a virtual reduction sauce of deliciousness. There are so many aromas to name, but some of the most evident highlights include candied orange peel, almond marzipan, caramel, toasted coffee bean, vanilla stick, mocha, dark honey and fragrant yellow rose. The mouthfeel is creamy, rich and deeply layered. I’m suggesting a slightly shorter drinking window here compared to the Occhio di Pernice. But, the truth is: I have no idea. I’m pretty sure these wines will outlive anyone of legal drinking age.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
There are only a handful of wines in the world considered “Immortal” in terms of its life in the bottle. The most famous of these is without a doubt Tokaji. The confluence of high acid, prodigious sugar levels, perfect terroir and masterful cellarwork is what makes these wines so long lived, with bottles that are hundreds of years old still being drinkable. They’re also among some of the highest selling wines at auction, with 500ml bottles selling for tens of thousands of dollars or more!
Have you ever had something that tasted so good you thought there was a secret ingredient? Marzio Galeotto, an Italian merchant in the 1460’s widely proclaimed that Tokaji contained flecks of actual gold. This sparked a centuries long obsession with the region, with an inexhaustible list of historical figures who proclaimed their love for the wines including Thomas Jefferson, Catherine the Great, Tolstoy and the Sun King himself, Louis the 14th who made it the court wine of Versailles. We offer a plethora of examples from Royal Tokaji Co, a producer credited with reintroducing Tokai to the world of fine wine after the elimination of the Iron Curtain. These are benchmark wines that you should try at least once in your lifetime, and have at least one in the cellar.
Tokaji Hightlights in stock now:
Royal Tokaji ‘Betsek’ Single Vineyard Aszu 6 Puttonyos Tokaj 2017 500ML ($149.95) $119 special, 8 bottles in stock now
Neal Martin-Vinous 96 points “The 2017 Tokaji Betsek 6-Puttonyos comes from Royal Tokaji’s largest vineyard site, a crescent-shaped parcel on black volcanic soils. This has a very harmonious, Sauternes-like bouquet with orange blossom and wild peach aromas percolating through with time. The palate is poised and focused, delivering vibrant energy, a touch of spiciness on the back palate and outstanding length. This could turn out to be their finest single-vineyard release. Brilliant. 4,606 bottles produced.”
Royal Tokaji ‘Mezes Maly’ Aszu 6 Puttonyos Tokaj 2017 500ML ($179.95) $149 special, 11 bottles in stock now
Neal Martin-Vinous 95 points “The 2017 Tokaji Mézes Mály 6-Puttonyos, which comes from vines on loess soils, has a beautiful nose. Very pure but not intense, it offers scents of honeysuckle, clementine, lemon sherbet and a touch of black currant leaf, all showing wonderful definition. The palate is is very well balanced with impressive weight, but like the nose, there is a subtlety, a lightness of touch from start to finish. Elegant and poised, this is a very classy effort from one of Tokaji’s most renowned sites and it will age with class. 2,665 bottles produced.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Royal Tokaji Ats – Mad Cuvee – Late Harvest Tokaj 2017 500ML ($24.95) $19.90 special, 22 bottles in stock now
Wine Enthusiast 93 points “This late-harvest wine carries aromas of pear and acacia flower, with flavors of Bartlett pear, apricot and dried rosemary. It has nice weight on the midpalate and the finish is pleasantly sweet without being too cloying. -Jeff Jenssen”
Producer Spotlight:
Feudo Montoni
Feudo Montoni
Nestled on a high elevation site on Mt. Cammarata this features a dramatically cooler season than others in production, contributing to some of the most layered and nuanced iterations of Nero. The high elevation and high proportion of volcanic sand make the site inhospitable for the Phylloxera louse, with the vines being over 120 years old and planted on their original rootstock.
Vrucara features incredible depth at play with high tannins and acid that hollows the palate with a long finish of rosemary and Mexican chocolate. It’s rare to find a wine this multidimensional and storied for less than $100, let alone under $50. Highly ageworthy and will reward decanting or extensive cellaring. From the first pour there are exuberant aromas of oregano, anise, ripe strawberry, redcurrant and blackberries intermingled with a lingering copal resin and myrrh element that fills the glass. Full of verve, and whipsawing fruit character that begins in black raspberries before a metamorphosis into spiced Italian plums and espresso.
In addition to the Vrucara offering Feudo Montoni also makes a passito wine made from Nero D’Avola and Perricone. In this style of wine the grapes are laid out on straw mats to dry in the Sicilian Sun, concentrating their sugars and tannins before a slow barrel fermentation. The use of exclusively red grapes balances out the sugars as a result of the tannin inclusion, not unlike how ports can taste dry in spite of having residual sugar.
Feudo Montoni Wines in stock now:
Feudo Montoni ‘Vrucara’ Nero d’Avola Sicilia IGT Sicily 2015 ($59.95) $49 special, 29 bottles in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 94 points “Tasted from magnum, the 2015 Sicilia Nero d’Avola Vrucara is a dark and penetrating wine with a chiseled and pungent side that delivers dried cherry and blackberry preserves. There is a point of ripeness, maybe even jammy cherry with lots of inky dark fruit. I knocked off a point or two compared to the previous edition because I am less a fan of that ripeness. You get cherry liqueur or cherry syrup sweetness on the close. However, this remains one of the benchmark bottles for Sicily’s banner grape Nero d’Avola.“
Ian D’agata-Vinous 93+ points “Good full ruby-red. Aromas and flavors of red/dark berries, plum, smoke, coriander and herbs. Juicy, taut and precise, with musky notes that extend onto the long, very smooth back end.”
Vrucara features incredible depth at play with high tannins and acid that hollows the palate with a long finish of rosemary and Mexican chocolate. It’s rare to find a wine this multidimensional and storied for less than $100, let alone under $50. Highly ageworthy and will reward decanting or extensive cellaring. From the first pour there are exuberant aromas of oregano, anise, ripe strawberry, redcurrant and blackberries intermingled with a lingering copal resin and myrrh element that fills the glass. Full of verve, and whipsawing fruit character that begins in black raspberries before a metamorphosis into spiced Italian plums and espresso.
In addition to the Vrucara offering Feudo Montoni also makes a passito wine made from Nero D’Avola and Perricone. In this style of wine the grapes are laid out on straw mats to dry in the Sicilian Sun, concentrating their sugars and tannins before a slow barrel fermentation. The use of exclusively red grapes balances out the sugars as a result of the tannin inclusion, not unlike how ports can taste dry in spite of having residual sugar.
Feudo Montoni Wines in stock now:
Feudo Montoni ‘Vrucara’ Nero d’Avola Sicilia IGT Sicily 2015 ($59.95) $49 special, 29 bottles in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 94 points “Tasted from magnum, the 2015 Sicilia Nero d’Avola Vrucara is a dark and penetrating wine with a chiseled and pungent side that delivers dried cherry and blackberry preserves. There is a point of ripeness, maybe even jammy cherry with lots of inky dark fruit. I knocked off a point or two compared to the previous edition because I am less a fan of that ripeness. You get cherry liqueur or cherry syrup sweetness on the close. However, this remains one of the benchmark bottles for Sicily’s banner grape Nero d’Avola.“
Ian D’agata-Vinous 93+ points “Good full ruby-red. Aromas and flavors of red/dark berries, plum, smoke, coriander and herbs. Juicy, taut and precise, with musky notes that extend onto the long, very smooth back end.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Feudo Montoni Passito Rosso Sicilia IGT Sicily NV 375ML ($39.95) $33 special, 25 half-bottles in stock now
Ian D’agata-Vinous 94 points “Bright deep red with an orange rim. The nose really opens with aeration to offer sweet red plum, dehydrated red cherry, cinnamon and raisins. Then similar flavors to the aromas lifted by juicy, harmonious acidity. Finishes very long and suave with saline nuances and repeating notes of raisins. Lovely, light on its feet dessert wine that seems less sweet than it really is thanks to its piercing acidity. One of the best sweet wines I have tasted so far this year. This is a blend of air-dried Nero d’Avola and Perricone aged in wood barrels for seven months and then twelve months in bottle prior to going on sale.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Shop our full selection of Sicilian wines today!
Collector’s Corner:
Domaine Du Pegau
Domaine Du Pegau
We’ve carried Domaine du Pegau for a number of years here at Vinopolis, and this year we’ve been able to snatch the best price we’ve seen for it in 7 years! Being one of the few houses that uses all of the 13 permitted varietals in the Chateauneuf De Pape appellation, this caliber of producer quality are normally wines that sell for $100 or more. With an average vine age of 60 years old, biodynamic practices and some of the best sites in Chateauneuf under their banner, this is among the most cellar-worthy out of the entire appellation!
Domaine du Pegau was founded in 1987 by father/daughter team Paul and Laurence Feraud (the family was formerly bottling the wine under the name of Domaine Feraud). Their family has farmed the area since the 17th century. Their Cuvee Reservee is hand-picked blend of 80% Grenache, 6% Syrah, 4 % Mourvedre and 10% other permitted varieties (not destemmed). The grapes are grown in stony soils with a mix of clay, chalk and iron rich sand. The wine is fermented with the stems in cement vats with natural yeast and without temperature control. The wine is aged for two years in old oak barrels.
Domaine du Pegau Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Reservee Rhone 2018 750M ($69.95) $59 special, only 12 bottles left!
Decanter 96 points “Grown on varied lieux-dits around the appellation on a mix of soils, this was fermented in concrete then aged for 24 months in foudre. All whole bunch, which is evidenced by the pleasantly stemmy aromatics. Very full-bodied and concentrated, savoury despite the oak, with bay leaf and thyme. Very tannic, quite hard on the palate in fact. It’s well balanced despite the alcohol, thanks to its concentration and intensity. It’s an outlying style due to its darkness, hardness and brooding character. It will be fantastic in time however. But wait.”
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 92-95 points “The 2018 Châteauneuf du Pape Cuvée Réservée is full-bodied but quite approachable and easy to drink, loaded with black cherries and plummy fruit and tinged with licorice. A blend of 80% Grenache, 6% Syrah, 4% Mourvèdre and 10% other permitted varieties, it finishes long and silky.”
Jeb Dunnuck 91-94 points “Not yet bottled, the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée Réservée continues to show beautifully and is a soft, charming example of this cuvée that’s going to drink nicely right out of the gate. Loads of blackcurrants, peppery herbs, bloody meat, and violet notes emerge from the glass and it’s medium to full-bodied, has a seamless, elegant texture, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It reminds me of an improved 2014, and despite its upfront appeal, it’s going to evolve nicely for 15 years or more. This estate has a long track record of off vintages aging and drinking beautifully far longer than anyone would predict, and I’m sure the same will be the case with the 2018.”
