Vinopolis Mid-Week Newsletter – 1/20/16

1/20/16

Wine Pick of the Day; Dry German Rieslings; Philippe Charlopin; K Vintners; Grange des Peres; Giovanni Corina; Rhone Case Deals

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wine Pick of the Day:
Brick House Gamay Noir
New Review from Grapelive

Brick House Vineyards Gamay Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2014 750ML ($31.95) $26 special
Kerry Winslow – Grapelive 92+ points “Doug Tunnel’s latest Brick House wines, even from 2011 and 2013 vintages, both tough years for Oregon, have turned out amazing and are wonderful wines with the 2011 Evelyn’s Pinot and the exotic and perfumed Les Dijonnais Pinot being stand outs, impressive stuff from Tunnel, a pioneer in Willamette biodynamics and Burgundy fiend. It was great to taste through the lineup and revisit his 2012 Chardonnay, which is drinking fabulously and very Puligny like, but I think my favorite Brick House was the new 2014 Gamay Noir, it really stood out and reminds me of 2009 Cru Beaujolais, it has a Cote de Brouilly feel and wonderful structure to go with expressive and ripe dark fruits. This vintage of Brick House Gamay is only the second to get above 14%, and honestly it isn’t fruity or thin, it drinks with Pinot Noir class and detail, medium in weight and with some tannin. The pure Gamay Noir character shines through on the nose and palate with blackberry, a mix of floral and spice, cherry, strawberry and succulent currant as well as a hint of flinty stones, minty herb, walnut oil and plum/peach flesh. This savvy Gamay picks up some earth and dried cranberry with air adding some savory/bitter element to fold in nicely with the lush fruits making for a very complete experience, Brick House is a leader in quality Gamay, but this varietal is doing great in Oregon with many fine efforts available, I especially recommend searching out Salem Wine Co. by Sashi Moorman and Raj Parr, Bow & Arrow and Division Wine Company versions, these are all very cool wines, and while the Brick House will be the toughest to get, you should search it out, it is lovely juice, drink from 2016 to 2021.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She Ain’t Sweet

Dry, or “Trocken,” German Rieslings offer all the complexity of the grape without the residual sugar. Although not well known in the US, dry Riesling is the most popular style drunk in Germany. The wines range in style from bracingly crisp and tart to lush, ripe and tropical and with many variations in between.

We’ve put together a list of the dry Rieslings we offer (which can be a difficult search as not all are labeled as such in their name).

Dry German Rieslings Available Here Now

Weingut A.J. Adam Dhroner Hofberg Riesling Trocken 2013 1.5L ($149.95) $127 special, 4 magnums available
Robert Parker 93+ points “Selected twice (in the vineyard and at the winery to process only healthy grapes), 100% fuder-fermented and bottled in May 2014, the 2013 Dhroner Hofberg Riesling trocken has a very clear and precise nose displaying ripe peach and nectarine aromas intertwined with slate flavors. This leads to an impressively intense, filigreed and pure wine which develops power and finesse and does not have a single gram of fat. Sourced from 60-year-old and partly ungrafted vines this 12.4% natural alcohol cru is a full-bodied, elegant, precise and crystalline Riesling with an impressive purity and terroir expression. It has just begun its flight and could be even finer in half a year. “RP
Terry Theise notes: “This is the quasi-GG and of all these obstreperous ’13s it was the best behaved. In fact a lovely dry Riesling, herbal, juicy, malic and salty; long and clinging finish; amazing equipoise of ethereal delicacy and heavy density and grip. 94º Oechsle, rather little botrytis, cask-fermented and aged on the fine lees, and finely smoky; only 8.5g/l RS but extract concentration confers a kind of facsimile of “’sweetness.'”

Weingut A.J. Adam Riesling Trocken 2013 750ML ($27.95) $24 special, 21 bottles available
Terry Theise notes: “A little purchased fruit this year, the crop was so small. All Dhron. Half & half sponti and cutured yeast, all done in steel.The ’13 aroma is there but the wine is more limpid and pebbly than most, balanced-dry, with cool quince-y fruit; ’13expresses as burnt-candle now, and this smells as much like (good!) Chenin as like Riesling”

Weingut Donnhoff Kreuznacher Kahlenberg Riesling Trocken, Nahe 2014 750ML ($39.95) $31.90 special, 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.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Weingut Donnhoff Roxheimer Hollenpfad Riesling Trocken, Nahe 2014 750ML ($47.95) $36 special, 12 bottles available
Weingut Donnhoff Roxheimer Hollenpfad Riesling Trocken, Nahe 2014 1.5L ($119.95) $89 special, 2 magnums available
John Gilman 91+ points “I did not take note on the alcohol level of the Kahlenberg this year, but the Höllenpfad Trocken bottling comes in between twelve and 12.5 percent alcohol, and I have to assume it is the same for the Kahlenberg. The 2014 Höllenpfad is really lovely in this vintage and very, very reflective of its unique, red sandstone soils on both the nose and palate. The lovely nose offers up
scents of pink grapefruit, tart orange, lemongrass, a dollop of wild yeasts and a very complex base of minerality. On the palate the wine is medium-full, pure and more filigreed, with a lovely core, bright acids and lovely focus and grip on the long, vibrant and really quite elegant finish. This is a touch more feline than the Kahlenberg and gets the slight nod in 2014 as a result. 2018- 2035+.” JG
Terry Theise notes “It means, basically, “Highway To Hell.” I kid you not. It’s from the cadaster parcel Mühlberg, which could be a GG, but this is a famously tardy wine—Kahlenberg gives you a chummier greeting. I’m starting to sense this wine needs to attain at least some of its tertiary notes before we see what it is, and why it’s made dry. Helmut and Cornelius counsel patience as I sat kind of lost at the wine’s forbidding exterior.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Weingut Donnhoff Oberhauser Leistenberg Tonschiefer Riesling Trocken, Nahe 2013 750ML ($29.95) $24 special, 1 bottle available
The Wine Advocate “The 2013 Riesling Trocken Tonschiefer is more sophisticated than the Gutsriesling, displaying pure, flinty slate aromas along with bright fruit aromas. Quite round and intense on the palate, this is medium-bodied, slightly piquant Riesling with a certain power, juice and length. A mouthful of wine with Spätlese level.”
Terry Theise notes “The estate wine from (mostly) Leistenberg which grows on a sandy slate called Tholeyer Schiefer. This is as limpid as spring-water, until it rears up with radicchio and with a slatey char. It’s for connoisseurs of the art of bitterness, in a jacket of cool freshness and the gleam of sunlight on the surface of the water.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Weingut Donnhoff Oberhauser Leistenberg Tonschiefer Riesling Trocken, Nahe 2014 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special, 36+ bottles available
John Gilman 89+ points “The 2014 Tonschiefer is a lovely wine, with a bit different expression of minerality than the Estate Trocken, as these grapes hail entirely from the Leistenberg and are a on a bed of carbon-slate that is geological outlier of the coal beds in the Saar. The nose offers up a lovely constellation of tangerine, a hint of white cherry, wild yeasts, slate, citrus peel and a gentle topnote of lemongrass. On the palate the wine is medium-full, crisp and quite suave on the attack, with lovely focus and grip, ripe, well-integrated acids and a long, balanced and quite classy finish. Lovely juice and a fine value. 2015-2025+.” JG
Terry Theise notes “This is the dry wine from the (Oberhäuser) Leistenberg, on sandy slate. It’s pure mineral in 2014. Crisp almost to the point of brittleness, yet it’s so breathy and silky I know it will shine as it sheds its immaturity.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $26

Weingut Keller ‘Von der Fels Riesling’ Trocken, Rheinhessen 2014 750ML ($39.95) $33 special, 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

Weingut Josef Leitz Rudesheimer Berg Roseneck ‘Katerloch’ Riesling Trocken, Rheingau 2012 750ML ($39.95) $33 special, 4 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 91 points “($42) Discreet aromas of white peach, sage and smoked almond. Glossy, dense apricot pit fruit with sweet herbal inflections animate the palate. The sheer depth and spicy juiciness of this wine ensure an impressively long finish. Has poise and potential.” ST

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $49.99

Weingut Josef Leitz Rudesheimer Berg Schlossberg Riesling Trocken, Rheingau 2011 750ML ($59.95) $41.90 special, 2 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 91 points “Vibrant aromas of peach pit, almond and clove. The ripe, crisp apricot fruit is well integrated into the wine’s salty, mineral frame. The savory finish brings nut oils and a sophisticated finesse into play. Still needs time.” ST

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Riesling Kabinett Trocken, Mosel 2012 750ML ($24.95) $16 special, 33 bottles available
Wine Advocate 89 points “Sourced from the Himmelreich and Schlossberg crus, the 11.5% alcohol 2012 Zeltinger Riesling Kabinett trocken offers a fresh and piquant nose leading to a lovely mineral and firmly structured Mosel Riesling with character and an iron-mineral finish. Picked on October 20, you can enjoy this straight, medium to full-bodied wine now, but surely also in 5-10 years.”RP

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese Trocken, Mosel 2013 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special, 33 bottles available

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Weingut Josef Spreitzer Oestricher Doosberg Riesling Kabinett Trocken, Rheingau 2013 750ML ($24.95) $18 special, 1 bottle available
Terry Theise notes:”A sponti done in large cask; fragrances of lilac and iris; dry but gentle and complex; still cerebral but lots of pleasant musings in its flowery lime oil and green-tea articulations. I’m drinking a pot of Wen-shang Bao-Jhongas as I write, and the limpid deliberate crawl of exquisite flavor is analogous to this wine.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

J.L. Wolf Villa Wolf Riesling Trocken, Pfalz 2014 750ML ($14.95) $11.90 special, 9 bottles available

Von Winning Deidesheimer Paradiesgarten Riesling Trocken, Pfalz 2013 750ML ($34.95) $27 special, 30 bottles available
“Tasty, barley and cask-y notes behind a grainy delineated Riesling; less creamy than the ’12 and showing some of ’13’s more pointed edge, but it delivers length, clarity and some ineffable Pfalz-ness, and they tell me it will be smoother by the time its bottled.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Von Winning Deidesheimer Estate Riesling, Pfalz 2014 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 19 bottles available
Terry Theise notes “Riotous clone-90 aromas—this was a popular clone in the Pfalz about 40 years ago, giving almost Scheurebe-like exotics and passion-fruit scents—leading into a juice-bomb dry wine, addictive and just stupid-tasty. I thought it would be a simple palate cleanser, but nothing doing. So fruity the palate reads it “sweet” though it’s analytically very dry!”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Von Winning – Dr. Deinhard Deidesheim Riesling Trocken, Pfalz 2014 1L ($19.95) $16 special, 24 one-liter bottles available

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $19

Von Winning – Dr. Deinhard Deidesheim Forster Riesling “UK” Trocken 2014 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special, 20 bottles available
Terry Theise notes “There’s some label silliness here, and when there’s label silliness the VDP can’t be far behind. “UK” stands for Ungeheuer Kabinett, but Forster Ungeheuer is a Grosses Gewâchs, see, and the VDP doesn’t want the name used for a “mere” dry Kabinett albeit the wine grew there, and only there. It’s a classic bullshit example of “marketing” logic that has the effect of denying important information to the drinker. The wine itself was the best in its class (“second” wines from classified sites), thicker, with the finest aroma, largest minerality, most balanced finish and most expressive Pfalz spiciness. It’s like getting the noodles with the black truffle sauce but without the shavings of black truffle on top. That would be the “GG.””

Von Winning Ruppertsberger Reiterpfad Riesling, Pfalz 2012 750ML ($44.95) $39 special, 6 bottles available
Terry Theise: “The appetizer for the main course(s) to follow. It isn’t mineral, but rather smoky, belly-rich and robust, corporeal and mouth-filling and butterscotchy, spicy and generous, and yet solid and refined even with its big open bones.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Weingut Willi Schaefer Graacher Riesling Trocken, Mosel 2014 750ML ($24.95) $19 special, 36+ bottles available
John Gilman 88+ points “The “basic” Trocken Riesling from Christophe Schaefer is really a pretty wine that year, with a lovely interplay of minerality, pure fruit and excellent acidity. The very bright and stylish nose offers up scents of lime, green apple, slate, bee pollen and petrol. On the palate the wine is medium-full, long and nicely focused, with a very good core, excellent balance and a long, crisp and zesty finish that closes with impressive grip and bounce. Good juice. 2015-2025+” JG
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

~~~

Philippe Charlopin
Great Gevrey Chambertin

Philippe Charlopin started his winemaking mark in Gevrey Chambertin as one of the new emerging breed of dynamic wine growers. He has developed a big following in the US with his more modern style of making wines that are ready to enjoy sooner than later. That’s not to say his farming techniques are anything but traditional, practicing organic and looking to go certified. Charlopin and his son Yann have expanded their holdings in Burgundy to 25 hectares, ranging from Chassagne-Montrachet to Chablis.

Below, a handful of gorgeous wines from Charlopin:

Domaine Philippe Charlopin-Parizot Gevrey-Chambertin La Justice 2012 750ML ($89.95) $69 special, 18 bottles available
Wine Spectator 94 points “Supple and spicy, this red exudes macerated cherry, wood smoke, spice and a hint of bacon fat. Firmly structured and persistent on the long, mouthwatering finish. Best from 2017 through 2028.” B.S.

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Domaine Philippe Charlopin-Parizot Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes 2012 750ML ($99.95) $66 special, 35 bottles available
Wine Spectator 93 points “Exhibits fine purity to the cherry, berry and floral aromas and flavors. Elements of tobacco and earth add depth and the silky texture is backed by harmonious acidity and tannins. Excellent length. Best from 2017 through 2028.” B.S.

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $89.99!

Domaine Philippe Charlopin-Parizot Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru 2012 1.5L ($479.95) $399 special, 5 magnums available
Antonio Galloni 93-95 points “The 2012 Clos de Vougeot is alive and vibrant in the glass. Powerful yet also beautifully delineated, the 2012 impresses for its balance and poise. Mint, anise, smoke and a host of blue/black fruits flow through to the finish. This is an intense Clos Vougeot that captures both the concentration and energy of the vintage.” AG

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

~~~~

K Vintners
A Genius or A Madman?

Charles Smith nimbly occupies the space between entrepreneur and madman. Early on, he left Sacramento for Denmark, where he lived the expat life and managed rock bands for nearly a decade. An appreciation for food and wine grew from sojourns on the road. Upon returning to the United States, he capitalized on a hunch that wine would be a worthwhile next step. He opened a shop on Bainbridge Island, Washington, further exploring the grapes and regions which inspired him.

While traveling around his new state, Smith was encouraged to dig deeper into the wine world. Drawing from the winemaking culture in his new town, Smith taught himself how to make wine and – come 2001 – released just over 300 cases of his inaugural effort, the ’99 K Syrah. Since then, Smith and his team have grown to produce intense, age-worthy wines which have enlivened the Washingtonian wine scene. The wines – bottled behind simple yet confident labels in black and white, have earned great critical acclaim while remaining edgy and unpredictable.

Though Smith & Co. have gone on to create other labels and side-projects, the K Vintners wines remain the marquee effort. Focusing on single-vineyard bottlings of Syrah in addition to various field blends (Cabernet, Grenache, Syrah, Tempranillo, Viogner…), the grapes are hand-harvested and crushed by foot, basket-pressed, and employ only naturally-occuring yeasts in fermentation.

We’re proud to stock a rather wide variety of K Vintners’ offerings, listed below.

Charles Smith K Vintners The Beautiful Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2013 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 5 bottles available
New Review! 91 points Wine Spectator Lithe and savory, showing green olive, moss and wet leaf notes around a core of black cherry and plum fruit. The tannins are nicely contained, and the finish rolls on without excess weight. Best after 2017. 658 cases made. –HS

Charles Smith K Vintners The Boy Grenache – Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2013 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 10 bottles available
Winemaker’s note: 88% Grenache/12% Syrah sourced from River Rock and Northridge Vineyards

Charles Smith K Vintners Charlotte, Walla Walla Valley 2012 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 8 bottles available
90-92 Points Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate; 47% Mourvedre, 37% Grenache, 6% Syrah, 6% Counoise, 4% Picpoul sourced from River Rock Vineyard and Morrison Lane Vineyard.

Charles Smith K Vintners ‘El Jefe’ Stoneridge Vineyard Tempranillo 2012 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 3 bottles available
Wine Advocate 92-94 points “Aged in 80% new French oak, the 2012 El Jefe Tempranillo Stoneridge Vineyard gives up classic Christmas spice, cedar and graphite to go with a core of both red and black styled fruit. Medium to full-bodied, elegant and with the tannic grip of the variety, this solid effort will benefit from short-term cellaring and evolve gracefully for over a decade.” WA

Charles Smith K Vintners ‘Guido’, Walla Walla Valley 2012 750ML ($49.95) $41.90 special, 17 bottles available
Wine Advocate 91 points “The 2012 Sangiovese Guido sports a translucent ruby color to go with outstanding notes of black cherries, dried herbs, rose petal and cured meats. It’s nicely balanced, has classic typicity and will have a decade of longevity” JD

Charles Smith K Vintners Northridge Vineyard Merlot, Wahluke Slope 2012 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 1 bottle available
Wine Advocate 92-95 points “The 2012 Merlot Northridge comes from the Wahluke Slope and is made from 100% Merlot that was aged in 60% new French oak. Vibrant and up-front, with pure layered aromas and flavors of plum liqueur, graphite, mineral and assorted wild flowers, it is full-bodied, sweetly fruited and downright sexy on the palate, with a voluptuous, hard to resist profile. Loaded with fruit, it nevertheless stays graceful and very drinkable. It should drink nicely on release and evolve nicely for upward of a decade.” WA

Charles Smith K Vintners Stoneridge Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley 2012 750ML ($49.95) $41.90 special, 4 bottles available
Wine Advocate 93 points “A classic, structured effort, the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Stoneridge Vineyard (100% Cabernet Sauvignon) gives up lots of graphite, leafy herbs and dried violet nuances to go with ample kirsch and black cherry fruit. Focused, nicely balanced, with a full, concentrated mid-palate, give it 2-3 years and enjoy bottles through 2027.” JD

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Grange des Peres
Home on La Grange

“Élevage” is shorthand for the development and maturation of wine, akin to an upbringing. Just as wine goes through these processes – from vine to bottle – the winemaker goes through similar steps in their development. With that in mind, Laurent Vaillé is one winemaker with a very fine “élevage.”

Vaillé learned the trade from a bit of a who’s-who in French wine: his resume includes working terms at Coche-Dury, Chave, and Domaine Trévallon. He purchased his own land in 1989 in Saint-Hillaire, within the Languedoc-Roussillon. Taking dynamite to the hard limestone of his new land, Vaillé cleared out a nice little patch for his to begin his story. Sourcing vine cuttings from his former teachers – Gérard Chave gave him Syrah, Marsanne, and Rousanne, while Domaine Trévallon provided Cabernet Sauvignon.

The resulting wines are bottled as “Vin de Pays de l’Herault Rouge and Vin de Pays de l’Herault Blanc,” a rather humble nomenclature for such iconic wines. The red, a blend of 40% Syrah, 40% Mourvedre, 10% Cabernet, and 10% Counoise, is a hugely textured, layered and intense wine which nods towards the great wines of the southern Rhone while remaining decidedly its own thing. Each varietal is harvested and vinified separately before spending two years in barrel. The white of the domaine, 80% Roussane, 10% Marsanne, and 10% Chardonnay, is a refined effort of co-fermentation, barreled for malolactic fermentation, and then aged in oak.

Typically scooped up soon after hitting the market, these wines are a most perfect accompaniment to that southern French recipe you’ve been dying to whip up. Pour generously.

Grange des Peres Wines Available Here Now
Domaine de la Grange des Peres Blanc, IGP Pays de l’Herault 2011 1.5L ($259.95) $219 special, 3 magnums available
VinopolNote: 80% Roussanne 10% Marsanne 10% Chardonnay. Vines are 15-20 years old. Vineyard is glacial scree and limestone.

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Domaine de la Grange des Peres, IGP Pays de l’Herault 2011 750ML ($119.95) $89 special (was $99), 36+ bottles available
Domaine de la Grange des Peres, IGP Pays de l’Herault 2011 1.5L ($249.95) $219 special, 4 magnums available
Wine Spectator 91 points “A distinctive red, this has dried red berry and meaty notes supported by a tangy acidity. With lightly chewy tannins, this shows savory spice, bitter herb and fresh earth flavors on the finish. Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cabernet Sauvignon and Counoise. Drink now through 2017. 165 cases imported.” WS

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $103

~~~~~~~~

Giovanni Corino

The beautiful commune of La Morra became home to the famed Giovanni Corino and his family in 1952; at the time, most of the wine was sold to negociants with the remainder being consumed among the family and their friends. Come the mid-eighties, the family began bottling a Barolo under their own name. Dolcetto and Barbera were to follow, with a renewed focus on pruning and vine upkeep. Some wine was still sold off in order to invest in the cellaring of wines.

The use of sulfur and copper are strictly monitored and pesticides are only used when absolutely necessary. Cow manure is used as fertilizer, only indigenous yeasts are employed, and no filtration or clarification is performed.

Come 2005, the estate was split evenly between the family’s two sons, Giuliano and Renato. Giovanni Corino, the ‘classic’ estate, fell under Giuliano’s control, though the brothers get along well and often collaborate.

Giovanni Corino Wines Available Here Now

Giovanni Corino Dolcetto d’Alba 2011 750ML ($29.95) $14 special, 36+ bottles available
Case-12 Giovanni Corino Dolcetto d’Alba 2011 750ML ($249.95) $149 special, 9 cases available (that’s only $12.42/bottle!)
Antonio Galloni 88 points “Corino’s 2011 Dolcetto d’Alba is an absolutely joyous, delicious wine bursting with juicy, varietal fruit. Plums, violets, tar and exotic spices flesh out on the vinous, inviting finish.” AG

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $17
Giovanni Corino Barbera d’Alba 2012 750ML ($24.95) $17 special, 33 bottles available
Case-12 Giovanni Corino Barbera d’Alba 2012 750ML ($249.95) $179 special, 5 cases available (that’s only $14.92/bottle!)
Antonio Galloni 88 points “The 2012 Barbera d’Alba is juicy, expressive and generous. Dark red cherries, plums, spices and licorice meld together in a pretty, vinous Barbera to drink over the next few years.” AG

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Giovanni Corino Barolo DOCG 2010 750ML ($44.95) $29 special (was $33), 24 bottles available
Case-12 Giovanni Corino Barolo DOCG 2010 750ML ($479.95) $319 special (was $359), 6 cases available (that’s only $26.58/bottle!)
Wine Spectator 90 points “A fresh, elegant red, showing cherry, floral, loam and underbrush flavors. This is firm, yet ripe and long, with gripping tannins on the finish. Best from 2017 through 2030.” WS

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $36

Giovanni Corino Barolo Vigna Giachini, Barolo DOCG 2010 750ML ($59.95) $47 special, 12 bottles available
Case-6 Giovanni Corino Barolo Vigna Giachini, Barolo DOCG 2010 750ML ($299.95) $264 special, 5 six-packs available (that’s only $44/bottle!)
Case-12 Giovanni Corino Barolo Vigna Giachini, Barolo DOCG 2010 750ML ($599.95) $479 special, 6 cases available (that’s only $39.92/bottle!)
Wine Spectator 94 points “Focused, juicy and long, this red is packed with cherry, floral, tobacco and underbrush flavors. Still a bit tight now, but stays long. The sweet fruit returns on the finish. Best from 2018 through 2030.” WS

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $57

~~~~~~~~~~~

DozenDeals: Rhone Valley Edition

These are 9 of the 126 wines we offer with additional by-the-case discounts. Rhone Valley cases offer a great way to start a cellar, watch a wine develop over time, or design an event around a theme!

Case-12 Domaine Les Aphillanthes Cotes du Rhone Villages Cuvee Trois Cepages 2012 750ML ($279.95) $239 special, 2 cases available (that’s only $19.92/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Domaine Les Aphillanthes Cotes du Rhone Villages Cuvee Trois Cepages 2012 750ML ($27.95) $24 special, 7 bottles available
Wine Advocate 90-92 points “A blend of equal parts Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre, the 2012 Cotes du Rhone Village Cuvee 3 Cepages also shows the purity and suppleness of the vintage, with ample floral, berry, mint and incense-like qualities flowing to a medium to full-bodied, textured and beautifully balanced feel on the palate. Coming from tiny, tiny yields (we’re talking on the order of 10 hectoliters per hectare), it is a stunning success in the vintage and should evolve gracefully for 7-8 years.” WA

Case-12 Domaine Les Aphillanthes Cotes du Rhone Vieilles Vignes 2012 750ML ($349.95) $289 special, 1 case available (that’s only $24.08/bottle!)
Domaine Les Aphillanthes Cotes du Rhone Vieilles Vignes 2012 750ML ($29.95) $26 special, 6 bottles available
Wine Advocate 92-94 points “Easily one of the top Cotes du Rhones in the vintage, the spectacular 2012 Cotes du Rhone Village Vieilles Vignes, which is a blend of 100% old vine Grenache, aged half in barrel and half in tank, sports off the hook aromas and flavors (garrigue, strawberry, spice), full-bodied richness and a seamless, silky textured that has to be tasted to be believed. Getting more than one “Wow” in my notes, this is one barrel sample I can’t wait to taste from bottle. It should be ready to go on release and evolve gracefully for 7-8 years.” WA

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Case-12 Domaine La Barroche Chateauneuf-du-Pape Signature 2012 750ML ($649.95) $619 special, 1 case available (that’s only $51.58/bottle!)
Domaine La Barroche Chateauneuf-du-Pape Signature 2012 750ML ($74.95) $59 special, 10 bottles available
Wine Spectator 92 points “The direct black currant and fig paste notes are underscored with tobacco, tar and roasted alder hints, revealing an echo of Black Forest cake. The finish rumbles along, leaving a dark, slightly muscular feel. Best from 2015 through 2027.” WS

Case-12 Domaine Saint-Damien Gigondas La Louisiane Vieilles Vignes 2012 750ML ($349.95) $299 special, 1 case available (that’s only $24.92/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Domaine Saint-Damien Gigondas La Louisiane Vieilles Vignes 2012 750ML ($34.95) $28 special, 10 bottles available
Wine Advocate 93 points “Coming from the sandy, clay soils of the La Louisianne lieu-dit, the 2012 Gigondas Louisiane is made from 80% Grenache and 15% Mourvèdre and 5% Syrah and Cinsault that was vinified in concrete tank and aged 12 months in older foudre. Medium to full-bodied, beautifully concentrated, ripe and textured, it gives up terrific kirsch, blackberry, toasted spice and cured meat-like aromas and flavors. Of the three Gigondas releases, this was my favorite in 2012, but all of these releases are superb.”

Case-12 Vignobles Brunier Domaine Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Crau Blanc 2013 750ML ($699.95) $599 special, 2 cases available (that’s only $49.92/bottle!)
Vignobles Brunier Domaine Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Crau Blanc 2013 750ML ($79.95) $59 special, 18 bottles available
Wine Spectator 92 points “Very pure, with fennel, white peach, yellow apple and melon rind notes that are racy and nicely detailed, followed by quinine and wet stone accents on the long, unadorned finish. Drink now through 2018.” WS

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $74

Case-12 Domaine Alary Cairanne La Font d’Estevenas 2012 750ML (279.95) $239 special, 2 cases available (that’s only $19.92/bottle!)
Domaine Alary Cairanne La Font d’Estevenas 2012 750ML ($27.95) $24 special, 6 bottles available
Wine Advocate 91 points “The 2012 Cairanne le Font d’Estevenas is an outstanding blend of Grenache and Syrah that saw a traditional élevage in tank. Showing plenty of gamy meatiness, spice and sweet berry and raspberry fruit, it’s medium to full-bodied, beautifully concentrated and has enough underlying structure to drink nicely for another 5-7 years. While I don’t have the price on this latest release, it normally represents a fantastic value.”JD

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Case-12 Chateau des Roques Vacqueyras Hameau des Roques 2013 750ML ($249.95) $199 special, 2 cases available (that’s only $16.58/bottle!)
Chateau des Roques Vacqueyras Hameau des Roques 2013 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special, 15 bottles available
Wine Advocate 89 points “A rock solid wine, the 2013 Vacqueyras Hameau des Roques is a custom blend for importer Peter Weygandt of 55% Grenache, 25% Mourvedre and 20% Syrah that comes from the beginning of the plateau, just to the south of the village (this is near the vineyards of Sang de Cailloux). Raised mostly in tank, but with 30% in demi-muid, this fruit-filled, supple, rounded and beautifully drinkable Vacqueyras offers lots of dark fruits, pepper, Bing cherry and violet aromas and flavors. Surprisingly mouth-filling and ripe in the vintage, it has loads of charm and will drink nicely for 4-5 years, possibly longer.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Case-12 Domaine de La Janasse Cotes du Rhone Reserve 2013 750ML ($249.95) $199 special, 2 cases available (that’s only $16.58/bottle!)
Domaine de La Janasse Cotes du Rhone Reserve 2013 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 18 bottles available
“A ripe, fruit-driven style, with raspberry and plum pâte de fruit flavors, backed by a lively red licorice note. Drink now.”–Wine Spectator

Arriving February

Case-12 Vignobles Brunier Domaine Les Pallieres Gigondas Terrasses du Diable 2011 750ML ($479.95) $359 pre-arrival special (that’s only $29.92/bottle!)
Vignobles Brunier Domaine Les Pallieres Gigondas Terrasses du Diable 2011 750ML ($49.95) $33 pre-arrival special
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 93 points “Vivid ruby. Heady scents of candied cherry, raspberry preserves, anise and potpourri. Shows a darker profile in the mouth, offering palate-staining blackberry and bitter cherry flavors and a strong floral quality. Picks up smokiness with air and finishes with superb focus and length and youthful tannic grip. No question that this is one of the best wines I tasted from Gigondas this year.” JR

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $42.99

~~~~~~~~~~~

Breaking News – Arriving Friday
Marc Deschamps “Les Champs de Cri” Pouilly-Fume

Distributor’s note: “As is generally the case with this wine, the 2012 is all about minerals and stones, not zingy Sauvignon fruit. Think of the kind of Sauvignon that could make you guess Chablis blind… I see why Deschamps releases this late, as it’s a powerful, serious expression and simply deserves to be held back a little longer.

“This wine absolutely brings to mind some of the greatest expressions of Loire Sauvignon Blanc I’ve ever had – wines from Edmond Vatan and Francois Cotat in nearby Sancerre. Again, this wine is built around a mineral core and has plenty of natural density, not just acidity.”

Marc Deschamps Pouilly-Fume Les Champs de Cri 2012 750ML ($29.95) $24 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 94+ points “The 2.3-hectares parcel Champs de Cri in Les Loges produces the most complex, elegant and long-lived Fumé of the estate. From vines about 55 years old, the pale golden 2012 Pouilly-Fumé Champs de Cri was kept on the lees for several months more than the other cuvées of the domaine and it is released later. It is a very complex and tightly woven wine, which was totally closed but extremely promising when I tasted it in early August 2014. The nose disclosed most of all the extreme deep mineral foundation of this Fumé with subtle hints of citrons, bitter orange, straw, jasmine and elder flowers. On the palate this is a full-bodied, rich, concentrated and multilayered Pouilly-Fumé of great elegance and expression. It’s an aristocratic, extremely well-balanced, fresh and lingering monolith of natural beauty.” WA