A stunning 2015 Brunello at a price that’s far below its quality.
Tenuta Fanti Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2015 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
James Suckling 95 points “There’s a beautiful interplay between bright, primary florals, such as rose petals and tulips and dust, hay bale and dried raspberries. The palate suggests a ripe, powerful persona with chewy, juicy tannins and a fine line of pretty acidity. Best ever. Drink in 2022.”

Where else in the wine world can you get this complexity for this sort of price?
Weingut Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Spatlese, Nahe 2017 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Stuart Pigott 99 points “Most people who drink wine know what a ripe peach tastes like. However, this wine gives you a completely new appreciation of the meaning of the word “peach”. Beyond that, it possesses subtlety that is extremely rare anywhere in the world of food and wine. From organically grown grapes. Fair’n Green certification. Absolutely delicious now, but could be held for decades.”
David Schildknecht – Vinous 95 points “Lily perfume on the nose of this Hermannshöhle reminds me both of the corresponding 2016 and of this year’s Kirschheck. That is accompanied by ripe, fresh and high-toned, distillate-like notes of pear and quince. The glossy palate is lusciously fruited, billowingly perfumed, as well as seductively glossy and creamy in texture. Piquancy of pear pip and hints of anise add counterpoint, while fresh grapefruit and white peach contribute welcomed bright juiciness en route to a ravishingly-sustained, impeccably-balanced finish. The covering term “mineral” will for now have to serve the strikingly transparent finish, which becomes more intriguing the longer the wine takes on air.”

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The average listed price is $65

Standout, Under $40 Cali Cabernet
Marietta Cellars ‘Game Trail’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Yorkville Highlands 2017 750ML ($41.95) $36 special
Antonio Galloni 90-93 points “The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Game Trail is decidedly aromatic and peppery in its flavor profile, much of that a reflection of the personality of this site planted at 1400 feet. Hints of spice, licorice and chocolate add complexity to the dark-toned flavors, but the wine’s overall feel leans towards the more savory side of Cabernet.”

The best value in the Palacios lineup. A big step up from the Camins del Priorat and not too far off some of the higher end wines, especially in a great vintage like 2017.
Alvaro Palacios ‘Les Terrasses’ Velles Vinyes, Priorat DOCa 2017 750ML ($44.95) $36 special
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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A great price on one of Washington’s standout wines.
Leonetti Cellar Reserve, Walla Walla Valley 2016 750ML ($189.95) $149 special
Jeb Dunnuck 99 points “The 2016 Reserve is similar in color (it might be even inkier at the rim) and is a blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Malbec, and 5% Cabernet Franc that spent 22 months in a mix of 75% new and 25% once-used French oak barrels. It offers sensational notes of crème de cassis, graphite, crushed rocks, smoke tobacco, and perfectly integrated oak. These all flow to a ripe, powerful, yet seamless and incredibly elegant wine that has nothing out of place, building tannins, awesome purity of fruit, and a massive finish. Reminding me of the 2010, yet made in a more elegant style, this magical wine is drinkable today but will benefit for 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for 3-4 decades. Hats off to Chris Figgins for another awe-inspiring wine.”
James Suckling 97 points “Beautifully stylish, this is a complex, youthful red with attractive, barrel-derived charcuterie, built around precisely ripe blackcurrants, red plums and dark cherries, as well as cedary-tobacco nuances and dark chocolate. So classic. The palate has a succulent, smooth and astutely groomed texture with tannins that are so nicely worked and deliver length with elegance. Black-cherry, blood-plum and dark-chocolate flavors abound. A blend of 73% cabernet sauvignon, 22% malbec and 5% cabernet franc. Try from 2024.”
Wine Advocate 96 points “A blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Malbec and 5% Cabernet Franc, the 2016 Walla Walla Reserve is the king of the range with expressive, bold fruit that demonstrates finesse and power, with crème de cassis, blackberry skin and dark cherry jus that connects with a spiced core and oaky essence on the nose. Full-bodied on the palate, the wine bursts with flavor teeming with tension and ripe tannins that will carry this for decades to come. Lush and round, it ends with a long, thought-provoking finish with impeccable balance. 911 cases produced.”
Stephen Tanzer – Vinous 96 points “Bright red-ruby. Very dark, vibrant scents and flavors of blackberry, cassis, boysenberry, licorice and violet. Incredibly silky and concentrated on the palate, with terrific mineral lift intensifying the wine’s fruit. The remarkably long, slowly building finish features noble tannins. It’s hard to scrape this off the palate, and yet this brilliant wine shows no excess weight. Incidentally, this wine is made from all four of the estate’s vineyards plus some old vines in Seven Hills. Should be very long-lived.”
Wine Spectator 95 points “Graceful, polished and dynamic, with layered blackberry, toasty allspice and espresso flavors that take on richness toward refined tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2028. 911 cases made.”

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The wines of Madrid have had a devoted following, especially those out of the Sierra de Gredos. The entire plateau seems to be drenched in the intense sunlight of Spain, but the altitude and the confluence of so many tributaries lends to a dramatic diurnal swing. Soils feature primarily decomposed granitic, sandy soils – the quintessential stomping ground for well-built Garnacha. These vineyards are only about a half hour from Madrid yet feel timeless, as though they were cut out of the mountains and could be found nowhere else. The highest planted parcels are surrounded by pine trees and old Pyrenean oaks that feel like sentinels looking over the reinvigorated vines that had been neglected for so long. With the care of proud parents, the families of the surrounding area participate in the harvest and the team at the winery has committed itself to preserving the connection between these vines and the people of the village.

The two wines are similar in their concentration and aromatic signatures, but the 2016 30,000 Maravedies has an elegance and brightness that reflects the edge of the vintage. The ’15 was a vintage that brought the heat and the Maranones Maranones was delightful, even superior to many comparable wines of the southern Rhone. Whole clusters and indigenous yeasts give a silky but substantial texture on the palate and wild sauvage aromatic signature. Floral and herbal notes surround dark fruit that opens up nicely. These wines are generous but balanced and will age beautifully over the next decade.
 
In Stock from Bodegas Maranones;

Bodegas Maranones 30,000 Maravedies, Madrid 2016 750ML ($29.95) $24 special
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 91+ points “The fully developed, aromatic and open 2016 30.000 Maravedíes, with nice aromatics and a very pleasant palate. It’s fragrant and elegant, with pungent flavors and very good persistence. This is a superb showing for this bottling. 39,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2017.”

Bodega Maranones ‘Maranones’, Madrid 2015 750ML ($31.95) $26 special
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 92 points “Produced with Garnacha grapes from three plots of vines in San Martín de Valdeiglesias, the 2015 Marañones fermented with full clusters in oak vats with indigenous yeasts and matured in 500-liter barrels for one year. It’s riper and more Mediterranean, especially when tasted next to the 2016. The wine has earthy tannins and shows moderate acidity. It’s a riper year, resembling the wines from the south of the Rhône, but with a finesse and an elegance. 9,092 bottles were filled in February 2017.”

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We’re pleased to feature the exceptional wines of Averaen to Vinopolis—at more than exceptional pricing. If you’re unfamiliar with these wines, you’d be excused—2016 is only the label’s second year in existence, but they’ve already established themselves as a top producer of rich, terroir-driven Pinot Noir in Oregon.

Averaen is a project of Baron Ziegler, one of the founders of Banshee wines, and, like their Cali-counterparts, the Averaen wines deliver exceptional value—a hard thing to do in Pinot Noir.  These are exceptionally made, well reviewed single vineyard wines that are a steal for the prices we’re offering them at.

Stylistically, these are powerful Pinot Noirs with intensity and substance. Though they all have distinct signatures of their vineyards, they share a richness of fruit and an oak framing that makes them feel distinctly more premium than their prices would suggest. Lovers of Archery Summit, Domaine Serene and Penner-Ash should take note—these are alternatives that deliver real value to those brands.

We have an assortment in stock now, all ready for drinking and cellaring.

In Stock Now:

Averaen Croft Vineyard Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2016 750ML ($49.95) $36 special
Josh Raynolds 93 points “(50% whole clusters and 50% new French oak) Brilliant red. Powerful smoke- and spice-accented red berry liqueur, mocha and floral pastille scents show excellent clarity and pick up notes of licorice and cola with air. Sweet and expansive on the palate, offering juicy black raspberry, cherry cola, lavender and spicecake flavors that become livelier on the back half. This weighty yet lithe Pinot finishes smooth and very long, featuring slow-building tannins and resonating florality.”

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Averaen ‘Eola Springs Vineyard’ Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2016 750ML ($49.95) $36 special
Josh Raynolds 93 points “(50% whole clusters and 50% new French oak) Vivid red. Spice-tinged black raspberry and cherry scents are complicated by hints of cola, pungent flowers and smoky minerals. Sweet and seamless on the palate, offering energetic red and dark berry and vanilla flavors along with suggestions of rose pastille and blood orange that add complexity. Concentrated but vibrant and precise in character, delivering strong finishing thrust, interwoven tannins and excellent, floral-driven persistence.”

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Averaen Meredith Mitchell Vineyard Pinot Noir, McMinnville 2016 750ML ($49.95) $36 special
Josh Raynolds 92 points “(20% whole clusters and 50% new French oak) Lurid red. Blackberry and boysenberry aromas are complicated by suggestions of cola and candied violet, and a smoky mineral note lends nervy lift. Incisive dark berry and bitter cherry flavors slowly gain flesh and become sweeter in the midpalate. Impressively precise and energetic, delivering strong finishing thrust and dusty, building tannins that make a late appearance.”

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The average price is $48

Averaen Nysa Vineyard Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2016 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Josh Raynolds 93 points “(30% whole clusters and 50% new French oak) Deep vivid red. A highly aromatic bouquet evokes red fruit liqueur, mocha and Asian spices, along with a smoky mineral overtone. Juicy, seamless and precise on the palate, offering sweet raspberry, rose pastille and spicecake flavors that deepen and spread out steadily with air. Conveys a suave blend of richness and finesse and finishes with supple, harmonious tannins and outstanding clarity and floral-tinged persistence.”

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The average price is $48

 

Every wine region in the world has one or two estates that immediately come to mind when you hear the name of the region: Chateau Margaux in Margaux, Romanee-Conti in Vosne-Romanee, and Donnhoff in the Nahe. Muller-Catoir occupies that space in the Pfalz region of Germany.

The Pfalz region focused on powerful, dry wines long before it was fashionable and the wines we’re highlighting today are some of the best values in the world for breathtakingly mineral wines.  Muller-Catoir owns some of the greatest vineyards in the region and has a special touch with them.

From grand, aristocratic Riesling to wild and exciting Scheurebe to the best Pinot Blanc (Weisburgunder) in the world, Muller-Catoir’s wines are top of the class in every category—and excellent value as well.  2017 was an exceptional vintage, even by recent German standards, and the wines are powerful, focused and intense—the perfect sort of year for the Pfalz.

We’re offering you an extra 5% off of purchase of 6-11 bottles of 2017 Muller-Catoir and 10% off purchase of 12+, at least until we open for business on Saturday.  This is a fantastic opportunity to stock up on some of the finest wines in Germany at even better prices!

5% Off Any 6-11 bottles of 2017 Muller-Catoir
10% Off Any 12+ bottles of 2017 Muller-Catoir
Offer Ends Saturday, August 8th at 10AM
Discount Will Not Display Online or In Your Cart
We will adjust your invoice before processing your card

In Stock Now:

Muller-Catoir Haardter Burgergarten ‘Im Breumel’ Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Pfalz 2017 750ML ($79.95) $59 Displayed Price, that’s $56.05 at 5% off and $53.10 at 10% off!
Stuart Pigott 98 points “Stand back for the arrival of a giant! Super-fresh nectarine, vanilla and Thai-basil aromas that don’t leave you in any doubt that this is a very remarkable dry riesling. Then the tidal wave of minerality comes through at the finish and sweeps everything away. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.”
Stephen Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 94+ points “From a 2.8 hectare clos that is the highest, coolest and stoniest (sandstone/gravel) plot of the Bürgergarten, the 2017 Riesling Bürgergarten “Im Breumel” GG offers a deep, ripe, lush and intense bouquet with fascinating flavors of crushed stones and ripe fruits. Lush and intense on the palate, this is a deep, dense, very complex and powerful dry Riesling with lingering salinity and very fine tannins. Great but way too young. Tasted in Haardt, December 2019.”
Wine Spectator 94 points “Extremely elegant and precisely crafted, with notes of star anise and lavender framing the core of crunchy pear and blood orange flavors. The acidity is appreciable, fueling the flavors and spice accents. Savory mineral details linger on the finish. Best from 2021 through 2031.”

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Muller-Catoir Haardter Burgergarten Riesling Spatlese, Pfalz 2017 750ML ($49.95) $39 Displayed Price, that’s $37.05 at 5% off and $35.10 at 10% off!
Stuart Pigott 95 points “Stunning nectarine, peach and papaya character, together with lovely succulence and enormous vitality, make this a breathtaking sweet Spätlese with a finish that’s straight as a laser beam and super-clean. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.”

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Muller-Catoir Haardter Burgergarten Riesling Trocken, Pfalz 2017 750ML ($49.95) $36 Displayed Price, that’s $34.20 at 5% off and $32.40 at 10% off!
Stuart Pigott 94 points ” Effusive aromas of apricots and lemon zest with hints of summer flowers. At once succulent, graceful and finely nuanced on the palate, then very long and filigree at the finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.”
Grapelive 93 points “The Burgergarten in the Haardt vineyard as used by the famed Mueller-Catoir, or hill garden, is a Premier Cru site that is composed of weathered yellow sandstone interspersed with layer of loess and clay giving the perfect conditions to make a lush, but crisply dry Riesling of refined elegance and with a concentrated underlying power, which in 2017 is incredible and joyously perfumed. ….The 2017 Burgergarten Trocken [has] exotic tropical fruit and floral aromas with plumeria, jasmine, dried pineapple, gingery/peppery notes and grilled citrus leading the way on the racy palate, this Riesling feels a bit like Trimbach’s Cuvee Frederic Emile, adding layers of wild peach, while cherry, tangy apricot and zesty lime notes along with loads of tannin like structure, zippy acidity, chalky stones and a Chablis like steely edge! Air brings more body out and clears the touch of reduction that easily blows and this Riesling becomes in fact more white Burgundy like in some ways, while also gaining hints of spearmint, chamomile and verbena, which clearly are Riesling influences and it is strikingly impressive for keeping its tension , clarity and severity, like a firm GG should…This area can produce monumental dry Riesling, as witnessed here with this Erste Lage Trocken from Mueller-Catoir….Terry Theise, Mueller-Catoir’s famous importer, says the estate produces wines of outstanding transparency and density, and remains emblematic of Riesling at its most sophisticated, and I totally agree, these are amazingly pure wines that are both wildly entertaining in expression and wines of remarkable class and finesse…. This Burgergarten grows on you with every sip and should get even more intriguing with 3 to 5 years more are on it, patience I think will be well rewarded, and I hope I get to revisit it a few more times.”

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Muller-Catoir Gimmeldingen Riesling, Pfalz 2017 750ML ($29.95) $24 Displayed Price, that’s $22.80 at 5% off and $21.60 at 10% off!
Stuart Pigott 93 points “Ripe white and yellow peaches and just enough acidity to lift the medium-full body and give the long finish some real drive. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.”

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Muller-Catoir Haardter Muskateller Trocken, Pfalz 2017 750ML ($29.95) $27 Displayed Price, that’s $25.65 at 5% off and $24.30 at 10% off!
Stuart Pigott 92 points “Wonderful pink-grapefruit and muscat nose that bowls you over. So joyful and really rather subtle for a seriously aromatic grape variety. Very bright finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink now.”
Terry Theise note “I’ve often said you have to go to the Grand Cru Goldert from ZH to fins a Muscat equal to Catoir’s, but lately the Alsace wine’s been flirting with overripeness, while the Catoir never does. Clearly I adore Muscat, but if it has a claim to stake on greatness, this is where. The ’17 is clean, brisk, shimmering, salty and gigglesome. Forget the sleek salty substance; just suck on the Thai-basil leaf while you wiggle your toes….”

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Muller-Catoir Haardt Scheurebe, Pfalz 2017 750ML ($29.95) $24 Displayed Price, that’s $22.80 at 5% off and $21.60 at 10% off!
Stuart Pigott 93 points “The whiff of smoke gives the cassis nose of this wine an extra dimension. Concentrated and racy with a dangerous amount of energy. So juicy and vibrant with a long and very clean finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.”
Terry Theise note “A gooseberry note feints towards Sauvignon Blanc but pink grapefruit pulls it back; finely angular, with a sort of woodruff-like charred-leaf thing; obdurate length; the finish is like the embers of a campfire in your mouth.”

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Muller-Catoir Haardter Riesling Trocken, Pfalz 2017 750ML ($29.95) $24 Displayed Price, that’s $22.80 at 5% off and $21.60 at 10% off!
Stuart Pigott 94 points “A stunning, bone-dry riesling for this moderate price level! Fine nose of sliced pears and honeysuckle. Stunning freshness and purity on the medium-full palate. The finish is subtlety reminiscent of Mosel. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.”
Grapelive 92 points “The 2017 Müller-Catoir Haardt Trocken is exotic and highly aromatic with lovely fruit and mineral intensity, it is a wonderful and crisply dry Riesling that reflects the vintage and its remarkable Pfalz terroir.… the talented Martin Franzen [is] running the cellar here. Franzen, who in the past ran the operations at Schlossgut Diel, employs a strict program with a move to organic practices and severe selections in the vineyards, where everything is worked and picked by hand now and focuses on ultra transparency in the wines with a reductive approach, with every wine getting a hand crafted attention to detail. The Haardt, a village bottling is a pure example with expressive bright flavors and a heavenly floral perfume, while being brisk, tangy and dusty dry on the light framed palate. Müller-Catoir does a gentle crush and gives the juice plenty of time on the skins before a slow and soft pressing before an stainless steel fermentation and aging, all to preserve vibrancy and purity, the wines are always stylish and evocative.…The Haardt Riesling Trocken is all from organic grapes that were grown on standstone soils, which gives this wine its pretty nose and steely form, and this 2017 is absolutely seducing with a complex array of sensations that ranges from tropical essences to flinty wet stones, it is clear and with a tiny hint of sunshine in the glass. In the mouth this calcareous influenced Riesling shows jasmine, oyster shell, peach, tart apricot, green apple and saline notes, adding guava/papaya, rosewater and hint of zesty lime.…this one itself is fabulous and a true value offering from this great estate. I am glad I got a few bottles of Müller-Catoir from 2017, they are looking like classics. This is a great Summer refresher, but serious enough to hang out with haute cuisine, it gets more intriguing with matching food, it can go with a wide variety of foods from fresh shellfish, spicy prawns, sushi as well as cured meats, picnic fare, street tacos and Moroccan lemon chicken even. This vivid and zippy young Riesling is a quality white that makes for a nice alternative for Chablis, Kiwi Sauv Blanc and or Albarino, drink it over the next 3 to 5 years.”

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Muller-Catoir Haardt Weissburgunder Trocken, Pfalz 2017 750ML ($27.95) $24 Displayed Price, that’s $22.80 at 5% off and $21.60 at 10% off!
Stuart Pigott 93 points “Very creamy and silky, but without a hint of fat, this is a very polished pinot blanc with underplayed power. Delicate white-peach and pear aromas. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.”

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Muller-Catoir Haardter Mandelring Scheurebe Trocken, Pfalz 2017 750ML ($59.95) $49 Displayed Price, that’s $46.55 at 5% off and $44.10 at 10% off!
Stuart Pigott 95 points “Why drink a dry white called scheurebe? Here’s the answer. An enormously complex nose of grapefruit, cassis and pineapple, then breathtaking purity and elegance on the palate and a totally uplifting and super-long finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.”

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We enjoy an embarrassment of wine riches here on the West Coast, so it’s easy to overlook the exciting things happening elsewhere in North America. Quality wine is being made from Arizona to Virginia, but there is no region outside of the Pacific Time Zone more deserving of your attention than New York’s Finger Lakes. With a climate similar to some of Europe’s most fashionable regions, each year the Finger Lakes produces many of the USA’s most underrated wines.

This unrealized acclaim was no doubt on the mind of St. Cosme’s winemaker Louis Barruol when he put down roots in the region 10 years ago. Since their inaugural vintage in 2011, Barruol’s Finger Lakes project, Forge Cellars, has been producing dynamic Riesling and Pinot Noir from some of the region’s most renowned vineyards. Cool-climate in nature, they are as fresh and bright as you’d expect. However, thanks to meticulous farming, perfectly ripe fruit yields wines with real gravitas.

Forge’s Rieslings are dry, with more extract and power than you’d expect. Compared to the other wines in the region they have weight that’s nearly unmatched. And the Pinot Noir outshines most similarly priced Pinot from Oregon and California. In short, the price to quality ratio on these wines is off the charts. No wonder why in 10 years Forge has helped to put the Finger Lakes on the international wine map.


In Stock Now:

Forge Cellars ‘Les Allies’ Riesling, Finger Lakes 2015 750ML ($29.95) $24 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 91 points “Rich, with good intensity to the mix of apricot, nectarine and peach flavors, lined with bitter almond and ginger notes through the lengthy finish. Has weight and zip. Drink now through 2020. 262 cases made. “
Winery notes: “Every year Les Alliés evolves naturally by “uncovering” itself. Our indigenous yeast fermentations proceed very slowly. It’s not in spring, but in the summer after the vintage that we are finally able to move toward bottling the wines. Once fermentations are complete, our team begins diligently tasting through each of our 70 barrels and two tanks, giving each a detailed rating and review, and writing personal tasting notes.  When we talk about small batch and individualized fermentations, we really mean it — 70 separate, small French barriques from 10 individual vineyards, each with its own story and personality. Along the way, we decide that some very special barrels are stand-outs, and by consensus, the most exceptional of our Rieslings and Pinots.  This is the consensus that makes up Les Alliés — the allies, the partners, the united ones. We don’t “make” Les Alliés, we discover it together, and it’s an easy decision because it tells us what it wants to be.”

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Forge Cellars Classique Dry Riesling, Finger Lakes 2017 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 16 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 91 points “Jasmine and mustard seed notes lead the way here, backed by a mix of yellow apple, mirabelle plum and citrus oil flavors. Shows good intensity through the finish. Drink now through 2022. 5,773 cases made. –JM”
Winery Notes: Our most important wine aims to reveal the true nature of the vintage and to explore the terroir of lower east Seneca Lake. Due to our focus on this narrow 8-mile stretch of slope on the southeast side which includes 13 of our 14 Riesling vineyards, this is our first labeling under the Seneca Lake AVA. In 2017, we chose not to make our top cuvée, Les Alliés Riesling, and de-classified our fruit in order to ensure the absolute best quality would remain in our core wine. Candied lemon, apricot peel, Asian pear, and anise join with salinity to give impeccable freshness. “You and I carry within us the genetic characters of all our ancestors, which have mixed together and made us unique, well-rounded, complex individuals. This is how our Riesling is born: it encapsulates the characteristics of all our vineyard sites and of our unfailing, passionate commitment to excellence.” –LB

Forge Cellars ‘Les Allies’ Pinot Noir, Finger Lakes 2014 750ML ($34.95) $28 special, 5 bottles in stock now
Wine Enthusiast 92 points– Cellar Selection “Patience will reward those who wait for this stunning wine to reveal itself. It’s initially smoky and closed, but time and aeration bring out penetrating black-cherry and berry flavors. It’s such a seductively perfumed wine with a lingering finish nuanced by spice and violet petals. High-toned acidity and fine upright tannins will keep this wine lively for many years to come.”

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Going, going…
Arterberry Maresh Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2014 750ML ($29.95) $24 special
Winery-cellared release!
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 91 points “Brilliant red. High-pitched raspberry and rose scents are complemented by hints of anise and allspice. Shows very good energy and depth to the red berry and floral pastille flavors, which are given lift by a spine of juicy acidity. Closes smooth, spicy and very long; fine-grained tannins frame the juicy, appealingly sweet red fruit. This wine delivers outstanding value and shows impressive nerve for a warm vintage.”
Neal Martin-Wine Advocate 90 points “The 2014 Pinot Noir Dundee Hills is a blend of Maresh, Juliard, Weber, Gehrts and Folie Hill vineyards. It has a fresh and vibrant bouquet with red cherry and wild strawberry fruit, touches of blood orange with fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin – a mixture here of red and black fruit, meaty in style with a Pommard-like finish that lingers in the mouth. For $25, it’s probably the bargain of the vintage.”
 

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Maybe we should rename this section “Wines as Popular as Rubentis”
Ameztoi Rubentis Rosado, Getariako Txakolina 2019 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special
Case-12 Ameztoi Rubentis Rosado, Getariako Txakolina 2019 750ML ($319.95) $239 special (that’s only $19.92/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Importer note “The pink sibling of Ameztoi’s flagship white, this vibrant rosé is made from a mix of red and white indigenous grapes and is bottled with a little residual carbonation to give it a light spritz.”

The average price is $23

At Krug, ’04>’02—which is really saying something.
Krug Brut, Champagne 2004 750ML ($299.95) $259 special, 24+ bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 97+ points “Krug’s 2004 Vintage is absolutely mesmerizing. Layers of bright, chiseled fruit open up effortlessly as the wine fleshes out with time in the glass. Persistent and beautifully focused, with a translucent sense of energy, the 2004 captures all the best qualities of the year. Moreover, the 2004 is clearly superior to the consistently underwhelming 2002 and the best Krug Vintage since 1996. Readers who can find it should not hesitate, as it is a magical bottle.”
Wine Advocate 97 points “Combining subtleness with complexity, the coolish Krug 2004 Brut opens with a highly elegant, fascinatingly clear, bright and refreshing bouquet of ripe (apple) fruits. Dense and round, with a delicate mineral soul, the pure but perfectly balanced 2004 reveals great finesse and weightless elegance with a long and round finish. This is a gorgeous Krug vintage that is 14 years old but still on the rise. Tasted from ID 316034 in New York in November 2018.”-SR
John Gilman 97 points “The new release of 2004 Krug is absolutely beautiful and is already quite elegant and open on both the nose and palate and is drinking with great finesse. I had expected this wine to be a bit more steely in structure out of the blocks, but the refinement of the blend this year has produced a wine that is already a joy to drink at age thirteen, though it will continue age gracefully for many, many decades to come. The cépages in 2004 is thirty-nine percent Chardonnay, thirty-seven percent Pinot Noir and twenty-four percent Pinot Meunier, with the wine having been disgorged in the winter of 2016. The bouquet jumps from the glass in a refined mix of apple, a touch of walnut, warm bread, lavender, a superb base of soil tones and a topnote of smokiness. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and utterly seamless, with vibrant acids, great focus and grip, a lovely core, refined mousse and a very long, complex, racy and energetic finish. There is marvelous precision here on both the nose and palate, not to mention a sense of harmony and grace that is fairly rare in the 2004 vintage. Chapeau! 2017-2060.”

Chile makes some sneaky-great Pinot Noir.
Montsecano ‘Refugio’ Pinot Noir, Casablanca Valley 2018 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2018 Refugio Pinot Noir also follows the line of the 2018 Montsecano. It is fresher and from a cooler vintage when the grapes were picked a little less ripe and the maceration was shortened. The nose is spectacular, a mix of wild herbs, flowers and berries, some rose petals and even a touch of citrus peel, coming through as aromatic and fresh. The palate is perhaps a tad lighter than previous vintages and perhaps a little more “natural.” But it has very good complexity, developing aromas of violets with time in the glass, and it has lots of freshness and balance.”

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Super-solid Bordeaux for under $20.
Chateau Marjosse, Bordeaux 2015 750ML ($19.95) $17 special
Case-12 Chateau Marjosse, Bordeaux 2015 750ML ($239.95) $189 special (that’s only $15.75/bottle!)
James Suckling 91 points “Aromas of spices, currants and milk chocolate with fresh-basil undertones. Full-bodied, layered and rich with lots of fruit and character on the finish. Tannins are velvety and dusty in texture. Excellent for this chateau. Needs two or three years to soften. Try in 2020.”
“Pierre Lurton’s 2015 Marjosse is a big, bold wine packed with black cherry, tobacco, chocolate, smoke, leather and licorice. This dark, brooding wine should drink nicely upon release. There is plenty going on.” –Antonio Galloni
“The medium garnet-purple colored 2015 Marjosse has a nose of crushed black raspberries and red plums with touches of blackberries and damp soil. Medium to full-bodied, it has good expression and a chewy frame with nice balance and plenty of fruit.” – Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

 

Offering one of Napa Valley’s best quality-to-price ratios, Snowden has earned the respect of both its peers and consumers alike. Today we’re thrilled to offer their 2016 “Brother” bottling, as well of two vintages (2016 and 2017) of “The Ranch” bottling. Both wines punch well above their weight, offering what many consider the region’s best sub-$100 and sub-$50 Cabs respectively.

Located at the confluence of several of Napa Valley’s most acclaimed appellations, including Rutherford and St. Helena, Snowden is a Beverly Hills estate without the 90210 zip code. This location, on the gentle hillside of the Vaca Mountains, allows the estate’s third generation winemaker Diana Snowden Seysses to produce wines of power and nuance. Having trained in both Napa and Europe, her wines combine prototypical Napa muscle with freshness and intricate fruit. Napa Valley producers, especially those with comparable pedigrees that so convincingly achieve this balancing act, are notoriously expensive. Snowden is a rare Napa classic which remains relatively affordable.

The quality of the estate’s fruit has been an open secret within the valley for decades, and many of Napa’s most respected names have purchased fruit over the years, including Silver Oak and Caymus. However, we’re here to publically out Snowden for the greater good. These prices do not reflect the quality on offer, and the wines deserve a place on your dinner table.

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Snowden Vineyards ‘Brothers Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2016 750ML ($89.95) $79 special 
#91 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2019
Antonio Galloni 96+ points “The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Brothers is the best wine I have tasted from Diana Snowden-Seysses. Rich, explosive and savory, the 2016 dazzles with intensity in all of its dimensions. Graphite, smoke, savory herbs and spice notes wrap around a core of dark fruit in a vertical, towering Cabernet Sauvignon that captures all the vintage has to offer.”
Wine Spectator 94 points “Offers a tasty core of plum and blackberry fruit, backed by lively anise and apple wood notes. Restrained overall, with an alluring freshness and a subtle charcoal hint lingering deftly at the end. Drink now through 2032. 639 cases made.”

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Snowden Vineyards The Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2016 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Antonio Galloni 93 points “Snowden’s 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon The Ranch is gorgeous. Dark, powerful and beautifully structured, the 2016 Ranch is a huge overachiever. In 2016, the Ranch is a wine of real power, gravitas and character. Black cherry, plum, lavender and savory herbs all develop in the glass, but it is the wine’s persistence and overall balance that stands out in this deeply flavorful, classically built Cabernet from Snowden. Best of all, the 2016 is a superb wine for the money.”
James Suckling 92 points “Elderberries, blueberries, blackberries and hints of hazelnuts and walnuts. Medium to full body, focused acidity and a medium-chewy finish. Drink in 2022.”

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

Snowden Vineyards The Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2017 750ML ($54.95) $41.90 special
Antonio Galloni 90 points “The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon The Ranch is an attractive, mid-weight wine that shows the more gracious, understated side of the year. Floral and spice notes give the 2017 lovely aromatics to play off a core of sweet red berry fruit. This is a very pretty wine.”

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The next best price is $55

 

Dominus has been on a roll.  Both the 2015 and now the 2016 vintages of this landmark wine are some of the best wines in Napa ever, at prices that should make cult-cabs blush. Could the 2017 leave the rest in the dust? Let your palate decide…

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“simply a breathtaking wine” –Antonio Galloni
Dominus Estate Christian Moueix, Napa Valley 2017 750ML ($249.95) Was $219, Now $199 special, 22 bottles in stock now
Dominus Estate Christian Moueix, Napa Valley 2017 375ML ($129.95) $109 special, only 8 half-bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 98+ points “The 2017 Dominus is one of the truly epic, grand wines of the vintage. Rich, dense and explosive, with tremendous concentration and sheer power, the 2017 Dominus captures all the personality of this site along with the natural opulence of the year. Inky dark fruit, lavender, menthol, licorice, plum, gravel and a host of dark spice notes infuse the 2017 with seemingly endless layers of nuance. Over the last two years I have tasted several hundred Napa Valley Cabernets, both from barrel and bottle. There is no question that Dominus belongs among the elite in 2017; it is simply a breathtaking wine. Certainly readers looking for a Napa Valley Cabernet to cellar should put Dominus at the top of their lists.”
Lisa Perrotti-Brown – Wine Advocate 97+ points “There was about 50% of a normal crop this year for the 2017 Dominus, due to strict selection. Grapes were harvested from September 21 to October 3 and the wine was bottled in June 2019. This year the blend is 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot, aged in 40% new French oak barrels. Very deep purple-black in color, it sashays nonchalantly out of the glass with graceful notions of potpourri, forest floor, crushed rocks, Ceylon tea and licorice with a core of black currant cordial, chocolate-covered cherries, mulberries and preserved plums plus a waft of garrigue. Full-bodied, the palate has a beautifully impactful, wonderfully quiet intensity of black and blue fruits with loads of floral and spicy sparks, framed by firm yet plush tannins, finishing with long-lasting earthy notes. 2,800 cases were made.”
James Suckling 97 points “Very intense aromas of fruit, yet complex subtlety. Blue fruit, licorice and blackberries with flowers and perfumes. Full-bodied, round and chewy with black tea, currants and hints of leather and incense. Coffee undertones. Extremely long and exciting. Available April 2020. Drink in 2022.”
Jeb Dunnuck 97 points “The grand vin is the 2017 Dominus, which is based on 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot, harvested between September 21 and October 3, and aged in 40% new French oak. Chateau Lafite-like notes of blackcurrants, lead pencil shavings, cedary tobacco, and gravelly earth all emerge from the glass, and it’s full-bodied, has a terrific sense of elegance, lots of tannins, and a great finish. This tight, powerful, concentrated Dominus will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for 25 years or more. 2017 doesn’t get much better.”

Dominus Estate Christian Moueix, Napa Valley 2016 750ML ($319.95) $289 special, 5 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 100 points “A blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot and 8% Cabernet Franc aged in 40% new oak, the 2016 Proprietary Red Wine is deep purple-black in color and quite reticent at this youthful stage to begin, offering up subtle notions of potpourri, Indian spices, cigar box and iron ore over a core of crushed blackberries and black cherries with intermittent wafts of black and red currants, new leather and smoked meats. The palate is medium to full-bodied with a densely packed mid-palate and oodles of freshness framed by very ripe, finely grained tannins and laced with compelling earthy accents. It offers incredible vibrancy with tons of black and red fruit sparkle in the mid-palate leading to a provocative mineral element on the very long finish. If I could give more than 100 for this one, I would. To be released in May 2019.”
Jeb Dunnuck 98+ points “Another possible legend in the making is the 2016 Dominus, a classic blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot and the rest Cabernet Franc brought up in 40% new French oak. Pure, pristine notes of charcoal, cold fireplace, smoke tobacco, and both blue and black fruits all flow to a full-bodied 2016 that has incredible elegance and finesse, yet also depth and density. It’s more backward and reserved than the 2015 and needs 4-5 years of cellaring. It will unquestionably live for 25-30 years.”
James Suckling 98 points “The opulence of fresh flowers and dark fruit is so impressive. There’s so much going on, from flowers to currants. The palate is full and powerful, but what impresses most are the ripe tannins and the amazing poise at the finish. Tightens down at the end. A blend of 84 per cent cabernet sauvignon, eight per cent petit verdot and eight per cent cabernet franc. Drink in 2021.”
Antonio Galloni 97 points “The 2016 Dominus is a dark, somber wine. I don’t quite see the explosive energy of the 2013 or 2010, not the seductiveness of the 2012, but the 2016 has a distinct charm that is all its own. Quite frankly, I can’t remember a young Dominus with this combination of fruit density, freshness and polished tannins. A huge center of fruit emerge with time in the glass in a big, large-scaled Dominus that should provide readers with a long drinking window of pure pleasure once some of the baby fat wears off.”