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Vinopolpick Monday Bonus 2-8-21

In Today’s Newsletter:

National Best Price
Maggy Hawk’s Impressive Jory Hills Pinot

New Price Drops from France

Familia Nin-Ortiz
New Subscriber Specials & Case Pricing

More Specials from California, Italy & Spain

Paitin: Top Level Barbaresco at Mid-Level Pricing
Now Even Lower

Staff Pick
Fèlsina’s Timeless Chianti Classico

Collector’s Corner
Sérafin: Gevrey-Chambertin’s Best Kept Secret?

National Best Price

Maggy Hawk’s Impressive Jory Hills Pinot

“The 2017 Pinot Noir Jory Hills Vineyard is an extroverted, luscious Pinot loaded with character. Black cherry, plum, lavender and spice come together in a bold, creamy Pinot endowed with plenty of richness and exuberance. The Jory Hills, from Oregon’s Willamette Valley…is undeniably impressive.” – Antonio Galloni

Maggy Hawk Jory Hills Vineyard Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2017 750ML ($69.95) $49 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2017 Pinot Noir Jory Hills Vineyard is an extroverted, luscious Pinot loaded with character. Black cherry, plum, lavender and spice come together in a bold, creamy Pinot endowed with plenty of richness and exuberance. The Jory Hills, from Oregon’s Willamette Valley…is undeniably impressive.”
Wine Spectator 93 points “Shows polish and presence, with expressive rose petal and raspberry aromas that pair with multilayered boysenberry and orange peel flavors, finishing with well-groomed tannins. Drink now through 2027.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next lowest listed price is $65.70
The average price nationally is $66

Love Oregon Pinot Noir? We have 125 in stock now. Shop the entire selection, including staff favorites like Cameron, Crowley, Goodfellow and more, on our web store now.

New Price Drops from France

Famille Perrin Vinsobres Les Hauts de Julien, Rhône 2015 750ML ($49.95) Was $45 Now $39, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Famille Perrin Vinsobres Les Hauts de Julien, Rhône 2015 750ML ($299.95) Was $259 Now $219 (that’s only $36.50/bottle!)
Jeb Dunnuck 95 points “The 2015 Vinsobres Les Hauts De Julien comes from the Vinsobres region, which is a cooler terroir located in the northern part of the southern Rhône. Based largely on very old vine Syrah blended with Grenache, it offers a vibrant purple color as well as a sensational bouquet of blueberries, cracked pepper, violets, lavender, and exotic spices. Incredibly textured, full-bodied, deep, and opulent, with awesome purity of fruit, it’s another sensational vintage for this cuvée that would pass undetected in a blind lineup of top Cornas. Drink it anytime over the coming decade.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Château Pesquie Ventoux Artemia, Rhône 2016 750ML ($49.95) Was $39 Now $36, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Château Pesquie Ventoux Artemia, Rhône 2016 750ML ($299.95) Was $219 Now $199 (that’s only $33.17/bottle!)
Decanter-World Wine Awards 97 points “This is stacked with the black fruits of the region, plus violets, thyme, lavender, dried herbs and tannins that are ripe and of the appropriate proportion. Still very youthful and will flourish with time in bottle. Modern and very classy indeed. Genius wine, very long and intense, its purity magnificent.”
Jeb Dunnuck 94 points “Made from equal parts Syrah and Grenache, the 2016 Ventoux Cuvee Artemia is another terrific vintage for this cuvee. Still young, backward and unevolved, it has tons of potential in its blue fruits, graphite, crushed rock and violet-tinged aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated, with terrific purity of fruit, and fine, building tannin, it needs 2-3 years of bottle age and will keep for a decade or more.”
Wine Advocate 94 points “A 50-50 blend of Grenache and Syrah, aged in 50% new oak, the 2016 Ventoux Artemia is a tremendous effort. It combines blueberries and stone fruit with cedary notes and then underscores those attractive aromas and flavors with a full-bodied, velvety texture and a bright, crisp finish. Lovely stuff.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Peyrassol Côtes de Provence ‘Le Clos Peyrassol’ Rosé 2019 750ML ($69.95) Was $59 Now $49, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 93 points “Predominantly Tibouren, with the balance of the blend being Grenache and Rolle, Peyrassol’s super pale 2019 Côtes de Provence Rosé Le Clos Peyrassol offers up scents of crushed stone, garrigue, white peach and lime, all tinged with tart red berries. It’s medium-bodied on the palate, with a silky-wet stone feel and a lingering finish that seems to build in red fruit intensity while remaining citrusy and refreshing at the same time. One of the best wines in this year’s tasting, this is a limited-production cuvée from a walled vineyard located on the estate.”
Wine Enthusiast 91 points “The Knights Templar founded Commanderie in the 13th century and grapes have been grown here since. Philippe Austruy has owned the property since 2001. This wine is soft and ripe, with a smooth texture. Acidity comes from orange-peel and red-currant flavors that permeate the wine and give it a bright aftertaste. Drink now. Rosenthal Wine Merchant.”
Rosenthal Wine Merchant note “It is made from a single parcel which is equally planted to Cinsault and Tibouren (a touch of Rolle makes it into this cuvee as well). The soil is a mix of clay and limestone with a lot of large rocks on the surface. The site has a bit of depression which helps more even ripening, since the soil holds a little more water than other parcels. The 2016 is the palest of the three rosés, with a very silvery salmon hue. At the moment of tasting the nose was a tad firm, showing flinty mineral notes. The palate is quite rich and dense with an almost white Burgundy presence. The fruits lean a little sweeter than the other cuvées, with hints of pear and passion fruit. Even so, the wine is completely dry and has a super-long mineral finish. It’s a great rosé that has the potential to age, and we hope some of you keep a few bottles to drink over the next several years.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Domaine Vincent Paris Cornas Granit 60, Rhône 2016 750ML ($69.95) Was $55 Now $49, 36+ bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 95+ points “The 2016 Cornas Granit 60 is more backward and reticent, with smoky dark fruits, earthy minerality, pepper, and bouquet garni aromas and flavors. Deep, pure, and concentrated, it’s a big, rich wine, yet it stays polished and elegant on the palate, with a straight, focused style that builds with time in the glass. Just a brilliant wine, it can be drunk today with incredible pleasure or cellared for 10-15 years. Bravo!”
Wine Advocate 94-96 points “Tasted from tank prior to bottling, the 2016 Cornas Granit 60 has the potential to eclipse the 2015. The nose is an exciting blend of flowers, minerals and fruit, while the palate is full-bodied and generous without the hardness or austerity of the 2015. This standout 2016 finishes long, plush and bright. With only about 5,000 bottles made, shrewd buyers will snap it up on release.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 93-95 points “(no new oak) Inky ruby. Smoke-accented black and blue fruits, licorice and olive on the intensely perfumed nose. Plush, sweet and broad on the palate, offering sweet blackberry, cassis and spicecake flavors that are energized by a vein of juicy acidity. Shows excellent depth as well as energy and finishes extremely long and smooth; rounded tannins build steadily and add shape and gentle grip to the lush, creamy dark fruit.”

This was the best price in the USA
Now even lower!
The next lowest listed price is $69.99

Domaine Vincent Paris Cornas Granit 60, Rhône 2017 750ML ($69.95) Was $55 Now $49, 36+ bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 93 points “Inky ruby. Smoke-accented dark berries and cherry liqueur on the highly perfumed nose. Juicy and seamless in texture, offering appealingly sweet blackberry and boysenberry flavors underscored by a smoky mineral quality. Fine-grained tannins build steadily on a long, floral-tinged finish that leaves a salty olive note behind.”
Jeb Dunnuck 93-95+ points “Similar colored, the 2017 Cornas Granit 60 comes from further up the slope and older vines. It offers a deeper, richer bouquet of black and blue fruits, smoked earth, violets, and ground pepper. Deep, full-bodied, thrillingly pure and elegant, yet still with classic Cornas density, power, and length, it’s another gem of a wine from this incredibly talented winemaker.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Love French wine? We have over 1,000 different wines from France in stock now. Shop the entire inventory on our web store, including extensive selections from Burgundy, the Rhône, the Loire and Champagne.

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503-223-6002

Familia Nin-Ortiz

New Subscriber Specials & Case Pricing

Familia Nin-Ortiz is one of the leading lights of “New Priorat”. Both Ester Nin and Carles Ortiz are renowned viticulturists (Ester, notably, was the vineyard guru behind Clos Erasmus) and some of the earliest proponents of biodynamics in Priorat, but what they’re doing together on the winery side is stunning indeed. Their wines are some of the most compelling in Priorat, combining the power inherent in the terroir with a stunning sense of energy and vitality.

Nin-Ortiz is probably best known for their “Nit de Nin” single vineyard bottling, however their ‘Planetes’ releases are also excellent. Stylistically they are gentler and more elegant, perfect for drinking now. And unlike the estate’s top wines you don’t have to spend a lot to enjoy some of the most exciting wines coming out of Spain today.

In Stock Now & Just Reduced:

Familia Nin-Ortiz ‘Planetes de Nin’ Garnatxes en Àmfora, Priorat DOCa 2016 750ML ($44.95) Was $33 Now $29, 36+ bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2016 Planetes de Nin Garnatxes en Àmfora was produced with biodynamically farmed Garnacha that fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in 700- and 1,000-liter terracotta amphorae for seven months. They do two versions, one with a little SO2 and the other without, and the difference is minimal. At first one was more closed, but when it opened up, they were very similar and showed some herbal and raspberry leaf aromas intermixed with wild berries and notions of earth, aromatic and balanced. It has fine tannins and a velvety texture. 7,395 bottles were filled in April 2017.”

This was the best price in the USA
Now even lower!

Familia Nin-Ortiz ‘Planetes de Nin’ Blanc, Priorat DOCa 2018 750ML ($99.95) Was $75 Now $69, 18 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 94 points “Cariñena Blanca has finally been added to the registry of varieties in Spain, which means it should soon be allowed by the Priorat appellation, so they could start putting it on the labels of the 2018 Planetes de Nin Carinyena Blanca. This fermented and matured in used 300-liter oak barrels for seven months. It’s 13% alcohol and has a pH of 3.2 with 6.5 grams of acidity (tartaric); they struggled to get the minimum 13% alcohol required by the appellation, as the year was very cold and they lost a lot of grapes waiting for the alcohol level. It’s a year with lots of freshness, and the wine, which feels really young and undeveloped, needs some time in the glass to open up. This is an exceptional year that is going to develop slowly in bottle. The palate is vibrant, focused and dry, with citrus freshness and a mineral finish. 1,948 bottles were filled in April 2018.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!

Familia Nin-Ortiz ‘Planetes de Nin’, Priorat DOCa 2017 750ML ($59.95) $49 subscriber special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Familia Nin-Ortiz ‘Planetes de Nin’, Priorat DOCa 2017 750ML ($299.95) $279 subscriber special (that’s only $46.50/bottle!)
Case-12 Familia Nin-Ortiz ‘Planetes de Nin’, Priorat DOCa 2017 750ML ($579.95) $539 subscriber special (that’s only $44.92/bottle!)
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2017 Planetes de Nin comes from the four hectares of 20-year-old Garnacha and 11-year-old Cariñena in the Planetes vineyard in Porrera at 450 meters in altitude. It’s 60% Garnacha (some of it Peluda) and the rest Cariñena, harvested early. It fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in 3,200-liter oak vats and one 1,000-liter amphora for 17 months. It has depth and harmony, and the vines are getting older and seem to be better and better balanced. This is not that different from the 2016; it feels quite stable and has its style and character, especially since the 2015 vintage. 9,704 bottles were filled in April 2019.”

Love Spanish wine? We have 23 whites and 124 reds from Spain in stock now. Shop the entire selection, including famous names like Do Ferreiro, Terroir al Límit, Vega Sicilia and more, on our web store now.

More Specials from California, Italy & Spain

California

Opus One, Napa Valley 2017 750ML ($399.95) Was $349 Now $319, 4 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 95+ points “A remarkable wine for the year, the 2017 Opus One is a dense, full-throttle beauty. Plush fruit and soft, silky contours give the 2017 its racy personality. Exotic, beautifully perfumed and impeccable in its balance, Opus One is one of the most complete wines of the vintage. In 2017, Opus One has a distinctly red-toned fruit profile that distinguishes it from the surrounding vintages.”
Wine Advocate 95 points “Opus One had picked 91% of their fruit before the fires started in 2017, and only two lots were eliminated from consideration. The 2017 Opus One, bottled in July 2019, is a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8.5% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 4.5% Merlot and 1% Malbec. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it slowly grows on the nose, revealing compelling notes of baked black cherries, mulberries, black raspberries, warm cassis and blackberry pie with nuances of spice cake, yeast extract, tapenade, licorice and dusty soil with a waft of wild sage. Medium-bodied, the palate has a lively skip in its step, featuring bags of juicy raspberry and cassis-laced fruit and a refreshing line, supported by ripe, plush tannins, finishing long and graceful.-LPB”
James Suckling 95 points “Lots of currant and floral notes on the nose. Hints of mint and spice. Medium-to full-bodied, round and savory with creamy, juicy tannins. Hints of citrus underneath. Bright, fresh and delicious. Drink or hold.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!

Pax Castelli-Knight Ranch Syrah, Russian River Valley 2015 750ML ($69.95) Was $59 Now $49, 17 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2015 Syrah Castelli-Knight Ranch is sensual, open-knit and quite inviting. Blood orange, star anise and spice add gorgeous aromatic nuance to the rich, layered fruit. Ample, silky and creamy, the 2015 is a real pleasure to taste today. The combination of a north-facing site with a warm microclimate yields a wonderfully complete and nuanced wine. All the elements simply fall into place in a refined, gracious Syrah that will drink well upon release.”
Winery Note “Our 15th Vintage working with this exceptional site and the exceptional people that own the vineyard and farm the land. The bright orange Haire Clay soils that cling to the slopes of this site are a godsend in warm dry vintages like 2015. Black pepper and intense black currants hold down the deep and brooding aromas. Brown spices, pink peppercorn, blackberries and black cherries show up with air. This Syrah is dense and concentrated but lifted by natural acidity and firm aromas and flavors from the stems. Not quite as fleshy as the 2012 (in a good way), but very enjoyable and approachable on release and guaranteed to improve in your cellar like every other Castelli-Knight Ranch before it.”

This was the best price in the USA
Now even lower!
The next lowest listed price is $63.44

Pax Griffin’s Lair Syrah, Sonoma Coast 2015 750ML ($69.95) Was $59 Now $49, 4 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 95 points “One of the many highlights of this range, Pax’s 2015 Syrah Griffin’s Lair Vineyard is powerful and explosive in the glass, conveying a compelling sense of vertical energy. Dried flowers, tobacco, menthol, licorice, spice and leather add myriad shades of nuance to a beautifully delineated, expressive Syrah. This cool site in the Petaluma Gap gracefully handled the rigors of the warm vintage while yielding a wine endowed with terrific freshness and structure.”
Winery Note “Our 14th vintage working with this incredible site that introduced us to the Petaluma Wind Gap. Also, the first wine we have released from this site since Jim Griffin has passed and Joan Griffin has sold the property. Two people that we and all other Syrah lovers owe a tremendous debt of gratitude. Black fruit, iodine, tar and a floral display of violets and white flowers frame this exotic Syrah. The palate weight is huge but lifted by the cool breezes that keep the acidity naturally high in this coastal vineyard. Iodine and salt air components ground the wine in coastal California, but the leather, tar and violets hint at a different landscape across the Atlantic. A wine that drinks very young and probably will for another 5+ years, drink one this spring with some lamb and squirrel the rest away for another occasion down the road.”

This was the best price in the USA
Now even lower!
The next lowest listed price is $59.99

Philip Togni Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2016 750ML ($159.95) Was $135 Now $125, 20 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.”
Wine Advocate 94-96 points “A barrel sample, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is deep garnet-purple in color with loads of blue and black fruits—very spicy—with a fragrant earth undercurrent. The palate is medium-bodied and elegant with very fine, firm, ripe tannins and great freshness, finishing vivacious and earthy.”
Wine Spectator 94 points “Youthfully tight, this mineral-edged style offers a core of currant and black cherry fruit, framed by iron, bay leaf, menthol and singed alder notes. A mulled spice edge emerges on the finish as everything slowly melds together, ending with a persistent tarry echo. Best from 2022 through 2038.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Italy

Fattoria Le Pupille ‘Saffredi’ Maremma Toscana, Tuscany 2014 750ML ($79.95) Was $69 Now $59, 13 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 96 points “Sexy blueberry, spice and black pepper. Mushroom. Full body and ultra-fine tannins. Extremely long and just starting to come around now. Needs a little more time in bottle. Splendid finish. Try in 2019 but already amazing.”

Spain

Compania de Vinos Telmo Rodríguez ‘Pegaso Barrancos de Pizarra’ Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y Leon 2013 750ML ($44.95) Was $36 Now $33, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Compania de Vinos Telmo Rodríguez ‘Pegaso Barrancos de Pizarra’ Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y Leon 2013 750ML ($259.95) Was $199 Now $182.50 (that’s only $30.42/bottle!)
James Sucking 96 points “Exuberant red berries and cherries with a fine, rose-like edge and some coal smoke. Very juicy, fleshy, rich and ripe mid-palate with a dense, long and showy, glossy black-cherry finish. Drink or hold.”
Wine Advocate 94 points “Cropped from a cooler and late ripening vintage, the 2013 Pegaso Barrancos de Pizarra resulted in fresh wines and certainly worked well with the slate soils of these old Garnacha vines in Cebreros. This has a very good balance between ripeness and freshness, power and elegance, with the character of the soils slowly coming through in the shape of fresh meat and beef blood, with the iron-like notes still pretty shy. This should develop nicely in bottle. 8,931 bottles produced.”

Paitin: Top Level Barbaresco at Mid-Level Pricing

Now Even Lower

Understanding how a family’s tie to their land can influence their wines is terribly important when tasting and appreciating old-world producers. When the family’s ownership over their vineyards predates their country’s unification, you start to understand their grasp of the nuances that can be squeezed out of 42 acres of Italian hillsides.

The Elia family purchased their vineyards in 1796. From atop the hill where the winery sits, you can overlook the two main vineyard sites and understand the difference in microclimate, soil type and techniques for farming. The Bricco di Nieve side of the hill is steep, breezy and has beautiful older vines that produce the gorgeous sori Paitin Barbaresco. The other side of the hill has the looser iron rich soil that is the Serra vineyard. Tasting the two Barbaresco side by side is a lesson in site location and the unique qualities that can be shown, just a stone’s throw away.

Secondo Pasquero-Elia and his two sons, Giovanni and Silvano have enlisted enologist Dante Scaglione (Bruno Giacosa) to draw even more from such an amazing site. The results offer a glimpse into the future of the winery and the wines to come. The wines are solid, deep, and built to last – echoing the family and their tie to their home and spectacular vineyards. These wines were already great values before our latest price drop. Now they’re no-brainers for fans of traditionally made Nebbiolo.

In Stock Now & Just Reduced:

Paitin di Pasquero-Elia ‘Serraboella’, Barbaresco DOCG 2014 750ML ($41.95) Was $33 Now $29, 26 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 92 points “Currant, strawberry, cherry, floral and leafy flavors are the highlights of this racy, elegant red. Balanced on the firm side, with excellent length. Best from 2020 through 2032. 800 cases made.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Paitin di Pasquero-Elia ‘Sori Paitin Serraboella’, Barbaresco DOCG 2015 750ML ($69.95) Was $49 Now $45, 25 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 95 points “Sweet cherry and strawberry fruit is framed by earth, eucalyptus, tobacco and tar notes in this rich yet firm red. The assertive tannins suggest a glacial evolution but the lasting impression of fruit shows this wine’s potential. Best from 2022 through 2040. 815 cases made.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!

Paitin di Pasquero-Elia ‘Sori Paitin Vecchie Vigne’, Barbaresco DOCG 2011 750ML ($99.95) Was $79 Now $69, 7 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 95+ points “The 2011 Barbaresco Sorì Paitin Vigne Vecchie is just as stunning as it has always been. A wine of extraordinary purity, the 2011 is laced with rose petals, spices, mint, sweet red berries. The balance of fruit, acidity and tannin is simply magnificent. At the same time, the power and breadth of Serraboella comes through in spades.”

This was the best price in the USA
Now even lower!
The next lowest listed price is $88.97

Love Barbaresco? We have over 50 different options from Barbaresco in stock now. Shop the entire selection on our web store, including famous names like La Spinetta and Produttori, as well as more from Paitin.

Staff Pick

Fèlsina’s Timeless Chianti Classico

Andy:
What wine is more classic than a perfectly made Chianti? So many of us have fond memories of Sangiovese, even if the early versions we might have had were not particularly noteworthy and the fond memories might be centered more around a first date at a cheap Italian restaurant. Real Chianti Classico, we have come to learn, is so much more than good pizza wine and if there is a benchmark that could be recognized as having all of the calling cards of an excellent Chianti, it would be Fèlsina.

Year in, year out, the producers are few and far between who can claim to have the quality and consistency of Fèlsina. The two workhorses, the Chianti Classico and the Classico Riserva could be the greatest values in Tuscany. After having the 2018 Classico open for most of the day, I noted aromas of dark cherries, wild herbs, earthiness, as well as something slightly untamed and animal on the nose. It was also surprisingly fresh and bright, with enough tannin to let you know that it will perform for years to come. The 2016 Riserva was more reticent, though after a day the glimmers of what is to come shone through. Similar to the Classico, but with a bit of cedar, smoke and licorice, it was slightly darker in its fruit profile. However it was still dominated by cherry and game. This is a true cellar surprise for those who like to play the “guess what I paid” game. I am grabbing this in Magnum to enjoy with my son in about 15 years.

The entire line up is so fun to taste through, but for those who look for simply the best in their Tuscan reds, you won’t go wrong with any of them. No rolling the dice on these – they’re simply delicious.

In Stock Now:

Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico DOCG, Tuscany 2018 750ML ($29.95) $24 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico DOCG, Tuscany 2018 750ML ($179.95) $136 special (that’s only $22.67/bottle!)
James Suckling 93 points “Perfumed and fresh with cherries, cedar and hints of dried flowers. It’s medium-bodied with fine tannins and a long, direct finish. Really lively and fresh. Very typical for a top Chianti Classico. Drink now.”
Antonio Galloni 92 points “The 2018 Chianti Classico Berardenga is endowed with so much class. In 2018, the Classico is a bit more restrained than it can be. That mid-weight sense of structure, though, gives the wine quite a bit of early appeal. Even so, I would cellar the 2018 for a few years, as all the elements haven’t fully come together just yet. Dark cherry, game, smoke, licorice and earthy notes are a reminder we are in Castelnuovo Berardenga, even if the 2018 has less weight and overt power than Fèlsina fans are used to seeing.”
Kerin O’keefe-Wine Enthusiast 92 points “New leather, camphor and blue flower are some of the aromas you’ll find on this bright, fragrant red. On the medium-bodied palate, vibrant acidity and taut tannins surround cassis, Marasca cherry and tobacco notes. Drink 2022–2028.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 91 points “The Fèlsina 2018 Chianti Classico Berardenga is a toned and delicate expression of 100% Sangiovese from a vintage that produced beautifully subtle and understated wines. It shows good momentum driven by dark fruit, blackberry and summer cherry. The intensity of these aromas is downplayed and rendered less pronounced, adding elegance and fragility. Pretty background notes of spice and balsam herb add an extra layer of complexity. An ample 280,000 bottles were produced.”

Fèlsina Berardenga ‘Colonia’, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG 2010 750ML ($199.95) $119 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 95+ points “When you hear the story of the effort that went into making the Colonia vineyard, you have to wonder if the fine folks at Fèlsina are absolutely mad. It took them two years of dynamite blasting to clear the imposing rock that had forced previous generations of the Poggiali family to virtually abandon this site. But an ambitious Giovanni Poggiali takes credit for making this spectacular vineyard what it is today. The wine produced here is quickly becoming the second flagship product after Fontalloro. The 2010 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Colonia is a wine of enormous beauty and depth. This is Sangiovese at its highest expression and any doubt I had about the previous vintage (which was the first time this wine appeared as a Gran Selezione) have been washed away by this current release. What really stands out are the wine’s precise mineral and graphite aromas that lend an incredible sense of focus and balance. The oak element is also beautifully integrated.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The national average price is $147

Fèlsina Magnums in Stock Now:

Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico DOCG, Tuscany 2016 1.5L ($69.95) $59 special, 14 magnums in stock now
Wine Advocate 92+ points “This is an excellent vintage in Chianti Classico that shows especially well in the simple, more accessible wines such as this. The 2016 Chianti Classico Berardenga delivers the power and density of its territory. The southern side of the appellation often shows the richest expressions of Sangiovese. This wine opens to sweet aromas of dark fruit, cherry and plum. The wine shows a slightly savory side as well with spice and dried terracotta that recalls the gray gravel soils of the region. Bay leaf, cola and chopped mint appear as subtle background notes. Some 260,000 bottles were made.”
Wine & Spirits 92 points “The temperate 2016 growing season yielded a beautifully perfumed and posed Chianti Classico at Fèlsina. The aromas and flavors are pure Tuscany, with scents of lavender and dried thyme that lead into flavors of ripe black cherry and even savory tomato skin. Notes of pink peppercorns and leafy tobacco emerge with air, adding layers to the fleshy fruit.”
Antonio Galloni 91+ points “The 2016 Chianti Classico Berardenga is a stellar, joyous wine. Bold, powerful and ample, with a good deal of finesse for such a big wine, the 2016 shows why this is such a compelling vintage for Chianti Classico. Leather, game, smoke, tobacco and licorice infuse a wine that oozes Sangiovese character. The 2016 needs a few years in bottle to be at its best, but is already pretty alluring. Moreover, this is a fabulous expression of the estate. Don’t miss it.”
James Suckling 93 points “This is fragrant and floral with dark berries on the nose. Medium body, firm and silky tannins and a fresh, clean finish. A driven and linear Chianti Classico. The backbone of fresh acidity gives this focus. Drink now or hold.”

This is the lowest listed magnum price in the USA today!

Fèlsina Berardenga Rancia, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2013 1.5L ($119.95) $99 special, 2 magnums in stock now
Antonio Galloni 96 points “A huge, vibrant wine, the 2013 Chianti Classico Rancia will need at least a few years in bottle to be approachable and much more than that to be at its best. Huge swaths of tannin give the wine its energy and feel. The essence of Sangiovese from Castelnuovo Berardenga comes through loud and clear. Readers should expect an especially virile, potent Rancia in 2013.”
Antonio Galloni 96+ points “Fèlsina’s 2013 Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia bristles with energy, with veins of underlying acidity that give the wine its focus and drive. Dark red cherry, plum, rose petal, herb and licorice are some of the signatures. Most of the Fèlsina Chianti Classicos are defined by their dark fruit and savory notes, but the Rancia is also wonderfully bright and lifted from start to finish while staying very much true to the house style. Today, the Rancia gives the impression it will unwind at a glacial pace. I imagine most bottles of the 2013 will be drunk before the wine truly enters its prime.”
Wine Advocate 95 points “Here is another highlight of the vintage. The 2013 Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia is a dark, moody and sophisticated wine. It does not reveal itself immediately or in any obvious way. Instead, it doses out its intensity in careful measurements. The whole performance is seductive to say the least. That slow momentum leads to dark cherry with spice, grilled herb, wet earth and dried rose. Fèlsina’s Riserva Rancia is a very elegant wine, both on the nose and in the mouth.”

This is the lowest listed magnum price in the USA today!

Fèlsina Berardenga Rancia, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2015 1.5L ($139.95) $115 special, 8 magnums in stock now
James Suckling 95 points “Plenty of dark plums, black cherries, blackberry pie, cedar, tobacco and a hint of orange rind. There’s a real vitality to the palate, which is so well carved out by firm, savory tannins and seriously bright acidity. A chewy finish. Drink in 2022.”
Wine Spectator 94 points “The fine cherry, plum, leather and spice flavors pick up accents of chocolate, earth and mineral as this red gathers steam. Builds to a firmly structured finish, where sweet fruit and dusty tannins linger. Drink now through 2028.”
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 94-97 points “The 2015 Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia is one of the most finessed young Rancias I have ever tasted. Silky, aromatically precise and nuanced to the core, the 2015 is shaping up to be a jewel of a wine. This is an impressive showing.”

Love Tuscany? We have over 150 different wines from Tuscany in stock now. Shop the entire selection, including staff favorites like Castell’in Villa, Castello di Ama, I Fabbri and more, on our web store now.

Collector’s Corner

Sérafin: Gevrey-Chambertin’s Best Kept Secret?

Sérafin is one of the best names in Gevrey-Chambertin that’s not talked about enough—and we’re trying to correct that problem. Christian Sérafin is one of the best producers in Gevrey, making powerful, intense wines, at prices that are far lower than most of his peers. However critics are starting to take notice, and if recent scores are any indication, the secret appears to be getting out.

Besides organic viticulture, low yields, and old vines, Sérafin sticks to an idiosyncratic recipe in the cellar: total destemming, long cuvaisons, and mostly new or lightly used barrels. Their richness and concentration beg cellaring, and the magic of the Côte de Nuits rewards such patience. This is serious Burgundy. Complexity is a given, as is age-worthiness and concentration—there are no shrinking violets in this bunch.

We have a number of Sérafin bottlings in stock now from 2011, 2012 and 2014, all wines that belong in any Burgundy lover’s cellar -especially at the prices we’re able to offer them at.

In Stock Now:

Sérafin Père & Fils Les Cazetiers, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($219.95) $139 special, 4 bottles in stock now
Stephen Tanzer 93 points “Moderately saturated medium red. Very reticent but pure aromas of redcurrant, dark cherry, earth, leather and spices. A dense, nicely balanced midweight, with ripe acidity giving shape to the cherry, licorice and espresso flavors. Firmly tannic but with plenty of thickness of texture to support its backbone. Finishes chewy and long but youthfully tight, with lovely aromatic persistence. I’d hold this until 2020.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Sérafin Père & Fils Les Cazetiers, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($249.95) $149 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 92-94 points “Good bright, deep red. Reticent aromas of black cherry, minerals, mint and menthol. Densely packed, fresh and energetic, showing a strong spice character to its black cherry and mineral flavors. Has the thickness of texture to carry its tannins. Finishes spicy and long, with a lingering note of chocolatey oak. From a crop level of 38 hectoliters per hectare: Sérafin made four barrels, compared to a normal five.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Sérafin Père & Fils Les Cazetiers, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru 2014 750ML ($219.95) $149 special, 5 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2014 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cazetiers has a lifted bouquet, very well defined with blackcurrant, black cherry, undergrowth and cold black tea aromas that gain intensity on the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, fine acidity, the oak neatly integrated here and allowing the terroir to show through on the clean, precise, minerally finish. This is just a lovely Gevrey-Chambertin from Sérafin.”
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 92 points “(this fruit is always picked at the end, noted winemaker Frédérique Bachotet): Bright, dark red-ruby. Very ripe cherry and chocolate scents. Wonderfully rich, deep wine with a restrained sweetness and noteworthy density to its flavors of redcurrant, spices and saline minerality. The terroir really speaks here. The long finish features lingering earth tones.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Sérafin Père & Fils Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes, Côte de Nuits 2012 750ML ($139.95) $99 special, 11 bottles in stock now
Neal Martin-Vinous 91 points “The 2012 Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes is one of my favourite recent vintages with plush, exuberant black plum and raspberry fruit, a touch of tomato vine in the background. I admire its definition and it shows more charm than its 2011 counterpart. The palate has a fine grip as it is gentle and insistent. Yes, there is a sturdiness to this Gevrey, like many of Sérafin’s wines, yet there is admirable delineation and freshness on the finish. You could drink this now, though I would prefer to leave it for two or three more years. Tasted at Goedhuis’s Burgundy tasting at Vintners Hall.”
Antonio Galloni 90-92 points “One of the real gems in this range, the Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes wraps around the palate with gorgeous depth and dimension. Violets, cloves and menthol meld into a core of dark fruit. The vintage has given the Vieilles Vignes an extra bit of volume that is hugely appealing. All the elements fall into place effortlessly. This voluptuous Gevrey should offer a wide window of fabulous drinking.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Sérafin Père & Fils Les Corbeaux, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($149.95) $99 special, 17 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 91-93 points “The 2012 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Corbeaux comes from 0.45-hectares of vines planted in 1968 by Christian’s father adjacent to Mazis-Chambertin. It has a precocious bouquet compared to the Vieilles Vignes, with scents of mulberry, dark plum and luscious black fruit that are tightly controlled. The palate is medium-bodied with a slightly grainy entry. This is showing the oak a little more than the Vieilles Vignes at the moment, but there is sufficient concentration to absorb that with time. The linear finish, crisp and taut, bodes well for the future.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Sérafin Père & Fils Le Fonteny, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($159.95) $99 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Stephen Tanzer 91 points “Moderately saturated medium red. Black cherry, raspberry and a whiff of meat on the nose, lifted by pungent pepper and blood orange treble notes. Less open than the village wine, showing lovely spicy lift to the flavors of red fruits and flowers. Juicy, elegant Gevrey with serious length and lingering spice character.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Sérafin Père & Fils Le Fonteny, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($199.95) $119 special, 10 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 91-93 points “The 2012 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Fonteny comes from 0.33-hectares of vine planted in 1965. It has a somehow more “languid” bouquet, demonstrated a touch more fruit compared to the Corbeaux, the fruit erring more to red than black. The palate is rounded and velvety smooth on the entry with vibrant cassis and blackcurrant fruit, fine tannins and impressive presence towards the finish that continues long after the wine has departed. Excellent.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Sérafin Père & Fils Les Millandes, Morey-Saint-Denis Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($149.95) $89 special, 8 bottles in stock now
Stephen Tanzer 91-93 points “Deep, spicy aromas of black cherry, violet, menthol and espresso. Densely packed and sappy, with a liqueur-like ripeness to the flavors of black cherry and mint. A rather rectilinear wine with a serious spine of dusty tannins that will require some aging. In a more structured, masculine style in 2012, like the Gevrey Vieilles Vignes and the Cazetiers.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Love the Côte de Nuits? We have over 240 different red wines from the Côte de Nuits in stock now. Shop the entire selection, including famous names like DRC, Dujac, Fourrier and more, on our web store now.

Thanks for reading!

Weekend VinopolPick 1-29-21

In Today’s Newsletter:

Featured New Arrival
The Exquisite Champagnes of Marie-Courtin

Subscriber Special Extended
Save Big Until Monday Morning
Bibi Graetz’s 100-Point Testamatta

German Wine Spotlight: Kruger-Rumpf

Trending

The Next Cult Barolo:
Principiano’s Traditional Stunners

Don’t Forget, New Subscriber Specials
Santa Duc’s Regal Gigondas & Châteauneuf

Subscriber Special #2
San Román’s Powerful Tinto

Featured New Arrival

The Exquisite Champagnes of Marie-Courtin

“Dominique Moreau [makes] tiny amounts of Champagne under the Marie-Courtin label that are gorgeous, precise and elegant, and that I cannot get out of my head.” – Eric Asimov, New York Times

The Aube: once a sleepy backwater Department of the Champagne region where generations of vineyard owners and tenders subsisted on selling their crops to the Grand Marque luxury brand Champistocrats headquartered in Reims. Now it is a cradle to a movement. A movement to something of a Burgundian model: of estate growers escorting their grapes through to the finished wine, and in so doing expressing their grapes, their ground, and their esthetic. The Aube is not alone in this turnabout. It is happening all over Champagne. And the proprietress of Marie-Courtin, Dominique Moreau, is not alone in the Aube- the grower contingent there has other luminaries including Cedric Bouchard, Vouette & Sorbee, and Jacques Lassaigne.

But, we digress, as our story begins in 2001….

In the Aube, on a hillside of the Cote des Bars, near the village of Polisot, where Dominique Moreau took over a small vineyard of mostly 40-50 year old Pinot Noir (planted by her father-in-law) and combined it with her vision to produce single-vineyard, single varietal, single vintage Champagnes from biodynamically grown grapes- farmed with meticulous care, and vinified au naturel. Native yeasts, no dosage, minimalist intervention at all decision points. This was and still is a sharp turn from the conventional mind-set in Champagne, which is to produce a homogenous product- and plenty of it.

And the pace picked up markedly in 2006, when the visions were first bottled, and became something the world beyond the Aube could share. But they didn’t go far beyond the Aube. There were only 1,000 cases or so, and they were mostly intercepted by the restaurants and Champagne bars in Paris.

Since then?

Well, a modest linear progression of bottlings and growth, and an immodest exponential explosion of consumer knowledge, interest, and demand. It hasn’t hurt that Champagne is by far the hottest sector of the wine market today, and the grower Champagne is the hottest sector of the Champagne market. But Dominique would have succeeded in moribund markets, as her vision and skills are indomitable and her Champagnes approach transcendental.

‘Resonance’ is the base of the program here, a tank fermented Pinot Noir. The ever-holistic Dominique says that ‘Resonance’ refers to the balancing energies of earth and sky that affect the creation of a wine from its surrounding terroir. But we’d say that it could equally refer to the harmonic symphony it adds to a glass. The 2008 vintage of this wine was the first to be received in the Western US in quantities above miniscule and we took in an outsized share. We were the first to have it, and the last to have it, but we didn’t have it long enough. Conservation of supply was not possible when demand was spurred by Antonio Galloni’s glowing reviews and breathless conclusion that: “It is a fabulous wine in every way. I loved it.” Year in, year out, it is a wine with gazelle-like poise, mineral verve and a filigreed tension that captures her vision of balance and energy.

‘Efflorescence’ is drawn from grapes at the base of the hill- Dominique feels they have greater power and potential. The wine is raised in used Burgundy barrels for a year. For Dominique, “Efflorescence” refers to “something that evolves in perpetuity”. Starting with the evolution encouraged by the small oxygen exchange in barrel, she feels that this wine in particular will show a very different face at each stage of its development in bottle. ‘Eloquence’ arises from a small amount of Chardonnay on Dominique’s estate. Elegance is as ‘Eloquence’ does.

She’s yet to share with us what was on her mind to name this bottling ‘Concordance’. But perhaps flying very high, above all else; because that is what it does. Dominique, by the way, recommends that all of her Champagnes be served in conventional wine glasses rather than flutes. We’d say that is an option on all but this Concordance, where it is a must. Consider a decanter too. Bubbling Burgundy it is, un voyage- sans limit, sans end. The bubbles are not accidental, but they are incidental.

“These wines represent the height of vinosity in Champagne” –Antonio Galloni

“Intensely expressive, emotionally moving wines.” –Peter Liem

In Stock Now:

Marie Courtin Concordance Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut, Champagne 2015 750ML ($119.95) $75 special
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2015 Extra Brut Concordance Sans Soufre (100% Pinot Noir) is bright, precise and absolutely gorgeous. Dominique Moreau seems to have really dialed in her approach over the last few years. I can’t remember tasting a Concordance with this much translucent energy. Pinot Noir in the Aube has rarely been this weightless and nuanced. The purity of the flavors is just striking. No dosage.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $88

Marie Courtin Efflorescence Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut, Champagne 2014 750ML ($99.95) $59 special
No reviews yet for the 2014 vintage – Reviews for 2013 vintage provided for reference.
Antonio Galloni 94 points “A complete and wonderfully nuanced wine, the 2013 Extra Brut Efflorescence is fabulous. Bright and sculpted to the core, the 2013 exudes energy. Chalk, mint, jasmine and orchard fruit add complexity, but it is the wine’s overall balance that is most impressive. The Efflorescence offers striking translucence and energy from start to finish. The non-dosé style is especially successful here. Disgorged in April 2017 with no dosage.”
“Efflorescence is from an east-facing vineyard with 40-year-old vines (sélection massale) on Kimmeridgian soils. Fermented and aged for one year in pièces and 36 months on the second lees before the disgorgement…” –Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate, writing on the 2013 vintage

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $76

Marie Courtin Eloquence Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, Champagne 2015 750ML ($89.95) $79 special
Importer note “Single parcel of Chardonnay located in the village of Polisot near the Pinot vineyard in the Cote des Bars. Massale selection, low-vigor rootstock, 15-20 yr old vines. Clay and Kimmerdigian Limestone bands similar to those found in Chablis. The Cotes des Bar is closer in proximity to Chablis than to Epernay. Aged in used barriques and bottled with no dosage. Remeniscent of Chablis with bubbles, this Blanc de Blanc is full, yet chiseled with intense mineral character.”

Marie Courtin ‘Indulgence’ Extra Brut Rose, Champagne 2015 750ML ($99.95) $89 special
Antonio Galloni 92 points “The 2015 Extra Brut Rosé Indulgence is 100% Pinot Noir that sees a maceration of about 48 hours. Pomegranate, mint, dried flowers, game and dried pear are all finely knit. Lifted floral and savory notes suggest at least some whole cluster influence. This is such a classy and expressive Champagne. Here, too, I see what appears to be more finesse than in the past. No dosage. Disgorged: November, 2018.”
Importer note “50 year old Pinot Noir vines from .30 hectares. Sandy marl with veins of kimmeridgian. Balanced above all else, the Indulgence rose is made from 100% Pinot Noir that macerated for four days. Not too fruity, not too meaty…just right! Non-dosé.”

Marie Courtin Presence Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, Champagne 2017 750ML ($89.95) $79 special
Importer note “70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Blanc. Harvested from massale selection vines of 1/3 Pinot Blanc and 2/3 Chardonnay averaging 20 years of age. The Pinot Blanc is planted in kimmerdgian-centric soils while the Chardonnay is planted in portlandian soils. Aged in apoxy lined tank, three year elevage sur lie, unfined and unfiltered, zero dosage and zero sulfur added. Dominique Moreau’s Blanc de Blanc blend combines Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc grown in the unique kimmeridgian and portlandian soils of the Aube. This zero dosage, no sulfur added cuvee is rich and racy and has a commanding “presence”, if you will, just as we have come to expect from this rising star.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $96

Marie Courtin Resonance Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut, Champagne 2015 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Case-6 Marie Courtin Resonance Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut, Champagne 2015 750ML ($359.95) $279 special (that’s only $46.50/bottle!)
Importer note “Sourced from massale selection vines 35-40 years in age from a single parcel located in Polisot (Cote des Bar). The fruit for Resonance comes from the top of the slope where there is little topsoil. Clay and Kimmerdigian Limestone bands similar to those found in Chablis. The Cotes des Bar is closer in proximity to Chablis than to Epernay. Aged in stainless steel and bottled with no dosage. Fresh and nervy with a rounder character than in past years. Classic Marie Courtin cut with a bit more meat on the bone.”

Subscriber Special Extended!

Save Big Until Monday Morning

Bibi Graetz’s 100-Point Testamatta

Testamatta, which means “crazy head” in Italian, is a nod to Bibi Graetz’s eccentricity. A creative and passionate man, Graetz crafts some of Italy’s most impressive wines at his self-described Casamatta (“crazy house”). But don’t be fooled by Graetz’s self-deprecating humility, one taste of his wines will shatter any illusions that these are humble plonk. The brilliance of the wine suggests that there surely must be a method to the madness. Decanter recently recognized Graetz’s unmistakable talent by awarding the 2018 Testamatta 100 points.

We were fortunate to secure a modest allocation of this in-demand wine and want to encourage you to stock your cellar, because it will not disappoint. To that end, we’re extending our 10% discount when you order 3 bottles or more between now and 10AM Monday.

Buy 3+ bottles of 2018 Testamatta
Receive a 10% discount on them
Pay only $80.99 per bottle

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Sale ends Monday, February 1st at 10AM PST

Pre-Arrival ETA March:

Bibi Graetz Testamatta Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2018 750ML ($99.95) $89.99 pre-arrival special
Jane Anson – Decanter 100 points “Finely textured, with a nuanced perfume that fills the glass and takes you to the intense underbrush of Tuscany. Succulent and yet savoury, this has a lilting freshness that is overlaid with ripe berry fruits, sage and white pepper spice, and clear minerality in terms of its scraping texture that makes your mouth water on the finish. Feels light and sculpted and yet has an intensity that skewers you to the spot. This is a great wine, with scope and imagination that doesn’t want to let you go. Genuinely stands out among the wines of this tasting, and these are a fine array of wines. As with Colore, Bibi Graetz selects only old vines, the youngest 50 years old from five different vineyard sites across Tuscany, all farmed organically. Fermentations in open 225l barrels with natural yeasts and manual punch downs.”

German Wine Spotlight:

Kruger-Rumpf

Kruger-Rumpf sits close to the Rhine, geographically, than some of the other big names in the area and their wines have more intrinsic power to them as a result. These are some seriously good Rieslings, at prices considerably lower than what you’d pay from other name producers.

The estate dates back to the 1700s and includes some of the greatest terroirs in the area. The wines are well-crafted from the vineyard, which is in transition to certified organic and managed with an eye toward biodiversity, to the modern winery where ferments are mostly spontaneous and where terroir expression is the main goal of winemaking.

The top off-dry wines from the estate comes from the awkwardly named “Dautenpflanzer” from near the town of Munster, which means that the label reads “Munsterer Dautenpflanzer”—a stereotype of a German name if we ever saw one. In house, we often call it the “MD” if you aren’t feeling up to testing your pronunciation skills. The Dautenpflanzer is a premier Grand Cru site of the lower Nahe, a place that yields wine s of power and resonance, and Kruger-Rumpf is the primary (and best) landholder.

Their top dry wine comes from the Abtei , Im Pitterberg, and Burgberg vineyards, which are more suited to the production of bright, dry bottlings than the Dautenpflantzer. Their “1937” is a single-block bottling of the Abtei vineyard’s oldest and steepest section. Despite the vine age and fantastic quality, it’s just half the price of similar unicorn wines (think Carl Loewen’s “1896”). Furthermore, the Burgberg is one of the top GG sites in the upper Nahe, tiny and impossibly steep, and the Kruger-Rumpf version show off the classicism and elegance of the site.

In Stock Now:

Kruger-Rumpf Abtei ‘1937 Reserv’ Riesling Trocken 2018 750ML ($41.95) $36 special
Grapelive 94-96 points “The 2018 barrel sample of Kruger-Rumpf’s Abtei 1937 was stunningly gorgeous with brilliant details, ripe extract density, vivid mineral tones and vibrant acidity showing a purity and vitality of youth, but with the complexity and length of its old vine material. Georg Rumpf has crafted a Trocken beauty here with layers of delicacy and substance. This juice is on par with almost any GG, making it an incredible value already. Be sure to book your allocation of this ultra-limited bottling from Terry These and importer Skurnik Wines. You will not be disappointed, I know I will be hustling to get some myself. The regular Abtei offering is one of my new favorite Nahe Rieslings and while I love all the latest Kruger-Rumpf wines, especially from the Grosse Lage: Münsterer Dautenpflänzer, Münsterer im Pitterberg and Dorsheimer Burgberg, as well as exotic Rumpf’s Scheurebe plus their off dry Kabinett, Feinherb and wonderfully balanced Spatlese(s) I have become obsessed with the Bingerbrücker Abtei im Ruppertsberg vineyard and wines. This ’18 starts with subtle aromatic charm with orange blossom, rosewater, flinty stones, salt lick and quinces before thrilling the palate with energy and white peach, tangerine, lime intensity, verbena, mint tea and tart green apple. This light/medium dry Riesling is brisk and racy, at first but gains depth and builds with air in the glass adding some leesy texture, it is totally thrilling and will only get better with bottle age. Terry Theise adds that, Kuger-Rumpf’s vineyards are farmed sustainably; bees are kept nearby to facilitate pollination and aid in overall bio-diversity. Periodically sheep are allowed to roam the vines helping to control underbrush. All vineyards are hand harvested to ensure that only optimally ripe grapes are selected. Stefan believed that “you can’t improve wine in the cellar, only make it worse…” and Georg has continued his cellar work with this philosophy in mind, which to me shows in wines like this fantastic Abtei.

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Kruger-Rumpf Dorsheimer Burgberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs 2018 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Grapelive 94+ points “Coming from a tiny incredibly steep Grand Cru site, the Burgberg Vineyard, that is set on volcanic and quartz soils near Munster in the village of Dorsheim. The Kruger Rumpf Burgberg GG is one of the most exciting wines of vintage at this small winery… It is fantastically mineral-driven dry Riesling. This latest set of wines, especially the Rieslings, from Georg Rumpf and his family are some of the best yet from this estate. The GG’s and the Premier Cru Trockens are gorgeous wines. No one is going to want to miss these 2018 Nahe offerings, especially the Pitterberg GG, the Abtei Erste Lage 1937 old vine, one of my secret favorites and this beautifully detailed Burgberg GG. Rumpf has turned to mostly all organic practices, and the Burgberg parcel is farmed organic. [He] prefers to do natural fermentations, or Sponti, with his Cru wines with the GG’s getting less aging in large cask, Stuckfass, to allow less reduction and enhance generosity, while retraining freshness and vitality in the wines. [It] shows here in this barrel sample of Burgberg… These Kruger-Rumpf GG’s are some of the best values out there, they really deserve much more attention, as do the lesser bottlings and their wildly tasty Scheurebe, which is one of the best examples in Germany. The Kruger-Rumpf winery, which dates back to the 1790’s, is focused on purity and the expression of the distinctive terroirs in the family’s holdings, but only began making estate labeled wines in 1984 when Georg’s dad Stefan began crafting small production bottlings. Now, mostly retired Stefan has turned things over to his sons Georg and Philipp, who are continuing the traditions here with a renewed energy and technical skill. [Their work] impresses Terry Theise, their importer, who considers Kruger-Rumpf one of best under the radar estates in the region. [Theise] notes that Kruger-Rumpf is innovative and is always striving to reach new levels of quality. I visited Kruger-Rumpf in the fall of 2016 at harvest time and was thrilled with the stylish wines I found and was blown away with the individual vineyards they farm and the hard work they have been putting in the restore the Abtei site. The iron rich volcanic and quartz influenced 2018 Burgberg GG starts with white flowers, stone fruits and vibrant citrus before expansion on the medium full palate with layers of lime/tangerine, apricot, green apple, papaya, bitter pit white peach and white cherry fruits along with steely form, spearmint, verbena, mouthwatering saline, exotic spices and subtle leesy elements. This is going to be a legendary wine and is already showing Georg’s signature finesse and vinous personality. It has masses of potential and its delicacy is utterly delicious! There’s a lot to admire at Kruger-Rumpf these days and this crisp 2018 Burgberg is a stunning effort that gains with air in the glass and will more so with a few years in bottle.”
Wine Advocate 93+ points “From low-yielding vines planted in the 1950’s and 1960’s, the 2018 Burgberg Riesling GG is absolutely great on the pure, clear and refreshing, super flinty and mineral nose. On the palate, this is an intense, highly complex and elegant dry Riesling with crystalline acidity and a long and refreshing, crystalline and salty finish. Bottled and tasted in July 2019.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Kruger-Rumpf Im Pitterberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs 2018 750ML ($51.95) $46 special
Wine Advocate 93+ points “The 2018 Im Pitterberg Riesling GG is bright and floral on the fragrant and elegant, spicy-mineral nose. Full-bodied and intense on the palate, with rich and concentrated fruit that is balanced by a tight and mineral structure and lingering salinity, this is an elegant, very complex and sustainable dry Riesling with crunchy stone flavors and a gripping finish. This is a great Nahe wine from the 2018 vintage. Tasted in July 2019.”
David Schildknecht-Vinous 92 points “Scents of white peach anticipate the cool juiciness as well as the peach fuzz invigoration and peach kernel piquancy that emerge on a firm palate. A bright influx of fresh lime lends animation and enhances refreshment on a finish that also features mouthwatering veal stock savor and vivid wet stone. (For background on the naming of this site and the origin of its fruit, consult my review of the corresponding 2015.)”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Kruger-Rumpf Munsterer Dautenpflanzer Riesling Spatlese 2018 750ML ($29.95) $24 special
David Schildknecht-Vinous 92 points “An effusively fruity nose anticipates the generously juicy peach and nectarine that feature on a glossy palate, with a hint of almond paste as well as pronounced sweetness tugging things in a confectionary direction. Happily, an influx of limey brightness and tangy fresh-fruitedness serve for welcome pushback as well as animation and refreshment on a long-lasting finish. As with others of the best Kruger-Rumpf 2018s, this manages to combine richness and high ripeness with brightness and transparency to stony inflections. That juxtaposition may have been underscored in the case of this Spätlese by its having been raised partly in cask and partly in tank.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Kruger-Rumpf Munsterer Pittersberg Riesling Spatlese Goldkapsel 2018 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
David Schildknecht-Vinous 95 points “Picked at the end of October but with minimal botrytis, this certainly stands in magnificent contradiction to my vintage generalization that picking past the middle of that month was not advantageous. Unlike its counterpart form the Dautenpflänzer, this was raised in cask, and was allowed to ferment to a lower level of residual sugar. It comes off as a riper, richer sibling of the corresponding Im Pitterberg Riesling Kabinett, its gloss merging with creaminess, yet with fresh white peach and lime juiciness complementing ripe quince and serving for animation and refreshment. The finish is unexpectedly electrifying in its vibrancy and mouthwateringly saline, and gains stimulating counterpoint from peach kernel piquancy, peach fuzz prickle and a crystalline sense of stone-showering mineral impingement. (If there is a second, “regular” Im Pitterberg Spätlese from this vintage, I am not aware of it.)”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $49.99

Kruger-Rumpf Munsterer Pittersberg Riesling Kabinett 2018 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special
David Schildknecht-Vinous 93 points “While marginally lower in alcohol – at 9% – than its Rheinberg counterpart, this was picked early at a significantly lower 82 Oechsle, so its sense of sweetness is nicely restrained. Luscious and invigoratingly tart-edged white peach, apple and lime are wreathed in honeysuckle, while a billowing sense of levity and inner-mouth perfume perfectly complements a subtly creamy texture that owes something to lees exposure in cask. (In fact, Georg Rumpf performed a bit of lees stirring and an extra racking, yet the wine retains an invigorating hint of CO2 spritz.) The sustained finish delivers a superb sense of vibrancy, clarity and focus, its intense fruitiness matched by a salinity that tugs at the salivary glands. (For background on the origination and style of this Kabinett, consult my reviews of its vintage 2015 and vintage 2016 predecessors.)”
Wine Advocate 91 points “Picked early around September 10th and vinified in large oak until April this year, the 2018 Im Pitterberg Riesling Kabinett offers a clear, ripe and spicy, beautifully elegant bouquet of bright fruits and crushed nuts. Very clear and fresh on the palate, this is a filigreed, elegant and persistently light, salty-piquant and crystalline Riesling with mineral tension and stimulating grip. This is a picture-book Kabinett that is a great pleasure to drink even today and certainly with food. 9% alcohol. Tasted from AP 21 19 in August 2019.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!

Kruger-Rumpf Munsterer Rheinberg Riesling Kabinett 2018 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
Wine Advocate 89 points “From a southeast-facing vineyard, picked at 83/84° Oechsle around the 20th of September and vinified in stainless steel and large oak in equal parts, the 2018 Münster Rheinberg Riesling Kabinett is beautifully clear, fresh and stony/piquant on the precise, stimulating, slightly nutty and coffee-bean nose. Round, lush and sweet on the first palate, this is a fresh, salty-piquant and elegant Kabinett with stimulating grip on the finish. This is a beautifully lean, light and digestible Kabinett in the good old style. Tasted in July 2019.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

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An outrageously low price for a Sonoma icon.
Patz & Hall Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2013 750ML ($49.95) $21.90 special
Wine Enthusiast 92 points “Pungent, spicy earth and cinnamon rise out of the wine’s bouquet, inviting one to enjoy a structured expression of cranberry, raspberry and black tea. The tannin structure is well managed and the oak strong, yet integrated. Gap’s Crown is among the vineyards that figure into the blend, along with several Dutton family properties. This is fresh and focused. -Virginie Boone”
Robert Parker-Wine Advocate 91 points “All the Pinot Noirs are bottled unfined and unfiltered. The biggest cuvée, the 2013 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast comes from many different sources, including Dutton Ranch, Martinelli Family, Chenoweth Vineyard, and a handful of others, that are blended together for a relatively consistent style from vintage to vintage. The lovely 2013 exhibits terrific blueberry and black raspberry fruit interwoven with notions of Chinese black tea, oak, earth and beet root in the background. This nicely textured, medium-bodied Pinot Noir possesses zesty acidity as well as admirable aromatics. Enjoy it over the next 5-8 years.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $43.90
The average listed price is $46

Powerful and rich—an exceptionally full-bodied red for under $17.
Triton Tinta de Toro, Toro 2017 750ML ($21.95) $16.60 special
Case-12 Triton Tinta de Toro, Toro 2017 750ML ($239.95) $179 special (that’s only $14.92/bottle!)
Jeb Dunnuck 93 points “Made from 100% Tinta de Toro aged a year in used barrels (and some demi-muids), the 2017 Tritón comes from multiple vineyards and is made in decent amounts. It’s a rich, powerful wine loaded with notions of blackcurrants, dark chocolate, licorice, crushed rocks, and crushed violets. It’s full-bodied, has impressive depth of fruit, sweet tannins, and a great finish. It’s a rocking wine that can be drunk today or cellared for 15 years or more.”
James Suckling 91 points “An array of ripe dark-berry and raspberry aromas with biscuity nuances, as well as boysenberries. The palate has a sleek, essence-like feel. Such richness. Open-knit with soft berries. Very long and very ripe. Drink or hold.”

It’s hard to think of a better value in Willamette Pinot right now.
Biggio Hamina Claygate Vineyard Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2016 750ML ($39.95) $28 special
Case-6 Biggio Hamina Claygate Vineyard Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2016 750ML ($199.95) $159 special (that’s only $26.50/bottle!)
Case-12 Biggio Hamina Claygate Vineyard Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2016 750ML ($399.95) $299 special (that’s only $24.92/bottle!)
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 94 points “Bright red. An exotically perfumed bouquet displays intense red fruit, potpourri and incense qualities. Spice and savory herb nuances build as the wine opens up. Bright and energetic in the mouth, offering densely packed and appealingly sweet raspberry liqueur, cherry and spicecake flavors that pick up a smoky mineral note on the back half. Plays power off of finesse deftly and finishes extremely long and floral, with sneaky, fine-grained tannins and a touch of exotic spices.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

One of the best bottles of Beaujolais in the stellar 2018 vintage.
Anne-Sophie Dubois Fleurie Les Labourons 2018 750ML ($39.95) $36 special
Anne-Sophie Dubois Fleurie Les Labourons 2018 1.5L ($99.95) $79 special
Grapelive 95 points “The top or signature wine from the talented Anne-Sophie Dubois is her awesome Les Labourons Fleurie Cru Beaujolais that comes from a high elevation, with a warm Southwest exposure, parcel of Gamay vines that are set on the classic pink granite soils of this appellation, all of which give this gorgeous wine its intensity, distinction, heightened aromatics and elegance with a crisp detailing of pure flavors. This 2018 is impeccable with a clarity of terroir and focus showing a racy edginess and a slight hint of reduction to start before everything comes alive on the medium bodied palate with precise layers of dark vine picked berries, tart currant, strawberry, ripe cherries and earthy blueberry fruits along with delicate spices, mineral tones and crushed violets. While lovely and youthful, this deeply garnet/ruby Gamay beauty takes to another level with a fine structure, complexity and exceptional length in a quaffable package that just gets better and better as it fully opens in the glass, it is a Fleurie that has the style and grace of a Chambolle-Musigny, but at a much more reasonable price. There is no question that Anne-Sophie Dubois is one of young superstars of Beaujolais region and part of a new generation of vignerons that are bringing this area to world wide attention, and as her importer says, as well as redefining the identity of Beaujolais…. [She] has mostly shied away from the use of carbonic fermentation, preferring a more traditional Burgundian regime with mostly de-stemmed grapes, while employing a natural or indigenous yeast fermentation with a gentle handling of the wine from vineyard to bottle.… The 2018 Les Labourons came from the oldest vines and the best selections of grapes, which, as mentioned, were 100% de-stemmed and saw a cool maceration with the wine, after primary was complete, seeing an elevage of just over a year in all well used or what you’d call neutral French oak barrels.”

The Next Cult Barolo:

Principiano’s Traditional Stunners

Ferdinando Principiano made one of the most remarkable sets of Barolos in 2016, cementing his rise as one of the hottest growers in the Piedmont. Powerful, energetic, and finely detailed, these are traditionally made wines with a firm sense of place—and deservedly high scores.

Principiano has turned into such a star name because his wines evoke classic names like Canonica an Mascarello, with his organic farming and long, submerged-cap macerations, before aging in large format oak. These are stunning wines, but unfortunately quantities are exceptionally limited, so grab these while you see them.

Just Arrived, In Stock Now:

Ferdinando Principiano Barolo Ravera Monforte 2016 750ML ($99.95) $79 special
Kerin O’Keefe-Wine Enthusiast 98 points “Cellar Selection. Menthol, new leather, pressed rose and forest berry aromas shape the enticing nose on this knockout red. Thoroughly delicious, the captivating, focused palate doles out succulent Marasca cherry, raspberry compote, truffle and tobacco while a minty note lingers on the long finish. Firm, fine-grained tannins and bright acidity provide beautiful balance and ageworthy structure. Drink 2024–2041.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Ferdinando Principiano Barolo Serralunga 2016 750ML ($69.95) $52.50 special
Case-6 Ferdinando Principiano Barolo Serralunga 2016 750ML ($349.95) $299 special (that’s only $49.83/bottle!)
Case-12 Ferdinando Principiano Barolo Serralunga 2016 750ML ($699.95) $569 special (that’s only $47.42/bottle!)
Kerin O’Keefe-Wine Enthusiast 96 points “Editor’s Choice. Rose petal, camphor, perfumed berry and forest floor are just some of the aromas you’ll find on this gorgeous, radiant red. It’s delicious and loaded with an earthy finesse, delivering succulent red cherry, ripe strawberry, licorice, game and almost salty mineral notes. Taut, refined tannins and fresh acidity keep it impeccably balanced. Drink through 2031.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $58.99

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Don’t Forget, New Subscriber Specials

Santa Duc’s Regal Gigondas & Châteauneuf

Gigondas is the finest source of value for profound wine in the Rhône. The top estates deliver wines that compete with the very best wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but at prices that are a fraction of their peers. Our Subscriber Special today, Santa Duc, is one of the very best in the region.

Santa Duc is perhaps the only estate who can match Saint Cosme as the “Most Important Winery in Gigondas”. Owners of some of the finest vineyards in the Southern Rhône, Santa Duc is a legendary producer that more than lives up to their reputation. Unlike Saint Cosme, though, their top wines aren’t yet commanding triple-digit pricing.

These are wines that manage the neat trick of being absolutely delicious now while having a track record of aging gracefully. Recent notes for older bottles like the 1995 and 1998 Hautes Garrigues are glowing, yet the wines can be on your table tonight and impress. In the last decade or so, the winery has extended its holdings into Châteauneuf and those wines are as brilliant as you’d expect, as well.

These are wines to buy in quantity—you’re going to want to drink a lot of them now and have some left in your cellar in ten years. Best of all, our pricing was already the lowest in the country, but is now by far the best. So now is the perfect time to stock up.

In Stock Now:

Domaine Santa Duc Gigondas Clos Derrière Vieille, Rhône 2015 750ML ($49.95) Was $41.90 Now $38, 13 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 94 points “Mostly (80%) grenache with 10% each of mourvèdre and syrah. There’s a very impressive, sheer and crunchy texture to the palate and a peppery edge. Tannins drive a long, powerful finish. Best from 2020.”
Jeb Dunnuck 92-94 points “The 2015 Gigondas Clos Derrière Vieille (80% Grenache and 10% each of Syrah and Mourvèdre) comes from the wall vineyard located just beside the village. It offers terrific notes of dusty earth, dried cherries and herbes de Provence, medium to full-bodied richness, silky tannin and a beautiful texture. Like the other 2015s, it’s going to drink nicely for 10-15 years.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 92-93 points “Deep ruby. Ripe raspberry, cherry liqueur, violet and a hint of garrigue on the deeply perfumed nose. Fleshy, appealingly sweet and expansive in the mouth, offering plush red and blue fruit flavors and a subtle note of candied licorice that builds in the glass. Becomes more energetic with air and finishes on a sweet red berry note, showing powerful thrust, harmonious tannins and impressive persistence.”

This was the lowest listed price in the USA today
Now even lower!
The next lowest listed price is $42

Domaine Santa Duc Gigondas Prestige des Hautes Garrigues, Rhône 2015 750ML ($59.95) Was $49 Now $44, 16 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 94-97 points “Lastly, the 2015 Gigondas Hautes Garrigues (60/40 Grenache and Mourvèdre) is a beauty boasting killer notes of dark fruits, crushed rocks, pepper, garrigue and scorched earth. This seriously good 2015 has building richness, a stacked mid-palate and a huge finish, all suggesting short-term cellaring will be your friend. It will keep for two decades of more.”
James Suckling 93 points “Mourvèdre steps up to one third of the blend while the balance is grenache. This has an attractive array of ripe dark cherry and blue plum fruits. The tannins are framed up with a deeper, wider shape. Try from 2020, this needs time.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 93-95 points “Full ruby. Smoke-accented aromas of red and dark berry liqueur, incense, spicecake and candied flowers show outstanding energy and clarity. Sweet, seamless and broad in the mouth, offering concentrated black raspberry, boysenberry and lavender pastille flavors that fan out steadily with air. Rich but nervy and precise as well, carrying no excess fat. Velvety tannins frame an extremely long, incisive finish that leaves behind notes of sweet dark berries and candied flowers.”
Wine Advocate 92-95 points “I loved the 2015 Gigondas Hautes Garrigues and this flagship Cuvée is made from 65% Grenache and 35% Mourvèdre that’s brought up in foudre. It’s a full-bodied, concentrated, yet brilliantly proportioned Gigondas that has classy notes of blackberries, plums, garrigue and leather. It’s going to need 3-5 years of cellaring.”

This was the lowest listed price in the USA today
Now even lower!
The average price nationally is $59

Domaine Santa Duc Gigondas Aux Lieux-Dits, Rhône 2015 750ML ($39.95) Was $33 Now $29, 36+ bottles in stock now
James Suckling 93 points “A fluid, fleshy and deeply structured wine with dark cherry and blackberry fruit flavors amid sturdy yet supple tannins. Good weight and presence. Drink now.”
Wine Spectator 93 points “Ripe but fresh, with a slightly high pitch to the mix of damson plum, cherry and rooibos tea aromas and flavors, backed by singed vanilla, tobacco and licorice root notes that give this a darker shade through the finish. Best from 2020 through 2030. 2,400 cases made, 700 cases imported.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 90-92 points “Ruby-red. Ripe red fruit and floral pastille aromas show very good detail and an energizing suggestion of white pepper. Palate-caressing raspberry and bitter cherry flavors blend depth and energy with a smooth hand and show no rough edges. Fine-grained tannins lend shape to a very long, red-fruit-dominated finish that features a subtle touch of star anise.”

This was the lowest listed price in the USA today
Now even lower!
The next lowest listed price is $32.99

Domaine Santa Duc Châteauneuf-du-Pape ‘Le Pied De Baud’, Rhône 2015 750ML ($69.95) Was $51.90 Now $45, 17 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2015 Châteauneuf du Pape Le Pied de Baud, a blend of 80% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre and 5% Cinsault, offers compelling scents of rose petals and raspberries on the nose. While not as richly textural as some of the other cuvées, it’s still a lovely, hauntingly fragrant example of Châteauneuf du Pape.”
James Suckling 94 points “This has an array of darker berry and plum fruits with a brambly, lightly spicy edge, too. The palate delivers impeccably fresh, lithe and detailed tannin texture, as well as blue fruit flavors. Juicy and energetic. Long finish. Try from 2020.”

This was the lowest listed price in the USA today
Now even lower!

Domaine Santa Duc Châteauneuf-du-Pape ‘Les Saintes Vierges’ Rouge, Rhône 2015 750ML ($69.95) Was $59 Now $51.90, 10 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2015 Châteauneuf du Pape Les Saintes Vierges is the most flattering of Santa Duc’s current releases, offering lushness and generosity on the palate, notes of cherries and licorice, creamy-supple tannins and a mouthwatering finish. It’s a blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre and Counoise.”

This was the lowest listed price in the USA today
Now even lower!
The next lowest listed price is $59.98

Love Rhône reds? We have 150 in stock now. Shop the entire selection, including famous names like Clape, Henri Bonneau, Vaudieu and more, on our web store now.

Subscriber Special #2

San Román’s Powerful Tinto

“The Toro region of Spain has been famous for centuries. Its rich, robust Tempranillos are loaded with complexity, in part because of the dramatic temperature swings during the scorching summer days and frigid evenings in the high elevation vineyards. Despite the fame and the obvious appeal to modern day drinkers, like most Spanish regions, the wines still fly under the radar and thus are insane values. Consider the flagship eponymous wine from Bodegas San Román. Despite the famed founding winemaker, despite the consistent high praise, despite the knife-edge balance, this wine is just $40. Try to find a bargain like that in Napa. I have been absolutely enchanted by this wine since I first tried it while in graduate school more than a decade ago. The combination of richness and poise was just amazing to me. The wine can be quite powerful but maintains an amazing sense of balance and terroir. Simply put, it is one of the great wines of the world.” –Dr. Owen Bargreen, Washington Wine Blog

In Stock Now:

(Maurodos) Bodegas San Román, Toro 2013 750ML ($49.95) Was $39 Now $33, 36+ bottles in stock now
Stephen Tanzer-Vinous 93 points “(aged for two years in 75 percent French and 25 percent American oak barrels, half of them new) Inky purple. Heady cherry, dark berry, vanilla and violet pastille qualities on the oak-accented nose. At once rich and energetic; a firm spine of acidity provides lift to sweet cassis, blueberry and vanilla flavors. Closes with youthful tannic grip and impressive persistence, leaving dark berry and licorice candy notes behind.”
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2013 San Román was produced with fruit from older vineyards in Toro. In 2012 they started reducing the amount of the new oak in this wine and the change is quite noticeable. There is something leafy and floral showing elegance within the power that the place provides naturally. 2013 was quite different in Toro from Ribera del Duero, here the cooler years are a plus, as they balance the extra ripeness the place provides. In 2013 there was no rain during the harvest and the grapes were very healthy. There are some fine tannins and the profile of a more austere and transparent vintage, a mineral year. But it does have the smokey and slightly wild character of Toro. 87,000 bottles produced.”

This was by far the lowest listed price in the USA today
Now even lower!
The next best price is $60

Love Spanish reds? We have 120 in stock now. Shop the entire selection, including staff favorites like Daniel Landi, Daterra Lorenzo, Guímaro and more, on our web store now.

Thanks for reading!

Vinopolis Thursday Newsletter 1-28-2021

In Today’s Newsletter:

Subscriber Special #1
Santa Duc’s Regal Gigondas & Châteauneuf

Burgundy’s Top Value?
The Wines of Domaine Collotte

Subscriber Special #2
San Román’s Powerful Tinto

New Arrival from Maggy Hawk
Lands Friday

Top Sellers from Italy & France
Restocked

Subscriber Special #1

Santa Duc’s Regal Gigondas & Châteauneuf

Gigondas is the finest source of value for profound wine in the Rhône. The top estates deliver wines that compete with the very best wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but at prices that are a fraction of their peers. Our Subscriber Special today, Santa Duc, is one of the very best in the region.

Santa Duc is perhaps the only estate who can match Saint Cosme as the “Most Important Winery in Gigondas”. Owners of some of the finest vineyards in the Southern Rhône, Santa Duc is a legendary producer that more than lives up to their reputation. Unlike Saint Cosme, though, their top wines aren’t yet commanding triple-digit pricing.

These are wines that manage the neat trick of being absolutely delicious now while having a track record of aging gracefully. Recent notes for older bottles like the 1995 and 1998 Hautes Garrigues are glowing, yet the wines can be on your table tonight and impress. In the last decade or so, the winery has extended its holdings into Châteauneuf and those wines are as brilliant as you’d expect, as well.

These are wines to buy in quantity—you’re going to want to drink a lot of them now and have some left in your cellar in ten years. Best of all, our pricing was already the lowest in the country, but is now by far the best. So now is the perfect time to stock up.

In Stock Now:

Domaine Santa Duc Gigondas Clos Derrière Vieille, Rhône 2015 750ML ($49.95) Was $41.90 Now $38, 19 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 94 points “Mostly (80%) grenache with 10% each of mourvèdre and syrah. There’s a very impressive, sheer and crunchy texture to the palate and a peppery edge. Tannins drive a long, powerful finish. Best from 2020.”
Jeb Dunnuck 92-94 points “The 2015 Gigondas Clos Derrière Vieille (80% Grenache and 10% each of Syrah and Mourvèdre) comes from the wall vineyard located just beside the village. It offers terrific notes of dusty earth, dried cherries and herbes de Provence, medium to full-bodied richness, silky tannin and a beautiful texture. Like the other 2015s, it’s going to drink nicely for 10-15 years.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 92-93 points “Deep ruby. Ripe raspberry, cherry liqueur, violet and a hint of garrigue on the deeply perfumed nose. Fleshy, appealingly sweet and expansive in the mouth, offering plush red and blue fruit flavors and a subtle note of candied licorice that builds in the glass. Becomes more energetic with air and finishes on a sweet red berry note, showing powerful thrust, harmonious tannins and impressive persistence.”

This was the lowest listed price in the USA today
Now even lower!
The next lowest listed price is $42

Domaine Santa Duc Gigondas Prestige des Hautes Garrigues, Rhône 2015 750ML ($59.95) Was $49 Now $44, 19 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 94-97 points “Lastly, the 2015 Gigondas Hautes Garrigues (60/40 Grenache and Mourvèdre) is a beauty boasting killer notes of dark fruits, crushed rocks, pepper, garrigue and scorched earth. This seriously good 2015 has building richness, a stacked mid-palate and a huge finish, all suggesting short-term cellaring will be your friend. It will keep for two decades of more.”
James Suckling 93 points “Mourvèdre steps up to one third of the blend while the balance is grenache. This has an attractive array of ripe dark cherry and blue plum fruits. The tannins are framed up with a deeper, wider shape. Try from 2020, this needs time.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 93-95 points “Full ruby. Smoke-accented aromas of red and dark berry liqueur, incense, spicecake and candied flowers show outstanding energy and clarity. Sweet, seamless and broad in the mouth, offering concentrated black raspberry, boysenberry and lavender pastille flavors that fan out steadily with air. Rich but nervy and precise as well, carrying no excess fat. Velvety tannins frame an extremely long, incisive finish that leaves behind notes of sweet dark berries and candied flowers.”
Wine Advocate 92-95 points “I loved the 2015 Gigondas Hautes Garrigues and this flagship Cuvée is made from 65% Grenache and 35% Mourvèdre that’s brought up in foudre. It’s a full-bodied, concentrated, yet brilliantly proportioned Gigondas that has classy notes of blackberries, plums, garrigue and leather. It’s going to need 3-5 years of cellaring.”

This was the lowest listed price in the USA today
Now even lower!
The average price nationally is $59

Domaine Santa Duc Gigondas Aux Lieux-Dits, Rhône 2015 750ML ($39.95) Was $33 Now $29, 36+ bottles in stock now
James Suckling 93 points “A fluid, fleshy and deeply structured wine with dark cherry and blackberry fruit flavors amid sturdy yet supple tannins. Good weight and presence. Drink now.”
Wine Spectator 93 points “Ripe but fresh, with a slightly high pitch to the mix of damson plum, cherry and rooibos tea aromas and flavors, backed by singed vanilla, tobacco and licorice root notes that give this a darker shade through the finish. Best from 2020 through 2030. 2,400 cases made, 700 cases imported.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 90-92 points “Ruby-red. Ripe red fruit and floral pastille aromas show very good detail and an energizing suggestion of white pepper. Palate-caressing raspberry and bitter cherry flavors blend depth and energy with a smooth hand and show no rough edges. Fine-grained tannins lend shape to a very long, red-fruit-dominated finish that features a subtle touch of star anise.”

This was the lowest listed price in the USA today
Now even lower!
The next lowest listed price is $32.99

Domaine Santa Duc Châteauneuf-du-Pape ‘Le Pied De Baud’, Rhône 2015 750ML ($69.95) Was $51.90 Now $45, 17 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2015 Châteauneuf du Pape Le Pied de Baud, a blend of 80% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre and 5% Cinsault, offers compelling scents of rose petals and raspberries on the nose. While not as richly textural as some of the other cuvées, it’s still a lovely, hauntingly fragrant example of Châteauneuf du Pape.”
James Suckling 94 points “This has an array of darker berry and plum fruits with a brambly, lightly spicy edge, too. The palate delivers impeccably fresh, lithe and detailed tannin texture, as well as blue fruit flavors. Juicy and energetic. Long finish. Try from 2020.”

This was the lowest listed price in the USA today
Now even lower!

Domaine Santa Duc Châteauneuf-du-Pape ‘Les Saintes Vierges’ Rouge, Rhône 2015 750ML ($69.95) Was $59 Now $51.90, 13 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2015 Châteauneuf du Pape Les Saintes Vierges is the most flattering of Santa Duc’s current releases, offering lushness and generosity on the palate, notes of cherries and licorice, creamy-supple tannins and a mouthwatering finish. It’s a blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre and Counoise.”

This was the lowest listed price in the USA today
Now even lower!
The next lowest listed price is $59.98

Love Rhône reds? We have 150 in stock now. Shop the entire selection, including famous names like Clape, Henri Bonneau, Vaudieu and more, on our web store now.

Vinopolis Wine Shop Curbside Pick Up

Burgundy’s Top Value?

The Wines of Domaine Collotte

“Collotte remains one of the most under the radar growers in Marsannay. At their best, these wines are striking for their purity of fruit and overall sense of harmony.” –Antonio Galloni

A vintage like 2018 isn’t just a great year in Burgundy—it’s a great buying opportunity if you know where to look. While the prices for the top wines from the best producers skyrocketed, the value producers’ prices barely budged.

Warm vintages, like 2018, are wonderful times to go exploring the less famous villages of Burgundy. Historically, the vineyard (and village) classifications have been based on consistent ripeness and power, as well as complexity, so in a warm year the “lesser” sites often show much more dramatic improvement over their baseline quality than a “great” vineyard will. Collottes’ 2018 are perfect examples of this—much better than you’d expect from the crus and prices represented.

A perfect example? Their wines from Marsannay and Fixin. You should be stocking up on these wines in 2018. They’re reasonably priced, from old vines on great soil and made by a real craftsman. In a cooler year, these wines might be a bit rustic compared to their more famous neighbor, Gevery-Chambertin, but in a warm year (like 2018) these are the real deal.

They always score well, especially from Wine Spectator (nearly the entire range was 91 points or higher in 2015), though the 2018s have yet to be reviewed. Once the scores come out, these disappear off our shelves in a flurry, so try them now before it’s too late.

Arriving Friday, January 29th:

Domaine Collotte Marsannay Les Boivins, Côte de Nuits 2018 750ML ($39.95) $33 pre-arrival special
Weygandt-Metzler Importer note “The Marsannay Boivins is lieu-dit in Marsannay Villages, on vines over 40 years and varying limestone soil. Aged in oak, 25% new, to round the tannins.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Domaine Collotte Marsannay Le Clos de Jeu, Côte de Nuits 2018 750ML ($39.95) $33 pre-arrival special
Weygandt-Metzler Importer note “The Clos de Jeu Marsannay comes from several parcels of 50 year old vines from Clos de Jeu on soft limestone crinoidal soil. Aged in oak, 25% new, this wine is harmonious in its flavors and tannins.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Domaine Collotte Marsannay Cuvée Vieilles Vignes, Côte de Nuits 2018 750ML ($34.95) $28 pre-arrival special
Weygandt-Metzler Importer note “The Marsannay Cuvée Vieilles Vignes is assembled from five different terroirs of the appellation: “Combereau”, “Favières”, ” Grasses Têtes “, ” Boivin “and “Récilles” on vines of about 50 years old. Completely destemmed, the wine is fermented and aged in tank.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Domaine Collotte Fixin Les Champstions, Côte de Nuits 2018 750ML ($39.95) $33 pre-arrival special

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Domaine Collotte Fixin Les Crais de Chéne, Côte de Nuits 2018 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Weygandt-Metzler Importer note “The Marsannay Crais de Chéne is from 40+ year old vines on clay-limestone soil. The vines face east to gather the sweet morning sun. Due to the old age of the vines, the grapes are very small and concentrated with flavor. Completely destemmed, the wine is aged in barrel, 30% new, for 12 months.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Domaine Collotte Gevrey-Chambertin, Côte de Nuits 2018 750ML ($69.95) $49 pre-arrival special

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Domaine Collotte Chambolle-Musigny Cuvée Vieilles Vignes, Côte de Nuits 2018 750ML ($79.95) $51.90 pre-arrival special
Weygandt-Metzler Importer note “The Chambolle-Musigny is from 40+ year old vines in the lieu-dit “Aux Echanges”. Aged in oak, 30% new, to round the tannins and aged another year in bottle. Deep color, black currant and blackberry aromas and flavors.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Domaine Collotte Bourgogne Cuvée de Noble Souche, Burgundy 2018 750ML ($27.95) $19 pre-arrival special
Weygandt-Metzler Importer note “Bourgogne “Noble Souché” translates to the “noble vine” from almost 70 year old vines planted in 1947 on Marsannay Cailloux soil from Champforeys. Entirely, de-estemmed, slow fermentation with 5 days of pre-maceration. Aged for 11 months 90% in stainless steel tank, this is a lovely, subtlety rich Côte de Nuits wine.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $25.50

Love the Côte de Nuits? We have 245 different reds from the Côte de Nuits in stock now. Shop the entire selection, including famous names like DRC, Fourrier, Hubert Lignier and more, on our web store now.

Subscriber Special #2

San Román’s Powerful Tinto

“The Toro region of Spain has been famous for centuries. Its rich, robust Tempranillos are loaded with complexity, in part because of the dramatic temperature swings during the scorching summer days and frigid evenings in the high elevation vineyards. Despite the fame and the obvious appeal to modern day drinkers, like most Spanish regions, the wines still fly under the radar and thus are insane values. Consider the flagship eponymous wine from Bodegas San Román. Despite the famed founding winemaker, despite the consistent high praise, despite the knife-edge balance, this wine is just $40. Try to find a bargain like that in Napa. I have been absolutely enchanted by this wine since I first tried it while in graduate school more than a decade ago. The combination of richness and poise was just amazing to me. The wine can be quite powerful but maintains an amazing sense of balance and terroir. Simply put, it is one of the great wines of the world.” –Dr. Owen Bargreen, Washington Wine Blog

In Stock Now:

(Maurodos) Bodegas San Román, Toro 2013 750ML ($49.95) Was $39 Now $33, 36+ bottles in stock now
Stephen Tanzer-Vinous 93 points “(aged for two years in 75 percent French and 25 percent American oak barrels, half of them new) Inky purple. Heady cherry, dark berry, vanilla and violet pastille qualities on the oak-accented nose. At once rich and energetic; a firm spine of acidity provides lift to sweet cassis, blueberry and vanilla flavors. Closes with youthful tannic grip and impressive persistence, leaving dark berry and licorice candy notes behind.”
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2013 San Román was produced with fruit from older vineyards in Toro. In 2012 they started reducing the amount of the new oak in this wine and the change is quite noticeable. There is something leafy and floral showing elegance within the power that the place provides naturally. 2013 was quite different in Toro from Ribera del Duero, here the cooler years are a plus, as they balance the extra ripeness the place provides. In 2013 there was no rain during the harvest and the grapes were very healthy. There are some fine tannins and the profile of a more austere and transparent vintage, a mineral year. But it does have the smokey and slightly wild character of Toro. 87,000 bottles produced.”

This was by far the lowest listed price in the USA today
Now even lower!
The next best price is $60

Love Spanish reds? We have 120 in stock now. Shop the entire selection, including staff favorites like Daniel Landi, Daterra Lorenzo, Guímaro and more, on our web store now.

New Arrival from Maggy Hawk

Lands Friday

Arriving Friday, January 29th:

Maggy Hawk Jory Hills Vineyard Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2017 750ML ($69.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2017 Pinot Noir Jory Hills Vineyard is an extroverted, luscious Pinot loaded with character. Black cherry, plum, lavender and spice come together in a bold, creamy Pinot endowed with plenty of richness and exuberance. The Jory Hills, from Oregon’s Willamette Valley, is a bit out of place in this range of Anderson Valley Pinots, but it is undeniably impressive.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next lowest listed price is $65.70

Love Oregon Pinot Noir? We have 125 in stock now. Shop the entire selection, including staff favorites like Cameron, Crowley, Goodfellow and more, on our web store now.

Top Sellers from Italy & France

Restocked

Italy

Il Molino di Grace Riserva, Chianti Classico DOCG 2016 750ML ($37.95) $29 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 95 points “A sheen of vanilla and toasty oak complements the lush, ripe black cherry and plum fruit in this suave Chianti Classico. Focused and well-structured, showing fine balance and a long finish that brings tobacco and orange peel hints into play. Best from 2022 through 2040. 4,500 cases made, 350 cases imported. — BS”

Feudo Maccari Saia Sicilia IGT, Sicily 2016 750ML ($29.95) $24 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Feudo Maccari Saia Sicilia IGT, Sicily 2016 750ML ($179.95) $129 special (that’s only $21.50/bottle!)
James Suckling 95 points “A more subtle Saia than in the past with freshly picked mulberries, elderberries, tobacco, cedar and resin. Full-bodied and very tight on the palate with polished tannins and a long finish. The combination of dark fruit and minerals is irresistible. Drink in 2020.”

France

Chateau Puygueraud, Francs Cotes de Bordeaux 2016 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Chateau Puygueraud, Francs Cotes de Bordeaux 2016 ($149.95) $119 special (that’s only $19.83/bottle!)
James Suckling 94 points “This is so good! I want to drink it now. Iodine, mushrooms, dark fruit and orange peel on the nose and palate. Full-bodied, yet polished and fresh. Lovely tension. A blend of 80 per cent merlot, 15 per cent cabernet franc and five per cent malbec.”

Chateau La Bastienne, Montagne-Saint-Emilion 2016 750ML ($34.95) $21.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Chateau La Bastienne, Montagne-Saint-Emilion 2016 750ML ($199.95) $124 special (that’s only $20.67/bottle!)
Case-12 Chateau La Bastienne, Montagne-Saint-Emilion 2016 750ML ($399.95) $219 special (that’s only $18.25/bottle!)
James Suckling 93 points “Very rich blackberry and vibrant fruit aromas in the mulberry and dark-plum spectrum with a concentrated palate that offers a very fleshy and attractive set of supple fruit, framed in ripe, sturdy tannins. Try from 2022.”
Wine Advocate 90 points “The 2016 La Bastienne is medium to deep garnet-purple colored and features fragrant roses, oolong tea and baking spices scents with touches of warm plums, black cherries and raspberry pie. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with expressive red berry and floral layers with a fine-grained frame and long, lively finish.

l’Hetre, Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux 2016 750ML ($27.95) $24 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 l’Hetre, Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux 2016 750ML ($359.95) $269 special (that’s only $22.42/bottle!)
Jancis Robinson “L’Hêtre 2016 Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux is the first release of this wine from the organically farmed estate perched at 100 m on the end of the St-Philippe d’Aiguilhe limestone plateau, the highest point in Bordeaux…‘Rich in blackcurrant fruit with a savoury dark glow to make it more than just fruit. Just a touch of smoky char even though the oak is well in the background, a seductive fruit sweetness. On the palate, this is beautifully balanced, the alcohol perfectly integrated in the tannic structure and fruit core with a fresh tang that runs through the middle. There’s a cool fluidity to it even with its depth and length. Fine, dry, lingering and savoury aftertaste. Impressive first vintage with a promising future in the bottle. I opened this on a Sunday evening and it was still tasting fresh and vibrant four days later. This is a very classy wine, and the tannins tell you everything: fine, definite, building in the mouth but in perfect balance with the fruit and freshness. Blue-blooded Castillon. Catch it while you can.'”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Thanks for reading!

Vinopolis Tuesday Newsletter 1-26-2021

In Today’s Newsletter:

Subscriber Special
Bibi Graetz’s 100-Point Testamatta

The World’s Best Vermentino?
Abbatucci’s Faustine Blanc Priced to Move

Marcus Goodfellow’s Flagship Wines
Restocked

Priorat’s Leading Light
Familia Nin-Ortiz

Vie di Romans’ World-Class Whites

Col D’Orcia: Brunello Star

A Top Value Super Tuscan
Sette Ponti’s 2017 Crognolo

Collector’s Corner
Aldo Conterno: Barolo’s Modern Master

Subscriber Special

Bibi Graetz’s 100-Point Testamatta

Testamatta, which means “crazy head” in Italian, is a nod to Bibi Graetz’s eccentricity. A creative and passionate man, Graetz crafts some of Italy’s most impressive wines at his self-described Casamatta (“crazy house”). But don’t be fooled by Graetz’s self-deprecating humility, one taste of his wines will shatter any illusions that these are humble plonk. The brilliance of the wine suggests that there surely must be a method to the madness. Decanter recently recognized Graetz’s unmistakable talent by awarding the 2018 Testamatta 100 points.

We were fortunate to secure a modest allocation of this in-demand wine and want to encourage you to stock your cellar, because it will not disappoint. To that end, we’re offering a 10% discount when you order 3 bottles or more between now and 10AM Friday.

Buy 3+ bottles of 2018 Testamatta
Receive a 10% discount on them
Pay only $80.99 per bottle

Discount will not display online
We will adjust your order manually before finalizing
Sale ends Friday, January 29th at 10AM PST

Pre-Arrival ETA March:

Bibi Graetz Testamatta Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2018 750ML ($99.95) $89.99 pre-arrival special
Jane Anson – Decanter 100 points “Finely textured, with a nuanced perfume that fills the glass and takes you to the intense underbrush of Tuscany. Succulent and yet savoury, this has a lilting freshness that is overlaid with ripe berry fruits, sage and white pepper spice, and clear minerality in terms of its scraping texture that makes your mouth water on the finish. Feels light and sculpted and yet has an intensity that skewers you to the spot. This is a great wine, with scope and imagination that doesn’t want to let you go. Genuinely stands out among the wines of this tasting, and these are a fine array of wines. As with Colore, Bibi Graetz selects only old vines, the youngest 50 years old from five different vineyard sites across Tuscany, all farmed organically. Fermentations in open 225l barrels with natural yeasts and manual punch downs.”

The World’s Best Vermentino?

Abbatucci’s Faustine Blanc Priced to Move

Abbatucci remains the premier producer of aristocratic Corsican wine—noble expressions of a wild island. We’re offering you a great deal on two vintages of their “Faustine” blanc—always one of the best examples of Vermentino in the world. This is a wine that is somehow both powerful and delicate, a rare combination in the world of white wine. These were already amongst the smartest buys in the shop before we further reduced our national best prices. Now they’re absolute steals.

“In the colorful, picturesque city of Ajaccio, capital of Corsica, you can’t get very far without seeing the name Abbatucci. There are streets, monuments and plazas that carry the name, which is normal given that General Jean-Charles Abbatucci from Ajaccio was a hero of the French Revolution and comrade in arms of another local hero, Napoléon Bonaparte. Step into a wine bar or a restaurant there, chances are these days they’ll pour you a glass of Domaine Abbatucci. The domaine is run by Jean-Charles Abbatucci, a direct descendant of the General, who has now become a local hero of another kind for providing the local populace with its most sought-after libation. Corsicans are proud defenders of their traditions and environment, and with Abbatucci they indulge guilt-free. His wines are certified biodynamic, and he believes in following even the most far-out biodynamic practices to the letter. On his large estate south of Ajaccio he keeps a pristine poly-culture ecosystem in place, complete with herds of sheep foraging through his vines, groves of olive trees on ancient terraces, and large swaths of untouched forests. His vines come from cuttings of indigenous grapes, sourced decades ago high up in the isolated and mountainous interior of the island from elderly peasant farmers, effectively saving several native varieties from extinction. To keep his vines happy, he’s known to drive his tractor out to his vineyards and play traditional Corsican polyphonic songs over loudspeakers for their benefit. After the harvest he’ll treat his cellar to the same music as his grapes ferment and come of age. All part of the terroir, he says. Does all this have an actual effect on the wine? Have a taste for yourself. The proof just might be in the pudding.” –Kermit Lynch Wines

In Stock Now:

Domaine Comte Abbatucci Cuvee Faustine Vieilles Vignes Blanc 2016 750ML ($49.95) Was $29 Now $24, 31 bottles in stock now
Importer Note “At the domaine, Jean-Charles Abbatucci often greets his guests with copious platters of Corsican charcuterie: heaping piles of coppa, lonzu, panzetta, and prisuttu saturated with wild, smoky, gamy flavors. Made from nustrale black pigs, a breed exclusive to the island, these meats feature savory, salty flavors that inspire gulp after gulp of crips, stony Vermentinu or spicy, juicy reds from native grapes. This delicate, floral white guarantees palate-cleansing refreshment when heavenly Corsican meats and cheeses are on the table.”

This was the lowest listed price in the USA.
Now even lower!
The next best price nationally is $39.99

Domaine Comte Abbatucci Cuvee Faustine Vieilles Vignes Blanc 2017 750ML ($49.95) Was $29 Now $26, 25 bottles in stock now
Importer Note “Summing up Jean-Charles Abbatucci’s contagious energy in just a few lines is virtually impossible. The best way to experience it is to stand in his vineyards in central Corsica and feel it radiate through your body from the ground up. Luckily, that energy finds its way into every bottle he makes, and this gentle, breezy white from old-vine Vermentinu delivers it without compromise—each sip is like a gust of warm Mediterranean air flooding your senses with a perfume of flowers and wild maquis.”

This was the lowest listed price in the USA
Now even lower!
The next best price nationally is $32

Marcus Goodfellow’s Flagship Wines

Restocked

Marcus Goodfellow is one of the most talented winemakers in Oregon. He founded Matello wines, his original label, in 2002 and hasn’t looked back, making wines that have continually improved—both in bottle and from vintage to vintage. These are profound wines, both white and red, that are made in a style that’s distinctly savory—no fruit bombs here. Rather, we love them for their coiled power and Burgundian structure. These are wines that speak with an Oregon voice, but the tannin and acidity comes from an old-world point of view. We’ve just restocked several of his entry-level wines, bottles that represent some of Oregon’s best values.

Just Arrived:

Goodfellow Family Cellars Dundee Hills Chardonnay, Willamette Valley 2018 750ML ($29.95) $26 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 92+ points “The 2018 Chardonnay Dundee Hills opens slowly to white flowers, citrus peel and nutty accents. The palate is light-bodied, delicate and lacy with bright, mineral-tinged citrus flavors and a long, uplifted finish hinting at more savory tones to come.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Goodfellow Family Cellars Chardonnay, Willamette Valley 2018 750ML ($24.95) $19.90 special, 12 bottles in stock now

Goodfellow Family Cellars Pinot Gris, Whistling Ridge 2019 750ML ($19.95) $16.60 special, 13 bottles in stock now

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Goodfellow Family Cellars Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2015 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 36+ bottles in stock now

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Goodfellow Family Cellars Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2017 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Goodfellow Family Cellars Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2017 750ML ($129.95) $99 special (that’s only $16.50/bottle!)
Case-12 Goodfellow Family Cellars Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2017 750ML ($219.95) $189 special (that’s only $15.75/bottle!)
VinopolNote: A follow up vintage of Marcus Goodfellow’s secret ‘restaurant-only’ Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. With restaurants only offering takeout for the foreseeable future, Marcus is letting us share his by-the-glass Pinot with you. It’s an insane value!

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Love supporting local wineries? We have over 250 options from Oregon and Washington in stock now. Shop the entire selection, including 30+ options from Goodfellow, on our web store now.

Priorat’s Leading Light

Familia Nin-Ortiz

Familia Nin-Ortiz is one of the leading lights of “New Priorat”. Both Ester Nin and Carles Ortiz are renowned viticulturists (Ester, notably, was the vineyard guru behind Clos Erasmus) and some of the earliest proponents of biodynamics in Priorat, but what they’re doing together on the winery side is stunning indeed. Their wines are some of the most compelling in Priorat, combining the power inherent in the terroir with a stunning sense of energy and vitality.

Nin-Ortiz is probably best known for their “Nit de Nin” single vineyard bottling, however their ‘Planetes’ releases are also excellent. Stylistically they are gentler and more elegant, perfect for drinking now. And unlike the estate’s top wines you don’t have to spend a lot to enjoy some of the most exciting wines coming out of Spain today.

In Stock Now:

Familia Nin-Ortiz ‘Planetes de Nin’ Garnatxes en Amfora, Priorat DOCa 2016 750ML ($44.95) $33 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Familia Nin-Ortiz ‘Planetes de Nin’ Garnatxes en Amfora, Priorat DOCa 2016 750ML ($499.95) $359 special (that’s only $29.92/bottle!)
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2016 Planetes de Nin Garnatxes en Amfora was produced with biodynamically farmed Garnacha that fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in 700- and 1,000-liter terracotta amphorae for seven months. They do two versions, one with a little SO2 and the other without, and the difference is minimal. At first one was more closed, but when it opened up, they were very similar and showed some herbal and raspberry leaf aromas intermixed with wild berries and notions of earth, aromatic and balanced. It has fine tannins and a velvety texture. 7,395 bottles were filled in April 2017.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Familia Nin-Ortiz ‘Planetes de Nin’ Garnatxes en Amfora, Priorat DOCa 2018 750ML ($49.95) $41.90 special, 23 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 93 points “Produced with Garnacha grapes from their four hectares in Finca Planetes in Porrera, the 2018 Planetes de Nin Garnatxes en Amfora fermented with indigenous yeasts for four weeks and matured in 700- and 1,000-liter terracotta amphorae for seven months. The nose jumps out of the glass with very clean aromas that are expressive, floral and pure, with a profile of juicy fruit, like biting into a bunch of ripe Garnacha. Delicious! 6,200 bottles were filled in June 2019.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Familia Nin-Ortiz ‘Planetes de Nin’ Blanc, Priorat DOCa 2018 750ML ($99.95) $75 special, 18 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 94 points “Cariñena Blanca has finally been added to the registry of varieties in Spain, which means it should soon be allowed by the Priorat appellation, so they could start putting it on the labels of the 2018 Planetes de Nin Carinyena Blanca. This fermented and matured in used 300-liter oak barrels for seven months. It’s 13% alcohol and has a pH of 3.2 with 6.5 grams of acidity (tartaric); they struggled to get the minimum 13% alcohol required by the appellation, as the year was very cold and they lost a lot of grapes waiting for the alcohol level. It’s a year with lots of freshness, and the wine, which feels really young and undeveloped, needs some time in the glass to open up. This is an exceptional year that is going to develop slowly in bottle. The palate is vibrant, focused and dry, with citrus freshness and a mineral finish. 1,948 bottles were filled in April 2018.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!

Familia Nin-Ortiz ‘Planetes de Nin’, Priorat DOCa 2017 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2017 Planetes de Nin comes from the four hectares of 20-year-old Garnacha and 11-year-old Cariñena in the Planetes vineyard in Porrera at 450 meters in altitude. It’s 60% Garnacha (some of it Peluda) and the rest Cariñena, harvested early. It fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in 3,200-liter oak vats and one 1,000-liter amphora for 17 months. It has depth and harmony, and the vines are getting older and seem to be better and better balanced. This is not that different from the 2016; it feels quite stable and has its style and character, especially since the 2015 vintage. 9,704 bottles were filled in April 2019.”

Love Spanish wine? We have 20 whites and 113 reds from Spain in stock now. Shop the entire selection, including famous names like Do Ferreiro, Terroir al Límit, Vega Sicilia and more, on our web store now.

Vinopolis Wine Shop Curbside Pick Up

Vie di Romans’ World-Class Whites

“Year after year, Vie di Romans makes some of my favorite Italian Chardonnays… Gianfranco Gallo’s Vie di Romans is one of the most accomplished, quality-minded estates in Italy. I am always impressed by their offerings” –Monica Larner, Wine Advocate

The whites of Friuli are some of the best kept secrets in the wine world. With complexity and power that can match great white Burgundy and a freshness and mineral drive all their own, whites from the northeast corner of Italy are absolutely world-class—but not priced like it.

If you want a prime example look no further than Vie di Romans, named after the Roman roads that mark the region as a long-time wine capital. The estate produces stunning, world-class examples of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, along with incredible takes on grapes that are grown only in Friuli, like their star Friulano.

What all of the Vie di Romans wines have in common is a maniacal attention to detail from owner Gianfranco Gallo, and a perfect combination of soil and climate. Vie di Romans sits in the plain of Isonzo, with deep, well-drained gravelly soils, ideal for forcing vine roots deep into the ground in search of water—and flavor. The influences of the warm Adriatic Sea and cool air from central Europe create perfect conditions for grapes to ripen while retaining the acidity so crucial to the brightness and character of the finished wine.

The resulting wines are some of the finest in Europe—whites with texture, richness and power, but beautifully detailed aromatics. Their Sauvignon Blanc can go toe-to-toe with the finest bottles of Sancerre and Pouilly Fume—names like Cotat and Dagueneau spring to mind—and their Chardonnays exist between white Burgundy and California in style and temperament.

Best of all, the pricing on the wines make them shrewd buys. Their “Vieris” Sauvignon Blanc, a 95-point bottling with complexity to spare, costs just $33 per bottle—the price of entry-level Sancerre these days. We could say the same things about their Chardonnays and their Friulano, all of which are world-class bottles that are still south of $35.

In Stock Now:

Vie di Romans Chardonnay Friuli Isonzo, Friuli-Venezia Giulia 2018 750ML ($34.95) $29.50 special
James Suckling 94 points “A rich, aromatic white with sliced and cooked apple, steel and stone. Full-bodied with layers of fruit, but in a focused and polished way. It’s creamy and fruity with a round texture and a delicious, flavorful finish. Mineral and steely notes at the end. Drink or hold.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!

Vie di Romans ‘Dolee’ Friulano Friuli Isonzo, Friuli-Venezia Giulia 2018 750ML ($39.95) $33 special
Case-12 Vie di Romans ‘Dolee’ Friulano Friuli Isonzo, Friuli-Venezia Giulia 2018 750ML ($449.95) $349 special (that’s only $29.08/bottle!)

Vie di Romans Vieris Sauvignon Friuli Isonzo, Friuli-Venezia Giulia 2017 750ML ($39.95) $33 special
James Suckling 95 points “Extremely fresh and intense with waxy and lemony character, as well as candied apples. Full body. Lots of fruit and flavor. Layered and powerful. Excellent depth and flavor intensity. Drink now.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!

Vie di Romans Flors di Uis Friuli Isonzo, Friuli-Venezia Giulia 2018 750ML ($31.95) $27 special
James Suckling 93 points “Lovely, perfumed nose of lilies, lime blossom, passion fruit and lychee. More citrus-peel and lightly herbaceous notes on the palate. This is full-bodied and very intense, yet there’s some good acidity. Warm finish. Drink now.”
Importer Note: Malvasia Istriana 57%, Tocai 8% and Rhein Riesling 35%

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!

Re-Arriving Friday, January 29th:

Vie di Romans Dessimis Pinot Grigio Friuli Isonzo, Friuli-Venezia Giulia 2018 750ML ($33.95) $29 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 96 points “Beautiful rose-gold color with lots of ripe pear, golden apple, mango and pineapple on the nose. Hint of honey. It’s full-bodied and creamy on the palate with toasted almonds alongside tropical fruit. Smoky minerality, too. Drink or hold.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!

Col D’Orcia: Brunello Star

“The Col d’Orcia winery and vineyards are located in the southwest of Montalcino. All 152 hectares of vines are certified organic and biodynamic within a larger farm encompassing 520 hectares, where the estate tends olive groves, raises vegetables and grazes livestock to create the biodiversity which they believe is essential. I’ve had the pleasure of tasting through many vintages of both the Brunello and the Poggio al Vento Riserva, one of the region’s first single-vineyard expressions, with Francesco Marone Cinzano over the years. In fact, it’s not uncommon to find Cinzano pouring multiple and often mature vintages alongside his current releases, just to show his belief in the quality and staying power of Col d’Orcia Brunello. It’s quite an experience, really, as you can actually follow the stamp of terroir and the estate’s signature from vintage to vintage, in spite of the large production here. The fact is that the house Brunello is easily one of the best buys year after year. It’s a classic expression of southern Montalcino fruit with a balanced structure to carry it for two decades or more, considering the vintage.” – Eric Guido, Vinous

In Stock Now:

Tenuta Col d’Orcia Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2015 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 23 bottles in stock now
Eric Guido – Vinous 94 points “At first, the 2015 Brunello di Montalcino is quite closed in the glass, to the point I move on to the wine next to it… However, upon returning to the glass a few minutes later, I come to realize that the 2015 simply needs time to come to life; and once it does, watch out. Here I find a gorgeous and intense display, mixing savory and sweet, as well as, earth and fruit, as dusty cedar and spice give way to ripe strawberry with a hint of citrus, with wild herbs and a hint of animal musk adding further depths. On the palate, silky textures meld into woodland red berry fruits, zesty spice, hints of cedar, savory herbs, saline minerals, and mounting tannins. The finish is long and structured, yet there remains enough primary fruit to balance it all out, as well as resonating acids, intriguing hints of citrus, and spice. This is remarkably balanced, singing already, yet it’s full of potential for the cellar.”
Wine Spectator 94 points “This combines the best characteristics of Sangiovese, with cherry and strawberry fruit, earth, leather and iron notes and balsamic elements of wild thyme, rosemary and Mediterranean scrub. Shows a bit of heat on the finish, yet remains fresh and long. Best from 2023 through 2042. 16,600 cases made, 3,000 cases imported. — BS”
Wine Advocate 93 points “The Col d’Orcia 2015 Brunello di Montalcino (made with organic fruit) has a very distinctive aromatic profile with subtle hints of rusty iron and moist potting soil. However, this wine also shows an impressive evolution in the glass with those earthy and sanguine notes lifting to reveal sweet oak tones of vanilla and baking spice that remain pronounced in a second underlayer. To me, Col d’Orcia’s wines are almost always characterized by a medicinal or balsamic element, and the primary fruit is downplayed as a result. This vintage puts on a good show with wild berry, blackcurrant and dried blackberry. That said, this wine is more ethereal and spicy than it is fruity per se.”

Tenuta Col d’Orcia Rosso di Montalcino, Tuscany 2016 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special, 27 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 92 points “A soft, delicious red with crushed berry and cherry character. Full body, round, velvety tannins and a flavorful finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.”

Pre-Arrival ETA May:

Tenuta Col d’Orcia Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2016 750ML ($59.95) $44 pre-arrival special
Eric Guido – Vinous 95 points “Dusty earth gives way to dried roses, incense, hints of cedar, sage, currants and black cherries in a display that makes the 2016 Col d’Orcia Brunello di Montalcino a very special experience. It’s nuanced and perfumed from start to finish, boasting silky textures contrasted by tart berries and minerals, but with sweet tannins that frame the expression perfectly. Its inner sweetness is balanced by bright acids, creating an almost-juicy sensation, right up until the moment you realize that your palate is aching with youthful tension. There’s so much going on and much more to come, making me wonder what the Poggio al Vento might offer in the 2016 vintage. For now, that doesn’t even matter, because the 2015 Col d’Orcia impresses on nearly every level.”

Love Brunello? We have over 50 Brunellos in stock now. Shop the entire selection, including famous names like Casanova di Neri, La Fortuna, Sassetti and more, on our web store now.

A Top Value Super Tuscan

Sette Ponti’s 2017 Crognolo

Sette Ponti makes some of the finest Super Tuscans out there. While they’re best known for Oreno, their top-end bottling, the wine of note in most years is their value-priced Crognolo. Made with every bit the same care as the flashier Oreno, Crognolo’s Sangiovese dominant blend provides a beautiful drink-now option at less than half the price of the flagship wine.

Our first drop sold-out quickly last year, but we were fortunately able to secure another allotment of this absolute knockout of a wine. 2017 being a warm year in Tuscany, the wine is bestowed with more fruit and softer tannins than usual, and this has made it an even better early drinker than usual.

In Stock Now:

Tenuta Sette Ponti Crognolo Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2017 750ML ($39.95) $24 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Tenuta Sette Ponti Crognolo Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2017 750ML ($249.95) $132 special (that’s only $22/bottle!)
James Suckling 94 points “A balanced and fresh red for the hot 2017 vintage with medium body, fine tannins and plenty of currants, blackberries and blueberries on the finish. Drink or hold.”
Wine Spectator 93 points “A beam of pure blackberry runs through this otherwise dense and focused red. Shows elegance, with balance and complexity, but needs time to integrate and reveal all its facets. Offers fine, minerally length. Sangiovese and Merlot. Best from 2021 through 2032. 7,500 cases made, 4,000 cases imported.”

Love Tuscany? We have over 150 options from Tuscany in stock now. Shop the entire selection, including staff favorites like Castell’in Villa, Felsina, I Fabbri and more, on our web store now.

Collector’s Corner

Aldo Conterno: Barolo’s Modern Master

Aldo Conterno is one of the most important producers in Barolo. Considered a maverick when he broke away from his family’s estate in 1969, he did nothing short of revolutionize how Nebbiolo was farmed and raised the bar for quality so high that even the most old-school producers were forced to clean up their cellars.

Along the way, he made a string of now-legendary wines and acquired some of the best parcels in the top-tier Bussia cru, where the winery now sources their sought-after, powerful bottlings. From top to bottom, the Aldo Conterno wines are deeply colored, rich, and textured. Unlike some Barolo producers, drinkability is always a concern here, so often times his wines will be significantly more delicious young than their peers—which doesn’t seem to stop them from aging beautifully.

Aldo Conterno Barolo, In Stock Now:

Poderi Aldo Conterno Colonnello, Barolo DOCG 2016 750ML ($219.95) $179 special, 12 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 96 points “Very fine-grained with pretty berry, spice, roasted-nut and cedar aromas and flavors. It’s full-bodied and chewy, yet polished and intense. Very, very long. Try after 2022.”
Wine Advocate 95+ points “The Poderi Aldo Conterno 2016 Barolo Bussia Colonnello shows dark fruit intensity, dried cherry, spice, licorice and tilled earth. The wine delivers its aromas in a direct and immediate manner, with menthol and balsam herb fitting into oaky aromas of sweet spice. For whatever reason, I notice the oak more in Colonnello, but this will relax with time. The wine will be ready to drink after the 10-year mark. Approximately 6,000 bottles were made.”

Poderi Aldo Conterno Bussia Cicala, Barolo DOCG 2009 750ML ($179.95) $119 special, 5 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 94 points “Aromas of fresh cherry, raspberry, licorice and spice fill the glass as this red unfolds. Offers dense tannins and bright acidity, lending definition to the cherry, strawberry, tobacco and spice flavors that persist through the long finish. Best from 2017 through 2030. 300 cases imported.”
Antonio Galloni 94 points “An aromatically beguiling wine, the 2009 Barolo Cicala is laced with dark plums, truffles, tar, incense and a host of other balsamic-infused aromas. Today, the fruit lies a bit in the background, while the wine’s aromatics and overall structure are much more in evidence. I imagine the 2009 will require at least a few more years in bottle to flesh out, but it is quite beautiful, even at this stage. There is a weightless tension in the 2009 that is remarkable.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2009 Barolo Cicala reveals the particular dynamic of the vintage with firmly astringent tannins and power coupled with a leaner, more streamlined mouthfeel. You can also feel some of the heat of the 2009 summer with upfront aromas of prune and cassis followed by a visibly darker appearance and sweet spice on the bouquet. The wine has the inherent complexity, structure and acidity for long aging, but it offers less pulp to sink your teeth into. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2027.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Poderi Aldo Conterno Bussia Cicala, Barolo DOCG 2016 750ML ($199.95) $169 special, 2 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 98 points “A really exotic red, showing burnt orange-peel to the dried-strawberry, chocolate-powder and light toasted-oak character. It’s full-bodied and chewy, yet ever so polished. A wild wine. Drink after 2022 and onwards.”
Wine Advocate 96 points “The Poderi Aldo Conterno 2016 Barolo Bussia Cicala offers a ripe fruit profile with layers of menthol and medicinal herb. The finish is beautiful, long and chalky, and you don’t get as much alcohol in the Cicala (compared to Romirasco). The fruit is dried and streamlined, and this wine does show good promise for aging. The tannins are beautiful, coating your teeth and palate with no bitter edge. About 6,000 bottles were made.”

Also In Stock From Aldo Conterno:

Poderi Aldo Conterno Conca Tre Pile Barbera d’Alba, Piedmont 2017 750ML ($37.95) $33 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Poderi Aldo Conterno Conca Tre Pile Barbera d’Alba, Piedmont 2017 750ML ($419.95) $359 special (that’s only $29.92/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2017 Barbera d’Alba Conca Tre Pile is piled high with dark fruit intensity, soft tannins and a pinch of fresh acidity that breaks apart the wine’s rich fruit flavors. The hot vintage has taken well to the Barbera grape, accentuating its volume, richness and generosity. The bouquet offers black fruit, dried plum, spice, truffle-infused earth and toasted hazelnut. Some 20,000 bottles were made.”

Love Barolo? We have over 75 options from Barolo in stock now. Shop the entire selection, including famous names like Brovia, Cappellano, Paolo Scavino and more, on our web store now.

Thanks for reading!

Vinopolis Tuesday Newsletter 1-19-2021

In Today’s Newsletter:

Taste Latour for Under $100

Staff Recommended, Attractively Priced
Oregon Pinot Noir

Volpaia’s Perennial Tuscan Favorites

Staff Pick
The Other Side of Sauvignon

Selbach-Oster: Grand, Yet Affordable

The King of Wines
Oddero’s Majestic Barolo

Valdeorras: Spain’s Lost Great Region

Spring into Spring Subscriber Special
Mirabeau’s 2019 Côtes de Provence Rosé

Taste Latour for Under $100

Château Latour is one of the storied properties of the wine world—with prices to match. What’s a wine lover to do if they want to taste some of the fabled wine but don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars? Look to the second and third wines of the estate.

We have national best prices on two vintages of “Le Pauillac de Château Latour,” the declassified bottling from the famed producer. This is made with the same style and care as the flagship wine, but is crafted for earlier drinking. In other words, this is the perfect Latour for less-than-momentous occasions.

In Stock Now:

Château Latour Le Pauillac de Latour, Pauillac 2013 750ML ($99.95) $69 special, 35 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 90 points “A firm and silky red with currant, plum and berry character. Medium body, fresh finish. Stone and dark fruit. Drink now.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Château Latour Le Pauillac de Latour, Pauillac 2015 750ML ($119.95) $89 special, 17 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 94 points “A firm and linear red with currant, blackberry and stone aromas and flavors. Full yet closed and tight. Acidity drives this one. Third wine of Paulliac. Serious. Needs two or three years to come together.”
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate 91 points “The 2015 Le Pauillac de Château Latour is a blend of 54.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41.7% Merlot and 4.1% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it sails out of the glass at a fantastic clip, delivering wonderfully fragrant notes of baked blackberries, blueberry compote and redcurrant jelly with hints of licorice, red roses and cigar box. Medium-bodied, generously fruited, open-knit and tantalizingly drinkable right now, the palate is chock-full of expressive red and black fruits, featuring approachable, ripe, soft tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with compelling purity. Very impressive showing!”
Neal Martin-Vinous 90 points “The 2015 Le Pauillac de Château Latour has gone up in my estimation since I tasted it from barrel. It has a fleshy, ripe, raspberry, blackberry and boysenberry scented nose, a little smudged with subtle hints of marmalade in the background. It is open and inviting. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and well judged acidity. As a Troisième Vin, even for a First Growth, it only achieves moderate complexity, but there is something winsome about this wine with an attractive pencil lead finish that is impressively well defined. Crack this open now and over the next 3-5 years.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Shop the entire selection of red Bordeaux, including famous names like Château Canon, Mouton Rothschild, Rauzan Segla and more, on our web store now.

Staff Recommended, Attractively Priced

Oregon Pinot Noir

A cellar pick
Colene Clemens Vineyards ‘Dopp Creek’ Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2018 750ML ($33.95) $27 special, 10 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 94 points “Defined by a brisk and refreshing minerality that brings focus to refined and expressive raspberry, rose petal and toasty spice flavors and builds intensity toward fine-grain tannins. Drink now through 2029. 3,241 cases made. — TF”
Winery note “Dopp Creek represents the broadest combined expression of our Estate, and embodies our most approachable and versatile wine. Engaging from the moment you pop the cork, rich red fruit and savory herbs lead to a mouthwatering palate of dark fruit and baking spice, with juicy, supple structure supporting it through a clean finish. This wine drinks impressively now, but having a few bottles in the cellar for four to six years won’t hurt!”

Energetic & vibrant
Crowley Entre Nous Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2017 750ML ($39.95) $28 special, 22 bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 91 points “Dark red. Spice-tinged raspberry and cherry aromas are complicated by floral and smoky mineral notes. Gently sweet and focused on the palate, offering energetic red and dark berry flavors and suggestions of rose pastille and blood orange. Vibrant and precise in style, delivering solid finishing cut, fine-grained tannins and strong, spicy persistence.”
VinopolNote: The 2017 Entre Nous is mostly fruit from La Colina vineyard, with a touch of Oracle and Four Winds. It spent 20 months in mostly old oak barrels. This vintage saw no whole cluster and is a blend of Wadensville and Pommard clones.

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

“One of the best hand crafted and small lot Pinots from the vintage”
Evesham Wood Dundee Hills Pinot Noir 2018 750ML ($29.95) $24 special, 8 bottles in stock now
Grapelive 92 points “The special nine barrel Evesham Wood Dundee Hills Pinot Noir from Winemaker and owner Erin Nuccio is one of the best hand crafted and small lot Pinots from the vintage, especially for the price, in Oregon, with its beautiful details and texture it is a class act and joins Evesham’s stellar and value priced lineup. For the last twelve years I’ve been following this label after my first visit to the Willamette Valley wine country and the Portland wine scene when a friend up there clued me in on some underwear the radar wineries, if you are into Oregon Pinot and looking for bargains, Nuccio’s wines are a must try collection, especially the Evesham Wood’s basic Willamette Valley cuvee and this one if you can still find it. With classic Dundee Hills, Jory soil (volcanic and iron rich) influence showing, the Evesham Wood Dundee Hills Pinot delivers layers of dusty red spiced black cherry, plum and strawberry fruits along with a touch of earthy reduction, rose petals, snappy herbs, moro orange tea and delicate wood accents, all of which caresses the medium bodied palate. With air the ruby/garnet 2018 Dundee Hills Pinot gains a darker almost blue fruit tone and becomes wonderfully expressive and pure in a performance that you’d expect from a wine two or three times the cost, I knew I should have bought a few more bottles. Nuccio says his Dundee Hills Cuvée, which came from a very famous single vineyard, is most likely one-time only wine for Evesham Wood and came about when a friend who is the winemaker this well known, but can’t be named, winery in the Dundee Hills asked if Erin was interested in some Dundee Hills fruit and as she adds, after initially saying he had enough grapes booked, he came back with a price that was too good to pass up. The plan was to have it go into the regular Willamette Valley blend, but when Nuccio started seriously tasting the barrels it became apparent he had some special barrels, so made the choice to do this bottling from those 9 barrels, which in hindsight was an awesome decision.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

A massale selection of over a half dozen clones
Goodfellow Family Cellars Ribbon Ridge Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2017 750ML ($29.95) $26 special, 7 bottles in stock now
Winery Note “The Ribbon Ridge Pinot Noir is made up entirely of fruit from Whistling Ridge Vineyard. Vines sit ridge-top and catch the daily winds that blow in, slowing ripening , evaporating moisture, and thickening skins. Shallow soils are formed from uplifted marine sedimentary rock, and dry out quickly in the growing season. Richard and Patricia Alvord planted and have farmed the 14 acre plot for the past two and a half decades. Patricia does all of her own grafting , and Pinot Noir plantings are a selection massale of over half a dozen clones. ¬e wines are red-fruited, perfumed, structured and elegant.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Complex & nuanced
Left Coast Cellars Truffle Hill Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2015 750ML ($39.95) $29 special, 16 bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds 92 points “Deep brilliant red. Ripe, spice-tinged raspberry and cherry scents are complicated by hints of musky sassafras and floral and allspice nuances. Sweet and fleshy on the palate, offering juicy red and dark berry flavors, along with suggestions of cola and licorice. Closes with solid punch, rounded tannins and strong, spicy tenacity.”
Wine Enthusiast 90 points “This wine is aromatic in tones of red and black berries, cedar and tobacco. The palate brings plum and black cherry flavors, with drying tannins that leave a lingering taste of black tea.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Minimalist winemaking at its best
Loop de Loop Four Winds Vineyard Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2018 750ML ($34.95) $27 special, 4 bottles in stock now
Winery note “This vineyard is nestled into the far Western edge of the Willamette Valley – where it rises up into the coast range. At 800 ft in elevation, it was planted in 1991 and is sustainably farm; 100% Pommard Clone of Pinot Noir – this wine was minimally touched in the cellar. 100% destemmed this year, with a 10-day cold soak/spontaneous fermentation, no additions were made except a 20ppm SO2 four months prior to bottling. It was aged in neutral oak, on the lees for 1 year.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

“Taut and intense”
Twill Cellars Pinot Noir, Northern Willamette Valley 2018 750ML ($24.95) $19.80 special, 5 bottles in stock now
Winery note “Brooding, savory aromatics of dried rose, bitter cherry, earth, blood orange, soy, toasted grain and ripe raspberries. Flavors of blood orange, dark chocolate, warm spices, espresso, and ripe raspberry. Both taut and intense.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Perfect interplay between ripe and bitter notes
Vincent Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2018 750ML ($24.95) $19 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 90 points “Dark red. Ripe red fruit, musky earth and floral qualities on the deeply perfumed nose, joined by a spicy nuance that builds in the glass. Supple black raspberry, cherry and spicecake flavors are given spine and focus by a core of juicy acidity. Shows very good clarity and a touch of bitter chocolate on the subtly tannic finish, which leaves cherry and bitter chocolate notes behind. The richness of the vintage is hard to miss here, but the wine’s mitigating spiciness definitely lessens the blow.”

Love Oregon Pinot Noir? We have 118 Oregon Pinots in stock now. Shop the entire selection, including local legends like Cameron, Sequitur, White Rose Estate and more, on our web store now.

Volpaia’s Perennial Tuscan Favorites

We love the great wines of Tuscany—there’s something about the heart of Italy that’s utterly captivating. Perhaps no producer stands out more than Volpaia, whose high-altitude Chiantis have become perhaps our best-selling Chianti, year in and out. Volpaia first came to our attention when they placed multiple wines on the Wine Spectator Top 100 list over several years. Since then, their Chianti Classico and Riserva have become customer favorites thanks to their big, bold personalities.

In Stock Now:

Castello di Volpaia Chianti Classico DOCG, Tuscany 2018 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Castello di Volpaia Chianti Classico DOCG, Tuscany 2018 750ML ($299.95) $239 special (that’s only $19.92/bottle!)
Antonio Galloni 92 points “The 2018 Chianti Classico is a gorgeous, mid-weight wine that captures the essence of the estate’s high-altitude vineyards. Freshly cut flowers, sweet red berries, licorice, mint, pine and cedar are some of the many aromas and flavors that are woven throughout. The 2018 is gracious, inviting and impeccable in its balance.”

Castello di Volpaia Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG, Tuscany 2017 750ML ($41.95) $33 special, 36+ bottles available
Case-12 Castello di Volpaia Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG, Tuscany 2017 750ML ($499.95) $385 special (that’s only $32.08/bottle!)
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2017 Chianti Classico Riserva Castello di Volpaia is an immensely rewarding, inviting wine. Juicy and racy, with no hard edges, the Riserva captures the allure of this warm, dry year. There is plenty to like in the 2017, starting with its depth and volume, I won’t be surprised if the Riserva turns out to be even better than this note suggests. Sweet red fruit, cedar and blood orange give the 2017 striking aromatic intensity and lift.”

Castello di Volpaia Citto Rosso Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2017 750ML ($19.95) $14 special, 36+ bottles available
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2017 Chianti Classico Riserva Castello di Volpaia is an immensely rewarding, inviting wine. Juicy and racy, with no hard edges, the Riserva captures the allure of this warm, dry year. There is plenty to like in the 2017, starting with its depth and volume, I won’t be surprised if the Riserva turns out to be even better than this note suggests. Sweet red fruit, cedar and blood orange give the 2017 striking aromatic intensity and lift.”
Importer Note “The Chianti Classico Riserva has a ruby-red hue with a trace of garnet. The nose is elegant, displaying hints of spice and fruit. This a well-structured wine with smooth tannins and a long finish. Barrel Aging: 24 months in oak casks (combination of Slovenian and French) and minimum 3 months in bottle. Varietal Composition: 100% Sangiovese. A record year for heat and drought throughout the growing season. This condition presented extremes which began early bud break in the vineyard, followed by a spring frost over late April. The frost affected the lower portions of the Volpaia estate. Spring and summer months were dry with higher than average temperatures. Rainfall in mid-September helped the grapes achieve complete ripeness of tannins and other phenolic compounds despite low yields.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Love Tuscany? We have over 150 Tuscan wines in stock now. Shop the entire selection, including famous names like Casanova di Neri, Castell’in Villa, Montevertine and more, on our web store now.

Staff Pick

The Other Side of Sauvignon

Saul:
Sauvignon Blanc is one of the most misunderstood grapes out there, which is a shame. In the right hands, the grape can deliver complexity, nuance and a strong sense of place. Granted, those wines seem to be the exception and most bottlings out there are monochromatically grape-fruity, herbal or worse. That’s all the more reason to love the Sauvignons from Francois Plouzeau—these are quite exceptional wines.

Plouzeau harvests his Sauvignon Blanc on the riper side, meaning that they display richer textures and fruit that moves beyond citrus, all while retaining minerality and levity that you’d expect from a naturally high-acid grape. We carry two cuvees from the star winemaker. The first is his “Blanc de la Mariee” which is made entirely in concrete tanks and displays a taut structure and palpable energy. It’s really good (especially for the price) but his “Cendrillon” is even better. Raised mostly in larger, older barrels, the wine takes on a texture and profile that’s beguiling, with some exotic fruit notes mingling with the classic Sancerre-type Sauvignon flavors. This is a wine that makes a lot of industrial $30 Sancerre taste positively boring. Both are in stock now, but wouldn’t be for too much longer if they got the attention they merit.

In Stock Now:

Domaine de la Garrelière Touraine ‘Le Blanc de la Mariée’, Loire 2019 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special, 35 bottles in stock now
100% Sauvignon blanc

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Domaine de la Garrelière Touraine Cendrillon, Loire 2018 750ML ($29.95) $24 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Importer note “This takes the domain’s best Sauvignon from tank and pairs it with 10-15% Chardonnay from barrel along with some 5% of Sauvignon from barrel. The wood is a minimum of three years old. Cendrillon is French for Cinderella, the folk tale of the oppressed girl who rose from ashes (cinders) to become a figure of beauty and grace in glass slippers. The label for this cuvée comes from a painting done by a friend of the Plouzeau family. Note that the label for this wine indicates the domain as ‘Domaine de la Garrelière’.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Looking for more wines from the Loire? We have 88 Loire wines in stock now. Shop the entire selection, including famous names like Clos Rougeard, Dagueneau, Huet and more, on our web store now.

Vinopolis Wine Shop Curbside Pick Up

Selbach-Oster: Grand, Yet Affordable

Let’s cut to the chase: Selbach-Oster makes wine every bit as good as the ‘name’ producers like Prüm or Molitor, but because they aren’t quite as famous (and because Johannes Selbach isn’t a grand self-promoter) the wines are much less expensive than their peers. They represent some of the best buying opportunities for German wine lovers in the Mosel today.

What makes the Selbach wines so special, and perhaps what makes them as underrated, is that they aren’t showy or extreme. This is especially true when it comes to levels of residual sugar and, in the drier wines, with acidity as well. This makes them incredibly useful at the table. Sure they could leave more RS and they’d be more “opulent” and score higher points—but they don’t. As a result, you can drink the Spätlesen and Auslesen with your main course -not just cheese or lightly sweet desserts.

The wines are from great vineyards and made by an incredibly talented winemaker. They are delicious, age-worthy, and very reasonably priced. What more could you ask for?

A Selection of Selbach Wines, In Stock Now:

Selbach-Oster ‘Anrecht’ Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese, Mosel 2014 750ML ($49.95) $33 special, 7 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 93 points “Bottled with 8% alcohol, the 2014 Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese Anrecht (erroneously designated as Spätlese instead of Auslese) opens with a super ripe and intense, stunningly bright and clear bouquet of very fine Riesling flavors; there are apple and pip aromas due to a higher proportion of golden and green grapes, and a lesser proportion of botrytis, due to the higher altitude of the Anrecht plot. There is so much finesse and piquancy in this juicy, elegant and well concentrated Riesling, which reveals a long and complex finish, as well as great finesse.”
David Schildknecht–Vinous 93 points “This product of block-picking (as opposed to selective picking) conveys a sense of ripeness and botrytization that could as easily have been captured in the word “Auslese.” Candied lemon, mint and anise mingle in the nose with suggestions of the quince, apple and Persian melon that come to dominate on a lush and expansive yet animatedly juicy palate. A hint of white raisin testifies delectably to the share of shriveled berries. Sweaty salinity lends mouthwatering intrigue while the fruit retains an invigoratingly tangy edge in a finish that readily stimulates the desire to take the next seductive, by no means overly sweet sip.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Selbach-Oster Pinot Blanc Dry, Mosel 2016 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special, 22 bottles in stock now
Terry Theise note “This is being used by a restaurant group (with impeccable taste!) and for a while Johannes was worried we’d gobble up the supply and leave the group gasping and flopping on the beach. Nah, I’m only a little greedy. The ’16 is a beauty, toasty and mineral, a super vintage for a wine with some qui behind it. It’s steep-slope grown and made in discreet wood, so you get “recognizable” PB flavor but with the mineral energy of slate. There’s a long finish of really clean shrimp-stock, and the salty mid palate suggests just-caught monkfish.”

Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr “Rotlay” Riesling, Mosel 2011 750ML ($59.95) $33 special, 30 bottles in stock now
Mosel Fine Wines 93 points “The Rotlay is a great wine in this vintage, and offers very complex and fine flavors of spices, salt, mineral, bakery products and apricot flower. The zesty, pure and delineated structure is impressive. This is superb. 2021-2031.”
Wine Advocate 91+ points “Carob and toasted nuts inflect baked apple and vanilla on the nose of Selbachs’ block-picked 2011 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Rotlay, which comes to the palate expansive, creamy, and buoyant (at 8.5% alcohol), its apple joined by almost overripe Persian melon. Hints of pip and botrytis bitterness add interest, but there is not the subtle interaction of flavors or the layer of primary juiciness that rendered the corresponding Anrecht bottling so memorable, but instead a more dominantly honeyed, soothingly rich personality. This long-finishing beauty may well – as its author suggests – just need some time to reveal its multiple layers.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Selbach-Oster ‘Schmitt’ Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling, Mosel 2014 750ML ($59.95) $41.90 special, 14 bottles in stock now
Grapelive 95+ points “The brilliant and exotic Schmitt comes from the steep slate hill above the church, set back from the Mosel. There is great southern exposure here and it less affected by noble rot, a big plus in 2014. It allowed this rich and lush wine to remain crystalline and focused. This is one of the great wines of the vintage! Johannes Selbach’s top wines are not Trocken/Grosses Gewachs, but are single block wines from Cru sites. They are also heavy weighted, dense and medium sweet, but it is not about the sugar: it is all about the terroir and overall balance. These are wines of hedonism, power, textural pleasure and vitality, especially the Schmitt in 2014. It explores the boundaries of perfection in a fantastically difficult vintage. The was a savage thinning of the crop and a tiny window to get the grapes in to make this masterpiece from the old vines at Zeltinger Schlossberg. It is truly amazing with all the problems and heartbreak endured here that a wine of this quality and gorgeous detail managed to happen at all. Somehow this block come through and made one of the most glorious Riesling wines of the year. The 2014 Schmitt by Selbach-Oster starts with a sweet perfume. This wine shows white roses, dripping jasmine, hints of gardenia and tropical essences that lead to a full bodied, Auslese weight palate with apricot, green apple, lime and mango fruits leading the way along with a mix of spicy mineral and flinty stones, briny sea shore notes, soft honey decadence, creamy verbena and sweet peach flesh. The finish carries over the core of fruit and richness, but there is a burst of dynamic acidity and vibrancy. This is not a flabby wine and you are left with a dreamy/haunting impression with lingering tangerine sorbet, crushed stone and wet steeliness. This is fabulous Riesling and one you’ll want in the cellar. This has 100 Point potential and it will also drink well young. It already has poise and elegance, but should last two or three decades! Don’t be afraid of its sugar levels, it drinks like a lavish Grand Cru Corton-Charlemagne and is a spectacular wine from Selbach-Oster!”

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Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2016 750ML ($31.95) $24 special, 26 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 92 points “Opening with nice reduction but precise and ripe fruit as well as crunchy slate aromas on the nose, the 2016 Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Kabinett is pure and flinty, well-structured and quite aristocratic (though a frivolous aristocrat), with a firm structure, lush fruit and a lovely lightness and buoyancy. Very stimulating and mouthwatering, but it’s far too young to appreciate the full complexity it will deliver in a couple of years. Salty, grippy and fruity—just a perfect Kabinett.”
Stuart Pigott – jamessuckling.com 91 points “Super-fresh and vibrant with a cool, mineral-herbal personality and a very clean, long finish. You could drink it any time during the next decade, but why wait?”

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Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese**, Mosel 2013 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 35 bottles in stock now
Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese**, Mosel 2013 375ML ($39.95) $24 special, 23 half-bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 94 points “Bright in color the two-starred 7.5% alcohol 2013 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese ** is an intensely (noble) sweet and creamy-textured selection, which was picked on November 1 and is made for future generations. Very sweet and dense on the palate it still has to become more wine-y but the wine has definitely talent.”

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We have 16 different bottlings from Selbach-Oster in stock now. Shop the entire selection on our web store now!

The King of Wines

Oddero’s Majestic Barolo

We love hyper-traditional Barolo—there’s something about it that seems aristocratic, truly the wine of Kings and the King of wines. The combination of power and delicacy, the youthful austerity that blooms into glorious aromatics and texture with age is magic. While it doesn’t always lead to high scores from reviewers, it does lead to absolutely stunning wines down the road.

Oddero’s wines represent some of the best, most traditional Barolo on the market today. All of the Nebbiolo vineyards of the estate are farmed organically and fermentation of the Barolos takes place in stainless steel before maturation in large casks—no barrique here. The top two wines at Oddero are their Brunate and their Vigna Rionda Riserva, released only after ten years of aging.

We’re offering some exceptional pricing on Oddero’s Brunate and two bottlings of their Vigna Rionda. This set would be quite a fun collection for any lover of Piemontese wines. All were cellared at the winery before being imported in 2019. These are special wines at excellent prices.

In Stock Now:

Poderi Oddero Brunate, Barolo DOCG 2012 750ML ($149.95) $99 special, 10 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 92 points “Enticing aromas of cherry, rose and spice lead off, while the flavors pick up tar and tobacco, echoing the spice. This is rich and balanced, with oak tannins adding another layer on the long sweet-fruit finish. Best from 2018 through 2032. 180 cases made.”

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Poderi Oddero Brunate, Barolo DOCG 2013 750ML ($149.95) $99 special, 11 bottles in stock now
Wine Enthusiast 93 points “This opens with alluring red berry, menthol, new leather, star anise and crushed herb scents. It’s elegantly structured, offering sour cherry, cranberry, licorice and sage flavors set against firm, fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity. A hint of orange zest closes the finish. Drink 2023–2033.”

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Poderi Oddero Vigna Rionda, Barolo Riserva DOCG 2007 1.5L ($499.95) $369 special, 3 magnums in stock now
James Suckling 96 points “This is drinking wonderfully now with so much depth of fruit and lots of juicy character. Full body, layered and intense. Plenty of dark berry and chocolate. Fantastic. Drink or hold.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95 points “This wine is released ten years after the harvest, giving consumers the opportunity to buy an older vintage of Barolo that has been stored carefully back at the winery. Older-release wines like this are becoming ever more popular in the Langhe. The 2007 Barolo Riserva Vignarionda is a powerful and exuberant expression that shows the density and the inner energy of Serralunga d’Alba. Blackberry and dark cherry lift from the bouquet to reveal pretty undertones of spice, leather and savory tobacco. Only 2,763 750-milliliter bottles, 200 magnums and 20 jeroboams were produced. This wine offers a very special taste of Nebbiolo.”
Wine Spectator 95 points “After 10 years, this is ready to enjoy. However, despite the sweet cherry fruit, leather, woodsy and mineral flavors, there are still dense tannins. This is moving in the right direction, mellowing gracefully and lingering with a long, fresh, tobacco- and mineral-tinged aftertaste. Best from 2020 through 2034. 150 cases made.”

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Poderi Oddero Vigna Rionda, Barolo Riserva DOCG 2008 750ML ($219.95) $139 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2008 Barolo Riserva Vignarionda was held back at the winery to be released commercially ten years after the harvest. The fruit is sourced from 50-year-old vines that benefit from organic farming. You feel the robust nature of the Serralunga d’Alba village, with heat, structure and power at the back. It is a classic but powerful Nebbiolo, with earthy tones, sweet spice and dark chocolate. This wine is moving beautifully along its aging trajectory. Bravi. Only 2,000 bottles are available.”
Wine Spectator 94 points “Now a decade old, this Barolo reveals hints of truffle, carob and burnished leather in the bouquet, with fading cherry and berry fruit and licorice and spice accents. Displays the tightly knit, Serralunga structure, along with a chalky, minerally sensation on the lingering finish. Drink now through 2036.”
Importer note “The name Vigna Rionda, meaning “round vineyard”, comes from the plot of land, a depression filled with rows of vines, with the whole slope in full sun. Bought by the Oddero family in 1985, the Vigna Rionda, like all the land around Serralunga, Castiglione Falletto and Monforte, is part of an unusual tertiary Langhian-Miocene geological formation, rich in calcareous deposits, marl, fine sand and sandstone, alternating with mineral residues from plant and animal organisms. Additionally the Vigna Rionda is sheltered by the Castelletto hill from northeast winds and the winter cold, and it has an excellent microclimate for vine cultivation. The prizewinning Oddero Barolo Vigna Rionda is a great, tenacious wine with a long life, with an intense, spiced bouquet, structured and complex on tasting, and very exciting.”

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Love Barolo? We have over 80 Barolos in stock now. Shop the entire selection, including famous names like Brovia, Cappellano, Paolo Scavino on our web store now!

Valdeorras: Spain’s Lost Great Region

Valdeorras is the lost great region in Spain. Nestled in the eastern edge of Galicia, with its cool Atlantic climate, the region has been planted since at least the Roman occupation. The Sil (Xil) river is the dominant feature, just as it is in neighboring Ribeira Sacra, and that’s what Ladeiras do Xil is named for. Valdeorras is a hidden gem in the Spanish wine scene, with great old terraced terroirs and old plantings that have been abandoned for decades before their recent rediscovery this century. The reds are a true mélange of grapes—these are wines that recall Burgundy in their elegance and perfume, but with a flavor profile all their own, and that’s what we love about them.

Ladeiras do Xil makes the defining wines of the appellation, focusing on restoring these historic vineyards on impossibly steep, often terraced, sites. Founded by two giants of Spanish wine, Pablo Eguzkiza and Telmo Rodríguez, the winery is now helmed by the young, driven Jorge Saa, who has been working to restore the vineyards to prestige and condition of their ancient roots. The work is very hard and the production levels tiny (less than 250 cases are made of each red we’re offering today), but the results speak for themselves—this is an estate producing wines that are unique and compelling.

“Ladeiras do Xil takes its name from the hillsides of the Sil River, which is the lifeblood of the region. The pioneering duo of Pablo Eguzkiza (who gained his winemaking chops at Château Pétrus) and his partner Telmo Rodríguez (of Remelluri fame, among many others) started working here in 2002. Recognizing the potential to make world-class wines in this incredibly important valley, they began a project that would take decades to come to fruition. The philosophy of their company has always been vineyard first, winery second. The most crucial piece of the puzzle is the vineyard, and we are now just beginning to see the unfolding of the grandeur of their vision. They have been quietly doing heroic work in the face of incredible obstacles, as the climate in Galicia is unforgiving.” – De Maison Selections

In Stock Now:

Ladeiras Do Xil “As Caborcas”, Valdeorras 2016 750ML ($99.95) $89 special, 10 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2.5 hectares of north- and west-facing terraces planted with old vines produced the 2016 As Caborcas, a wine of unusual intensity, elegance and balance in 2016. The cooler year seems to have worked wonders for the reds here, and the wine is expressive and open, floral and aromatic, developing nuances of moss and fern, with a textured palate where the tannins have the granite mark of stony austerity that is then coated by the glycerin and the fruit, making a wine that is both elegant and powerful, with a very Galician feeling to it. 2,619 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2017.”
Importer note “As Caborcas is a unique vineyard, full of different varieties, of different ages, from different strains, growing at different altitudes and exposures. Among the native grapes planted are mencía, merenzao, sousón, godello, and brancellao. Indigenous yeasts cause spontaneous fermentation in small wooden barrels of various sizes, with light foudre aging for 12 months to preserve the “Atlantic” delicacy of this wine of inland Galicia. True to the origins, As Caborcas could be made nowhere else. As Caborcas is extremely limited, with less than 3,000 bottles produced in a good year.”

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Ladeiras Do Xil “Falcoeira a Capilla”, Valdeorras 2016 750ML ($79.95) $69 special, 9 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 94 points “Falcoeira was the first of their Valdeorras vineyards to be harvested in 2016, starting on September 16th. The 2.75 hectares of this young south-facing vineyard produced 2,635 bottles of the 2016 Falcoeira A Capilla, always a richer wine compared with its siblings. It’s a historical vineyard that was abandoned, but its almost 100 ancient terraces were replanted with a field blend of Mencía, Merenzao, Sousón, Godello, Garnacha…and other grapes that would have been there in the past. Winemaking is simple, the grapes fermented in small wooden and stainless steel tanks, and the wine aged in French oak foudres. 2016 seems like a great vintage for the reds here, and Falcoeira kept the freshness and poise within its riper character. The palate is delineated and with a marked stony feeling to it. With time in the glass, the wine became finer and more elegant, and that extra touch of ripeness seemed to disappear. A great year for this wine.”
Importer note “The soils here are coarsely-textured, decomposed granites. It is an intense and profound wine, like the place it comes from. Indigenous yeasts begin a spontaneous fermentation in small wooden barrels of various sizes, the wine is then aged in foudres for 12 months. Falcoeira keeps freshness and poise within its riper character; with a delineated palate and a wild, stony feeling echoing the granitic slopes. With time in the glass, Falcoeira unfolds and displays the power, finesse, and elegance, which makes it one of the most exciting wines in the world. Falcoeira is extremely limited, with less than 3,000 bottles produced in a good year.”

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Love Spanish reds? We have 116 red wines from Spain in stock now. Shop the entire selection, including staff favorites like Daniel Landi, Daterra Lorenzo, Raúl Pérez and more, on our web store now.

Spring into Spring Subscriber Special

Mirabeau’s 2019 Côtes de Provence Rosé

“Mirabeau rosé wines represent the fruition of a long-held winemaking dream and a shared loved of Provence rosé for British couple Stephen and Jeany Cronk. With no previous experience of making wine, the couple took the plunge in 2009 by moving with their children from London life to the picturesque rolling hills and blue skies of southern France. ‘We were absolute devotees to Provence rosé,’ says Jeany Cronk. ‘It was one of the things we always agreed on, we just loved it and it wasn’t even particularly fashionable in those days.’ Stephen Cronk describes Classic as ‘a really good representation of a Provence rosé’. It’s made from a non-prescriptive blend of Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault and is dominated by red fruits…. [Their vineyard management is] inspired by Oregon winemaker, botanist and ecologist Mimi Casteel. Stephen aims to ‘take organic to the next level’ and to ‘see whether we can move away from a mono-culture to a biodiverse vineyard and still make good wine’.” –Georgia Hindle, Decanter

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Mirabeau ‘Classic’ Côtes de Provence Rosé 2019 750ML ($27.95) Was $18 Now $14.40, 36+ bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 90 points “Light, brilliant orange. Raspberry, white peach and succulent flowers on the mineral-tinged nose. Sappy red berry, pit fruit and citrus zest flavors deepen slowly and take on a spicy aspect with air. Hangs on with very good tenacity, leaving pit fruit and red berry notes behind.”
Decanter 90 points “An expressive nose of berry notes that, on the palate, transforms into succulent and juicy red cherries, raspberries and strawberries. The palate offers a light creaminess and silky texture with a round, crisp finish. Made from 60% Grenache, 25% Syrah and 15% Cinsault, it has complexity and drive, delivering great quality and value.”

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Looking for rosé? We have over 50 rosés in stock now. Shop the entire selection, including staff favorites from France, Spain, Oregon and beyond, on our web store now.

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