2017

Pian dell’Orino

Soldera. Biondi Santi. The two giants of Brunello. Pretty soon it looks like we might be able to add Pian dell’Orino to that list. Brunello insiders have known about the wines for several years now, but the secret seems to be getting out. We don’t get a lot of these wines, but we have enough to offer them today and we’re really excited to share them with you.

Piano dell’Orino combines two things that make great wine estates: good land and obsessive ownership. Caroline Pobitzer and Jan Hendrik Erbach, the owners and driving force behind these wines, have a take-no-prisoners approach to ensure that they make the finest wines in Brunello. From careful, biodynamic farming to native yeast fermentions, the wines are traditional in style but made with the utmost care, so they have silky tannin and elegant structures.

… Read the rest

Winery of the Day: Ayres 2-18-17

Ayres

Proud Oregon Tradition

Down to earth: Ayres grows and makes wines in the true Oregon tradition. From certified-sustainable viticulture in the Ribbon Ridge AVA, to hands-off winemaking (learned at Domaine Drouhin Oregon), and extremely reasonable pricing, Ayres represents Willamette Valley Pinot Noir with respect. The Lewis Rogers Lane and Perspective cuvees satisfy that plump red/blue fruit craving, while the Pioneer gives a deeper, darker taste. Meanwhile, to keep it bright, fresh, and under $20 a bottle, the Willamette Valley 2015 already drinks wonderfully. Pick one, two, or all four to taste and we’re sure you’ll add Ayres to your list of favorite Oregon producers. They’re definitely one of ours.

Ayres Lewis Rogers Lane Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2014 750ML ($34.95) Buy Now: $29 special
James Suckling 93 points “A linear and fresh pinot with firm yet soft tannins and a savory and fruity finish.… Read the rest

Joseph Swan Vineyards

February 2017

Joseph Swan Vineyards
A California Icon Still Going Strong

Joseph Swan Vineyards remains one of the most notable names in California wines. Joe Swan was a trailblazer and legendary figure in the California’s viticultural history, and his son-in-law Rod Berglund is a talented winemaker of equal skill. That said it sometimes seems like this winery doesn’t get mentioned as often as it should when we talk about California’s great wineries, which is a shame.

The Swan wines aren’t trendy and never have been—they epitomize the idea of classicism and have been made in the same style no matter whether the winds of fashion favored the huge and ripe or the light and lean. The one constant for Swan has been the idea that the vineyard speaks for itself.… Read the rest

Wine of the Day: Chateau Meyney 2009 1-26-2017

Chateau Meyney St. Estephe 2009 750ML ($49.95) Buy Now $39 special, in-stock now!

Case-12 Chateau Meyney St. Estephe 2009 750ML ($549.95) Buy Now $438 special, in-stock now!
(That’s only $36.50 per bottle!)

The ’09 Chateau Meyney stands out to me for the approachability for a Bordeaux of this nature. When I first tried it upon release, January 2012, it was certainly tight, but the potential was clearly shouting out. I set a glass aside and by the end of the night, the underlying soft spice aromas really filled the glass and the fruit beneath the surface was beginning to stand out. Well made Bordeaux at this price is truly a gem. It could be viewed as our gateway wine into collecting and aging.… Read the rest

VinopolPick: Domaine Fougeray de Beauclair, Burgundy 1-19-17

January 2017

Parceled vineyard ownership can make Burgundy’s Côte d’Or seem chaotic. But this allows small, family growers like Fougeray de Beauclair to produce twenty-one wines from the Côte de Nuits and de Beaune. Founded in 1978, Fougeray de Beauclair grows Pinot Noir and Chardonnay across 45 acres, from straight-forward villages like Marsannay and Fixin, to prestigious Bonnes Mares, to richly structured Puligny-Montrachet. Patrice Olliver has been growing and making wine at Fougeray de Beauclair, created by his parents-in-law, for over two decades. Synthetic fertilizers were abandoned, and the sorting of grapes takes place in the vineyard and at the winery. Quality becomes a matter of pride at a domaine of this size. The wines get oak in the proportion they deserve: 15 months in 30% new for the Gevrey-Chambertin, 18 months in 100% new for the Bonnes Mares, 6 to 8 months in 50% new oak for the Puligny-Montrachet.… Read the rest