Sunday Night Newsletter 6-26-22

In This Newsletter:

New Week – New Arrivals

Cristom

New Wine Advocate Reviews
For the 2017 Produttori Crus

New Review for Occhipinti’s Siccagno

2008 Taittinger:
Additional Stock Arriving in September

New Week – New Arrivals

Rosé

Chateau la Mascaronne Quat’Saisons Rosé, Côtes de Provence 2021 750ML ($29.95) $27 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Wine Enthusiast 90 points “The 150-acre estate, surrounded by olive and oak trees, has produced a delicate wine, both in color and its crisp fruit. Red currants and lively acidity are there is abundance, resulting in a fresh wine that is ready to drink. Organic. -Roger Voss”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Chateau Soucherie Rosé de Loire Cuvee L’Astree, Loire 2021 750ML ($29.95) $26 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Rosenthal Wine Merchant importer note “This dry, mineral-driven Rosé is produced from Grolleau (70%) and Gamay (30%). The vines are planted to clay, sandstone and schist soils. The wine is a product of the direct press method of vinification and the elevage is in cuve with bottling occurring usually in April of the spring following harvest. We purchase approximately 7800 bottles for the US market.”

Domaine du Bagnol Cassis Rosé, Provence 2021 750ML ($39.95) $33 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Rosenthal Wine Merchant note “Cassis Rosé: The Rosé is produced from several parcels that comprise slightly less than 7 hectares of vineyards. The vineyards are clay and limestone, situated on a gentle slope with a north – northwest exposure. The blend is Grenache (55%), Mourvedre (31%) and Cinsault (14%). This Rosé is vinified by “pressurage direct, the must is chilled to 12 degrees Celsius, the wine ferments at 18 degrees Celsius until it is completely dry; then, the wine is bottled during the first three months of the following year after a light filtration. Production tops out at about 40,000 bottles per annum; approximately 6000 bottles are allocated to the US market.”

Domaine La Manarine Rosé, Côtes du Rhône 2021 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Rosenthal Wine Merchant importer note “The Rosé from Manarine carries a light tint and is vinified completely dry. It is usually a blend of Grenache (60%), young vines Mourvedre (20%) and Syrah (20%). Like the white wine, it is fermented and aged in cement vats and is bottled in the early spring following harvest. We purchase approximately 6000 bottles per vintage. Organic.”

M Plouzeau Chinon Rive Gauche Rosé, Loire 2021 750ML ($19.95) $16 special, 36 bottles in stock now
Wegandt-Metzler importer note “100% Cabernet Franc. Organic.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

Domaine Collotte Marsannay Rosé, Côte de Nuits, Burgundy 2021 750ML ($24.95) $19 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Weygandt-Metzler Import note “Pinot Noir. Sustainable. Clay & limestone.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

Oregon

A mostly-restaurant release, this has ample tannins and juicy fruit. An amped up Crowley wine that’s delicious now!
Crowley Wines “dh” Pinot Noir Willamette Valley MV 750ML ($31.95) $27 special, 36 bottles in stock now
Winery note “A limited release (and very special) wine. Our ‘dh’ has aromas of black cherry and ripe plum – with a hint of cinnamon. This wine fills your mouth with elegant tannins that smooth out into a long delicious finish. The 42 months in barrel are only part of what makes this wine so special!”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

California

Bedrock Wine Co. Alta Vista Vineyard Gewurztraminer, Moon Mountain District 2019 750ML ($49.95) $36 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2019 Gewürztraminer Alta Vista Vineyard Old Vine is another compelling wine in this range. Readers will find a dry Gewürztraminer that emphasizes a whole range of savory and floral notes. Even so, the 2019 exudes richness and the layers open with time in the glass, bringing out the wine’s creaminess.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Peter Michael ‘Les Pavots’ Estate Red, Knights Valley 2019 750ML ($249.95) $219 special, 12 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 99 points “This is very perfumed with blackberry and pine-cone aromas, as well as raspberries and black cherries. Full-bodied with firm, velvety tannins that are tight-grained. Creamy and beautiful. Currant and graphite flavors come through. Lightly chewy at the end. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 21% merlot, 14% cabernet franc and 5% petit verdot. Drink after 2025.”

France – Champagne

Pol Roger Brut Reserve, Champagne NV 750ML ($64.95) $54.90 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Decanter 93 points “[Reviewed Oct 2021] Richly biscuity on the nose, with steamed rice, fresh pear and citrus blossom complexity. Creamy mousse dissolves into red apple peel, lemon and stone fruits, with a depth of honeyed biscuits. The Reserve NV from Pol Roger is a blend of base wines from at least three vintages. With 6 months of post-disgorgement ageing, the wine is ready to enjoy now. Drinking Window 2021 – 2026.”
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 92 points “[Reviewed 2021] The current release of Pol Roger’s NV Brut Réserve is quite dramatic, bursting with aromas of mandarin oil, honeycomb, elderflower, fresh bread and musky peach. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and enveloping, it’s generous and textural, with a rich core of fruit, lively acids and a pillowy mousse.”

Joseph Perrier Cuvee Royale Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 15 bottles in stock now
Winery note “The Cuvée Royale Brut is a superbly intense, light-golden yellow sparkled with copper. The initial aroma is discreet, fine and wonderfully complex. A bouquet of apples, pears and white peaches evolves alongside elegant, more tropical flavours of pineapple. Lively, yet supple in the mouth, combining complexity, lightness, body and freshness. The floral notes of white flowers give way to the fruity ones of vine peaches towards the end, with a pleasantly tangy finish.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Germany – Mosel

Julian Haart ‘J.J.’ Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2021 750ML ($34.95) $29 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Vom Boden importer note “This is sourced from vines in the Grand Cru Goldtröpfchen vineyard as well as Falkenberg which is located just above on the same slope. J.J. is both a nod to Julian’s son “Johann Josef” (also the name of his Grandfather and Great-Grandfather!) as well as a homage to the house style of J.J. Prüm, of which this ultra-light style Kabinett is reminiscent of.”

Julian Haart ‘Moselle’ Riesling, Mosel 2021 750ML ($37.95) $31.90 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Vom Boden importer note “The Moselle Riesling comes essentially from the Piesporter Goldtröpfchen, with in addition grapes from the Wintricher Ohligsberg and Piesporter Günterslay.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

Peter Lauer Senior Fass 6 Riesling, Mosel 2021 750ML ($34.95) $28 special, 16 bottles in stock now
Vom Boden importer note “Here’s the open, obvious secret: Lauer’s “Senior” is one of the of the greatest values in German wine, and frankly white wine, period. While Lauer considers this a village-level wine (special Lauer label-reading tip: any bottle with a green circle on it is considered a village-level wine), the “Senior” is in fact a single-vineyard wine sourced completely from the Grand Cru Kupp. With an average vine age of around 70 years and a plethora of ungrafted vines, this is a wine that punches well above its price. It is Grand Cru for the price of village, plain and simple.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

Spain – Rioja

Bodegas Exopto Bozeto de Exopto, Rioja DOCa2020 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 12 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 90 points “A pretty nose of cassis, plums, raspberries, bark and sweet spices. Medium-bodied with sleek tannins. Round, plush and juicy with plenty of fruit and a spicy finish. A blend of garnacha, tempranillo and graciano. Drink now.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

Portugal

Raza Branco, Vinho Verde 2021 750ML ($15.95) $12.50 special, 12 bottles in stock now
“The 2021 Raza, seen about two months after bottling, is a blend of 50% Arinto, 35% Azal and 15% Trajadura (roughly the same percentage every year, with a focus on high-acid grapes). This is the entry-level, stereotypical, traditional style, coming in with some fizz (0.6 bar of carbonation, if you’re interested), only 11.8% alcohol, 6.2 grams of acidity and four grams of residual sugar, making this something that won’t seem austere but will still generally seem dry this year. Fruity, lean, fizzy, crisp and very tasty, this is a fine example of this style, which is what a lot of people envision when they talk about Vinho Verde. There’s nary a hint of complexity, and I doubt it will age (although the screw cap might help), but that’s not why anyone will buy this. It fills its role perfectly, so it’s worth leaning up on it today. Drink it nicely chilled and very young, though, while it is fresh and exuberant. This summer would be perfect. For the moment, you might enjoy it a lot more than its modest status in the lineup would suggest.” -Mark Squires, Wine Advocate

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

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Be well & drink well.

Cristom

Cristom is one of the hallowed names in Oregon. They’ve been a top name since their inception in 1993 and make reference point wines from their beautiful estate vineyards in the Eola-Amity Hills. Much of the credit for their success goes to their vineyards—located just below Bethel Heights and Temperance Hill, truly Cristom is one of the Grand Cru sites of Oregon. The rest of the credit goes to Steve Doerner, their winemaker since the beginning, who made a name for Calera in the ’80s before moving to Oregon and becoming a local legend. These are wines that have powerful personalities allied to a Burgundian sense of proportion and savor. Doerner loves to use a lot of whole clusters in fermentations and so the wines always have a grip and earthiness that grounds their deep fruit and rich textures.

Cristom wines in stock now:

Cristom Chardonnay Eola-Amity Hills 2019 750ML ($44.95) $36 special, 7 bottles in stock now
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2019 Chardonnay Eola-Amity Hills is characterized by broad, intense flavors foiled by tangy acidity. It offers aromas of apple pie, honeycomb, toast and white blossoms and is intensely flavored, ripe and textural, finishing with energetic freshness.”
Wine Enthusiast 92 points “Wonderfully floral on the nose, sappy and rich on the palate, this expressive wine is packed with flavorful fruits perfectly set against tangy acidity. White peach, Asian pear and a touch of lime combine on a full-bodied midpalate. The juicy fruit flavors energize the wine and set the taster up for sip after sip. -Paul Gregutt”

Cristom Marjorie Vineyard Pinot Noir Eola-Amity Hills 2019 750ML ($79.95) $69 special, 14 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 95 points “There’s purity of fruit to this pinot with strawberry and floral aromas that follow through to a medium body with ultra-fine, firm tannins and pretty, tangy acidity. Lemon undertones. Needs time to open. Better after 2024.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

Cristom Paul Gerrie Vineyard Pinot Noir Eola-Amity Hills 2019 750ML ($89.95) $75 special, 5 bottles in stock now
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 97 points “Paul Gerrie is the newest vineyard at Cristom, planted from 2016–2019; it’s 28 acres of mostly Pinot Noir and smaller portions of Chardonnay and Gamay. The 2019 Pinot Noir Paul Gerrie Vineyard combines power and precision. It opens with a pleasant touch of sweet balsamic, with Morello cherries, bergamot and loamy earth. The medium-bodied palate is surprisingly intense, all that powerful fruit accented by swirls of savory and spicy nuance. It flows through the mouth with a silky, weightless texture and finishes very long and layered.”

Shop our full selection of 192 Oregon wines in stock now on our web store!

New Wine Advocate Reviews

For the 2017 Produttori Crus

“I’ve written this many times before, but it bears repeating: Produttori del Barbaresco is one of Italy’s ultimate values for your money.” –Monica Larner, Wine Advocate

Produttori del Barbaresco is revered for producing classically-styled Barbaresco and Riservas of uncompromising quality and transparency. It’s a miracle that these wines are still affordable and available, especially when compared to the skyrocketing prices of Barolo.

You’d be hard-pressed to find such consistent quality and complexity out of such an extensive range of single-vineyard Nebbiolos anywhere else. 2017 is being compared to the legendary 2015 harvest, with a warm and dry growing season against cool nights and timely rains making for ripe but not overwrought wines. This was on account of the season’s early warmth, which contributed to smaller leaves during the vegetative growth period according to Gaia Gaja of the eponymous cult label. The smaller leaves meant for slower sugar accumulation, resulting in wines that were able to maintain balance.

Newly Reviewed and In Stock Now:

Produttori del Barbaresco Asili Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2017 750ML ($99.95) $89 special
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95+ points “The Produttori del Barbaresco 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Asili is distinguished by its extremely linear and direct approach with wild rose, cassis and lots of mineral or crushed stone. The wine is taut and fresh on the palate with a medium-lean texture and lots of depth and persistence. I love those bright rose petal-like nuances on the close of this wine, and the tannins are firm and silky. This bottle boasts a unique identity in this group of Riservas. 10,000 bottles were produced.”

Produttori del Barbaresco Montefico Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2017 750ML ($99.95) $89 special
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95 points “The Produttori del Barbaresco 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Montefico is especially broad and thick in texture. It feels generous to the senses, wrapping thickly over the palate with a pretty mix of firm tannins and soft fruit fiber. These elements help to increase both the volume and the persistence of this classic wine. There is some dryness on the finish (and 15% alcohol), and you also taste crushed mineral and stone. Production is 10,000 bottles. I give this wine an edge in terms of future aging potential.”

Produttori del Barbaresco Montestefano Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2017 750ML ($89.95) $75 special
Produttori del Barbaresco Montestefano Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2017 1.5L ($189.95) $169 special, only 2 magnums available
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano is darkly concentrated and among the richest wines in this series of single-vineyard Riservas. Montestefano is angular, textured and bold with dark fruit aromas, dried blackberry, toasted almond and cured tobacco. With this vintage, you get an age-worthy wine that offers brawn and power for drinking in the medium term, but it will become increasingly silky and slender with time. Dusty tannins and crushed stone appear on the long finish. There were 14,486 bottles produced.”

Produttori del Barbaresco Muncagota Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2017 750ML ($89.95) $71.90 special
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Muncagota plays some of its best cards in terms of texture, offering silky tannins, firmness and a long-lasting veil of fruit flavors. Cassis, wild cherry, camphor ash, spice and iron ore are aromatic protagonists. This wine is lean and compact but very linear and focused. Like the other Riservas in this group of new releases, the wine is fermented in steel and aged in large oak casks for 32 months. 10,000 bottles were produced.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

Produttori del Barbaresco Ovello Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2017 750ML ($99.95) $85 special
Produttori del Barbaresco Ovello Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2017 1.5L ($199.95) $179 special, only 3 magnums available
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 94+ points “One of the bigger productions (with 17,744 bottles) in the Produttori del Barbaresco’s portfolio is the 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello. All of the Riservas in this vintage are characterized by especially exuberant and bold aromas, and this bottle is a prime example. Cassis, wild cherry, tobacco, rusty nail and licorice build intensity. The wine is tapered and silky in texture, but it also offers a good amount of power (and 15% alcohol) to carry it through the aging process.”

Produttori del Barbaresco Paje Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2017 750ML ($99.95) $89 special
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Pajè is impressive on all fronts, but especially in terms of aromas. There’s so much brightness here with red and purple fruits, rust and a dark note of clove or exotic spice. No element is out of place, but together they help to build the intensity of this balanced wine. It shows a soft, velvety texture, and perhaps there is a little more ripeness overall in this warm vintage. Production is 6,666 bottles.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

Produttori del Barbaresco Pora Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2017 750ML ($89.95) $75 special
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Pora (with 13,333 bottles released) is usually the first wine I taste each year when I review this set of Riservas from Produttori del Barbaresco. That’s because it usually appears as the most delicate, and the intensity of each successive bottle increases after this one. But these schematics are a bit more difficult to align in a hot and dry vintage such as this that produced richer and more succulent fruit across the board. The Pora is redolent of red and purple fruit with a little more blackberry and plum compared to previous editions. The tannic strength of the wine is also more elaborate. Pora works very well in 2017.”

Produttori del Barbaresco Rabaja Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2017 750ML ($99.95) $85 special
Produttori del Barbaresco Rabaja Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2017 1.5L ($219.95) $189 special, only 3 magnums available
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 96+ points “The Produttori del Barbaresco 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà is another spectacular release from this cooperative winery that hits it out of the ballpark with each set of new releases. That impressive track record includes this wine that delivers extreme focus, depth and integrity. The bouquet is very clear cut with dark cherry, tart plum, spice and blood orange, but it is also complex and fluid. It offers new perspectives with each swirl of the glass. From a hot vintage, the Rabajà is smooth, powerful and balanced. I would bet on long aging for this bottle. 14,438 bottles were produced.”

Produttori del Barbaresco Rio Sordo Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2017 750ML ($89.95) $75 special
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Rio Sordo (with 10,000 bottles released) has a mineral character and a sleek, firm approach that gives this wine its special identity. The wine is polished, almost glossy in texture with blackcurrant, plum and wild rose, and the tannins are gripping, although the Rio Sordo sports a lean to medium-rich density overall.”

We offer impeccably cellared back vintages of Produttori – shop the full selection on our web store now!

New Review for Occhipinti’s Siccagno

Arianna Occhipinti ‘Siccagno’ Nero d’Avola Sicilia IGT 2019 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 18 bottles in stock now
Eric Guido-Vinous 93 points “Dark and brooding in the glass, like cracking open an ashen stone, the 2019 Nero d’Avola Siccagno makes itself known. There are depths of blackberry, sage and spiced citrus beneath its smoky exterior. This fleshes out across the palate with prominence, silky and warming, yet with a mounting tension, as tart wild berries mix with hints of sour citrus toward the close. It leaves a coating of fine tannins through the lip-smacking finale, yet they fail to slow the 2019’s momentum, as inner rose tones and balsam herbs slowly fade. This really takes you on a journey from start to finish, and I love the nervous citrusy string that ties it all together. What’s more, the 2019 is in no hurry, and it should only get better through short-term cellaring.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

2008 Taittinger

Additional Stock Arriving in September

Taittinger describes the house style as emphasizing “Lightness and natural, elegant wines expressive of their origin” with as little dosage added as possible to allow the fullest character of their fruit to come through in the finished product. The House has some of the largest estate holdings of grapevines in all of Champagne, the majority of them predominantly in the illustrious Côte des Blancs. The dominance of Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs combined with the extended time en tirage (on the lees) makes for an incredibly nuanced expression of the varietal, terroir and house. With a lean fruit profile, layers of tertiary character and an electrifying minerality, this is a liquid work of art.

The Taittinger Comtes de Champagne is a legendary bottling named for the royal counts who used to reside in the region. With only 17 iterations in its 69 year history since the first in 1952, this is one of the rarest of the set, and one of the rarest in the market of Tête de Cuvees.

2008 is considered one of the finest vintages in Champagne, though it did not begin auspiciously. What began as a cold, rainy growing season blossomed late into a warm, dry summer, with one of the longest recorded growing seasons. Producers brought in tiny harvests of highly concentrated fruit. Recognizing the quality, many held back their 2008 only to see releases interrupted by the pandemic and the resulting global shipping nightmare. Fourteen years on, we’re excited to announce the arrival of the 2008 Comtes from Taittinger.

“Taittinger’s 2008 Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne is simply breathtaking.” –Antonio Galloni, Vinous

“Comtes is one of the most reliably age-worthy wines in Champagne, yet it continues to represent terrific value when compared to—frequently inferior—tête de cuvée bottlings from other Grandes Marques. And the eagerly anticipated 2008 vintage… will be worthy of enthusiastic pursuit…” –William Kelley, Wine Advocate

“2008 is purer in outlook than 2002, more balanced than 1996 and more classically constructed than 1990… The Comtes 2008 is one of the very last of Champagne’s big guns to be released (some are onto 2012 already), but it has been well worth the wait. The juxtaposition of a house style which majors on nuance and subtle poetry with a vintage of similar qualities is a great cause for celebration.” – Simon Field MW, Decanter Magazine

Arriving in September:

Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut, Champagne 2008 750ML ($319.95) $289 pre-arrival special, only 28 bottles available
James Suckling 100 points “The perfect blanc de blancs. Full-bodied with a lovely framework of acidity and dry fruit, such as apples, pears and peaches. Opulent. Dense and muscular. Yet, it’s balanced and harmonious. Line of acidity at the end. Totally in tune. Superb. Deep and complete. Has everything. One for the cellar. It is the greatest Comte ever. It has everything. A perfect upgrade from two years ago. Drink or hold.”
Antonio Galloni 98+ points “Taittinger’s 2008 Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne is simply breathtaking. I have tasted it many times over the years in various trial disgorgements and it has never been anything less than compelling. The final, finished wine captures all of that potential. Bright, focused and wonderfully deep, Comtes is a fabulous example of a vintage that expresses so much energy but with real fruit intensity, the signatures that distinguish it from other vintages (1996 comes to mind) that were similarly taut, but more austere in the early going. Although the 2008 impresses right out of the gate, it only really starts to open up with several hours of air. The 2008 Comtes represents the purest essence of the Côtes des Blancs in a great, historic vintage. Readers who can find the 2008 should not hesitate, as it is a truly brilliant epic Champagne that no one who loves the very best in Champagne will want to be without.”
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 98 points “Taittinger’s 2008 Brut Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne is being released this year, and it will be worth a special effort to track down. I wrote in August 2019 that this is the finest Comtes de Champagne since the brilliant 2002, and this tasting confirmed that. Offering up a deep and complex bouquet of citrus oil, crisp orchard fruit, warm brioche, crushed chalk, blanched almonds and smoke, it’s full-bodied and incisive, with excellent concentration, racy acids and a long, searingly chalky finish. While this is already immensely impressive out of the gates, this 2008 is clearly built for the long haul, and three decades’ longevity won’t be a challenge.”
Wine Enthusiast 97 points “Cellar Selection. Coming entirely from Grand Cru vineyards in the Côte des Blancs, the new release of this famous Champagne is from a top vintage year. The wine is at perfect maturity, poised between crisp, taut minerality and wonderful toastiness. It is intense, beautifully clear and limpid, a great Champagne. It is ready to drink now and for many years to come. -Roger Voss”
Wine Spectator 95 points “Fresh and graceful, this dances across the palate with its fine, lacy mousse and seamless knit of delicate flavors of ripe Anjou pear, tangerine peel, toasted almond and candied ginger. The flavor range expands through the lasting, chalky finish. Drink now through 2033. 1,800 cases imported. — AN”

Can’t Wait? Shop our selection of Tete de Cuvees in stock now:

Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut Champagne 2004 750ML ($349.95) $279 special, 28 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 96 points “I am thrilled with the way the 2004 Comtes de Champagne continues to evolve in bottle. A few years ago, the 2004 was quite focused and linear, in the style of the vintage, but more recently, the wine has begun to fill out beautifully. The 2004 remains bright, with a full range of citrus, white flower and mineral nuances that dance on the palate. A brisk, saline-infused finish rounds things out beautifully in a Comtes that impresses for its crystalline purity. I expect the 2004 will always remain a bit cool next to the more opulent 2002, but it is still drop-dead gorgeous.”
Decanter 96 points “It was a dry vintage up to August, which turned exceptionally wet and cool. September saved the vintage with the ideal weather conditions – low rainfall and cool nights. The graceful nose opens to white flowers, ripe apricot and citrus hints. It is tense and refined, with a vivid mineral core balanced by pristine acidity and some toasted notes on the finish. It’s not the most expressive today, but wait for it to awaken. This is built for cellaring. Drinking Window 2025 – 2040.”
Wine Spectator 96 points “A rich and enticing aroma of roasted hazelnut heralds this elegant blanc de blancs, with flavors of pastry, poached apple, crystallized honey and candied ginger riding the finely detailed mousse. This is a touch smoky, presenting a resonant minerality on the finish. Drink now through 2029. 500 cases imported. — AN”

Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Brut Rosé Champagne 2007 750ML ($299.95) $239 special, 20 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 97 points “The 2007 Comtes de Champagne Rosé is a total knock-out. Racy and exuberant in the glass, the 2007 wraps around the palate with stunning textural depth and resonance. The 15% still Pinot adds structure and persistence to a creamy, inviting Rosé Champagne that will leave readers weak at the knees. Hints of rose petal, dried cherry, cinnamon and dried flowers meld into the sublime finish. This is about as good as it gets. Wow!”
Decanter 97 points “The Comtes de Champagne Rosé is composed of 30% Chardonnay (Grands Crus from Côtes de Blancs), 70% Pinot Noir (Grands Crus from Montagne de Reims, including 15% Pinot Noir from Bouzy, vinified as red wine). It has strawberry, mint, rose petal and cherry notes on the exuberant nose. The palate is racy and creamy, very compact and fresh, with a delicate salty note on the finish.”
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 96 points “This bottle of Taittinger’s just-released 2007 Brut Comtes de Champagne Rosé was disgorged in December 2018, and it’s showing brilliantly, unfurling in the glass with a complex bouquet of blood orange, minty raspberries, red plums, dried flowers and warm brioche. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, chalky and tensile, sharing a racy, chiseled profile with its Blanc de Blancs cousin. Deep, concentrated and tightly wound, the wine concludes with a long, sapid finish. This is an intense, racy Comtes Rosé with a long future ahead of it. As has been the norm chez Taittinger for several years now, the blend is based upon 70% Pinot Noir and includes 15% still red wine from Bouzy.”
Wine Spectator 96 points “This harmonious rosé Champagne offers quiet grace, with a pleasing juiciness to the sleek acidity, framing finely knit flavors of raspberry, peach, brioche and candied pink grapefruit zest. Showing a raw silk–like texture, this caresses the palate through to the fresh, ginger-laced finish. Drink now through 2027. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 550 cases imported. — AN”

Pol Roger Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill Brut, Champagne 2006 750ML ($359.95) $319 special, 5 bottles in stock now
Wine Enthusiast 98 points “[Reviewed 2018] Editor’s Choice. This is the latest release of this legendary wine. A blend, although with a majority of Pinot Noir (Churchill’s preference), the wine is rich, just beginning to show wonderful signs of maturity. It still has intense fruit along with the taut mineral texture that will allow the wine to age further. It is a standout Champagne from this vintage. Drink now, although this Champagne will age for many years. -Roger Voss”

Louis Roederer Cristal Brut, Champagne 2014 750ML ($379.95) $349 special, 13 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 98 points “This vivid Champagne shows up-front and linear definition, thanks to rapierlike acidity, with finely meshed flavors of ripe black cherry and mandarin orange fruit, raw almond, anise and cardamom spice as well as a touch of honeycomb, which all unfurl and expand on the fine, creamy palate. Sleek acidity continues through to the finish, with additional racy character provided by a streak of minerally saline and chalk, which gains momentum through the midpalate and rings out on the well-cut, lasting finish. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Drink now through 2040”

Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin La Grande Dame Brut Yayoi Kusama Edition, Champagne 2012 750ML ($249.95) $219 special, 5 bottles in stock now
Decanter 96 points “A generous golden colour betrays the dominance of Pinot Noir in the blend; this theme thereafter maintained by aromatics of fig, wild strawberries and Mirabelle plums; behind that, jasmine, red apples and a distant whiff of woodsmoke. Engaging already, in other words. One’s impressions are confirmed and amplified on the palate, with the aspiration voiced by both chef de caves Dominique and Didier, to allow the ‘cooler’ Pinot Noir sites full rein. This is eloquently evidenced by a subtle and deftly textured structure, the primary fruit notes of nectarine and citrus peel underscored by a richer, still somewhat reticent, core, darker and more savoury of intent and oh, so subtle at the moment. I have every confidence that this characteristic will come into its own over the longer term and mark the 2012 as one of the more successful outings for this outstanding cuvée. Drinking Window 2020 – 2036.”

Pommery Cuvee Louise Brut, Champagne 2004 750ML ($149.95) $125 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Pommery Cuvee Louise Brut, Champagne 2004 1.5L ($299.95) $279 special, 4 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 95 points “A very fine-textured Champagne with lovely density and finesse. The bubbles roll off the palate. Full body. Extremely creamy and flavorful. Shows wonderful finesse and a lovely, chalky, lemon-curd and brioche aftertaste. Drink now.”

Pommery Cuvee Louise Brut Rosé, Champagne 2004 750ML ($299.95) $219 special, 30 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 95 points “This is a new release and shows wonderful finesse and beauty. You know that the moment you see the pale-amber color. It’s medium bodied with freshness and energy and a long, vivid finish. A joy to taste. Drink now.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

Andre Clouet Un Jour de 1911… Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($99.95) $79 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 96 points “[Reviewed 2021] The NV Un jour de 1911… is another 100% Bouzy Pinot Noir with an ancient label design. The shining golden-colored cuvée combines ripeness, complexity and finesse with intensity and elegance on both the nose and palate. It’s a powerful and rich yet very fine and balanced Champagne with great freshness and complex length. It is juicy and intense but also highly delicate, and its mineral tension and persistent finish make it a first-class wine for elaborate dishes. A great Champagne, with a label that doesn’t give any more detailed information regarding vintages or disgorgement date, but we know it’s always a 50/50 blend of three vintages (including one great millésime at least 10 years old) and reserve wines from a solera system. I tasted the wine as a Brut with Clouet’s German importer in Bremen. You shouldn’t drink it too early, as it would be a waste of its talents.”

Bollinger La Grande Annee Brut, Champagne 2004 1.5L ($419.95) $379 special, 11 magnums in stock now
Wine Enthusiast 96 points “Cellar Selection. A blend of 66% Pinot Noir and 34% Chardonnay, this is opulent and full bodied, with toast and wood flavors. Rich and ripe, this beautiful wine is generous and still young, with just a touch of bitterness at the end. -Roger Voss.”

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