Jump Start Subscriber-Only Sale:
Spottswoode 2015
2015 DRC La Tache!
New Arrivals:
2008 Aldo Conterno
La Gerla
Substance
Gatinois
#Trending
Staff Pick
The Rugged Roussillon
2013 Corliss
Dom Perignon:
“Mind-blowing” Rosé & “Grand Cru” Blanc!
2016 Rhone Reds Arriving Oct 12th
New Releases from Agathe Bursin
Domaine des Baumard Quarts de Chaume
Arriving This Thursday, October 11th
Spottswoode Family Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon, St. Helena 2015 750ML ($249.95) Displayed Price $225 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 100 points “Composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, the deep purple-black colored 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon has a beautiful nose of dried roses, lavender and Chinese five spice over a core of warm blackcurrants, kirsch and wild blueberries, plus wafts of fallen leaves and dusty earth. The medium to full-bodied palate features the most amazing intensity of perfumed red, black and blue fruit flavors supported by exquisitely fine-grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with epic length and depth. Truly stunning.”
Jeb Dunnuck 99 points “A more exuberant, sexy wine than the 2014, yet still in the house style emphasizing elegance and purity, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate knocks it out of the park with its huge nose of crème de cassis, plums, Asian spices, scorched earth, tobacco leaf and graphite. This flows to a full-bodied, opulent, incredibly concentrated wine reminiscent of the 2013 on steroids. Full-bodied, with building tannin, integrated acidity, a stacked mid-palate, and a great finish, this is a tour de force in Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from one of the greats. It has three to four decades of life ahead of it.”
And the subscriber-only pricing is the lowest listed price in the USA!
The average price is $235
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Burgundy’s Greatest Wine
2015 DRC La Tache
Arriving October 11th
Stephen Tanzer-Vinous 98 points “Bright, dark red. Ineffable nose and palate combine note of flowers, anisette and Asian spices with raspberry and pungent crushed-stone minerality. Wonderfully plush and penetrating, conveying uncanny inner-mouth clarity and lift and impressive reserve to its sappy core of fruit. Finishes with a strong spine of tannins but the wine’s dark raspberry, espresso and mineral flavors continue to build after the tannins disappear on the palate. Like all of the 2015 grand crus at this address, this wine conveys a powerful impression of dry extract.”
Burghound 98 points “As is often the case in its youth, this easily possesses the most aromatic breadth of any wine in the range with an utterly kaleidoscopic nose that incorporates notes of Asian spice box elements, rose petal, lavender, lilac, orange pekoe tea and sandalwood. There is superb richness to the powerfully constituted flavors that possess outstanding delineation and intensity while displaying perhaps even more minerality than usual, all wrapped in a mildly warm finish that slowly fans out as it sits on the palate. This is one classy wine that manages to do what only the greatest of burgundies can, which is to wow you with its power without weight mouth palate impression. And if all of this weren’t enough, the refinement and poise here are nothing short of riveting. While I am very careful when it comes to proclaiming that such and such a vintage of La Tâche will go down as one of the all-time greats, the 2015 version appears to have the potential to be one of them. Time will of course be the final arbiter but the underlying material is so good it’s difficult to be less than super-enthusiastic.”
Wine Advocate 98 points “The 2015 La Tâche Grand Cru is a young classic, soaring from the glass with an exotic and stunningly complex bouquet of dark berries, plums, hoisin, smoked duck, dark chocolate, licorice and Chinese five spice, with just a touch of rose hip on the upper register. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, multidimensional and authoritative, with more mid-palate depth than the Richebourg, its attack more textural and layered. The tannins here are fine grained but firm—swathed in an ample core of plummy, almost savory fruit—and the finish is long and scintillating. Cropped at 25 hectoliters per hectare and harvested September 7 and 8.”
The next best price is $5395
The average price is $5839
$4,789 is a bit much for one bottle. How about this?
Just Arrived:
Meo-Camuzet Richebourg Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2015 750ML ($2,199.95) $1,999 special, 1 bottle in stock now
Burghound 95-98 points “Here too there is enough reduction present to push the underlying fruit to the background. Otherwise there is breathtakingly good concentration to the broad-shouldered, succulent and lavishly rich flavors that also possess an almost haunting inner mouth perfume of spice and floral elements. There is superb power and buckets of dry extract and despite the imposing size and weight this remains refined and immaculately well-balanced on the massively long finale. I was knocked out by the potential this demonstrated but note well that it is a wine to buy and forget as this is going to need 20 to 30 years to reach its full apogee.”
Stephen Tanzer-Vinous 95-98 points “Dark ruby-red, a shade lighter than the Cros Parantoux and Brûlées. Knockout nose combines black raspberry, boysenberry, licorice, flowers, musky roast coffee and crushed-rock minerality. Wonderfully spherical, dark and profound, displaying a tight but utterly suave grain and strong saline minerality. The wine’s superconcentrated black fruit flavors mount slowly and carry spectacularly on the rising finish. A monumental wine in the making.”
Decanter 96 points “A heady nose, more black fruit than red, hedonistic and sumptuous. The dense attack is super-concentrated but not heavy-handed or extracted. There is power but not at the expense of elegance. Magnificent, full of energy, and very long. Drinking Window 2020-2038.”
Domaine Comte Georges de Vogue Musigny Grand Cru ‘Cuvee Vieilles Vignes’, Cote de Nuits 2008 750ML ($799.95) $699 special, 5 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 97 points “The 2008 Musigny Vieilles Vignes is a wine I could smell all day. The explosive bouquet literally jumps from the glass, followed by deep, beautifully delineated layers of fruit. This shows terrific concentration and depth, dazzling finesse, and a nicely pointed, direct finish. It is an eternal wine.”
Burghound 96 points “This is also quite reserved at present with an elegant, airy, cool and pure nose that is kaleidoscopically complex as it offers red currant, plum, black cherry and a panoply of floral and spice notes, in particular violet and anise, before marrying seamlessly into mineral-driven and alluring big-bodied flavors that explode on the powerful and almost painfully intense finish that delivers genuinely stunning length. I love the way Musigny can so effortlessly combine a silky palate impression with serious muscle. This should be quite impressive in time though note that it will need a minimum of 18 to 25 years of cellar time.”
Aldo Conterno
Aldo Conterno Barolo DOCG, Piedmont 2008 750ML ($119.95) $79 special
Case-12 Aldo Conterno Barolo DOCG, Piedmont 2008 750ML ($1199.95) $819 special (that’s only $68.25/bottle!)
Wine Spectator 94 points “Beautiful raspberry, cherry and black currant flavors are backed by firm, dusty tannins in this harmonious, fresh red. Floral and tobacco notes add dimension as this cruises to a long, lingering finish. Best from 2016 through 2033. 600 cases imported.”
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2008 Barolo is a beautiful wine. Super expressive, knock-out aromatics lead to expressive layers of fruit. The 2008 shows gorgeous richness and depth within the context of the year. Tar, smoke, licorice and crushed rocks wrap around the finish. This is a striking, elegant Barolo from Aldo Conterno.”
The next best price is $96
Aldo Conterno Bussia Cicala, Barolo DOCG 2008 750ML ($179.95) $119 special
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2008 Barolo Cicala is beautifully focused and vibrant from start to finish. It boasts fabulous energy and sheer tension in its ripe red berries, spices, crushed flowers and mint. All the elements come together beautifully in the pure, delineated Barolo. Huge, powerful tannins provide the backdrop for layers of cool, mineral-infused fruit. There is a pulsating energy to the Cicala that is absolutely irresistible. This is another fabulous showing.”
Wine Spectator 95 points “There’s fine depth to this red, like a grand cru red Burgundy, with a silky texture framing black cherry, black currant and tar flavors. Solidly built, this features a deceptively charming exterior that conceals firm tannins. The finish evokes violet and black cherry notes. Best from 2016 through 2035. 250 cases imported.”
The next best price is $156
Aldo Conterno Colonnello, Barolo DOCG 2008 750ML ($149.95) $119 special
Wine Spectator 96 points “Round and supple, with a fleshy profile enveloping pure cherry, raspberry and spice flavors. Ripe and harmonious, with no shortage of structure. A mineral element emerges on the tight finish. Best from 2016 through 2035. 200 cases imported.”
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2008 Barolo Colonnello is super impressive. It shows gorgeous richness and depth in its focused, energetic fruit. Sweet red berries, flowers and spices are woven together beautifully in the 2008 Colonnello. The elegant side of Barolo comes through, but with an extra degree of muscle. The oak, sometimes noticeable in this bottling, is very well integrated. Floral notes are woven throughout the finish. The Colonnello often gives the impression of being early to mature relative to the estate’s other Baroli, but the 2008 is surprisingly powerful and structured.”
The next best price is $134.99
The average price is $143
Aldo Conterno Romirasco Bussia, Barolo DOCG 2008 750ML ($249.95) $169 special
Wine Spectator 96 points “Round and supple, with a fleshy profile enveloping pure cherry, raspberry and spice flavors. Ripe and harmonious, with no shortage of structure. A mineral element emerges on the tight finish. Best from 2016 through 2035. 200 cases imported.”
Antonio Galloni 96 points “The 2008 Barolo Romirasco is striking. It possesses a cool, mineral-drenched personality similar to the Cicala, but with an extra dimension of textural finesse. Sweet red berries, flowers, mint and crushed rocks are woven together in this exquisite, gorgeous Barolo. Powerful and authoritative, the Romirasco impresses for its depth and unmistakable pedigree. Today the 2008 is an infant, but great things are in store for those who can wait.”
Stephen Tanzer-Vinous 94+ points “Bright red-ruby. Cassis, blackberry, violet and sweet oak on the nose. Sweet, juicy and imploded, with terrific verve to the urgent flavors of dark berries and bitter chocolate. Elegant, penetrating and strong, with the cut and verve to support a long and graceful evolution in bottle. Finishes with oustanding lift. “For us, the best time to drink wines is between 10 and 15 years after the vintage, whether Barolo, Burgundy or even Champagne,” noted Giacomo Conterno. “At that stage they have all the elements: fruit, acidity, tertiary character, all the characteristics of the soil. After 20 years, nearly all wines are dominated by their tertiary character.””
The next best price is $189
The average price is $217
New Arrivals from
La Gerla
No Brainer Brunello
La Gerla makes fantastic Brunello in a traditional (yet approachable) way. The wines always have striking purity of fruit and elegant structures but are free of the sweet tinted oak that masks many “easy drinking” Brunellos. Their epic 2013 Brunello and 2012 Riserva are some of the best wines ever produced by the estate. 2012 is an excellent Riserva vintage, with power and structure to produce the profound and 2013…well, we’ve yet to meet a bad wine in the vintage and they’re already drinking great. Stock up on both and drink the normale while the Riserva matures.
Newly Arrived from La Gerla:
La Gerla Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2013 750ML ($59.95) $45 special
La Gerla Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2013 375ML ($29.95) $26 special
La Gerla Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2013 1.5L ($119.95) $99 special
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2013 Brunello di Montalcino is elegant, balanced and bright. The pretty luminosity of the wine’s appearance helps to underline this positive impression. The bouquet is nuanced and layered with dried fruit aromas that segue to spice, tar and balsam herb. You get sassy aromas of licorice, tar and cola on the close.”
Ian d’Agata-Vinous 93+ points “Bright red. Pure and very flinty nuances complement aromas and flavors of strawberry-rhubarb and wild berries on the nose and palate. Dense and juicy and boasting a focused, penetrating mouthfeel, this finishes long and clean with a very strong note of licorice. Best classico Brunello from La Gerla in some time.”
La Gerla Riserva gli Angeli, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012 3L ($499.95) $319 special
La Gerla Riserva gli Angeli, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012 750ML ($99.95) $69 special
Ian d’Agata-Vinous 95 points “Bright medium ruby. Very clean and fresh aromas and flavors of red currant, cherry pit, flowers and blood orange jelly. Bright, juicy and very light on its feet, offering superb vinosity and clarity of flavor, this conveys an impression of real underlying density and a multilayered mouthfeel. A knockout wine of outstanding energy and class, finishing with polished tannins, uncanny sweetness and lovely subtle persistence, not to mention outstanding balance (it hides its 14.5% alcohol very well).”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95 points “Here is a dense and meaty Tusan red that flaunts its immediate power, structure and intensity. The 2012 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva gli Angeli is robust and deep thanks to a generous offering of dark fruit, spice and tar-like aromas. Fruit is carefully selected for this wine, and the grapes are fermented in stainless steel. Post fermentation, the wine goes into large Slavonian oak casks for four years. The finish is soft and supple with sweet berry flavors. This wine has made an impressive jump forward in this vintage.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today for the 750ml!
The next best price for the 750ml is $94.94
A Substantial Bargain
Substance ‘Cs’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley 2016 750ML ($19.95) $16 specialCase-12 Substance ‘Cs’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley 2016 750ML ($219.95) $175 pre-arrival special, (that’s only $14.58/bottle!) arriving Tuesday, October 9th
Jeb Dunnuck 93 points “The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon was vinified in tank before being pressed to barrel where it went through malo. Aged 13 months in barrels, its vibrant purple color is followed by a terrific bouquet of blueberries, cassis, scorched earth, and spice. Deep, rich, full-bodied, and beautifully balanced, this is the real deal, ladies and gentlemen, and it’s a no-brainer purchase. Just pretend you paid three times the price.”
“In an attempt to simplify the K Vintners lineup, Charles Smith created the Wines of Substance label in 2017 and moved all of the Bordeaux varieties under this umbrella. As with the K Vintners wines, these are terrific wines that more than over deliver at their price point. All of the wines see small batch fermentations, native yeast, aging in barrel, and bottled unfined and unfiltered.” JD
Gatinois:
The Glory of Äy
Of the producers in Äy, Gatinois might be the most undervalued. The family farms some of the best land in the town and works with a very high proportion of a massale selection of Pinot Noir called “Petite Pinot d’Äy” that has extremely small berries. These small berries ensure an exceptionally flavorful base wine that translate into the finished product—Gatinois’ wines are rich, textured and powerful. We’re excited to carry them and they arrive at the end of the month, in plenty of time for celebratory fall drinking.
New Arrivals from Gatinois
This gives Bollinger a run for the money at a lot less $$.
Gatinois Grand Cru Reserve Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($59.95) $41.90 special
2013 Base
Winery note “Attractive yellow hue with honeyed reflections. The complex nose offers white flowers, yellow fruits and candied citrus. 3 years of ageing in our cellars allows the champagne to develop a rich, smooth texture on the palate, with notes of stewed fruit, brioche and honey complemented by the generosity of Pinot Noir.”
Gatinois Grand Cru Tradition Brut NV 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Importer note “Composed mainly of the 2014 vintage, with a small bit of reserve wine. Fermentation (100% malo) in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts. Estate-owned Pinot Noir (majority is Petit Pinot d’Ay) and Chardonnay grown in the Grand Cru village of Äy. Most of their Pinot holdings are comprised of massale selection Petite Pinot d’Ay: a small-yielding, tiny berried clone that is unique to this village. [The soil] has a good percentage of limestone found in subsoils. Technically located in Vallée de la Marne, but its terroir and exposition are more like Montagne de Reims.”
Gatinois Grand Cru Rose d’Ay Brut NV 750ML ($69.95) $49 special
Importer note “Estate-owned Pinot Noir (majority is Petit Pinot d’Ay) and Chardonnay grown in the Grand Cru village of Äy. Most of their Pinot holdings are comprised of massale selection Petite Pinot d’Ay: a small-yielding, tiny berried clone that is unique to this village. Assemblage-style rosé made mostly from the 2013 vintage, with a small bit of reserve wine. The still wine (Pinot Noir) was sourced from 60 year old vines. Fermented (100% malo) in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts. [The soil] has a good percentage of limestone found in subsoils. Technically located in Vallée de la Marne, but its terroir and exposition are more like Montagne de Reims.”
The incredibly rare flagship wine for the estate in his home country
Chartogne-Taillet ‘Beaux Sens’ Extra Brut, Champagne 2011 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, only 7 bottles available!
100% Pinot Meunier
James Suckling 95 points “Pure and delicious pinot meunier vinified in old wood, it opens up with sweet fragrant red and blue berry fruits, woody forest notes and peppery nuances as well as almond paste, dried meadow flowers and fresh bread nuances. Initially occupies the palate in sleek, plate like shape, builds outwards with plenty of flesh driven by cleverly paced acidity. Terrific vinous presence at the finish, this has unique and distinctive style. Drink now.”
#Trending
St. Innocent Temperance Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2015 750ML ($39.95) $29 specialJames Suckling 95 points “A vibrant and incredibly spicy expression of pinot noir with a wealth of freshly picked blackcurrants, redcurrants, sour red cherries, orange rind and citrus. The palate doesn’t hold back though and is dense and well-rounded yet retains the same freshness as the nose with driven acidity. Just how this wine manages to combine such concentration and vivacity is a mystery. Truly exceptional. So delicious now but better from 2020 and beyond.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 94 points “(aged in French oak barrels, 21% of them new) Deep lurid red. An expansive, impressively complex bouquet evokes ripe cherry, black raspberry, incense and potpourri, and smoky mineral and Asian spice nuances build with aeration. Silky, sweet and concentrated, yet lively as well, offering palate-staining red and dark berry, spicecake and floral pastille flavors that show outstanding clarity and back-end lift. Supple tannins frame the red-fruit-dominated finish, which hangs on with outstanding tenacity.”
The average price is $36
Vouette et Sorbee Cuvee Blanc d’Argile Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, Champagne NV (2014) 750ML ($79.95) $69 special
Vouette et Sorbee Cuvee Blanc d’Argile Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, Champagne (2014) 1.5L ($199.95) $149 special
Wine & Spirits 94 points “Working in the Cote des Bar, Bertrand Gautherot has farmed his Demeter-certified vineyards biodynamically since 1998. Fermented spontaneously in oak barrels, presented without dosage, Blanc d’Argile is a bare, naked chardonnay that bristles with energy, then quiets to the warmth of the cool autumn sun. Crunchy apple and complex herbal notes add to the wine’s stony, mineral power. It’s lovely Champagne, elegant and compellingly drinkable.”
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points “From a rather young vineyard (less than ten years old) planted with nothing but Chardonnay, the NV Brut Nature Blanc d’Argile—here, the “R14,” which is entirely based on the 2014 harvest—is an intensely citrus colored, white-golden shimmering beauty. Intense yet fine and floral on the nose, this oak-fermented (you don’t really get that aromatically!) Blanc de Blancs shows an iodine and almost floral (think of broom!), intense and vinous nose like a fine Chablis. The palate is round yet dry, firm and mineral until the long, tensioned, well-structured and very salty finish. This is a great mix of ripe, lush fruit, elegance, finesse and iodine flavors—so, where are the oysters? Disgorged in March 2017; tasted in July 2018.”
Importer Note “From Clay, Kimmeridgian limestone soils. Hand harvested, natural yeast fermentation in French oak, [and] minimal SO2. Mainly from a small parcel of Chardonnay in Briaunes supplemented with scattered plantings of Chardonnay in Bertrand’s other lieux-dits. Small in volume now, it will increase when the young vines in Vouette begin to come online. Mineral, nougat, salty and long – basically a Grand Cru Chablis with bubbles.”
The average price nationally for the 750ml is $90
Case-6 Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas, Rhone 2016 750ML ($519.95) $419 special (that’s only $34.92/bottle!)
Case-12 Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas, Rhone 2016 750ML ($289.95) $219 special (that’s only $36.50/bottle!)
Wine Spectator 95 points “Perfumy and stylish, with rooibos tea, blood orange and cherry aromas and flavors weaving through, infused with sandalwood, anise, bay leaf, sage and pepper notes along the way. A very fine and persistent chalky spine supports it all. Best from 2020 through 2035.”
And our case prices are even lower!
The average price is $54
James Suckling 96 points “This shows serious density and balance with a blackberry, licorice and blueberry character. Medium to full body, firm and silky tannins and a flavorful finish. Sleek and racy. Structured yet wonderfully polished. Drink in 2021.”
Wine Spectator 94 points “This red is savory and fruity, offering black cherry, blackberry, plum, leather, spice and underbrush flavors, matched to a firm matrix of tannins. Just a bit on the rustic side now, with beefy tannins, yet balanced overall. Sangiovese. Best from 2021 through 2035.”
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 92-95 points “Another impressive 2015, the Fontalloro is a wine of breadth, power and persistence. Today, the oak is still not fully integrated, but there is more than enough depth and resonance in the fruit to make me think that will happen. I can’t wait to taste the 2015 from bottle.”
The average price is $57
Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2013 750ML ($89.95) $69 special
Case-6 Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2013 750ML ($419.95) $369 special (that’s only $61.50/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2013 Brunello di Montalcino lives up to the impeccable reputation garnered by this estate over the years. This is a profound and beautifully rendered Sangiovese that delivers bold and luscious fruit quality with black cherry and spicy plum at the start. The bouquet follows through with mild oak notes of smoke, tar and toasted nut. There is another aromatic component that includes crushed stone and dried herb or mint. This Brunello shows elegant evolution in the glass and promises a very long aging future ahead. Some 200,000 bottles were made, so it should be easy to locate this excellent wine.”
Ian d’Agata – Vinous 95 points “Bright red. Pure, refined red cherry and wild strawberry aromas and flavors complicated by sweet spices and aromatic herbs. Deep and multilayered, the wine boasts polished tannins and a harmonious acid spine that lifts and extends the red fruit on the long, suave finish. An essence of Sant’Angelo in Colle with bigger body and palate weight than, for example, the Brunellos of Montosoli, but still sleek and refined as the best wines of Sant’Angelo in Colle can be. The cool-climate-styled 2013 vintage is precisely the type of year in which Il Poggione excels: this lovely, focused wine is the best classico Brunello from Il Poggione in years. Superb.”
The average price nationally is $75
Suzanne:The most underappreciated wine in our shop just might be the elegant non-vintage Champagne from Arnaud Margaine. It’s dry and citrus-focused. It’s crystalline and refined. It’s what Terry Theise once described as the Riesling-lover’s Champagne. And boy do I love it.
Margaine has helmed his family’s estate in the Premier Cru village of Villers-Marmery in the Montagne de Reims since 1989. He sells some of his estate’s fruit to Clicquot, Bollinger and Lanson. He’s not one to rest on his laurels, and still experiments with vinifying in used barrel or using cover crops in the vineyard to make the roots dig deeper, all with the goal of improving quality over the long term. This Cuvee Traditionelle is beautifully defined, light and ethereal, and will only improve in the cellar for several years.
So join me as I raise a glass to Terry and repeat his too-true words: “It’s gorgeous, and there is nothing remotely like it.”
A. Margaine Cuvee Le Brut (Traditionelle) Premier Cru, Champagne NV 750ML ($49.95) $36.60 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
50% 2015, 25% 2014, 10% 2013, 2% 2011, 13% 2010. Partial malo. Disgorged June 2017
The average price is $46
(And the IGP Cotes Catalanes)
The Best Source for Powerful Red Wine Value
These are some of our favorite wines in stock—they provide excellent value across all prices—delivering wines that would be considerably more expensive if they were from other places in the world. If you’re a fan of richer, more powerful reds, these are some wines you need to check out.
Highlight Roussillon Wine Arriving Tuesday, October 9th
Chateau Saint-Roch ‘Chimeres,’ Cotes du Roussillon Villages 2015 750ML ($21.95) $16.60 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 93 points “Giving up jammy notes of black raspberries, licorice, smoked herbs and chocolate, the 2015 Cotes du Roussillon Villages Chimeres (aged in demi-muid and concrete vates) needs to be snatched up by savvy readers. Full-bodied, deep and layered with incredible texture, I actually called this a mini SQN. I would gladly pay three to four times the going rate. Bravo!”
Highlights from the Roussillon In Stock Now
“this full-bodied, sexy beauty… just begs to be drunk”
Chateau de L’Ou ‘Secret de Schistes ‘ Rouge, IGP Cotes Catalanes 2015 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Case-6 Chateau de L’Ou ‘Secret de Schistes ‘ Rouge, IGP Cotes Catalanes 2015 750ML ($549.95) $419 special (that’s only $34.92/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Wine Advocate 96 points “Saturated black in color, the 2015 IGP Côtes Catalanes Secret de Schistes is reminiscent of Manfred Krankl’s SQN Syrahs with its deep, unctuous, layered profile. Cassis, chocolate, licorice, smoked herbs and ample minerality all emerge from this full-bodied, sexy beauty that just begs to be drunk. Possessing ripe tannin, a stacked mid-palate and a great finish, it will be better in a year or two and keep for a decade.”
Wine of the Vintage!
Domaine de L’Edre Cotes du Roussillon Villages 2013 750ML ($49.95) $38 special
Wine Advocate 95 points “One of the wines of the vintage is the 2013 Cotes du Roussillon Villages Domaine de l’Edre. While this cuvee had a rustic edge in the past, today it’s incredibly polished and pure, with brilliant aromatics of cassis, black raspberries, licorice, crushed flowers and chalky minerality. Medium to full-bodied, ripe, yet elegant and balanced, it’s a classic Roussillon that can be enjoyed today or cellared for a decade.”
The next best price is $47.99
Domaine Lafage Bastide Miraflors, IGP Cotes Catalanes 2015 750ML ($17.95) $16 special
Case-12 Domaine Lafage Bastide Miraflors, IGP Cotes Catalanes 2015 750ML ($199.95) $169 special (that’s only $14.08/bottle!)
Jeb Dunnuck – Wine Advocate 94 points “This wine is almost too good to be true. A blend of 70% Syrah and 30% Grenache that was brought up in concrete tanks (Grenache) and demi-muids (Syrah), the 2015 Bastide Miraflors Vieilles Vignes reminded me of a mini Syrah from California’s Manfred Krankl (yes I just compared a $14 Syrah to Sine Qua Non). It’s a ripe, sexy, heady beauty that exhibits a deep, purple color as well as killer notes of smoked meats, chocolate, blackberry and black raspberries. Deep, unctuous, open knit and layered, it continues to change in the glass, has a seamless and silky profile, and not a hard edge to be found. It’s a sensational value that needs to be tasted to be believed. Drink it anytime over the coming 2-4 years.”
Arriving This Thursday
Stephen Tanzer-Vinous 96+ points “(aged in 70% new oak for 28 months; this bottling will be labeled Red Mountain beginning with the 2014 vintage): Bright red-ruby. Extremely primary, pure aromas and flavors of inky cassis, blueberry, licorice and minerals. Tight and high-pitched in the mouth, displaying outstanding depth, energy and minerality but extremely closed in the early going. This huge wine finishes with chewy, late-arriving, toothdusting tannins that will require cellaring, even after the wine is released in the fall of 2018. Corliss has increased its use of tight-grained Saint-Martin barrels in this wine, and it will need a while to absorb the oak. Distinctly cool, even a bit medicinal, for the 2013 vintage, this is likely to be very long-lived. Winemaker Andre Trio told me he added a bit of Petit Verdot “for back-palate texture and finer-grained tannins.””
Stephen Tanzer-Vinous 95 points “(aged in 65% new French oak for 28 months): Bright ruby-red. Multifaceted nose offers aromas of currant, black cherry, cranberry, cocoa powder, licorice and Belgian chocolate, plus hint of tarry, earthy reduction. Wonderfully plush and utterly seamless, showing more obvious early sweetness than the Cabernet Sauvignon to its fine-grained dark fruit, chocolate and nutty oak flavors. An aromatically seductive wine of outstanding energy and finesse, this beauty finishes with noble, edge-free tannins that slowly saturate the front teeth. Should be fabulous upon its release in 2018.”
The next best price is $74.89
“Mind-blowing” Rosé & “Grand Cru” Blanc!
Arriving Mid-October
Dom Perignon Rose, Champagne 2005 750ML ($379.95) $248 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 99 points “A mind-blowing wine. This is super subtle and intense with aromas of peaches, light strawberry and cream. Also shows rose petal and cooked peaches. Medium to full body, with ultra-fine tannins that feel like fine silk. The finish goes on for mintutes. It floats across the palate. The winemaker says the closet vintage to this is the 1990, but I think this is better.”
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2005 Dom Pérignon Rosé is intriguing, complex and multi-faceted. Brisk and refreshing, with a slightly herbal (but not unpleasant character), the 2005 is superb today. Over time, the wine has acquired a bit more depth and body than it showed at the outset. Even with all of its depth, though, I would not suggest cellaring the 2005 too long given the challenges of the year. Hints of blood orange, mint, sage and dried flowers add the closing shades of nuance.”
Wine Spectator 95 points “This rosé Champagne is rich and vinous, offering smoky minerality up front, expanding to show dried raspberry, mandarin orange zest, brioche and espresso crème flavors that ride the fine, lacy mousse. Spice and mineral details persist on the racy finish. Drink now through 2027.”
Wine Enthusiast 95 points “This Champagne is beautifully mature, its ripe fruit and soft texture magnified by toast and yeast. Rich and full bodied, its fine acidity keeps it in great condition. With a crisp aftertaste that gives it a delicious lift, it’s ready to drink now.”
The average price is $325!
“It’s like a top grand cru white Burgundy. Think Batard-Montrachet.”
Dom Perignon Brut, Champagne 2009 750ML ($199.95) $149 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 97 points “This is a DP that shows the ripeness of the 2009 vintage yet remains full of energy. Gorgeous aromas of cream, apple, mango, honeysuckle, and chalk follow through to a full body and super fine, tight texture. Dense and agile. Vinous. It’s like a top grand cru white Burgundy. Think Batard-Montrachet. More depth than the 2006. Drink now.”
Decanter 96 points “Unbroken sun through August and early September helped to shape an idyllic harvest, on 12th September. Superb maturity of fruit in flawless health has produced a wine with wafting scents of both fresh and confit of spiced lemon and wild cherry. Despite the heat, the wine has freshness, vitality and length. Still a youngster, this will grow greatly by 2019. A more stylish son of the ’03, and cousin of the slender and charming ’06. Disgorged June 2016.”
Antonio Galloni 94+ points “The 2009 Dom Pérignon is a gorgeous, totally seductive Champagne that will drink well right out of the gate. Medium in body and unusually open-knit at this stage, the 2009 is one of the most accessible young Dom Pérignons I can remember tasting. It is an excellent choice to drink while waiting for the release of the stellar 2008 and some recent vintages that remain very young, including the 2006. Despite the warm, ripe personality of the 2009 Dom Pérignon is quite gracious, but there is plenty of depth underpinning the fruit. With each successive tasting, the 2009 seems to have gained more power and breadth, especially on the finish. Above all else, the 2009 is decidedly restrained for a warm, radiant vintage. It is not as overtly flamboyant as the 2002 nor as phenolically intense as years like 2003 and 2006. Instead, the 2009 is a beautifully balanced Champagne, with all of its elements in the right place. Tasted three times.”
Could this be the greatest Chateauneuf vintage of all time?
Four heavy-hitters, and not so weighty prices, are arriving October 12th
Stock up now and decide for yourself!
“The Chateauneufs 2016 are quite simply the best wines this region has seen in a very long time. The overcooked fruit, the excessive extraction and the obsession with excess seem to be over for most producers. The glory of grenache as an expressive, complex, elegant, enlivening, and powerful platform is back and long may it reign!” –Nick Stock, JamesSuckling.com
“Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s monumental 2015 vintage was a tough act to follow, but 2016 was up to the challenge. In fact, in many cases the wines from this uniformly outstanding warm year actually outclass – or at least outmuscle – their older siblings. If exuberant ripe fruit, harmonious tannins and an overall impression of generosity and lushness are what you’re after in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, then 2016 has plenty to offer. But the best wines also display real energy, making this a standout vintage.” –Josh Raynolds, Vinous
“In the Southern Rhône… 2016 looks like a classic vintage, with most growers favoring it over 2015.” –James Molesworth, Wine Spectator
“The 2016 vintage in the Southern Rhône seems comparable to 1982 in Bordeaux (also a high-cropping vintage) for the profound impact it’s likely to have on the market. These are incredible wines produced in reasonable quantities that are still largely undervalued (outside a few trophy collectibles). The wines are approachable yet age-worthy. And with that combination of quality, drinkability and value, they’re going to bring in more new Rhône consumers than ever before. Smart consumers will snap up wines from their favorite producers and any of the microproduction cuvées as soon as they can, as the 2017s will be even more expensive and harder to find when they’re released…” –Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate
Domaine Raymond Usseglio & Fils Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Girard, Rhone 2016 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Girard is blended exclusively for American importer Peter Weygandt and is bottled unfiltered. It’s about 90% Grenache and delivers a compelling mix of fragrant raspberries and savory, earthy spices. It’s full-bodied and plush, with a long, complex finish that suggests it will age well for a decade or more. It’s powerful and concentrated yet feels fresh and lively.”
Domaine Raymond Usseglio & Fils Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Imperiale, Rhone 2016 750ML ($89.95) $69 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Domaine Raymond Usseglio & Fils Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Imperiale, Rhone 2016 750ML ($979.95) $736 pre-arrival special (that’s only $61.33/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 95 points “Almost entirely Grenache, from parcels planted in 1901 and 1902, the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Imperiale is a stunner. Scents of roses, black tea and raspberries set the scene, while the palate is full-bodied but silky and nearly weightless, delivering an intricate, detailed interplay of red fruit, dried spices and orange zest. Despite what must be 15% alcohol or more, it shows absolutely no sign of heat.”
“This is as pure as it gets in Châteauneuf!”-Nick Stock, JamesSuckling.com
Domaine de Ferrand Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Rhone 2016 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Nick Stock-JamesSuckling.com 98 points “There’s a beautiful purity of fresh, mixed berries, dark plums, deep spices, as well as a gentle, coal-smoke edge. The palate has an effortless, fleshy, fine-grained texture with long, majestic tannins and a long, black-cherry finish Such purity and depth, pulling a lot of flavor with perfectly balanced acidity. Equal parts of old and young vine parcels here. No wood. The real deal. Drink now or hold.”
Jeb Dunnuck 94-96 points “The 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape offers more depth and richness than the 2015, with slightly darker fruits (blackberry, black raspberries), garrigue, smoked earth and licorice all emerging from the glass. It’s ripe, voluptuous, and beautifully textured, with sweet tannin, and is going to be a smokin’ good 2016 that’s going to have a long life. As always, this cuvée is a un-oaked blend of mostly Grenache (3% each of Mourvèdre, Syrah and Bourboulenc, with a splash of Cinsault) that comes mostly from clay soils, partially destemmed, and will be bottled with no filtration.”
The average price is $53
Domaine Charvin Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Rhone 2016 750ML ($89.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Nick Stock-JamesSuckling.com 95-96 points “A very tidy array of fresh strawberries, raspberries and poached, red plums. Sweet perfume and light, sappy, spicy complexity, too. The palate delivers an array of succulent, smooth tannins that offer fluid, suave, textural allure. Silky. Barrel sample.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 94-96 points “Deep bright-rimmed red. An explosively perfumed bouquet evokes ripe fruits, incense and exotic spices, and a sexy floral pastille nuance builds in the glass. Sappy, broad and expansive on the palate, offering sweet raspberry preserve, boysenberry and spicecake flavors that are given spine and lift by a core of juicy acidity. Closes on a gently tannic note, displaying superb clarity and spicy thrust and leaving sweet red fruit preserve and Asian spice notes behind.”
New Releases Arriving Mid-November
We’ve sung a lot of praise for Agathe Bursin’s wines. They deserve it, too—she’s making some really special stuff. Yet despite a strong following in France, she somehow remains slightly unknown in the US. Her production sells out before it’s even bottled—mostly to private clients in Europe, but a little makes its way over to our shores. Yet when it gets here, sometimes it gets overlooked, because she makes wines that are useful at the table (and, much in the vein of Selbach-Oster, her wines are priced as such) instead of being high-priced trophies. She lacks a national importer, which is another reason they might be a bit under the radar, though her wines are brokered by Thomas Calder (who also sells Prevost/ Cedric Bouchard/ Pattes Loup/ Boulay, etc) which speaks to the quality.
The Bursin family has been making wines in Alsace for several generations and Agathe has taken the family domaine to new levels. Educated in Burgundy, she worked in Chablis before returning home to the family winery and there is a marked Chablisienne influence on her wines in terms of their clarity of flavor and brightness. All the wines she makes are delicious, and she’s known in Alsace as something of a Sylvaner whisperer, but we’d urge you to check out the entire range!
Agathe Bursin Gewurztraminer Dirstelberg, Alsace 2017 750ML ($29.95) $24 pre-arrival special
Agathe Bursin Gewurztraminer Zinnkoepfle, Alsace Grand Cru 2017 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Agathe Burstin Riesling Bollenberg Graenwiller, Alsace 2017 750ML ($29.95) $24 pre-arrival special
Agathe Bursin Riesling Dirstelberg, Alsace 2017 750ML ($29.95) $24 pre-arrival special
Agathe Bursin Sylvaner Lutzeltal, Alsace 2017 750ML ($24.95) $19 pre-arrival special
A Fascinating & Powerful Dessert Wine
Domaine des Baumard Quarts de Chaume, Loire 2015 375ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 98 points “Highly Recommended. Waves of creamed Jonagold apple, Cavaillon melon, mirabelle plum, mango and white peach flavors provide thrilling range, while flashes of honeysuckle and verbena add detail and focus throughout. Unctuous yet pure, sweet yet invigorating, with an inner brightness that matches the outward hedonism. Best from 2020 through 2045. 100 cases imported.”