3/2/16
Newly Arrived!
Patrick Bottex Bugey Cerdon La Cueille Sparkling Rose, Savoie NV 750ML ($21.95) $14 special
Case-12 Patrick Bottex Bugey Cerdon La Cueille Sparkling Rose, Savoie NV 750ML ($249.95) $149 special (that’s only $12.42/bottle!)
Robert Parker 90 points “Dry, crisp, fresh and incredibly fragrant, this sparkling wine is a terrific bargain. The good news is there are around 4,000 cases of it, although I do not know how much is imported by Kermit Lynch. Drink it over the next year. Kermit Lynch is one of the most meticulous importers in terms of shipping wines properly, but it would be nice to see a vintage, release, or bottling date on these bottles.”
The average price is $24
Case-6 Chateau de Lascaux Coteaux du Languedoc Rose, Languedoc-Roussillon 2014 1.5L ($219.95) $89 special (that’s only $14.83/magnum!)
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 88 points “Light orange-pink. Pungent red berries and orange pith on the nose and in the mouth, with a subtle floral quality emerging as the wine opens up. Fleshy and dry, with an herbal flourish and a touch of bitterness emerging on the back half. Shows good power and cut on the finish, which leaves notes of anise and dried citrus fruits behind.”
The average 750ML price is $17!!!!
Domaines Ott Château de Selle Côtes de Provence Cru Classé Rosé 2014 750ML ($59.95) $33 special
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 92 points “Very pale orange-pink. Incisive and minerally on the fragrant nose, displaying an array of red berry and citrus fruit aromas and a sexy floral nuance. Dry, stony and precise on the palate, offering sappy orange and redcurrant flavors that flesh out slowly with air. At once concentrated and lithe, finishing with outstanding clarity and a lingering honeysuckle note. I’d serve this wine as I would a rich white Burgundy.”
The average price is $47
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 90 points “Bright ruby. Powerful, smoke-accented aromas of cherry compote, blueberry and licorice are lifted by peppery spices and a subtle floral nuance. Sweet, smooth and expansive, conveying a velvety texture to its ripe cherry and dark berry flavors. The licorice quality comes back strong on the finish, which lingers with very good smoky persistence.”
The next best price is $32.87
The average price is $43
We offer flat rate shipping on any size single order / single shipment
-Washington & Idaho for $20,
-and California for $25
These rates do not apply to orders held in storage here for any reason.
Multiple orders consolidated into one shipment
do not qualify for flat rate shipping.
& Subscriber-Only Sale #1
Like the city of Beaune, Nuits-St-Georges is a regional center, where many wineries are headquartered. One of the most famous is Domaine Faiveley, which played an important part in the early development of the appellation. The winery was established in 1825 and today it maintains its headquarters within the town. In 1934, Georges Faiveley and Camille Rodier formed The Brotherhood of Knights of the Wine-Tasting Cup (Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin) to promote the great wines of Burgundy. Shortly thereafter, Nuits-St-Georges gained AOC title. The town mayor, Henri Gouges, elected to not single out any of the appellations vineyards for Grand Cru. Despite this, the appellation’s 41 Premier Crus are widely praised, and several (such as Les St Georges, Les Cailles and Les Vaucrains) are considered equivalent to other Grand Crus due to their quality and age-worthiness.
The soils of Nuits-St-Georges fall into three distinct terroirs. The southernmost district is at a higher elevation with thin and fine soils. It includes vineyards such as Clos de Forêts and Clos de la Marechale and produces wines that are more floral, elegant, and lighter. Further North is the heart of the Nuits St. Georges, which offers the most tannic structure. The soil here is richer and deeper with clay, sand and gravel. The wines show extraordinary richness and dark flavors. Vineyards include some of the most sought after: les Vaucrains, les Cailles and Les St Georges. At the furthest point north the soils are limestone with clay, pebbles and scree, offering wines with more suppleness and finesse. Vineyards include Aux Boudots, Les Thorey and Les Damodes.
Today, we present our selection of the wines of Nuits-St-Georges. Robust and woody, the darkly colored and flavored wines of Nuits-St-Georges can be considered more solid than even some of the more heralded villages, reliably producing solid wine each vintage. For buyers looking for age worthy red Burgundies, there’s hardly a better place to look.
Subscriber Special – Three Day Sale
Pick any mix of 6+ Nuits-St-Georges wines and receive a 5% discount
Pick any mix of 12+ Nuits-St-Georges wines and receive a 10% discount
*Discount will not appear online, but will be added to the order after it is placed
*All orders must be paid for within the promotional period to receive the discount
Expires Midnight Friday
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 90-92 points “Bright, deep red. Very ripe, chocolatey nose. Rich, sappy and densely packed, conveying a broad-shouldered solidity to its flavors of liqueur-like dark fruits, licorice and dark chocolate. Very solidly built wine with serious but nicely enrobed tannins spreading out and lingering on the chewy back end.” ST
Domaine Henri Gouges Les Saint-Georges, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($219.95) $189 pre-arrival special (that’s only $179.55 with 5% off or $170.10 with 10% off!)
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 92-94 points “Bright red. Ripe, musky aromas of red berries, minerals and rust. Suave and creamy-sweet in the mouth, with an almost jammy ripeness but also very good framing acidity to the crunchy red berry flavors. Perhaps a bit youthfully disassociated at present, not to mention firmly tannic on the back end, yet this is easier to taste today than the Vaucrains owing to its sheer sex appeal. Offers superb potential.” ST
Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges 2013 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special (that’s only $56.05 with 5% off or $53.10 with 10% off which is the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 86-88 points “Healthy bright red. Slightly reduced aromas of bitter cherry and lees. Sweet but reduced, with cranberry and raspberry fruit flavors complicated by earthy and saline traces. Boasts good lift but finishes with slightly tart-edged acidity.” ST
Domaine Henri Gouges Les Chaignots, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($79.95) $69 pre-arrival special (that’s only $65.55 with 5% off or $62.10 with 10% off which is the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Wine Advocate 89-91 points “The 2013 Nuits Saint Georges 1er Cru les Chaignots has a clean, pure and understated bouquet, with touches of orange rind developing in the glass. The palate is quite vivacious on the entry with crisp edgy tannins, a keen thread of acidity, and plenty of nervosité toward the finish. This should offer pleasure over 8-10 years, possibly more.” NM
Domaine Henri Gouges Les Chenes Carteaux, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($79.95) $66 pre-arrival special (that’s only $62.70 with 5% off or $59.40 with 10% off! These are the lowest listed prices in the USA today!)
Wine Advocate 90-92 points “The 2013 Nuits St Georges 1er Cru les Chenes Carteaux has a bit of reduction on the nose. The palate is fleshy and supple in the mouth, with nicely judged acidity. It is missing just a little complexity toward the finish, although there is fine balance and poise. It lends this Nuits Saint Georges a slight brittleness in the mouth, but it seems to possess plenty of tension and persistence.”
Domaine Henri Gouges Les Pruliers, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($139.95) $119 pre-arrival special (that’s only $113.05 with 5% off or $107.10 with 10% off!)
Wine Advocate 92-94 points “The 2013 Nuits St Georges 1er Cru les Pruliers might well be the pick of the wines from Domaine Henri Gouges this year. It has a tightly wound, undergrowth-tinged bouquet with mulberry and briary aromas. The palate is underpinned by fine, taut tannins and a taut thread of acidity. This is very “streamlined” at the moment – all about the focus and energy rather than flamboyance. It has a lovely shimmering finish, with a long saline aftertaste. Excellent.” NM
Domaine Henri Gouges Les Vaucrains, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($159.95) $133 pre-arrival special (that’s only $126.35 with 5% off or $119.70 with 10% off!)
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 91-94 points “(18 hectoliters per hectare produced): Full medium red. Very pure aromas of black cherry, black raspberry, mocha and chocolate mint, complicated by truffley underbrush. Sweet, sappy and deep; rich and tactile, combining lovely finesse of texture with obvious force. This highly concentrated, youthfully austere Vaucrains finishes with substantial dusty tannins and excellent persistence.” ST
Burghound 92-94 points “As complex as the Pruliers is, the Les Cailles ratchets it up yet another notch with its spicy and pure blend of cassis, plum, violet and distinct iron-infused earth. There is excellent richness to the cool and equally pure medium-bodied flavors that possess excellent focus on the explosively long finish. The tannins are dense but quite fine and this offers outstanding upside development potential.” BH
Domaine Robert Chevillon Aux Chaignots, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($99.95) $69 special, 23 bottles available (that’s only $65.55 with 5% off or $62.10 with 10% off!)
Burghound 89-91 points “Here too discreet wood spice frames a pretty and cool mix of red and dark pinot fruit that is trimmed in warm earth nuances that are also reflected by the refined, pure and silky middle weight flavors. There is fine complexity and verve to the well-defined and persistent finish. A classic Chaignots of grace and harmony with no lack of aging potential.” BH
Domaine Robert Chevillon Les Roncieres, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($99.95) $69 special, 16 bottles available (that’s only $65.55 with 5% off or $62.10 with 10% off!)
Burghound 90-93 points “There is a trace of herbal tea that adds breadth to the otherwise exceptionally fresh and equally pure red currant and wild cherry aromas. There is really beautiful intensity to the precise flavors that are on the lighter side yet deliver that wonderful quality of power without weight. This is first rate as it’s balanced, harmonious and offers excellent depth and length.”BH
Domaine Robert Chevillon Nuits-Saint-Georges Vieilles Vignes 2011 750ML ($69.95) $51.90 special, 23 bottles available (that’s only $49.31 with 5% off or $46.71 with 10% off! These are the lowest listed prices in the USA today!)
Burghound 87-89 points “A discreet touch of wood sets off equally fresh and bright red berry fruit and soft earth aromas that give way to mouth coating, delicious and vibrant medium-bodied flavors that possess good mid-palate concentration, all wrapped in a seductively textured, balanced and solidly persistent finish.”BH
Domaine de L’Arlot Clos des Forets Saint-Georges, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($149.95) $109 special, 2 bottles available (that’s only $103.55 with 5% off or $98.10 with 10% off!)
Stephen Tanzer 92-95 points “Deep, bright, saturated red. Knockout nose combines black cherry, sage, licorice and leather; smells strong! Then thick and silky but almost magically light on its feet, showing extraordinary complexity and eclat to its flavors of brambly black fruits, menthol, mint, fresh blood and rocky minerality. Really splendid intensity here–“a concentration that comes from the grapes, not from the winemaker,” says Devauges. The horizontal finish saturates the entire palate without leaving any impression of weight, thanks to utterly suave tannins and pungent minerality. A great vin de terroir in the making: this wine reminded me of the stunning 1991 version of this wine.” ST
Domaine Faiveley Les Pruliers, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($89.95) $69 special, 12 bottles available (that’s only $65.55 with 5% off or $62.10 with 10% off!)
Stephen Tanzer 89-91 points “Bright medium red. Pungent flinty minerality and smoke on the nose. Very sweet, lightly saline redcurrant and raspberry flavors show modest complexity and definition. Finishes with slightly tough tannins and a touch of dryness. Needs following. This vineyard is part of Faiveley’s large contract to purchase all of Domaine Zibetti’s fruit: 2011 was the first vintage.” ST
Domaine Faiveley Les Saint-Georges, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2000 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 5 bottles available (that’s only $94.05 with 5% off or $89.10 with 10% off!)
Stephen Tanzer 92-94 points Burghound & 91-93 points “Palish medium red. Medicinal red cherry, minerals, crushed stone, violet, rose petal and white pepper on the noble nose. Wonderfully silky and pure, with ineffable flavors of red fruits, spices, flowers and minerals. This is wonderfully delicate, and not a fleshy wine, yet saturates every square millimeter of the palate with flavor. The long, sweet, rising finish offers terrific cut and floral lift. Should make a worthy successor to the outstanding 2007, which also transcends its village. Hervet says that this will be bottled by hand, without filtration.”ST
Domaine Henri Gouges Clos des Porrets Monopole, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($89.95) $55 special, 25 bottles available (that’s only $52.25 with 5% off or $49.50 with 10% off!)
Stephen Tanzer 90 points “Bright medium red. Liqueur-like aromas of cherry and raspberry. Sweet red fruit and spice flavors are lifted by notes of rose petal, herbs and pepper. Has the freshness and balance to give early pleasure. Finishes with lingering pepper-and-spice perfume and very good length.” ST
Domaine Henri Gouges Les Chaignots, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2010 750ML ($99.95) $79 special, 21 bottles available (that’s only $75.05 with 5% off or $71.10 with 10% off!)
John Gilman 92 points “I did not have a chance to really taste the 2010 Chaignots out of barrel in November of 2011, as the wine was quite reduced and in need of a racking at the time of my visit. A year later, I was very happy to revisit the wine out of bottle and see that it was very promising, offering up a youthful and classy bouquet of black cherries, gamebirds, woodsmoke, a beautiful base of soil and a fine topnote of fresh herbs. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and very pure, with laser-like focus, a sappy core of fruit, tangy acids and a very long, suavely tannic and still very closed finish. This will want most of the decade to blossom in bottle, but it is destined to be a great vintage of Chaignots from the Gouges family. 2020-2070.”
Stephen Tanzer 91+ points “Palish red. Redcurrant, cherry, spices, minerals and a whiff of game on the nose. Sweet, silky and fairly deep, offering a fine-grained texture and very good energy and intensity to its red fruit flavors. This juicy, bright premier cru relies as much on its acids as on its tannins for balance and structure. Finishes subtle and long. Half of these vines were replanted in 1986 following the 1985 frost, and so this wine has been getting better and better in recent vintages, noted Gregory Gouges.” ST
John Gilman 92 points “The 2010 Chênes Carteaux from the Gouges family is a beautiful example of this underrated terroir and the 2010 version should prove to be one of the finest ever produced here by the domaine. The nascently complex bouquet is still youthful, but all the inherent elegance of the vintage are very much in evidence here, as the wine delivers a lovely, vibrant mélange of black cherries, pomegranate, saddle leather, a touch of stems, venison, nutskin, a beautiful base of soil tones and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and sappy at the core, with very suave, ripe tannins, great focus and grip, blossoming complexity and a very long, classy finish. This will be a very elegant vintage of Chênes Carteaux in the fullness of time, but this wine still needs at least another eight to ten years of bottle age to really start to hit on all cylinders. 2023-2060.” JG
Domaine Henri Gouges Les Chenes Carteaux, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($79.95) $59 special, 19 bottles available (that’s only $56.05 with 5% off or $53.10 with 10% off!)
Burghound 89-92 points “A discreet touch of wood surround the ripe and well-layered mix of red berry fruit scents that are liberally laced with earth and underbrush nuances. There is good ripeness to the suave, even seductive middle weight flavors that possess really lovely depth on the persistent, balanced and harmonious finish. This is really quite good and worth considering.” BH
The next best price is $64.97
The average price is $70
Burghound 93 points –Outstanding–“Extremely primary yet multi-dimensional black fruit and earthy aromas introduce rich, full and massive flavors that are powerful, robust and muscled with so much mid-palate sap that the extremely firm tannic spine is almost, if not completely masked. However, as it always does, the tannins will come out with time and I expect that this will always have a certain chewy quality and will require more than a decade of time in bottle to really begin to round out. Wonderful potential but for the very patient.” BH
Domaine Jean Grivot Ronciere, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2009 750ML ($149.95) $99 special, 18 bottles available (that’s only $94.05 with 5% off or $89.10 with 10% off! These are the lowest listed prices in the USA today!)
Wine Advocate 92 points “Smoke, incense and spices are some of the nuances that emerge from the 2009 Nuits St. Georges Roncieres. This is a powerful incisive wine loaded with dark fruit and minerals. All of the elements meld together gracefully, showing tremendous energy and vibrancy, especially on the finish. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2029.”WA
Domaine Jacques-Frederic Mugnier Clos de la Marechale, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($119.95) $77 special, 36+ bottles available (that’s only $73.15 with 5% off or $69.30 with 10% off! These are the lowest listed prices in the USA today!)
Burghound 90-92 points “A pure and appealingly fresh nose of relatively elegant red berry fruit is liberally laced with earth and spice hints. There is a lilting mouth feel to the energetic, intense and equally pure medium-bodied flavors that possess plenty of that beguiling sense of underlying tension that makes wines like this so refreshing. There isn’t the class of the Fuées but this is really very good plus I very much like the balance and harmony of the firm and lingering finish.” BH
Louis Jadot – Domaine Gagey – Les Boudots, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($99.95) $79 special, 17 bottles available (that’s only $75.05 with 5% off or $71.10 with 10% off!)
Stephen Tanzer 91 (+?) points “Medium red. Brooding aromas of dark fruits, mint and menthol. Rich and deep on the palate, with spicy red fruit flavors lifted by a note of orange peel. Finishes with substantial dusty tannins and juicy persistence.” ST
Louis Jadot Nuits-Saint-Georges 2010 750ML ($54.95) $44 special, 19 bottles available (that’s only $41.80 with 5% off or $39.60 with 10% off!)
John Gilman 88+ points “The current rendition of the 2010 Jadot Nuits AC is long and complex, but a bit four-square at the present time. Keep in mind though that this wine will probably be ‘dressed up’ a bit with the addition of some barrels of premier cru, so in all likelihood, my score will ultimately prove to be quite conservative for this wine in its finished form.Today, the nose offers up notes of red and black cherries, coffee, woodsmoke, fresh herbs and a fine, complex base of soil. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and impressively sappy at the core, with a very good signature of soil, ripe tannins and fine length and grip on the finish. If this wine gains a bit more refinement from its addition of de-classified premier cru, this will be outstanding.”JG
The next best price is $54
Antonio Galloni 93 points “Mugneret-Gibourg’s 2011 Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Chaignots is remarkably polished and refined in this vintage. Sweet rose petals, spices and red berries emerge from a gracious Burgundy that shows the more finessed side of Nuits. This is one of the more classically structured 2011s readers will come across. Today, the Chaignots is drop-dead gorgeous. Dried rose petals, sage, mint and crushed raspberries linger on the close.” AG
Thibault Liger-Belair Les Saint-Georges, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($159.95) $99 special, 18 bottles available (that’s only $94.05 with 5% off or $89.10 with 10% off!)
Burghound 93 points ‘Outstanding’ “(from a huge 2.10 ha parcel). The nose is all but inexpressive and only aggressive swirling liberates the reluctant red berry fruit and earth suffused aromas. There is a gorgeously silky mouth feel to the suave and opulent medium-bodied flavors that also brim with an abundance of dry extract before concluding in an intensely earthy finish. This is very, very tight today but the noteworthy upside development potential is more than evident. Strongly worth considering. Drink: 2023+.” BH
Stephen Tanzer 92 points “[$131 list] Good full red. Complex, inviting aromas of red cherry, flowers, spices and pungent minerals. Rich, bright and dry; more mouthfilling than the Clos-Vougeot but still youthfully folded in on itself. Lovely density and purity of spicy fruit here, with the energy and spine to age. I’d give this six or seven years in the cellar. Terrific potential.” ST
Domaine de la Vougeraie Les Corvees Pagets, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($99.95) $69 special, 16 bottles available (that’s only $65.55 with 5% off or $62.10 with 10% off!)
Stephen Tanzer—Vinous 92 points “Good medium red. Spicy red berries dominate the nose. Sweet, round and silky, with harmonious acidity giving shape to the flavors of raspberry, flowers, chocolate and pepper. Very polished, graceful wine with piquant finishing minerality and sneaky concentration. Delicious already but has the balance to age.”
The next best price is $84.99
We thought we would highlight the 100-point wines from our collection, ranging from Bordeaux and Rhone wines to Californian, German… Even a few sherries! As different as these all may be, they have one crucial thing in common: as far as the critics are concerned, they’re each peerless examples of exemplary winemaking from within their respective regions.
Alvear Pedro Ximenez de Anada, Montilla-Moriles, Spain 2011 375ML ($149.95) $119 special, 1 half-bottle available
Robert Parker 100 points “Alvear’s 2011 Pedro Ximenez de Anada is the most amazing Pedro Ximenez I have ever tasted. It may also be one of the first to be vintage-dated. The grapes were hand-harvested in September, then allowed to dry in the sunshine until they began fermentation, which is ultimately arrested by the addition of spirits. The wine spent six months in large American oak prior to being bottled. It is an amazing effort that looks like molasses. Notes of macerated figs, chocolate and caramelized tropical fruits emerge from this full-bodied, unctuously-textured wine. While sweet, it has enough acidity to balance out its richness. This astonishing 2011 Pedro Ximenez will last as long as any reader of this newsletter.” RP
M. Chapoutier Ermitage de l’Oree Blanc, Rhone 2011 750ML ($249.95) $199 special, 9 bottles available
Robert Parker 100 points “The 2011 Ermitage Cuvee de l’Oree comes from a lieu-dit known as Les Murets planted with 80- to 90-year-old Marsanne vines. The bouquet offers up scents of Asian spices, lychee nuts, white currant liqueur and peach and apricot marmalade. This stunning, honeyed, flamboyant white is perfection in a glass. Drink it over the next half century.” RP
M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon, Rhone, France 2010 750ML ($499.95) $399 special, 2 bottles available
Robert Parker 100 points “Tasting like the concentrated blood from an aged and grilled strip steak, the 2010 Ermitage Le Pavillon boasts a black/purple color along with creme de cassis, camphor, pen ink, white flower and lead pencil shaving characteristics in its massive, full-bodied personality. It almost defies description because of its ethereal concentration and off-the-charts extract levels. This is not for the faint of heart, or those who lack patience, as it will require 10-15 years of bottle age, and, as previously stated, will keep for 50 or more. There are just over 1,000 cases of the 2010 Le Pavillon, another perfect wine in the constellation of profound wines produced by Michel Chapoutier.” RP
Chateau Montrose, Saint-Estephe 2009 750ML ($419.95) $379 special, 1 bottle available
Robert Parker 100 points “A colossal effort, the 2009 Montrose represents a hypothetical blend of the monumental duo of 1989 and 1990 combined with the phenomenal 2003. With 13.7% alcohol (an all-time high at Montrose), it is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and the rest tiny quantities of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Some structure and minerality can be detected in the background, but the overall impression is one of massive blackberry, black currant and mulberry fruit intermixed with forest floor, damp earth, crushed rocks and a hint of spring flowers. Full-bodied with sweet but abundant tannin, Jean-Bernard Delmas believes this is the greatest wine he has made during his short tenure at Montrose since retiring from Haut-Brion.”
Chateau Cos d’Estournel, Saint-Estephe 2009 750ML ($419.95) $379 special, 1 bottle available
Robert Parker 100 points “One of the greatest young wines I have ever tasted, the monumental 2009 Cos d’Estournel has lived up to its pre-bottling potential. A remarkable effort from winemaking guru Jean-Guillaume Prats and owner Michel Reybier, this blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot (33%) and a touch of Cabernet Franc (2%) was cropped at 33 hectoliters per hectare. It boasts an inky/black/purple color along with an extraordinary bouquet of white flowers interwoven with blackberry and blueberry liqueur, incense, charcoal and graphite. The wine hits the palate with extraordinary purity, balance and intensity as well as perfect equilibrium, and a seamless integration of tannin, acidity, wood and alcohol. An iconic wine as well as a remarkable achievement, it is the greatest Cos d’Estournel ever produced. It is approachable enough at present that one could appreciate it with several hours of decanting, but it will not hit its prime for a decade, and should age effortlessly for a half century.”
Domaine Auguste Clape Cornas 2010 1.5L ($699.95) $599 special, 1 magnum available
Robert Parker 100 points “Eclipsing even the 2009, the 2010 Cornas achieved one of the highest natural alcohol levels (14%) ever recorded at Clape. This complex, inky/purple-colored effort boasts abundant notes of charcoal, licorice, blackberries and blueberries intermixed with a hint of scorched earth (or is it charcoal embers?), a full-bodied mouthfeel, a seamless personality and a crushed rock-like minerality. The tannins are so sweet it will be drinkable in 2-3 years, and should keep for 25 or more. It is a tour de force in what Syrah can achieve in this hallowed appellation. Kudos to the Clape family, especially Pierre-Marie.” RP
Kapcsandy Family Winery State Lane Vineyard Roberta’s Reserve, Napa Valley 2013 750ML ($599.95) $499 special, 3 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 100 points “A magnificent towering wine, the 2013 Roberta’s Reserve is deep, powerful and massively tannic. Far from an easygoing Merlot, the 2013 Roberta’s Reserve is going to require considerable cellaring to fully blossom. Floral, savory and mineral notes are pushed forward, until a rush of blue and black fruits opens up on the mid palate and through to the finish. Lavender, sage, menthol, licorice and inky fruit add the final shades of nuance in an explosive Merlot to put away in the darkest corner of the cellar.” AG
Sine Qua Non The 17th Nail in My Cranium, Sta Rita Hills 2005 750ML ($1,499.95) $1,099 special, 1 bottle available
Robert Parker 100 points “The 2005 Syrah The 17th Nail In My Cranium, a blend of 96.5% Syrah and 3.5% Viognier which is aged 38 months prior to bottling. (I always wonder what Marcel Guigal would think of a wine like this which seems to tip its hat in the direction of Cote Rotie and then goes into high gear and clearly says, “I’m just something very different, but thanks for even thinking of that appellation while smelling and tasting me.”) Black as a moonless night, the 2005 17th Nail reveals a stunning nose of spring flowers intermixed with creme de cassis, blackberries, charcoal, graphite, and hints of lard and barbecue spices. Dense, with an endless (and I mean endless) finish, remarkable purity, and layer upon layer of flavor, but no sense of heaviness or flabbiness, this prodigious Syrah should evolve for 15 or more years.” RP
Wine Advocate 100 points “The NV Moscatel Toneles has reached a mythical status locally in Spain. It’s an extremely old, concentrated and powerful sweet wine that was long forgotten, because there was no market for it. The color is dark brown, almost opaque with amber-green edges. The ever-changing nose is an explosion of spices (curry and cinnamon) and noble woods, and from the sheer concentration it displays a myriad of roasted coffee, dark chocolate, balsamic herbs and even a note of coconut. After some time in the glass the roasted orange notes of Muscat come back intermixed with very spicy incense notes. Give it more time and it smells of camphor. It’s fascinating to smell it over the course of a few hours? even days. The palate is immensely concentrated, with the alcohol perfectly integrated and the extreme sweetness compensated by a piercing acidity that reminds me of some century-old Madeiras. It ends with an acute coffee note. The aftertaste is eternal. It is exceptional that such an old wine (it could be over 80 years of average age) keeps the freshness and balance, but when this happens, the wine is exceptional. A world-class sweet wine that shows what aged Muscat is able for. With its 430 grams of residual sugar, this wine is indestructible, but only 100 bottles are withdrawn and bottled yearly from a single, large cask. Drink 2013-2034.” WA
100-Point Wines Arriving in March:
E. Guigal Cote Rotie La Landonne, Rhone 2009 750ML ($599.95) $533 pre-arrival special
Robert Parker 100 points “The 2009 Cote Rotie La Landonne is a killer wine. An extravagant bouquet of black truffles, roasted meats, licorice, ground pepper, blackberries, scorched earth and camphor soars from this muscular, dense, over-the-top, serious, masculine La Landonne. Built like Arnold Schwarzenegger was two decades ago, this enormously concentrated bodybuilder of a wine should hit its prime in a decade, and last 40-50 years. This is no trivial boast as the debut vintage of La Landonne, the 1978, is just reaching full maturity at age 34.” RP
The next best price is $570.83
Wine Advocate 100 points “Even better and a prodigious effort that hits all my sweet spots, the 2011 Ermitage Le Pavillon comes from one of the top terroirs on Hermitage hill, the granite soils of the Les Bessards lieu-dit. Spectacularly perfumed, with raspberry, blackberry, licorice, toasted spices and assorted floral nuances, this full-bodied effort has massive depth and richness, no hard edges and masses of finely polished tannin that emerge on and frame the finish. It will be approachable at an earlier age than either the 2009 or 2010, yet should nevertheless have 2-3 decades of ultimate longevity.”
Casanova di Neri Tenuta Nuova, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2010 750ML ($219.95) $189 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 100 points “The 2010 Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova is a protagonist of the vintage. The fruit is deep and dark with rich levels of extract, intensity and flavor. It goes far beyond your standard cherry and blackberry to include plum cake, spice bread and bacon-wrapped prune. Nothing is obvious or monochromatic about this wine. Everything is nuanced and ethereal. Tenuta Nuova is also distinguished by the linear mineral notes that are characteristic of this single-vineyard site. In 2010, those traits are especially well-defined and pronounced. The tannins reach a level of suppleness that is almost impossible to find in the sometimes prickly and acidic Sangiovese grape. If there is one thing Giacomo Neri has mastered, it is harvesting at optimal ripeness: He knows his property and his vines better than most and it shows. Collectors will want to put this wine aside ten years or longer.” WA
…So close!
For fun, let’s extend the spotlight to those which have been awarded 99 points as well:
99 Point Wines Available Here Now:
M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Meal Blanc, Rhone 2011 750ML ($219.95) $159 special, 1 bottle available
Wine Advocate 99 points “Surprisingly, I preferred the 2011 Ermitage le Meal Blanc over the 2012 on this occasion and it showed a more flamboyant, sexy style in its caramelized pineapple, tropical, honeyed and floral personality. Big, rich and decadent, with fabulous fruit intensity and length, this rock star flirts with perfection and will keep for another 3-4 decades.”
M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Meal, Rhone 2010 750ML ($319.95) $299 special, 1 bottle available
Robert Parker 99 points “From the warmest site of these three vineyards, the 2010 Ermitage Le Meal has sweet creme de cassis, blackberry, bacon fat and a meaty, bloody steak component to its richness. It has good acidity, but is clearly the most voluptuous and succulent of this quartet of monumental wines from one of the greatest appellations for wine in the world, Hermitage. This wine needs a good decade of cellaring and should continue to evolve for 40-50+ years.”WA
Chateau Margaux, Margaux 2009 750ML ($1,199.95) $999 special, 2 bottles available
Robert Parker 99 points “A brilliant offering from the Mentzelopoulos family, once again their gifted manager, Paul Pontallier, has produced an uncommonly concentrated, powerful 2009 Chateau Margaux made from 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest primarily Merlot with small amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. As with most Medocs, the alcohol here is actually lower (a modest 13.3%) than most of its siblings-. Abundant blueberry, cassis and acacia flower as well as hints of charcoal and forest floor aromas that are almost Burgundian in their complexity are followed by a wine displaying sweet, well-integrated tannins as well as a certain ethereal lightness despite the wine’s overall size. Rich, round, generous and unusually approachable for such a young Margaux, this 2009 should drink well for 30-35+ years.”
Weingut Donnhoff Schlossbockelheimer Felsenberg Riesling Beerenauslese, Nahe 2007 375ML ($199.95) $179 special, 2 half-bottles available
Wine Advocate 99 points “The over-ripe pear and quince featured in other nobly sweet wines of this collection are very much present in Donnhoff’s 2007 Schlossbockelheimer Felsenberg Riesling Beerenauslese, along with aromas of distilled gentian, gardenia, lemon oil, freshly baked bread, and white truffle. The intensity of inner-mouth perfume here – orchard fruit, floral, and herbal distillates – is nearly beyond belief. Pear nectar, quince preserves, apple jelly, liquid gardenia, brown spices, and a certain saline and smoky suggestions of things mineral inform a finish of trance-inducing duration. This amazing elixir – harvested largely in the Turmchen section of the site – should be worthy of 40 years cellaring. When Donnhoff laughingly referred to this as the year of Felsenberg, he was not in fact kidding, nor was he referring just to the sheer number of bottlings!”WA
A.R. Valdespino Cardenal Palo Cortado VORS Sherry, Andalucia NV 750ML ($299.95) $279 special, 1 bottle available
A.R. Valdespino Cardenal Palo Cortado VORS Sherry, Andalucia NV 375ML ($169.95) $133 special, 7 half-bottles available
Wine Advocate 99 points “The NV Palo Cortado Cardenal VORS, like the whole VORS collection from Valdespino is outstanding. It is fed from the solera of the Palo Cortado C.P. where the Palomino grapes come from the Macharnudo Alto vineyard, fermented in American oak botas. It’s 22% alcohol and has nine grams of (undetectable) residual sugar which makes it very drinkable. It’s a monumental wine of dark mahogany color with a green edge, a complex, ever-changing, concentrated, clean and delineated nose of spices, dark chocolate, Cuban cigar and balsamic notes of incense, and a sharp, saline palate. It is highly concentrated, powerful and clean, with an eternal, lingering aftertaste. Deciding between Coliseo and Cardenal might be splitting hairs, and as much as I love Coliseo, I felt Cardenal was just one notch above. At the quality helm of Palo Cortado. Drink 2013-2025.” WA
A.R. Valdespino Coliseo Amontillado VORS Sherry, Andalucia NV 375ML ($249.95) $179 special, 10 half-bottles available
Wine Advocate 99 points “The NV Amontillado Coliseo VORS, is an extremely old (much older than the 30 years certified by the VORS classification) and concentrated wine. It is unique, as its origin is from Sanlucar de Barrameda, mainly from the Pago Miraflores, which produced very sharp wines. Dark mahogany colored, with a bright green border, is very aromatic, balsamic and complex, with wild herbs, candied orange rind, spices and dates. The palate is extremely concentrated, dry, and intense but it has no edges, with lively acidity and an eternal finish. It’s an extreme wine, some might find it too much, but it’s certainly unique and among the greatest wines in the world, to be sipped slowly and in tiny quantities. One of the greatest Amontillados in existence today. Drink 2013-2025.” WA
Sale Pricing Ends Friday at Midnight
Atalon Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2011 750ML ($31.95) Was $18, Now $16; 36+ bottles available
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 89+ points “(at 13.5% alcohol, this is a full degree lower than the Pauline’s Cuvee; includes tiny bits of merlot and petit verdot): Bright red-ruby. Musky black raspberry, blackberry, licorice, menthol and oak on the nose. Distinctly tighter and less pliant now than the Pauline’s Cuvee, displaying a touch of medicinal reserve to the sappy dark berry, violet and menthol flavors. Shows serious spine without coming off as hard: I’d give this persistent cabernet a year or two to mellow in bottle.” ST
Now it’s the even lower lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $25.55
The average price is $28
Wine Enthusiast 93 points “This Merlot-based blend is a huge success. It’s a big, tannic, tight wine, packed to bursting with black cherry liqueur, cola and spice flavors. Yet it maintains an exciting balance, with the tension between acids, tannins and oak in equilibrium. Seems like it wants 5-6 years in the cellar to let it throw some tannins and mellow.” WE
Now it’s the even lower lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $22.90
The average price is $26
Wine Enthusiast 91 points “A classic Napa Valley Chardonnay, this is smooth, rich, balanced and well composed. Flowery aromas of honeysuckle open the way for lemon curd and ripe apple to compete with a depth of crème brûlée character that provides plenty of complexity, with additional accents of honey and spice.”
Now it’s the even lower lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $29.99
The average price is $35
Hartford Family Winery Hartford Court Far Coast Vineyards Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast 2012 750ML ($79.95) Was $66, Now $49; 18 bottles available
Robert Parker 95-97 points “The 2012 Chardonnay Far Coast Vineyard comes from a site located on a mountain ridge north of Fort Ross. Like its siblings, it was fermented with indigenous yeasts, and bottled unfined and unfiltered after spending 15 months in one-third new oak. It’s alcohol is among the lowest at 14.1%. A blockbuster Chardonnay, it boasts intense aromas of mangoes, Mandarin oranges, pineapples and wet rocks along with noticeable minerality, full body, and stunning purity as well as symmetry. This is another great Chardonnay from proprietor Don Hartford and his winemaking team. Enjoy it over the next 5-7 years.” RP
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2013 Zinfandel Russian River Valley is an attractive, boisterous wine to drink now and over the next few years. Dark red cherry, raspberry, spice, and mint inform the juicy finish. The 2013 is gracious, inviting and pretty much impossible to resist.” AG
Now it’s the even lower lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $28.98
The average price is $33
Pieropan Soave, Veneto 2013 750ML ($219.95) $149 special, 4 cases available (that’s only $12.42/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Wine Spectator 90 points “Sleek and smoky, this light-bodied, silky white is packed with flavor. A smoky hint of minerality underscores the range of ripe apricot, blood orange, pickled ginger, Thai basil and verbena notes. Lovely, with a lasting streak of salinity on the aromatic finish. Drink now through 2020.” WS
Weingut Donnhoff Kreuznacher Kahlenberg Riesling Trocken, Nahe 2014 ($39.95) Was $31.90, Now $28; 36+ bottles available
John Gilman 91 points “The 2014 Kahlenberg Trocken hails from grapes with Spätlese must weights this year and is a notable step up from the first two, very good wines. The bouquet wafts from the glass in a classy blend of white cherries, apple, spring flowers, a lovely base of soil and a youthful topnote of orange peel. On the palate the wine is medium-full, bright and nicely reserved on the attack, with a fine core, bright acids and superb backend energy and cut on the long finish. This is really high class juice that would age long and happily under cork, though I cannot remember which closure it was destined to receive. 2017-2035.” JG
Terry Theise notes “The Kreuznach site is a gentle slope on gravelly loam, but has long been regarded as an excellent vineyard. I’d been leaving it out of the offering in a fruitless attempt to keep it tidy, but tidiness has no place in either rock & roll or the fine wine business. So: I found this ’14 to be really deft, stern but breathy, wonderfully fragrant, mineral, hint of maize or wet cereal; a determined finish but really, only 70% of this note has any chance of being accurate six months from now.”
Terry Theise notes: “It means the virgin-vintage, the first crop from young vines. And it’s what the Germans would call Feinherb, and it’s what any sane person would call irresistible! A potion of iris and lavender, spicy and penetrating; very long, seductively earthy, like a really profound Nahe Spätlese, almost the 5-spice and wildflower of Dönnhoff’s Felsenberg.”
Weingut Keller ‘Von der Fels Riesling’ Trocken, Rheinhessen, Germany 2014 750ML ($39.95) Was $33, Now $28; 36+ bottles available
John Gilman 92+ points “Year in and year out, I am a huge fan of the von der Fels bottling and the 2014 vintage is another outstanding wine in the making. This is a touch fuller than the straight Riesling Trocken, coming in at twelve percent alcohol, and perhaps a bit more ageworthy as well. The excellent nose wafts from the glass in a mix of pink grapefruit, tangerine, petrol, a stunningly complex base of minerality, lemongrass and a topnote of orange peel. On the palate the wine is fullbodied, pure and very much defined by its complex soil tones, with a rock solid core, outstanding focus and grip and a very long, youthful and bouncy finish. This is still very early days for this outstanding wine, which is the same quality level of a lot of top estates Grosses Gewächs bottlings. 2019-2040.” JG
Wine Advocate 90 points “Keller’s 2014 Riesling Von Der Fels Trocken was born as a selection of younger vines, but these are more than 25 years old today. Sourced in the grands crus, this Riesling trocken shows a highly expressive shell limestone flavor with flinty/smoky aromas of crushed stones, and the typic lemon flavor of chalky soils along with white fruit flavors. Full-flavored, very delicate and finesse-full on the palate, this is an elegant, filigreed, lovely, pure and very frisky Riesling, with ripe fruit flavors and a stimulatingly salty finish. With just three grams of residual sugar, it’s the driest von der Fels so far.” WA
Stephen Tanzer 92 points “($38) Golden yellow. Expansive aromas of caramelized apple, candied peach and lemon curd. The succulent flavors of honey and apricot pith are kept vibrant by refreshing acidity. The long finish, offering complex notes of tangerine and toasted nuts, tastes almost dry.” ST
Wine & Spirits Magazine 91 points
Weingut Karthauserhof Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs Trocken, Mosel 2013 750ML ($69.95) Was $49, Now $44; 36+ bottles available
Weingut Karthauserhof Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs Trocken, Mosel 2013 375ML ($39.95) Was $28, Now $24; 16 half-bottles available
Wine Advocate 93 points “Very clear, discreet and refined on the nose – where the 2013 Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg Riesling GG displays fine stone and fruit aromas of lemons and green apples. Lean and vital but also intense, rich and juicy on the palate, this is a lovely pure, straightforward, piquant and very salty expression of the Karthäuserhofberg terroir and the 2013 vintage. This long-distance runner has more fruit intensity than the Edition and reveals a very fine raciness and a complex finish with lingering lemon aromas.” WA
Arriving Tomorrow: RH Coutier
Grand Cru Blancs de Blancs
One-Day Price Special
R.H. Coutier Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($49.95) $34.80 pre-arrival special – price will be $39/btl once it arrives!
Antonio Galloni 92 points “Coutier’s NV Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru, 100% Chardonnay from Ambonnay, remains one of the most compelling, under the radar wines in Champagne, not to mention a fabulous value. Round, textured and supple in the glass, the Blanc de Blancs shows the more textured, side of Chardonnay. These soils in Ambonnay confer an unusual level of richness and breadth. In my view, this is Coutier’s best Champagne. Disgorged May 2014. Dosage is 6 grams per liter.” AG
The next best price is $43
The average price is $44
“The doctor said I needed to start
drinking more wine.
Also, I’m calling myself
“the doctor” now.”
– unknown