La Fortuna is one of the top producers of Brunello, having turned their small (11 hectare) estate into one of the most consistently excellent in all of Tuscany. The winery leans modern, with rich, ripe fruit and plush textures, but the wines all maintain an earthiness that keeps them grounded and allows them to age beautifully. 

Despite their consistent quality La Fortuna’s wines somehow still seem to fly a bit under the radar, and as a result they represent some of the best opportunities in Brunello Di Montalcino to drink fantastic wines at below market prices. Always looking to deliver our customers the best values in fine wine, we’re thrilled to maintain an extensive selection from La Fortuna, including a number of truly standout bottles from some of Tuscany’s most celebrated recent vintages.

In stock now:

La Fortuna Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2013 750ML ($69.95) $56 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
James Suckling 93 points “Aromas of blackberry and cherry with flowers. Smoky. Hot stone. Medium to full body, firm and fresh tannins and a delicious finish. Beautiful now but needs a year or two to soften.”
Wine Spectator 92 points “Starts out with cherry, iron and tobacco flavors, before firming up, with a solid structure. A kernel of fruit holds steady as this red unfolds on the lingering finish. Best from 2022 through 2036. 2,200 cases made, 1,000 cases imported.”

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La Fortuna Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2015 750ML ($59.95) $45 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 La Fortuna Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2015 750ML ($719.95) $489 special (that’s only $40.75/bottle!)
James Suckling 95 points “The sliced plums and peaches are plentiful here on the nose. Full-bodied and dense with round and rich tannins and a long, long finish. Shows structure and intensity. Serious Brunello. Better after 2022.”
Wine Spectator 94 points “This is round and full of sweet, ripe cherry, strawberry, graphite and earth flavors. Firms up as the finish plays out, echoing an essence of fruit. Best from 2022 through 2039. —B.S.”

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La Fortuna Giobi, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 19 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 93 points “Some ash and spice undertones to the cherry and berry aromas. Medium to full body, silky tannins and a flavorful finish. Linear and focused. Better in 2020.”


La Fortuna Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG, Tuscany 2012 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 La Fortuna Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG, Tuscany 2012 750ML ($699.95) $564 special (that’s only $94/bottle!)
La Fortuna Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG, Tuscany 2012 1.5 ($259.95) $219 special, 4 magnums in stock now
La Fortuna Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG, Tuscany2012 3L ($499.95) $428 special, 3 double magnums in stock now
Wine Spectator 97 points “Perfumed, with wild herb aromas and a subtle mix of strawberry and cherry fruit. Vibrant and dense, with fine acidity driving the long finish. Though elegant, there is intensity and fine energy on the aftertaste. Best from 2022 through 2028.”

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La Fortuna Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG, Tuscany 2013 750ML ($119.95) $88 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 La Fortuna Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG, Tuscany 2013 750ML ($619.95) $499 special (that’s only $83.17/bottle!)
Wine Spectator 95 points “Fluid and fruity, supported by a matrix of dense tannins, this features a fine texture and structure, offsetting the saturated flavors of cherry, red berry, leather, iron and tar. Stays focused while cruising to a lingering finish. Really youthful, intense and long. Best from 2022 through 2045. 330 cases made, 200 cases imported.”
James Suckling 95 points “Very attractive and intense aromas of ripe black cherries and plums, leading to a palate that has a quite firm tannin core and finishes with a convincing serving of rich, ripe darker plums and berries. Drink or hold.”


La Fortuna Fortunello Rosso Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2017 750ML ($17.95) $14 special, 12 bottles in stock now
VinopolNote: A fantastic value, showing pretty varietal notes of red cherries and spice. Moderately rich, savory and expressive.
Winery Note “A wine that first expresses itself through its colour; intense ruby red. Extraordinary via its intensity and absolute pleasure on the palate, vigor, length, freshness and fruity finish. A wine that will improve with age with its scents of raspberry and red berries.”

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La Fortuna Rosso di Montalcino, Tuscany 2018 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Grapelive 91 points “The 2018 La Fortuna Rosso di Montalcino is ripe, textured and silky smooth with pure Sangiovese character. It goes wonderfully with simple cuisine and shows a good cut of freshness for easy youthful drinking pleasure. The 2018 vintage is less serious than 2016 in the Montalcino area, but still offers plenty of flavor and value to savvy Tuscan fans. The Rosso di Montalcino “Baby Brunello” offerings are going to be fun and there will be plenty of bargains to be found, like this La Fortuna with its polished and elegant styling. Fresh out the box the La Fortuna is smoothly rich with vine-picked tangy blackberry, wild plum, cranberry, strawberry and tart cherry fruits along with blood orange, tobacco leaf, potpourri florals, rosemary, lavender and spiced cedar notes. A richer form comes out with air and food, making it a medium to full bodied Sangiovese that has a lot of charm, especially for the price. This 100% Sangiovese Grosso (Brunello clone) was crafted with traditional care and made for early drinking with grapes coming from vineyard parcels that range from 15 to 25 years on the semi volcanic soils of the region and was fermented in temperature controlled tanks with about a 20 day maceration on the skins to give it that dark burgundy hue in the glass. After fermentation this La Fortuna Rosso di Montalcino is racked mostly to large Slovenian oak casks for six months and aged a further six months in mainly 1 and 2 times filled small French barriques, which explains the luxurious velvety mouth feel, before bottling. This estate goes back a long way with the Zannoni [family] first arriving at “La Fortuna” back in 1907 to work the farmstead and through the generations rose up to finally purchase the property and become a private winery and label with fifth generation Gioberto Zannoni now in charge at this highly regarded Brunello label. I suggest buying the 2013 and 2016 if you can still find them, but don’t overlook these tasty and graceful 2018s either.”
Winery Note “Its burgundy red colour and intriguing acidity opens to the sense of smell with strong fruity flavours; intense and fascinating, spicy, it maintains a well-constructed pleasant taste, full and plain, velvety and smooth.”


Love Brunello? We offer over 50 Brunello wines in stock now, including picks from Casanova di Neri, Il Poggione, and Stella di Campalto! Shop the entire selection on our web store.

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The Durand brothers are making it look easy.  It’s hard to find Northern Rhone wines that combine soul and polish—it seems as if most of the new wines we taste are either hyper glossy or very rustic.  To hit that sweet spot, where your wines speak very loudly of place but are elegant, drinkable and age-worthy—that’s special indeed.  To make those sorts of wines at the prices that the Durands charge seems almost unthinkable.

We’re taking those prices and making them even better, at least until we open for business on Friday morning. We’re offering you an extra 10% off orders of Eric & Joel Durand wines until Tuesday at 10am.

“Consistently brilliant wines emerge from Domaine Durand, which is run with incredible talent and passion by Eric and Joël Durand. Located in the tiny village of Châteaubourg, they pull from roughly 22 hectares of vines, 8.5 hectares in Saint Joseph, 9.5 hectares in Cornas and tiny amounts in Saint-Péray and Vin de Pays. The brothers took over the estate in 1991, and while the winemaking is relatively modern, these are classic, pure, beautifully made wines that speak clearly to their region and terroir.“ –Jeb Dunnuck

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Domaine Eric et Joel Durand Cornas Empreintes 2017 750ML ($49.95) Displayed Price: $39, 10% Off Price: $35.10
Domaine Eric et Joel Durand Cornas Empreintes 2017 1.5L ($99.95) Displayed Price: $89, 10% Off Price: $80.10
Jeb Dunnuck 95 points “One of the flagship releases is the 2017 Cornas Empreintes, which comes from the steep, granite hillsides of Cornas, sees 25% stems, and is brought up in 20% new French oak. This full-bodied, concentrated effort boasts a deep purple hue, notes of peppery herbs, plums, blackberries, and smoked game, building tannins, and just about overflowing amounts of character. It’s a stunning, brilliant Cornas that’s going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and cruise for 15+ years. Bravo!”
Wine Spectator 93 points “Solidly built, with a strong chalky spine buried deep in the core of dark plum and blackberry fruit. Smoldering tobacco, dark olive and warm cast iron accents fill in throughout. Frankly grippy, so some patience in the cellar is required. Best from 2022 through 2040. 800 cases made, 90 cases imported.”

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Domaine Eric et Joel Durand Cornas Empreintes 2015 750ML ($49.95) Displayed Price: $39, 10% Off Price: $35.10
Wine Spectator 95 points “($48) Loads of chalky grip keeps this wrapped up tight, but the core of steeped plum, fig and blackberry fruit is brimming with energy, while bay leaf, licorice root and charcoal notes chomp at the bit on the finish. Cellaring will rein this in. Best from 2021 through 2035. 700 cases made.”
Wine Advocate 94 points “Produced from 30-year-old vines and aged in 20% new oak, the 2015 Cornas Empreintes features classic Cornas notes of crushed stone, bloody meat and red plums. It’s full-bodied, rich and packed with fruit and tannin but supple at the same time. It’s mouth-filling and round, then finishes long, dry and mouthwatering.”
Jeb Dunnuck 93+ points “The 2015 Cornas Empreintes is unique in the lineup as it comes 30% from more limestone soils. It’s 75% destemmed and aged in 20% new French oak. It’s more elegant and focused than the opulent Premices and gives up lots of blackberry and cassis fruits, leather, crushed rock and pepper aromatics. Deep, rich, beautifully concentrated and pure, it needs short-term cellaring but is a brilliant wine that’s going to impress for 10-15 years.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 93 points “Opaque ruby. Spice-accented dark fruit, violet and olive scents, along with suggestions of smoky bacon and cracked pepper. Sweet and expansive on the palate, offering densely packed cassis, blueberry and spicecake flavors that become livelier as the wine opens up. Rich yet energetic in style, showing excellent delineation and dark fruit thrust on a very long, smooth finish framed by velvety tannins.”

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Domaine Eric et Joel Durand Cornas Premices 2015 750ML ($39.95) Displayed Price: $33, 10% Off Price: $29.70
Jeb Dunnuck 95 points “The 2015 Cornas Premices comes from a mix of granite terroirs and was mostly destemmed (75%) and aged in 20% new barrels. It offers an incredibly rich, opulent style in its plum, blackberry liqueur, lavender and peppery herb aromas and flavors. Thick, unctuous, and incredibly broad and expansive on the palate, with sweet tannin, it’s the largest production cuvée from this estate and is going to be an incredible value! Don’t miss it.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 91 points “Brilliant purple. Mineral- and spice-accented aromas of cherry pit, cassis and olive, along with a subtle floral quality that expands as the wine stretches out. Juicy, appealingly sweet black and blue fruit flavors show very good clarity, and a suggestion of cracked pepper adds spicy bite. Conveys a suave blend of power and delicacy and finishes with building sweetness and velvety, even tannins.”

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Domaine Eric et Joel Durand Cornas Premices 2016 750ML ($39.95) Displayed Price: $33, 10% Off Price: $29.70
Wine Spectator 94 points “Warm fig, blackberry and black currant fruit gives this a decidedly dark profile, while licorice root, dark olive and bay leaf notes score the finish. A tarry edge adds grip and length. Shows range and depth, and begs for cellaring. Best from 2021 through 2035.”
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2016 Cornas Premices, from relatively young vines, has turned out well. Menthol, leather and plum combine on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is supple and charming. Already easy to drink, it offers decent concentration and a long finish lined with soft, dusty tannins.”-JC

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Domaine Eric et Joel Durand Cornas Premices 2017 750ML ($39.95) Displayed Price: $33, 10% Off Price: $29.70
Jeb Dunnuck 93 points “Lots of blueberries, jammy blackberries, violets, licorice, and floral notes emerge from the 2017 Cornas Prémices. This fleshy, sexy, full-bodied beauty is a quintessential, hedonistic Cornas that’s already hard to resist. Nevertheless, it has enough sweet tannins to keep for over a decade. This cuvée comes from slightly younger vines (15 to 30-year-old vines) and is aged in 20% new French oak.”
Wine Spectator 92 points “Offers a ripe, slightly toasty profile, featuring plum and blackberry fruit, tinged with ganache and alder notes. Shows some heft, with the toast clinging to the finish. A light violet echo gives this some needed lift at the end. Best from 2020 through 2030. 875 cases made, 120 cases imported.”

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Domaine Eric et Joel Durand Saint-Joseph Les Coteaux 2017 750ML ($39.95) Displayed Price: $29, 10% Off Price: $26.10
Decanter 93 points “Sourced from 15- to 30-year-old vines on granite soils towards the south of the appellation, the fruit for this wine is all destemmed, spending 12 months maturing in barriques and demi-muids, 15% new. It has a lovely purity of expression, the fruit using the oak for support, not influence. It’s a medium-bodied, very fresh expression with no overextraction and an elegant finish. It has refined tannins and good persistence. An unforced, easy to drink with with good typicity.”
Wine Spectator 92 points “Bright and juicy, with lots of blackberry and plum compote flavors, inlaid with licorice and singed apple wood notes. A lively briar accent through the finish offsets the toast. Best from 2021 through 2030. 2,000 cases made, 450 cases imported.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 91 points “Bright purple. Spice-accented blue fruit and floral scents, along with hints of cured tobacco and olive. Broad and fleshy in the mouth, offering sappy boysenberry and bitter cherry flavors that turn sweeter on the back half. Youthful, gripping tannins add shape to the finish, which hangs on with strong, dark-fruit-driven tenacity.”

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Domaine Eric et Joel Durand Saint-Joseph Lautaret 2017 750ML ($39.95) Displayed Price: $33, 10% Off Price: $29.70
Wine Spectator 93 points “Fleshy and forward in feel, with a hint of ganache leading steeped plum and raspberry fruit along, accented by singed alder and licorice root notes. The solidly grippy finish pulls everything together. Needs a touch of cellaring. Best from 2022 through 2032. 340 cases made, 50 cases imported.”
Jeb Dunnuck 92+ points “The top Saint Joseph, the 2017 Saint Joseph Lautaret comes from older vines from the southern part of the appellation (near the village of Châteaubourg) and was brought up in 15% new French oak. It has a juicy, fresh, yet concentrated style to go with vivid dark berry fruits, crushed rock, graphite, and ground pepper notes. This terrific wine will benefit from short-term cellaring and keep for over a decade.”

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Last year, Emanuel Darnaud’s wines were one of the best surprises. This small producer made spectacular Crozes-Hermitage wines, which were some of the best deals in red while they were in stock.  From top to bottom, the Darnaud wines over performed, with density, power and drinkability.  They are Syrah with soul and immediate appeal.  We’d like to get them into more glasses and cellars, though, so we’re offering you 10% off these already great values—until 10AM on Tuesday.

The 2016 versions are a worthy follow up to their breakthrough 2015’s.  These two bottlings are the “high end” of the Darnaud lineup, but are still priced below the mid-tier wines of much better-known wineries. They offer fantastic value at our normal (great) prices, but with 10% off, they’re that much better deals.

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Emmanuel Darnaud Saint Joseph La Dardouille, Rhone 2016 750ML ($49.95) Displayed Price: $39, 10% Off Price: $35.10
Jeb Dunnuck 94 points “The 2016 Saint Joseph Lieu Dit La Dardouille comes from a fabulous terroir (Jean-Louis Chave also works with this vineyard) and was brought up a mix of once- and twice-used demi-muids and barrels. It offers ripe, sexy notes of crème de cassis, violets, and graphite, with subtle new oak covered by beautifully pure fruit. With medium to full-bodied richness and depth, sweet tannins, and a great finish, it’s a gem of a Saint Joseph that will be better with 2-3 years of bottle age and cruise for a decade. Hats off to the young Emmanuel Darnaud for another beautiful wine.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 93 points “(no stems; raised in a combination of one- to three-year-old barriques and demi-muids) Brilliant violet. Potent, mineral-accented black and blue fruit, spicecake and floral pastille aromas show outstanding clarity and pick up a smoky mineral nuance with air. Juicy and focused on the palate, offering vibrant bitter cherry, blueberry and star anise flavors that deepen and spread out steadily on the back half. Finishes floral, sweet and impressively long, displaying repeating spiciness and well-knit tannins.”

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Emmanuel Darnaud Crozes-Hermitage Au Fil du Temps, Rhone 2016 750ML ($49.95) Displayed Price: $39, 10% Off Price: $35.10
Emmanuel Darnaud Crozes-Hermitage Au Fil du Temps, Rhone 2016 1.5L ($99.95) Displayed Price: $89, 10% Off Price: $80.10
Jeb Dunnuck 93 points “The 2016 Crozes Hermitage Au Fil Du Temps comes from the alluvial soils in the southern part of the appellation and was brought up in 50% French oak. Sporting a saturated purple color, it offers impressive notes of crème de cassis, black raspberries, crushed pepper, and ample floral and incense notes. With medium to full body, solid elegance and balance, and moderate tannins, you can drink it today or cellar bottles for 7-8 years.”
Wine Spectator 92 points ” A soft, fleshy, generous style, with dark tea, mulled blackberry and plum fruit and warmed anise notes. Offers a velvety feel through the finish. Will have lots of fans. Drink now through 2021. 257 cases made.”
Winery note “Nose: Delicate and subtle. Aromas of blackberry and licorice stick. An impression of wet stones.  Mouth: The entry shows a great freshness. The tannins are velvety and offer a voluminous and racy mid-palate. This wine offers great harmony and will need a few years to reveal its full potential.”

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Daniel Bouland makes gutsy wines from old vines in the heart of Beaujolais premier appellations. You often hear that they’re traditionally made and, although that’s true, it doesn’t begin to describe what makes the wines unique. These are wines that recall what Beaujolais would have been like before industrial farming and certainly before industrial winemaking. They’re special, powerful and age-worthy.

From a winemaking perspective, the closest comparison to what Daniel Bouland is doing is probably Domaine Dujac. The cross-regional comparison probably violates some sort of law of wine-writing, but when you look at what Bouland does with his grapes, it makes sense. There’s almost exclusively whole cluster fermentation at both houses and Bouland’s wine show as muscular and robust—capable of very long aging and transformation into profound wines.

The difference, of course, is that working with Gamay, Bouland’s wines are more immediately drinkable than anything from Dujac (Bouland also doesn’t use new oak on his wines). And the prices are far below what top Burgundy can command. Young, the Bouland bottles show both intense fruit and structure—you wouldn’t necessarily think to drink Beaujolais with steak, but these are incredible pairings with even very hearty foods -especially since Gamay has a zesty freshness to it that can lighten, nay elevate, any meal.

We’re offering 10% off our listed prices for any mix of 3 or more bottles of 2019 Daniel Bouland Beaujolais!

2019 Daniel Bouland Subscriber Special
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Arriving early December:

Daniel Bouland Chiroubles Chatenay, Beaujolais 2019 750ML ($37.95) $33 pre-arrival special
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 92 points “Exuberant aromas of raspberries, blackberries and cherries introduce the 2019 Chiroubles Chatenay, a medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy wine that’s round and enveloping, with a charming core of fruit and melting, delicately powdery tannins. It will drink well young.”

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Daniel Bouland Morgon Corcelette Vieilles Vignes Cailloux, Beaujolais 2019 750ML ($41.95) $38 pre-arrival special
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2019 Morgon Corcelette Vieilles Vignes Cailloux is once again quite structured this year, though it’s not as brooding and muscular as its 2018 counterpart. Revealing aromas of raspberries, cherries, burning embers and sweet soil tones, it’s medium to full-bodied, with a deep core of fruit, lively acids and a chassis of fine but abundant tannins.”

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Daniel Bouland Corcelette Vieilles Vignes Sable, Beaujolais 2019 750ML ($41.95) $38 pre-arrival special
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2019 Morgon Corcelette Vieilles Vignes Sable is excellent, unfurling in the glass with aromas of cherries, plums, violets and orange rind. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and muscular, built around succulent acids and powdery tannins, it’s elegantly structured and built to age, even if it’s charming enough to be enjoyed young—the 2011 vintage from my own cellar is drinking brilliantly.”

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Daniel Bouland Cote de Brouilly Cuvee Melanie, Beaujolais 2019 750ML ($37.95) $33 pre-arrival special
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 92 points “Offering up aromas of red plums, berries, raw cocoa and spices, the 2019 Côte de Brouilly Cuvée Melanie is medium to full-bodied, supple and velvety, with a fleshy core of fruit, melting tannins and lively acids. Bright and charming, it’s produced from a south-facing site near Château Thivin.”

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Daniel Bouland Morgon Bellevue Cailloux, Beaujolais 2019 750ML ($41.95) $38 pre-arrival special
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 94 points “Derived from older vines in rockier soils, the 2019 Morgon Bellevue Cailloux is even more sensuous and textural than its Sable counterpart. Mingling notions of raspberries and plums with hints of rose petals and spices, it’s medium to full-bodied, velvety and enveloping, its powdery tannins almost entirely cloaked in succulent, perfumed fruit.”

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Daniel Bouland Morgon Les Delys, Beaujolais 2019 750ML ($49.95) $41.90 pre-arrival special
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2019 Morgon Les Delys Vignes plantées en 1926 has turned out brilliantly, wafting from the glass with aromas of ripe cherries, blackberries, strawberries, sweet soil tones and spices. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, it’s seamless and multidimensional, and with striking concentration, succulent acids and powdery tannins, it’s long and penetrating. While this is carrying less puppy fat than the 2018 at the same age, it’s still quite a demonstrative, fruit-driven vintage of Les Delys, and while it will be long-lived, it can also be approached young.”

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Daniel Bouland Morgon Bellevue Sable, Beaujolais 2019 750ML ($41.95) $36 pre-arrival special
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2019 Morgon Bellevue Sable is showing beautifully, wafting from the glass with aromas of raspberries, cherries, orange rind and plums. Medium to full-bodied, supple and succulent, it’s bright and fleshy, with powdery tannins and a generous core of fruit, girdled by lively acids. Bottled only a week before I tasted it, I suspect it will perform even better with six months’ bottle age. As readers will remember, this cuvée comes from younger vines, planted on Viala rootstock in sandy soils—as the “Sable” newly added to its label makes clear.”

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Love Beaujolais? We offer 42 wines from Beaujolais in stock now, including favorites from Anne-Sophie Dubois, Chermette Vissoux, and Clos de la Roilette. Shop the entire selection on our web store.

 

 

Climate change has been a blessing and a curse for the classic regions. While there are rarely any “bad” vintages anymore, there are vintages that play better to different styles and thus sometimes to very different palates. The differences between the 2014 and 2015 vintages of Canon La Gaffeliere show their strengths in very different ways, and I would pay attention to which one would match your preferred style.

First and foremost, both of these wines are lovely albeit for very different reasons. The von Nipperg family has taken great pains to improve the various estates they own or manage, and La Gaffeliere seems to be the crown jewel. Merlot is their passion, even in their Left Bank property, and the quality and care that goes into the vineyard management, fruit selection, and cellaring shows their commitment. Even though the Merlot is the preferred varietal, the cépage is nearly 50/50 with the Cabernets making up the balance. Different properties have slightly different styles, due to the microclimate of each site, but the Gaffeliere stands out as the most aromatic, elegant and balanced of the lot. However, even the most elegant wines can change from year to year, following the dictation of the weather. Both vintages were almost identically blended (55% Merlot, 37% Cab Franc, 8% Cab Sauvignon) so it is a fun exercise to try them in close enough proximity to appreciate the differences.

2014 was a vintage that stood out to me as being classic in that the wine showed the cedar-y, floral notes quite clearly and stood apart from the tobacco and warm chocolate aromatics. Flavors of pomegranate and warm raspberry, with a very tightly wound core of mineral laden cassis. No shrinking violet, the wine was impressively solid in the glass even now, but the vintage has a lift and vibrancy that leads you to believe that the best is yet to come. There is plenty more to reveal over the next decade or two, and the price tag will seem like a steal when you are enjoying this a decade from now. 

2015 brought the heat and turned an already warm site into a crucible. While not as bright in aromatics, the deeper scents are very powerful. Rose petal, pastille, coffee and tobacco are all swirling around. The concentration of dark rich flavors abounds. If 2014 was tart pomegranate and Mirabelle plum, 2015 was warm fig and dates, blackberries and dark cherries, tobacco, and iron. If I had friends who were avowed CA wine drinkers, this is the gateway wine for them. It is definitely still a Bordeaux, but the warmth in the glass will grab the attention of anyone fond of something perhaps a little more hedonistic and lush. I know that this wine will age and begin to show off some of the other layers, but I have a hard time telling fans of CA wine to hold off. With a good day in the decanter, the wine will show nearly everything it has in store.

In stock now:

Chateau Canon la Gaffeliere, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2014 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 36 bottles in stock now
#7 Wine Spectator Wine Of The Year 2017
Antonio Galloni 95+ points “One of the wines of the vintage, the 2014 Canon La Gaffelière is explosive, lifted and aristocratic in its breeding. Bright Cabernet Franc aromatics give the wine its signature lift and precision. Raspberry jam, rose petal, mint, blood orange, tobacco and pomegranate build slowly on the palate, leading to a super-expressive, finely knit finish. Powerful yet also impeccably refined, the 2014 has it all. The 2014 is 55 % Merlot, 37 % Cabernet Franc and 8 % Cabernet Sauvignon. Don’t miss it. Tasted two times.”
Wine Spectator 95 points “This cuts a wide swath, with mouthwatering tobacco and warm ganache notes leading the way, followed by a wave of fig, blackberry and black currant preserves. Shows remarkable definition already, even though the structure is strident. Tempting now, but just put this in the back of the cellar. Best from 2020 through 2035. 4,083 cases made.”


Chateau Canon la Gaffeliere, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2015 750ML ($159.95) $138 special, 22 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 97 points “The 2015 Canon La Gaffelière is deep, powerful and explosive. Seamless and captivating in the glass, it possesses magnificent richness, volume and intensity in every dimension. The Cabernet Franc, usually such a strong signature, is nearly buried by the sheer intensity of the Merlot fruit. Espresso, mocha, licorice and plum infuse the racy finish. The 2015 is going to need the better part of a decade to be expressive. Tasted two times.”
Wine Advocate 97 points “Composed of 55% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Franc and 7% Cabernet Sauvignon and aged in French oak, 55% new, for 17 months, the 2015 Canon la Gaffeliere features a deep garnet-purple color and a cedar-laced nose to begin, giving way to fragrant underlying scents of roses and violets with a core of crushed black currants, blackberries and Bing cherries plus hints of fallen leaves and dusty earth. Medium to full-bodied, the seductively perfumed red and black fruit fills the mouth, framed with plush tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing very long and minerally.”
Wine Spectator 96 points “Still youthfully tight and backward, with a well-roasted frame of alder and juniper holding sway for now, but the core of cassis, blackberry and plum fruit waits in reserve, showing prodigious depth. When the toast and fruit melds, the backdrop of tobacco, singed iron and chalky minerality will get a turn to show. There’s a lot here. Built for the cellar. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2025 through 2040. 6,250 cases made.”
James Suckling 96 points “The aromas of violets and rose petals are prevalent here with blue fruits as well. Full body, integrated and firm tannins and a long finish. Structured yet fine and shows such finesse. Give it five or six years to come together.”


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