Subscriber-Only 48 Hour Sales; New Arrivals (Ayoub, Dunn, Brovia…); #Trending & #BackinStock; Arriving Next Week: Corliss, Mount Peak & Diamond Creek; Arriving in November – Servin & Vissoux; Calon Segur Vertical; Mazzei’s Concerto
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Subscriber-Only 48 Hour Sales
Opus One and Beaux Freres New Arrivals
End Sunday at Midnight!
Opus One Proprietary Red Napa Valley 2014 750ML ($349.95) Displayed price: $319 – Your Price $289
James Suckling 97 points “Mesmerizing aromas of flowers, bark, currants and blackberries. So perfumed. You just want to smell it. Exquisite tension and finesse with an almost Burgundian texture, yet it’s Napa in its soul with ripe fruit, stones, spices and Chinese tea leaf flavors. Savory and delicious. Drinkable but better in 2020.”
Antonio Galloni 95+ points “The 2014 Opus One has turned out to be a gorgeous wine. Savory, tightly wound and intensely aromatic, the 2014 is going to need time to unwind, but it looks like it will develop along the more classic vintages here. The tannins are firm but also impeccably balanced. A sleeper wine for the year, the 2014 is shaping up to be a gorgeous wine that will handsomely repay several decades of cellaring. The 2014 is not an obvious Opus One, like the 2010, 2012 or 2013, but over time, I will not be surprised if it challenges or even surpasses some of those vintages. In short, the 2014 is a wine of tension, power and grace.”
The average price nationally is $301
Beaux Freres The Upper Terrace Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2015 750ML ($109.95) Displayed price: $99 – Your Price $89, 18 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 95 points “A dynamic wine, with beguiling rose petal and violet aromas, accented by dark plum and blueberry notes. The flavors are focused and structured, yet supple, with espresso and smoky spice details that gain traction toward polished tannins. Drink now through 2025. 1,120 cases made.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $104
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Sale ends Sunday at midnight
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New Weekend – New Arrivals
Oregon
“Mo Ayoub’s wines are some of the most exciting and intriguing Pinots I’ve tasted from Oregon (in recent years)” –Kerry Winslow, Grapelive
Ayoub Chardonnay, Dundee Hills 2016 750ML ($59.95) $46 special
Wine Spectator 94 points “Vibrant and refined, with floral tangerine and quince aromas and polished, elegantly layered pear and wet stone flavors that glide along the finish. Drink now through 2020.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Ayoub ??? Dundee Hills Pinot Noir 2015 750ML ($69.95) $56 special
Winery notes: “Why ??? Vineyards? Simple, I could not put the name of the vineyards on the label. The 2015 ??? Pinot Noir is a blend of three great vineyards from Dundee hills.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Ayoub Brittan Vineyard Pinot Noir, McMinnville 2015 750ML ($69.95) $56 special
Winery notes: “The constant signature minerality of the Brittan Vineyard is apparent in this wine. The nose is loaded with wet slate, black raspberry, and pipe tobacco. The palate is lively with juicy acidity, compelling red and black fruit, savory notes and slate minerality, transparent expression of place. The finish is expansive, layered and endless. This is a powerful wine with an intense structure and needs time in the cellar; best from 2018 to 2030.”
Ayoub Estate Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2015 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Wine Spectator 94 points “Expressive and beautifully focused, with refined cherry and loamy mineral aromas and elegantly layered raspberry and tea flavors that persist through polished tannins. Drink now through 2024.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Staff pick!
Ayoub Vineyard Memoirs Pinot Noir, Oregon 2016 750ML ($47.95) $39 special
Winery notes: “Memoirs is my fond personal tribute to my family. This year’s label features a picture of myself when I was ~9 years old. The 2016 Memoirs is a blend of Pinot Noir crafted from six select vineyards in the Dundee Hills & McMinnville AVAs.The enticing nose is layered with raspberry, nutmeg, tobacco and graphite. Dark red fruit on the palate leading into a profound mouth-feel that layer your tongue with fruit, lively acidity, cocoa powder and exotic spices . The long and complex finish is highlighted by earthy minerality. Don’t let that cute picture of Mo fool you, this is a great wine that will cellar for many years! Best from 2018 to 2030.”
Vincent Chardonnay, Willamette Valley 2016 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special
VinopolNote: Made in a lean, crisp style. This wine is a blend of multiple vineyards and clones, yeilding a flavor profile that reminds us of classic French Chardonnay. It’s fermented with native yeast and aged in old, neutral casks to ensure that the fruit doesn’t get out of hand while retaining freshness.
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Vincent Gamay Noir, Willamette Valley 2016 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
This is the only listing in the USA today!
California
Dunn Vineyards Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, California 2013 750ML ($159.95) $138 special
Antonio Galloni 98+ points “The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is a towering majestic wine. Rich, powerful and yet massively tannic, the 2013 possesses a stunning combination of super-ripe fruit, bright acids and plenty of supporting structure. In the early going, the Howell Mountain is a bit reticent, especially next to the Trailer, but after several hours, the vibrancy of the Howell Mountain bottling dazzles. Dunn’s Howell Mountain Cabernet is without question one of the wines of the great 2013 vintage.”
France – Champagne
Drappier Carte d’Or Brut Champagne NV 750ML ($49.95) $36 special
Case-6 Drappier Carte d’Or Brut Champagne NV 750ML ($299.95) $199 special (that’s only $33.17/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Wine Spectator 92 points “This bright and zesty Champagne is lightly juicy and appealing, offering flavors of Honeycrisp apple, ripe white cherry, biscuit and pickled ginger. Balanced and lacy in texture, with a lingering, spiced finish. Drink now through 2022.”
Ulysse Collin ‘Les Pierrieres’ Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, Champagne NV (2013) 750ML ($119.95) $99 special
Ulysse Collin ‘Les Maillons’ Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut, Champagne NV (2013) 750ML ($109.95) $89 special
Thienot ‘Grande Cuvee Alain Thienot’ Millesime, Champagne 1999 750ML ($99.95) $69 special
Wine Spectator 93 points “Lightly creamy and finely textured, this well-meshed version displays delicate layers of creamed apple, marzipan, pineapple pâte de fruit, fleur de sel and smoky roasted almond, while mouthwatering acidity lends freshness and balance. Drink now through 2023.”
France – Burgundy
Joseph Faiveley Bourgogne Rouge, Burgundy 2012 750ML ($27.95) $16 special
Case-12 Joseph Faiveley Bourgogne Rouge, Burgundy 2012 750ML ($299.95) $169 special (that’s only $14.08/bottle!)
Importer notes: “A beautiful ruby color. This wine has pleasant, fresh, red-fruit aromas on the nose, which we find again on the palate. It has rich and very ripe substance, with fine round tannins. It’s a very well-structured and pleasing wine.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $19.99
The average price is $23
Italy – Piedmont
Brovia Garblet Sue Barolo DOCG, Piedmont 2013 750ML ($89.95) $79 special
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2013 Barolo Garblèt Sue’ is another striking wine. In most vintages, the Garblèt is a bit nervous and compact, especially in the mid-palate, where the wine sometimes lacks depth, which, in turn, exposes the tannins. The 2013, on the other hand, is wonderfully full, luscious and textured, while expressing all the signatures that make wines from this site so special. There is plenty of tannin and drive to ensure many years of exceptional drinking. Scents of iron, smoke, herbs and licorice add the closing shades of nuances. What a gorgeous wine this is.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Brovia Villero, Barolo DOCG 2013 750ML ($119.95) $99 special
Antonio Galloni 96+ points “The 2013 Barolo Villero is magnificent. In fact, the 2013 may very well be the single most impressive young Brovia Villero I have tasted. Specifically, the flavors are vivid, delineated and wonderfully alive. The characteristic Villero spiced/balsamic notes are very much present. Black cherry, menthol, licorice, cloves and lavender infuse the impeccable, layered finish. Today, the Villero is explosive and showy. Readers will have to be patient. This is a fabulous showing.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Brovia ‘Brea Vigna Ca’ Mia’, Barolo DOCG 2013 750ML ($119.95) $99 special
Antonio Galloni 96 points “The 2013 Barolo Brea Vigna Ca’ Mia captures the essence of this striking hillside site. A host of lavender, violet, menthol, licorice and tar notes open up first. Wonderfully translucent and yet powerful, the 2013 bristles with energy and pure class. Here, too, the tannins are remarkably polished for a young Serralunga Barolo. Dense, dark and powerful, with nearly buried tannins, the 2013 Ca’ Mia is a superb wine with a very bright future.”
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#Trending
&
#BackinStock
Staff pick!
Goodfellow Family Cellars Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2015 750ML ($24.95) $20.90 special
Case-12 Goodfellow Family Cellars Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2015 750ML ($279.95) $219 special (that’s only $18.25/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Wine Advocate 92+ points “Pale ruby-purple colored, the 2015 Pinot Noir is scented of roses, wild thyme and lavender with a core of Bing cherries and warm cranberries plus an earthy/forest floor waft. Light to medium-bodied, the palate provides a wonderful intensity of perfumed red berry flavors with silken tannins and a long earthy finish.”
Reynvaan Family Vineyards ‘The Contender’ Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2015 750ML ($99.95) $79 special
Washington Wine Blog 94 points “Reynvaan’s ‘The Contender’ was initially a project blending in Marsanne. When Matt Reynvann was talking to Christophe Baron, they both decided that Marsanne would be a good approach to co-ferment with Syrah. These great minds have crafted another stunner. Standing at only 13.4% alcohol, this wine has 4% Marsanne blended in. This wine has lovely savory aromatics of bacon fat, cigar box, black olive tapenade and blood orange. There is a lovely salinity to this wine. Bacon fat, cigar box, smoked brisket, and blood orange flavors impress. This has fantastic weight and an oily texture, as this wine finishes very long. Drink 2017-2027”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $86
Reynvaan Family Vineyards ‘Foothills in the Sun’ Reserve Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2015 750ML ($79.95) $69 special
Washington Wine Blog 95 points “This stunning wine weighs in at 14.2% alcohol and was aged in 30% French oak prior to bottling. The wine has a deep core, showing off bulls blood, Mandarin orange rind, Asian spices, black olive and black cherry preserves. The texture is absolutely stunning, as the wine glides along the mid-palate. Black tea, black blood orange, olive tapenade, cigar box, black cherry pie as well as wild blackberry pie flavors impress. This has marvelous range and is drinking beautifully at this juncture. This heady and intense Syrah that will pair marvelously with a juicy ribeye steak. Drink 2017-2027”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $75
Elio Grasso Runcot, Barolo Riserva DOCG 2006 750ML ($159.95) $119 special
Antonio Galloni 96+ points “The 2006 Barolo Riserva Runcot is a huge, structured wine bursting at the seams with fruit. The French oak (100% new) is beautifully integrated. Today the wine is understandably quite reticent but its pedigree is hard to miss. Flowers, licorice and minerals linger on the finish. The 2006 Runcot needs time, most likely lots of it. Let me just say I can’t wait to taste this powerhouse once it has had more time in bottle. It is a dazzling effort.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Elio Grasso Runcot, Barolo Riserva DOCG 2008 750ML ($169.95) $119 special
Wine Advocate 97 points “The 2008 Barolo Riserva Rüncot is an exceptional wine that is only made in the best years. It was produced in 2008, 2010 and 2013. The wine undergoes a 40-day maceration time with four years in oak and one more year of bottle aging. The results are sublime and generous. Riserva Rüncot opens to a beautifully tempered and expressive bouquet that exhibits elements of wild berry, forest floor, candied fruit, licorice, cola and dried ginger. The balsamic signature is particularly beautiful and elegant. Smooth and silky tannins denote the mouthfeel and carry the wine forward over the palate. This is one of the top releases from Piedmont this year.”
Antonio Galloni 95+ points “The 2008 Barolo Riserva Runcot is a drop-dead gorgeous beauty. Smoke, tar, licorice, menthol, plums and spices form a tapestry of undeniable class. The sweet, perfumed fruit typical of the 2008s here is evident in the glass. A rich, sumptuous wine, the 2008 Runcot is fabulous. The 2008 spent 45 months in new French oak, all of which it has handled with superb grace. Even though the Runcot is one of the few Barolos that handles new French oak this well, once again I wonder what it might taste like if aged like the rest of the Grasso Barolos. Dark red/black fruit, spices, new leather and smoke add the last nuances of complexity.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $144
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Arriving Friday, October 27th
Corliss
Top Flight Walla Walla Wine
“This Walla Walla-based estate makes a rich, pedal-to-the-metal style of wine that’s always impeccably balanced and loaded with pure fruit. You can safely buy across the board from these guys.” –Jeb Dunnuck, Wine Advocate
Corliss Estates Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley 2012 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 97 points “A wine that I would put up there with the crème de la crème of Washington State Cabernet is the 2012 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from Corliss, which is insanely good and does everything right. It is made from 97% Cabernet and 3% Petit Verdot that spent 28 months in 70% new French oak. It’s saturated ruby/purple color is followed by fabulous notes of crème de cassis, toasted spice, chocolate and tobacco leaves. These give way to a full-bodied, seamless and layered 2012 that has fabulous purity and freshness, a big, rich mid-palate and sweet tannin that emerge on the finish, all suggesting it will have a long life. Forget bottles for 4-5 years and drink over the following two decades. Bravo!”
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 95+ points “(includes 3% Petit Verdot; aged in 70% new oak for 28 months): Dark ruby-red. The nose offers stunningly primary, pure aromas of blueberry, cassis, licorice, botanical herbs and high-pitched spices. Extremely densely packed and savory; drier and more brooding in the mouth than the nose suggests, and less sweet in the early going than the red blend in spite of its almost glyceral texture. Very deep flavors of dark berries, Baker’s chocolate and clove are supported by building, ripe tannins that coat the teeth. Finishes with impressive slow-building persistence. This will need time.”
Corliss Estates Red, Columbia Valley 2012 750ML ($89.95) $79 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 95+ points “(a blend of all five Bordeaux varieties; aged in 65% new for 28 months): Bright ruby-red. The nose offers a panoply or aromas without any sign of excess ripeness: huckleberry, alpine raspberry, plum and coriander, with sexy oak tones and a hint of medicinal lift. Wonderfully elegant, silky and tactile, with compellingly sweet currant and black cherry fruit perfectly balanced by harmonious acidity. A complete wine with great texture and energy. Still a bit tight on the back, but already spreads out to saturate the palate. The noble tannins should carry this wine for a long time.”
Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2012 Columbia Valley Red Wine is another rock star Bordeaux blend that’s made from 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Cabernet Franc, 13% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot and Malbec. It was aged 28 months in 65% new French oak. Notes of cassis, tobacco leaf, lead pencil shavings and black currants all emerge from this rich, full-bodied and concentrated effort that has a big, layered texture, no hard edges and impeccable balance. It’s slightly more approachable than the straight Cabernet, yet should nevertheless evolve for just as long.”
Also Arriving Friday
“The Mount Peak Winery is named after the original ghost winery that was on the Monte Rosso property, now owned by the Gallo family. The three wines I tasted are super-impressive, powerful, rich and concentrated.”-Robert Parker
Mount Peak Winery Sentinel Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa County 2014 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Robert Parker 92+ points “Lastly, 4,750 cases were made of the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Sentinel, 83% from the Monte Rosso Vineyard in Sonoma and the rest from other Sonoma sources. It is a blend of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petite Sirah aged in 53% new French oak. Again, ripeness is well-noted in the 15.7% alcohol, but there is not a bit of heat to the wine’s overall character. A wine of considerable stature, gravitas, intensity and full-bodied power, it is muscular, backward and somewhat primordial, this wine needs a good 1-2 more years bottle age and should last for 25-30 years. Patience, please.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Mount Peak Winery Gravity Red Blend, Napa County 2014 750ML ($51.95) $45 pre-arrival special
Robert Parker 95 points “Even better is the incredible 2014 Proprietary Red Blend Gravity, which is an intriguing blend of 33% Petite Sirah, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Zinfandel and the rest Syrah, Grenache and Barbera aged in 28% new French oak. Virtually all of it comes from the Monte Rosso Vineyard with tiny quantities from Frei Ranch and Snows Lake vineyards owned by Gallo. Another exuberant whopper at 15.9% alcohol, the wine is an opaque purple color, with notes of pen ink, creosote, black truffle, blackberry, blueberry, and a hint of white chocolate in a full-bodied, massive, layered, rich and concentrated style. Interesting enough, the alcohol at 15.9% is balanced by the wine’s rather zesty acidity and modest pH of 3.46. This is a killer wine at a great price for something this profound.”
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Diamond Creek
Arriving Early November
Al Brounstein and his wife founded Diamond Creek in 1968 on the tranquil Diamond Mountain just south of Calistoga. Planting Bordeaux varietals – with a particular affinity for Cabernet Sauvignon – they’ve grown to be among the most celebrated producers in the country. As pioneers of California winemaking, their efforts helped to establish the state as a force to be reckoned with worldwide.
The story has humble beginnings – Mr. Brounstein was initially a drug salesman in Southern California whose drink of choice was cheap rosé. He enrolled in a wine-appreciation course at UCLA for kicks and, as we say, caught the bug. He bought the land which would become his winery in ’68. Enamored with Bordeaux, he smuggled vine cuttings from France via Mexico in so that he wouldn’t have to have them quarantined.
Renowned by their concentration and intensity, the wines show surprising restraint in terms of alcohol levels. Tannin roars through the layers of the Cabernets; these are considered to be some of the most age-worthy wines in the country.
Australian wine critic James Halliday once remarked that Diamond Creek had “the subtlety and finesse of a Panzer tank brigade.” A more helpful remark would be that the wines are best with food, and certainly benefit from time spent in the bottle. Times have changed, too, for Robert Parker dubbed a 1978 bottling “among the greatest Cabernet-based wines I have tasted from anywhere in the world”, only to rip the domaine to proverbial shreds in the late 80’s. Come the mid-2000’s, his opinion shifted back, awarding 95+ and 96+ to certain cuvées.
The domaine covers a mere 20 acres, but with three extremely distinct soils. When he and long-time employee Sergio Canchola were clearing the land, they noticed that their clothes were covered in starkly different hues as they emerged from working each plot. From there onward, each was worked and vinified separately. Volcanic Hill is warmest, with iron-rich soils which makes big, surly, but ultimately approachable wines. Gravelly Meadow is cooler, with quick drainage forcing the vines to struggle to find moisture; these wines are marked by fine minerality and structure. Red Rock Terrace is warmer and supplies the most fruit-forward wines.
Diamond Creek Wines Arriving Early November:
Diamond Creek Gravelly Meadow Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2015 750ML ($249.95) $189 pre-arrival special
Winery notes: “Our second coolest micro-climate is our five-acre Gravelly Meadow vineyard. Originally a pre-historic river bed, this stony, gravelly soil drains rapidly and the vines struggle for moisture. Gravelly Meadow is our lowest yielding vineyard. The wines are described as “earthy, cedary, jammy and ripe blackberry with a spicy expansive finish.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $224.94
Diamond Creek Red Rock Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2015 750ML ($249.95) $189 pre-arrival special
Winery notes: “Red Rock Terrace, a warm microclimate, is 7 acres of north facing vineyard. The red tinted soil is high in iron content. The wine from Red Rock Terrace is the most accessible and earliest drinkable of all our wines. Our winemaker describes Red Rock Terrace as “having velvety tannins, rich and well balanced, medium dark ruby color with cherry, mint and black currant flavors.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $224.94
Diamond Creek Volcanic Hill Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2015 750ML ($249.95) $189 pre-arrival special
Diamond Creek Volcanic Hill Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2015 375ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Winery notes: “Volcanic Hill is comprised of 8 acres of south facing hillside vineyard. It is the warmest of all our micro-climates. The color of the soil is gray, and the consistency is that of fluffy, volcanic ash, originally deposited from the eruption of Mt. Konocti 8 million years ago. Volcanic Hill is the longest lived of our wines. Our winemaker describes these wines as “full bodied, loaded with intense ripe berry fruit, cassis, violets and a smoky richness, finishing with good length and firm tannins. The Volcanic Hill bottling includes a small amount of the extra-ordinary Petit Verdot grape.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $224.94
(This is the only listing in the USA today for the 375ML!)
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Arriving in November
Your Favorite Chablis and Beaujolais, too!
Domaine Servin Les Clos, Chablis Grand Cru 2015 750ML ($79.95) $66 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 94 points “(bottled in April): Bright, light yellow-green. Ineffable scents of lime, white peach, fresh apricot, white pepper and crushed stone. Surprisingly intense and sweet on the palate, with lovely supporting minerality and acidity to frame the seamless orchard fruit and spice flavors. Not an austere Clos–in fact almost friendly–but beautifully balanced. Its tight, very long finish suggests that it will evolve gracefully in bottle.”
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2015 Chablis Grand Cru les Clos has a very composed bouquet with white citrus fruit, orange blossom, limestone and a touch of flint. It is harmonious and detailed, shrugging off the warmth of the growing season. The palate is very well balanced with a fine bead of acidity. There is fine focus here, good body and depth with a hint of fresh fig interlacing the citrus fruit on the saline finish. This is a classy offering from Domaine Servin and winemaker Marc Cameron.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Pierre-Marie Chermette Domaine du Vissoux Brouilly Pierreux, Beaujolais 2016 750ML ($29.95) $26 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Pierre-Marie Chermette Domaine du Vissoux Brouilly Pierreux, Beaujolais 2016 750ML ($339.95) $279 pre-arrival special (that’s only $23.25/bottle!)
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Pierre-Marie Chermette Domaine du Vissoux Fleurie les Garants, Beaujolais 2016 750ML ($29.95) $26 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Pierre-Marie Chermette Domaine du Vissoux Fleurie les Garants, Beaujolais 2016 750ML ($339.95) $279 pre-arrival special (that’s only $23.25/bottle!)
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Pierre-Marie Chermette Domaine du Vissoux Fleurie Poncie, Beaujolais 2016 750ML ($29.95) $26 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Pierre-Marie Chermette Domaine du Vissoux Fleurie Poncie, Beaujolais 2016 750ML ($339.95) $279 pre-arrival special (that’s only $23.25/bottle!)
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Pierre-Marie Chermette Domaine du Vissoux Moulin-a-Vent Les Trois Roches, Beaujolais 2016 750ML ($29.95) $26 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Pierre-Marie Chermette Domaine du Vissoux Moulin-a-Vent Les Trois Roches, Beaujolais 2016 750ML ($339.95) $279 pre-arrival special (that’s only $23.25/bottle!)
This is the only listing in the USA today!
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Arriving in December
Calon Segur
“Calon Segur is one of the great Bordeaux success stories of recent years.” –Antonio Galloni
Chateau Calon-Segur, Saint-Estephe 2005 750ML ($179.95) $149 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 94 points “Tasted from an ex-château bottle at BI Wine & Spirits Calon-Segur dinner in London, the 2005 Calon Segur is on par with the wonderful 2000. The only real difference is that this needs more time in bottle. It has a captivating nose: blackberry and boysenberry fruit coming at you at full pelt; dried blood and bacon fat developing as secondary aromas just behind. There is fine delineation here – an underlying mineralité sure to surface with time. The palate is very intense and disarmingly youthful, almost ferrous on the entry with layers of ripe black fruit that segue into an earthy finish (with a curious light tang of Marmite on the aftertaste!). It is a fabulous Calon Ségur, though the millennial wine might ultimately possess greater precision. We will see. Tasted March 2015.”
James Suckling 94 points “Tight and dense still but so integrated and seamless in texture. Aromas of chocolate, hazelnuts, dried spices and currants. Full body, superfine tannins and a texture that is so caressing and beautiful. Drink or hold.” (11/2015)
Wine Spectator 93 points “Has a beautiful nose of crushed berry, spices and nutmeg, with a hint of coffee. Then turns to licorice. Full-bodied, with supersilky tannins and a long finish of vanilla, berry and cinnamon. Beautifully crafted. Best after 2014.”
Chateau Calon-Segur, Saint-Estephe 2009 750ML ($179.95) $138 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 95 points “Superb richness on the nose of dark berries, shiitake mushrooms and flowers. Full body with soft, silky tannins and a refined, integrated tannin texture. This is a young wine with grace and intensity. So approachable now but better in 2017.”
Wine Advocate 94 points “Tasted from an ex-château bottle at BI Wine & Spirits Calon-Segur dinner in London, the 2009 Calon Segur is cut from such a different cloth to the 2008, you might presume they are totally different châteaux! What they share in common is that they are both long-term propositions. This is an atypical 2009 in the sense that it remains one of the few that require patience. Sure, it has an opulent and intense bouquet with plenty more glycerine and warmth than the 2008, maintaining fine delineation, but you know there is more to come. The palate is full-bodied, powerful and almost viscous on the entry, bold but structured, especially towards the substantial finish that clams up tightly after 20-30 minutes. Punishment for jumping the gun? Hey, it’s up to you, but there are many other Left Bank 2009s that you could enjoy within ten years of age before considering this excellent Saint Estèphe. Tasted March 2015.”
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 94 points “Good dark red. Musky, highly complex nose offers plum, blackcurrant, camphor, menthol, violet and lavender. Remarkably silky and fine-grained, combining outstanding subtle concentration and terrific inner-mouth energy. This very rich but classically dry Saint-Estephe finishes with lush, noble tannins and outstanding complexity. A great vintage for this estate, and a classic claret in a traditional style.”
Chateau Calon-Segur, Saint-Estephe 2010 750ML ($179.95) $149 pre-arrival special
Wine Enthusiast 97 points “Cellar Selection–This is an architectural wine, very classical in its structure like so many of the top wines of 2010. It’s powered by ripe tannins and beautiful black currant fruits. While the wine is gorgeously ripe, it also has a powerful dark and structured character. For long-term aging.”
James Suckling 96 points “Sure pure fruit to this red with a minerality and floral undertone. You can smell the warm stones. Full body, with a beautiful depth of fruit and velvety tannins. Dense and balanced. Layered with a light salty and meaty character as well. Great length. Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon. Try in 2017.”
Robert Parker 94+ points “The 2010 is performing well,. With Cabernet Sauvignon dominating the blend, the wine has a dense plum/purple color along with notes of underbrush, black currants, plum, licorice, smoky charcuterie and some roasted herbs in the background. Full-bodied, moderately tannic and set for an extremely long life, this will not be a wine to please those looking for immediate gratification. Rather, I would suspect this wine will close down even further in bottle and, despite its full-bodied, powerful, massive size, it will need at least a decade of cellaring before it is accessible. This is another 2010 capable of lasting 35-50 years.”
Chateau Calon-Segur, Saint-Estephe 2013 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Wine Enthusiast 96 points “This is an impressive wine that transcends the problems of the vintage. It has rich fruit that is sustained by the tannic structure that rests on a bed of fresh blackberry fruits cut with fresh acidity. The wine will certainly age well. Don’t think about drinking it before 2024.”
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Late Breaking News
Arriving in February
Boasting a family history of making wine in Tuscany stretching back 1,000 years and an estate founded in 1435, (a history touching the founding fathers Thomas Jefferson and George Washington, too) it is no surprise that these wines are superb. The Concerto was produced from 1981-1994 and was not reproduced again until the brothers felt they understood the potential of the vineyards and new winery where the wine was crafted. A long term view like no other. The 2015 is the third release from the restarted project and is turning heads around the globe.
Mazzei Castello di Fonterutoli Concerto Rosso Vino da Tavola 2015 750ML ($89.95) $79 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 96 points “This is fabulous with blackberry, blueberry and currant aromas. Some slate. Full body, dense and smooth with firm and silky tannins and intense fruit. This is a classic sangiovese and cabernet sauvignon blend. Don’t miss it. Needs three or four years to completely come together.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $109.99
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