In This Newsletter:
Sebastian’s Staff Picks
Gamay
Our prices are the lowest in the country!
Sherry Specials
Sebastian’s Staff Picks
I drink a lot of wine and let me tell you the staff discount here at Vinopolis is dangerous! Here are a few wines that I’m stoked about at the moment. Please enjoy, they are specail to me!! ~Sebastian
Domaine Jean Masson & Fils Vieilles Vignes Traditionelle, Savoie Apremont 2020 750ml $19 special, 36+ bottles available
Importer note “The VV bottling is the entry bottling, but the vines are over 60 years old, thus the VV designation. He does two bottlings and I always wait for the 2nd bottling so that the wine has more lees time. At the 2nd bottling the wine has spent 8-9 months on the lees. The wine has great texture and mouthfeel, closer to Muscadet than most Jacquere. On the palate you get citrus and herbs.”
VinopolNote: The Massons own some of the highest and oldest vines in the appellation, including some planted by Jean-Claude’s grandfather that are over 100 years old. At a whopping 450 meters above sea level, the family is always the last to harvest in the area. The resulting wines are fermented with native yeasts in stainless steel.
Domaine Jean Masson & Fils Vieilles Vignes Traditionelle, Savoie Apremont 2020 750ml $19 special, 36+ bottles available
Importer note “The VV bottling is the entry bottling, but the vines are over 60 years old, thus the VV designation. He does two bottlings and I always wait for the 2nd bottling so that the wine has more lees time. At the 2nd bottling the wine has spent 8-9 months on the lees. The wine has great texture and mouthfeel, closer to Muscadet than most Jacquere. On the palate you get citrus and herbs.”
VinopolNote: The Massons own some of the highest and oldest vines in the appellation, including some planted by Jean-Claude’s grandfather that are over 100 years old. At a whopping 450 meters above sea level, the family is always the last to harvest in the area. The resulting wines are fermented with native yeasts in stainless steel.
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Sebastian’s notes- This wine is an absolute gem! I’m always searching for new varietals and regions to try which is why I ventured in this direction. For anyone who has not tried Jacquere yet this is a great introduction to the crisp, high acid, alpine grape. So good.
Weingut Carl Loewen ‘1896’ Longuicher Maximin Herrenberg Alte Reben Riesling, Mosel 2020 750ml $45 special, 24 bottles in stock
James Suckling 95 points “Lots of red-fleshed peach and delicate spice notes make this a very striking dry riesling. Rich and concentrated, but with that special lightness of touch that sets the Mosel apart. Long, complete finish that’s gentle rather than dramatic. Drink or hold.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Sebastian’s notes- Great food wine. I recenlty opened this up for a large group at a holiday party and it was quite the crowd pleaser. Not everyday you get to drink wine from vines planted in 1896! Absolute showstopper.
Agusti Torello Mata Brut Reserva Cava, Catalonia 2018 750ml $21.90 special, 24 bottles in stock
No reviews available for the 2018. 2017 review provided for reference.
Decanter 90 points “A blend of Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel·lo from organic vines aged 30-40 years. Subtle aromas of green apple, apricot pastries and ripe lemon. Evolved honeyed notes on the palate, alongside fresh apple and lemon citrus, with a creamy texture, gentle bubbles and a fresh lift of grapefruit acidity on the finish. Good value for money. Organic and suitable for vegans. Drinking Window 2021 – 2023.”
Producer note “35% Macabeu – 28% Xarel·lo – 37% Parellada. Tasting note: Fresh and smooth cava with stone fruit notes: green apple, peach and nectarine. Ideal for appetizers, salads, starters and desserts. Certified organic. Vegan.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Sebastian’s notes- Hands down the best budget friendly sparkling I’ve ever tasted. Surprisingly developed and complex for the price point. Easy drinking and fun! Fabulous to say the least.
Gamay
It’s old news that Vinopolis has some of the most competitive prices in the country; shop our best deals that truly cannot be beat even if you tried. Here is a list of Gamay wines that are the lowest prices in the USA today!
USA
Ayres Vineyard Gamay Noir, Chehalem Mountains 2021 750ml $21.90 special, 11 bottles in stock
Winery Note “The Ayres Gamay is sourced from the Palimpest Vineyard located in the Chehalem Mountain AVA. Vineyards are dry farmed and organic farming practices are employed. Wines are fermented in open top, 2 ton fermenters using all indigenous yeasts for both primary and secondary fermentations. A small amount of whole clusters were used.”
USA
Ayres Vineyard Gamay Noir, Chehalem Mountains 2021 750ml $21.90 special, 11 bottles in stock
Winery Note “The Ayres Gamay is sourced from the Palimpest Vineyard located in the Chehalem Mountain AVA. Vineyards are dry farmed and organic farming practices are employed. Wines are fermented in open top, 2 ton fermenters using all indigenous yeasts for both primary and secondary fermentations. A small amount of whole clusters were used.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Hundred Suns ‘Tualatin Estate’ Gamay Noir, Willamette Valley 2021 750ml $31.90 special, 31 bottles in stock
Winery note “An early spring kick-started the season, and yields were restricted by poor weather during cluster and flower development. Warm summer months brought this Gamay into full maturity and we hand-picked on September 25th. Hailing from Tualatin Estate Vineyard, this gamay was divided into three fermentation lots: 100% whole cluster, destemmed, and whole cluster in sealed tank. As a result, bright cranberry fruit and silky tannins marry with rich blueberry flavors and cocoa-like tannins to create balance and finish.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Mijita Wine Co. Abbey Road Farm Vineyard Gamay Noir, Willamette Valley 2021 750ml $28 special, 16 bottles in stock now
Grapelive 92 points “Winemaker Lizzy Esqueda’s first two wines are tiny micro releases under her brand spanking new the Mijita Wine Co. label, featuring a skin contact Pinot Gris ‘orange wine’ and this vibrant and charming Gamay Noir. Both are from the 2021 vintage, a year which is starting to create a buzz with the Oregon natives. This dark garnet/ruby 100% Gamay is already drinking well with a medium bodied palate, that is very silken and Pinot Noir like, with an array of dark fruits, crunchy herbs, a light spiciness and some subtle earthy elements that gives this well-made Gamay a fine tension between ripe fruit and savory tones. The flavor band here rotates smooth in the mouth with a layering of black cherry, brambly raspberry, tart plum and Mission fig fruits, along with a touch of walnut, saddle leather, anise and cinnamon. This wine, with its low alcohol (12.3%), is excitingly old world themed and has hints of pretty florals to go with its rustic personality. It opened up well and stayed impressively entertaining all evening and was joyous with a simple, but hearty meal. I look forward to following Lizzy Esqueda’s Mijita Wines and I can’t wait to try her skin fermented Pinot Gris…”
VinopolNote: “A shout out to the trending style of Gamay produced by such illustrious and fan-favorite Beaujolais as Anne-Sophie Dubois and Daniel Bouland, who in turn take their inspiration from Burgundy. This is no saccharine fruit-bomb, but a serious and seriously drinkable Gamay that will astound. This, folks, is the wine we’ve been waiting for. It’s exciting, bold, and fresh, with a prickly acidity that lingers on the finish.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
France
Domaine Pascal Aufranc Chenas Vignes de 1939, Beaujolais 2019 750ml $16 special, 27 bottles in stock
Vinous 93 points “Vivid ruby. Powerful black and blue fruit aromas show sharp clarity and complementary smoky mineral and spice flourishes. Chewy and energetic in style, offering concentrated boysenberry, bitter cherry and floral pastille flavors and a touch of dark chocolate. Conveys both depth and energy and finishes with building tannins and a repeating blue fruit note.”
Wine & Spirits 91 points “Pascal Aufranc farms a parcel of ancient vines at the border of the forest in Chénas, providing a wine with intriguing earthiness, its tannins powerful and gripping against the equally intense black-raspberry fruit. It’s saturated, firm and substantial, a wine for steak or for the cellar.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Daniel Bouland Cote de Brouilly Cuvee Melanie, Beaujolais 2019 750ml $29.90 special, 33 bottles in stock
Wine Advocate 92 points “Offering up aromas of red plums, berries, raw cocoa and spices, the 2019 Côte de Brouilly Cuvée Melanie is medium to full-bodied, supple and velvety, with a fleshy core of fruit, melting tannins and lively acids. Bright and charming, it’s produced from a south-facing site near Château Thivin.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Guy Breton Chiroubles, Beaujolais 2018 750ml $33 special, 21 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2018 Chiroubles is a particular success, bursting with aromas of cherries, strawberries, dried flowers and licorice. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, melting and succulent, with an ample core of mouthwatering fruit and only the most ephemeral of structuring tannins, making for unimpeded drinkability—indeed, in a dark glass, this might be mistaken for a white wine.”
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2018 Chiroubles is a particular success, bursting with aromas of cherries, strawberries, dried flowers and licorice. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, melting and succulent, with an ample core of mouthwatering fruit and only the most ephemeral of structuring tannins, making for unimpeded drinkability—indeed, in a dark glass, this might be mistaken for a white wine.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Celine et Nicolas Hirsch Moulin-a-Vent, Beaujolais 2018 750ml $21.90 special, 28 bottles in stock
Winemakers note “All was good! An early start again – hot and dry but we had well-regulated rain – every 15 days 20mm or-so – I couldn’t have set it up better. We have a low yield of-course but you have to accept that on the hills facing the sun. But the wines have good balance, not the richness of 2017 – they are more balanced. The vinifications needed closely following though as they were slow.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Chateau du Moulin-a-Vent ‘Moulin-a-Vent’ Couvent des Thorins, Beaujolais 2018 750ml $26 special, 17 bottles in stock
Wine & Spirits 92 points “[Wine & Spirits Winery of the Year in 2021 Featured Wine] A selection from 40-year-old vines growing in granite soils with manganese, this wine fermented with some whole clusters (20 percent) and then aged for 16 months in stainless steel. That élevage preserved the generous depths of fruit in the wine, floral up front, edged with bright tannins and green-peppercorn spice in the end. A bold and zesty 2018, this will benefit from a year of bottle age.”
Vinous 91 points “Shimmering ruby. Powerful blackberry, cherry and licorice aromas are complicated by suggestions of smoky minerals and violet. Well-concentrated and broad in the mouth, offering bitter cherry and dark berry flavors enlivened by a snap of cracked pepper. Slowly building tannins frame the finish, which lingers with very good, dark-fruit-driven persistence.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Coudert – Clos de la Roilette Fleurie Cuvee Tardive, Beaujolais 2021 750ml $28 special, 21 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 94 points “Fans of old-school Beaujolais will adore the 2021 Fleurie Cuvée Tardive from the Clos de la Roilette. Bursting with aromas of crunchy red berries, peonies, spices and plums, it’s medium-bodied, ample and enveloping, with succulent acids, melting tannins and a pretty, perfumed finish. Despite the challenges of the year, the Coudert family have produced a lovely classic, and it’s a wine that’s much more drinkable and vibrant than some of the recent banner vintages at this address.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Louis Claude Desvignes Morgon La Voute St Vincent, Beaujolais 2020 750ml $21.90 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 91 points “Aromas of red berries, cherries, peonies and orange rind introduce the 2020 Morgon La Voûte Saint-Vincent, a medium to full-bodied, lively and succulent wine with a seamless, integrated profile. Beautifully balanced, it’s a charming, youthfully approachable cuvée emphasizing the climat of Douby.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Jean-Claude Lapalu Brouilly Alma Mater, Beaujolais 2015 750ml $59 special, 5 bottles in stock
Wine Advocate 90-92 points “The 2015 Brouilly Alma Mater was tightly wound on the nose when I tasted it from vat, but clearly very pure with succulent dark cherries, redcurrant, violet and a touch of tinned prune. The palate is very well balanced with supple tannin, very gourmand in style, somehow texturally reminding me of say, Tertre-Rôteboeuf on the Right Bank! Long. It manages to contain the alcohol extremely well and delivers a very composed finish and as such, I expect it will settle towards the top of my banded score.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Holiday hours reminder
We are closing at 4pm sharp on Christmas Eve (Saturday, December 24th) and closed all day on Christmas Day (Sunday, December 25th).
Happy holidays!
Happy holidays!
Sherry specials
Have a hankering for some fortified wine? Whether you’re a longtime lover or hoping to become one, a bottle of Sherry is waiting to go home with you. We have one of the best selections of Sherry on the west coast and want you to know about it. Shop through our staff picked selection below.
375ml Bottles
Alvear Asuncion Oloroso, Montilla-Moriles NV 375ml $29 special, 9 bottles in stock
Wine Enthusiast Top 100 in 2021
Wine Enthusiast 93 points “A burnished orange-meets-tawny color and lively aromas of caramel and apricot get this oloroso off to a fine start. A richly intense palate with bold acidity offers plenty of depth, while toasty flavors of coffee and walnuts finish with notes of chocolate and café latte. Overall, this is stylish and a cut above. -Michael Schachner”
Jeb Dunnuck 92 points “A fortified sherry (it’s fortified to prevent the growth of Flor), the NV Alvear Oloroso Asunción (100% Pedro Ximénez) is a beautiful effort that has a great nose of candied figs, white currants, salted nuts, and malty, brown sugar notes. More medium to full-bodied, nicely balanced, with slightly less sweetness than past versions, it would make a terrific aperitif.”
Wine Advocate 90+ points “The NV Oloroso Asunción was produced with Pedro Ximénez grapes (like all in Montilla), and as the grape achieves higher ripeness than the Palomino, the wines have a higher natural alcohol and need less fortification to reach the 19% alcohol that it is bottled with. It’s aged in a solera system believed to be over 25 years of age, according to the documentation I received, but this used to be bottled at around 12 years old. This is still a little sweet, as it contains around 15 grams of sugar. It has a mellow character, quite approachable, with signs of medium age, not that old, aromatic and gentle in the palate, with the sugar making an appearance in the finish, balancing the faint bitterness. I prefer drier Oloroso, but here the sugar is not too noticeable. 2,600 half bottles were filled in March, in the first saca of 2019. The price is for a half bottle.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Bodegas Cesar Florido Cruz del Mar Amontillado Sherry, Andalucia NV 375ml $18 special, 4 bottles in stock
Wine Spectator 90 points “Pretty, with singed almond and bitter orange notes followed by a flash of salted caramel, showing light green tea and sesame echoes on the finish.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Bodegas La Cigarrera Manzanilla Sherry, Andalucia NV 375ml $17 special, 6 bottles in stock
Wine Spectator 91 points “Very fresh, with a lively fleur de sel note that pierces the mix of quinine, chamomile, white peach and dried lemon peel flavors. The long, pure finish is bony and mouthwatering. Drink now. 250 cases made.”
Decanter 91 points “Expressive, not subtle, with camomile and a suggestion of honey and smoke on the nose. Mouthfilling, powerful, with astringency and salty mineral notes.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Rainera Perez Marin ‘La Guita’ Manzanilla, Manzanilla Sanlucar de Barrameda NV 375ml $9 special, 6 bottles in stock
Wine & Spirits 91 points “As usual, La Guita is one of the best values in Spain. For a ridiculous price, you can get all the sun of Sanlúcar, saline aromas of the sea and notes of apricot and walnuts in a refreshing and vital Manzanilla, ready for fried anchovies.”
A.R. Valdespino Coliseo Amontillado VORS Sherry, Andalucia NV 375ml $179 special, 3 bottles in stock
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.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
500ml Bottles
Osborne Solera India Oloroso Sherry, Andalucia NV 500ml $299 special, 1 bottle in stock now
Wine Advocate 95 points “The NV Rare Sherry Oloroso Solera BC 200 has an average age of 40 years from a solera created in 1864. It shows a dark bright orange color, a discrete, aristocratic nose showing some aromatic herbs, perfumed flowers, not easy to define. The palate is even more peculiar, only medium- to full-bodied, dominated by balsamic flavors, aromatic herbs, old furniture, with good persistence and length, and a warm finish. 250 bottles are produced each year. A most unusual wine. Drink 2013-2022.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Lustau ‘3 En Rama’ Fino de Jerez de la Frontera Sherry, Andalucia 2021 500ml $24 special, 18 bottles in stock now
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Lustau ‘3 En Rama’ Fino de El Puerto de Santa Maria Sherry, Andalucia 2021 500ml $24 special, 25 bottles in stock now
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Lustau ‘3 En Rama’ Manzanilla Sanlucar de Barrameda Sherry, Andalucia 2021 500ml $24 special, 16 bottles in stock now
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
750ml Bottles
Bodegas Toro Albala Don PX Convento Seleccion, Montilla-Moriles 1929 750ml $299 special, 2 bottles in stock
Wine Advocate 95 points “The extreme 1929 Don PX Convento Selección is a thick, dense and unusual, rare sweet beast. It is very dark with a green border, dense, oily and serious full-bodied palate with the profile of a PX from Jerez. With 500 grams of residual sugar per liter, it is a little monolithic, a little heavy and not so easy to drink. Still it is an impressive, very sweet wine that is really unique”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Bodegas Toro Albala Don PX Convento Seleccion, Montilla-Moriles 1955 750ml $299 special, 2 bottles in stock
Wine Advocate 98 points “One more single-harvest, old sweet wine, the 1955 Don PX Convento Selección was bottled in September 2014 and it had been aged slowly in very old American oak barrels and getting thick and concentrated through evaporation. It’s 320 grams of sugar are (partially) compensated by 6.5 grams of acidity. It has a nose and palate of chocolate-covered candied orange, spices, molasses. I’d say the dominant aromas in the nose are dark chocolate. It’s very dense, developing notes of very concentrated licorice and balsamic, mint, camphor and evolving notes of petrol with time. Complex, rare and unique.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
A.R. Valdespino Amontillado Tio Diego Sherry, Andalucia 750ml $19.50 special, 3 bottles in stock
Wine & Spirits 93 points “Extremely dry, this austere Amontillado comes from the white chalky albariza soils of the famed Macharnudo vineyard. It aged under flor for about eight years, and then spent eight more years aging oxidatively before being bottled. At first, it shows only the classic flavors of iodine and salt, with enchanting sea breeze notes. You have to wait for the fruit flavors to emerge, notes of roasted white fruit and nuts emerging in the midst of its cool flavors. Only for fans of super-dry Sherry, this is ideal for mojama, cured tuna belly.”
Wine Spectator 92 points “Smoky and taut, featuring date, dried orange peel, clove, singed sandalwood and salted caramel notes. The dry, nervy finish has lots of tension. Begs for salted almonds. Drink now.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Thank you from the team at Vinopolis!
Be well & drink well.