Tag Archives: red

Jean-Marc Millot – Glorious Burgundies

Jean-Marc Millot – Grand Crus

(and Some That Should Be)

March 16, 2020

At this point, it’s amazing that there are hidden gems left to discover in Burgundy. No other region in the wine world is as scrutinized, and the market is generally efficient and ruthless in finding quality. That a producer like Jean-Marc Millot could somehow escape widespread attention until the last few years boggles the mind, especially when given the quality of his holdings.

This is a domaine making excellent wines from very old vines in some of the best vineyards in France. They own parcels in the Grand Crus of Echezeaux, Grands-Echezeaux and Clos Vougeot—and their only premier cru wine is from Suchots, which is easily Grand Cru in quality (and location). Most wineries would kill to be able to make any one of those Grand Crus—to produce all three is a luxury that few have.

To produce these vineyards at this quality? Well, it’s only a matter of time before Jean-Marc Millot blows up. These are fantastic bottles of Burgundy, with loads of Vosne character and finessed, pure personalities. Lovers of Burgundy, you won’t see verticals of these wines available often, so grab them while you can.

See the complete list below or shop on our webstore!

Arriving ETA Late March:

Felsina Rancia 2016 – New Wine Advocate Review!

May 2019

Hot Off the Presses

Felsina Rancia Awarded 96 Points!

New Wine Advocate Review for our Favorite Chianti Estate

“Of [2015 and 2016], I’d put my money on 2016 in terms of long-term cellaring.” –Monica Larner, Wine Advocate, writing on Chianti in general

Felsina Berardenga Rancia, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2016 750ML ($59.95) Buy Now: $49 special, in stock now!
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2016 Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia knocks it out of the park. Like the other new releases from Fèlsina, this pure expression of Sangiovese needs more time to evolve and improve with bottle age. But even at this young stage, you are made fully aware of the beautiful intensity and complexity of the quality fruit at its core. There is so much energy and tension here, further reinforced by the fresh acidity of the vintage. There are vibrant tones of wild cherry, raspberry and spice, followed up by white truffle and tilled earth.”

Additional reviews for the 2016 Rancia:

Decanter Magazine 97 points “The south-facing Rancia vineyard reaches altitudes of 420 metres, overlooking the lower-lying vineyards of Colli Senesi. It boasts complex soils of calcareous clay layered with the chalky white limestone-like alberese and schistose galestro. This 2016 vintage is simply stunning. It’s stately yet gracious, with personality for days, leading with a sumptuous nose of smoke, exotic spice and iron-rich earth. Ripe fruit coats the mouth yet it remains buoyant and tangy as chalky tannins charge in to frame the palate. A seductive wine with an appetising, savoury edge and a long, long life ahead. Drinking Window 2023 – 2041.”
Antonio Galloni 94-97+ points “The 2016 Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia is yet another magnificent wine in this range from Fèlsina. Silky, gracious and inviting, the 2016 starts off gradually and then builds, gaining volume and explosiveness with air. A wine of breadth, textural intensity and pure power, the 2016 Rancia is shaping up to be epic. That’s pretty much all there is to it.”

Dominus Estate – Best Ever? April 2019

The Best Ever Dominus?

Dominus is at once one of the most storied names in Napa wine and also an estate on the rise. Although they’ve been a noteworthy producer ever since they crushed their first grapes, the last several vintages have been the best wines they’ve ever produced. The 2015, carrying two 100 point scores, looks to continue that trend. As you’d expect, quantities are limited, so act quickly.

In Stock Now:

Dominus Estate, Napa Valley 2015 750ML Buy Now: $289 special
Dominus Estate, Napa Valley 2015 375ML Buy Now: $159 special
Wine Advocate 100 points “Bottled in July 2017 and composed of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc, the Dominus 2015 Proprietary Red Wine leaps from the glass with notes of fresh wild blueberries, crushed blackberries and black currant juice with touches of wild thyme, underbrush, iron ore and aniseed with wafts of lavender and pencil lead. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has incredible energy and vivacity, with the firm, pixelated tannins and lively backbone skillfully framing the muscular fruit, finishing with wonderful length and depth.”
Jeb Dunnuck 100 points “The 2015 Dominus is a flawless, perfect wine as well as a legend in the making. A blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot and the rest Cabernet Franc, from dry-farmed vines and brought up in just 40% new French oak, its ruby/purple color is followed by an extraordinary bouquet of blackcurrants, crème de cassis, damp earth, smoke tobacco, and spring flowers. Reminding me of the 2015 Château Margaux with its incredible mix of elegance and power, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, stunning purity of fruit, building tannins, and awesome length. This sensational textured and voluptuous Dominus drink well today yet will evolve for 25-30 years or more.”
James Suckling 98 points “A phenomenal red from the vintage with sandalwood, roses, currants, blackberries and blackcurrants. Full-bodied, extremely structured and intense with a great finish. The tannins are so polished and poised. Shows tension and beauty throughout. Straight and focused. Drink in 2022.”
Antonio Galloni 97 points “The 2015 Dominus is fabulous. Explosive and alluring on the palate, the 2015 possesses stunning texture and intensity. Blueberry jam, cloves, menthol, licorice and graphite are some of the many nuances that develop over time. In 2015 Dominus artfully balances the richness of the year with the classic structural elements that are such a signature of this wine.”

Clos du Caillou

4-18-2019

If you don’t have a case of Clos du Caillou in your cellar, you are seriously missing out on the best values in Chateauneuf and Cotes du Rhone in the shop. Sure, there’s plenty of highly lauded 2016 CDPs in the $100+++ range. But isn’t it more fun to find an epic estate that doesn’t command those prices?

Enter Clos du Caillou.

They’ve flown unnoticed by buyers (though certainly not by the reviewers!) while the big names just got pricier. Perhaps because the terroir-driven estate is so hard to find in the national market. The estate is one of the favorites of reviewers for the region, yet can be had for under $50 a bottle. What’s not to love?

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Siro Pacenti Brunello

Siro Pacenti New Arrival!

June 2017

A Master of Modern Brunello

“Giancarlo Pacenti is by far the leading exponent of the modern school of Brunello di Montalcino. No other producer has succeeded in crafting wines of this much textural beauty and refinement.” – Antonio Galloni

“Giancarlo Pacenti is the best winemaker in the appellation of Brunello di Montalcino. Everything is done in the best possible way and at the right time in his well-kept vineyards and the pristine small winery under his house. His Brunellos are usually a blend of different vineyards from both the south and north sides of the Montalcino hill, giving them great richness and structure as well as freshness. They are aged in French oak barrels yet show very little wood character, and their crystal clear style is one that ages extremely well.” – James Suckling (Wine Spectator)

If you like modern-leaning Brunello (Altesino, Casanova di Neri, Caparzo, etc) we have the next wine for you to freak out over. The 2012 Siro Pacenti Pelagrilli has arrived and it looks to be a stunner. This is a Brunello that has power and richness but a deft hand with oak, so the elegance of the Sangiovese grape still comes through. We also have the best price in the country, so we should probably just cut to the chase:

Siro Pacenti PS Pelagrilli, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012 750ML ($49.95) Buy Now: $38 special
Ian D’Agata–Vinous 92 points “Deep red with ruby tinges. Delicately flinty and herbal notes complicate sour red cherry, redcurrant and underbrush aromas. Fresh and juicy but with an almost austere quality to the crisp red berry and minty plum flavors. Finishes long and clean with a mineral nuance. The herbal note disappears with aeration, so it’s of paramount importance to give this wine plenty of air. Pacenti makes 20,000 bottles a year of this Brunello from 25 to 35 year old vines with roughly 75-80% of the grapes grown in the northern Pellagrilli estate vineyards and the rest from the Piancornello vineyards in the southern reaches Montalcino.”

Jean-Marc Millot – Grand Crus (and Some That Should Be)