In Today’s Newsletter:Electrifying Deal on Dom Perignon
The Sweetest Gift
Top Picks for the Last Minute!
New Vinous Reviews
For In-Stock California Treasures
December 25th: ClosedWe will be open normal hours (10AM-6PM) all other days.
Electrifying Deal on Dom
Arriving Monday, December 24th
Just in time for New Year’s we’re bringing in only 15 three-packs of the Dom Perignon Luminous label and offering it to you at an incredible deal, almost 35% below the next best per-bottle price!
Case-3 Dom Perignon Luminous Collection Millesime Brut, Champagne 2009 750ML ($499.95) $399 pre-arrival special (that’s only $133/bottle!)
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.”
The average price per bottle is $234
“This wine is ethereal.” – Roger Voss, Wine EnthusiastIn Stock Now:
Chateau d’Yquem, Sauternes 2015 750ML ($499.95) $449 special, 18 bottles in stock now
Chateau d’Yquem, Sauternes 2015 375ML ($259.95) $219 special, 5 half-bottles in stock now
Chateau d’Yquem, Sauternes 2015 1.5L ($1099.95) $979 special, 3 magnums in stock now
Lisa Perrotti-Brown – Wine Advocate 100 points “Following a very long harvest stretching nearly two months, the 2015 Château d’Yquem came in at 13.9% alcohol and 144 grams per liter of residual sugar, sporting a pH of 3.65 and six grams per liter of tartaric acid. None of these numbers, however, even remotely begin to tell you how profound this wine is. The nose opens with electric notes of ripe pineapples, green mango, orange blossoms and lemon tart with hints of fungi, lime zest, crushed rocks and jasmine. The freshness on the palate is just astonishing, permeating and lifting layer upon layer of tropical fruits and earthy notions, all encased in a sumptuous texture and culminating in a very, very long, mineral-tinged finish. Truly, this is a legendary vintage for d’Yquem. I’ve been conservative with my drinking window here, and I would not be at all surprised if our descendants are drinking this vintage well into the next century.”
James Suckling 99-100 points “This is an incredible young Yquem that is so vinous like a great vintage of Montrachet but then on the palate it turns to Yquem with spice, dried fruit and mushroom as well as sweet fruit. Last for minutes. Acidity is all there giving it a dynamic vibrance that jolts your senses. Special wine. It has a little more than than 140 grams of residual sugar, less than the legendary of 2001. But is very close in greatness. Let’s wait and see.”
Antonio Galloni 98 points “The 2015 d’Yquem is without question one of the wines of the vintage. Just as alluring from bottle as it was from barrel, the 2015 is a wine that engages all of the senses, from the intellectual to the more hedonistic. Lilting notes of pineapple, mint, orange peel and white flowers grace the palate, but it is the wine’s sense of balance and total harmony that impress most. In 2015, Yquem had its earliest start to the harvest since 1893. Even so, the winemaking team did a magnificent job of preserving freshness. The 2015 was fermented in 100% new oak, and residual sugar is 145 grams per liter, but great wine is never about numbers. Above all else, the 2015 Yquem is a wine of energy and class. Don’t miss it!”
Wine Enthusiast 96-98 points “Barrel Sample. This wine is ethereal. It certainly offers attractive honey and bitter orange flavors but also a fresh character that gives the wine lift and crispness. It is, of course, going to age magnificently, although it is so delicious and refreshing now.”
We know it’s a hectic time of year right now, (and Portland traffic is only getting worse!) We’ve made your last minute shopping list a little easier by highlighting some of the best holiday-friendly picks to cheer up even the Scrooge-iest of relatives!
Budget-friendly and uber-reliable pick for toasting and merry-making in a very festive package!
Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial With Diamond Suit Gold, Champagne NV 750ML ($49.95) $33 special
Wine Spectator 91 points “Bright and balanced, featuring a fine, lively bead, mouthwatering acidity and a lightly toasty profile of poached pear and black currant flavors, with rich hints of lemon curd and pastry cream. Drink now through 2020. [Reviewed Nov 2018].”
The average price is $50
Andre Clouet ‘Dream Vintage’ Brut, Champagne 2009 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
100% Chardonnay, bottled one year after harvest. Disgorged on order.
Antonio Galloni 92 points “The 2009 Brut Dream Vintage is a very pretty, expressive Champagne. Hazelnut, dried flowers, spices, mint, chamomile and lightly honeyed notes are all wonderfully laced together. Medium in body, radiant and quite open, the 2009 will drink well upon release.”Need a white that won’t break the bank? Sip this staff pick Chablis:
La Chablisienne Vaulorent, Chablis Premier Cru 2014 750ML ($39.95) $33 special
Case-6 La Chablisienne Vaulorent, Chablis Premier Cru 2014 750ML ($219.95) $179 special (that’s only $29.83/bottle!)
Decanter 95 points “An exuberant, complex nose packed full of exotic fruits, asparagus and elderflower with well integrated oak. The palate has a very strong fruity expression with an oily depth and harmony and very impressive length. All the pieces of the Chablis puzzle are in place here.”
Burghound 92 points “Outstanding. As is usually the case this is more elegant, particularly on the floral and white orchard fruit suffused nose that is nuanced by plenty of classic Chablis elements and in particular mineral reduction. There is also a bit more volume to the caressing, intense and voluminous flavors that drip with minerality on the refined but powerful finale where a discreet touch of wood arises. This offers ample development potential and should be lovely with time. Drink: 2021+”
Wine Enthusiast 92 points “Sometimes blended with grapes from the Fourchaume Premier Cru, this Vaulorent bottled on its own is a bit crisp–bright with citrus and toasty from wood aging. It will develop slowly over several years, so drink from 2019.”
Matello Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2014 750ML ($24.95) $18 special
Case-12 Matello Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2014 750ML ($219.95) $189 special (that’s only $15.75/bottle!)
VinopolNote: Lots of whole cluster to balance out the warmth and richness of the year. 2014 power and fruit marries with spice and structure to produce a beautifully integrated bottle of Pinot Noir.
Chateau Quinault L’Enclos, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2009 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Case-12 Chateau Quinault L’Enclos, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2009 750ML ($699.95) $519 special (that’s only $43.25/bottle!)
James Suckling 93 points “A soft and fruity wine, with orange peel and berries and plums. Full body, with super fine tannins and a fruity finish. Refined and very pretty. Structured in the end. Fresh. Succulent. A style away from the over extracted one a few years ago. Try after 2018.” JS
Wine Spectator 92 points “This is very distinctive, with live-wire acidity running through the core of damson plum, linzer torte and blackberry fruit that’s framed by a mouthwatering roasted apple wood note. The long and driven finish has a piercing iron edge and a smoldering tobacco note that adds to the dramatic profile. Best from 2015 through 2025.”
Robert Parker 90-92 points “Now owned by the proprietors of Cheval Blanc, the 2009 Quinault l’Enclos (composed of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon) exhibits an opaque purple color, notes of licorice, incense, raspberries, and black cherries, medium body, elegant, stylish flavors, and no hint of oak. This is a beautifully made, pure, deep wine that continues to confirm what Dr. Alain Raynaud suspected when he bought this property in 1997. The naysayers all said this terroir was suspect, but that has been proven wrong by the wines that have been produced. This 2009 should drink well for 10-20 years. (Tasted once.)”
The next best price is $52.99
Tua Rita Redigaffi Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2015 750ML ($249.95) $228 special
James Suckling 100 points “This is an extraordinary merlot with such purity and focus. Flowers such as violets and hints of orange peel. It is full-bodied yet incredibly energetic and structured. The finish goes on for minutes. Seamless texture. Fresh yet dense. Contrasty. Best Redigaffi ever. Hard not to drink now but a wine for decades.”
Wine Spectator 95 points “Lush and polished, featuring a cashmere texture caressing vanilla, chocolate, black cherry and plum flavors. Well-balanced, with a persistent finish. The harmony hides a solid structure. Decant now. Merlot. Best from 2020 through 2032.”Need a great gift for dad that he’d be proud to feature in his cellar, (or even share tonight?)
Poderi 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
Chateau Raymond Lafon, Sauternes 2006 375ML ($29.95) $19 special
Neal Martin 92 points “Tasted at the Chateau. This is a superb Sauternes from Pierre Meslier. It has a fragrant bouquet with touches of Seville orange marmalade, green lemon and orange-blossom, all very well-defined. The palate is medium-bodied with a good level of botrytis, tangy tangerine and citrus fruits. This ’06 is fizzing with energy: great tension and vibrancy on the finish with just a hint of lemon curd on the aftertaste. Moderate length. Well-made 2006 that should offer splendid drinking over the decade. Drink now-2020. Tasted April 2009.”
Neal Martin 92 points “Tasted blind at Southwold ’06 Bordeaux tasting. It is adorned with a straightforward, no frills Sauternes nose, good definition, barley sugar, lemon curd and honey, gaining in intensity in the glass. The palate is well-balanced, good freshness here with notes of honey, marmalade, a touch of ginger; nice cohesion and very good weight towards the finish. It needs another couple of years to tuck its shirt in, but I admire its focus and breeding. Very fine, though it is marred by just a touch of volatility on the finish. Tasted January 2010.”
The next best price is $25 for the half-bottle
Taylor Fladgate Vintage Port, Portugal 1985 750ML ($149.95) $119 special
Jancis Robinson 18/20 points “Still going very strong from a bottle via a decanter. (The Robertsons served Fonseca 1985 at their dinner that night to celebrate Fonseca’s bicentenary.) Lovely hazelnuts nose and soft, spicy and sweet on the palate. Tannins fully resolved but still vigorous too.” (6/2015)
Neal Martin’s Wine Journal 95 points “A very youthful deep garnet core with ruby rim. This has a much more precocious nose than the -83 with ripe blackberry, raspberry coulis, black olives and a certain minerality to it. Very fresh and well defined, the palate is full-bodied, certainly more structured and complex than the previous two declarations. Notes of black cherry, fig, raisin with a hint of savoury fruit towards the finish that has great length and refinement. Still in its youth, this has great potential…” (05/2008)
Wine Spectator 93 points “Medium ruby. Beautiful aromas of flowers and fresh plum, with hints of stems. Full-bodied and medium-sweet, with gorgeous silky tannins and a long, long finish. This is just starting to come around and offers wonderful flavors. Long life ahead, but ready to try.”
New Vinous ReviewsFor In-Stock California Treasures
Eisele Vineyard (Araujo) Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2015 1.5L ($1,299.95) Was $$1,149, Now $959, 4 magnums in stock now
Antonio Galloni 99 points “Eisele Vineyard’s 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon is without question one of the wines of the vintage. Majestic and soaring in the glass, the 2015 is absolutely stunning from the very first taste. A rush of dark fruit, graphite, grilled herb, smoke, leather, earthiness and exotic spices makes a bold opening statement, but it is the wine’s breath, volume and sheer intensity that are all off the charts. I tasted the 2015 blind in a flight of wines from Calistoga’s Pickett Road neighborhood. All of the wines were terrific, but the wine that was most moving and most profound was unquestionably the 2015 from Eisele Vineyard.”Spottswoode Family Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon, St. Helena 2015 750ML ($249.95) $225 special, 4 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 95 points “Bold in the glass, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon offers tremendous fruit density in an exotic style that shares something with the 2010, although the tannins remain a bit coarse (in relative terms) and less polished than is the norm at this reference-point estate.”Philip Togni Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2016 750ML ($159.95) $138 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 96 points “A regal wine, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate has really shut down following its recent bottling, which is probably a very good thing for its long-term prospects, although it does make the wine harder to read. Today, the 2016 is dark, powerful and quite savory, with tremendous persistence and class to burn. Translucent, deep and exquisitely layered, the 2016 has a lot to offer. Dark red cherry, plum, wild herb, cedar, tobacco and smoke build as the 2016 starts to open up in the glass. This is a jewel of a wine from the Togni family.”
Antonio Galloni 92 points “The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Tanbark Hill Vineyard captures all the signatures of the Togni house style in a medium-bodied, accessible style that will be easy to drink and enjoy upon release. Savory herb, blackberry, crushed flowers, sweet tobacco and earthy notes give the 2016 its distinctive aromatic and flavor signatures. Silky and gracious to the core, the 2016 Tanbark Hill Cabernet Sauvignon is a winner”
Thanks for reading!