Category Archives: Newsletter Archive

Classic Barbaresco from Paitin & Ca’ del Baio Sale 2-17-25

In This Newsletter:
 
Paitin & Ca’ del Baio Sale
Close-Out Featurette: Jérôme Chezeaux

 
Two Traditionally-Styled Barbaresco Estates
 
Stock Up & Save On
 
Paitin & Ca’ del Baio Barbaresco
 
Looking for value in Piedmont? You’re in luck. With our three-day sale on long-time customer favorites, you’re sure to find the perfect bottle for your evening. These are wineries that fly under-the-radar elsewhere and we’ve got some of the best prices on these right now.
 
When looking for value in the Piemonte, Paitin is clearly at the head of the class because of the ratio of quality to price—at least for now. Like every other great value region, one day the world will wake up and notice how wonderful these wines are. (We’ve certainly beaten that drum for years, now.) With Dante Scaglione of Bruno Giacosa fame serving as the family’s enologist, the incredible estate vineyards yield some of the greatest wines in all of Piedmont.
 
The winemaking here is all traditional (with just a brief flirtation with modern techniques in the 90’s). The wines undergo gentle pump over and cap submersion during the weeks-long maceration. The wines then undergo an extended aging in neutral barrels and botti from Slavonia and Austria for up to three years.
 
The results offer a glimpse into the future of the winery and the wines to come. The wines are solid, deep, and built to last in your cellar – echoing the family’s tie to their home and spectacular holdings within the Serraboella cru.
 
What a little more structure and a little more oomph? Check out Ca’ del Baio. This family-owned Barbaresco estate in Treiso has been crafting traditionally-styled wine for over 150 years. Their vineyards are farmed sustainably with biodiversity in mind and no synthetic fertilizers or herbicides. In the winery, they natural yeast fermentation and minimal sulfur for a purer expression of the fruit.
 
The wines undergo a long and slow maceration before aging in neutral Slavonian oak boti, resulting in fresh and aromatic wines with a rich complexity and glorious tannic structure.
 
The Autinbej is a blend of the sunniest parcels in the crus of Treiso, Marcarini, and Ferrerre. It’s typically bold and intense with a ripe tannic profile. The Vallegrande is their most elegant bottling sourced from vines that surround the winery.
 
The wines can be pretty wound up on release. If you don’t have the patience for cellaring, give them a healthy decant or pop a day before service to give them the proper time to blossom. At these prices, grab a few extra to enjoy for years to come.
 
5% off any 3-5 in-stock bottles of Paitin & Ca del Baio Barbaresco
10% off any 6 or more in-stock bottles of Paitin & Ca del Baio Barbaresco
 
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
 
Sale ends Thursday, February 20th at 9 am Pacific.
 
We offer nine in-stock Paitin & Ca del Baio Barbaresco options on sale now, including:
 
Ca’ del Baio ‘Autinbej’, Barbaresco DOCG 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $28, that’s $26.60 at 5% off and $25.20 at 10% off, 11 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 91 points “The 2021 Barbaresco Autinbej is bright, vibrant and effusive. A blend of mostly Marcarini with some fruit from Ferrere and Montersino, the Autinbej offers up scents of pipe tobacco, cedar, mint, dried flowers and licorice, all in a deceptively mid-weight style that is quite appealing. There’s lovely energy and focus here. The 2021 opens beautifully with a bit of air.”
 
“…what Barbaresco is all about.” –Antonio Galloni, Vinous
 
Ca’ del Baio ‘Vallegrande’, Barbaresco DOCG 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $34.50, that’s $32.78 at 5% off and $31.05 at 10% off, 14 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 94 points “The 2019 Barbaresco Vallegrande is broad and ample in the glass. Deeply pitched spice notes open first. Dark and mysterious in the glass, with tons of complexity, the Vallegrande is quite virile in feel, with all the elements impeccably balanced. It’s another terrific wine from the Grasso Family. The Vallegrande exudes Treiso character. That makes it quintessential Ca’ Del Baio Barbaresco.”
 
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $54.99
 
Ca’ del Baio ‘Vallegrande’, Barbaresco DOCG 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $34.50, that’s $32.78 at 5% off and $31.05 at 10% off, 7 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 93 points “The 2021 Barbaresco Vallegrande is a complex, dynamic wine. Spice and floral inflections fill out the layers, giving this Barbaresco notable amplitude. Macerated dark cherry, leather, tobacco, dried flowers and incense develop later, adding layers of nuance. There’s certainly plenty to like, starting with the wine’s substance and overall palate presence. “
 
Winery-cellared release!
Paitin di Pasquero-Elia ‘Sori Paitin’, Barbaresco DOCG 2004 750ml Displayed Price: $99, that’s $94.05 at 5% off and $89.10 at 10% off, 8 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 92 points “The 2004 Barbaresco Sori Paitin is intense and powerful in its expression of dark fruit, spices, earthiness and tar. Made in a pure, bold style, it is one of the more closed, shut down 2004 Barbarescos and will require at least a few years in bottle before revealing its truest potential.”
 
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
 
Paitin di Pasquero-Elia ‘Sori Paitin’, Barbaresco DOCG 2018 750ml Was $59, Displayed Price: $49, that’s $46.55 at 5% off and $44.10 at 10% off, 11 bottles in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95 points “The family that owns the Paitin estate lost its patriarch, Secondo Pasquero Elia, as this wine was being readied for release, and he would have been proud of the way this turned out. The 2018 Barbaresco Serraboella Sorì Paitin is glossy and polished with a super fine and delicate quality of fruit. It just glides over the palate as if it were on skates. That beautiful forward momentum is driven by light cassis, dried cherry, iron skillet, candied orange peel and crushed flowers. The finish is exceptionally smooth and elegant. Complimenti.”
 
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
 
Paitin di Pasquero-Elia ‘Sori Paitin’, Barbaresco DOCG 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $57.50, that’s $54.63 at 5% off and $51.75 at 10% off, 3 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 95 points “Alluring aromas and flavors of cherry, raspberry, leafy underbrush, tar, iron and hay mark this luscious red, which is fresh and firm at once, with a chalky, minerally essence on the long finish. Best from 2026 through 2042. 974 cases made.”
 
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
 
Paitin di Pasquero-Elia ‘Sori Paitin Vecchie Vigne’, Barbaresco DOCG 2004 750ml Displayed Price: $149, that’s $141.55 at 5% off and $134.10 at 10% off, 6 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 94 points “The 2004 Barbaresco Sori’ Paitin Vecchie Vigne is marvelous. Dark red berries, crushed flowers, smoke, ash and tar are just some of the notes that emerge from this big yet beautifully articulated Vecchie Vigne. The 2004 shows superb class and fabulous overall balance. As always this is a fairly large-scaled Barbaresco, but all of the elements meld together beautifully. A long, sensual finish rounds things out in style. With air the 2004 is approachable today, but it clearly has the stuffing and freshness to drink well to age 25, perhaps beyond. The Vecchie Vigne captures the essence of this great Piedmontese vintage in spades. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2029.”
 
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $163.99
 
Shop our nine Paitin & Ca’ del Baio Barbaresco selections now!


 
Vinopolis Close-Out Sale Featurette:

Jérôme Chezeaux
 
Jérôme Chezeaux makes wines that epitomize our favorite sort of Burgundy: age-worthy, full of character, and built on a core of minerality, but priced a tier below what the wines deliver. Make no mistake—Chézeaux crafts wines that can be poured with the finest producers in Nuits, but cost 25% less. In warmer vintages he really shines, as the heat buttresses his mineral style with broader shoulders and more generous fruit.
 
“From the moment we encountered Chézeaux’s 2017s, shortly after they completed malolactic fermentation, we knew this was a special, potentially career-making collection. The wines, which had been neither racked nor sulfured at that point, raised goosebumps with their purity of fruit, their startling transmission of site character, and their haunting equilibrium; these are wines into which one can peer deeply…” – Neal Rosenthal
 
In Stock and On Close-Out Now:
 
Jérôme Chezeaux Nuits-Saint-Georges, Burgundy 2017 750ml Was $59, Now $52.50, 14 bottles in stock now
Importer Note “Chezeaux’s holdings of villages-level Nuits-Saint-Georges encompass 3.3 hectares spread throughout the appellation, with a significant proportion from the vineyards of Aux Saint Julien and Chaliots. In keeping with the spirit of the underlying terroir, this is wilder in character than the Vosne-Romanée, marked by notes of iron, and with a rambunctious bent to its tannins. Never deficient in fruit, it offers plenty of earth and sous-bois elements as well, all in a driving fashion.”
 
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

We offer 168 wines on our Close-Out Sale in stock now.
 
Shop the sale on our webstore now!


 
Don’t miss our additional sale going on now:

JB Becker
 
5% off any 3-5 in-stock bottles of JB Becker
10% off any 6 or more in-stock bottles of JB Becker
 
Leoville Barton & Poyferre
 
5% off any 3-5 in-stock wines from Leoville Barton & Poyferre
10% off any 6 or more in-stock wines from Leoville Barton & Poyferre
 
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
 
JB Becker sale ends Tuesday, February 18th at 9 am Pacific. Leoville Barton & Poyferre sale ends Wednesday, February 19th at 9 am Pacific.

Legacies of Leoville 2-16-25


Chateau Leoville Barton Grand Cru Classé | Dunstan Vintner           Buy Chateau Leoville Poyferre 2019 wine online | Millesima
 

Bordeaux’s Left Bank is home to some of the most esteemed wines in the world. Resting in the heart of Saint-Julien, two legendary châteaux stand as paragons of that excellence: Léoville Barton and Léoville Poyferré. Though they share a common history as part of the once-massive Léoville estate, each has since developed its own distinct identity, showcasing the grandeur of Bordeaux in unique ways.

Léoville Barton traces its origins to the early 19th century when the Irish merchant Hugh Barton acquired a portion of the original Léoville estate. Unlike many Bordeaux châteaux, Léoville Barton has remained in the same family for over 200 years, maintaining a commitment to tradition and timeless quality. The estate is known for producing structured, classically styled wines with deep concentration, firm tannins, and exceptional aging potential. With no actual château on-site (the wines are made at neighboring Langoa Barton), Léoville Barton focuses purely on winemaking, emphasizing terroir-driven expressions of Cabernet Sauvignon.

Léoville Poyferré, on the other hand, took a different path after the division of the Léoville estate. Acquired by the Cuvelier family in 1920, the château has undergone significant modernization while preserving its Bordeaux heritage. Under the guidance of Didier Cuvelier, the estate embraced a more refined and opulent style, integrating meticulous vineyard management and modern winemaking techniques. With a slightly higher proportion of Merlot in the blend, Léoville Poyferré wines are often more approachable in their youth, offering lush fruit, velvety tannins, and remarkable depth.

Both estates exemplify the excellence of Saint-Julien but appeal to different palates. Léoville Barton offers a more traditional Bordeaux experience—powerful, structured, and built for long-term aging—while Léoville Poyferré leans toward a more polished, fruit-forward expression with impressive richness. Whether you prefer the classic austerity of Barton or the seductive allure of Poyferré, both wines stand as benchmarks of Bordeaux craftsmanship. A bottle from either estate promises a journey through history, terroir, and the artistry of fine winemaking.

On our 3-day sale you can enjoy these wines at pricing you’ll rarely find anywhere else. With such a temptingly delicious opportunity at hand, what more is there to say?


 
5% off any 3-5 in-stock wines from Leoville Barton & Poyferre
10% off any 6 or more in-stock wines from Leoville Barton & Poyferre
 
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
 
Sale ends Wednesday, February 19th at 9 am Pacific.
 

We offer 7 wines from these producers, 
 
Reserve de Léoville Barton, Saint-Julien 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $47.50, that’s $45.12 at 5% off and $42.75 at 10% off, 20 bottles in stock now
Jane Anson 92 points “Attractive, with personality and texture to the loganberry and blackberry fruit. The muscular tannins have juice running through them, and overall this has plenty of lift and tension while remaining appealingly unfussy.”
Decanter 92 points “Shiny glossy fruit on the nose, floral and pretty. Bright pink in the glass full of blackcurrant and cherry aromas. Nice plushness on the palate with chewy tannins that have a touch of dryness/chalkiness and drive of fresh red fruit, with some creamy, chalky aspects coming in on the finish. Nicely balanced. It’s balanced and fresh, light and playful. Not showy, but easy. Touch of cedar wood on the edges at the finish. Drinking Window 2023 – 2030.”

Wine Spectator #1 Wine of the Year in 2019!
Château Léoville Barton, Saint-Julien 2016 750ml Displayed Price: $199, that’s $189.05 at 5% off and $179.10 at 10% off, 5 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 97 points “This is so vivid as it brims with pastis-soaked plum, blackberry, black currant and blueberry paste flavors, all carried by a perfectly integrated brambly spine. Tar and ganache notes give the finish an extra kick while everything stays within the mouthwatering roasted apple wood frame. Both regal and rambunctious, this is St.-Julien to a T.”
 
Château Léoville Barton, Saint-Julien 2018 750ml Displayed Price: $135, that’s $128.25 at 5% off and $121.50 at 10% off, 13 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 97 points “Cassis, crushed plum and steeped blackberry fruit is all packed into this wine, along with tar, violet and roasted apple wood notes, plus a terrific tug of warm earth. Shows lots of energy in reserve, with a tightly knit finish pulling everything together. Cellaring required. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2026 through 2040. 11,600 cases made. — JM”
Wine Enthusiast 97 points “Editor’s Choice. In this wine, fine and rich tannins partner with powerful black-plum and black-currant fruits. Densely textured while also having swathes of rich fruits, the wine shows both a firm side and one that offers total deliciousness. As it matures, both these aspects will come together. Drink from 2027. -Roger Voss”
 
Jeb Dunnuck’s #7 Wine of the Year!
Château Léoville Barton, Saint-Julien 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $119, that’s $113.05 at 5% off and $107.10 at 10% off, 1 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 97 points “The flagship 2019 Château Léoville Barton is brilliant, showing both the style of the estate as well as the vintage beautifully. It’s never the biggest or richest wine, yet it has a classic, vibrant, structured style that ages beautifully. Pure cassis, black currants, scorched earth, new leather, and graphite are just some of its nuances, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with a lively spine of acidity, beautiful overall balance, and a great finish. This textbook Léoville Barton demands a decade of bottle age and will keep for 30-40 years.”
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 97 points “Like its stablemate Langoa Barton, the 2019 Léoville Barton is a timeless classic, made for patient connoisseurs. Offering up aromas of blackcurrants, plums, pencil shavings and licorice, it’s full-bodied, deep and concentrated, its deep core of fruit framed by a chassis of rich, powdery tannin that makes itself felt on the youthfully firm finish. While it’s clearly built for the long haul, its structural seamlessness and mid-palate plenitude mark it out as one of the finest wines from this château in recent times. Could it be a more concentrated modern-day version of Anthony Barton’s brilliant 1985?”
 
Château Léoville Poyferré, Saint-Julien 2014 750ml Displayed Price: $99, that’s $94.05 at 5% off and $89.10 at 10% off, 36+ bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 95 points “The 2014 Léoville Poyferré is gorgeous. Dark, sumptuous and ample on the palate, it possesses remarkable depth. Dark cherry, plum, smoke, scorched earth, licorice and menthol all flesh out as this radiant, deeply expressive wine shows off its considerable pedigree. The 2014 is going to need time to fully come together, but it is super-impressive. Tasted two times.”
 
Château Léoville Poyferré, Saint-Julien 2016 750ml Displayed Price: $149, that’s $141.55 at 5% off and $134.10 at 10% off, 2 bottles in stock now
Decanter 98 points “Relatively closed right now, as are all the St-Juliens, this takes time to open in the glass but does so to reveal lots of northern Médoc character in the liquorice and brambly fruit puree, with touches of caramel and sweet cassis. It’s hewn out of slate boulders with layers of tannin – a lovely construction that’s deepened even further during ageing. 2% Cabernet Franc finishes the blend. Matured in 80% new oak. Michel Rolland consults. Drinking Window 2024 – 2040.”

Château Léoville Poyferré, Saint-Julien 2018 750ml Displayed Price: $159, that’s $151.05 at 5% off and $143.10at 10% off, 14 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 100 points “Every bit as good as the 2009, and I think better than the 2010 and 2016, the 2018 Château Léoville Poyferré is a total thrill that tops out my scale. Based on 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, its dense purple hue is followed by an incredible, full-bodied monster of a wine that, despite massive amounts of fruit, tannins, and extract, still stays weightless and ethereal, with incredible purity. Loaded with notions of crème de cassis, spring flowers, tobacco, violets, charcoal, and cedar pencil, it’s extraordinarily concentrated, flawlessly balanced, and has a finish that won’t quit. This is a legendary wine in the making. Give bottles 7-8 years, a decade would be even better, and it will keep for 40-50 years. Hats off to the Cuvelier family for another extraordinary wine!”
Wine Advocate 97 points “A blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, aged in 80% new oak barriques, the 2018 Léoville Poyferré comes bounding out of the glass with exuberant scents of Morello cherries, plum preserves and blackberry pie, giving way to nuances of cedar chest, unsmoked cigars, vanilla pod and sassafras, plus a waft of crushed rocks. The palate is full-bodied, rich and decadent, delivering hedonic black fruits and lots of spicy accents with a velvety texture and seamless freshness, finishing long and satisfyingly savory. This is a very impressive showing that is delicious out of the gate but has the backbone to give a good 30 years or more of pleasure.”
Decanter 97 points “Deep, silky, and satiny in texture, you can practically stroke this in the glass! The round mouthfeel tells of ripe fruit and generous alcohol but there’s not a trace of heat, and the balance is gorgeous. Tannins match you step for step, stopping for breath in all the right places. They keep the luscious black cherry, liquorice and dark chocolate all in place. The 2016 vintage was almost one degree less in alcohol, and certainly this is a little less architectural in its construction, but that extra percent has clearly gone a long way to covering the tannins in silk. 3.7pH. IPT90. Tasted several times.”

Thrilling Riesling Sale: JB Becker 2-15-25

In This Newsletter:
 
JB Becker Sale
Close-Out Featurette: La Gerla

 
Thrilling Rheingau Riesling
 
Stock Up & Save On
 
JB Becker
 
The Rheingau, once Germany’s finest winemaking region, fell into obscurity last century. Only recently has interest and investment brought the region back into the limelight. Quality-focused estates are becoming if not common names among most wine drinkers, better known among insiders. The German wine association, the VDP, has also helped elevate the region and its mostly-dry wines.
 
One such estate benefiting from renewed interest in the region and dry Rieslings is J.B. Becker. Despite crafting ultra-long-aging dry and mostly-dry Rieslings from his family’s estate for over fifty years, wasn’t until recently that the name became known among Riesling fans. Founded in 1893 by the grandfather (Jean Baptiste Becker) of the current owner (Hans-Joseph Becker or HaJo), this small estate is tucked away in the Rheingau.
 
HaJo took over the family estate in 1971, a glorious vintage and a good omen for things to come. He shifted production to mostly bone-dry wines and hasn’t looked back. Though he does produce some not-dry wines, they all (Auslesen included) fall around 20 grams/liter of residual sugar (RS). This number is lower than normal even for modern, sweet Kabinett, which are typically between 30-50 grams/liter. His lower amount of RS is due to fermentation of the sugars, not under-ripeness at harvest.
 
As the descendant of coopers, it’s no surprise that HaJo incorporates extended neutral barrel aging in the crafting of his wines. He’s a passionate advocate for natural yeast fermentation, as well. After a rapid fermentation using only natural yeast, much like at Keller and JJ Prum, the wines are aged for at least two years in traditional Rheingau barrels.
 
The resulting wines are structured and heavily-influenced by their terroir, often resulting in notes of saline and iodine that brings to mind classic Chablis. The longevity of the J.B. Becker wines in the cellar is hard to match; even the Kabinetts reliably cellar for decades. Or just pop a cork tonight and experiencing the thrill at your table.
 
5% off any 3-5 in-stock bottles of JB Becker
10% off any 6 or more in-stock bottles of JB Becker
 
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
 
Sale ends Tuesday, February 18th at 9 am Pacific.
 
We offer ten in-stock JB Becker options on sale now, including:
 
J.B. Becker Wallufer Walkenberg Riesling Kabinett Trocken, Rheingau 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $33.50, that’s $31.83 at 5% off and $30.15 at 10% off, 20 bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott (Suckling) 92 points “Very clean and bright for such a warm vintage with delicate floral aromas, this is at once elegant and well structured thanks to the healthy tannins that give this serious presence at the long finish for just 11.5% alcohol. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.”
 
This is the only listing in the USA today!
 
J.B. Becker Wallufer Oberberg Riesling Auslese Trocken, Rheingau 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $54.50, that’s $51.78 at 5% off and $49.05 at 10% off, 9 bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott (Suckling) 94 points “This wine combines a floral personality – think orange blossom and roses – with wonderful structure and elegant acidity. So energetic and straight, this is seriously mineral for a vintage that seldom went in that direction, the touch of tannin underlining this beautifully at the long, very straight and harmonious finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.”
 
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
 
J.B. Becker Wallufer Berg Bildstock Riesling Kabinett, Rheingau 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $33.50, that’s $31.83 at 5% off and $30.15 at 10% off, 8 bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott (Suckling) 90 points “Only for those seeking bone-dry wines will this seem anything other than dry. Appealing balance of ripeness, discreet tannin and lively acidity on the medium-bodied palate of this well-structured wine. Plenty of dried pear and apple ring character. Firm finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.”
 
This is the only listing in the USA today!
 
J.B. Becker Eltviller Sonnenberg Riesling Kabinett, Rheingau 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $34.50, that’s $32.78 at 5% off and $31.05 at 10% off, 11 bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott (Suckling) 90 points “Only for those seeking bone-dry wines will this seem anything other than dry. Appealing balance of ripeness, discreet tannin and lively acidity on the medium-bodied palate of this well-structured wine. Plenty of dried pear and apple ring character. Firm finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.”
 
This is the only listing in the USA today!
 
J.B. Becker Wallufer Oberberg Riesling Spatlese, Rheingau 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $36.50, that’s $34.68 at 5% off and $32.85 at 10% off, 12 bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott (Suckling) 94 points “Either you want to be pleased or you search for a stricter experience that has great expression and this wine falls into exactly the latter group. Cool, herbal and lemony, this has a very cool climate personality at a time where this is becoming increasingly rare. Very racy and stony on the medium-bodied palate. Long, crisp, but by no means tart finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.”
 
This is the only listing in the USA today!
 
J.B. Becker Eltviller Sonnenberg Riesling Spatlese, Rheingau 2008 750ml Displayed Price: $51.50, that’s $48.93 at 5% off and $46.35 at 10% off, 9 bottles in stock now
No reviews for the 2008. 2006 review provided for reference.
Stuart Pigott (Suckling) 96 points “A really great Rheingau wine for this often disappointing vintage that has fantastic honeyed richness and elegant acidity, these elements beautifully interlocking and driving this across the palate in the direction of a lobster dinner. Barely off-dry finish with energy and spice. Drink or hold.”
 
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
 
Shop our ten JB Becker selections now!


 
Vinopolis Close-Out Sale Featurette:

La Gerla
 
La Gerla makes fantastic and approachable traditional Brunello. The wines always have a striking purity of fruit and elegant structures, without the new oak flavors common to many modernist Brunellos. Their fantastic success can in part be credited to their estate, which they purchased in 1976 from the Biondi Santi family. Their original vineyard, Gli Angeli, includes plantings by the famous previous owners. It rests high in the hills of the Canalicchio zone, just north of the village of Montalcino, yet is in an isolated pocket that shields the vines from adverse weather. The Riserva Gli Angeli comes entirely from a one-hectare parcel of old vines within this vineyard.
 
This long-time Vinopolis customer favorite is on our Close-Out Sale, so you can discover for yourself why La Gerla is considered one of the great growths of Tuscany.
 
In Stock and On Close-Out Now:
 
La Gerla Riserva Gli Angeli, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2016 1.5L Was $219, Now $189, 3 magnums in stock now
La Gerla Riserva Gli Angeli, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2016 3L Was $449, Now $399, 2 double-magnums in stock now
Eric Guido-Vinous 96 points “Smoldering with remarkable depth, the 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Gli Angeli makes itself known with a blend of spicy citrus peels and minty herbs giving way to masses of black cherry, strawberries, hints of iodine and smoke. This is a textural thrill ride, velvety and almost weighty in feel, while finding wonderful balance in its vibrant acidity and the tart wild berry fruits and savory spices that are unleashed upon the palate. Hints of mocha combine with sour cherry and almond paste through the impressively long and classically structured finale. In the end, the 2016 Gli Angeli is the total package. This Riserva is a single-vineyard bottling from La Gerla’s northern Montalcino vineyard, which was planted by Biondi-Santi in 1968.”
Wine Enthusiast 95 points “Inviting aromas of wild berries, baking spice, new leather and charcuterie come to the forefront. Full-bodied and elegantly structured, the smooth palate features dried cherry, baked plum, vanilla and mocha framed in fine-grained tannins. Drink 2024–2031. Kerin O’Keefe”
 
These are the only listings in the USA today!

We offer 172 wines on our Close-Out Sale in stock now.
 
Shop the sale on our webstore now!


 
Don’t miss our additional sale going on now:

Chablis
 
5% off any 3-5 in-stock bottles of Chablis
10% off any 6 or more in-stock bottles of Chablis
 
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
 
Chablis sale ends Sunday, February 16th at 9 am Pacific.

Crisp and Classic Chablis Sale 2-13-25

In This Newsletter:
 
Chablis Sale
Close-Out Featurette: Karlsmuhle

 
Crisp and Classic Sale
 
Stock Up & Save On
 
Chablis
 
Classically, Chablis is a crisp white Burgundy, made from Chardonnay vines grown in extremely chalky, limestone soil. With a unique soil composition and a plethora of exceptional sites, Chablis is an essential item for anyone’s cellar. Given the cooler growing season, the wines are more angular than the Côte-d’Or, offering a lifted brightness that makes them excellent pairings with appetizers, lighter pasta dishes, and seafood. For sheer terroir-infused bang for your buck, they’re impossible to beat.
 
With a tremendous amount of variance in terms of flavor expression, the best Chablis are characterized by their high acidity, expansive minerality, and a fruit profile that tends to skew towards citrus and orchard fruit. As they age, the mineral and tertiary characters of the wines blossom, with the best examples having decades of potential.
 
Today we’re featuring a number of terrific options that represent everything we love about the region’s wines on our three-day sale. Now’s the perfect time to stock up on this food-friendly white, and (re)discover what makes Chablis so timeless.
 
5% off any 3-5 in-stock bottles of Chablis
10% off any 6 or more in-stock bottles of Chablis
 
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
 
Sale ends Sunday, February 16th at 9 am Pacific.
 
We offer twenty-three in-stock Chablis options on sale now, including:
 
Albert Bichot Domaine Long-Depaquit Bougros, Chablis Grand Cru 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $89, that’s $84.55 at 5% off and $80.10 at 10% off, 13 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 93-94 points “Super fragrant and attractively ripe peach aromas with a very lively and pure attitude. The palate offers such attractive and succulent ripe peaches and a sleeve of lemon, piercing right through to the long, fresh finish. Drink over the next five years.”
 
This is the only listing in the USA today!
 
Albert Bichot Domaine Long-Depaquit Les Clos, Chablis Grand Cru 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $99, that’s $94.05 at 5% off and $89.10 at 10% off, 6 bottles in stock now
Burghound 93 points “Moderate though not subtle wood influence frames overtly exotic aromas of white peach, apricot, lychee and a hint of sea breeze. There is outstanding volume and mid-palate density to the large-scaled, intense and powerful flavors that coat the mouth with dry extract on the robust, bitter lemon and stony finish. This is definitely not a classic rendition of Les Clos but it’s impressive nonetheless.”
 
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

Domaine Bernard Defaix Bougros, Chablis Grand Cru 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $91.90, that’s $87.31 at 5% off and $82.71 at 10% off, 6 bottles in stock now
Decanter 93 points “Lovely sweetness of fruit, allied with the concentration expected from Chablis grand cru. Sunny and bright, but there is still lots of tension from the mineral notes and thread of acidity. Wood a bit evident at the moment but will settle down with time. This will be very fine once bottled and aged for a few years. Tank sample.”
 
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
 
Bessin-Tremblay Valmur, Chablis Grand Cru 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $95, that’s $90.25 at 5% off and $85.50 at 10% off, 6 bottles in stock now
Bessin-Tremblay Valmur, Chablis Grand Cru 2022 1.5L Displayed Price: $199, that’s $189.05 at 5% off and $179.10 at 10% off, 2 magnums in stock now
Burghound 94 points “A touch of matchstick character lurks in the background of the mostly white orchard fruit aromas that are liberally laced with hints of iodine, oyster shell and quinine. The exceptionally rich, even lush, larger-bodied flavors also brim with sappy dry extract that helps to buffer the firm acid spine shaping the powerful and impressively long finale. This beauty has everything it needs for a long life and I would add that it’s going to need at least 5 to 7 years first as it’s quite tightly wound today. (Drink starting 2032).”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
 
Bessin-Tremblay Chablis Vieilles Vignes 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $45, that’s $42.75 at 5% off and $40.50 at 10% off, 11 bottles in stock now
Burghound 89 points “Here too touch of mineral reduction add breadth to the lightly wooded aromas of oyster shell, iodine and pear. As is usually the case, there is slightly more volume and richness to the appealingly textured medium weight flavors that possess a succulent mid-palate that contrasts somewhat with the lemon, powerful and mildly rustic finale. This is a fine Chablis villages and worth your interest. (Drink starting 2028).”

Domaine Laroche Les Blanchots, Chablis Grand Cru 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $149, that’s $141.55 at 5% off and $134.10 at 10% off, 9 bottles in stock now
Winery Note “The favourite Grand Cru of Domaine Laroche, offering much finesse and charm. Les Blanchots is a unique terroir made of a layer of white clay on Kimmeridgian limestone with ammonites. This is the ideal combination to keep the right amount of water for roots. The South-East exposure allows slow ripening and favours aroma development. Blanchots is delicate, silky and shows its charm after 5 years in bottle. At peak after 10 to 12 years.”
 
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
 
William Fevre Bougros, Chablis Grand Cru 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $99, that’s $94.05 at 5% off and $89.10 at 10% off, 6 bottles in stock now
Jasper Morris-Inside Burgundy 94 points “This is not the legendary Côte de Bouguerots bottling, but the regular Bougros – which still stood out alongside its peers. The fruit shows grand cru weight and the sunshine quality of the vintage, juicy but well balanced, while the crystalline purity of the finish sets this wine apart.”
James Suckling 94 points “Aromas of aniseed and lemon rind with dried apple and pear follow through to a full body. Yet, it’s tight and layered with a compact palate and plenty of fruit. Needs time to open. Try after 2023.”
 
Domaine Louis Michel & Fils Vaudesir, Chablis Grand Cru 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $108, that’s $102.60 at 5% off and $97.20 at 10% off, 10 bottles in stock now
John Gilman-A View From the Cellar 95 points “Domaine Michel’s parcels in Vaudésir actually have a northerly exposition and are nicely sheltered, so they were spared much of the frost damage and the yields here were only off by about ten percent in 2021. The wine has turned out splendidly, offering up a bright and complex bouquet of lemon, apple, dried flowers, a marvelously complex base of minerality, incipient notes of beeswax and a nice touch of orange peel in the upper register. On the palate the wine is deep, full bodied and very precise, with a great core of fruit, racy acids, superb mineral drive and a long, complex and impeccably balanced finish. This is going to be outstanding. 2026-2060+.”
 
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
 
Thomas Pico Domaine Pattes Loup Vaillons, Chablis Premier Cru 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $79, that’s $75.05 at 5% off and $71.10 at 10% off, 9 bottles in stock now
No reviews for the 2019 vintage. 2018 review provided for reference.
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 93 points “Pico produces his 2018 Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons from certified organic fruit in the climat of Séchet. Unwinding in the glass with notes of crisp green orchard fruit, almond paste, white flowers and orange oil, it’s medium to full-bodied, satiny and incisive, with an ample core of fruit, chalky structuring extract and a long, saline finish.”
 
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $99
 
Domaine Camille et Laurent Schaller Chablis 2023 750ml Displayed Price: $27.50, that’s $26.13 at 5% off and $24.75 at 10% off, 22 bottles in stock now
Neal Martin-Vinous “The 2023 Chablis Village has one of the superior aromatics, is well-defined, and displays more mineralité and terroir expression. The palate is taut and fresh, crisp green apple and pear with an energetic finish. This is a commendable Chablis Village.”
 
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
 
Domaine Vocoret et Fils Blanchot, Chablis Grand Cru 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $79, that’s $75.05 at 5% off and $71.10 at 10% off, 11 bottles in stock now
Winery Note “Floral, dense and infused with white flowers and minerality. Ripe and warming tones come from this intensely fused, generous on the palate.”
 
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
 
Shop our twenty-three Chablis selections now!


 
Vinopolis Close-Out Sale Featurette:

Karlsmuhle
 
Karlsmühle is nestled in the Ruwer, formerly known as Mosel-Saar-Ruwer. It is one of the most unique of the Mosel sub-regions and tiny, making up only 2% of the Mosel’s vineyard land. Steep slopes rich in slate soil surround the small feeder streams of the Ruwer, representing some of the finest vineyard land in the region. The winery sits at the bend of this tiny river.
 
Across the river lies a massive slope bedecked in fine vineyard land. It is the steepest terroir in the Ruwer, and includes a monopole of the estate. The soils are composed of clayey slate layered with quartzite. Karlsmuhle’s vines are very old; their roots stretch deep into the rocky soil in search of scant water.
 
The steepness of the vineyards means most of the work is done by hand, from replanting to each pass during harvest. In the winery, the wines are fermented with natural yeasts and gently processed mostly into dry or off-dry wines.
 
Johannes Selbach, owner and magician behind Selbach-Oster, personally selected these wines for our shop. Johannes is the humble tastemaker behind US importer Terry Theise, one of the most important American figures in the modern revitalization of interest in German Rieslings.
 
When he offered us hand-pick wines for us to exclusively carry in the United States, we jumped at the chance. Karlsmühle is one of several estates he chose, alongside C.H. Berres, Crusius, Kees-Kieren, and Prinz, as well as a few exclusive imports from his winery. The fact that there are few reviews of these wines is more an indication of their rarity than their quality.
 
In Stock and On Close-Out Sale Now:
 
Weingut Karlsmuhle Kaseler Nies’chen Kabinett Riesling, Mosel 2019 750ml Was $19, Now $16, 22 bottles in stock now
No reviews available for the 2019 vintage. 2018 review provided for reference.
David Schildknecht-Vinous 90 points “Pear, apple, quince, white currant and lime signal on the nose that this wine originated with crunchier and higher-acid Riesling berries than did the corresponding Kabinett feinherb. That is confirmed by a bright, tangy palate impression, though buoyancy is accompanied by quite pronounced sweetness, which generates a bit of edgy tension with the wine’s tart and tangy aspects. A lovely thread of honeysuckle perfume runs through this whole performance. And the aforementioned tension proves reasonably productive, inasmuch as the lightly sweet-sour finish is invigoratingly nippy in its evocations of apple skin and currant seeds. It’s also lusciously fruity and admirably clear. You could certainly mount a convincing case that this wine is Spätlese-typical, but then, that’s true about a great many vintage 2018 Rieslings that are labeled “Kabinett,” including some truly delicious ones. (Drink between 2020-2030).”
 
This is the only listing in the USA today!
 
Weingut Karlsmuhle Kaseler Nies’chen Riesling Auslese Lange Goldkapsel, Mosel 2017 750ml Was $41.90, Now $33, 14 bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott (Suckling) 93 points “Stand back as this riesling fireball arrives! Full of energy with a dynamic interplay of citrusy acidity and aromatic sweetness, which ranges from peaches and blackcurrants to mint. With more length, this would have been rated even higher. Drink or hold.”
 
This is the only listing in the USA today!
 
Weingut Karlsmuhle Lorenzhofer Trockenbeerenauslese, Mosel 2007 375ml Was $119, Now $99, 22 half-bottles in stock now
David Schildknecht-Wine Advocate 93+ points “…Dried peach, apricot, and date mingle with quince preserves, licorice and further suggestions of herbal concentrate both on the nose and palate. While impressively viscous, this preserves a welcome lightness of touch and vivacity illustrative of the best aspects of the vintage, and its residual sugar is remarkably restrained in expression…”
 
This is the only listing in the USA today!

We offer 171 wines on our Close-Out Sale in stock now.
 
Shop the sale on our webstore now!


 
Don’t miss our additional sales going on now:

Terre Nere
 
5% off any 3-5 in-stock bottles of Terre Nere
10% off any 6 or more in-stock bottles of Terre Nere
 
Rosé Champagne
 
5% off any 3-5 in-stock bottles of Rosé Champagne
10% off any 6 or more in-stock bottles of Rosé Champagne
 
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
 
Terre Nere sale ends Friday, February 14th at 9 am Pacific. Rosé Champagne sale ends Saturday, February 15th at 9 am Pacific.

Vinopolis Newsletter 2-12-25

In This Newsletter:


Arrivals
Bernard Baudry, Thomas Labaille, Cameron Winery, Purple Hands, Cavallotto, and more!

Featured Close-out Wines
The Three B’s of Italy
 
Arriving Friday the 14th
 
 
France
 
Bernard Baudry
 


“Bernard Baudry is one of the best and most reliable Chinon producers. Les Granges is the introductory bottle, made from young cabernet franc vines, farmed organically, and intended for early drinking. It’s lively, juicy and earthy, and easy to enjoy. It would be especially good with the dark meat and earthy tuber dishes. The Baudry single-vineyard cuvées, like La Croix Boissée and Les Grézeaux, reward aging and are among the best expressions of Chinon.”—Eric Asimov in the New York Times, November 15, 2021 as reported by Kermit Lynch
 
“In each bottling, we seek to express Cabernet Franc in its elegance, balance and aromatic freshness, in harmony with each of the terroirs and the year’s climate.” -Bernard Baudry
 
Bernard Baudry Chinon Croix Boissee 2021 750ml $49 special, 12 bottles available
Yohan Castaing-Wine Advocate “Matured for two years in used barrels and an additional nine months in tanks, the 2021 Chinon La Croix Boissée reveals a complex bouquet of plums, mulberries, spices and smoke, intertwined with carnal, meaty notes. Medium to full-bodied, layered and textured, it is chiseled and tense with an enveloping core of fruit and structured, firm tannins that transition into a meaty finish. While the phenols slightly detract from the powdery, delicate texture of the tannins, it remains poised.”
 
Bernard Baudry Chinon Clos Guillot 2021 750ml $38 special, 12  bottles available
Yohan Castaing-Wine Advocate “Matured for one year in barrels and for one year in tanks, the 2021 Chinon Le Clos Guillot expresses a slightly animal, somber bouquet of dark wild berries, licorice, cherries and violet. Medium to full-bodied, chiseled and layered, it’s austere and firm with carnal notes on the finish.”
 
Bernard Baudry Chinon Le Domaine Rouge 2022 750ml $24 special, 36+ bottles available
Yohan Castaing-Wine Advocate “Matured for one year in concrete tanks, the 2022 Chinon le Domaine is crafted from vines planted on sandy, calcareous soils. Evoking aromas of dark wild berries, spices and smoke mingled with animal notes, it’s juicy and tense with a layered, rather enveloping texture, structured tannins and a firm, almost dry finish.”
 
Bernard Baudry Chinon Les Granges 2023 750ml $21.50 special, 36+ bottles available
Yohan Castaing-Wine Advocate “Aromas of dark wild berries, spices and smoke mingled with animal and carnal notes preface the 2022 Chinon Les Granges, a medium-bodied, juicy and round wine with structured tannins and a dry, short finish that also displays carnal undertones. Crafted from vines rooted in sandy, gravelly soils, it’s matured for nine months in concrete tanks.”
 
 
…also available from Bernard Baudry:
 
Bernard Baudry Chinon Blanc 2022 750ml $29 special, 10 bottles available
Yohan Castaing-WThomas LaBaine Advocate “Crafted from vines planted on clay and limestone soils, the 2022 Chinon Blanc reveals aromas of lemon, white flowers, pear and herbs, followed by a medium-bodied, seamless and round palate with a moderately concentrated core of fruit and a delicate tension in the mid-palate complemented by an ethereal, saline finish. It matured 25% in egg-shaped concrete containers and 75% in barrels.”
 
Thomas Labaille
 
Thomas Labaille’s winery sits in Chavignol, deep in the Loire Valley, atop a bed of Kimmeridgian limestone, the same material that gives the wines of Chablis and the Côte des Barres pop. They don’t rush things here, they don’t force them.
 
Jean-Paul Labaille took over from his father-in-law, Claude Thomas. He farms the right way, with no shortcuts and the wines show it. “L’Authentique” is smooth and full, made from different parcels across the estate. “Les Monts Damnés” comes from a steep hill, tough to work but worth it.
 
These wines are sharp, with citrus, stone, and an almost prickling minerality. The finish here lasts a long time, as all good things do.
 
Thomas-Labaille Sancerre l’Authentique 2023 750ml $28 special, 36 bottles available
Importer Note “100% Sauvignon Blanc. Originally labeled simply as “Sancerre”, L’Authentique is Thomas-Labaille’s multi-parcel estate bottling. All of the vines are on the Kimmeridgian limestone soils of Chavignol and average twenty-five years old; they are sustainably farmed and harvested by hand. The wine is fermented with native yeasts in fiberglass and cement tanks, aged on its lees in stainless steel tanks for four to six months and bottled without filtration.”
 
Thomas-Labaille Sancerre Mont Damnes 2023 750ml $34.50 special, 36 bottles available
Importer Note “100% Sauvignon Blanc. Thomas-Labaille has vines averaging thirty years old with some much older on the famously steep slope of Monts Damnés in Chavignol. They are sustainably farmed and harvested by hand. The wine is fermented with native yeasts in fiberglass and cement tanks, aged on its lees in stainless steel tanks (with a small proportion of used barrel in some vintages) for four to six months and bottled without filtration.”

 
New Arrivals
 
 
Oregon
 
Cameron Winery
 
The deal of deals is back in stock! But for how long?
 
Cameron Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2023 750ml $24 special, 36+ bottles available
VinopolNote: This is one of the best wines we’ve had from the 2023 vintage yet! Enticing tart cherries on the nose, with a deeply satisfying savory character on the palette. This is yet another elegant, approachable entry level wine from Cameron. Simply delicious and an unbeatable value from our beloved Willamette valley.
 

Purple Hands
 
Everything is coming up roses for Purple Hands Winery… as both a critical darling and unfailing crowd pleaser, we can barely keep these wines on the shelf! Purple Hands is another Willamette classic in the making.
 
Purple Hands Pinot Noir Shea Vineyard 2022 750ml $59 special, 6 bottles available
Jeb Dunnuck 96 Points “From one of the highest elevations in this vineyard, the 2022 Pinot Noir Shea Vineyard is a transparent red hue and is aromatic of ripe cherries, spices, mossy earth, and a lightly gamey but clean earth note. It is an elegant and lifted expression of the Shea Vineyard, with bright acidity, fine tannins, and a more linear feel, and as it opens, it starts to show its broader shoulders and its deeper notes come through. Drink 2025-2040.”
 
Purple Hands Pinot Noir Haakon Lenai Vineyard 2022 750ml $66 special, 6 bottles available
Jeb Dunnuck 98 Points “A youthful ruby red hue, the 2022 Pinot Noir Haakon/Lenai Vineyard comes from 27-year-old vines in the main estate vineyard. A youthful bright magenta/ruby color, it offers darker berried fruit notes of wild black raspberries, layered spice, toasted cedar, umami, and licorice, with some red-fruited, high-toned lift shining through. There is real crystalline depth to this wine as well as more purity and clarity, and it has bright, ripe acidity, mouthwatering freshness, and a great finish. Its ripe tannins are very well-framed, and it has a long finish. Much more purity and clarity here. Drink 2024-2044. This is by far the best wine in the Purple Hands lineup.”
 
 
Spain
 
Envinate Misturado De Abeleda Ribeira Sacra 2022 750ml $54.50 special, 21 bottles available
Luis Gutierrez- Wine Advocate 93-95 Points “The sample I tasted of the 2023 Misturado was a blend of the two 228-liter barrels where the wine was completing its élevage without added sulfur. It’s a lighter wine, with more white grapes (close to 50% versus the 30% from 2022), and the wine has a lighter color, a very fresh nose of red berries and herbs, very tasty and fine-boned. There will be some 600 bottles, which they expect to fill in November 2024. There is a big jump in quality from 2022 to 2023 in this wine.”
 
 
Italy
 

Cavallotto Langhe Nebbiolo Bricco Boschis 2022 750ml $39 special, 35 bottles available
(Not reviewed yet, 2021 review provided for reference)
Antonio Galloni- Vinous “The 2022 Langhe Nebbiolo is terrific. Aromatic, light on its feet and vibrant, Cavallotto’s Nebbiolo offers plenty of varietal character in a light-bodied style that is quite attractive. The 2022 is a charmer.”
 
Cavallotto Barolo Bricco Boschis 2020 750ml $91.90 special, 24 bottles available
Kerin O’Keefe 95 Points “The 2020 Barolo Bricco Boschis is smooth, enveloping and delicious. Made with organically farmed grapes, it opens with inviting aromas of wild rose, forest berry, tobacco and new leather while the delicious palate doles out ripe raspberry, Morello cherry, cake spice and menthol. Showing the structure, elegance and depth of the Bricco Boschis and the forward nature of the vintage, this will be hitting its ideal window soon but will also offer years of fine sipping. Drink 2028-2035.”
 
 
Argentina
 
At Zorzal Wines, they have planted more vineyards and have now planted the majority of their 70 hectares around the winery, which is their dream. Fifty percent of their wines are now produced with their own grapes, mostly in Gualtallary, part in Monasterio and also in Río and Albo, and also with a vineyard in El Peral. The current production is 400,000 bottles.
 
Zorzal Gran Terroir Malbec 2022 750ml $21.90 special, 36 bottles available
(not reviewed yet, 2021 vintage review provided for reference)
Wine Advocate 90 Points “The nose of the 2021 Gran Terroir Malbec is riper and has black rather than red fruit, as they look for more exuberant fruit. This is a more classical Malbec with 14.5% alcohol and grainy tannins. It has some spicy notes and a smoky hint after maturing in third, fourth and fifth use barrels for 14 months. 25,000 bottles were filled in July 2022.”
 
Featured Close-out Wines
 
 
The Three B’s of Italy

 
 
Barbaresco
 
Barbaresco remains a stunning value in the world of Italian wine. If you prefer elegance to power, Barbaresco can top even Barolo, the vaunted King of Piedmont wines. This Cru wine from Cantina Rizzi’s estate vineyards is drinkable today, an absolute showstopper of a Barbaresco with excellent, soft tannic structure and gales of delicious savory and fruit flavors.
 
WAS $99
Rizzi Barbaresco Riserva Boito 2015 750ml $89 special, 10 bottles available
Kerin O’Keefe-Wine Enthusiast 96 Points “Cellar Selection. Camphor, pipe tobacco, iris and mature black-skinned fruit aromas shape the nose on this full-bodied red. Delicious and structured, the firm palate delivers succulent black cherry, raspberry and licorice framed in firm, tightly knit but noble tannins. Drink 2023–2030.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 94 Points “The Rizzi 2015 Barbaresco Rizzi Riserva Vigna Boito features the artwork of proprietor Enrico Dellapiana on the front label. With only 3,176 bottles produced, the wine reveals broad shoulders, width and impressive depth. This vintage offers a complete picture of the Nebbiolo grape and of the distinctive elegance of Treiso, one of the cornerstones of the Barbaresco appellation. This Riserva offers a solid center of gravity with ample fruit rendering and framing. The vintage achieves a richer, more concentrated style that suits the wine very nicely.”
 

Barolo
 
The Granbussia is a celebration of Barolo’s greatest vineyards and vintages. Produced only in the most excellent vintages, it combines the fruit of Conterno’s three best vineyards: Cicala, Colonnello, and Romirasco. After pressing, it is aged in oak for at least thirty months and spends a further six years in bottle. It is the best of best’s best, a stunning wine that can practically live forever!
 
WAS $889
Aldo Conterno Barolo Granbussia 2012 750ml $789 special, 6 bottles available
Wine Spectator 95 Points “The earthy, woodsy aromas show some evolution in this red, with just a hint of white truffle, yet there’s still a hefty dose of spicy oak to be resolved. Rich and sumptuous midpalate, showing plum, cherry, tar and tobacco flavors shaded by vanilla and toasty spices, with firm, dusty tannins laying a grip on the long finish. Give this another year or two in the cellar. Best from 2024 through 2042. From Italy.”
 
 
Brunello
 
In the hearts and minds of wine lovers everywhere, Biondi Santi is Brunello. After all, it was at Biondi Santi that the Brunello grape, a clone of Sangiovese called Sangiovese Grosso was first discovered and vinified. They are still the Brunello producer to beat today, with a cellar of wines dating back to the 18th century that are still drinking beautifully.
 
WAS $699
Biondi Santi Il Greppo Brunello Riserva 2016 750ml $619 special, 5 bottles available
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 99 Points “Wow, here is a vintage I’ve been anxiously waiting to try. The 2016 growing season was one of the best in recent memory in Montalcino, and if we look back in time, this vintage marks the year Biondi-Santi was sold to a French group. The prestigious 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva proves a mighty collector’s bottle that will undoubtedly gain in complexity and depth with careful bottle age. The wine offers wild nuances of forest berry and tart cherry, and there are herbal side notes as well as floral tones of dried violet and lilac. The tannins are soft, powdery and feel like they melt away on the palate.”
Jeb Dunnuck 98 Points “The 2016 Brunello Di Montalcino Riserva is layered and unfolds in the glass with incense baking spice ripe red cherry and cedar. It has more concentration and length through the mid-palate and offers an impeccable balance of structure ripeness and tension. It is expressive on the nose but it is even more impactful at this stage with its intensity through the palate with nearly electric energy of wild raspberry rose petal tea leaf and orange zest. Allow for cellaring another 3-4 years. Drink 2026-2046.”
Wine Spectator 98 Points “A harmonious balanced red this sets the stage perfectly for the cherry strawberry floral iron and tobacco flavors. Fresh and detailed with a linear profile and refined structure driving the seemingly endless finish. Superb. Best from 2026 through 2050.”