12/30/15
More Champagne!; Goin’ Local; Spanish Case Deals
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Drumroll, please…
Vinopolis Champagne of the Year:
Pierre Peters Cuvee Speciale Les Chetillons Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut 2009 750ML ($149.95) $119 special, 20 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The flagship 2009 Brut Les Chétillons looks like it will reward readers with a long and broad drinking window of pure pleasure. The warmth of the vintage has given the 2009 Chétillons a bit more mid-palate richness and sweetness than is typical, yet there is plenty of Mesnil drive and precision in the glass. Dense, powerful and explosive, the 2009 hits all the right notes. Best of all, it won’t need years in bottle to come together. Dosage is 4.7 grams/liter. Disgorged: February 2015.”
Featured New Arrival
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $46.39!
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Jaw-Dropping Champagnes
Chez Bouchard, there is no dosage, no filtration, and no chemical sprays. He bottles with less pressure than typical Champagne, as he believes that the wine can be tasted better without an overabundance of fast bubbles. Yields are extremely low, and elevage takes place in steel or cement so as to not have oak overtake the subtleties of flavor and texture.
Bouchard took over from his father’s operation in 2000, and has since earned acclaim perhaps unrivaled considering his modest size. The influential restaurant guide Gault Millau awarded Bouchard the honor of “Champagne Producer of the Year” in 2008 and, in the years since, he has earned himself a spot in the upper echelons of Champagne producers.
We’re thrilled to carry a fresh stock of Cedric’s newest wines:
Cedric Bouchard Roses de Jeanne Cote de Bechalin NV (2008) 750ML ($119.95) $99 special
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The clear highlight among these new releases, the 2008 Blanc de Noirs Côte de Béchalin is deep, powerful and beautifully layered in the glass. Resonant and generous yet with remarkable translucence, the 2008 is impeccable in its balance. There is plenty of nuance in the orchard fruit flavors, but above all else, the 2008 impresses with its total sense of harmony and proportion. The exuberant, racy finish only adds to the wine’s inviting personality.” AG
Antonio Galloni – Vinous 93 points “Bouchard’s 2011 Blanc de Noirs Creux d’Enfer Rosé is fabulous. Lifted and gracious in the glass, the 2011 offers up a compelling mélange of orange peel, cranberry, autumn leaves, white pepper, blood orange and savory herbs. In 2011, the Creux d’Enfer is intensely aromatic, but also quite restrained next to some of the more overt vintages. The Creux d’Enfer is 100% Pinot Noir, crushed by foot and aged in steel. Like all the Bouchard Champagnes, the Creux d’Enfer is bottled with no fining, filtration and zero dosage. It remains one of the most compelling wines in all of Champagne. Disgorged: April 2015.”
Importer note “100% Chardonnay (five different clones) from a single lieu-dit of .12 hectare known as “La Haute Lemblee”. 1st press juice only, hand harvested and crushed by foot and fermented using indigenous yeast. Aged for 46 months on the lees in stainless steel. zero dosage.”
The next best price is $118
Cedric Bouchard Roses de Jeanne La Boloree Blanc de Blancs 2011 750ML ($159.95) $133 special
Antonio Galloni – Vinous – “The 2011 Blanc de Blancs La Bolorée is centered and poised on the palate, but the aromatics are more diffuse and less focused overall. The Bolorée often gives the impression it is holding considerable power in reserve, but in 2011 I am not sure those elements will ever fully emerge. Yellow stone fruits, candied lemon and white flowers are all pushed forward, while slight hints of volatility linger on the finish. La Bolorée emerges from a south-facing parcel on limestone with 50 year-old vines. Yields are just 35 hectoliters per hectare. Tasted two times with some variation. Disgorged: April 2015.”
The average price is $156
Antonio Galloni – Vinous 90 points “The 2011 Blanc de Noirs Presle is deep, powerful and resonant. Apricot, baked apple, pastry, dried flowers and lightly honeyed notes all take shape in the glass. A wine of depth and gravitas, the Presle is still tightly wound and in need of time, but it is without question one of the stronger wines in this lineup up of 2011s.”
The average price is $140
Cedric Bouchard Roses de Jeanne Les Ursules Blanc de Noirs 2011 1.5L ($319.95) $279 special
“The 2011 Blanc de Noirs Les Ursules is quite delicate and understated in this vintage. Crushed flowers, herbs, dried cherries, kirsch, mint and anise are all nicely delineated in the glass. The aromatics are lifted and decidedly high-toned, while the wine lacks its customary balance, which brings out some angularity..” –Antonio Galloni – Vinous
The average price is $124
Cedric Bouchard Roses de Jeanne Blanc de Noirs Cote de Val Vilaine NV (2013) 750ML ($79.95) $59 re-arrival special
Antonio Galloni – Vinous 92 points “Bouchard’s NV (2013) Blanc de Noirs Côte de Val Vilaine is quite a bit creamier and richer than normal, the result of yields of just 26 hectoliters per hectare, as opposed the more typical 45, which is already absurdly low within the context of Champagne. Orange zest, white flowers, mint, chamomile and sweet spices flesh out as this exotic, unctuous Val Vilaine shows off its distinctive personality. The Val Vilaine is often a bit reduced when young, but that is not the case in the 2013, where the level of richness is pretty much off the charts.”
Happy New Year!
We will be closed Friday, January 1st
Our online shop is always open – www.vinopoliswineshop.com – and orders can be placed whenever you’d like. Regular hours in the days before and after New Year’s, too!
Thank you for your business and Happy New Year!
– the Vinopolis team
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Champagne Selections
Twenty Top Picks to Ring in the New Year!
Perrier-Jouet Belle Epoque – Fleur de Champagne Brut Millesime 2007 750ML ($219.95) $99 special, 30 bottles available
Wine Spectator 93 points “Driven by smoky minerality, this firm and balanced Champagne offers a subtle palate of pineapple pâte de fruit, blackberry tart, lemon preserves and fleur de sel. Offers a long-lasting finish. Drink now through 2027. 600 cases imported.” WS
Wine Spectator 94 points “A fine and lacy mousse is draped over a firm frame of well-integrated acidity, belying the complexity of this elegant Champagne. A delicately woven tapestry of black currant, piecrust, chalk, spring blossom and lemon zest flavors ends with a lasting note of smoke-tinged minerality. Drink now through 2029.” WS
Moet & Chandon Grand Vintage Brut 2006 750ML ($69.95) $49 special, 36+ bottles available
Wine Enthusiast 95 points “This offers great balance between the freshest fruit and toasty maturity. That poise gives this impressive Champagne a tension, a high wire act that works superbly. It is rich, full of fruit but also with great depth. It will certainly age, so drink now or hold through 2019.” WE
“The Taittinger Collection Series bottles are released only in great vintages, from a selection of the year’s finest cuvées. The wines are made from Chardonnay mainly from the Grands Crus of the Côte des Blancs, and Pinot Noir from Montagne de Reims and Vallée de la Marne vineyards. The fruit is pressed in the vineyards and the first pressing is transported to the winery for fermentation, followed by a second fermentation in the bottle. Aged for five or more years on the lees, the wine acquires complexity and the fine, pinpoint bubbles characteristic of its sparkle.”–Importer Notes
The average price is $441
Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs Millesime Brut 2004 750ML ($179.95) $139 special, 19 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 97 points “The 2004 Dom Ruinart is just as brilliant and viscerally thrilling as it has always been. If anything, the 2004 has shut down considerably over the last six months. Tightly coiled and exceptionally beautiful, the 2004 boasts fabulous intensity, class and pedigree. The flavors are vibrant, chiseled and crystalline in their precision. Time in bottle is doing wonders for the 2004. This is a tremendous showing.” AG
Pierre Gimonnet et Fils Blanc de Blancs Cuis Premier Cru Brut NV 750ML ($59.95) $38 special, 17 bottles available
Pierre Gimonnet et Fils Blanc de Blancs Cuis Premier Cru Brut NV 1.5ML ($149.95) $119 special, 9 magnums available
Case-12 Pierre Gimonnet et Fils Blanc de Blancs Cuis Premier Cru Brut NV 750ML ($499.95) $399 special, 2 cases available (that’s $33.25/btl and also the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 91 points “Pale green. High-pitched citrus fruit and floral scents, along with intense mineral and spice nuances. Dry and seamless on the palate, offering juicy lemon, tarragon and ginger flavors and a deeper suggestion of buttered toast. Finishes on a zesty minerally note, with lingering spiciness and strong persistence. This bottling is a blend of wines from 2011 (77%), 2010 (6%), 2009 (12%), 2007 (4%) and 2006 (1%).” JR
Case-12 L. Aubry Premier Cru Brut NV 750ML ($449.95) $349 special, 5 cases available (that’s only $29.08/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 91 points “(45% pinot meunier, 25% pinot noir and 25% chardonnay, with the rest arbanne, petit meslier and fromenteau; disgorged in April, 2013): Bright straw. Pungent aromas of Meyer lemon, pear and fig, with a gingery accent adding lift. Sappy, penetrating citrus fruit and floral flavors are given a refreshingly bitter character by notes of pear skin and peach pit, with a waxy note coming up on the back half. A smoky nuance lingers on the finish, which shows very good clarity and length. Fifty-five percent of this blend is from 2010 and the rest is reserve wines, mostly from a solera that was begun in 1998.” JR
Case-12 A. Margaine ‘Le Brut’ Premier Cru (Cuvee Traditionelle) NV 750ML ($479.95) $379 special, 1 case available (that’s only $31.58/bottle!)
A. Margaine ‘Le Brut’ Premier Cru (Cuvee Traditionelle) NV 375ML ($27.95) $24 special, 4 half-bottles available
Importer’s note: “Violet and hyacinth aromas make you think of Riesling (as these wines often do), but the palate is all apples and Rainier cherries with a chalk-powder sprinkle; wonderfully silky and generous, refined and accurate. A virtual Blanc de Blancs; 90% Chardonnay to 10% Pinot Noir.”
The average price is $46
Thierry Triolet Cuvee Grande Reserve Blanc de Blancs NV 750ML ($39.95) $33 special, 31 bottles available
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 91 points “(11 g/l dosage): Pale gold. Intense citrus and orchard fruit aromas are complicated by notes of honeysuckle, tarragon and iodine. Chewy tangerine and pear skin flavors become silkier and spicier with aeration. Shows a seductive floral quality on the clinging finish, which features a dusty mineral nuance and a touch of buttered toast.” JR
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 91 points “(70% Pinot Meunier and 30% Chardonnay; 9 g/l dosage): Light yellow-gold. Fresh tangerine, pear and sweet butter on the fragrant nose. Smooth and weighty in the mouth, offering pliant orchard fruit and melon flavors and a bracing kick of bitter citrus zest. A minerally element adds lift and cut to the penetrating finish, which leaves a suave floral note behind.” JR
Champagne Hebrart Cuvee Reserve Premier Cru Brut NV 375ML ($29.95) $24 special, 21 half-bottles available
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 91 points “(77% Pinot Noir and 23% Chardonnay; 8.2 g/l dosage; disgorged in March, 2014): Bright straw. Lively, mineral-driven aromas of fresh citrus fruits, melon and white flowers. Musky, nicely concentrated orchard and pit fruit flavors are given spine by juicy acidity, which adds cut to the back half. The floral quality repeats on the finish, which hangs on with strong stony persistence. Give this youthful Champagne a little air time, or even decant it, like the cool French and French-wannabe sommeliers often do.” JR
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 93 points “Greenish yellow. Intense lemon curd and pear aromas are complicated by suggestions of anise, green tea and buttered toast. Vibrant, deep, mineral-laced citrus and orchard fruit flavors pick up a sexy floral quality with aeration. Quite nervy for a hot-year Champagne, finishing sappy, incisive and very long. Disgorged in March, 2014.” JR
Bereche et Fils Vallee de la Marne Rive Gauche Extra Brut NV 750ML ($79.95) $69 special, 12 bottles available
2011 Base Vintage
Antonio Galloni 89 points “The NV (2011) Rive Gauche is about as good as it gets for 2011 Champagnes. Warm, nutty overtones meld into savory herbs, caramel, smoke, anise and dried apricots. The flavors are already a bit forward, while there is nearly enough depth to cover the vegetal notes that are typical of the vintage. Readers should plan on drinking the 2011 over the next few years. Disgorged December 2014. Dosage is 3 grams/liter.” AG
Pierre Peters Cuvee de Reserve Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut NV 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 11 bottles available
Pierre Peters Cuvee de Reserve Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut 1.5L ($179.95) $149 special, 18 magnums available
Pierre Peters Cuvee de Reserve Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut 3L ($499.95) $399 special, 3 jerobaums available
Wine Spectator 91 points “Fresh and floral, with dogwood and spring blossom accents, this mouthwatering blanc de blancs offers a lively bead, carrying flavors of white cherry, fresh ginger, slivered almond and yellow plum. Disgorged February 2015. Drink now through 2018. 900 cases imported.” WS
Antonio Galloni–Vinous 92 points “Mignon’s NV Pur Meunier Rosé is quite pretty. Crushed flowers, spices, sweet herbs and cranberries are all very much alive in the glass. Lifted and precise, the Rosé is absolutely gorgeous. The blend of equal parts vintages 2010 and 2011 works nicely here. Some of the 2011 greenness is evident, but not at all overpowering. Dosage is 6 grams per liter.” AG
Nicolas Maillart Brut Nature Zero Dosage NV 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 32 bottles available
Wine Enthusiast 90 points “Yes, it’s dry, very dry. However, this well-made wine with its steely texture and tight character just needs some bottle age to give it the richness that is missing at the moment. It would be good with food now; give it at least a year in bottle after purchase to be even better.” WE
Stephen Tanzer 92 points “…Shows surprising vivacity for its power, offering intense orchard and citrus fruit flavors and a touch of iodine. Closes on a leesy note, with excellent thrust, a savory character and a touch of honeysuckle.”
Stephen Tanzer 92 points “Very pale greenish-silver color. Extremely fine, precise aromas of talc, mint and fresh herbs. Creamy and round but utterly vibrant; this expands to fill the mouth yet communicates an impression of weightlessness. A blanc de blancs of great delicacy. Finishes very long, youthful and bright.”ST
Dom Perignon 2005 750ML ($179.95) $149 special, 1 bottle available
James Suckling 97 points “I believe that the 2005 DP is the best since 2002, which remains the best recent vintage and is probably only eclipsed by the amazing 100-point 1996. The 2005 is a full-bodied DP with so much richness and loads of ripe fruit such as pineapple and papaya. It has a wonderful, creamy texture and a long and intense finish. It’s a Champagne that fully satisfies but at the same time challenges you with its strength, depth and persistence on the palate.”
Dom Perignon 2006 750ML ($179.95) $149 special, 5 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 97 points “The 2006 Dom Pérignon is a beautifully balanced, harmonious Dom Pérignon that strikes an incredibly appealing stylistic middle ground. Rich, voluptuous and creamy, the 2006 shows off fabulous intensity in a style that brings together the ripeness of 2002 with the greater sense of verve and overall freshness that is such a signature of the 2004. Bass notes and a feeling of phenolic grip on the finish recall the 2003, as the Pinot Noir is particularly expressive today. After an irregular summer that saw elevated temperatures in July followed by cooler, damp conditions in August, more favorable weather returned in September, pushing maturation ahead and leading to a long, protracted harvest. The 2006 falls into the family of riper, more voluptuous Dom Pérignons, but without veering into the level of opulence seen in vintages such as 2002.”
Richard Juhlin 94(97) points (English translation) ‘It’s not often you fall backwards when a wine is first launched on the market. This time both me and my friends, who got to try this jewel at my champagne bar, fell in love instantly. It is all here so beautifully orchestrated in this incredibly well-balanced and flowing rich symphony. It is so voluptuously charming and welcoming immediately, but at the same time so complex that the interest in what you will discover in the next gulp never ceases. Here are all the pillars that I perceive a Dom Pérignon should have. A gigantic large and intense aroma, a silk caressing structure and a dazzling grand finale. Notes from the sea, roasted nuts, coffee, brioche, tropical green fruits, stone fruit, green apples, sweet orange citrus, gunpowder, nougat, mushroom cream and black truffle are all there like a perfectly tailored tuxedo. Love at first sight.’
Outstanding Local Wines
Pinot power!
Below are some of our top picks of local Pinots to close out the new year:
Belle Pente Estate Reserve Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton District 2011 750ML ($44.95) $39 special, 12 bottles available
Belle Pente Estate Reserve Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton District 2011 1.5L ($99.95) $89 special, 3 magnums available
Stephen Tanzer 93 points “Brilliant ruby-red. Smoke- and spice-accented aromas of blackberry, cherry-cola and fresh lavender, with a hint of spicecake in the background. Silky, seamless and expansive, displaying intense red and dark berry flavors and a hint of allspice. Puts on weigh with aeration while maintaining vivacity. The mineral and floral qualities build on the persistent finish, which is firmed by fine-grained, harmonious tannins.” ST
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2011 Pinot Noir Estate Reserve is a vineyard parcel and barrel selection. It was picked October 27 at 22 Brix and 100% de-stemmed, undergoing 45% new French oak. It has quite a dense bouquet with plenty of raspberry and crushed strawberry fruit that is well defined. The palate is medium-bodied with quite firm tannin. There is plenty of backbone here, but it is very focused and harmonious with superb tension on the finish. This is an excellent contribution to the vintage—one of the best of Belle Pente’s current releases and well worth hunting down.”
Belle Pente Estate Reserve Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton District 2012 750ML ($51.95) $46 special, 10 bottles available
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 94 points “Brilliant ruby-red. A heady, strikingly pure bouquet evokes ripe red and dark berries, potpourri and Asian spices, along with suggestions of sassafras, cola and smoky minerals. At once concentrated and lithe, conveying superb energy and focus to its juicy raspberry, cherry and spicecake flavors. A suave floral quality emerges with air, carrying through a very long, sweet, gently tannic finish that leaves sappy red berry and rose pastille notes behind. Is this the best bottling yet to emerge from this winery, which has firmly established itself as one of America’s finest sources of elegant Pinot Noir? One thing’s for sure, it’s an excellent value.”
Westrey Justice Vineyard Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2013 750ML ($39.95) $33 special, 30 bottles available
Winery note “Justice is located in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA next to Bethel Heights Vineyard. At an elevation of around 500 feet, the vine rows face due south on Nekia soil with a sedimentary subsoil. Showing the weight and brilliant color that is typical of the 2013 vintage, this wine explodes from the glass. On the nose one is invited to taste through aromas of marionberry, raspberry, red-current, earth, and a hint of a floral note. The entry shows big berry fruit, with excellent weight and a refined structure. As the roots continue deeper into the sedimentary subsoil, the fruit expression of Justice has moved toward darker fruit and notes of mineral and chalk. This six-barrel lot had one new barrel, two one-year-old barrels with the balance neutral wood. It was racked once in the spring of 2014 with inert gas after an indigenous malo-lactic. We bottled it unfined and unfiltered at the end of September 2014 after 12 months in oak. 147 cases produced.”
Crowley Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2013 750ML ($47.95) $39 special, 31 bottles available
Crowley Gehrts Vineyard Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2013 750ML ($54.95) $44 special, 23 bottles available
Crowley Gehrts Vineyard Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2013 1.5L ($149.95) $119 special, 3 magnums available
Winery note
Ayres Lewis Rogers Lane Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2014 750ML ($34.95) $29 special, 7 bottles available
Winery note
The average price is $37
J. Christopher ‘Sandra Adele’ Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2013 750ML ($49.95) $41.90 special, 21 bottles available
Winery note “The J. Christopher Sandra Adele Pinot Noir is a cuvée named for Jay’s mother, Sandy. It is a blend of wines from two outstanding vineyards in the Dundee Hills AVA: Abbey Ridge and Charlie’s Vineyard. Simply gorgeous, this is both dark and bright in the aroma, intense and delicate on the palate. As is typical of this cuvée, it combines an earthy depth with an ethereal, floral lightness. It is delicate and fine, with the firm juicy acidity of the vintage, and a long, captivating finish. 110 cases produced”
The average price is $51
Evesham Wood Temperance Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2013 750ML ($39.95) $31.90 special, 24 bottles available
Haden Fig Cancilla Vineyard Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2013 750ML ($29.95) $27 special, 12 bottles available
Winery note
Vincent Armstrong Vineyard Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2014 750ML ($39.95) $33 special, 9 bottles available
Winery note “Armstrong vineyard is a new site on Lewis Rogers Lane in the Ribbon Ridge AVA. It is owned by Doug and Michele Ackerman. We source a mix of clones of Pinot noir, including 115, 667, and Pommard. The soils in Ribbon Ridge are Willakenzie series, old seafloor that’s sandy and drains exceptionally well. Armstrong is the base of our Armstrong Vineyard bottling as well as our Ribbon Ridge and Willamette Valley bottlings.”
Elevee Vineyards Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2013 750ML ($47.95) $39 special, 17 bottles available
Winemaker’s note “With a vibrant ruby color, this delicate wine reveals cherries, raspberries, dried tea leaf, cedar cigar box, violets, and a powdered perfume, with hints of cola and baking spice, around a mineral core. This is a medium body wine, with very lively acidity, and broad, fine, velvety tannin that builds and then fades quickly from the palate. The long finish lingers with a chorus of cherries, tea leaf, cedar box, clove, tobacco, fading violet petals, and Dundee dust.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Matello Fool’s Journey Deux Vert Vineyard, Willamette Valley 2011 750ML ($14.95) $11.90 special, 33 bottles available
90% Syrah, 10% Viognier
VinopolNote:
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Spanish Case Deals
Deals by the Docena
Case-12 Jorge Ordonez & Co Nisia Verdejo, Rueda2013 750ML ($179.95) $149 special, 2 cases available (that’s only $12.42/bottle!)
Jorge Ordonez & Co Nisia Verdejo, Rueda 2013 750ML ($17.95) $14 special, 23 bottles available
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 91 points “Nisia Old Vines Rueda Light yellow-gold. Musky, mineral-laced orchard and citrus fruit aromas are complicated by hints of jasmine, green tea and quinine. Sappy and precise on the palate, offering bitter pear skin and Meyer lemon flavors that put on weight with air. Closes fleshy and long, with supple pear and melon qualities and very good clarity.” JR
Case-12 Spanish Vines Amarte Mas Albarino, Rias Baixas 2013 750ML ($169.95) $119 special, 5 cases available (that’s only $9.92/bottle!)
Spanish Vines Amarte Mas Albarino, Rias Baixas 2013 750ML ($19.95) $11.90 special, 29 bottles available
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 89 points “Light yellow-gold. Lively citrus and orchard fruit scents are given depth by honey and a subtle leesiness. Supple and broad on entry, then more taut in the mid-palate, offering bitter quince and Meyer lemon flavors and a zesty kick of candied ginger. Closes spicy and tight, with good clarity, lift and cut.” JR
Case-12 Ameztoi Txakoli di Getaria Hondarribi Zuri, Getariako Txakolina 2014 750ML ($249.95) $219 special, 1 case available (that’s only $18.25/bottle!)
Ameztoi Txakoli di Getaria Hondarribi Zuri, Getariako Txakolina 2014 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special, 7 bottles available
Importer note “In the traditional style of Getaria, this light and crisp wine is bottled with a little bit of residual carbon to give it its signature natural spritz. Bright briny sea salt combined with limey fruits. Fresh and eminently quaffable.”
La Antigua Classico Crianza, Rioja DOCa 2010 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 12 bottles available
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 90 points “(70% Tempranillo, 20% Graciano and 10% Garnacha; aged for two years in French and American oak): Brilliant red. Pungent aromas of ripe red fruit, vanilla and coconut, with a note of cedary oak that gains strength with air. Fresh and lively, with intense raspberry and cherry-vanilla flavors and a zesty cracked pepper note adding lift and cut. Juicy, appealingly sweet and broad, with good energy and mineral bite to its gently tannic finish.” JR
Bodegas Avante ‘Tineta’, Ribera del Duero 2012 750ML ($17.95) $11.90 special, 10 bottles available
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 91 points “(fermented in stainless steel tanks, with malo in small oak barrels, followed by 22 months of aging in French and American oak casks): Deep ruby. Sexy, perfumed aromas of cherry, blueberry and potpourri, with subtle licorice and dark chocolate qualities emerging with air. At once plush and lively, showing very good depth–and juicy acidity–to its black and blue fruit flavors. Supple tannins arrive late, adding shape to the sweet, spice-tinged finish.” JR
Case-12 Bernabeleva Camino de Navaherreros Garnacha, Madrid 2013 750ML ($179.95) $129 special, 4 cases available (that’s only $10.75/bottle!)
Bernabeleva Camino de Navaherreros Garnacha, Madrid 2013 750ML ($16.95) $11.90 special, 35 bottles available
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 90 points “(all garnacha): Bright red. Smoky, spice-accented raspberry and cherry on the perfumed nose, with a bright floral accent building with air. Brisk and racy, offering fresh red fruit and rose pastille flavors and a hint of blood orange. I might have guessed this to be pinot. Finishes taut and clean, with a lingering redcurrant note and lacy tannins sneaking in slowly.” JR
Bodega Bernabeleva Navaherreros Garnacha 2012 750ML ($24.95) $16 special, 25 bottles available
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 91 points “(100% Garnacha): Brilliant ruby-red. Fresh, intensely perfumed red and dark berries on the nose, with mineral, camphor and floral nuances building in the glass. Spicy raspberry and boysenberry flavors pack a solid punch but carry no excess weight. Finishes with very good spicy lift, fine-grained tannins and mineral-driven persistence.” JR
Bodegas Borsao Tres Picos Garnacha 2013 750ML ($19.95) $14 special, 36+ bottles available
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 91 points “(half fermented in stainless steel and the other half in French oak, followed by ten months of aging in French oak): Vivid purple. Fresh cherry, blackberry and incense on the highly perfumed nose. Lush, sweet and broad on the palate, offering fleshy blueberry and floral pastille flavors that turn spicier with air. Closes on a sweet note of spicy oak, with supple tannins, very good tenacity and a touch of fruitcake.”
Case-12 Bodegas Breca ‘Breca’ Garnacha Old Vines, Calatayud 2012 750ML ($179.95) $149 special, 1 case available (that’s only $12.42/bottle!)
Bodegas Breca ‘Breca’ Garnacha Old Vines, Calatayud 2012 750ML ($17.95) $14 special, 5 bottles available
Robert Parker 91 points “The 2012 Breca from Calatayud is 100% old-vine Garnacha (from vines planted between 1925 and 1945) made from yields of less than one ton of fruit per acre. Fermented in stainless steel tanks and then transferred to new to 3-year-old French oak casks for 21 months, this outstanding red is the poor man’s Priorat. Mineral notes of wet slate and gun flint are intermixed with blackcurrant, black cherry and cassis fruit in this dense, full-bodied, pure, lavishly rich, intense Spanish red. It is hard to believe what one can get at this price point if the importer and wine producer are committed to high quality.” RP
Buil & Gine 17-XI, Montsant 2012 750ML ($17.95) $14 special, 36+ bottles available
90 points Wine Spectator “This focused red offers flavors of black cherry, kirsch, licorice, toast and mineral, with juicy acidity and well-integrated tannins. Features a nice balance of fruit and savory character. Garnacha, Cariñena and Tempranillo. Drink now through 2020. 2,500 cases made.”
Case-12 Caves Sao Joao Espumante Rose Bruto, Bairrada 2013 750ML ($249.95) $199 special, 2 cases available (that’s only $16.58/bottle!)
Caves Sao Joao Espumante Rose Bruto, Bairrada 2013 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 5 bottles available
Winery note “40% Baga, 40% Touriga Nacional, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. Grapes planted in clay and limestone less than 20 km from the Atlantic Ocean. Aged 3 months on lees, bottles disgorged in March.”
Case-12 CVNE Compania Vinicola del Norte de Espana ‘Imperial’ Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2008 750ML ($499.95) $299 special, 3 cases available (that’s only $24.92/bottle!)
CVNE Compania Vinicola del Norte de Espana ‘Imperial’ Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2008 750ML ($47.95) $29 special, 26 bottles available
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2008 Imperial Reserva is my favorite of the three Imperial Reservas that I tasted together as it has the perfect balance between ripeness, acidity and tannins, in a wine that is eminently elegant, but will require some time in bottle to gain complexity. The fruit leans more towards the red varieties (raspberries and strawberries), it is very spicy but the wood is almost fully integrated. Very balanced palate, with high-toned flavors that make it vibrant. Drink 2015-2021.” WA
R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2003 750ML ($47.95) $33 special, 36+ bottles available
91 points Wine Spectator “Cigar box, cedar and balsamic notes frame cherry, raisin and licorice flavors in this lean, firm red. Displays grip and focus. A traditional style. Drink now through 2023.”
Bodegas Muga Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2011 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special, 36+ bottles available
Wine Advocate 91+ points “The 2011 Reserva is mostly Tempranillo complemented with some 20% Garnacha, 10% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo. There are no stainless-steel vats at Muga, so everything is fermented in oak vats and this wine is then aged for one year in new French oak barrels and a further year in used ones (three to six years old), fined with egg white and bottled. It is a Rioja that mixes the traditional and modern character with ripe fruit and contains oak aromas that are quite spicy and have some toast and smoke that should integrate with a bit of time in bottle. The palate is medium-bodied, has clean flavors that are balanced with sweet tannins. This is easy to drink, pleasant but not banal, and delivers a lot for its price. An impressive half-million bottles are produced of this wine, which is sold as Crianza in Spain and as Reserva in the rest of the world. Year after year, one of the most reliable and affordable Reservas.”LG
Case-12 Bodegas Muga Seleccion Especial Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2010 750ML ($499.95) $439 special, 2 cases available (that’s only $36.58/bottle!)
Bodegas Muga Seleccion Especial Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2010 750ML ($59.95) $39 special, 33 bottles available
Wine Enthusiast 94 points “Tight as a drum on the nose, this rambunctious Rioja is throbbing with blackberry, plum and floral aromas. Intense and staunch on the palate, with plum, raspberry, cherry, herb and chocolate flavors, this runs long on the finish, with power and acidity to spare. Hold until 2017, then drink through 2035. Cellar Selection.” WE
Stephen Tanzer 93 points “(70% tempranillo, 20% garnacha, 7% mazuelo and 3% graciano; fermented in large oak vats and aged for 28 months in small French and American oak barrels of varying age): Inky purple. Flamboyant aromas of ripe berries, incense, potpourri, smoky oak and pungent minerals. Lush, fleshy and alluringly sweet, offering intense black and blue fruit flavors that coat the palate. Smooth, seamless and impressively concentrated but also lively, with sneaky tannins giving shape to the long, spice-accented finish.” ST
Case-12 Alvaro Palacios ‘Les Terrasses’ Velles Vinyes, Priorat DOCa 750ML 2012 ($419.95) $349 special, 4 cases available (that’s only $29.08/bottle!)
Alvaro Palacios ‘Les Terrasses’ Velles Vinyes, Priorat DOCa 2012 750ML ($44.95) $33 special, 36+ bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 92 points “Brilliant ruby. Potent, mineral-laced raspberry and cherry aromas are complicated by exotic floral and spice qualities, picking up white pepper and mocha accents with air. Seamless and sweet, offering silky red berry preserve flavors with a touch of allspice. Closes lively and precise, with sneaky tannins and a jolt of bitter cherry.” ST
Familia Eguren Teso La Monja Romanico 2012 750ML ($17.95) $11.90 special, 14 bottles available
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2012 Romanico (1,500 cases produced) is made from 100% Tinta de Toro (the local name for Tempranillo), and is aged for six months in a combination of new and used French oak. Malolactic is done in oak, and the result is full-bodied, opaque purple-colored wine with superb richness as well as lots of blackberry, charcoal and cassis intermixed with licorice, new saddle leather, pepper and bouquet garni. This nearly viscous red should drink beautifully for 7-10 years.” WA
Case-12 Vina Broco Mencia, Bierzo 2012 750ML ($169.95) $99 special, 1 case available (that’s only $8.25/bottle!)
Vina Broco Mencia, Bierzo 2012 750ML ($19.95) $9.90 special, 1 bottle available
89 points Josh Raynolds–Vinous “(made from vines that are reportedly between 70 and 100 years of age): Bright purple. Primary aromas of boysenberry, cassis, dark chocolate and smoky minerals. Broad, lush and sweet, with aromatic flavors of black and blue fruits and bitter chocolate. A seamless, deep rendition of mencia, with a spine of acidity adding lift and cut to the finish.” JR
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A quick reminder: our Holiday Sale pricing applies only until midnight on 12/31!
We have deals on wines from around the world. Below are those from California:
Case-12 Atalon Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2011 750ML ($319.95) $199 special
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
The average price is $28/bottle!
Robert Parker 98 points “Very deep garnet-black colour with a purple rim. Though still very youthful and muted, this vintage is already subtly revealing a wide array of aromas including blackberry tart, cedar, violets, truffles, liquorice and all spice. In the mouth however this is no shrinking violet–the ’04 is a big, concentrated and highly structured wine with somewhat impenetrable, tightly grained tannins and medium to high acid supporting its rich weight. Very, very long finish displaying hints of savoury earthiness and that signature minerality that appears to surface in better years. Drink 2009-2030.” RP
The next best price is $549.99
The average price is $666
Wine Enthusiast 95 points “This is an awesome Cabernet, that’s so packed with blackberries and cassis, it blows your mind. The richness is superbly balanced by fine acidity and sweet, complex tannins that rein everything into a focused structure. Feels velvety, refined and ageable. Hold until 2018 and drink it for an additional decade or beyond.” WE
The next best price is $79.98
Case-12 Girard Napa County Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 750ML ($319.95) $219 special (was $249) (that’s only $18.25/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Winery notes “Deep crimson in color, with aromatics of ripe blackberry, toffee, and leather. The palate exudes black cherry cordial with fine-grained tannins on the finish, combined with warm vanilla and nutmeg. French oak barrel aging without overemphasis.”
Colgin Cellars Tychson Hill Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2011 750ML ($499.9) $349 special (was $379)
Antonio Galloni 97+ points “The 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Tychson Hill opens with the most exquisite of aromatics. Sage, rosemary, graphite, tobacco, menthol, black cherries, plums all flesh out in a dark, voluptuous wine loaded with class. The interplay of savory notes with layers of fruit is simply breathtaking. Vivid, nuanced and beautifully structured, the 2011 is firing on all cylinders. There is a level of aromatic lift and pure finesse that is simply striking. Hints of orange peel and white pepper add an exotic flair on the close. Tychson Hill is Cabernet Sauvignon with splashes of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Shades of the 2001 linger in the empty glass.” AG
The next best price is $395
The average price is $472
Robert Parker 94-96 points “Another great success that escaped the insidious spread of botrytis on the valley floor is the 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Few and Far Between. One of the top wines of the vintage, the Cabernet Franc component gives the wine a multidimensional aromatic display of forest floor, blueberries, mulberries, black raspberries, plums, black currants and a wet rock-like minerality. The rich, full-bodied flavors seem almost an anomaly in this vintage given its extraordinary irregularity and frequent disappointments. This prodigious 2011 is a candidate for the wine of the vintage.”
The average price is $338
Wine Advocate 97 points “Coming all from Manfred’s Eleven Confessions Vineyard in the Sta. Rita Hills and a blend of 77% Grenache, 22% Syrah and 1% Viognier (fermented with 25% whole clusters), the 2011 Grenache Patine spent a full 33 months in almost all neutral oak, with just 11% being new. It offers perfumed and spice-laced notes of white pepper, black raspberry, blackberry and ground herbs that flow to a full-bodied, elegant, nicely concentrated 2011 that has nicely integrated acidity, no hard edges and a terrific finish. It’s certainly one of the fresher, more elegant Grenaches from Manfred, yet it still has rocking levels of fruit. Give it 2-3 years of cellaring and enjoy bottles over the following decade.” JD
Sine Qua Non Patine Syrah 2011 750ML ($599.95) $499 special (was $519)
Wine Advocate 98 points “A wine that needs to be forgotten in the cellar for 5-6 years, the 2011 Syrah Patine checks in as a blend of roughly 97% Syrah and the balance Roussanne and Viognier. It too comes all from the estate’s Eleven Confessions Vineyard and saw 39 months in 63% new French oak. Backward, tight, concentrated and structured, with full-bodied richness and depth, it gives up Guigal La Landonne like aromas and flavors of graphite, sweet oak, smoked meats, pepper and black raspberry and cassis-like fruit. While it shows the vintage’s cooler nature, it has a stacked mid-palate and will evolve gracefully for 15-20 years.” JD
Hartford Dina’s
Spottswoode Family Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon, St. Helena 2011 750ML ($169.95) $99 special (was $119)
James Suckling 95 points “A solid Spottswoode with mint, currants, berries and flowers. Sweet tobacco and rose petals. Full body with silky tannins and a long, long finish. Tangy, energetic and lively. A wine with form, tension and beauty. This is classic California. 89% cabernet sauvignon, 8% cabernet franc and 3% petit verdot.” JS
Antonio Galloni 94 points “Spottswoode’s 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon is beautiful, immediate and impeccable in its balance. The 2011 doesn’t have the layered, explosive personality of some of the iconic vintages, but it isn’t too far off that level. Spottswoode fans should drink the 2011 relatively early, while some of the more powerful, structured vintages age. I will not be surprised if the 2011 turns out to be one of the jewels of this vintage. The medium-bodied structure argues for early drinking, but there is more than enough energy and acidity to suggest the 2011 will age gracefully for a number of years. Incidentally, the 2011 is the first Spottswoode Cabernet under 14% in a decade. Once again, the winemaking team led by Aron Weinkauf has done a fabulous job. The 2011 is 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petite Verdot.” AG
The next best price is $109.99
Case-12 Stonestreet Alexander Mountain Estate Chardonnay, Alexander Valley 2013 750ML ($419.95) $269 special (was $299)
Robert Parker 92-94 points “The 2013 Chardonnay Estate Vineyards reveals lots of tropical fruit, especially tangerine oil. Situated high on Alexander Mountain, Stonestreet has put together their finest portfolio of wines since I have been tasting them. Winemaker Lisa Valtenberg appears to have reduced the overt oakiness displayed by many wines in the past. At the same time, she has increased their nuances, complexity and textural richness. The numerous Chardonnay vineyards are planted at 800 to as high as 1,800 feet (in the case of the Gravel Bench, Upper Barn and Broken Road vineyards). All are 100% Chardonnays largely made from the Old Wente clone with a small percentage of the Hyde clone, and are fermented with indigenous yeasts. Almost all of them spend 10-11 months in various percentages of new French oak, ranging from a low of 44% (the Estate Chardonnay) to a high of 100% (the Gravel Bench Chardonnay. The differences between the various cuvées are very subtle as they are all relatively full-bodied, rich, and aromatic with natural textures. As the scores attest, they are far more alike than dissimilar.” RP
The next best price is $29.95
John Gilman 93 points “This is the first vintage that I have tasted from the new source of decidedly old vine sauvignon blanc that the Leightons have begun to work with in the Livermore Valley. This is from a parcel of one hundred year-old vines and the 2001 is a superb wine that is now at its apogee of peak maturity. The wine is now nicely honeyed in color and offers up a beautiful and very complex nose of tangerine, a touch of petrol, a lovely walnut-like nuttiness, citrus peel, gentle notes of beeswax and a very complex base of soil tones. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and rock solid at the core, with bright acids, excellent focus and grip and a long, mature and vibrant finish. A beautiful bottle of mature sauvignon blanc that would make a great ringer in a mature white Bordeaux tasting! 2015-2030.” JG
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