Thursday Vinopolpick 5-2-18

In Today’s Newsletter:

New Releases from Jean-Luc Jamet!
Cavallotto – Incredible Barolo, Now in the May Sale

The Motherload of Rosenthal Rosé Arrives
Including Peyrassol, Pradeaux, Bagnols, and More!

New Wine Advocate Reviews for Grunhaus and Prum
Guigal’s Stunning St. Joseph Blanc

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Just Arrived:

The New Releases of Jean-Luc Jamet

Yesterday we highlighted the entry level wines of Domaine Jamet (just arrived, fantastic wines).  Today we’re highlighting the other half of the family. Jean-Luc Jamet, one of two brothers behind the legendary Domaine Jamet, left the family estate in 2013 to start his own winery.  He took half of the Jamet Cote-Rotie holdings with him and has made his own wine ever since.

We just received some of his entry level wines—a great chance to dip your toes into a new domaine and see what the house style is all about (hint: very similar to his brother’s).  They represent really delicious wines that have all of the flavor and character of Cote Rotie with a much lower price tag.  These are very much the Cote-Rotie equivalents of Clape’s Vin des Amis in quality and price.  They also make a really wonderful white from Marsanne, Roussane and Viognier.

Finally, the flagship of the bunch is his ‘Terrasses’ bottling of Cote Rotie.  This is his share of the family heritage, a wine that rivals his brother’s as the most emblematic of the AOC.  Like the Domaine Jamet bottling, this is a pretty wine with considerable power that’s hidden underneath more charm.  This is a wine that’s as scarce as it is good, though, so grab it while you see it!

Jean-Luc Jamet Cotes du Rhone Blanc, Rhone 2015 750ML ($31.95) $28 special
John Livingston-Learmonth 4 stars “shiny, nice full yellow robe. The nose is starting to evolve, shows white tobacco, ginger, quince plums, toast, bears good freshness. The palate links well to the nose via a fresh, minted spine, spearmint, and a good spring in its step. There’s some oak toast on the end. There is worthy coolness on the palate. This is very enjoyable, has status. This is well blended, can integrate further, is up to St Jo blanc standard. 13°. This will be good with pork. “This year I used one new cask with two young ones, so it was marked by oak, but that is absorbing. It will go well with white meats, crudités,” J-L Jamet.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!
Jean-Luc Jamet Cote Rotie ‘Terrasses’, Rhone 2014 750ML ($109.95) $89 special
John Livingston-Learmonth 4 stars “dark red. The nose is becoming assured, settling, has floral airs peeping through, fat and cooked plums, nice ripeness, a good sphere. There is a Pinot side to it, with hints of oak, wild strawberries. This has an easy attack, bears squeezy and rounded red fruits such as strawberry, a willing orb to please. The tannins are discreet, bring an extra layer with the oak, so there is a gummy nature late on before ending on light menthol clarity. This is notably charming, with tinkly, rightly simple fruit at its centre. 12.5°. 2028-29 Mar 2018”

Jean-Luc Jamet ‘Valine’, IGP Collines Rhodaniennes 2014 750ML ($29.95) $26 special
John Livingston-Learmonth 4 stars “this is the second of the two bottlings, in September, a year after the harvest: has a safe bet red robe. Mulberry, cherry liqueur airs, a spot of eau de vie and violet perfume feature on the nose. This is tight, mineral, a bit on the wire, but aided by floral/rose, primrose touches. The finish has dry notes, vegetal. The nose leads the palate – it is aromatic, quietly round. The palate is more challenging, spare. “There is white tobacco on the palate,” Jean-Luc Jamet. 2022-23 Mar 2018”

Jean-Luc Jamet ‘Valine’, IGP Collines Rhodaniennes 2015 750ML ($31.95) $28 special
John Livingston-Learmonth 4 stars “dark red. Has a brewed, brothy aroma, sweet, crushed blackberry fruit with a hint of grilling, vegetal. The palate has iron, blood in its delivery, good black fruits with vigour and spark and real consecutive flow. There is commendable detail in the fruit. The aftertaste is salted. Cool and good. It’s a very good, Rock on Tommy vin de pays; the stems contribute good crunch – it’s well lifted. “it came together nice and steadily,” Jean-Luc Jamet. 12.5°. 2026-27 Mar 2018”

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Cavallotto: Overlooked No Longer

New to the May Sale

“Cavallotto may very well be the greatest Barolo producer few people have ever heard of, something that continues to mystify me. Truth is, it isn’t just the Barolos here that are impressive, the entry-level wines are every bit as delicious and well-priced…Readers who appreciate a firm, classic style of Barolo will want to spend some time getting to know Cavallotto.”Antonio Galloni

Cavallotto is a top tier, old school producer of Barolo.  They make wines that are impressively ageworthy and every bit as good as producers whose wines go for 50%-100% more per bottle than the top wines from Cavallotto, but somehow manage to stay at the edges of the mainstream Barolo drinker.  We notice that our customers who buy Cavallotto buy a lot of Piemontese wines—they’re very in the know drinkers.

Unfortunately (for everyone else) that enthusiasm hasn’t yet spread, which is something we’d like to change.  These are incredibly expressive wines and are very true to their vineyard terroirs. Antoni Galloni describes them as “made in a style that offers the fruit density of contemporary Barolos with the structural underpinnings that are found in more traditionally made wines.”  We agree—these are special wines and deserve a (major) place in your cellar.  We’re adding three of the wines to the May Sale, so now you have even fewer excuses not to drink these fantastic bottles!

Cavallotto Bricco Boschis, Barolo DOCG 2013 750ML ($89.95) Was $66, Now $59 Clearance Price
Monica Larner – Wine Advocate 96+ points “Cavallotto is on a roll with some very impressive new releases. The 2013 Barolo Bricco Boschis is a tremendous effort that has an edge on the excellent 2010 vintage in my view. The wine shows a beautifully exuberant but elegant bouquet with the ethereal and undertone fruit and spice aromas you get with Nebbiolo. Although the wine is never overdone, it does show silky persistence and a long finish that comes from the noble nature of the tannins and the wine’s textural finesse. Yet, it is playfully deceiving in a way because behind that polished grace, it delivers impressive depth and power.”
Wine Spectator 94 points “This is packed with sweet cherry, currant, floral and spice flavors. The vivid acidity drives the intensity, while dense tannins lend support. This will take some time to harmonize, but should be well worth the wait. Best from 2022 through 2040.”
Antonio Galloni 92 points “The 2013 Barolo Bricco Boschis is terrific. Dense and powerful in the glass, the 2013 offers notable energy and muscle in its dark-toned Nebbiolo flavors. Smoke, graphite, rose petal, licorice and menthol develop in what is a decidedly brooding, inward Bricco Boschis. There is real staying power and persistence to the 2013. I wouldn’t plan on touching a bottle anytime soon.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Cavallotto Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe, Barolo Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($119.95) Was $99, Now $88 Clearance Price
Monica Larner – Wine Advocate 95 points “The Cavallotto 2011 Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe is an exceptional wine that really shows the best of Castiglione Falletto, home to some of Barolo’s most consistent and age-worthy wines. This bottle offers enormous complexity coupled by power and linear, classic lines. Maceration stopped at 20 days, otherwise the winemaking team feared the results would be overdone and too bold. The bouquet opens quickly to reveal dark fruit, spice, anise seed and licorice. The effect is ethereal and lasting. It would be hard to pin this wine down as being from the warm 2011 vintage in a blind tasting. The acidity is fresh and nicely folded into the background.”
Wine Spectator 94 points “Balanced and expressive, this Barolo features maturing aromas and flavors of cherry, licorice, tobacco and mineral. Builds to a long, detailed aftertaste. Altogether savory and fresh. Best from 2020 through 2033.”
Antonio Galloni 92 points “Cavallotto’s 2011 Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe is powerful and dense. The more roasted, ripe side of the year is very much in evidence. There is no shortage of richness to the black cherry, smoke, tobacco, menthol and licorice flavors. At times, though, the 2011 comes across as a bit heavy. I would have liked to see a little more freshness, although, admittedly, that was hard to come by in 2011.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Cavallotto Bricco Boschis Vignolo, Barolo Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($119.95) Was $89, Now $81.80 Clearance Price
Antonio Galloni 94 points “A dark, powerful wine, the 2011 Barolo Riserva Vignolo has nevertheless preserved good freshness for the year. The breadth and amplitude of the vintage comes through, and yet all the elements are impeccably balanced. Readers can look forward to another 20 years of fine drinking. This is very nicely done.”
Wine Spectator 94 points “There are plenty of bass notes in this ripe, broad red, from deep plum and black cherry flavors to licorice and tar notes. An undercurrent of freshness propels the underbrush elements on the finish. Complex and long. Best from 2021 through 2035.”
Monica Larner – Wine Advocate 93 points “2011 Barolo Riserva Vignolo is a dark and succulent expression that showcases the characteristics of the warm vintage. The bouquet puts forth a compelling set of dark fruit characteristics with Morello cherry, dried blackberry, mocha and delicate accents of sweet spice. The vineyard team was careful to keep the clusters under the shade of the canopy for as long as possible during the summer months to prevent the grapes from ripening too fast or bleaching their color pigments. The results are very nice indeed.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Want to see all the May Clearance Sale wines?
Just click here to view a full list on our website!
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Arriving Tomorrow:

The Motherload of Rosenthal Rosé

Neal Rosenthal brings in arguably the best collection of rosé from Europe.  From Pradeaux in Bandol to Peyrassol in Provence and Bagnols in Cassis, his rosés are often the defining examples of their appellations.  We tend to think of Rosenthal rosé as being especially elegant and nuanced, with excellent minerality and poise.

We have a large assortment of them arriving tomorrow, from some of our favorite producers and in a variety of sizes.  The large formats, especially the double-magnums, are especially rare and are perfect for a party in the warmer months.  Many of these bottlings will sell out quickly, if history is any indication, so if there’s a producer you’re especially fond of, now’s your best chance to get the wines.  Production for many producers across France were down in 2017, due to late frosts so supply is even tighter than usual.

Peyrassol Cotes de Provence ‘Le Clos Peyrassol’ Rose, Provence 2017 750ML ($49.95) $44 pre-arrival special
Peyrassol Cotes de Provence ‘Le Clos Peyrassol’ Rose, Provence 2017 1.5L ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Importer note “Made from the estate’s best and oldest parcels of Grenache, Cinsault, Mourvedre, and Carignan, “Le Clos” represents a minuscule fraction of Peyrassol’s total production. While this 2017 offers greater richness and intensity than the previous two wines, it nonetheless displays the fat-free muscularity and drive of the vintage, with a salt-dominated and tight-grained finish that promises mid-term age-ability. Interestingly, “Le Clos” is the most glisteningly light-colored of the trio, proving once again that color and intensity are completely independent phenomena.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Chateau Pradeaux Bandol Rose, Provence 2017 750ML ($34.95) $29 pre-arrival special
Chateau Pradeaux Bandol Rose, Provence 2017 1.5L ($79.95) $69 pre-arrival special
Importer note “Comprising, as always, 75% Mourvedre and 25% Cinsault, the bold, robustly expressive 2017 Bandol Rose offers notes of red licorice, dried sage, crunchy apple, and savory earth. The palate is ultra-intense and staining, with an almost oily core that still scans as bone-dry. Perhaps more than any other wine in the region that we encountered, this shows 2017’s rare ability to delivery sheer power without any undue fruitiness.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Peyrassol Cotes de Provence ‘Chateau Peyrassol’ Rose, Provence 2017 750ML ($31.95) $26 pre-arrival special
Peyrassol Cotes de Provence ‘Chateau Peyrassol’ Rose, Provence 2017 1.5L ($99.95) $79 pre-arrival special
Peyrassol Cotes de Provence ‘Chateau Peyrassol’ Rose, Provence 2017 3L ($199.95) $169 pre-arrival special
Importer note “Made entirely from estate fruit in 2017, “Chateau” is primarily Cinsault, with increasingly smaller amounts of Grenache, Mourvedre, Tibouren, and Syrah. This is a higher-toned, more floral, more filigree wine than its brother above, with subtle herbal notes framing clean, lifted fruit on the nose. Though equally as dense—and perhaps more penetrating due to its more overt mineral character—it is no richer than the “Commanderie,” and it expresses the vintage’s firm tension with elegance.”

This is the only listing for a double magnum in the USA today!

Domaine de Bagnol Cassis Rose, Provence 2017 750ML ($39.95) $29 pre-arrival special
Domaine de Bagnol Cassis Rose, Provence 2017 1.5L ($74.95) $66 pre-arrival special
Importer note “The always-warm and inviting Genovesi clan expressed justifiable enthusiasm over their 2017 Cassis Rose—a wine of painfully low production (Bagnol suffered over a 50% crop loss in ’17 due to hydric stress and early-spring frost, the second severely compromised harvest in a row here quantity-wise) but vigorous character. Always among the most coveted of our roses, this vintage is even more blatantly saline than usual, with a sense of dense power lurking below the unabashedly pretty candied strawberry and quinine-inflected freshness. The finish really announces the vintage’s concentration, with a high-toned drive and a sense of mineral-driven solidity.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Chateau Pradeaux Le Cotes de Provence Rose 2017 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 pre-arrival special
Importer note “Made from 45% Cinsault and 40% Mourvedre, with the balance split among Grenache and Carignan, this year’s pale-iron-colored Cotes de Provence Rose is closer to Bandol-level complexity and concentration than we have yet seen from this wine—a result of the vintage’s atypical concentration. A core of sappy, glycerol red-cherry fruit anchors a firm, punchy minerality, and the finish is remarkably persistent. The vineyards that comprise this wine were, in fact, classified as Bandol AOC as recently as 2012, and this 2017 clearly distinguishes itself from among the vast ocean of Cotes de Provence rose by virtue of its terroir’s unique pedigree.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Other, In Stock, Rosé from the Rosenthal Portfolio:

Peyrassol Cotes de Provence ‘Commanderie de Peyrassol’ Rose, Provence 2017 750ML ($24.95) $19 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Peyrassol Cotes de Provence ‘Commanderie de Peyrassol’ Rose, Provence 2017 1.5L ($61.95)
$49 special, 18 magnums in stock now
Importer note
“As always, the 2017 version of the workhorse of the Peyrassol cellar is built on the backs of Cinsault and Grenache, with Syrah, Rolle, Ugni Blanc, and Clairette playing minor supporting roles. Pouring a classic silvery salmon color, the fruit is pitched toward red: ripe strawberry, red apple, stony cherry. The dense yet tightly focused palate shows the natural concentration of the vintage, and the finish is prolonged by a mouthwatering, very gently bitter sensation of tannin.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
This is the lowest listed price for a magnum in the USA today!

Chateau Simone Les Grands Carmes de Simone Rose, IGP Bouches-du-Rhone 2014 750ML ($39.95) $33 special, 19 bottles in stock now
Importer note
“We are pleased to be able to access a larger quantity of the “Grandes Carmes de Simone” Rosé this year, which is classified as a Vin de Pays des Bouches du Rhone. From a small north-facing site just around the hill from the Chateau itself, the wine is 45% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, 20% Merlot and 5% Cinsault. It receives the same special care as the flagship Palette, with manual harvests and extended elevage in small foudre.”

Chateau Simone Palette Rose, Provence 2016 750ML ($64.95) $51.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Chateau Simone Palette Rose, Provence 2016 1.5L ($139.95)
$119 special, 12 magnums in stock now
“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.”–Importer Notes

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New Wine Advocate Reviews

for JJ Prum + Maximin Grunhaus

The Mosel Legends Step Up Again

2016 is a fantastic vintage to stock up on.  We’ve bought a bunch—it’s a perfect counterpoint to the ageworthy 2015’s and the somewhat inconsistent (and expensive) 2017’s that are in the pipeline.  We have some of our last arriving 2016’s arriving next month, from the legendary producers JJ Prum and Maximin Grunhaus, who just received fantastic reviews from the Wine Advocate’s Stephen Reinhardt.

Both Prum and Grunhaus are known for epic, intense, long lived wines that are the apogee of their respective regions (the Mosel and Ruwer, respectively).  These are wines that you should have in your cellar—they’re the most epic wines that you can afford to buy in quantity.  Reinhardt’s reviews highlight everything we love about these wines and this vintage—an excellent combination of styles.  We’re excited to get these in—you should be too.

Arriving in June:

Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2016 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2016 375ML ($37.95) $29 pre-arrival special
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2016 1.5L ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2016 Graacher Himmelreich Auslese (AP 09 17) shows very fine botrytis and orange tea character on the delicate and nicely concentrated nose. Very elegant, piquant and lush on the palate, with mineral expression, refreshment and persistent structure, this is a serious and complex Auslese of great class. Highly recommended.”

Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2016 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 97 points “What a fantastic bouquet! The 2016 Graacher Himmelreich Auslese Gold Capsule is super deep, intense and precise on the nose where flinty/stony notes and very fine (and slightly spicy) raisin and grapefruit aromas are displayed. Rich, lush and super sexy on the palate, with highly delicate but intense and persistent fruit and very fine salinity, this is a gorgeous Auslese from the winner of the 2016 vintage chez Prüm: Graacher Himmelreich. This gold-capsuled Auslese (AP 10 17) is rich, finessed and almost weightless in its intensity. The salty and piquant acidity is alive and kicking. You can hardly produce a better Auslese in this delicate and filigreed style. 8% alcohol.”

Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2016 750ML ($37.95) $30.90 pre-arrival special
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2016 1.5L ($79.95) $69 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2016 Graacher Himmelreich Kabinett (AP 21 17) is deep, cool and flinty on the nose, pretty mineral though still a bit reductive. Round, intense and juicy, this is a densely woven Kabinett with ripe nectarine and plummy flavors as well as a tightly woven and refreshing mineral structure. The finish is pretty persistent and extremely stimulating. Compared to the Badstube, the Himmelreich is more aromatic and expressive. Tasted in March 2017.”

Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2016 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2016 1.5L ($119.95) $89 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2016 Graacher Himmelreich Spätlese (AP 08 17) is discreet and smoky on the deep, well-defined nose. Juicy-piquant and salty on the well-structured and refreshingly mineral palate, the Himmelreich is tight and expressive, with the sweetness superbly balanced by the spicy, grippy phenols/minerals. This is a really complex Spätlese that is highly stimulating today and will still be so in 20 or 30 years.”

Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2016 750ML ($59.95) $51.90 pre-arrival special
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2016 375ML ($39.95) $33 pre-arrival special
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2016 1.5L ($149.95) $119 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2016 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese (AP 13 17) is clear, fresh and vegetal/floral on the pretty complex but clear and refreshingly flinty nose. Bottled with 8.5% alcohol, this is a lush, piquant and well-structured Spätlese with good grip and a perceptible sweetness. The finish is intense and complex and reveals a firm mineral structure.”

Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2016 750ML ($129.95) $119 pre-arrival special
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2016 375ML ($66.95) $79 pre-arrival special
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2016 1.5L ($279.95) $249 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2016 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese (Gold Capsule) is clear, fine and subtle yet concentrated, with vegetal and ripe fruit aromas. Rich, round and piquant, this is an intense and densely woven Auslese (AP 14 17) with a long, tensioned and refreshing mineral finish that lifts the sweet fruit. Gorgeous but made for another decade.”

Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2016 750ML ($39.95) $31.90 pre-arrival special
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2016 1.5L ($89.95) $77 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 91 points “The 2016 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett (AP 22 17) is bright, deep, firm and flinty on the nose, which is still a bit reductive in early March 2018. Pure, fine and piquant on the palate, this is a light and very delicate Kabinett with a salty-piquant, lush finish that reveals ripe stone fruit and tropical fruit flavors.”

Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2016 750ML ($49.95) $41.90 pre-arrival special
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2016 1.5L ($119.95) $96 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2016 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spätlese (AP 23 17) is still discreet, floral and finely mineral rather than fruity on the nose compared to the other 2016 Spätlesen. Lush, piquant and juicy on the palate, this is a firm but sensual Sonnenuhr with remarkable finesse, lightness and lingering salinity. Tasted March 2018.”

Maximin Grunhauser Abtsberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Mosel 2016 750ML ($59.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 94 points “Fermented in old oak fuders, the 2016 Maximin Grünhaus Abtsberg Riesling “GG” opens with a deep, fascinatingly precise and flinty bouquet of perfectly ripe, healthy Riesling berries and pineapple aromas. Full-bodied (at 12% alcohol), rich, lush and intense, this is a firmly structured yet mouth-filling and very elegant Abtsberg with a very long, crystalline and mouthwateringly salty finish. Still young, this Riesling will benefit from further bottle aging. It’s the finest dry Abtsberg I have tasted here. Impressive. Bottled May 2017; tasted March 2018.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Maximin Grunhauser Abtsberg Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2016 750ML ($29.95) $24 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93+ points “The 2016 Maximin Grünhaus Abtsberg Riesling Kabinett has a deep and seriously flinty bouquet with ripe and concentrated—but not showy—Riesling aromas. Lush and mineral on the palate, this is a mouthwatering and super juicy Abtsberg with a salty-crystalline and crunchy palate. Tasted March 2018.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Maximin Grunhauser Abtsberg Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2016 750ML ($37.95) $29 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2016 Maximin Grünhaus Abtsberg Riesling Spätlese shows a pure, reductive and extremely flinty/crunchy bouquet with perfectly ripe but still crisp and healthy fruit. Lush, round and very elegant on the palate, this is a piquant, beautifully balanced and refined Spätlese with grace and finesse. A fabulous wine! Tasted March 2018.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Maximin Grunhauser Herrenberg Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2016 750ML ($29.95) $24 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2016 Maximin Grünhaus Herrenberg Riesling Kabinett is super clear, crisp and fresh on the nose, showing bright Riesling fruit along with a crunchy slate aroma. Racy, piquant and salty, this is a crystalline picture-book Kabinett from the Herrenberg. The finish is long and complex, the wine absolutely gorgeous. Bottled with 7.5% alcohol and roughly 50 grams of residual sugar that doesn’t taste sweet but fruity. Tasted March 2018.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Maximin Grunhauser Herrenberg Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2016 750ML ($37.95) $29 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2016 Maximin Grünhaus Herrenberg Riesling Spätlese shows a very stony/mineral bouquet with crunchy slate and bright, precise yet ripe and concentrated fruit aromas. On the palate, this is a stunningly pure and tensioned Spätlese that doesn’t taste that sweet due to its firm mineral grip and expression. Only two fuders were produced of this super lush and stimulating Spätlese. Gosh, this is gorgeous! Tasted March 2018.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Maximin Grunhauser Riesling Alte Reben, Mosel 2016 750ML ($29.95) $24 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2016 Maximin Grünhaus Riesling Alte Reben is the successor of the Abtsberg Alte Reben, although it is not entirely sourced in the Abtsberg anymore but also the Herrenberg. The wine opens with clear, precise, aromatic, beautifully concentrated and finely mineral-scented Riesling fruit with some tropical fruit aromas such as pineapples. On the palate, this is a medium-bodied, very mineral but also juicy-piquant and crystalline Riesling with the grip and tension of the former Abtsberg. It is an impressive Grünhäuser Riesling with good length and complexity but just 11.5% alcohol. Stimulatingly salty. Impressive! Tasted in March 2018 from AP 2 17.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!
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Guigal St. Joseph Blanc

Massive Wine/Massive Scores

Guigal needs no introduction at this point and their whites have scored highly no matter their AOC.  This St. Joseph Blanc looks to be a modern classic and is among the most in-demand bottlings of the year.

Arriving ETA July:

E. Guigal Saint-Joseph ‘Cuvee Lieu-Dit Saint-Joseph’ Blanc, Rhone 2015 750ML ($69.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 96 points “The second year where they’ve moved away from 100% new oak, the 2015 St Joseph Lieu Dit St Joseph Blanc is all Marsanne and offers an utterly profound bouquet of orange blossom, white flowers, crushed rocks, licorice, white peach and honeysuckle. Full-bodied, rich and layered, yet with incredible purity, it’s the finest example of this cuvée I’ve tasted. Bravo!”

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

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Thanks for reading!