Tag Archives: newsletter

Vinopolpick Mid-Week 5-19-21

In This Newsletter:

Subscriber Special #1
Cliff Lede Sauvignon Blanc

Subscriber Special #2
Luigi Giordano’s Ultra-Classic Barbaresco

Can’t-Miss California Case Specials
Including an Exclusive from Raj Parr

Castello di Ama’s Stunning Gran Selezione

Burgundy’s Most Underrated Domaine?
Henri Prudhon

Lower Mosel’s Signature Producer
Heymann-Loewenstein

Subscriber Special #1

Cliff Lede Sauvignon Blanc

Cliff Lede’s 2018 Sauvignon Blanc is the perfect blend of freshness, elegance and nuance. A blend of 85% Sauvignon Blanc, 12% Semillon and a splash of Sauvignon Vert, this is not the one-dimensional Sauv Blanc that we’ve all regretted ordering by the glass. Most of the blend comes from three vineyard sources in Napa Valley, the majority of which well-established, with old vines contributing complexity to the finished wine. So if you’re looking for a Sauvignon Blanc that offers character without sacrificing deliciousness, look no further. And at the just reduced price of $19/bottle, you won’t regret stocking up for the summer.

In Stock & Priced to Move:

Cliff Lede Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley 2018 750ML ($29.95) Was $24 Now $19, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 91 points “Succulent peach, melon and citrus flavors reveal pretty details of spice and dried floral notes in this stylish white, with crisp acidity and a drizzle of honey on the finish. Drink now. 10,420 cases made.”

Love California wine? We have over 75 different options from the Golden State in stock. Shop the entire selection, including staff favorites like Arnot-Roberts, Freemark Abbey, Pax and more, on our web store now.

Subscriber Special #2

Luigi Giordano’s Ultra-Classic Barbaresco

Luigi Giordano is a small, family-owned winery producing elegant and classically framed Barbaresco. Sourcing from some of the region’s most celebrated vineyards, including Asili and Montestefano, Giordano’s wines are consistently excellent. Fortunately for us, Giordano remains a bit of an insider’s secret. As a result, the cru bottlings sell for nearly half as much as the same vineyard bottlings from Produttori and others. But tasting these wines, we can’t imagine that this will remain true much longer. So take advantage of our Subscriber Special pricing, and enjoy for yourself these old-school gems.

“A stone’s throw from Barbaresco’s village centre, the winery and its vineyards were founded by Giovanni Giordano in the 1930s during a time of profound crisis in the Italian wine world. After a period of growing and selling grapes, Giovanni’s son, Luigi, made the bold decision to vinify his own grapes in 1960. Luigi Giordano is now a fourth-generation winery whose vineyards are planted in some of Barbaresco’s most prestigious crus, including Asili and Montestefano. One particular Barbaresco bottling from the cru of Cavanna showcases the winery’s elegant, hands-off style of winemaking and currently represents the only single-vineyard cru of its kind on the market.” – Importer note

In Stock & Priced to Move:

Luigi Giordano Asili, Barbaresco DOCG 2015 750ML ($69.95) Was $49 Now $45, 24 bottles in stock now
Decanter 92 points “From vines planted in 2000, this has a red fruit nose that’s not very expressive presently, but the palate is fresh and limpid with very ripe fruits but with no sweetness showing, thanks to the lively acidity. It has some tension, persistence and style, with a long finish. “
Importer Note “Definite garnet red colour enriched with delicate orange highlights on ageing; ample and intense perfume with good floral and fruit jammy notes plus ethereal hints ofspices. The flavour is dry, full, elegant and aristocratic. Traditional red wine maceration for 12-15 days with ferment-ation in temperature controlled stainless steel vats using frequent pumping-over. The wine is aged for at least 18-24 months in large (30-50 hectolitre) barrels of Slavonian oak, then refined in horizont-ally-placed bottles for another 6 months.”

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

Luigi Giordano Asili, Barbaresco DOCG 2016 750ML ($79.95) Was $64.50 Now $49, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 95 points “This red finds a nice equilibrium between sappy berry, cherry and licorice flavors and balsamic notes of eucalyptus, juniper and wild rosemary. It’s harmonious, with a ripe core and long, gripping finish. Best from 2023 through 2040. 400 cases made, 100 cases imported.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Luigi Giordano Cavana, Barbaresco DOCG 2017 750ML ($44.95) Was $37.50 Now $33, 36+ bottles in stock now
Importer Note “Brilliant garnet red colour with orange highlights developing with age; ample and intense perfume with fruity, jammy and spicy notes; dry, full and aristocratic flavour. Traditional red wine maceration for 15-20 days with temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel vats and frequent pumping-over. This wine is left to age for at least 18-24 months in large (30-50hectolitre) barrels of Slavonian oak and is then refined in horizontally-placed bottles for at least 6 months.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Luigi Giordano Montestefano, Barbaresco DOCG 2016 750ML ($69.95) Was $59 Now $49, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 93 points “A beam of cherry, strawberry and rose aromas and flavors permeates this vibrant red. Hints of thyme, menthol and tar add depth as this builds to a long, resonant finish. Shows fine energy and intensity on a slim frame. Best from 2023 through 2042. 500 cases made, 150 cases imported.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Also in Stock & Priced to Move:

Luigi Giordano ‘Vigneto Buschet’ Barbera d’Alba, Piedmont 2018 750ML ($27.95) Was $21.90 Now $19, 36+ bottles in stock now
Importer Note “The Buschet vineyard situated within the Barbaresco zone. Barbera is a vigorous, big yielding varietal. Intense purple-red colour and ample, vinous perfume pleasantly fruited with notes of plum and blackberry; the flavour is dry, harmonious and warm, perfectly complementing the wine’s robust structure. Traditional crushing with de-stalking followed by controlled-temperature fermentation and frequent pumping-over. Maceration lasts from 8 to10 days.”

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

Luigi Giordano Brut Metodo Classico Nebbiolo Brut Nature, Piedmont 2016 750ML ($39.95) Was $33 Now $29, 35 bottles in stock now
Importer Note “After soft pressing, rosé maceration is performed for two hours, followed by cold draining of the must. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperatures. The Champagne method (‘metodo classico’) is used, with the second fermentation occurring in the bottle. Abundant, rose-tinted effervescence with a fine andpersistent perlage. The wine is rose to cherry-pink in colour with salmon highlights. The perfume is intense and ample with notes of raspberry, red berries, citrus fruits and a hint of wilted roses. The flavour is fresh and full-bodied with a soft,clean aftertaste and a slightly tannic finish.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Luigi Giordano Vino Rosato Nebbiolo DOC, Piedmont 2020 750ML ($24.95) $19 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Importer note “100 % Nebbiolo from family parcels inside Barbaresco crus of Ovello, Ronchi & Cars. Hand-picked in September. Soft pressing followed by 3-hour maceration. 2,400-bottle production.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Love Barbaresco? We have over 50 different options in stock. Shop our entire selection, including famous names like Giacosa, Produttori, Roagna and more, on our web store now.

Can’t-Miss California Case Specials

Including an Exclusive from Raj Parr

After the explosive popularity of our exclusive Evening Land/Brasserie 19 offer last year, we jumped at the chance to offer a formerly-exclusive wine from Rajat Parr’s Sta. Rita Hills winery, Sandhi—this time crafted specifically for legendary San Francisco restaurant Zuni Café. While it sold for $72 on Zuni’s list, we’re able to offer it for just $21.90—and less than $20/bottle by the case.

Oregon wine fans probably know Parr for his Willamette Valley winery Evening Land and their pioneering Seven Springs vineyard. Some years before signing on to Evening Land, Parr’s founded Sandhi, an elite, small-production winery that highlights the terroirs of Santa Barbara County. He and co-founder Sashi Moorman eschew extremes of ripeness, oak, and alcohol, instead crafting wines of elegance and restraint. Vineyard sources for the Sandhi lineup include the legendary cool-climate Bien Nacido, best known by the single vineyard bottlings produced by the Bien Nacido estate, Au Bon Climat, and Qupe Winery, and the world-classic, historic Sanford & Benedict.

This Chardonnay is a barrel selection from these illustrious vineyards. It was crafted with the wine director at one of SF’s finest restaurants, Zuni Café. We knew it would be a charming and food-friendly wine, but we were stunned by the quality when we tasted a sample bottle last week. Fans of Evening Land will be dazzled by the beauty and elegance through a Californian lens, fans of Sandhi will be impressed by the price.

This is an exclusive deal and, like the Brasserie 19 offer folks still ask about, when it’s gone it’s gone for good.

In Stock Now:

Sandhi Zuni Café Chardonnay, Santa Barbara County 2016 750ML ($34.95) $21.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Sandhi Zuni Café Chardonnay, Santa Barbara County 2016 750ML ($399.95) $239 special
Winery note “If you’ve ever sat at San Francisco’s iconic Zuni Café with a plate of oysters in front of you while you wait for the iconic whole roast chicken, you may have had a glass or two of this collaboration between longtime friends Rajat Parr of Sandhi and Zuni wine director Thierry Lovato. The wine is a barrel selection from some of Sandhi’s iconic Sta. Rita Hills sites, (think Mt. Carmel, Sanford & Benedict) with enough own-rooted, 1973 Wente selection Bien Nacido Chardonnay blended in to warrant a Santa Barbara County designation. Add to that the favorable 2016 vintage in which a very warm spring and early summer gave way to cool nights and moderate daytime temperatures in July & August. These conditions allowed the medium-sized crop to mature perfectly with small berries in pristine condition and yield a remarkably balanced wine with fine depth and intensity.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Also in Stock Now:

Rotation Wines Chardonnay, Lodi 2019 750ML ($17.95) $12.50 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Rotation Wines Chardonnay, Lodi 2019 750ML ($199.95) $135 special
No reviews for the 2019. 2018 review provided for reference.
Jim Gordon – Wine Enthusiast “This well-balanced wine is medium bodied, nicely driven by citrus and crisp apple flavors, and showing little oak influence. Smooth and a bit lively in texture, it tastes clean and fresh.”

Dutton-Goldfield Dutton Ranch Chardonnay, Russian River Valley 2018 750ML ($39.95) $28 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Dutton-Goldfield Dutton Ranch Chardonnay, Russian River Valley 2018 750ML ($449.95) $299 special
Virginie Boone – Wine Enthusiast 93 points “This is a 100% barrel-fermented wine from such stellar sites as Mill Station, Sullivan and Walker Hill. Lively, fresh and focused, it has great acidity and tension, a pleasing energy and minerality that boosts lovely flavors of green apple, Meyer lemon and mango, finishing with balanced richness.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Eisele Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley 2018 750ML ($119.95) $89 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-3 Eisele Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley 2018 750ML ($349.95) $255 special
James Suckling 97 points “Sliced apples and limes on the nose with grassy and chamomile notes. But then it turns to honeysuckle, chalk and minerals. Full-bodied with papaya, sliced-pear and green-pineapple flavors. Tight and fresh at the end. Crunchy acidity. Solid density. Energetic finish. Drink now or hold.”

Castello di Ama’s Stunning Gran Selezione

Castello di Ama has emerged as one of the truly special estates of Chianti. Open to new ideas, always with quality in mind, Castello di Ama makes rich, textural Chiantis that rival the region’s most sought-after wines. In stock now, their 2016 La Casuccia and 2014 San Lorenzo Gran Seleziones. For the uninitiated, Gran Selezione is the new level above Riserva designating longer aging and designed to let producers highlight their tip-top wines from Sangiovese. In championing the new designation, Castello di Ama has further telegraphed their commitment to quality. And the 2016 La Casuccia is a stunning example of what’s possible with Sangiovese when no corners are cut.

At a more everyday price of $33, Castello di Ama’s 2014 San Lorenzo Gran Selezione punches way above its weight. Full-bodied, rich and surprisingly silky, this is really special stuff. On account of their fantastic relative value, and readiness for drinking, both of these Gran Seleziones are must-buys for anyone who loves Tuscan reds.

In Stock Now:

Castello di Ama Vigneto La Casuccia, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG 2016 750ML ($219.95) $179 special, 18 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 97 points “The 2016 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigneto La Casuccia is rich, sensual and inviting, as it so often is. The addition of Merlot to Sangiovese yields a Chianti Classico built on textural resonance, with silky tannins, soft curves and tons of sheer allure. The 2016 won’t be ready to drink anytime soon, but it is unquestionably a great wine in the making. Succulent dark cherry, red plum, menthol, licorice, cloves and new oak infuse the creamy, voluptuous finish.”
Kerin O’keefe-Wine Enthusiast 97 points “Mature black-skinned berry, rose, tilled soil and a balsamic whiff of eucalyptus shape the nose. The bright, elegant palate has energy, tension and depth, delivering ripe wild cherry, red plum, licorice and crushed botanical herb. Taut, fine-grained tannins lend polished support while fresh acidity keeps it balanced. A gorgeous wine. Drink through 2031.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Castello di Ama ‘San Lorenzo’, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG 2014 750ML ($59.95) $33 special, 25 bottles in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 93+ points “The 2014 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione San Lorenzo flaunts its importance. It boasts confidence and an outward-looking personality that comes as a refreshing surprise. Like all Gran Selezione wines, it is released 30 months after January 1st following the harvest. That means it still has a few more months to go before it hits the market. This expression of Sangiovese shows depth and power with ripe fruit tones of cherry and forest berry. Like many of the other high profile wines I preview-tasted from the difficult 2014 vintage, I am delighted and surprised by the elegant and soft nature of the mature tannins. The wine’s finish offers bright freshness with layers of dark fruit, wet earth and forest floor.”
Kerin O’Keefe – Wine Enthusiast 93 points “Aromas of exotic spice, pipe tobacco, woodland berry and a whiff of French oak take center stage on this fragrant, elegant red. The racy, ethereal palate delivers tart red cherry, tart pomegranate, cinnamon and vanilla framed in taut fine-grained tannins and vibrant acidity. Drink 2019–2026.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next lowest listed price is $59.99

Also in Stock Now:

Castello di Ama L’Apparita Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2016 750ML ($289.95) $249 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 100 points “The 2016 L’Apparita, 100% Merlot, is a breathtaking, riveting wine that captures all the potential of the vintage. In this vintage, L’Apparita is especially silky and refined. Layered, perfumed and wonderfully nuanced, L’Apparita is simply epic. Lavender, mint, sage, spice, new leather and cloves develop with time, but more than anything else, L’Apparita is wonderfully complete and magnificently beautiful.”

Castello di Ama ‘Castello di Ama’, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2015 1.5L ($69.95) $49 special, 24+ magnums in stock now
James Suckling 92 points “So much sweet tobacco and cherry character here with hints of smoked meat. Medium body, fine tannins and a bright and fruity finish. Acid tension give this definition. Tangy. Drink now.”

This is the only magnum listing in the USA today!

Wine Enthusiast Top 100 in 2018
Castello di Ama ‘San Lorenzo’, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG 2013 1.5L ($119.95) $99 special, 4 magnums in stock now
Kerin O’keefe-Wine Enthusiast 95 points “Fragrant and refined, this radiant wine opens with scents of violet, red berry, baking spice and a whiff of plum. The chiseled palate delivers succulent wild cherry, white pepper, cinnamon and star anise alongside firm, refined tannins. It boasts a long licorice finish while bright acidity lends balance. It’s already delicious but hold for even more complexity. Drink 2020–2033.”
James Suckling 95 points “Tight and super silky with a gorgeous density and precision that gives great polish to the tannins. Makes them almost dusty. Lots of subtle dark berry, mineral and spice. Drink or hold.”

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

Castello di Ama ‘Purple Rose’ Toscana IGT, Tuscany2017 1.5L ($69.95) $49 special, 9 magnums in stock now
Ian D’agata-Vinous 90 points “Luminous red-pink. Fresh aromas of strawberry and flowers, then ripe and sweet with similar flavors to the aromas that show very good acid cut. This actually leaves a sweet impression on the long suave finish, but has so much acidity it seems less sweet than it is. Lovely. Winemaker Marco Pallanti has changed the winemaking so as to macerate the must on the skins for twelve hours and then ages the wine in used (one year) barriques to round it. A blend of mostly Sangiovese with a little Merlot.”

This is the only magnum listing in the USA today!

Love Tuscany? We have 165 different options in stock. Shop our entire selection, including staff favorites like Castell’in Villa, Fèlsina, Fontodi and more, on our web store now.

Vinopolis Wine Shop Curbside Pick Up

Order Online / By Phone / By Email

When you’re ready to pick up, just park in our lot,
give us a call, & we’ll bring your order to your car.

(If another adult is picking up for you,
please let us know their name when placing your order.)

www.vinopoliswineshop.com

info@vinopoliswineshop.com

503-223-6002

Burgundy’s Most Underrated Domaine?

Henri Prudhon

Most of the time when the phrase “cult wine” is used we think of small production, pricy wines with lots of points. But every now and then we see a wine that breaks that mold. The wines from Domain Henri Prudhon are prime examples. They aren’t expensive, but they are hard for us to source because they occupy a unique place in the Burgundy world. For one, they’re incredibly fairly priced, which seems to be rarer than ever before in Burgundy. But most of all, they’re mineral-driven wines, built on stone and not fruit.

The Prudhon wines seem to hold the essence of their stony terroirs inside of them. Both red and white have a minerality and precision that’s very old-school and completely captivating. We have a limited number of bottles remaining, and cannot recommend these wines highly enough for your spring drinking pleasure.

In Stock Now:

Henri Prudhon & Fils Bourgogne Les Charmeaux, Burgundy 2016 750ML ($27.95) $24 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Importer (Neal Rosenthal) Note “This cuvée is drawn from several parcels in Saint Aubin that comprise about 7/10 of a hectare. The vines are a mix of young (10 years) and old (40 years). Clay and limestone soils with a western exposure in the western most sector of the village of Saint Aubin. The wine is aged in small barrel for eight months but no new oak is used.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Henri Prudhon & Fils Saint-Aubin Les Argillers, Côte de Beaune 2015 750ML ($34.95) $28 special, 33 bottles in stock now
Case-12 Henri Prudhon & Fils Saint-Aubin Les Argillers, Côte de Beaune 2015 750ML ($379.95) $299 special
Importer (Neal Rosenthal) Note ““Les Argillers” sits on the upper reaches of the slope of Saint-Aubin, just south of “Le Ban” and bordering the forest. Prudhon farms two hectares of 30-to-60-year-old vines here, and the wine they produce tends to be snappy, mineral-driven, and floral—less about Pinot Noir plushness and more about the freshness and drive of a cool-climate red wine.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Henri Prudhon & Fils Les Castets, Saint-Aubin Premier Cru 2016 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 1 bottle in stock now
Importer (Neal Rosenthal) Note ““Les Castets” sits just underneath “Le Ban,” and it marks the beginning of a swath of premier crus that form the “fillet” of the slope above the village itself. Produced from a miniscule 0.3-hectare parcel, it shows more richness and breadth on the palate than “Le Ban” above, but with a similar vibrancy. Prudhon’s vines here are 15 years old, and they employ a modest 25% new oak, which the premier-cru density of the wine absorbs well.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Henri Prudhon & Fils Les Frionnes, Saint-Aubin Premier Cru 2015 750ML ($41.95) $36 special, 14 bottles in stock now
Importer (Neal Rosenthal) Note “The Prudhons own a solid hectare of vines between 30 and 60 years of age in this premier cru that lies just to the north of “Les Perrieres.” In keeping with the Prudhon house style, “Frionnes” emphasizes the freshness and raciness of Saint-Aubin—there is virtually no new oak used in its elevage, and there’s a certain restraint and brightness to the fruit that feels self-assured and very terroir-loyal.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Henri Prudhon & Fils Les Rouges Gorges, Saint-Aubin Premier Cru 2015 750ML ($41.95) $36 special, 15 bottles in stock now
Importer (Neal Rosenthal) Note “his wine is produced from two separate parcels: one on a hillside above the hamlet of Gamay and the other from a parcel between Saint Aubin and Chassagne Montrachet. The average age of the vines is 50 years (as of 2011). A classic wine of this sector with compelling notes of animal and wild berries. The elevage is about 18 months before bottling; again, very little new oak is used.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Love the Côte de Beaune? We have 87 different reds in stock. Shop the entire selection, including famous names like Chandon Briailles, Coche-Dury, Montille and more, on our web store now.

Lower Mosel’s Signature Producer

Heymann-Loewenstein

Heymann-Loewenstein is the signature producer of Germany’s Lower Mosel region. The Terrassenmosel is part of the lower Mosel river valley where the steepness of the slope requires terraces just to be able to grow grapes. It’s a daunting place to work—everything is so steep that no mechanized work is possible and so every single vine must be tended by hand.

Reinhard Loewenstein fits in with this region, then, as an absolute perfectionist who will do any and everything possible to make sure that his wines are as profound as possible. His yields and selection in the vineyards are made solely with quality in mind, and he holds his wines back longer before release than most German producers—cash flow be damned!

In terms of style, the word that comes to mind when tasting these wines is ‘mineral’. Not minerality paired with fruitiness, like with many Mosel Rieslings, but sheer rockiness in liquid form. The wines are lean, racy and benefit from air or a few years in bottle. If allowed to open up they are incredibly rewarding in the way that only the great wines of the world can be. One perfectly cellared example just entering an ideal drinking window is the 2010 ‘R’ Winninger Uhlen Roth Lay Auslese Goldkapsel. Offered today at the Super Subscriber Special price of $89, it’s a bottle that will convince anyone of the charms of aged Riesling.

In Stock Now & Priced to Move:

Heymann-Loewenstein ‘R’ Winninger Uhlen Roth Lay Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2010 750ML ($199.95) $89 Super Subscriber Special, 36 bottles in stock now
No reviews for the 2010. 2007 review provided for reference.
David Schildknecht – Wine Advocate 93 points “Lowenstein’s 2010 Winninger Uhlen Riesling Auslese Gold Capsule Roth Lay – destined for auction – displays an almost sweaty aromatic alliance of salinity and musky pungency, along with nose-prickling lemon rind such as one might expect from an Eiswein. Suggestions of marigold and narcissus add to the exotic, pungent muskiness on display here. Fig and peach preserves; pear drops; marzipan and salted caramel intensely mark the palate, while zesty, musky, and saline mineral impingement serve for strikingly persistent stimulation. Despite its lower (7.5%) alcohol, though, this comes off not only as more viscous but also less buoyant (let alone “uncannily” so) than its Rottgen counterpart. That wine is an example of botrytis performing its magic and leaving nary a fingerprint behind, whereas here, prints are quite evident, even if fascinatingly smudge-free. This compellingly complex concentrate will not be everybody’s cup of nobly rotten Riesling, but ought to merit at least the better part of two decades attention.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Also in Stock Now:

Heymann-Loewenstein Kirchberg Riesling, Mosel 2015 750ML ($49.95) $33 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2015 Riesling Kirchberg ‘VDP Grosse Lage’ opens with a generous and warm, ripe Riesling aroma intertwined with some herbal and iron lemon flavors on the clear and elegant nose. This is a full-bodied, charming, finessed and elegant wine with fine tannin structure and a dry and persistent finish. Still young, the Kirchberg will benefit from further bottle aging.”
Mosel Fine Wines 92+ points “This wine is rather reduced but offers a gorgeously flowery nose of pear and Provence herbs. It proves superbly elegant on the palate where grip and saltiness define the aromatics. Great multi-layered complexity already comes through in the long and airy finish. This is still very primary and in need of bottle age to balance out but this beauty will easily turn into the most complete and elegant expression of Kirchberg we have taste to date. This is hugely impressive and has even some upside potential. 2018-2025.”
VinopolNote “Soil is Reddish slate, sandy-quarzite rich in iron”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Heymann-Loewenstein Kirchberg Riesling, Mosel 2016 750ML ($44.95) $33 special, 4 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 91 points “The 2016 Riesling Kirchberg ‘VDP Grosse Lage’ is super ripe and flinty on the nose, with caramelly aromas. Pure, fresh and mineral, with a fine, mineral structure and lingering salinity, this is a tensioned Riesling with good phenolic structure.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next lowest listed price is $83.50

Heymann-Loewenstein ‘R’ Winninger Uhlen Roth Lay Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2007 375ML ($99.95) $49 special, 20 half-bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 96 points “Candied citrus, jujube, sweet spice and quince paste aromas and flavors mark this sweet, bracing Riesling, which is light on its feet and resonates on the finish with a mouthwatering feel and echoes of citrus. Best from 2012 through 2045.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Heymann-Loewenstein Röttgen, Mosel 2016 750ML ($59.95) $39 special, 4 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2016 Riesling Röttgen ‘VDP Grosse Lage’ is pure and flinty on the nose, with bright fruit and mineral aromas on the nose. On the palate, this is a piquant, fresh and well-structured as well as intense and persistent Riesling with cacao flavors in the finish. Terribly fresh and piquant, this is a remarkable Riesling. Tasted February 2018.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Heymann-Loewenstein ‘B’ Uhlen Blaufüsser Lay, Mosel 2016 750M ($69.95) $49 special, 16 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93+ points “The 2016 Riesling Uhlen B ‘VDP Grosse Lage’ is pure, fresh and rich at the same time, with flinty aromas on the nose. Full-bodied, precise and piquant on the palate, this is an elegant, fresh and salty Riesling with a lot of tension and length. Powerful. Long.”
Mosel Fine Wines 92 points “This offers a gorgeous nose of candied grapefruit zest, some star fruit, ripe pear and apple, all wrapped into the telltale classy touch of fine spices and herbs so typical of the Estate. The wine is medium-bodied on the palate and leaves a beautifully pure, spicy and mineral-loaded feel in the long and delicately powerful finish. This is a gorgeous wine in the making with a hint of power and nice saltiness in the after-taste.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Heymann-Loewenstein ‘L’ Uhlen Laubach Großes Gewächs Riesling, Mosel 2016 750ML ($69.95) $49 special, 15 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points “From a slate soil with 10% chalk, the 2016 Riesling Uhlen L ‘VDP Grosse Lage’ shows licorice, flinty and bright fruit aromas on the nose. Juicy, piquant and tensioned on the palate, this is an intense and complex Riesling with lush and intense fruit. The finish is long and promising. Tasted February 2018.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next lowest listed price $128.83

Love German Riesling? We have over 350 different options (not a typo!) in stock. Shop the entire selection, including staff favorites like Kruger-Rumpf, Peter Lauer, Von Winning and more, on our web store now.

Vinopolis is an independent wine shop in Portland that opened in 2004. Our goal has always been to offer the finest, broadest, and largest selection of wines at the best prices to our customers in Portland, in Oregon, across the West Coast, and throughout the United States.

Thank you for reading and for continuing to support our team!

Stay safe, be well, & drink well.

Vinopolis Tuesday Newsletter 5-18-21

In This Newsletter:

Subscriber Special
Continuum’s Proprietary Red

Staff Pick
Piedmont’s Most Charming Red?

Icons of Barolo
Top Picks $100+

New Grapelive Review
A ‘Unicorn’ GG from Willi Schaefer

Merlin’s Exquisite Northern Rhône Reds

Staff Recommended Wines from Galicia

Collector’s Corner
Fourrier’s Captivating 2018s

Subscriber Special

Continuum’s Proprietary Red

Continuum has emerged over the last several years as one of the most important wineries in Napa Valley. With a beautiful estate vineyard located on a prime west-facing exposure on Pritchard Hill, overlooking Lake Hennessey, Tim Mondavi honors his family’s heritage while making some of the most exciting wines in the Valley. Big, bold, seductive, and hard to find, Continuum’s flagship red is sought after by collectors, enthusiasts and casual drinkers alike. Always an in-demand wine, we’re sweetening the deal by offering a 5% discount when you purchase 3-5 bottles/half-bottles or 10% when you purchase 6+ bottles/half-bottles. But the deal ends at 6PM on Friday, so don’t sleep on this limited time offer!

Buy 3-5 bottles/half-bottles of Continuum, receive a 5% discount
Buy 6+ bottles/half-bottles of Continuum, receive a 10% discount
The discount will not appear in your online shopping cart
We will apply it manually before processing your order
Offer ends Friday, May 21st at 6 PM

Arriving Friday, May 21st:

Continuum Proprietary Red, Napa Valley 2018 750ML ($299.95) $259 pre-arrival special
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate 98-100 points “Composed of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Cabernet Franc, 9% Petit Verdot and 6% Merlot, the deep garnet-purple 2018 Proprietary Red has a fantastically fragrant nose of candied violets, red roses, Morello cherries and blackcurrant pastilles with hints of wild blueberries, red currant jelly, iron ore and forest floor, plus a waft of cinnamon stick. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is completely packed with tightly wound black and red berry layers, framed by firm, ripe, finely grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with incredibly persistent and evocative floral and mineral layers. An absolute head-turner, this 2018 is all that and then some.”
Winery note “The 2018 Continuum shows energy and verve. The wine expresses purity and precision, with high tone aromatics of red and blue fruit, deep plum and rose oil. This vintage shows an approachable nerve of the land in the refined mineral quality on the palate. The surrounding native vegetation of bay and sage is evidenced in an earthy, savory profile. This is a shimmering, silky and harmoniously integrated wine with densely packed fine grain tannins. 2018 Continuum is a wine for the ages, delicious today with a long life ahead.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

In Stock Now:

Continuum Proprietary Red, Oakville 2017 375ML ($149.95) $128 special, 20 half-bottles in stock now
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate 97+ points “A blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc, 9% Petit Verdot and 9% Merlot, the deep garnet-purple 2017 Proprietary Red soars out of the glass with notions of baked blueberries, plum preserves and blackcurrant cordial, backed up by nuances of chocolate mint, wild sage, violets and pencil shavings, plus an earthy hint of Chinese five spice. The rich, seductive, full-bodied palate is jam-packed with spicy black fruit preserves, framed by wonderfully plush tannins and a lively backbone, finishing long and opulent.”

This is the lowest listed half-bottle price on the West Coast today!

Love California wine? We have over 75 different options from the Golden State in stock. Shop the entire selection, including staff favorites like Arnot-Roberts, Freemark Abbey, Pax and more, on our web store now.

Staff Pick

Piedmont’s Most Charming Red?

Grant:
Looking for a wine with the rusticity of Italy, the versatility of Pinot Noir, and priced like a Barbera? Check out our Pelavergas! Once nearly extinct, this Piedmontese rarity is found in a minuscule village called Verduno where it was historically blended with Nebbiolo. Having farmed the varietal since 1800 for the royal family of Piedmont, Burlotto gives a compelling argument for Pelaverga as a single varietal. Only a handful of producers are still working with this grape, and we happen to carry 3 in house! Burlotto represents the traditional style of the varietal, with Melognis taking a “new school”, modern approach to the winemaking and Castello with a vintage-dated sparkler! A bright garnet color in the glass with expressive botanical aromas of Kampot peppercorn, Italian Oregano, Greek thyme and strawberry leaf that are perceptible even slightly chilled. Primary flavors of strawberry, dried cranberries and redcurrants with a medium body and slightly higher acid, this is a perfect food wine. Traditionally paired with charcuterie and mushroom based dishes, Pelaverga would also pair fantastically with blackened chicken, gumbo, pizza or cedar plank salmon. For a less than ideal weather day, this is also a wine for a hot bowl of soup like bouillabaisse, ramen or minestrone. Perfectly suited for pinot noir lovers, this would be perfect for blind tasting that one friend who thinks they can guess any and everything you put in their glass.

In Stock Now:

G.B. Burlotto Verduno Pelaverga, Piedmont 2019 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Importer note “Pelaverga is an hierloom Piedmontese varietal. Matteo Ascheri aims to highlight the grape’s potential as a dry, still red with spicy, dark cherry and red-berry flavors. A medium bodied, fresh and bright red, the Pelaverga pairs well with a wide range of pastas, pizzas and lighter grilled meats and fish.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Castello di Verduno Basadone Pelaverga, Piedmont 2019 750ML ($34.95) $26.60 special, 31 bottles in stock now
Importer note “Pelaverga is indigenous to the village of Verduno, it produces red wines that are light in color but savory and distinctive on the palate… This one is aged in stainless steel before bottling without filtration. The winery’s website cannot be improved on for a description: ‘Soft, though bright ruby red. Intense fragrant nose, showing clear spicy overtones of black pepper and nutmeg, as well as fruity sensations reminiscent of cherries in spirit and strawberries. Nicely-balanced, lingering dry flavour.'”

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

Cascina Melognis ‘Divicaroli’ Pelaverga Colline Saluzzesi, Piedmont 2018 ($29.95) $24 special, 10 bottles in stock now
Importer note “The grapes for “Divicaroli” are sourced from 30-year-old pelaverga vines. Pelaverga (distinct from the pelaverga piccolo variety of Verduno) is characteristic of the area around Saluzzo. Here it was long a staple in blends, but its importance shrank over time, until it nearly vanished in the 1970s. Today, careful site selection and pruning are bringing about a small and welcome renaissance for the grape. Its peppery, high-toned freshness, and delicate floral and herbaceous notes are quintessentially Alpine. It is still rare to find monovarietal pelaverga from anywhere in the Piedmont, let alone the Colline Saluzzesi. This wine is macerated for ten days before undergoing spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel, where it remains for 6 months before being bottled. “Divicaroli” means “belonging to Saint Charles” in Latin and is named such because the pelaverga comes from a vineyard named after St. Charles.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Castello di Verduno S-Ciopet Spumante Metodo Classico Brut Rosé, Piedmont 2014 750ML ($69.95) $39 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Winery note “S-ciopet is the dialect name of selvatic flower reported on label, The Silene Rigonfia. The choice is this because amenable to the sound of opening of sparkling bottle and it join at the line of selvatic flowers already rappresented on our label It is a brut rosè sparkling wine obtained with 100% of our favorite grape variety: the autochthon red variety of our village! Excellent wine as an aperitif or throughout the meal.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Love Piedmontese wine? We have over 200 different options in stock. Shop the entire selection, including staff favorites like Cantalupo, Produttori, Vajra and more, on our web store now.

Icons of Barolo

Top Picks $119+

In Stock Now:

Wine Enthusiast Cellar Selection
Elvio Cogno Barolo Bricco Pernice, Barolo DOCG 2015 750ML ($149.95) $119 special, 10 bottles in stock now
Kerin O’keefe-Wine Enthusiast 97 points “Cellar Selection. Enticing scents of rose, iris, perfumed berry and an earthy whiff of truffle shape the fragrant nose on this dazzling wine. The delicious, full-bodied palate boasts structure and a weightless elegance, delivering juicy Marasca cherry, cherry compote, cinnamon and star anise. Taut polished tannins and fresh acidity provide balance and an elegant structure. It’s already irresistible but will also age well for years. Drink 2022–2035.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 96 points “The Elvio Cogno 2015 Barolo Ravera Bricco Pernice delivers the depth, richness and concentration that are a hallmark of this pretty vintage. This wine is a pure expression of the productive Lampia clone of Nebbiolo. Generous layers of blackberry, wild cherry, rose hip, ferrous earth and campfire ash are neatly folded together to build the wine’s intensity. Like the other wines from this estate, the tannic management is spot-on. You are aware of the wine’s youthful structure, but it is delivered without hard edges or sharp points. A mere 4,000 bottles were produced.”

#33 on James Suckling’s Top 100 Wines of the Year
E. Pira & Figli Chiara Boschis Cannubi, Barolo DOCG 2015 750ML ($149.95) $119 special, 22 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 99 points “Impressive roses and finely ground spices with a bright red-cherry core, as well as a fresh wild-herb thread. The sense of focus and purity here is stunning. The palate has a deeply juicy and fresh core of tightly knit tannins that carry immense power with impeccable balance. Elegantly executed wine with profound length. Try from 2025.”

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

Fresh, nuanced & balanced
La Spinetta Vursu Vigneto Campe, Barolo DOCG 2015 750ML ($159.95) $119 special, 8 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 97 points “Very distinctive nose with violets and very pure blackcurrants and blueberries, as well as leafy nuances, all of which deliver a fresh impression. The palate has impressive depth and density and the cool, blue fruit at the center sits fresh and vibrant. Smoothly resolved tannins shape a distinguished, balanced and long palate. Drink or hold.”

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

“This is a true beauty”
Giuseppe Mascarello e Figlio Monprivato, Barolo DOCG 2015 750ML ($199.95) $159 special, 28 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 97+ points “This is a true beauty. The Giuseppe Mascarello 2015 Barolo Monprivato borrows from the best of the Nebbiolo playlist. You get precision, abundance, focus and depth presented in proud and elegant fashion. Monprivato in Castiglione Falletto shows its worth as one of the best-performing sites in both 2015 and 2016. This warmer growing season presents red and purple fruit with cherry, plum and dried blackberry. A second wave of aromas washes over the senses with spice, licorice, tar and crushed limestone. The mouthfeel is stitched tightly together with interwoven layers of acidity, tannin and fleshy fruit.”

A cellar pick
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.”

“In a word: Magnificent”
Vietti Lazzarito, Barolo DOCG 2016 750ML ($299.95) $199 special, 11 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 98 points “The 2016 Barolo Lazzarito is another stunning wine in this range. The 2016 is the first vintage of the Lazzarito I can remember tasting in which intensely mineral notes accompany the more savory, earthy notes that are so typical of this site. Graphite, sage, dried flowers, crushed rocks, menthol, dried rose petal, mint, licorice and blood orange race out of the glass in a breathtaking, towering Barolo that hits all the right notes from the start to its chiseled, strikingly detailed finish. The 2016 Lazzarito is one of the most classically austere wines in this range. In a word: Magnificent.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 98 points “Drawing its fruit from Serralunga d’Alba, the Vietti 2016 Barolo Lazzarito is built like a pyramid. It is grounded by a thick base of robust fruit and power and soars upward in intensity thanks to its beautifully lifted bouquet. It reveals direct and solid lines with blackberry, plum, spice, tar, licorice, candied orange peel and truffle-infused earth. A second wave of aromas offers dark minerals and ferrous qualities such as iron ore and rust. Baroli from Serralunga d’Alba are often in a category apart thanks to their richness and sheer fruit weight. With extra aeration, Lazzarito delivers mint, balsam herb or Fernet-Branca. Production is 9,293 bottles and 300 magnums.”

“It is easily one of the highlights of the year”
Giuseppe Rinaldi Cannubi San Lorenzo – Ravera, Barolo DOCG 2009 750ML ($329.95) $279 special, 1 bottle in stock now
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2009 Barolo Cannubi San Lorenzo/Ravera emerges from the glass with sweet red berries, leather, licorice, menthol and sweet spices, all supported by fine, silky tannins. I very much like the sense of energy and vibrancy Rinaldi was able to achieve in 2009, no small feat. The Cannubi San Lorenzo/Ravera has excellent color, freshness, vibrancy, and above all else superb balance. It is easily one of the highlights of the year.”

“A towering, statuesque Barolo, the 2010 dazzles from the very first taste”
Cappellano Otin Fiorin Pie Rupestris – Nebiolo, Barolo DOCG 2010 750ML ($499.95) $379 special, 8 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni – Vinous “This third flight comes to a rousing finish with the 2010 Barolo Otin Fiorin Piè Rupestris – Nebioli. A towering, statuesque Barolo, the 2010 dazzles from the very first taste. It is, of course, too young, but is a wine I very much wanted in this tasting because I wanted Vinous readers to have a chance to experience it. When all is said and done, 2010 is the greatest young vintage I have tasted at Cappellano.”

“Utterly spellbinding in its profoundness”
G. B. Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero, Barolo DOCG 2016 750ML ($899.95) $719 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni – Vinous 100 points “The 2016 Barolo Monvigliero is utterly spellbinding in its profoundness. In this vintage, the Monvigliero moves into shades of more blue-toned fruit. Whole clusters, always 100%, are remarkably integrated. Rose petal, lavender, mint, crushed flowers, wild red berries, blueberry, blood orange and mint are some of the many notes that grace this exceptional, silky Barolo. The 2016 was fermented with low temperatures and spent two months on the skins. With its laser-like focus and incredible cut, tension and nuance, the Monvigliero will be slow to reveal itself, but wow – what a wine.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Love Barolo? We have over 75 different options in stock. Shop the entire selection, including staff favorites like Castello Di Verduno, G.D. Vajra, Giacomo Fenocchio and more, on our web store now.

New Grapelive Review

A ‘Unicorn’ GG from Willi Schaefer

“The Willi Schaefer Gaacher Himmelreich GG is a unicorn wine, maybe one of the rarest bottles you’ll see of a current release by this winery and I feel incredibly to have got one, this Dry wine from one of Germany’s great vineyards and greatest producers is a treasure. Based in Graach, Willi Schafer has a fabulous collection of vines with south-to-southwest exposition, these parcels have great sun exposure all day as well as access to a natural spring that runs through the hillside, guaranteeing good water supply even in warm vintages. This GG is deeply mineral laced and shows a tight array of tart apricot, green apple, white flowers and zesty citrus fruits, flinty spices, wet rock, a touch of lees and almond paste. This is not as expansive and generous as the Schaefer Spätlese offerings are and this wine is nervy serious, though its personality really changes as it gets air and a bit more warmth in the glass, it impresses much more with food and time to unwind. The Romans knew the benefits of Graach’s sites and cultivated vines here in ancient times helping create the reputation for quality that has stood the test of time. In the Prussian times too this area was producing some of the world’s most expressive and prized wines and their classification of the Mosel vineyards from 1816 to 1832 indeed gave Graach’s vineyards, like the Himmelreich the highest ratings. Schaefer known for their classic Prädikat wines, Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese and Beerenauslese does an ultra small batch of Trocken, with this Graacher Himmelreich VDP Großes Gewachs (Grand Cru) being the ultimate find in dry Mosel offerings, right up there with Dr. Loosen and Maximin Grunhaus, but far more limited.

According to the famed importer and Riesling guru Terry Theise, Schaefer is absolutely, without question, one of the greatest producers in Germany with Riesling that is crystalline, ethereally complex and limpidly clear, they have a quality of calm, these wines I will add are joyous and happy, you cannot be a wine lover without celebrating in them. This small family estate which dates back to 1121 and only does Riesling is a benchmark for the Mosel and are coveted not just by collectors, but by other growers. The Schafer’s plots are located on steep weathered Devonian slate (soil) slopes and consist of up to 100-year-old, ungrafted vines. Theise also notes that Himmelreich is buoyant, more floral, lighter in texture and is open from day one, all of which is hard to argue with and these qualities also make Graacher Himmelreich a superb source for Schaefer’s elite dry wine. In 2015 Christoph Schaefer took the helm of the winery from his illustrious father and together with his wife Andrea continue to run it with the highest level of quality. Christoph and Andrea met while studying oenology-and viticulture at university, the famous Geisenheim, where Germany’s top winemakers get trained. Christoph joined his father Willi back in 2002 so his experience and the transition was seamless guaranteeing that these wines remain some of the world’s most coveted, with this 2018 GG being a shinning star! I highly recommend putting this away for another 3 to 5 years and let it get some secondary elements going here, which I believe will transform this GG into a beautiful swan of a wine, patience will certainly be rewarded, in the meantime drink any and all of the Schaefer Kabinett(s) and Spätlese(s), from the Graacher Domprobst and Graacher Himmelreich you can get!” – Grapelive

In Stock Now:

Weingut Willi Schaefer Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Großes Gewächs, Mosel 2018 750ML ($79.95) $59 special, 16 bottles in stock now
Grapelive 93-95 points “The Willi Schaefer Gaacher Himmelreich GG is a unicorn wine… [Review above]”
Mosel Fine Wines 94 points “The 2018er Himmelreich GG, as it is written on the main part of the label, comes from fruit picked in the Himmelreich and Stablay parts of the vineyard, and was fermented spontaneously and aged on its gross lees in traditional Fuder cask until June 2019. It offers a stunningly complex nose made of lemongrass, mirabelle, grapefruit, herbs, wet stone, and delicately earthy spices. The wine proves stunningly playful and balanced on the light-footed but intense palate. It leaves a superbly engaging feel of fresh fruits, minerals, and herbs pepped up a most delicate touch of tickly acidity in the long and suave finish. The after-taste is all about airiness as more fruits, minerals, and refreshing elements add depth to the experience. This is a stunning expression of airy dry Mosel Riesling. What a huge success! 2023-2033”

Other Highlights, in Stock Now:

Weingut Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese #10, Mosel 2016 750ML ($44.95) $39 special, 29 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2016 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese (AP #10) is one of three Spätlesen that were selected in 2016. The wine has a very clear and smoky bouquet of perfectly ripe, healthy Riesling berries and yellow-fleshed stone fruits. Round, lush and piquant, this is a very elegant and stimulating Spätlese with lingering, mouthwatering salinity. The wine is complex but not all too intellectual. It has a ripe but coolish-elegant character with a long, well-structured finish.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next lowest listed price is $53

Weingut Willi Schaefer Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese, Mosel 2018 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 13 bottles in stock now
John Gilman 93+ points “The Himmelreich has produced a beautiful Spätlese as well in 2018, and this is destined to be a long-lived and superb bottle. The complex nose is vibrant and refined, offering up scents of lime, pear, a nice touch of orange zest, bee pollen, elder flowers, lovely minerality and a topnote of citrus blossoms. On the palate the wine is medium-full, pure and zesty, with lovely inner tension between its beautiful fruit tones and mineral undertow. The finish is long, focused and bouncy, with lovely lift, cut and grip. 2022-2075.”
Wine Spectator 93 points “A luscious, velvety spätlese, featuring concentrated ripe apricot, orange marmalade and graham cracker notes, balanced by intense acidity, with hints of honey and sage cream on the finish. Very giving right now, and will only get better. Best from 2021 through 2036.”

Weingut Willi Schaefer Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2015 750ML ($79.95) $59 special, 15 bottles in stock now
Mosel Fine Wines 94 points “This “maiden wine” comes from the “new” parcel in the central part of the vineyard which was replanted after the 2011 vintage. This shows a quite smoky nose at first and only gradually reveals a fruity side driven by apricot and orange as well as mint and yellow peach. The wine is creamy and smooth on the palate, with just the right amount of acidity to keep things interesting. The unctuous feel to the finish in the finish adds to the pleasure of enjoying this deep and direct expression of Sonnenuhr Auslese. 2025-2040”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Love German Riesling? We have over 350 different options (not a typo!) in stock. Shop the entire selection on our web store now, including staff favorites like Kruger-Rumpf and Peter Lauer, as well as more from Willi Schaefer.

Vinopolis Wine Shop Curbside Pick Up

Merlin’s Exquisite Northern Rhône Reds

After studying under Rene Rostaing, François Merlin planted his first vineyard in the late 1980s. Since then, he’s been meticulously caring for his tiny acreage and making exquisite, if under-the-radar, Rhône wines. Preferring to let the grapes speak for themselves, he ages the wines in mostly neutral oak and steel. These are fresh and vibrant wines that, coming from the warm 2018 vintage, are beautiful now with grippy tannins and balanced acids indicating a long life ahead of them, particularly the Côte Rôtie and the Saint Joseph. While the IGP Syrah is a winner and a staff pick for hearty meals.

In Stock Now:

Domaine François Merlin Côte Rôtie, Rhône 2018 750ML ($79.95) $49 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Domaine François Merlin Côte Rôtie, Rhône 2018 750ML ($479.95) $279 special (that’s only $46.50/bottle!)
Decanter 93 points “A very soft style, very ripe and juicy. Fairly tannic, but they’re ripe and yielding with flavours of black fruit coulis and touch of liquorice. It has fairly high alcohol with a saline finish – there’s freshness despite the very ripe fruit. This is a palate-coating, fairly opulent style but will be good when it’s ready – has length.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Domaine François Merlin Saint-Joseph, Rhône 2018 750ML ($39.95) $26 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Domaine François Merlin Saint-Joseph, Rhône 2018 750ML ($479.95) $279 special (that’s only $23.25/bottle!)
Decanter 91 points “An approachable wine that has lifted cedar and incense on the nose. Very plush with soft fruits, slightly lacking in acidity perhaps, but it’s an authentic representation of the vintage, not overly corrected. Good natural sense to the fruit, it’s expressive, unrestrained. Not overly marked by oak spice. South-facing granite terroir, 70% of vines are 45-years-old, the rest are 15-years-old. All destemmed, 12 months in barriques and demi-muids, from 1 to 4 years-old.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Domaine François Merlin Brocéliande Syrah, IGP Collines Rhodaniennes 2018 750ML ($27.95) $17 special, 20 bottles in stock now
VinopolNote “Staff pick! Shows dark fruit, spice, and warm iron on the nose. Leather and black cherries leads into gingerbread and dried cherries with air. On the palate, the wine is impactful with flavors of spice and black berries. The light astringency of the tannins and solid acidity keep everything in check. There’s an aroma of black tea, plum and dark chocolate on the finish. A fantastic wine to pair with roast meats, game, or ratatouille.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Love Rhône reds? We have over 150 different options in stock. Shop the entire selection, including famous names like Chapoutier, Clape, Delas, on our web store now.

Staff Recommended Wines from Galicia

Coastal, northwestern Spain is one of the most exciting wine regions in the world. After decades operating in obscurity, the wine world is starting to discover the maritime climate, amazing terroirs and unique grapes of Galicia. As the world has noticed, money and technical ability have flowed in, creating the perfect environment for stunning, cool climate wines.

While it’s easy and tempting to compare these wines to something like Burgundy or the Loire, we’d like to note that these are very much their own genres—it’s just that these specific examples are more or less without peer in Spain. If ever we needed proof that the expansion of the wine world has been a good thing, these are some of the first wines we’d point towards.

Whites

In Stock Now:

Gaba Do Xil Branco Godello, Valdeorras 2018 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 19 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 90+ points “The 2018 Gaba do Xil Godello comes from a very difficult year in Galicia when mildew decimated many vineyards. When tasted a few months after bottling, it was very balsamic with notes of bay leaf and something medicinal, quite aromatic, powerful and a little reductive at first (perhaps the recent bottling). The palate was round and soft, approachable, with pungent flavors and a clean, dry finish, with ripeness somewhere between that of the 2016 and 2018. 96,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in December 2018.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Bodegas Gerardo Méndez Albariño Do Ferreiro, Rías Baixas 2018 750ML ($39.95) $27 special, 17 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2018 Albariño was very expressive after some time in the glass. This is their house wine, produced with grapes from the 11 hectares and up to 164 plots they work in the Salnés up to 22 kilometers from their winery in Meaño. The wine is very elegant in 2018; it’s vibrant and tasty, with the granite sapidity and the salty finish. I tasted a bottle from the end of June 2019, when the wine had had longer time sur lie, and the year in bottle does it good. 70,000 bottles produced.”

Nanclares y Prieto ‘Alberto Nanclares’ Albariño, Rías Baixas 2019 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 10 bottles in stock now
John Gilman 93 points “The Alberto Nanclares bottling from Nanclares y Prieto is produced from pergola-trained vines, ranging from thirty to sixty years of age, all planted on granitic soils interspersed with sand. The wine is fermented and raised for a bit more than a year, half in an old French oak tina and the other half in stainless steel, with fine lees in both vessels. The 2019 bottling is gorgeous on both the nose and palate, with the bouquet offering up a vibrant and complex blend of lemon, green apple, discreet notes of beeswax, ocean breeze, granitic minerality, gentle leesy tones and a delicate topnote of white flowers. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied and rock solid at the core, with superb mineral drive and cut, snappy acids and a very long, complex and saline finish. This is superb Albariño! 2021-2035.”
Importer note “Nanclares Albariño comes from 8 parcels in the parroquias (or parishes) of Cambados and Ribadumia.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Reds

In Stock Now:

Bodegas Virxen Pagos del Galir Mencía, Valdeorras 2016 750ML ($21.95) $16 special, 33 bottles in stock now
Case-12 Bodegas Virxen Pagos del Galir Mencía, Valdeorras 2016 750ML ($249.95) $169 special (that’s only $14.08/bottle!)
James Suckling 92 points “A wine with a delicious density of fruit and dusty texture. Medium body, fresh acidity and a long and flavorful finish. New wine from Rioja’s CUNE in this appellation.”

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

Gaba Do Xil Mencía Tinto, Valdeorras 2017 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 9 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 90+ points “It was hard to beat the superb 2016, but the 2017 Gaba do Xil Mencía was also perfumed and open, expressive, with a little more ripeness, with good volume and a little more density. This fermented and matured in stainless steel and was bottled without ever touching any oak to keep the fruit profile. But it’s more than fruit; it has the austere texture of the granite soils with an expressive finish. 2017 was a short vintage because of problems with frost and they produced 22,700 bottles of it.”

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

Guimaro Mencía, Ribeira Sacra 2018 750ML ($21.95) $19 special, 2 bottles in stock now
No reviews for the 2018. 2017 review provided for reference.
Decanter 92 points “Must-try red – Guímaro means ‘rebel’ in Galician and Pedro Rodriguez has taken on that mantle at this exciting estate, one of the first to join the new Ribeira Sacra DO in 1996. This is the most basic of the reds he makes, from high-altitude, old-vine Mencía blended with Caiño and Merenzão (Trousseau). It’s unashamedly pure and juicy, with crunchy, ripe, blue and purple fruit, floral perfume and a mineral tang from the slatey soil. A delicious discovery.”

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

Guimaro Camiño Real, Ribeira Sacra 2017 750ML ($37.95) $24 special, 11 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2017 Camiño Real now contains all the plots that they intended to include in the initial 2016 but couldn’t because many vineyards in the Amandi zone were destroyed by a terrible hailstorm on August 15th that year. It fermented with 80% full clusters and the rest uncrushed grapes in oak vats with a maceration of 35 days and matured in those vats for seven to eight months. Half of the wine was then moved to barrique and was kept there for five months, while the rest continued maturing in the 10,000-liter vat. The wine has notes of wild berries, flowers and herbs, with good complexity and a medium-bodied palate with fine-grained tannins. It has more complexity and depth than the young, unoaked wine and the single-vineyard bottlings. It has a nice mouthfeel and is quite approachable, a round and somewhat immediate vintage. 25,000 bottles.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Love Spanish wines? We have 24 different whites and over 120 different reds in stock. Shop our entire selection, including famous names like Comando G, Daniel Landi, Raúl Pérez and more, on our web store now.

Collector’s Corner

Fourrier’s Captivating 2018s

Domaine Fourrier makes some of the most captivating wines in Burgundy. To Burgophiles, this isn’t much of a claim—the wines that Jean-Marie has produced since taking over from his father have become hot tickets in the Burgundy world. If you aren’t familiar, these are wines to put on your radar. Fourrier’s style is heavily influenced by his time working under Henri Jayer and the wines show this.

When young they’re among the most impressive in Burgundy, combining succulent fruit with minerality and a complexity that’s nearly unmatched in newly released wines. They improve with age, as well, though we’ve always had a hard time keeping our hands off of the lower-tier wines in the first five years. Fourrier works exclusively with old massale vineyards (anything from vines younger than 30 years is sold off) and that sort of soul really makes it into the bottle.

We have a few remaining bottles from the much anticipated 2018 vintage, but the limited selection is unlikely to remain available much longer.

In Stock Now:

Domaine Fourrier Clos Saint-Jacques, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru 2018 750ML ($599.95) $499 special, 4 bottles in stock now
Decanter 97 points “Every bit as good as the Grands Crus wines he bottles under his domaine and négociant labels, Jean-Marie Fourrier’s Clos St-Jacques has a classic combination of density, plushness and poise, with spicy, sappy black cherry and bramble fruit, scented 20% new wood and a fine, detailed, refreshing finish. The class of the terroir shines through here.”

Domaine Fourrier Les Cherbaudes Vieilles Vignes, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru 2018 750ML ($279.95) $219 special, 1 bottle in stock now
Decanter 96 points “Located just below the Clos de Bèze, on very hard, rocky soils, Cherbaudes is often one of the more muscular and concentrated wines in the Fourrier line up. Dense and pretty powerful, with dark bramble and black cherry fruit, stylishly expressed 20% new wood, lots of violet perfume, layers of tannin and enough acidity and zip for balance. Ripe but harmonious.”

Domaine Fourrier Les Petits Vougeots Vieilles Vignes, Vougeot Premier Cru 2018 750ML ($299.95) $249 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Decanter 94 points “It’s really a Chambolle-Musigny,’ says Jean-Marie Fourrier of this Premier Cru located in a hollow just below the Musigny Grand Cru. East-facing, so a little cooler, it’s a site that has produced, a fine, detailed, racy Pinot Noir in 2018, with plenty of colour, sappy bramble and black cherry flavours, fine tannins and a fresh, balanced, tapering finish.”

Other Highlights, in Stock Now:

Domaine Fourrier Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru, Côte de Nuits 2015 750ML ($399.95) $299 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Neal Martin – Wine Advocate 92-94 points “The 2015 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru is the first release from the estate (on the negociant side). It has a slightly smudged but pure kirsch, orange blossom and strawberry-scented bouquet that gains more delineation with aeration in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, crisp red cherry and strawberry fruit with a touch of spice on the composed and elegant finish. This is a comely Charmes-Chambertin that is certain to be seductive over the next 15-20 years.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Domaine Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin Aux Echezeaux Vieilles Vignes, Côte de Nuits 2013 750ML ($149.95) $119 special, 5 bottles in stock now

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Domaine Fourrier Les Cherbaudes Vieilles Vignes, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru 2017 750ML ($279.95) $219 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Decanter 96 points “Cherbaudes is located just below Mazis-Bas, where Jean-Marie Fourrier’s 0.67ha parcel was planted in 1940. This has the richness and density of a grand cru, so maybe its neighbour has influenced the quality of the wine by osmosis. It’s spicy, sweet and brambly with a fine, nuanced finish.”

Domaine Fourrier Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru Vieille Vigne, Côte de Nuits 2015 750ML ($999.95) $899 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 94-96 points “Good deep red. Dark and slightly wild on the nose but inexpressive today. Shows the added concentration and weight of the hot vintage but less of the coolness of the vineyards exposed to the Combe de Lavaut. Flavors of purple and black fruits and crushed rock hint at violet but can’t quite match the sheer floral éclat of the Clos Saint-Jacques. This wine had been racked more recently than most of the rest and was tighter as a result. Although it’s less harmonious today, its powerful spine of acids and tannins should ensure a long and graceful evolution in bottle.”

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

Love the Côte de Nuits? We have over 200 different reds in stock. Shop the entire selection on our web store now, including famous names like Dujac and Montille, as well as additional options from Fourrier.

Vinopolpick Monday Bonus 5-17-21

In Today’s Newsletter:

Clouet’s Vintage & Rosé Champagne
At Reduced Prices

New Arrivals from ‘Mr. Chablis’
Domaine d’Henri

Hot New Arrival from Italy
2017 Pathos

Staff Pick
Marietta’s Versatile Gibson Block Syrah

Lustau’s 3 En Rama
2021 Edition Lands in September

Shrewd Barolo Buys
All $69 – $99

Clouet’s Vintage & Rosé Champagne

At Reduced Prices

Jean-François Clouet is a figure from a fever dream of acid and chalk – he is enigmatic, hilarious and is consistent in making amazing Champagne. He’s been dedicated to his craft since a very young age, and the love for his home shows. The family owns beautiful mid-slope vineyards situated between Bouzy and Ambonnay, and the centuries of knowledge passed down, generation to generation, showcase the stunning fruit. From the juicy and powerful Grande Réserve (a budget Blanc de Noirs that delivers), to the Dream Vintage releases (Blanc de Blancs from special vintages that are only disgorged upon order from the importer), to his outstanding Brut Rosé (hailing from the famous village of Bouzy), consistency and quality are hallmarks of Clouet’s wines.

Arguably the stars of the Clouet lineup are the Dream Vintage bottlings, and we’re thrilled to offer several of our favorite recent vintages (including 2004, 2012 and 2012) at just reduced prices. The 2004 shows a laser-like acidity and is drinking beautifully today, while 2012 and 2013 are still relatively young, but show great potential to develop over the next decade – if you can hold off opening them.

But the hits don’t end with the vintage bottlings. You’d be remiss to overlook the Brut Rosé, which we have available by the bottle, 6-pack, and 12-pack, all at just reduced prices. It, along with the Grand Réserve and Silver (which we’ve featured in the past) drink above their price points and offer tremendous flavor for everyday drinking. These are wines to stock up on and drink ANY-time.

In Stock & Priced to Move:

André Clouet ‘Dream Vintage’ Brut, Champagne 2004 750ML ($89.95) Was $69 Now $66, 1 bottle in stock now
Antonio Galloni 91 points “The 2004 Brut Dream Vintage is elegant, polished and medium in body, as wines in this vintage tend to be. Nicely balanced and harmonious, the 2004 will drink well for at least a handful of years.”
Importer Note “100% Chardonnay, bottled one year after harvest. Disgorged on order.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

André Clouet ‘Dream Vintage’ Brut, Champagne 2012 750ML ($69.95) Was $55 Now $52.50, 8 bottles in stock now
Importer Note “100% Chardonnay, bottled one year after harvest. Disgorged to order for the importer.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

André Clouet ‘Dream Vintage’ Brut, Champagne 2013 750ML ($65.95) Was $55 Now $52.50, 11 bottles in stock now
Importer Note “100% Chardonnay, bottled one year after harvest. Disgorged to order for the importer.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

André Clouet Grand Cru Brut Rosé, Champagne NV 750ML ($54.95) Was $45 Now $41.90, 36+ bottles in stock now
André Clouet Grand Cru Brut Rosé, Champagne NV 3L ($379.95) $319 special, 5 double magnums in stock now
Case-6 André Clouet Grand Cru Brut Rosé, Champagne NV 750ML ($319.95) Was $249 Now $238
Case-12 André Clouet Grand Cru Brut Rosé, Champagne NV 750ML ($599.95) Was $469 Now $449
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points “The NV Brut Rosé No 3 Grand Cru is a pure Bouzy Pinot Noir that gets its beautiful intense onion-skin color from the addition of 8% red wine. The nose is rich and complex but at the same time pure and refined, with a nice chalky layer and vinous fruit intensity. Round and rich but fresh and vital on the pure and elegant palate, this is a full-bodied, pretty intense and persistent rosé to be served with main courses. This rosé is seriously complex and expressive, with grip, tension and a long finish. Remarkable in class and style.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Re-Arriving Friday, May 21st:

André Clouet Un Jour de 1911… Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($99.95) Was $79 Now $74.50 pre-arrival special
Antoni Galloni 93+ points “[Review is for a prior disgorgement] The NV Grand Cru Cuvée 1911 emerges from the glass with the most haunting of perfumes. Sweet rose petal and jasmine are some of the nuances that emerge over time. Despite recent disgorgement, the purity of the fruit and the extraordinary elegance of the mousse are hard to miss. This is an exceptional, elegant version of the 1911 that should drink beautifully for years to come. The bottle I tasted needed quite a bit of air to open up, so readers should be patient with the wine at this stage.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Highlights, in Stock Now:

André Clouet ‘Dream Vintage’ Brut, Champagne 2006 750ML ($79.95) $59 special, 11 bottles in stock now
Importer Note “100% Chardonnay, bottled one year after harvest. Disgorged on order.”
VinopolNote “André Clouet is a Champagne house known for many things, chief among them being some of the best values in the appellation. The wines they’re making are fantastic, from their base non-vintage blend all the way through the prestige “1911” cuvée which is perpetually one of the best under $100 Champagnes out there. The wines, on the whole, tend to be Pinot based, which makes our offering today a bit of a departure: it is 100% Chardonnay. André Clouet calls this new release “Dream Vintage” and like everything else they make, it’s a steal for the price. Made with Grand Cru fruit, it’s bottled a year after vintage and then disgorged to order. Let that sink in for a second. The wines have been on the lees for a long time and well, they’re from great vintages to begin with. The 2006 will be classically proportioned, with a balance of richness and elegance buttressed by the extended time on the lees. The only catch with these are the quantities involved: we won’t have these around for long.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

André Clouet ‘Le Clos’ Bouzy Grand Cru Brut, Champagne 2007 1.5L ($319.95) $249 special, 13 bottles in stock now
VinopolNote “A limited production bottling, all from one of the four walled Grand Cru vineyards in Champagne. 100% Pinot Noir.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

André Clouet Silver Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs Brut Nature, Champagne NV 750ML ($39.95) $33 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 André Clouet Silver Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs Brut Nature, Champagne NV 750ML ($249.95) $189 special
Case-12 André Clouet Silver Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs Brut Nature, Champagne NV 750ML ($479.95) $359 special
André Clouet Silver Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs Brut Nature, Champagne NV 1.5L ($119.95) $89 special, 24+ magnums in stock now
André Clouet Silver Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs Brut Nature, Champagne NV 3L ($349.95) $279 special, 12+ double magnums in stock now
André Clouet Silver Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs Brut Nature, Champagne NV 6L ($699.95) $599 special, 3 six-liter bottles in stock now **IN-STORE PICK UP ONLY. SHIPPING NOT AVAILABLE ON 6L**
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 92+ points “Clouet’s NV Silver Brut Nature Grand Cru is a pure Bouzy Pinot Noir that was disgorged without any dosage. This disgorgement displays a medium intense golden color and a complex and refined bouquet of ripe and pureed apples and discreet chalky as well as brioche aromas. The palate is elegant, straight and fresh, very pure and salty on the finish. This is a challenging Brut Nature that needs to be aged for two or three years to gain complexity and finesse and to smooth its current edges. The finish is mineral, limestone and salty but also a bit drying at this moment.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

André Clouet Grande Réserve Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($39.95) $33 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 André Clouet Grande Réserve Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($249.95) $189 special
Case-12 André Clouet Grande Réserve Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($479.95) $359 special
André Clouet Grande Réserve Brut, Champagne NV 1.5L ($99.95) $79 special, 12 magnums in stock now
André Clouet Grande Réserve Brut, Champagne NV 3L ($319.95) $279 special, 11 double magnums in stock now
André Clouet Grande Réserve Brut, Champagne NV 6L ($599.95) $519 special, 1 six-liter bottle in stock now **IN-STORE PICK UP ONLY. SHIPPING NOT AVAILABLE ON 6L**
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 91 points “The NV Brut Grand Réserve Grand Cru is a pure Pinot Noir from Bouzy. It’s pure, fresh, fine and aromatic on the nose and round and delicate on the palate. The fruit-intense finish is chalky-mineral and stimulatingly fresh in its salty finesse and elegant yeastiness. Nice lemon juice flavors give an extra kick of refreshment. This is a picture-book NV Brut…”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Love Champagne? We have over 150 different options in stock. Shop the entire selection, including staff favorites like Bérêche, Eric Rodez, Pierre Péters and more, on our web store now.

New Arrivals from ‘Mr. Chablis’

Domaine d’Henri

Founded and made by Michel Laroche, a man whose nickname is ‘Mr. Chablis’, the wines of Le Domaine d’Henri are as classic as they come. Even better, they’re pricing makes them exceptional deals even for an undervalued region. We’ve recently received additional stock of three of our most popular bottlings, and are thrilled to feature them again today.

Le Domaine d’Henri is a new producer with an old heritage. Michel Laroche has ancestors who farmed grapes in Chablis going back to the 17th century, but formed this star estate only after selling his interest in the Domaine Laroche in 2010. Named after his father, Henri, Michel kept only the oldest, most treasured vines in Fourchaume and some village level vineyards. His aim was to have a small, family business that focuses on farming and winemaking on an intimate scale.

The wines he’s making are some of the most beautiful in Burgundy, with rippling minerality, electric tension and pretty fruit framing the palate. They are classically Chablisienne in the best ways, practically the distilled essence of the region. We love drinking these with practically any food, but especially with spring weather.

Newly Arrived:

Le Domaine d’Henri Fourchaume, Chablis Premier Cru 2017 750ML ($44.95) $36 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Winery Note “In 2012, we started a massal selection from our oldest Fourchaume vines, planted in 1937, before the existence of clones. These vines provide us with a unique heritage that we absolutely want to preserve…In addition to the fundamental work on the vine canopy, we have joined forces with renowned soil specialist, Claude Bourguignon, and his son, Emmanuel, to gain a better understanding of our soils. The soil is a very complex, living environment that deserves to be better understood. It is, after all, the soil that will allow the vine to reach its full qualitative potential. It is important to understand the living organisms present in the soil: microbial, bacterial, vegetal and animal, such as worms that will help break up and aerate our soils.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Le Domaine d’Henri Troësmes, Chablis Premier Cru 2017 750ML ($39.95) $33 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Importer Note “From two hillside parcels located in the Troëmes section of the 1er Cru Beauroy vineyard on the left bank of the Serein river, this gorgeous wine shows notes of citrus and pears with tinges of mineral. This vineyard tends to be a little warmer than many in Chablis and thus possesses plenty of richness in the mouth. This richness is balanced by elegant, fresh acidity and a very persistent finish. Although fairly fruit forward in its youth, this wine will age gracefully for at least 10 years, if stored correctly. Drink with richer seafood dishes, fowl and mushrooms.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

(Domaine d’Henri) Michel Laroche et Ses Enfants Terroirs, Chablis 2018 750ML ($29.95) $23.50 special, 27 bottles in stock now

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Also in Stock Now:

Le Domaine d’Henri Fourchaume Héritage Première Trie, Chablis Premier Cru 2015 750ML ($69.95) $54.50 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Winery Note “Our Cuvée Héritage is dedicated to the memory of Henri. Hand harvested and hand selected, this is a “première trie”, or selection, of the finest grapes from our oldest parcel of vines, planted in 1937. Vinified and aged in stainless steel tanks (70%) and 228-litre oak barrels (30%), this is an elegant, precise yet racy wine, that expresses the tension and refreshing minerality associated with the great Chablis terroirs. For Henri, this was the purest expression of the Chardonnay grape. A grand vin that will start to reveal its full potential between five and twenty years. The Cuvée Héritage encapsulates our savoir-faire. By selecting only the very best grapes, the production is limited to only a few thousand bottles per year an the volume will vary each year, depending on the quality of the vintage. Serve between 14-15° and decant for 15 minutes before serving. This is a bottle for special occasions. Appreciate on its own with fellow wine lovers, or enjoy with fish, lobster, guinea fowl or even an aged Comté.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Le Domaine d’Henri Fourchaume Héritage Première Trie, Chablis Premier Cru 2017 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 13 bottles in stock now
Winery Note “Our Cuvée Héritage is dedicated to the memory of Henri. Hand harvested and hand selected, this is a “première trie”, or selection, of the finest grapes from our oldest parcel of vines, planted in 1937. Vinified and aged in stainless steel tanks (70%) and 228-litre oak barrels (30%), this is an elegant, precise yet racy wine, that expresses the tension and refreshing minerality associated with the great Chablis terroirs. For Henri, this was the purest expression of the Chardonnay grape. A grand vin that will start to reveal its full potential between five and twenty years. The Cuvée Héritage encapsulates our savoir-faire. By selecting only the very best grapes, the production is limited to only a few thousand bottles per year an the volume will vary each year, depending on the quality of the vintage. Serve between 14-15° and decant for 15 minutes before serving. This is a bottle for special occasions. Appreciate on its own with fellow wine lovers, or enjoy with fish, lobster, guinea fowl or even an aged Comté.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next lowest listed price is $74.99

Le Domaine d’Henri L’Homme Mort Vieilles Vignes, Chablis Premier Cru 2017 750ML ($69.95) $47.50 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Le Domaine d’Henri L’Homme Mort Vieilles Vignes, Chablis Premier Cru 2017 1.5L ($119.95) $99 special, 5 magnums in stock now
Winery Note “Planted in 1970, this parcel reflects the nobility of the Fourchaume appellation, with notes of forest floor and a racy, balanced palate, underlined by a good acidity. The Kimmeridgian escarpment of Fourchaume is reputed to produce some of the best Chablis wines and the South West exposure of the vines means that they bask in the warm afternoon sun. Vinified in stainless steel tanks (75%) to preserve the minerality and freshness, and in oak barrels (25%) of 228-litres so as to add more complex notes, this wine will continue to improve for the next 15 years or so. Serve at 14-15°C, this wine will benefit from being decanted 15 minutes before serving to allow the aromas to develop. The perfect partner for turbot or a grilled côte de veau.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Love Chablis? We have 45 different options in stock. Shop the entire selection, including famous names like Fèvre, Servin, Vocoret and more, on our web store now.

Hot New Arrival from Italy

2017 Pathos

If you’re a fan of opulent Italian reds that are perfect for the table today but also worthy of cellaring, we have just the recent arrival for you. Azienda Santa Barbara’s 2017 Pathos is everything we look for in a Super Tuscan, offering generous fruit with oak polish. But since Pathos hails from the less famous region of Marche, it’s a steal when compared to its $100+ Super Tuscan peers. It’s this combination of quality and affordability that make it a no-brainer for any admirer of modern Italian reds.

In Stock Now:

Santa Barbara Stefano Antonucci ‘Pathos’ Marche Rosso IGT 2017 750ML ($69.95) $49 special, 24 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 96 points “A dense and rich red with crushed-berry and chocolate character and hints of cedar and sandalwood. Medium to full body. Firm tannins. Extremely polished and opulent. One for the cellar but hard not to drink now.”

Shop the entire selection, from Marche, Abruzzo and beyond, on our web store now.

Staff Pick

Marietta’s Versatile Gibson Block Syrah

Grant:
If you’re a fan of the Rhone, this is the wine for you. Coming from one of the oldest plantings of Syrah in California, the 2017 Marietta Gibson Block drinks like a bottle twice if not quintuple it’s cost. Sourced from the minuscule McDowell Valley AVA (540 planted acres) along the Mendocino Ridge, the Gibson block expresses quintessential Syrah in that both richness and elegance are present. An aroma of ligero tobacco, violets, elderflower and yerba mate hijacks the nose and leaves you wanting another smell instantaneously. The flavor profile is loaded with a spectrum of blue and purple fruits like blueberries, Italian plums and figs in a way that cleanses the palate and leaves a long finish of marionberry compote and pours over coffee. There’s additional notes of warm gravel and basil that is reminiscent of a farm in summer and really speak to the exceptionally old vines that create the fruit. Unlike Syrah from other regions there are no hard edges to this wine and exceptionally smooth, and priced in a way that allows for a whole variety of applications from a weekly sipper to a dinner party.

In Stock Now:

Marietta Cellars Gibson Block Syrah, McDowell Valley 2017 750ML ($39.95) $33 special, 29 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 92-95 points “The 2017 Syrah Estate Gibson Block is a total knockout. Inky, rich and voluptuous in the glass, the 2017 possesses off-the-charts fruit intensity. Even with all of its density, the 2017 retains a terrific backbone of acidity and graphite-infused minerality that gives the wine unreal brightness. The 2017 is such a distinctive wine. I can’t wait to taste it from bottle.”

Also in Stock from Marietta:

Marietta Cellars Angeli Cuvée, Alexander Valley 2018 750ML ($39.95) $29 special, 13 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 91-94 points “Marietta’s 2018 Zinfandel Angeli is dark, sumptuous and super-expressive. Inky dark plum, blueberry, mint, spice, lavender and licorice infuse the 2018 with striking depth and character. Readers will find a powerful Zinfandel with the structure and personality to age gracefully for many years.”

Marietta Cellars Armé, Sonoma – Mendocino County 2018 750ML ($27.95) $24 special, 7 bottles in stock now
Winery Note “An exemplary California Cabernet aromatic experience filled with dried, minty herbs, and lavender. Blackberries, bright cherries and plums, with hints of leather and tobacco, all intertwine for a wonderfully balanced mouthfeel. This wine is sumptuous yet racy, polished yet spirited, delicious and gratifying- an iconic result in the glass.”

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

Marietta Cellars ‘Christo’, California 2017 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 9 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 90-93 points “The 2017 Christo, Marietta’s Syrah/Grenache-based red, is another compelling wine in this range. Inky red/purplish berry fruit, rose petal, mint, spice and floral notes are front and center. Sumptuous and racy, the 2017 is so inviting from the very first taste.”

Marietta Cellars ‘Game Trail’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Yorkville Highlands 2017 750ML ($41.95) $36 special, 30 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 90-93 points “The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Game Trail is decidedly aromatic and peppery in its flavor profile, much of that a reflection of the personality of this site planted at 1400 feet. Hints of spice, licorice and chocolate add complexity to the dark-toned flavors, but the wine’s overall feel leans towards the more savory side of Cabernet.”

Marietta Cellars Gibson Block Syrah, McDowell Valley 2016 750ML ($39.95) $33 special, 7 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2016 Syrah Estate Gibson Block is the star of this range from Marietta. From a dry-farmed site planted in the 1880s, the Gibson Block is powerful, sumptuous and racy to the core. A whole range of complementary varieties give the Gibson Block striking inner perfume and lift to play off the intense dark fruit, while silky tannins add to the wine’s racy, inviting personality.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Marietta Cellars OVR Old Vine Lot 71 Red, California NV 750ML ($15.95) $14 special, 29 bottles in stock now
Winery Note “Old Vine Red is a proprietary red wine made to replicate the field blends of many of the old vineyards in Sonoma and Mendocino counties. Predominantly comprised of Zinfandel, Old Vine Red combines pure fruit, a supple mouth feel and a rich, solid structure. A groundbreaking combination of varietals and multiple vintages first produced in 1982, this wine has blazed the path for red blends for decades. With a historic underground following, it is one of the longest lasting and best known red blends produced today.”

Marietta Cellars ‘Román’ Estate Grown Zinfandel, North Coast 2018 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 90-92 points “The 2018 Román is bright, punchy and full of Zinfandel character. Dark red and purplish fruit, spice and mint all race out of the glass effortlessly. Dollops of Petite Sirah and Barbera bring added complexity to the field blend. The 2018 is one of the best wines readers will find for the money. Quite simply, it is a screaming value.”

Love California wine? We have over 75 different options from the Golden State in stock. Shop the entire selection, including staff favorites like Arnot-Roberts, Freemark Abbey, Ridge Vineyards and more, on our web store now.

Lustau’s 3 En Rama

2021 Edition Lands in September

Arriving this fall, an exciting lineup of three celebrated Fino/Manzanilla sherrys offering a wonderful introduction to Jerez’s ‘briny triangle’.

“The “3 En Rama” range comprises a fino, from Jerez de la Frontera, another fino from El Puerto de Santa María and a manzanilla from Sanlúcar de Barrrameda. Sergio Martínez carefully selects the most outstanding casks from every single solera to create this exclusive range. To obtain the purest sherry, Lustua brings back the “En Rama” style, which means bottling the wine straight from cask with on additional treatment. This process usually takes place in spring, when the layer of living yeast, known as “flor” reaches its zenith. Thus, sherry’s natural character is fully maintained and the resulting wine is one of personality, influenced by the microclimate of the town in which it is aged.” – Winery Note

Pre-Arrivals ETA September 2021:

Emilio Lustau ‘3 En Rama’ Fino de Jerez de la Frontera Sherry, Andalucía 2021 Edition 500ML ($27.95) $24 pre-arrival special
Winery Note “The inland climate in the town of Jerez de la Frontera has an important influence in the development of the Finos aged in this area. Its long hot summers and mild winters, provide a more rounded and fuller style of wine.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Emilio Lustau ‘3 En Rama’ Fino de El Puerto de Santa María Sherry, Andalucía 2021 Edition 500ML ($27.95) $24 pre-arrival special
Winery Note “The coastal town of El Puerto de Santa María enjoys mild weather all the year round. This has a crucial influence on briny and light Finos aged therein since the “flor” grows in ideal environmental conditions.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Emilio Lustau ‘3 En Rama’ Manzanilla Sanlúcar de Barrameda Sherry, Andalucía 2021 Edition 500ML ($27.95) $24 pre-arrival special
Winery Note “Sanlúcar de Barrrameda sits between the Atlantic Ocean the estuary of the Guadalquivir River with Atlantic breezes coming off the ocean. Its microclimate impregnates the yeast growing on the surface of the Manzanilla with a rare sea salt character.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Case-6 Lustau “En Rama” Series, 2021 Edition 500ML ($167.95) $136.80 pre-arrival special
Mixed case: 2 x Manzanilla en Rama “Sanlucar, 2 x Fino En Rama “El Puerto”, 2 x Fino En Rama “De Jerez” No substitutions.

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Love Sherry? We have 18 different options in stock. Shop the entire selection, including famous names like César Florido, Toro Albalá, Valdespino and more, on our web store now.

Shrewd Barolo Buys

All $69 – $99

In Stock Now:

“Readers looking for a Barolo to drink now will find so much to admire”
Pecchenino Bussia, Barolo DOCG 2015 750ML ($79.95) $69 special, 22 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2015 Barolo Bussia is a very pretty, effusive wine that will drink well right out of the gate. Spice and floral notes open first. Silky and pliant, with lovely depth, the 2015 is so expressive today. Fine mineral notes extend the finish effortlessly while adding freshness and cut to balance the open-knit fruit. Readers looking for a Barolo to drink now will find so much to admire in the 2015 Bussia.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2015 Barolo Bussia offers a deeper level of identity, grit and structure compared to the estate’s Barolo from San Giusepppe. This wine reveals a tight inner core of fruit with lovely contours of spice, leather, tar, licorice and dried violets. You get a clean sense of the grape without too many bells or whistles. The finish is elegant and fine. Pair it with an authentic tajarin and white truffle shavings.”
Wine Spectator 93 points “A sleek red, displaying cherry, strawberry, floral, earth and tobacco flavors. Starts out with a fleshy feel, firming up as this winds down on the finish. Balanced and refreshing, lingering with earth, tobacco and spice notes in the end. Best from 2022 through 2038. 500 cases made, 200 cases imported.”

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

An elegant expression from Scavino’s highest elevation vineyard
Paolo Scavino Ravera, Barolo DOCG 2015 750ML ($79.95) $69 special, 9 bottles in stock now
Monica Larner – Wine Advocate 94 points “Here is another rookie in the lineup for Paolo Scavino. The Ravera vineyard was purchased in 2015, at 2.7 hectares and about 360 meters in altitude. It is their highest vineyard and the last to be harvested every year. This east-facing parcel is never too hot, always showing cooler-climate conditions than the others, with fine tannins and a good dose of acidity. The 2015 Barolo Ravera is a very tight and and precise wine, with notes of exotic tea that follow blackberry, dried cherry and licorice. This is a great new addition to the Scavino portfolio at this time of important changes for the winery.”
Importer Note “Another debut release, Scavino acquired 3 adjacent parcels totaling 2.69 hectares before the start of the 2015 growing season. A very cool site, these east facing vines planted in loose white marls are the highest amongst all of Scavino’s holdings, reaching 430 meters, and consequently the last of the estate’s crus to be harvested.”

“Fast becoming a must have wine for Nebbiolo enthusiasts”
G.D. Vajra Bricco delle Viole, Barolo DOCG 2015 750ML ($79.95) $69 special, 7 bottles in stock now
Wine & Spirits 95 points “Bricco delle Viole, a cru that rises up to 1,575 feet on the Barolo commune’s western edge, has clear views of the Alps. This wine channels some of that Alpine coolness in its elegant feel: Vibrant acidity propels the wine’s spiced cherry and plum fruit while lush, polished tannins draw it out through a long finish.”
Grapelive 95 points “One of Italian’s treasures, the Vajra Bricco delle Viole Barolo is fast becoming a must have wine for Nebbiolo enthusiasts…you would be rewarded by not missing this gorgeous 2015 version, which lacks for nothing in the big league of top Barolo bottlings!….The 2015 Bricco delle Viole is luxurious and has Burgundy like grace on the palate enjoying its plush and youthful fruit, but underneath there is classic structure and character with pure Nebbiolo seduction flowing across the full bodied palate with deep red berry, plum and black cherry fruit along with flashes of mulberry and strawberry as well as a subtle meatiness, anise, chalky stones, cedar and delicate rose petals. This wine, which is already drinking fabulous should continue to grown in dimension and add layers, if you can’t wait you’ll find it ever changing in the glass and certainly I would suggest building and evening and meal around exploring it. The Bricco delle Viole, the hill of violets, is an iconic wine and sets the tone for understanding the Vajra’s wines….The Bricco delle Viole is one of the last sites to be picked in Barolo and this long hang time really elevates this wine with incredible depth and there is always a Grand Cru Core d’Or feel here with a sense of minerallity and finesse. Vajra is traditional in the winemaking, taking great care in the vineyard and it the cellars with each cluster being rigorously sorts and individually berry de-stemming before a lengthy maceration and gentle handling of the wine through primary fermentation. The top Vajra Barolo sees close to 42 months in large Slavonian casks, mostly 25 and 50 hectoliters to allow this fantastic Nebbiolo to fully develop all of its beauty and stunning nuances… I am always grateful for being able to try his wines, these are too good to miss!”

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

Brovia’s finest Garblèt Sue to date?
Brovia Garblèt Sue Barolo DOCG, Piedmont 2015 750ML ($89.95) $79 special, 15 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2015 Barolo Garblèt Sue’ is dense and powerful in the glass. A rush of black cherry, plum, lavender, iron and sage literally burst from the glass. Ample, full-bodied and intense, the Garblèt Sue’ is another stellar wine in this range. The typically incisive Garblèt Sue’ tannins are nearly buried by the sheer richness of the fruit. Today, the Garblèt Sue’ is distinguished by its wild, feral profile and huge core of fruit. In this vintage, the Garblèt is the overachiever in the range relative to how it shows in most vintages.”
Monica Larner – Wine Advocate 94 points “Showing some immediate softness, the 2015 Barolo Garblèt Sue’ is beautifully approachable and generously accommodating, even at this early stage in the wine’s drinking window. Bring it out with a selection of goat cheeses. It’s interesting to note that, at 40 years old, the vines of this cru in Castiglione Falletto actually rank as some of the youngest held by the Brovia estate, founded in 1863, before the unification of Italy.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

A cellar pick
Cavallotto Bricco Boschis, Barolo DOCG 2016 750ML ($89.95) $79 special, 34 bottles in stock now
Kerin O’keefe-Wine Enthusiast 99 points “Aromas of woodland berry, underbrush, hazelnut and camphor form the nose along with a whiff of rose petal on this captivating, delicious wine. The full-bodied structured palate is still young and primary but already shows raspberry compote, ripe Marasca cherry, star anise, tobacco and the barest hint of game. Tightly knit noble tannins and fresh acidity provide the firm frame and impart serious aging potential. Hold for even more complexity. Drink 2026–2056.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 98 points “All of these wines from Cavallotto deliver a very floral and perfumed subtext that gives lift and delicate buoyancy to the overall bouquet. This is the Castiglione Falletto magic that shows so well in this classic vintage. The 2016 Barolo Bricco Boschis offers dried cherry, sandalwood, bramble and forest floor. The wine reveals a slightly wild and untamed character that adds to its interest and personality. Overall, this is an elegant wine with a streamlined and elegant finish. The aromas are focused and bright. I can’t wait to taste the Riserva expression from this site when it is released in three years’ time.”

“One of the greatest wines I have ever had from here”
Parusso Armando Bussia, Barolo DOCG 2013 750ML ($89.95) $79 special, 10 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 97 points “This is one of the greatest wines I have ever had from here. So much ripe cherry, raspberry and floral character. Medium body, super-refined tannins and a long and flavorful finish. So much going on here. Better in 2021.”
Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2013 Barolo Bussia is my favorite wine among Marco Parusso’s new releases. This wine shows an extraordinary level of richness and softness that speaks to the unique winemaking style proposed by this innovative producer. The Bussia cru tends to produce softer and finer fruit characteristics. The bouquet delivers elegant notes of wild berry, forest floor and white truffle with mineral notes such as pencil shaving delicately tucked in at the back. The wine sees up to 60% stem inclusion and maceration times are long. This Barolo is articulate and profoundly expressive.”

“This is placed in the top league of 2015 Barolo wines”
E. Pira & Figli Chiara Boschis Mosconi, Barolo DOCG 2015 750ML ($99.95) $79 special, 12 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 97 points “Aromatic depth here, drawing you in with cascading layers of flowers and leaves, fresh-tilled earth laced with woody spices, white pepper and fresh red fruit. The palate carries a very sturdy frame of fine, dense tannins. This is placed in the top league of 2015 Barolo wines. Long and succulent build through the finish. Try from 2024.”

A cellar pick
Poderi Colla Dardi Le Rose Bussia, Barolo DOCG 2016 750ML ($99.95) $89 special, 23 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2016 Barolo Bussia Dardi Le Rose is just as gorgeous as it always has been. Dark and translucent, the 2016 possesses striking layers of complexity. Spice, menthol, leather, sage and tobacco lend compelling nuance throughout. Although the 2016 is fabulous, it has also started to close down in bottle to a greater degree than I original envisaged. I wouldn’t be in any rush to open it.”
Kerin O’keefe-Wine Enthusiast 95 points “Classic Nebbiolo aromas of woodland berry, forest floor, new leather and a whiff of rose lift out of the glass along with a whiff of botanical herb. Delivering elegance and structure in equal measure, the linear palate features red cherry, strawberry compote, baking spice and licorice framed in firm, polished tannins. Bright acidity keeps it well balanced. Drink 2024–2036.”

Intense, polished & classic
Roagna La Pira, Barolo DOCG2015 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 21 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 95 points “Supple and polished, featuring the essence of cherry and strawberry fruit, accented by menthol, mineral and sage flavors. This shows intensity, with a tightly wound structure that is so well-integrated you don’t notice it at first. Plays out on the linear profile with echoes of fruit, mineral and Langhe scrub. Best from 2022 through 2045. 148 cases made.”

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

A Barolo vintage that is drinking beautifully today
Poderi Oddero Brunate, Barolo DOCG 2012 750ML ($149.95) $99 special, 8 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.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next lowest listed price $118.99

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

Weekend VinopolPick 5-14-21

First Offer:
2019 Cameron Dundee Hills Pinot

Vaudieu’s Star Chateauneuf

Trending Offer
Raj Parr-Directed Chardonnay
No-Longer-Exclusively for the Legendary Zuni Cafe

Staff Pick
The Muscadet Moment

Etna’s Traditional Stars:
New Wines from Calabretta

Selbach Sale

Trending

Collector’s Corner
The Pinnacle of Rioja?

First Offer:

2019 Cameron Dundee Hills Pinot

Cameron’s Dundee Hills Pinot Noir is always one of the most anticipated offerings of the year. It delivers classic Cameron character and quality at a price that’s half what John Paul’s single-vineyard wines sell for—and the ’19 is a fantastic vintage. Cooler than 14/15/16/18, it’s a return to the “classic” style of the Willamette Valley, with a bit more texture and richness than wines from the 90’s. This edition is mostly from Abbey Ridge vineyard, with a bit of Clos Electrique blended in. We’re smitten.

As with previous vintages, we’re offering special pricing on these wines before they arrive, including a case-12 deal that is limited to our first 20 cases.

Arriving ETA May 28th:

Cameron Pinot Noir Dundee Hills 2019 750ML ($39.95) $29.90 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Cameron Pinot Noir Dundee Hills 2019 750ML ($399.95) $339 pre-arrival special (that’s only $28.25/bottle!)

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Vaudieu’s Star Chateauneuf

Château de Vaudieu is one of Chateauneuf’s stars—one of the most exciting producers in the region, who have a set of vineyards that are envy to the rest of the appellation. With bold fruit and rich, powerful textures, they’re not wines for the faint of heart, and they deliver outlandish quality for their price.

Château de Vaudieu is owned and helmed by the dynamic Brechet family—the same clan that run Domaine de Bosquets, one of our best-selling Gigondas. This is a family hell-bent on quality and the pursuit of perfection. The family purchased Vaudieu in the 1950’s in a state of disrepair and has driven the historic Château to the prominence it held in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The estate sits on a confluence of soils and the myriad of terroirs yield exemplary complexity in the wines, which are made by the all-star team of Laurent Brechet and Philippe Cambie. The wines show Cambie’s trademark style, with big, opulent fruit and power to spare. This is one of the truly elite producers in all of the Southern Rhone and it’s always a treat to sell you these wines.

In Stock Now:

Chateau de Vaudieu Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2017 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Case-6 Chateau de Vaudieu Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2017 750ML ($299.95) $219 special (that’s only $36.50/bottle!)
Jeb Dunnuck 94 points “Moving to the 2017s and starting with the base Châteauneuf Du Pape, it’s a blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah that was brought up mostly in demi-muids. Revealing a ruby/purple hue as well as notes of black raspberries, kirsch, garrigue, incense, and loamy soil and earth, this beauty hits the palate with beautiful depth of fruit, a layered, rounded, sexy texture, no hard edges, remarkable purity, and just tons of charm. Drink it any time over the coming decade or more.”
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 91-92 points “Deep red. Highly perfumed red berry and floral aromas are complemented by suggestions of cracked pepper and smoky minerals. Sweet and penetrating on the palate, offering ripe raspberry, cherry and floral pastille flavors braced by a core of juicy acidity. In a seamless, energetic style, displaying a smooth blend of richness and finesse and finishing gently sweet and impressively long, with even tannins and building spiciness.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Chateau de Vaudieu Chateauneuf-du-Pape Amiral G 2017 750ML ($119.95) $89 special
Jeb Dunnuck 98 points “The 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape Amiral G. is, as always, all Grenache brought up all in demi-muids. It’s unquestionably the most opulent, sexy, and expansive in the lineup, with overflowing notes of kirsch and blackberry fruits, incense, dried garrigue, and spice, full body, and no hard edges. Its incredible opulence and decadence are delivered with no sensation of weight or heaviness. This magical, thrilling beauty needs to be tasted to be believed. It’s going to benefit from short-term cellaring and keep for 15+ years or more.”
Wine Advocate 96 points “Like the l’Avenue, the 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Amiral G is 100% Grenache aged in demi-muids. Unlike the l’Avenue, the Amiral G is more about opulence and power. It’s full-bodied, ripe and plush, with impressive layers of black cherries, stone fruit, licorice and chocolate spice cake. Concentrated and chewy on the finish, it has all the ingredients for greatness—and it should get there relatively quickly, then drink well for at least a decade.-JC”
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 95-96 points “Lurid ruby-red. Assertive red berry and cherry liqueur aromas are complemented by building Asian spice, incense and vanilla accents. Concentrated and fleshy in the mouth, offering alluringly sweet raspberry, cherry pie, cinnamon and star anise flavors and hints of bitter chocolate and cola. Becomes more energetic with air and finishes with fabulous, floral-tinged persistence and velvety tannins that fold smoothly and quickly into the wine’s sweet, clinging fruit.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Chateau de Vaudieu Chateauneuf-du-Pape Amiral G 2016 1.5L ($299.95) $199 special
Jeb Dunnuck 99 points “The 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Amiral G. is based all on Grenache and comes from a single plot of very old Grenache vines (all rolled stone soils) that was destemmed and brought up in demi-muids. Just screaming “Grenache!” at the top of its lungs with its sweet bouquet of black raspberries, candied violets, baking spices, and crushed rock-like minerality, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness and density, a weightless texture, no hard edges, and awesome length. It’s a sensational, borderline perfect wine that has everything you want from a bottle of wine. Give it a year or three, and it’s going to cruise for 15+.”
Wine Advocate 96 points “This exemplary estate, owned by Laurent Brechet, has been on a roll. The 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Amiral G, 100% Grenache aged in demi-muids, is a full-bodied, lush wine jammed with complex notions of tree bark, cola, allspice, anise and plummy fruit. At 15.4% alcohol, there’s plenty of power, but the wine never seems warm or heavy, instead feeling rich and velvety on the palate and ending long and spicy. With just 5,000 bottles produced, it may be tough to find, but it will be worth the search.”
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 96 points “Lurid ruby. A highly complex bouquet evokes red and dark berry preserves, candied lavender, sandalwood and smoky minerals, with Asian spice and vanilla notes in the background. Sappy and alluringly sweet, displaying palate-staining raspberry, boysenberry and spicecake flavors and slow-building florality. Shows impressive power on the sappy, penetrating finish, where the lavender and spice notes come back emphatically.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Only 75 cases imported, 12 bottles available now.
Chateau de Vaudieu Chateauneuf-du-Pape L’Avenue 2016 750ML ($119.95) $89 special
Jeb Dunnuck 97+ points ” The 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape L’Avenue is all Grenache sourced from a single parcel near the estate and aged 18 months in demi-muids. This deeply colored beauty boasts a huge perfume of black raspberries, blackberries, dried flowers, bouquet garni, and sandy/loamy soil notes. With a powerful, concentrated, structured style, incredible purity of fruit, and tons of tannin on the finish, hide bottles for 3-5 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following decade or more.”
Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape l’Avenue is entirely Grenache from the lieu-dit Vaudieu, aged in demi-muids. Loaded with black cherries, cedar and vanilla, it’s a full-bodied, plush sexpot of a wine. Velvety, intense, long and layered, this wine has it all. If only there were more than 350 cases of this elixir.”
Wine Spectator 96 points “Intense, with a gorgeous core of crushed plum, boysenberry and blackberry pâte de fruit flavors, inlaid liberally with fruit cake, licorice snap and graphite notes. Fruit pumps through the finish while a graphite edge lends support and a black tea hint checks in. Best from 2020 through 2040. 75 cases imported.”
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 95 points “Glistening ruby-red. Powerful red and blue fruit, floral pastille, exotic spice and incense aromas pick up a smoky mineral nuance as the wine stretches out. Fleshy and expansive in the mouth, offering spice- and smoke-inflected raspberry, boysenberry, lavender pastille and succulent herb flavors and a touch of candied licorice. Finishes seamless, sweet and impressively long, with an echo of juicy red fruit and delicate tannins that add discreet grip.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Trending Offer

Raj Parr-Directed Chardonnay

No-Longer-Exclusively for the Legendary Zuni Cafe

After the explosive popularity of our exclusive Evening Land/Brasserie 19 offer last year, we jumped at the chance to offer a formerly-exclusive wine from Rajat Parr’s Sta. Rita Hills winery, Sandhi—this time crafted specifically for legendary San Francisco restaurant Zuni Café. While it sold for $72 on Zuni’s list, we’re able to offer it for just $21.90—and less than $20 each by the case.

Oregon wine fans may best know Parr for his Willamette Valley winery Evening Land and their pioneering Seven Springs vineyard. Some years before signing on to Evening Land, Parr’s founded Sandhi, an elite, small production winery that highlights the terroirs of Santa Barbara County. He and co-founder Sashi Moorman eschew extremes of ripeness, oak, or alcohol, instead crafting wines of elegance and restraint. Vineyard sources for the Sandhi lineup include the legendary cool climate Bien Nacido, best known by the single vineyard bottlings produced by the Bien Nacido estate, Au Bon Climat, and Qupe Winery, and the world-classic, historic Sanford & Benedict.

This Chardonnay is a barrel selection from these illustrious vineyards. It was crafted with the wine director at one of SF’s finest restaurants, Zuni Café. We knew it would be a charming and food-friendly wine, but we were stunned by the quality when we tasted a sample bottle last week. Fans of Evening Land will be dazzled by the beauty and elegance through a Californian lens, fans of Sandhi will be impressed by the price.

This is an exclusive deal and, like the Brasserie 19 offer folks still ask about, when it’s gone it’s gone for good.

Newly Arrived:

Sandhi Zuni Cafe Chardonnay, Santa Barbara County 2016 750ML ($34.95) $21.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Sandhi Zuni Cafe Chardonnay, Santa Barbara County 2016 750ML (399.95) $239 special (that’s only $19.92/bottle!)
From the winery: “If you’ve ever sat at San Francisco’s iconic Zuni Café with a plate of oysters in front of you while you wait for the iconic whole roast chicken, you may have had a glass or two of this collaboration between longtime friends Rajat Parr of Sandhi and Zuni wine director Thierry Lovato. The wine is a barrel selection from some of Sandhi’s iconic Sta. Rita Hills sites, (think Mt. Carmel, Sanford & Benedict) with enough own-rooted, 1973 Wente selection Bien Nacido Chardonnay blended in to warrant a Santa Barbara County designation. Add to that the favorable 2016 vintage in which a very warm spring and early summer gave way to cool nights and moderate daytime temperatures in July & August. These conditions allowed the medium-sized crop to mature perfectly with small berries in pristine condition and yield a remarkably balanced wine with fine depth and intensity.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Newly Arrived:

Staff Pick

The Muscadet Moment

Grant:
More often than not in the case of summer whites, there is a disconnect between easy drinking and age worthiness. Today’s feature is a rarity in that both styles are coexisting together. Briords Muscadet is truly the best I’ve ever tasted in the varietal. Originally farmed in Burgundy, it left the nest as Chardonnay and Aligote began to command prominence. Since the 17th century Melon as it was known by, is now called Muscadet in the Loire and is one of the most prolific white varietals. As they say in Burgundy “Wine is made in the vineyard” and this is no better evidenced by the vineyard this wine is made from. Grown on a hilltop in pink granite from 70-90 year old vines there is an incredibly minerality that pervades the character of the wine. Crystalized pineapple, jasmine white tea, and salted meyer lemon make up the aromatic character, but not in a perfumed way that distracts. There is a refreshing acid that carries a cornucopia of apples, finishing with a deliciously savory white miso and ash salt. This is a wine made for seafood or something spicy like Dungeness crab, oysters in a half shell or green curry.

Domaine de la Pepiere Muscadet Clos des Briords 2019 750ML ($29.95) $24 special
Importer note “100% Melon de Bourgogne. Clos des Briords is a lieu-dit in which Marc has long held 3 hectares of massale vines planted from 1930 to 1950. These are the oldest vines of the estate, planted on soils of granite de Thébaud, which differs from granite de Clisson in containing more feldspar and clay–it is cooler, slower ripening, holds and drains water well, supplies more nutrients and is looser (so roots can go deep to the hard granite mother rock). The farming is organic and harvest and all work by hand. Like for the rest of the Pepière wines, the fruit is direct-pressed and the juice settled naturally for 12 hours. It is then fermented in stainless steel tanks with natural yeasts; the wine is aged on its lees in large, underground vats–8 to 9 months in the case of Briords–until bottling without fining or filtering. Briords is generally the most structured and powerful of Pepière’s wines.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Have Wine Ready to Pick Up?

Stop by our shop 10 am – 6 pm daily
Feel free to call ahead before you arrive or for curbside service:

#503-223-6002

(You’ll help free up some space for your next order!)

Just Arrived

Etna’s Traditional Stars:

New Wines from Calabretta

Etna has become the newest hottest region in Sicily, and for good reason. Jancis Robinson even called it “the Burgundy of the Mediterranean,” which is an apt description of most of the new wines coming off of the high altitude slopes of Sicily’s volcano. There is another traditional style of wine made on Etna as well, though, one that tends to have a foot in Barolo rather than in Burgundy, and its best practitioner is Calabretta. With Burgundy and Barolo prices climbing through the roof, now is a great time to explore those regions that seem to be lost in time.

Calabretta was founded in 1900 and for the majority of the time since then only sold wine in barrel or in demijohns to private customers (who would bottle the wine themselves) or to local restaurants. Since the beginning, the farming has been organic, without chemical pesticides or herbicides—dated for a majority of the life of the winery and suddenly in vogue now. In 1997, the third and fourth generation of the family decided that the future lay in bottling estate wines and releasing them under a family label.

The one thing that didn’t change when Calabretta started bottling was a commitment to old-school vinification and aging. Macerations of up to 60 days are common as is long aging in botti (often up to 6 years for the high end wine). The wines are powerful and structured but, unlike wines from lower altitudes, maintain a freshness and vibrancy to them.

Just arrived, in stock now:

Calabretta Carricante 2018 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special
Importer note “95% Carricante, 5% Cataratto & Insolia. From seven hectares of vineyard in the area around Etna. Hand harvested. 1/3 of the fruit for this wine comes from old vines averaging 60-80 years old — some vines even over 100 years old and 2/3 of the fruit comes from a young vineyard planted in 2004. Aged in stainless steel. Practicing organic.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Calabretta Minella Bianca 2019 750ML ($24.95) $19 special

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Calabretta Gaio Gaio Rosso 2019 750ML ($21.95) $19 special
Importer Note “Easy drinking, but an obvious Etna Rosso quality. Light bodied with loads of fruit, light forest floor, and savory notes.”
Winery note “[Translated] A red wine from young, newly planted vineyards in the Calderara district by a rigorous selection massale. Fruity, floral, and slightly spicy. Dedicated to my father when he was a child (Gaio).”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Calabretta ‘Piede Franco’ Ungrafted Rosso 2015 750ML ($54.95) $39 special
Ian D’Agata-Vinous 91+ points “Bright dark red. Camphor and herbs complicate red cherry and berries on the nose. Dense and youthfully chewy with brooding flavors of red fruit and spicy herbs. Finishes long and savory with a tactile mouthfeel. This is deeper than the regular (not made from ungrafted vines) Rosso, but is also currently less well delineated. (12.5% alcohol)”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Calabretta Rosato 2019 750ML ($21.95) $18.50 special

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Shop the full list of wines available from Cameron winery
on our web store now!

Selbach Sale

Save big on one of our favorite German producers!

Selbach-Oster Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Auslese 2014 750ML ($34.95) Was $26, Now $24 Super Subscriber Special, 7 bottles in stock now
Importer note “BERNKASTELER BADSTUBE is a small Grosslage; the component single-sites are distinct from one another, but one can organize them thus: LAY stands alone. DOKTOR-GRABEN (at least the good parts of Graben!) stand together, and MATHEISBILDCHEN-BRATENHÖFCHEN stand together, and give us what we see now; heavier understructure, not quite as tensile, due to richer soil, and signature flavors of kirsch and almost Pouilly-Fumé flint; the piquant exotics of the Mosel. Typically, they are medium in body.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Selbach-Oster Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spatlese 2016 750ML ($34.95) Was $29, Now $24 Super Subscriber Special, 6 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2016 Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spätlese (AP 07 17) offers a bright, fresh and slightly flinty bouquet with nice reduction. Lush, piquant and elegant on the palate, this is a light and mouth-filling Spätlese you’d probably like to take your bath in.”
David Schildknecht-Vinous 90 points “The nose anticipates site-typical, mint-tinged honeydew melon, apple and dark cherry that then lusciously inform a silken, expansive palate. The combination of textural caress, looseness and sheer juiciness makes for infectious drinkability, and a sustained finish harbors stimulating hints of lime zest, wet stone and salt.”
Mosel Fine Wines 90 points “This offers a beautifully delicate nose of pear, white peach, lemon, laurel and smoke. The wine is juicy and delicately tickly on the palate and leaves a nicely citrusy feel in the overall satisfyingly juicy and ripe finish. 2026-2041.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Selbach-Oster Pinot Blanc 2016 750ML ($24.95) Was $21.90, Now $16 Super Subscriber Special, 22 bottles in stock now
David Schildknecht-Vinous 89 points “This bottling now encompasses some vines in Wehlener Klosterberg (epicenter of Markus Molitor’s memorable Pinot Blancs) as well as those long established by the Selbachs in Zeltinger Himmelreich. It’s raised largely in tank, supplemented by fuder. Apple blossom, corn shoot and smoky hints of toasted nuts combine for a pungent nose, which segues into a palate Pinot Blanc-typical in its delightful combination of textural creaminess and fresh apple juiciness. Due to hail in the parcel of Himmelreich where most of this was grown, the Selbachs ended up picking it in two tranches to compensate for late ripening of secondary buds. The upshot is 12.5% alcohol yet a welcome sense of buoyancy, and a tension of richness and tartness that is pleasantly stimulating on the seriously sustained finish.”
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.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Selbach-Oster ‘Schmitt’ Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling 2012 375ML ($37.95) Was $28, Now $24 Super Subscriber Special, 6 half-bottles in stock now
Stephen Tanzer 93 points “($54) Pale golden yellow. Rich bouquet of candied apricot, ginger and nut oil. Succulently juicy pineapple and crisp slate animate the supple, creamy texture. The seductive finish is only slightly sweet. Boasts excellent balance and considerable promise.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Selbach-Oster Schlossberg Beerenauslese * 2005 375ML ($149.95) Was $99, Now $89 Super Subscriber Special, 22 half-bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 98 points “Sweet and backed by a vibrant structure, this is elegant and detailed, with concentrated red berry, lime and nectarine. One of the few BAs to show a mineral component. Terrific balance and harmony, ending with a long, slate-tinged aftertaste. Drink now through 2040.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Selbach-Oster Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese 2015 750ML ($39.95) Was $36, Now $33 Super Subscriber Special, 3 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2015 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese is bright, pure, very fine, floral and flinty on the nose. It is provided with perfectly ripe and concentrated, slate-flavored fruit aromas intermixed with lemon and grapefruit notes. This is a lush, piquant and elegant, filigreed and finessed Auslese. It has great finesse and provided with a lot of Spiel and salt. The finish is pure, piquant and salty, but also lush and generous. This is a very precise, straight and stimulating, highly digestible Auslese with a lot of energy, tension and aging potential. It is very clear and there is no hint of botrytis here.”
Mosel Fine Wines 93 points “This offers a beautiful nose of cassis, grapefruit, greengage, apricot tree flower, white flowers and herbs. A more yellow fruit driven side comes through on the palate with yellow peach playing with acidity to produce a mouth-watering cocktail of Mosel charm. A hint of sweetness in the finish is still in need of integration of this gorgeous Auslese in the making. 2025-2045.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Selbach-Oster Zelt Himmelreich Eiswein 2016 375ML ($119.95) Was $99, Now $89 Super Subscriber Special, 5 half-bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 96 points “Picked on the 5th of December, the 2016 Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling Eiswein (AP 14 17) has a very clear and concentrated bouquet of pineapples and weathered slate. Sweet yet piquant and elegant on the palate, this is a highly finessed and salty-piquant picture-book ice wine with lingering salinity and grip. This is super precise and perfectly balanced. Tasted February 2018.”
Mosel Fine Wines 96 points “The 2016er Zeltinger Himmelreich Eiswein was made from clean frozen grapes harvested at 135° Oechsle on December 5. It proves still rather reduced yet already hints at a vibrant array of fruits including cassis, pear, grapefruit and pineapple. The wine is still on the sweet side on the palate at this early stage but the great cassis infused fruity feel in the finish already shows the true greatness to come. This desperately needs a few years of bottle aging but should then prove a terrific example of fruit-driven Eiswein. 2021-2036+”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Spatlese 2015 750ml ($34.95) Was $28, Now $24 Super Subscriber Special, 1 bottle in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93+ points “The 2015 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese seems not as clear and brilliant on the nose as the corresponding Schlossberg and Badstube in the first moments, but this changes after a while in the glass when it becomes more clear and flinty. Full-bodied, lush and mouth-filling this is a very sweet but also mineral and piquant Spätlese with a fine acidity and a lingering salinity. This is a very rich, but firmly structured Spätlese that comes along as an Auslese and should be aged for 15 or 20 years to show all its talents.”
David Schildknecht-Vinous 92 points “A strikingly ripe nose of white peach, pear and fig with musky and decadent floral overtones translates on a glossy and expansive palate into a sumptuous display of rich fruit and liquid perfume backed by generous sweetness. But for all of this wine’s up-front opulence, it finishes with buoyancy, irrepressible refreshment and impressive clarity, revealing site-typical smoky, alkaline and stony nuances.”
Mosel Fine Wines 92 points “AP#15. Notes of spontaneous fermentation give way to candied grapefruit, cassis and peach, with herbs and spices firmly pushed to the background. The wine delivers a slightly Auslese creamy feel on the palate and leaves a clean fruity feel in the long finish. 2025-2040.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Auslese** 2013 750ml ($59.95) Was $49, Now $36 Super Subscriber Special, 34 bottles in stock now
Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Auslese** 2013 75ML ($39.95) Was $24, Now $21.90 Super Subscriber Special, 21 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.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Himmelreich Anrecht 2014 750ML ($49.95) Was $33, Now $29 Super Subscriber 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 only listing in the USA today!

Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Kabinett 2016 750ML ($31.95) Was $26, Now $19 Super Subscriber Special, 5 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 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?”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Schmitt 2014 750ML ($59.95) Was $44, Now $38 Super Subscriber Special, 4 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!”
Wine Advocate 95 points “Picked with 105° Oechsle, the 2014 Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Auslese Schmitt displays a stunning freshness and purity on the slightly spicy-toned nose, where stony and flinty flavors–but less botrytis flavors–are indicated compared to the Rotlay. Piquant and salty on the palate, with a nice grip and more purity and freshness, this is the finest and most piquant of the single parcel crus; the finish is as long as it is stimulatingly salty and grippy. White peach and nectarine flavors in the long aftertaste. Great Riesling.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Rotlay 2011 750ML ($59.95) Was $48, Now $33 Super Subscriber Special, 23 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 only listing in the USA today!

Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Rotlay 2014 750ML ($59.95) Was $39, Now $36 Super Subscriber Special, 15 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 94+ points “The 2014 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Rotlay offers a superbly clear and concentrated bouquet with tropical fruit aromas (mango, pineapples) and fine botrytis. Picked with 110° Oechsle, this is a sweet, piquant, highly elegant and refined Riesling with a lingering purity and salinity, as well as the repetition of the tropical fruit aromas of the nose. With great finesse and concentration, this is quite noble and expressive Riesling.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Super Subscriber Sale Wine!

Trending

Bright, fresh Sangiovese that’s perfect for a picnic.
Castell’in Villa Gazzarina Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2019 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Castell’in Villa Gazzarina Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2019 750ML ($239.95) $195 special (that’s only $16.58/bottle!)
VinopolNote “Pure form Sangiovese vinified in stainless steel. Light, bright & fruity.”

Just arrived, the white-counterpart to our best-selling Rhinestones!
Bow & Arrow Fool’s Gold, Willamette Valley 2019 750ML ($29.95) $24 special
Winery note “60% Chardonnay/40% Sauvignon Blanc. I decided to mark the 10th vintage of Bow & Arrow by introducing a new wine to the fold. And while it would appear obvious to pursue an analogue of Cheverny Blanc to provide Rhinestones with a sibling I avoided this particular blend because I have been resisting bringing Chardonnay into the cellar. Not that I have anything against Chardonnay. Quite the opposite actually, as I’ve always maintained the best wines I’ve tasted from Oregon have been Chardonnays. So here is what the stork’s brought us: it isn’t light. It isn’t crisp and mineral. It’s about time and air and lees. It’s about power but in the way a Pharoah Sanders solo is powerful, when the notes won’t suffice any longer and the raw energy and essential nature of the saxophone is the only sound that can communicate the feelings and ideas bursting from that being.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

A powerfully concentrated Eola-Amity bottling.
Zena Crown Vineyard ‘Slope’ Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2017 750ML ($79.95) $69 special
Wine Spectator 95 points “Sleek and agile, yet well-structured, with graceful raspberry, mineral and spiced tea flavors that build richness and tension on the way to refined tannins. Drink now through 2028. 538 cases made. –TF”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 94 points “Brilliant magenta. Intensely perfumed cherry, black raspberry, boysenberry and incense aromas take on vibrant mineral and spice notes with air. Stains the palate with concentrated yet vibrant red and blue fruit, floral pastille and cola flavors that turn spicier through the back half. Suave, polished tannins build smoothly through the impressively long, energetic finish, which emphatically repeats the floral and cherry notes.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $74

A lighter style of Bandol rosé, this is always the first to arrive and the first to sell out!
Le Galantin Bandol Rosé, Provence 2020 750ML ($21.95) $19.90 special
Importer note “Classic Provençal rosé with delightful tree-fruit and citrus notes (peach, nectarine, grapefruit) and a crisp finish. Structured and complex, with citrus and red fruit on the palate. Around 5850 cases produced. Around 50% Mourvèdre, 25% Cinsault and 25% Grenache, from vines planted on southwest facing hillsides, with clay/limestone soil.”
Importer note “The ancient steep vineyards of Bandol – first planted by Phocaean Greeks c.600BC – are the perfect home for Mourvèdre. This variety produces wines that can age at least three decades. As at le Galantin, the best vineyards are planted on poor clay and sandy soil on old terraces, known locally as restanques. The appellation’s 1400 hectares of largely south facing vineyards get an extraordinary 3,000 hours of sun a year, but the heat is tempered by constant wind and also humidity from the sea. Following the steps of her father Achille, who bought the land in 1960 and produced his first vintage in 1972, Céline Pascale took over the domaine in 1999. She is helped by her brother Jérôme, who takes care of the vineyards. Today, Domaine le Galantin farms 30 hectares of terraced vineyards located in Le Plan du Castellet. Everything is hand-harvested and done with organic methods.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

“There’s a devoted cult following for Vincent Fritzsche’s graceful Pinot Noirs but the outside world seems blithely unaware of the consistent quality here. Fritzsche sources fruit from some of the Willamette Valley’s most esteemed vineyards and then pretty much leaves it alone.” – Josh Raynolds, Vinous
Vincent Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2019 750ML ($24.95) $22.75 special
Winery note “Like the Ribbon Ridge bottling, the Pinot Noir Eola-Amity Hills reflects what is special about its appellation. The wine is fruit from Zenith, Bjornson and Temperance Hill vineyards, blended and bottled after 10 months of aging in older French oak. A signature element of the Eola-Amity Hills is the wind. Each afternoon during the growing season, ocean breezes come through the coast range and cool the western valley including the Eola-Amity Hills. This translates in the wines as structure – acid from the cooler afternoons and nights, and tannin from the grapes growing just a bit tougher in the wind. They’re subtle differences, but you can taste them. The 2019 is classic Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir, with red raspberries fruit, all the red fruit sweetness with the tang of a proper raspberry. The aromas are a bit lifted in the 2019, giving a drive to the fragrance of the wine. Where the Ribbon Ridge is a touch broader, the Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir has just a bit more nerve. Good now and for several years. Four barrels produced.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $24.99

Back in stock!
R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia ‘Vina Cubillo’ Crianza, Rioja DOCa 2012 750ML ($39.95) Was $28, Now $25.50 special
James Suckling 95 points “Wonderful aromas of mushrooms, bark, cigar tobacco and plums with just a hint of citrus. Full-bodied with incredible softness and complexity. Subtle chocolate, fruit and walnut in the aftertaste. Goes on for minutes. Fantastic wine. Classic, textbook Rioja. A joy. Incredible value! Drink or hold.”
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 93 points “I was quite impressed by the 2012 Viña Cubillo Tinto Crianza, a classical Rioja that is nicely crafted, with less aging in barrel than the rest of reds and therefore with more fruit character and less López de Heredia signature. This was born as a red for tapas, a blend of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacho and 5% each Graciano and Mazuelo with 13.5% alcohol. It matured in well-seasoned American oak barrels for three years. It has ripe fruit (black rather than red) without excess and a pinch of spices and a twist of oak. 94,500 bottles produced. There are seven lots of this. I tasted a bottled that was filled in May 2018.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 92 points “Glistening ruby. Spice-accented aromas of red berries, cherry cola and candied rose, plus a smoky nuance in the background. Supple and energetic in style, with a core of zesty acidity adding lift and cut to bitter cherry and red currant flavors that take a sweeter turn through the midpalate. Finishes long and smooth, delivering gentle tannic grip, a snap of peppery spices and repeating florality.”

Dutton-Goldfield is one of the premier producers in the Russian River Valley. We’re offering you a deal on their Dutton Ranch Chardonnay that is so good, we can’t list it on Wine-Searcher. Shh…
Dutton-Goldfield Dutton Ranch Chardonnay, Russian River Valley 2018 750ML ($39.95) Super Special Pricing: $28 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Dutton-Goldfield Dutton Ranch Chardonnay, Russian River Valley 2018 750ML ($449.95) $299 special (that’s only $24.92/bottle!)
Wine Enthusiast 93 points “This is a 100% barrel-fermented wine from such stellar sites as Mill Station, Sullivan and Walker Hill. Lively, fresh and focused, it has great acidity and tension, a pleasing energy and minerality that boosts lovely flavors of green apple, Meyer lemon and mango, finishing with balanced richness. -Virginie Boone”

This is the only listing in the USA today!
The next best price is $39.99

Although Angelo Gaja is best known for his reds, he also makes profound and collectable white wines from Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. We have a can’t-miss price on Gaja’s Langhe white (95% Chardonnay, with a touch of Sauvignon Blanc): This wine that normally commands a triple digit price tag, but we’re offering for less than $70.
Gaja Rossj-Bass Langhe, Piedmont 2018 750ML ($119.95) $69 special, 24+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Gaja Rossj-Bass Langhe, Piedmont 2018 750ML ($599.95) $359 special (that’s only $59.83/bottle!)
Importer Note “The nose opens with fresh and sweet flavors consisting of white melon and white nectarine peach combined with elder and jasmine. On the entry, this wine opens with citrus fruits and fresh hints menthol (reminiscent of pepper mint). The sharp acidity gives freshness and incredible length to a crisp, lingering finish. This wine is produced from grapes grown in several estate-owned vineyards. The Rossj vineyard, planted in 1984, is named for Angelo Gaja’s younger daughter Rossana (Rossj). Bass is Piedmontese for the Italian basso, meaning low, a name derived from the vineyard’s position. Pheasants are featured on Rossj-Bass’ label to commemorate the beautiful birds that inhabit the forests adjacent to Gaja’s vineyards.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $84.28
The average price is $98

Collector’s Corner

The Pinnacle of Rioja?

Sierra Cantabria’s Iconic ‘Magico’

There are few truly singular wines in the world and we always jump at the opportunity to offer them. From DRC to the wine in question today (Sierra Cantabria’s “Magico” Rioja), the absolute pinnacle of the wine world thrills in a way that’s completely different from wines that are “merely” great.

Sierra Cantabria’s “Magico” Rioja is a prime example of such a wine—an absolutely stunning bottle of Rioja. Made from El Vardallo, a single 1.8ha vineyard of extremely old, head trained vines, this is a true field blend (as was the style at the beginning of the 20th century) that’s only produced in the very best years. As their importer puts it “vineyards this old simply do not exist in Rioja, and its qualities are myriad.” You feel the prismatic effects of the rare old varieties and the old vines with their deep roots—this is a wine of intense power, mesmerizing complexity and enthralling detail.

We fought for and secured a five bottle allocation of this incredible stuff (a huge quantity of this hyper-rare gem) which arrives this week, each bottle in its own wooden box. James Suckling’s 100 point score was icing on the cake, but this is a wine that any lover of the sublime should be after regardless of rating. So don’t sleep on this offer, because once these five bottles are gone, they’re gone.

In Stock Now:

Only 5 bottles available!
Sierra Cantabria ‘Magico’, Rioja DOCa 2016 750ML ($749.95) $545 special
VinopolNote “Individual Hinged Wooden Box Package”
James Suckling 100 points “A wine with incredible soul and purity, reflecting the land and history. Blackberries, black olives and hot stone and gun metal. Full and layered with incredibly polished and refined tannins. Old bark and mushrooms. It’s like holding an old and special book. Phenomenal. Drink or hold.”
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 96 points “Some years ago, they started a number of projects to produce some single-vineyard wines. For one old vineyard that was part of those experiments, in the early days, they selected the Tempranillo and produced it separately. Then in 2010, they started vinifying all the varieties together—red and white, except for the Garnacha. The first vintage to be sold is the 2016 Mágico, a wine that is sold en primeur. They also have vintages 2010 to 2015, which might be sold at a later time. This comes from a vineyard that was planted in the early years of the 20th century. This vineyard is in the village of San Vicente, in a part called El Bardallo, with very shallow soils at some 600 meters in altitude, the last zone to ripen the grapes. This has a profile that combines elegance and power, with the expressive nose of the 2016 vintage, quite elegant and nuanced. This has eight grape varieties, including red and white grapes, somewhat unusual, and the mix seems to provide very good complexity. It has the Eguren signature of new oak, and the Garnacha matured in a 500-liter oak barrel. 2,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in March 2019…”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next lowest listed price is $689.99

Thanks for reading!

Weekend VinopolPick 5-7-21

In Today’s Newsletter:

From the Creator of Dominus…

New Washington State Wine Reviews

Salvioni and Fossacolle: Two Top 2016 Brunellos Arrive

Newly Arrived:
Prunotto’s Stellar 2016 Barbaresco at an Incredible Price

New Grapelive Reviews

Regal Regis Forey – The Star Producer’s 2018’s

John Gilman Reviews Stars of the “New Spain”

Trending Wines

New Rosenthal Rosé Favorites
Arriving Next Week

From the Creator of Dominus…

Christian Moueix, of the family behind Petrus and individually the driving force behind the Dominus Estate in Oakville, La Fleur-Petrus and Trotanoy in Pomeral, and Belair-Monange in St Emilion, acquired this century-old estate at the foot of the Mayacamas Range in Oakville in 2008. He has meticulously transformed it into a world-class vineyard, having renovating the vineyards and converting to dry farming.

The result is an important player in the high-end Napa Cabernet market. This is a truly Napa-styled wine compared to Dominus, which has always been Bordeaux inspired. Ulysses is big, rich and flamboyant and has already established itself as a wine to watch in its first few vintages. Luckily, pricing has yet to explode (for now—though the same could have been said about Dominus for quite a while…) but we have a suspicion that this could become a very hard wine to find over the next few years.

Arriving ETA Late May

Ulysses Vineyard Cabernet, Oakville Napa 2017 750ML ($179.95) $149 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 96 points “Extremely aromatic with crushed berries, currants, flowers and hints of uncured tobacco leaf. Carnations. Medium to full body and extremely fine tannins that are firm and polished. Vertical tannins draw you down. Some blanched-walnut character to the blue fruit. Fresh and clean at the finish… So beautiful to drink now.”
Winemaker’s Notes “With black tea leaf and brioche, Ulysses 2017 delivers dense layers of deep cherry, balsamic, peat, forest berries and fresh walnut, woven through a finely grained texture, and a lingering warm cacao powder finish.”

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

New Washington State Wine Reviews

Leonetti Cellar Merlot Walla Walla 2019 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 93 points “The 2019 Merlot is juicy and up-front, with lots of black cherry and blue fruits as well as medium to full body, ripe, soft, ultra-fine tannins, a good sense of freshness, and classic tobacco, graphite, and spice aromas and flavors. Drink this sexy beauty over the coming 10-15 years.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Walla Walla 2018 750ML ($134.95) $119 special, 22 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 96+ points “I loved the base 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon. This will stand up to any Bordeaux blend coming out of Washington today. A blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot, it offers a medium to full-bodied, incredibly seamless, balanced style carrying lots of cassis and darker currant fruit as well as notes of tobacco, bouquet garni, graphite, and scorched earth. It closes down relatively quickly with air and is a serious, structured, yet incredibly promising Cabernet. Hide bottles for 5-6 years and enjoy over the following two decades.”

K Vintners Syrah Motor City Kitty MCK 2018 750ML ($41.95) $34.50 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 94+ points “The 2018 Syrah Motor City Kitty Oldfield-Boushey Vineyard is all Syrah from the highest section of the Boushey Vineyard, on the western side of the Yakima Valley. It’s always one of the best values out there. The 2018 sports a dense purple/plum color as well as a smoking bouquet of red and black fruits, minty tobacco, chocolate, and gamey nuances. Rich, full-bodied, and concentrated, yet also with good freshness and ripe tannins, it’s going to benefit from a handful of years of bottle age and evolve for a decade.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Salvioni and Fossacolle:

Two Top 2016 Brunellos Arrive

“2016 is a classic vintage of impeccable balance. Spring brought cool temperatures with sparse and well-distributed rains that continued through May. Summer was evenly hot and dry without extreme spikes, and optimal diurnal temperatures, allowing for the grapes to achieve a balanced maturation. The first weeks of autumn were warm during the day and cool through the nights, with a significant rainfall in mid-September. Harvest occurred on either side of the rainstorm and healthy grapes with excellent concentration were able to be harvested on both ends. The wines overarchingly have freshness, with more apparent tension than the 2015 vintage. Overall, I tend to prefer the 2016 vintage for its vibrant personality, and for showcasing hallmark traits of the region and style. Though in certain cases, stylistic decisions in the Riserva category to either see more time in oak, oxygen management with the additional year, richer extractions, or all of the above have influenced my personal preference.” –Jeb Dunnuck

Just Arrived, In Stock Now:

“Salvioni’s Brunello is easily one of the top wines of the vintage.”
Salvioni Cerbaiola Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2016 750ML ($249.95) $199 special
Eric Guido – Vinous 97+ points “Salvioni’s Brunello is easily one of the top wines of the vintage. The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino slowly comes to life, opening with a smoky, brooding and dark bouquet. It first unleashes its florals with crushed roses and hints of geranium, then deepens to reveal black cherry and raspberry, and finally a chorus of tobacco and wild herbs. You could lose yourself in the glass. The 2016 is incredibly silky and textural, displaying a youthful density that tempts the imagination while casting a savory display of mineral-tinged dark fruits, more black than red, with hints of dried orange and exotic spice. A saturation of fine tannin awaits on the finish, previously masked by the Salvioni’s primary power, as a mix of sage and hints of licorice slowly fade. There is so much potential here; but today, the 2016 is in dire need of cellaring. I tasted the 2016 multiple times over the course of two days and it didn’t budge.”
Antonio Galloni “The Salvioni family and their wines embody the essence of what makes artisan Brunello so special. Totally hand made, from the vineyard to the cellar and into the bottle, these wines have much more in common with the great reds of Piedmont and Burgundy than they do with the vast majority of what comes out of Montalcino these days.”

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

Fossacolle Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2016 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95 points “The Fossacolle 2016 Brunello di Montalcino opens to a charming level of intensity and purity. This wine really jumped out at me thanks to the chiseled and sharp quality of fruit and the lingering acidity and power one receives on the finish. It undergoes both its primary and secondary fermentation in cement and is racked into French and Slavonian oak (of various sizes) for two years. Everything just works here, and the wine delivers great harmony between its fruit, spice, acidity and structure. Production is 17,000 bottles.”
Jeb Dunnuck 95 points “The 2016 Brunello has lifted aromas of pine, menthol, dried red plum, and cedar. The palate is pure and energetic with crisp red cherry, dried violets, amaro, and youthful, grippy tannins. I love its classic, angular, pure style. Fossacolle is located in Tavernelle where they farm their small, four-hectare estate. The 2016 was aged for two years in French and Slavonian oak. Drink 2022-2034.”

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

Newly Arrived:

Prunotto’s Stellar 2016 Barbaresco at an Incredible Price

Prunotto is one of the great names in the Piedmont—one of the defining producers of Barolo and Barbaresco since the 1960’s. Their recent vintages have been stellar, as well, and their 2016 Barbaresco is a standout. We’re able to offer it at an incredible price, while it lasts.

Just Arrived, In Stock Now:

Prunotto Barbaresco DOCG 2016 750ML ($49.95) $33 special
Wine Spectator 94 points “Delicate floral and red fruit aromas and flavors peek through the eucalyptus, tar and tobacco notes and muscular profile of this red, though it will take some time for them to emerge and occupy center stage. This version is balanced, elegant and long in the end. Best from 2023 through 2040. 800 cases imported. — BS”
James Suckling 93 points “Dried-strawberry and watermelon aromas as well as white truffle, follow through to a full body with lots of ripe fruit and a velvety, juicy finish. Drink from 2022.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 91 points “The 2016 Barbaresco is fresh and lean with a bright and immediately open bouquet. This expression of Nebbiolo offers medium depth and persistence with wild cherry, rose, lavender and licorice-like aromas. You can drink this wine straight out of the gate or give it a few more years of bottle age.”
Antonio Galloni 91 points “The 2016 Barbaresco is a gorgeous entry-level wine from Prunotto. Silky, perfumed and wonderfully expressive, the 2016 has a lot to offer. Bright red cherry fruit, mint, cinnamon, orange zest, rose petal and pine add to its considerable appeal. Medium in body and impeccable in its balance, the 2016 is a winner, and a terrific wine in its peer group.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $39.99
The average listed price is $45

New Grapelive Reviews

Cameron Winery ‘Giovanni’ Pinot Blanc, Dundee Hills 2019 750ML ($21.95) $17.70 special, 27 bottles in stock now
Grapelive 90 points “Fast becoming one of my favorite white wines in Oregon, the Cameron Giovanni made exclusively from Pinot Blanc delivers smooth layers of apple driven fruits, brisk citrus, peach flesh, mineral tones, wet stone, as well as a touch of honey, herbs and white flowers. This vintage is zesty and has a bit more acidity than the last two or three versions. [It] feels a touch lighter in style, but still very compelling and gains a nice textural form with air. It shines for its varietal character and freshness, making it a good summer white and impeccable with a range of food and cuisine choices, including creamy soft cheeses, shell fish and herb crusted or lemon chicken dishes. As I have been saying for a while now, Pinot Blanc is becoming one of the best white grape expressions in Oregon, especially this one, as well as the very stylish versions crafted by Ken Wright and the talented Kelley Fox, both of which come from the coastal range side of the Willamette Valley, like the famed Freedom Hill Vineyard on marine sedimentary soils, while Cameron’s comes from the red hills of Dundee on the classic volcanic Jory soils, that gives a unique individual character with a touch of spice and that mineral streak. The Cameron Pinot Bianco (Blanc) or “Giovanni” as winemaker John Paul calls it, is fermented in cool stainless steel tanks, which, the winery notes, typically is from 3 different lots of estate grown grapes that are from non-irrigated vines with appropriately chosen cultures of aromatic yeasts, and bottled early after a short 6 to 8 months in its exuberant youth, to preserve vitality, usually in the early spring, after harvest. John Paul, who’s Cameron Winery is one of best known and admired Pinot Noir producers in the Dundee Hills AVA of Oregon’s Willamette Valley, has been influenced and inspired by the winemakers of northern Italy, especially the wines of Friuli, Alto Adige and Piedmont regions. In this case he brings a little bit of the Dolomites to us with his Giovanni. It shows the beautiful crisp details and mineral charm of some the top producers there, like Manincor and Terlano. The Italian style lineup at Cameron (what they call Cameronis) includes a fabulous Nebbiolo, that will certainly surprise and impress the Barolo and Barbaresco drinkers out there with its purity and classic Langhe personality, plus a collection of whites, including this 100% Pinot Blanc and the Friuli style Fruliano blend of Friulano, Pinot Bianc, Pinot Grigio and Auxerrois along with a small touch of Moscato, as well as the skin contact ‘Ramato’” coppery Pinot Grigio. All of these are fantastic values and intriguing wines.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Also In Stock Now from Cameron Winery:

Cameron Winery ‘Giovanni’ Pinot Blanc, Dundee 2020 750ML ($21.95) $17 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Winery note “Our 2020 Giovanni Pinot blanc is an indicator of what an incredible vintage 2020 is going to be. It’s really really good this year and at $18 bottle, we may just drink it all ourselves. With fruit from the fabulous Abbey Ridge and Bellevue Cross Vineyards, Giovanni opens with aromas of lychee, Anjou pear, lemon curd and citrus blossom. Elements of peaches and cream are center stage on the palate, with yellow grapefruit and a briny minerality in the wings. Its piquant acidity makes it pair with almost anything.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Cameron Winery Abbey Ridge Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2017 750ML ($79.95) $66 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Cameron Winery Abbey Ridge Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2017 1.5L ($199.95) $179 special, 1 magnum in stock now
Winery note “The 2017 Abbey Ridge Pinot noir has aromas of cherry, pomegranate, cranberry and spiced oranges mingling with straw, ginger and as always rose petals. A higher percentage of Pommard in this year’s blend introduces flavors of cracked pepper, black olive and salumi. The front to back of the palate is seamless, with soft tannins, bright lively acidity, a long lingering finish and perfect moderate alcohol of 12.8%. At over 40 years of age, Abbey Ridge is one of the oldest and best vineyards in the state of Oregon.”
VinopolNote: Abbey Ridge is one of the most hallowed sites in the Willamette Valley. Planted in 1975, the Pinot Noir here is own rooted and at one of the highest elevations in the Dundee Hills. The elevation and classic Jory soils give the wine an intense personality—high toned, elegant and tensile, with good power and a strong voice. This bottling has been one of the defining Oregon Pinots since John Paul started making it.

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Cameron Winery ‘Arley’s Leap’ Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2018 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
VinopolNote “Deep and concentrated. This wine pulls at you. It’s no surprise that John Paul announced to us that it is his favorite wine of the vintage.”
Winery note “Arley’s leap harkens from a block of Pinot noir planted in 1990 at Abbey Ridge Vineyard. The eponymous hero was Bill and Julia Wayne’s old dog Arley, who survived a jump from a second story balcony when startled by a cat.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Shop the full list of wines available from Cameron winery
on our web store now!

Regal Regis Forey

The Star Producer’s 2018’s

Domaine Forey is one of those “overnight success after 25 years” types of Burgundy domains. The wines have been stunning for years, but exist in a (blessed) medium place of collectability—quantities are extremely scarce because of the size of the domaine, but somehow they aren’t yet a “name” in the sense of a Coche or Roumier. The result is that we actually get to offer the wines to you, however briefly.

We’re expecting the wines disappear quickly, but it’s remarkable for wines of this quality and rarity to even be offered on the newsletter like this. The 2018 vintage is, of course, a great year and more importantly it’s a year that plays into the style of the house. These look to be monumental wines that have Forey’s usual power, coupled with a sense of refinement and polish that’s been growing over the last 7-10 years here.

Because of the scarcity of these wines, we recommend heading directly to our online store to purchase them. Email and phone orders will not be processed until we open for business on Saturday morning, and wines may sell out.

Arriving May 14th:

Regis Forey Echezeaux Grand Cru 2018 750ML ($249.95) $219 pre-arrival special
Three bottles available
Rosenthal Note “Forey owns 0.3 hectares in this exalted cru, in the climats of Les Treux and Clos Saint-Denis, flanked by the grand cru Grands-Echezeaux to the north and Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots to the south. All but a small recently replanted portion of the holdings are between 40 and 65 years old, and Forey always wrests a wine of refined power from these old vines. 70% whole clusters.”

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

Regis Forey Clos Vougeot Grand Cru 2018 750ML ($249.95) $219 pre-arrival special
Three bottles available
Rosenthal Note “Clos de Vougeot is the defensive lineman to the Echezeaux’s running back—massively scaled and more squarely built. Regis works a third of a hectare of 40-to-45-year-old vines here, and this is, appropriately, the densest and most currently inscrutable wine of the lineup. Still, at its core is a certain elegance, which imbues this broad-shouldered wine with a real sense of refinement. 60% whole clusters.”

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

Regis Forey NSG Les Perrieres 1er Cru 2018 750ML ($149.95) $119 pre-arrival special
Three bottles available
Rosenthal Note “Regis works a 0.42-hectare parcel of 75-to-80-year-old vines in this vaunted cru, and this 2018 —vinified with 30% whole clusters—is an immediate leap forward in complexity from the previous wines. All its elements present with greater force: juicier fruit, firmer yet more fully enrobed tannins, and a more intense earth-mineral interplay.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Regis Forey Morey St Denis 1er Cru 2018 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Two bottles available
Rosenthal Note “From small holdings in the premier crus Clos Baulet and Les Blanchards, Forey’s Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru—made with 50% whole clusters—exudes pure energy, offering tangy red fruits, fine-grained tannins, and intense minerality. The classic note of savory Morey earth is present but understated, marrying wonderfully with the wine’s stem-inflected overlay of spice.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

John Gilman Reviews Stars of the “New Spain”

John Gilman’s classical palate is the reason that we treasure his newsletter, A View from the Cellar. He’s recently reviewed a number of our favorite “new Spanish” wines—bottles that emphasize freshness, elegance and terroir-driven personality. From crisp Galician whites to hearty bottles of Graciano from Navarra, there’s something for everyone in this set of wines.

Alberto Nanclares Albarino 2019 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 12 bottles in stock now
John Gilman 93 points “The Alberto Nanclares bottling from Nanclares y Prieto is produced from pergola-trained vines, ranging from thirty to sixty years of age, all planted on granitic soils interspersed with sand. The wine is fermented and raised for a bit more than a year, half in an old French oak tina and the other half in stainless steel, with fine lees in both vessels. The 2019 bottling is gorgeous on both the nose and palate, with the bouquet offering up a vibrant and complex blend of lemon, green apple, discreet notes of beeswax, ocean breeze, granitic minerality, gentle leesy tones and a delicate topnote of white flowers. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied and rock solid at the core, with superb mineral drive and cut, snappy acids and a very long, complex and saline finish. This is superb Albariño! 2021-2035.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Alberto Nanclares Albarino Soverribas 2019 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 12 bottles in stock now
John Gilman 93+ points “The Soverribas bottling from Alberto Nanclares and Silvia Prieto is a single vineyard wine, from a parcel of thirty-plus year-old, pergola-trained vines in the vineyard of Paraje Manzaniña. The wine is raised on its fine lees entirely in 2200 liter, ten year-old French oak tina for one year and then given additional bottle aging in the cellars prior to release. The 2019 Soverribas is a beautiful wine, with the more floral aspect of Meaño Albariño quite evident on the nose, which wafts from the glass in a mix of fresh lime, bread fruit, beautifully complex minerality, citrus blossoms, white flowers, a hint of leesy tones and incipient notes of beeswax. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and tightly-knit, with a lovely core of fruit, excellent mineral drive, fine focus and grip and a long, complex and very promising finish. This is more reserved out of the blocks than the 2019 Alberto Nanclares bottling and I would be inclined to give this another year or two in the cellar and let it really blossom. It is going to be superb. 2023-2040.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Alberto Nanclares Albarino A Grana 2019 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 12 bottles in stock now
John Gilman 94 points “The Albariño “A Graña” bottling from Nanclares y Prieto Viticultores is a single vineyard cuvée produced from an old vine parcel planted on sand and granite soils. The wine is fermented in an eight hundred liter chestnut cask and a two hundred liter stainless steel tank. The wine spends eleven months on its fine lees, with weekly battonage for the first three months, prior to bottling without fining or filtration. The 2019 A Graña delivers crystalline precision in its bouquet of lemon, green apple, breadfruit, wet stone minerality, menthol, dried flowers and a hint of Chablis-like straw tones in the upper register. On the palate the wine is bright, fullbodied, complex and racy, with a lovely core, superb mineral drive and cut, laser-like focus and a long, still quite youthful finish. This is a beautiful bottle of Albariño in the making, but it really deserves a couple of years in the cellar to allow its secondary layers to emerge. 2023-2035.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $66

Envinate Palo Blanco Canary Islands 2019 750ML ($67.95) $50.90 special, 7 bottles in stock now
John Gilman 94 points “The Palo Blanco bottling from Envínate is a relatively new cuvée for them, hailing from Listán Blanco vines that are more than a century old, growing on black volcanic soils in the braided fashion of Cordon Trenzado. The wines are pressed whole cluster, fermented in cement vats, do not go through malo and then age in twenty-five hundred liter foudres prior to bottling. The 2019 Palo Blanco delivers an excellent aromatic constellation of lemon peel, breadfruit, a bit of briny ocean breeze, volcanic minerality, lemongrass and a whisper of lavender in the upper register. On the palate the wine is precise, full-bodied and zesty, with superb focus and grip, a lovely core of fruit, outstanding mineral drive and a long, complex and very classy finish. This is stunning juice! 2021-2040+.”

Envinate ‘Benje,’ Canary Islands 2019 750ML ($39.95) $29 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Envinate ‘Benje,’ Canary Islands 2019 1.5L ($99.95) $79 special, 6 bottles in stock now
John Gilman 92 points “The 2019 Benje Tinto from Envínate is composed from its customary blend of Listán Prieto and Tintilla, sourced from several parcels all growing at one thousand meters of elevation. Each parcel is picked and fermented separately, before blending for malo and aging in older Burgundy barrels. The wine offers up a superb aromatic constellation of bitter cherry, green peppercorns, a very complex base of volcanic minerality, chicory, a wisp of tree bark, a fine array of botanicals and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is pure, fullish and tangy, with lovely intensity of flavor, fine soil signature and grip, modest tannins and a long, complex and promising finish. This is quite approachable today, but still fairly primary in personality and some bottle age will reveal more complexity. 2021-2050.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Envinate ‘Migan’ Tinto Vinos Atlanticos Tinto, Canary Islands 2019 750ML ($67.95) $51.90 special, 9 bottles in stock now
John Gilman 93+ points “The 2019 Migan Tinto from Envínate is composed from two different parcels of Listán Negro, with both vineyards grown in the traditional Cordon Trenzado of braiding the vines as they grow along the ground. The grapes are foot-trodden, with each parcel vinified separately prior to blending for malo in a combination of two hundred and twenty-five and six hundred liter, older French casks for eleven months of elevage. The bouquet wafts from the glass in a beautiful blend of sweet dark berries, bitter cherry, tree bark, gentle meaty tones, espresso, a gorgeous base of soil and a gentle topnote of botanicals. On the palate the wine is deep, fullbodied and transparent in personality, with a fine core, ripe tannins, bright acids and a long, soildriven and nascently complex finish. This is going to be outstanding, but it needs some bottle age to soften up those backend tannins a bit more and allow its layers of complexity to properly blossom. 2027-2055+.”

Envinate ‘Lousas’ Vinas de Aldea, Ribeira Sacra 2019 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 20 bottles in stock now
Envinate ‘Lousas’ Vinas de Aldea, Ribeira Sacra 2019 1.5L ($99.95) $85 special, only 3 magnums available
John Gilman 93 points “The 2019 Viñas de Aldea from Envínate is a stunning young bottle of (primarily) Mencía in the making. This is Envínate’s blended bottling, made from various old-vine parcels planted on slate, with some of the parcels including five to ten percent of other local varieties co-planted in among the Mencía. The grapes are foot-trodden, fermented with indigenous yeasts, includes roughly half whole clusters and is raised in older casks for eleven months prior to bottling. The 2019 Viñas de Aldea offers up a pure and nascently complex bouquet of sweet dark berries, pomegranate, tree bark, espresso, a beautiful base of slate, graphite and a touch of sweet herb tones in the upper register. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, ripe and tangy, with a superb core and mineral drive, ripe, buried tannins and a long, youthfully complex and perfectly balanced finish. This is more structured out of the blocks than the last couple of vintages have been at a similar stage of evolution, indicating the great aging potential of the 2019 vintage in Ribeira Sacra. It is certainly drinkable out of the blocks, but in this vintage, I would strongly suggest giving this beautiful wine three to five years in the cellar and really allow it to blossom properly, as it really is a bit more tannic out of the blocks than is customary. Great juice in the making. 2026-2060+.”

Daterra Lorenzo Portela Vento Ribeira Sacra 2018 750ML ($39.95) $31.90 special, 33 bottles in stock now
John Gilman 93 points “The Portela Do Vento Tinto is composed of a blend of Mencía and Garnacha Tintorera, selected from several different vineyard parcels in both Quiroga and Amandi. The grapes are mostly destemmed and fermented in stainless steel tanks, prior to racking to five hundred liter, used demi-muids for ten months of elevage. The 2018 Portela Do Vento comes in at a svelte twelve percent alcohol and delivers a beautiful, black fruity bouquet of cassis, dark berries, tree bark, coffee bean, slate, cigar smoke and just a touch of upper register botanicals. On the palate the wine is precise, full-bodied and tangy, with a lovely core of fruit, excellent slate undertow, fine-grained tannins and a long, complex, palate-staining and focused finish. This is pure, light on its feet and excellent! 2023-2045+.”

Viña Zorzal Graciano, Navarra 2018 750ml ($19.95) $16 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Viña Zorzal Graciano, Navarra 2018 750ml ($119.95) $85 special (that’s only $14.67/bottle!)
John Gilman 89 points “The 2019 Graciano from the Sanz brothers’ Viña Zorzal is aged in French oak casks, with twenty-five percent of the cuvée undergoing malolactic fermentation in barrels. This vintage comes in at 13.5 percent octane and delivers a beautifully precise and complex nose of red and black cherries, smoked meats, a fine base of soil, woodsmoke and just a touch of fresh herb tones in the upper register. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and very well-balanced, with a fine core of fruit, good soil undertow, moderate tannins and a long, nascently complex and focused finish. It is already quite tasty, but I would suspect that more complexity will emerge with a bit of bottle age. This is very good juice and an excellent value! 2021-2035.”

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

Trending Wines

Nearly perfect Brunello for well under $100 per bottle.
La Fortuna Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG, Tuscany 2012 750ML ($119.95) $89 special, 36+ bottles in stock
Case-6 La Fortuna Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG, Tuscany 2012 750ML ($699.95) $515 special (that’s only $85.83/bottle!)
Wine Spectator 97 points “Perfumed, with wild herb aromas and a subtle mix of strawberry and cherry fruit. Vibrant and dense, with fine acidity driving the long finish. Though elegant, there is intensity and fine energy on the aftertaste. Best from 2022 through 2028.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

“This wine’s Beaux Freres bloodline is very clear to see”
Sequitur Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2014 750ML ($119.95) $79 special, 19 bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 94 points “Limpid ruby-red. Smoky, mineral-accented aromas of black raspberry, cherry cola and incense carry a strong spicecake overtone. Stains the palate with sappy red berry liqueur, spicecake and floral pastille flavors that are lifted and given definition and tension by juicy acidity. At once rich and nervy, with no excess fat but showing excellent depth and intensity of flavor. Finishes with sexy notes of candied violet and smoky Indian spices and superb, gently tannic persistence. This wine’s Beaux Freres bloodline is very clear to see.”
Wine Spectator 94 points “Broad and spicy, open-textured and generous, with ripe plum and currant flavors, shaded by pepper, sage and coffee notes as the finish sails past fine-grained tannins. Completely harmonious and made to age. Drink now through 2024.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

One of the best buys in the Northern Rhone, at an even lower price.
Delas Frères Saint-Joseph Francois de Tournon, Rhône 2015 750ML ($44.95) $28 Subscriber Special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Delas Frères Saint-Joseph Francois de Tournon, Rhône 2015 750ML ($279.95) $156 Subscriber Special (that’s only $26/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 93 points “Inky and concentrated, the 2015 Saint-Joseph Francois de Tournon is no easy-drinking Saint-Joseph. It’s smoky, herbal and ashy all at once, yet it’s buoyed by ample black cherry fruit and vibrant acidity. This medium to full-bodied Syrah has plenty of tannins, but they’re ultimately silky and most apparent on the long, licorice-tinged finish. This is approachable now but should be even better in 3 years and should drink well for at least another 10 after that.”
Jeb Dunnuck 93 points “Both Saint Joseph releases are brilliant in 2015. The 2015 Saint Joseph François De Tournon comes vines around Tournon, Mauves, Saint-Jean-de-Muzols, and Vion, and is always destemmed and aged in 30% new barrels. This full-bodied, rounded, sexy beauty shows the power and fruit of the vintage. With classic notes of black and blue fruits, violets, incense and pepper, drink this textured, expansive, terrific Saint Joseph over the coming 10-15 years.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next lowest listed price is $39.99

A star of the excellent 2016 Barolo vintage.
G.D. Vajra ‘Coste di Rose’, Barolo DOCG 2016 750ML ($79.95) $59 special, 30 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 95 points “Dusty cherry, black currant, eucalyptus and hay aromas and flavors highlight this energetic red. There is purity to the beam of fruit, and while the structure is muscular, the lasting impression is of sweet fruit. Best from 2023 through 2045.”

Tignanello-style Tuscan at a Tuesday-night price.
Caiarossa ‘Pergolaia’ Toscana IGT 2016 750ML ($29.95) $26 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 94 points “Flavors of black cherry and blackberry stand up to the dense tannins in this fresh, deep and intense red, but this is equally about the vibrant acidity driving the fruit, wild herb nuances and spice-infused aftertaste. Sangiovese with Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2022 through 2040. 4,700 cases made, 1,200 cases imported.”

A best value from the immaculate 2016 vintage in Bordeaux.
Château Lilian Ladouys, Saint-Estèphe 2016 750ML ($41.95) $36 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Château Lilian Ladouys, Saint-Estèphe 2016 750ML ($239.95) $206 special (that’s only $34.33/bottle!)
James Suckling 93 points “The blueberry and blackberry aromas are certainly attractive here. Full-bodied and dense with a very velvety texture and a long, generous finish of ripe fruit and spice. Drink from 2022.”
Jeb Dunnuck 92 points “A perennial overachiever, the 2016 Château Lilian Ladouys brings the goods in 2016 and has a complex, medium to full-bodied, character-filled style to go with loads of blue fruits, incense, dried herbs, and a hint of violets. A blend of 62% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6% Petit Verdot all raised in 30% new barrels, this charming, front end-loaded effort is well worth seeking out. It should keep for 10-15 years.”
Neal Martin – Vinous 92 points “This is the third time I have tasted the 2016 Lilian Ladouys in bottle. It retains a very intense blackberry and boysenberry bouquet laced with minerals, but displays a little more amplitude than it did in August. The tightly knit palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin and still shows the graphite seam that I remarked upon previously. There is a little more persistence now, hence the slightly higher score. Good potential.”

New Rosenthal Rosé Favorites

Arriving Next Week

ETA May 14th

Chateau Les Mesclances “Faustine” La Londe Rose Côtes De Provence 2020 750ML ($39.95) $34.50 pre-arrival special
Rosenthal Wine note ““Faustine” Côtes de Provence La Londe Rosé The lone wine from the exceptional La Londe sub-appellation, Faustine receives the greatest care at vinification, with a full 15 hours of maceration for the Grenache, along with a saignée of Mourvedre and Syrah. Explosive aromas overlay a complex and noble structure that show clearly why this wine is a cut above the classic Cotes de Provence character.”

Les Mesclances Romane Rose Côtes De Provence 2020 750ML ($27.95) $24 pre-arrival special
Rosenthal Wine note ““Romane” Côtes de Provence Rosé From 20 year-old vines at the base of the hill overlooking the estate, the Romane is made up of 70% Grenache, along with Cinsault and Mourvedre, the latter of which provides a point of amertume (a fresh, bitter note) and a salinity that quickly draws one back to the wine. The Grenache spends a few hours macerating with the skins, providing an extra layer of depth and structure to this classic wine.”

Les Mesclances St Honorat Rose Côtes De Provence 2020 750ML ($29.95) $26 pre-arrival special

Chateau Simone Palette Rose 2019 750ML ($79.95) $69 pre-arrival special
Rosenthal Wine note “Chateau Simone Palette Rosé: The Château Simone Rosé is a wine that belies the notion that rosés are simple wines to be drunk up young. We have indulged ourselves with 10-year old Château Simone Rosé and have marveled at the tenacity, vibrancy and complexity of this very serious wine. The blend is identical to the rouge: 45% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, 5% Cinsault, 20% Syrah, Castet, Manosquin, Carignan, Muscat Noir & Blanc. Aged in barrel, it is powerful and age-worthy with a steely character and a grey-tinted aura to the faded rose-petal robe. We import, on average, 1500 bottles per annum for the US market.”

Chateau Soucherie Rose de Loire L’Astree 2020 ($25.95) $21.90 pre-arrival special
Rosenthal Wine note “Rosé de Loire: This dry, mineral-driven Rosé is produced from Grolleau (70%) and Gamay (30%). The vines are planted to clay, sandstone and schist soils. The wine is a product of the direct press method of vinification and the elevage is in cuve with bottling occurring usually in April of the spring following harvest. We purchase approximately 7800 bottles for the US market.”

Thanks for reading!