Tag Archives: vintage

2008 Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame – Epic Offer

November 2019

SOLD OUT

2008 La Grande Dame

Veuve Clicquot’s Top Wine in a Top Vintage

“To me, [2008] is one of the best of the last 20 to 30 years” – Dominique Demarville, Chef de Cave of Veuve Clicquot Ponsardan

The 2008 La Grande Dame looks to be a classic, and lovers of the style will want to pre-order now and stock up. It is the top vintage since the ’02 (and possibly since ’96—only time will tell). 2008 was a smaller harvest than normal (see: the pitifully small quantity of 2008 Salon, for example), yet yielded exceptionally high quality wines and so it seems unlikely this vintage will be offered for as long as the ’06 or ’04. The Wine Spectator was enamored by the vintage Continue reading →

2015 Burlotto Barolo

2015 G.B. Burlotto Barolo

6-2-19

G.B. Burlotto was considered among the absolute greatest winemakers in the world for the seventy plus years he was at the helm of the estate. After his passing in 1927, the winery and his hometown of Verduno slipped into obscurity. Now Fabio Alessandria, the great-great-grandson has taken over and Burlotto is among the best small producers in the Piedmont.

2015 Burlotto Barolos Arriving in July:

G.B. Burlotto Barolo DOCG, Piedmont 2015 750ML
Antonio Galloni 92 points “Burlotto’s 2015 Barolo is absolutely gorgeous. Pliant and open-knit, the straight Barolo captures all of the natural richness of the vintage. Succulent red cherry, plum, lavender, rose petal, spice and new leather all meld together in a supple, inviting Barolo that will be impossible to resist in its youth. This is such a beautiful and alluring wine. The base of the Burlotto Barolo is built on Breri, which is adjacent to Monvigliero, plus the portions of Rocche dell’ Olmo and Neirane that don’t make it into the Acclivi. This is a positively stellar wine. Don’t miss it.”
James Suckling 92 points “Very aromatic with sliced strawberries and cherries and hints of tangerines on the nose. Full body. Rich and juicy and a flavorful finish. Drink in 2022.”

G.B. Burlotto Barolo ‘Acclivi’, Barolo DOCG 2015 750ML
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2015 Barolo Acclivi is another stellar wine from Fabio Alessandria and Burlotto and is a blend of fruit from Monvigliero, Rocche dell’ Olmo and Neirane, all in Verduno. Bright, perfumed and silky on the palate, the Acclivi is a jewel of a wine. Floral notes appear in the glass, adding lift, perfume and sensuality. All the elements are in the right place. Today, Burlotto’s Cannubi and Monvigliero have become hard to find, but savvy readers will want to focus on the Acclivi, a wine that offers superb quality for the money. Another few years in bottle should help some of the fruit soften.”

G.B. Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero, Barolo DOCG 2015 750ML
Antonio Galloni 98 points “The 2015 Barolo Monvigliero is a wine of pure and total seduction. The warm vintage has filled out the wine’s frame beautifully. The interplay of ripe, succulent 2015 fruit and aromatic intensity from the whole clusters yields a positively stunning, breathtaking wine of the very highest level. Once again, Burlotto’s Barolo Monvigliero takes a place among the most compelling wines of the vintage. Readers who can find it should not hesitate!”

For pricing & availability, shop the complete list of Burlotto wines on our web store.

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.”

Hot Deal – 2006 Dom Perignon – November 2018

SOLD OUT!

2006 Dom Perignon

At the Lowest Price in the Country

Dom Perignon Brut, Champagne 2006 750ML ($189.95) Buy Now: $138 special
Case-6 Dom Perignon Brut, Champagne 2006 750ML ($899.95) Buy Now: $779 special (that’s only $129.83/bottle!)
Antonio Galloni 97 points “The 2006 Dom Perignon is a beautifully balanced, harmonious Dom Perignon that strikes an incredibly appealing stylistic middle ground. Rich, voluptuous and creamy, the 2006 shows off fabulous intensity in a style that brings together the ripeness of 2002 with the greater sense of verve and overall freshness that is such a signature of the 2004. Bass notes and a feeling of phenolic grip on the finish recall the 2003, as the Pinot Noir is particularly expressive today. After an irregular summer that saw elevated temperatures in July followed by cooler, damp conditions in August, more favorable weather returned in September, pushing maturation ahead and leading to a long, protracted harvest. The 2006 falls into the family of riper, more voluptuous Dom Perignons, but without veering into the level of opulence seen in vintages such as 2002.”
Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2006 Dom Perignon comes from a very rich vintage with an early ripeness that brought a lot of aromatic maturity. The white-golden prestige cuvée contains a bit more Chardonnay than Pinot Noir and opens with a deep and seductive, pretty accessible nose with intense yet fresh fruit aromas of pineapples, with peaches and tangerines. Lively and elegant on the palate, this is a full-bodied, unusually aromatic and fruity DP with a long and tension-filled expression.”