Tag Archives: Wine

Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino 2012 5-24-17

Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino 2012

Most Brunello collectors buy either traditional or modern examples with the exception of a few wines whose appeal seems to transcend stylistic categories. These wines are the real ‘collectible’ Brunelli—there’s always going to be a market for them. In that category, Il Poggione manages to be unique. It’s a wine that’s traditionally made, yet approachable, beloved across the board and is still reasonably priced.

For that reason, Il Poggione remains one of our favorite wines in Brunello—it’s tough to beat the combination of quality and price. The wines are probably the least expensive, collectible-quality Brunello out there. The 2012 vintage is no exception and the wine is gorgeous, from a warm vintage but with the freshness and elegance you expect from Il Poggione. We have some available here now and we’re excited to offer them to you today.

Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2012 750ML ($79.95) Buy Now: $59 special
Case-6 Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2012 750ML ($449.95) Buy Now: $333 special (that’s only $55.50/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 95+ points “Il Poggione is a Brunello superstar and a vintage like this reveals every reason why that affirmation is true. From the second the 2012 Brunello di Montalcino pours into the glass, you know you are in for something special. The wine is darkly saturated and rich in appearance. Absent are those slightly amber or browning hues you often get with Sangiovese in a hot vintage. Nor does the wine show flat or tired characteristics. Instead, the quality of fruit is vibrant and rich. This is a healthy, generous and exuberant Brunello with dark density and succulent fruit flavors that are followed by integrated spice and tobacco. The balance is impressive and one thing you get here is fresh acidity. This is not to be underestimated, because the acidity quota in the 2012 vintage across the appellation is not as high or evident as usual. This is one of the year’s best Brunellos.”

Guigal Condrieu

Great Guigal

Classic Condrieu

May 2017

From the three lieux-dits of Cote Chatillon, Colombier and Coteau de Chery:
E. Guigal Condrieu La Doriane, Rhone 2015 750ML ($119.95) Buy Now: $89 pre-arrival special, ETA September 2017
Wine Advocate 99 points “Easily one of the greatest Condrieu I’ve ever tasted is the 2015 Condrieu La Doriane. A wine that needs to be tasted to be believed, it possesses a huge nose of toasted brioche, liquid rocks, apricot, flower oil and salty minerality. Unctuous, full-bodied, massively rich, yet also elegant and graceful, with beautiful freshness, enjoy this tour de force over the coming 5-6 years.” – Jeb Dunnuck

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

E. Guigal Condrieu, Rhone 2015 750ML ($59.95) Buy Now: $49 pre-arrival special, ETA May 2017
Wine Advocate 95 points “Guigal’s 2015 Condrieu is a blockbuster that, if not for its big brother, would be one of the wines of the vintage. Aged in one-third new barrels and two-thirds in tank, it’s a rich, unctuous, thrillingly textured beauty that has plenty of orange blossom, flower oil, tangerine and peach. Fruit-loaded, with just a touch of minerality, it should be drunk over the coming 2-4 years.” – Jeb Dunnuck

Wine of the Day: Philippe Pacalet Moulin a Vent 9-8-16

Philippe Pacalet Moulin A Vent, Beaujolais, France 2014 750ML ($59.95) Buy Now $49 special

Philippe Pacalet Moulin A Vent, Beaujolais, France 2014

Never patient when it comes to Beaujolais, I drank Pacalet’s intrepid Moulin-a-Vent the very night it arrived at our shop. A simple salmon dish served as accompaniment, and I poured some out into a decanter in order to contrast normal and accelerated evolution of the wine as it aerated. Cherry aromas soared out of the glass, with an immediate flavor profile of goji berries, plum, Bing cherries, and a touch of leather. The fruit bears this intriguing crunchiness, with the acid mingling but never overarching beyond the wine’s overall feel. There is a playful energy this Beaujolais, which went lovely with the salmon and danced between being a little showy and a bit mellow over the course of four hours. I had fun drinking it, trying not to take it or myself too serious in the process. This cuvee, Pacalet’s first effort within Moulin-a-Vent, will evolve quite nicely; I’m eager to revisit in a few months’ time. As goes with many of my recommendations, though, don’t feel bad if you drink sooner rather than later. – Tyler

Wine of the Day: Txakoli from Ameztoi 6-2-16

Txakoli, Txakoli, Txakoli!

Txakoli (cha-kol-E) comes straight off the Atlantic coast like a refreshing rain shower in summer. Produced exclusively in Spain’s Basque Country, Txakoli matches the Basque flair for seafood and pintxos (tapas), thanks to its palette of citrus fruits, its minerality, and its crisp acidity. Vineyards of Hondarribi Zuri (white) and and Hondarribi Beltza (red) sprawl across the rugged, verdant Basque coastal hills, particularly around Getaria: This little fishing village is also home to Elcano, who finished Magellan’s circumnavigation of the globe. It’s no coincidence that Txakoli offers hints of a fresh ocean breeze.

Every bar and restaurant in every Spanish Basque town serves Txakoli. They carefully pour it from several feet above a straight-walled, stemless glass, to enliven the wine with some effervescence, like the sea after a wave rolls through. Since the wine tastes its most crisp and fresh with this aeration, it is best to pour only a few gulps of Txakoli at a time. But don’t worry: low in alcohol, you can drink lots!

Producers of note include Ameztoi, who makes not only a classic Txakoli, but also a rosé, Rubentis, and a red, Stimatum. Treat your senses to a Basque Coast holiday this summer. Gora txakoli!

– Daniel

Ameztoi Wines Available Here Now:

Ameztoi Stimatum, Getariako Txakolina 2013 750ML ($21.95) Buy Now: $18 special
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 90 points “(100% hondarribi beltza): Pale, bright violet. Vibrant redcurrant and cherry scents are complemented by a sexy floral quality and a hint of white pepper. Dry, nervy and precise, offering bitter cherry and blood orange flavors that pick up a subtle sweetness with air. Clean, nervy and focused on the finish, which lingers with excellent spicy intensity. Wild stuff: this would be fantastic with young cheeses, from any mammal.” JR

Ameztoi Primus Txakoli di Getaria Hondarribi Zuri, Getariako Txakolina 2014 750ML ($27.95) Buy Now: $24 special
Winery note: More intense and structured than the regular Txakoli, in part due to moderate skin contact prior to fermentation. Pale white with a touch of green with bright tone and light, spritely bubbles. Fine and sophisticated aromas reminiscent of green apples and grapes, with a minty note. Dry-tasting in the beginning, with a wide and aromatic finish.

Ameztoi Txakoli di Getaria Hondarribi Zuri, Getariako Txakolina 2014 750ML ($24.95) Buy Now: $21.90 special
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 92 points “Light yellow. High-pitched aromas of lime zest, jasmine, chalky minerals and green tea, with a hint of pear in the background. Fresh and sharply focused on the palate, offering bitter citrus pith and green apple flavors that spread out slowly on the back half. Shows excellent focus and lift on a long, incisive finish that emphatically echoes the lime and floral notes. I’d love to have a few bottles of this with a bunch of raw shellfish and crab.” JR

Ameztoi Rubentis Rosado, Getariako Txakolina 2015 750ML ($24.95) Buy Now: $20.90 special
Importer note “The pink sibling of Ameztoi’s flagship white, this vibrant rosé is made from a mix of red and white indigenous grapes and is bottled with a little residual carbon to give it a light spritz. Fermented in stainless steel. Tasting Notes: Candied red fruits combine with a lime infused edge makes this a wildly intriguing rosé.”

Wine of the Day: Stanislao Radikon Pinot Grigio 2013 5-26-16

Stanislao Radikon Pinot Grigio Venezia Giulia IGT, Friuli-Venezia Giulia 2013 750ML ($47.95) Buy Now: $41.90 special

Well, this ain’t your momma’s Pinot Grigio. Nor is it all that similar to any other Pinot Grigio you’ve likely ever had! The Radikon wines enjoy a cult-like following and have long attracted those who seek unique, palate-expanding, paradoxical wine experiences.

Tucked into one of the most north-eastern portions of Italy – a mere 400 or so meters from Slovenia – the estate neighbors the equally unique and esteemed wine house of Josko Gravner. At Radikon, all grapes are estate-grown and hand harvested; horse manure is used as fertilizer and no synthetic chemicals are employed in the vineyard or cellar. Vine plantings are extremely dense but pruned vigorously in order to produce smaller volumes of higher-quality grapes.

The ‘S’ Pinot Grigio is a fascinatingly rusty apricot color in the glass, changing hues as the light hits it similar to that of a marble. Wild flowers and stony elements emerge aromatically, while bright red cherry fruit, heaps of minerals, and dried pit fruits dominate the palate. As an orange wine, it’s fascinate to consider how tannin and body can emerge from a typically lean and easygoing ‘white varietal.’ ‘S’ Pinot Grigio sees two weeks of skin maceration before aging in neutral barrel for a year and resting in-bottle.

This wine is nothing short of brilliant and, believe it or not, is far less whacky than it sounds. Don’t serve it ice cold, and decant if possible – it’d be a stupendous pairing for more adventurous fish dishes or, otherwise, a simple plate with gamier, rustic elements. Very worth exploring! – Tyler