Three 100 Pointers – One Just for You; New Arrivals: P Colin/Rousseau/Vincent Paris & More!; Spectacular Spectator Reviews: Austrian Edition; Domaine Huet: Here and There; Friday Sneak Peek
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Three 100 Pointers
Arriving in February
One Just for You
Subscriber-Only Secret Special
Casa Lapostolle Clos Apalta, Colchagua Valley 2014 750ML ($159.95) $119 pre-arrival secret special, ETA February
James Suckling 100 points “An extremely aromatic and focused Clos Apalta with blackberry, blueberry, floral and hot stone character. Full body, very linear and ultra-fine tannins. Focused and tight. Precise and long. This is the most polished and beautiful definition of this wine ever. You want to drink it now but better in 2020. A blend of carmenere, cabernet sauvignon and merlot.”
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To order, reply to this email, call or visit us in person!
Sena, Aconcagua Valley, Chile 2015 750ML ($179.95) $138 pre-arrival special, ETA February
James Suckling 100 points “Stunning aromas of blackcurrant, stone, blueberry and licorice. Also iodine. Floral. Perfumed. Full body, fantastic density of fruit and ripe tannins. It goes on for minutes on the palate with such energy and focus. Touch of chewiness on the finish. A complex and complete wine that delivers a generosity with firmness. Drink in 2021 but already a classic to drink.”
Vina Almaviva
This Franco-Chliean project continues to impress since its inception in 1998. The collaboration celebrates the elegance and winemaking skill of the Rothschilds and the Chilean thumbprint that only the most singular terroir could provide. This is a truly harmonious wine that will belong in your cellar for a very long time. We currently have the lowest price listed in the US on what will certainly be a touchstone wine amongst collectors for decades to come.
Vina Almaviva, Puente Alto, Chile 2015 750ML ($149.95) $119 pre-arrival special, ETA February
James Suckling 100 points “A glorious and complex nose of tobacco, blackberries and hints of stones and flowers. Hints of bitter chocolate. Full-bodied, very tight and compacted. Linear backbone gives this form and tension. It has the same character on the palate as well as cayenne and other spice. Loved the 2014 but this shows more fine-grained tannins. So balanced and harmonious. A blend of 69% cabernet sauvignon, 24% carmenere, 5% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot. Needs four or five years in bottle but a joy to taste now.”
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New Arrivals
An eclectic mix from some of the greatest regions, and producers, in the world – many at the lowest prices in the USA!
Band of Vintners Consortium Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2015 750ML ($39.95) $33 special
Winery notes: “Band of Vintners is the outcome of seven wine industry friends who regularly get together to taste wine and talk shop. The collective “insider” knowledge of where the best fruit can be sourced, where the deals can be found, and where favors can be called in when needed, was contagious, and surprised even us. The outcome, is a wine we believe makes a strong case for one of the best QPRs in the Napa Valley, and something we’re proud to share with our friends, family, and neighbors.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $39
Philippe Colin Les Chaumees, Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($99.95) $75 special
Wine Spectator 95 points “Rich and creamy, this white features apple, lemon cake, citronella and toasted spice aromas and flavors. Beautifully put together, lavauwith the vibrant intensity of the vintage, ending with an expansive, complex aftertaste. Best from 2018 through 2027. 150 cases imported.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Philippe Colin Les Chenevottes, Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($99.95) $69 special
Wine Spectator 94 points “A powerful, muscular white, with a dense structure supporting concentrated flavors of peach, apple, lemon, vanilla and nutmeg, all underlined by vivid acidity, driving the finish to a minerally conclusion. Best from 2018 through 2027. 100 cases imported”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $112.78
Domaine Armand Rousseau Pere et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 2014 750ML ($189.95) $169 special
Wine Advocate 89-91 points “The 2014 Gevrey Chambertin Villages has a strict, stony bouquet with wet limestone notes percolating through the veneer of red berry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin. There is not huge weight or concentration here, but it is very well balanced and poised with a taut, minerally finish that is linear and fresh. Very fine.”
Domaine des Chezeaux Griottes-Chambertin Grand Cru (Ponsot) 2009 750ML ($299.95) $249 special
Vinopolnote: This wine is identical to Ponsot Griottes-Chambertin 2009. Ponsot’s Griottes-Chambertin is entirely made from Chezeaux grapes. Ponsot bottles and returns a portion of the wine to Chezeaux for labelling, as payment for the harvest. The wines are identical, including the glass!
Burghound 94 points “This is notably fresher than the Chapelle with a strikingly elegant and highly complex nose that displays perfumed and notably ripe red currant and cassis aromas that are liberally laced with warm earth and spice hints. There is good intensity and detail to the opulently textured medium weight plus flavors that are blessed with a seemingly endless reserve of sap on the gorgeously long finish. This is a really impressive effort and if the palate complexity can eventually match that of the nose, this should be able to achieve, or perhaps even exceed, the upper end of my predicted range.”
Philippe Pacalet Moulin-a-Vent, Beaujolais 2015 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Burghound 92 points “A distinctly earthy and peppery nose combines ripe purple fruit and black cherry aromas. There is excellent volume and richness to the concentrated middle weight flavors that possess first-rate complexity on the firmly structured and impressively persistent finish. This fine effort is built-to-age and will certainly need at least a few years first.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $64.99
Marie et Pierre Benetiere Condrieu, Rhone 2013 750ML ($79.95) $69 special
Importer note “Benetiere makes a small amount of Condrieu from the lieu-dit known as Tinal in Verin just south of the commune of Condrieu. The vines are organically grown and and benefit from ideal southern exposure. There is richness, lift and elegance to be savored in this fine bottle. Pierre Bénétière is a self-made man and staunch Northern Rhone traditionalist cut from the mold of the great icons of the region, Gentaz-Dervieux, Verset, Juge, Allemand, etc. While Pierre grew up in a wine family, his parents did not actually produce wine, but were merchants in Condrieu selling local table wines to the bars and restaurants in the area. He eventually studied Enology and started his winery in the late `80s by acquiring a small parcel of land in the southern end of Cote Rotie (in the lieu-dit of Cordeloux near Condrieu) and clearing and planting the vineyards himself. He later added two small vineyards in Condrieu itself as well as a small parcel of old vines in the heart of the Cote Rotie appellation, on the Cote Brune and right in the middle of Guigal’s famed “La Turque”!”
Franck Balthazar Cornas Cuvee Casimir Balthazar, Rhone 2015 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 92-94 points “Bright violet. Vibrant, smoke-accented dark berries, candied flowers, licorice and allspice on the highly fragrant nose. Sappy, penetrating and seamless on the palate, offering alluringly sweet black raspberry, cherry compote and spicecake flavors that show excellent clarity and mineral lift. Expressive and distinctly elegant in style; silky tannins build slowly on a very long, floral-dominated finish.”
Domaine Vincent Paris Cornas Granit 60, Rhone 2012 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Wine Advocate 95 points “There’s 5,000 bottles of the sensational 2012 Cornas Granit 60 Vielles Vignes. Completely destemmed and aged 18 months in 2- to 8-year-old barrels, its purple/black color is followed by an incredible nose of black raspberry, kirsch, crushed rock and violets. Possessing more tension and depth than the Granit 30, it’s full-bodied, thrillingly rich and has solid underlying acidity and tannic structure. Give it a couple years and drink bottles through 2025.”
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Spectacular Spectator Reviews
For Austrian Wines
Weingut Emmerich Knoll Loibner Schutt Gruner Veltliner Smaragd, Wachau 2015 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 5 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 94 points “Aromas of roasted pineapple, ginger spice and savory, smoky mineral turn to honey and vanilla on the palate. Very expressive now and almost overwhelming, but should integrate nicely with some bottle age. Best from 2019 through 2027.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Weingut Emmerich Knoll Loibner Riesling Smaragd, Wachau 2015 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 11 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 94 points “Shades of pine and stone accent the core flavors of apple and grapefruit in this sleek, well-structured white. Balanced and focused, dissolving into a mix of citrus, floral and mineral notes on the lingering finish. Drink now through 2024.”
F.X. Pichler Gruner Veltliner Durnsteiner Liebenberg Smaragd, Wachau 2015 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 92 points “Crafted with precision, this white features notes of white pepper and chamomile accenting apricot and wet stone flavors, showing good harmony between the savory and fruity elements.”
F.X. Pichler Durnsteiner Kellerberg Riesling Smaragd, Wachau 2015 750ML ($119.95) $85 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 93 points “Peach, apple and brown spice flavors mingle in this opulent yet structured Riesling, whose vivid acidity offsets the flesh. Underlying citrus and stone elements emerge on the finish. Drink now through 2023.”
F.X. Pichler Loibner Berg Riesling Smaragd, Wachau 2015 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 33 bottles in stock now
F.X. Pichler Loibner Berg Riesling Smaragd, Wachau 2015 375ML ($39.95) $33 special, 12 half-bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 92 points “A concentrated, peach-flavored white, with accents of honey, anise and apple exuding ripeness, while citrusy acidity reigns everything in. Stretches out lazily on the finish. Drink now through 2020.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
F.X. Pichler Loibner Oberhauser Riesling Smaragd, Wachau 2015 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 34 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 92 points “Lush, displaying apricot, peach, grapefruit and mineral flavors backed by a vibrant structure, this stays true to its core of orchard fruit, adding accents of elderflower and citrus on the long aftertaste. Drink now through 2023.”
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Domaine Huet
Here and There
Domaine Huet is the Last Undervalued Great French Wine. No, this is not new information, but yes, it is still very true. No other white winemaker in France produces wines that consistently age into masterpieces at anything resembling this sort of price. We probably don’t need to say much more, but if you aren’t on the Huet train already, let us explain the genius of these wines.
Huet makes the top wines in Vouvray and has for quite some time now. What makes them amazing is that they make incredible wines from bone dry, mineral drenched Sec all the way to nobly sweet, honeyed dessert wines (and everything in between—including the Demi-Sec range, which are some of our favorites and, like German Riesling, are very flexible at the table).
They seemingly age forever, gaining complexity and density, but impressively are priced like low-tier white Burgundy. It’s this last part that’s so perplexing. You can put well-aged Huet on the table with any top tier white Burgundy and it has a chance of being not only in the same league, but the best wine on the table. It often costs 1/2-1/5th that of the Burgs. That’s insane.
Our allotment of the 2015’s is dwindling and our 2016s will be arriving in October. Although some wines sold out, we still have a pretty large selection remaining. This sort of pricing can’t last forever.
We’ve shortened the reviews for brevity – to read full reviews and to shop online visit our web store!
Available Here Now from Domaine Huet
Domaine Huet Vouvray Clos du Bourg Demi-Sec, Loire 2015 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 11 bottles in stock now
John Gilman 95 points, Wine Spectator 94 points “The 2015 Demi-Sec from the Clos du Bourg is the lowest level of sweetness from this vineyard in the Domaine Huët stable in 2015 and the wine has magical potential. The bouquet shows a bit more botrytis influence than is the case in the superb Le Mont Demi-Sec, soaring from the glass in a gently glazed constellation of pineapple, a hint of guava, candied quince, lanolin, a touch of honeycomb, beautiful underlying minerality and a topnote of citrus peel. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and rock solid at the core, with a lovely sense of vinosity already in evidence, despite the wine’s still youthful profile. The acids are bright and beautifully buried in the fruit, with excellent soil signature, lovely focus and grip and a very long, beautifully balanced finish. This is more overtly exotic in personality than the Le Mont Demi-Sec in this vintage, but it is hard to say that it will ultimately be superior- perhaps just different. Another great wine. 2016-2075. 95.”JG
Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Haut Lieu Demi-Sec 2015 750ML ($47.95) $39 special, 13 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 94+ points, Wine Spectator 94 points, John Gilman 93+ points “The 2015 Vouvray Le Haut-Lieu Demi-Sec has a creamy, intense and elegant bouquet of ripe and concentrated fruits, along with delicate earthy and lemony flavors. Full-bodied, intense and powerful, with a dense texture and firm tannins, this is a very complex and firmly structured Chenin for the next decade. The sweetness is perfectly integrated and the acidity rather mild in the first moment. The finish though is enormously vital and mineral.”WA
Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Mont Demi-Sec, Loire 2015 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 96 points, John Gilman 95 points “The 2015 Vouvray Le Mont Demi-Sec is deep, rich and flinty on the nose, with caramel and vegetable flavors indicating a great complexity. Full-bodied, dense and powerful, this is highly complex and persistent, yet refreshing and transparent Chenin with a juicy fruit and lots of grip, energy and tension. Rather demure at the moment, this enormously structured wine has a great aging potential and I recommend to store it for 6-10 years, at least.”WA
Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Mont Moelleux, Loire 2015 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 21 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 96 points, John Gilman 95 points, Wine Spectator 94 points “The apricot/golden colored 2015 Vouvray Le Mont Moelleux shows a very intense, elegant and also subtle bouquet of ripe fruit intermixed with flinty aromas. Dense, piquant and concentrated on the palate, this is a great and tension-filled Chenin with grip and persistence, but also great finesse and elegance. This is a highly complex and energetic, but also light-footed and stimulating wine with lots of mouthwatering salinity. A fascinating Chenin with great aging potential.”WA
Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Haut Lieu Moelleux, Loire 2015 750ML ($49.95) $41.90 special, 33 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 95 points, John Gilman 94 points “Offers a big, broad feel, with layers of glazed pear, apple and peach falling over each other, backed by fresh ginger, honeysuckle and quince notes. Everything pulls together through the finish, with green tea accents and racy minerality providing the foil. Drink now through 2035.”WS
Domaine Huet Vouvray Moelleux Clos du Bourg Premiere Trie, Loire 2009 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 9 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 96 points “This is gorgeous, with notes of ginger, orange, clementine, white peach and green fig all bouncing off one another, but working harmoniously through the richly detailed finish. A lingering green tea note hangs on for added length as this puts on weight with air. Drink now through 2025. 760 cases made.”WS
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Huet Vouvray Moelleux Clos du Bourg Premiere Trie, Loire 2015 750ML ($79.95) $69 special, 5 bottles in stock now
John Gilman 98 points, Wine Spectator 97 points, Wine Advocate 96 points “The Clos du Bourg” Moelleux Première Trie from Domaine Huët is another absolutely stunning young example of the 2015 vintage. The very complex bouquet wafts from the glass in one of the most beautifully-botrytized blends I have ever had the pleasure to experience, with notes of pineapple, candied quince, incipient notes of apricot, a whisper of lanolin, honeycomb, a lovely touch of soil, a bit of orange zest, incipient notes of heather and barley sugar, dried flowers, sweet corn and just a whisper of browned butter in the upper register. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, pure and alluring in its promise of stunning complexity to come, with a great core, bright, zesty acids, laser-like focus and stunning length and grip on the still youthful, but utterly suave finish. This does not have the spine of acidity for perfection, but that is really all that is missing here! Like the 2015 Le Mont Première Trie, this is delicious already, thought it really should not be touched for close to another decade! 2025-2085. 98.” JG
Domaine Huet Vouvray Moelleux Le Haut Lieu Premiere Trie, Loire 2015 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 16 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 96 points, John Gilman 95+ points “Gorgeous from the get-go, featuring creamed melon, yellow apple and persimmon notes that glide effortlessly, inlaid with hints of green tea, verbena, heather and quince. The long finish has beautiful flow, with a buried mineral edge imparting freshness while the fruit plays out. Best from 2018 through 2040.”WS
Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Mont Moelleux Premiere Trie, Loire 2015 750ML ($99.95) $79 special, 17 bottles in stock now
Case-6 Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Mont Moelleux Premiere Trie, Loire 2015 750ML ($479.95) $419 special, 2 six-packs in stock now (that’s only $69.83/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 98 points, John Gilman 97 points “The 2015 Vouvray Le Mont Moelleux Première Trie is super clear, ripe and aromatic on the nose, highly elegant and with lovely flinty flavors. Intense and concentrated, with great finesse and vitality, this is a highly elegant and perfectly balanced wine with a persistent grip and salinity. Great balance and harmony.”WA
New Releases Arriving in October:
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Amazingly Low Prices
(Yes, More!)
Wines Arrive Friday
Domaine de la Guilloterie Saumur Blanc Elegance, Loire 2015 750ML ($21.95) $16 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 90 points “Very focused, with a lovely streak of salted butter running through the core of peach, lemon peel and blanched almond notes. Offers a racy, mineral-edged finish. Drink now through 2018.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $20.99
Weingut Geltz-Zilliken Estate Riesling 2014 750ML ($21.95) $14 pre-arrival special
John Gilman 89 points “The off-dry 2014 Estate Riesling is really very good this year, with its forty grams per liter of residual sugar nicely balanced with eight grams per liter of acidity. The lovely wine offers up a succulent nose of lime, apple, slate minerality, white flowers and incipient notes of sea salts. On the palate the wine is medium-full, bright and bouncy, with a good core, bright, ripe acids and a long, filigreed finish that is quite Kabinett-like in profile. A lovely wine. 2015-2025. 89.”
“Tropical hints of papaya and mango mingle with dominant apple on a juicy, buoyant, and even at 40 grams of residual sugar, only discreetly sweet palate. This finishes with caressing tenderness and polish, nicely poised between lightly crunchy and lushly tropical fruit.” -David Schildknecht
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $21.99
Castello di Ama Rosato Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2015 750ML ($19.95) $11.90 pre-arrival special
Ian D’Agata–Vinous 91 points “Pale pink-red. Apricot, peach and flowers on the nose. Fresh and savory in the mouth; hints of pomegranate and vanilla complicate the stone fruit and sweet spice flavors. Finishes long and tactile, with insidiousness sweetness. One of the best Rosatos from Ama in memory.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Castello di Ama Rosato Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2016 750ML ($19.95) $11.90 pre-arrival special
Ian D’Agata–Vinous 90 points “Pale red. Pungent floral aromas and flavors of red berries, apple and spicy underbrush. Vibrant acidity leaves a very clean and fresh mouthfeel which features hints of earth tones and red orchard fruit. Sangiovese and Merlot.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $15.99
The average price is $18
Giuseppe Quintarelli Valpolicella Classico Superiore, Veneto 2008 750ML ($99.95) $79 pre-arrival special
Giuseppe Quintarelli Valpolicella Classico Superiore, Veneto 2008 1.5L ($249.95) $189 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 92 points “Quintarelli’s 2008 Valpolicella shows the mid-weight, gracious style of this cool year. Sweet tobacco, dark cherry, herbs and mocha are all given an extra kick of acidity. About half of the fruit was air-dried for two months. The estate’s decision to release a wine with a good bit of age gives consumers a terrific opportunity to purchase a current release that also offers a good bit of aromatic and flavor complexity. I imagine the wine’s lively acidity will allow it to hold for a number of years, although I do not expect the wine will improve materially.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
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Thank you for reading!