Vinopolis Newsletter – Friday 08/4/2023

Chateau Haut Bages Liberal Pauillac 2018 750ml $66 special, 12 bottles available
James Suckling 97 Points “Pretty blackberries, blueberries and violets with some crushed-raspberry aromas follow through to a full body with wonderfully crafted and pure tannins that intertwine wonderfully with the blue fruit and blackberries. Long and endless. A triumph here. From biodynamically grown grapes. Try after 2026.”

Pichon Baron Pauillac 2019 750ml $199 special, 14 bottles available
Wine Advocate 97-100 Points “Very deep purple-black in color, the nose skyrockets from the glass with vibrant scents of freshly crushed blackberries, black raspberries and blackcurrant pastilles followed by perfumed sparks of fragrant earth, clove oil, lilacs, crushed rocks, molten chocolate and cinnamon toast. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with layer upon layer of black fruit, mineral and exotic spices, framed by beautifully ripe, finely-grained tannins and tons of freshness, finishing with a lingering soft-spoken whisper of floral and earth notions. This is an absolutely beguiling expression that is classic Pauillac, and yet it is Pauillac like no other.”

Chateau Leoville Barton St Julien 2019 750ml $119 special, 22 bottles available
Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points – #7 TOP 100 “The flagship 2019 Château Léoville Barton is brilliant, showing both the style of the estate as well as the vintage beautifully. It’s never the biggest or richest wine, yet it has a classic, vibrant, structured style that ages beautifully. Pure cassis, black currants, scorched earth, new leather, and graphite are just some of its nuances, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with a lively spine of acidity, beautiful overall balance, and a great finish. This textbook Léoville Barton demands a decade of bottle age and will keep for 30-40 years.”

Reserve De Leoville Barton 2019 750ml $47.50 special, 12 bottles available
Decanter 92 Points “Shiny glossy fruit on the nose, floral and pretty. Bright pink in the glass full of blackcurrant and cherry aromas. Nice plushness on the palate with chewy tannins that have a touch of dryness/chalkiness and drive of fresh red fruit, with some creamy, chalky aspects coming in on the finish. Nicely balanced. It’s balanced and fresh, light and playful. Not showy, but easy. Touch of cedar wood on the edges at the finish. Drinking Window 2023 – 2030.”
 
Chateau Capbern Saint-Estephe 2018 750ml $36 special, 24 bottles available
Chateau Capbern Saint-Estephe 2018 Case of 12 750ml bottles $389 special, 1 available
Chateau Capbern Saint-Estephe 2018 Case of 6 750ml bottles $199 special, 2 available
Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points “It has a deep, dark, earthy, classic Saint-Estèphe bouquet that gives up lots of cassis and almost blue fruits as well as ample chocolate, damp earth, and leafy herb-like aromas and flavors. With a full-bodied, rich, opulent mouthfeel, loads of sumptuous dark fruits, sweet tannins, and a great finish, this brilliant 2018 brings lots of fruit and opulence, yet stays weightless and balanced, with solid underlying structure. A hidden gem in the vintage, this is every bit as good as the 2016, and it’s going to shine for two decades or more.”

La Gaffeliere Saint Emilion 2018 750ml $99 special, 18 bottles available
Vinous 99 Points “The 2018 La Gaffelière is hands down one of the wines of the vintage. Towering in its stature and vertical lift, the 2018 dazzles right out of the gate. Inky dark fruit, mocha, spice, licorice and leather all run through this deep, wonderfully pliant Saint-Émilion. The 2018 is rich, deep and beautifully resonant, with tremendous depth and tons of stature that builds, all framed by beams of supporting minerality that confer vibrancy. La Gaffelière is distinctive, alluring and arresting right out of the gate. It is another magnificent showing from this reborn estate. The blend is 63% Merlot and 37% Cabernet Franc. Magnifique!”

Chateau Goubau “La Source” Cotes De Castillon 2015 $18 special, 24 bottles available
Chateau Goubau “La Source” Castillon 2015 Case of 6 bottles $99, 6 available
Winery note “The second wine of Chateau Goubau comes from the vineyard parcels facing south and south-west on the slopes bordering the domain’s natural source. Made from a blend of 95% Merlot grapes and 5% Cabernet Franc grapes, the wine is spicy and fresh with aromas of red fruits, plums and spice. On the palate the wine is crunchy and fruity with black fruit flavours and a touch of spice; the finish is lively and appealing. Drink now for next three years.”
 
Chateau Gloria St Julien 2019 750ml $49 special, 17 bottles available
Vinous 96 Points “The 2019 Gloria has a compelling nose: black fruit, crushed rocks, tobacco and very subtle marine scents that are all beautifully combined. Perhaps the most precise and delineated nose among an impressive array of Saint-Julien’s this year. The palate is medium-bodied with a lively opening. A touch of soy infuses the black fruit; fine-boned with wonderful sapidity on the finish. Extraordinary length. Serious.”
Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points “Showing beautifully, with the polished, pure, elegant style of the vintage, the 2019 Château Gloria sports a deeper ruby/purple color as well as great aromatics of cassis and assorted blue fruits to go with smoked tobacco, cedar pencil, damp earth, and floral notes. I love its purity, and it’s just a quintessential, medium to full-bodied, layered Saint-Julien that can be drunk today or cellared for a solid two decades. It should be a no-brainer purchase for the wine lovers out there.”
 
Clos Du Marquis St Julien 2019 750ml $69 special, 6 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94+ Points “The 2019 Clos du Marquis is another cuvée from the Delon family that’s smaller than usual this year, as fully 20% of the vineyards that inform this bottling are in various stages of replanting, with the objective of bringing the percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon vines up to more than 70%. Exhibiting aromas of inky cassis, plums, incense, wood smoke and spices, it’s medium to full-bodied, fleshy and concentrated, with lively acids, beautifully powdery tannins and a supple, more immediately charming profile than its big sibling across the street, Léoville-Las Cases.”

Clos De Sarpe St Emilion 2019 750ml $79 special, 14 bottles available
Jeb Dunnuck 96 Points “I love this estate, and their 2019 Château Clos De Sarpe offers the newer, balanced, elegant style of recent vintages while still bringing beautiful fruit and opulence. Cassis, blueberries, graphite, tobacco damp earth, and violet notes are just some of its nuances, and this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a deep, layered mid-palate, awesome purity of fruit, good acidity, and a great finish. It’s going to take a decade of bottle age to hit maturity and will evolve for 30 to 40 years. This classic, beautiful, old-school yet pure and balanced Saint-Emilion deserves a place in your cellar.”

Horsetail Pinot Noir 2021 750ml $28 special, 11 bottles available
Vinopolnote “Coattails is a partnership between the three sons – Jared, Michael, Jr., and Nathan – of Michael G. Etzel, operating partner of Sequitur and Beaux Frères Vineyards in the Ribbon Ridge AVA of Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Raised on the estate until each of the three departed in his own time to Oregon State University, these second-generation winemakers are employing the benefits of learning the craft firsthand as far back as their earliest memories will take them, while also collectively discovering their own voices in both the vineyard and winery.”
 

Nicolas Jay Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2021 750ml $49 special, 34 bottles available
Winery Notes “A beautiful garnet color is the first indication of a dense, concentrated harvest. It’s stunning at first approach with red cherry, black tea and subtle splashes of toasted clove, spices and citrus aromas. The fruit is crunchy and wet at this early stage, but a core of cinnamon spice and light menthol arrive to inter-mingle with these cold-pressed red fruit elements as the wine begins to stretch out. Alert acidity on the front-end gives way to granite, medium-weight tannins.”
 

Italy
 

Elvio Cogno Barolo Ravera Bricco Pernice 2015 750ml $99 special, 36+ bottles available
Wine Enthusiast 97 Points “Cellar Selection. Enticing scents of rose, iris, perfumed berry and an earthy whiff of truffle shape the fragrant nose on this dazzling wine. The delicious, full-bodied palate boasts structure and a weightless elegance, delivering juicy Marasca cherry, cherry compote, cinnamon and star anise. Taut polished tannins and fresh acidity provide balance and an elegant structure. It’s already irresistible but will also age well for years. Drink 2022–2035.”

Felsina Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Colonia 2010 $149 special, 12 bottles available
Advocate 95+ Points Wine “When you hear the story of the effort that went into making the Colonia vineyard, you have to wonder if the fine folks at Fèlsina are absolutely mad. It took them two years of dynamite blasting to clear the imposing rock that had forced previous generations of the Poggiali family to virtually abandon this site. But an ambitious Giovanni Poggiali takes credit for making this spectacular vineyard what it is today. The wine produced here is quickly becoming the second flagship product after Fontalloro. The 2010 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Colonia is a wine of enormous beauty and depth. This is Sangiovese at its highest expression and any doubt I had about the previous vintage (which was the first time this wine appeared as a Gran Selezione) have been washed away by this current release. What really stands out are the wine’s precise mineral and graphite aromas that lend an incredible sense of focus and balance. The oak element is also beautifully integrated.”

Bibi Graetz Testamatta Toscana IGT 2018 750ml $99 special, 12 bottles available
Decanter 100 Points “Finely textured, with a nuanced perfume that fills the glass and takes you to the intense underbrush of Tuscany. Succulent and yet savoury, this has a lilting freshness that is overlaid with ripe berry fruits, sage and white pepper spice, and clear minerality in terms of its scraping texture that makes your mouth water on the finish. Feels light and sculpted and yet has an intensity that skewers you to the spot. This is a great wine, with scope and imagination that doesn’t want to let you go.”

Talenti Brunello Di Montalcino 2017 750ml $49 special, 24 bottles available
Vinous 93 Points “The bouquet on the 2017 Brunello di Montalcino is to die for, offering cloves and balsamic spices that give way to crushed cherries, sage and fresh mint. It’s elegant yet lifted in feel, with silky textures carrying the ripe wild berry fruits effortlessly across the palate. Saline-minerals combine with grippy tannins toward the close, slowing the 2017’s momentum ever so slightly, yet still permitting the most beautiful display of hard red candies and violet florals to linger incredibly long.”

 

Faiveley La Framboisiere Mercurey Monopole 2021 750ml $59 special, 12 bottles available
Vinopolnote “This wine reveals a powerful, fruity nose combining rich notes of red and black fruits and a subtle hint of oak. La Framboisière offers a powerful palate dominated by crunchy red fruits. Its velvety tannins and exceptional length make it a pleasure to drink.”

Faiveley Clos Du Roy Mercurey 1er Cru 2021 750ml $69 special, 6 bottles available
(Wine not yet reviewed, 2020 vintage provided for reference)
Wine Advocate 93 Points “The 2020 Mercurey 1er Cru Clos du Roy wafts from the glass with aromas of cherries, raspberries and plums mingled with hints of raw cocoa and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, supple and seamless, it’s lively and refined, with velvety tannins and a polished, charming profile that marks it out as another of the more elegant wines in the range this year.”
 
Faiveley Mercurey Blanc 2021 750ml $44.50 special, 12 bottles available
Wine Spectator 91 Points “Lean, displaying apple, lemon, vanilla, clove and citronella flavors. Gains intensity and depth as this evolves on the palate, ending in a cascade of fruit, mineral and spice notes.”

Domaines Ott By.Ott Cotes Provence Rose 2022 750ml $24 special, 36 bottles available
Vinopolis “Pale and pretty in crystal-clear pink with orange undertones. The nose is delicate and fruity with notes of white peach and apricot mixed with passion fruit and mango. The taste is full, fresh and crisp with echoes of the fruity aroma amplified by citrus zest and sweet spices (cinnamon and cardamom).”
 
Domaines Ott Chateau De Selle Provence Rose 2022 750ml $51.90 special, 18 bottles available
Vinous 93 Points “The 2022 Rosé Château de Selle Cru Classé opens with a striking bouquet, blending dusty dried flowers with ginger, a spritz of lemon and crushed apples. It’s supple and soothing to the senses, with a textural wave of white strawberry, candied orange and sweet inner florals. A core of brilliant acidity maintains a fantastic balance as this tapers off long and potent. A mineral staining and citrus hints tease the taste buds. Please pour me another.”
 
Domaines Ott Chateau Romassan Bandol Rose 2022 750ml $51.90 special, 30 bottles available
Vinopolnote “Its pale, ethereal pink color tinted with gold or orange, releases a bouquet of citrus fruits and white orchard flowers. On the palate, the immediate effect is lively and bright, revealing notes of pink grapefruit, fleshy fruit and, once the wine has had a chance to breathe, hints of fruit tart. The finish is complex and lasting.”

La Chablisienne Chablis Les Clos 2018 750ml $59 special, 22 bottles available
Burghound 90-92 Points “Mild wood influence sets off a spice-suffused nose of white flower and mineral reduction. The big yet refined flavors brim with wet stone notes on the persistent and attractively textured finale where the typical oyster shell and saline notes are very much in evidence. What this lacks, at least today anyway, is real drive though this may simply be going through a phase as Les Clos is rarely flat.”

 

Jaboulet Hermitage La Maison Bleu 2019 750ml $59 special, 36 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94-96 Points “Even richer, darker and more powerful than the 2018 version, the 2019 Hermitage La Maison Bleue offers up some lifted, minty notes to accent its potent cassis fruit. Dark, dense, and Port-like without being overly heavy or dense, this full-bodied effort is long, intense and concentrated, with softly dusty tannins on the finish.”
 

Spain
 

Lopez Heredia Todonia Gran RSV 2001 750ml $199 special, 8 bottles available
Wine Advocate 98 Points “The grapes ripened properly and thoroughly, and the wine has great balance for a long aging in bottle. This is 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacho and 5% each Graciano and Mazuelo that fermented in their 153-year-old oak vats with indigenous yeasts and matured in used barrels for 10 years. It has 13% alcohol, a pH of 3.4 and 6.4 grams of acidity (tartaric). The nose shows young (tasting it blind, you’d guess a 10-year old wine, not a 20-year-old wine!). It has a nose of sweet spices, underbrush and cigar ash, somewhat balsamic, bramble fruit with perfect ripeness, integrated and young but starting to show some tertiary complexity. The palate is velvety and medium-bodied, with fine-grained, chalky tannins denoting a limestone soil that brings finesse and texture and a sapid, tasty, almost salty finish. This is going to make a beautiful bottle of old Rioja in 30 years’ time!”
 

Blankiet Paradise Hills Vyd Mythicus Cabernet 2013 $249 special, 1 bottle available
Wine Advocate 96+ Points “The 2013 Mythicus is so backward, but a wine of extraordinary intensity. Loads of tannin, massive extract, a blue/purple color, gorgeous purity and overall depth make for a compelling wine, but this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon effort is one for patient connoisseurs. Forget it for 5-7 years, and drink it over the following three decades.”

Blankiet Paradise Hills Vyd Proprietary Red 2016 750ml $219 special, 1 bottle available
Vinous 98 Points “The 2016 Proprietary Red Paradise Hills Vineyard is magnificent. Deep and expressive on the palate, the 2016 possesses tremendous intensity but delivered in an understated voice. Dark cherry, plum, mocha, new leather and spice develop with time, but it is the wine’s total sense of poise that once again is truly impressive.”

Melka Estates La Mekerra Proprietary Red 2010 750ml $119 special, 1 bottles available
Tasting Note “The 2010 Mekerra is a striking Cab franc/Merlot blend that entirely illustrates how wonderfully complex and impressive Cabernet franc can be. Mocha, blackberry, grilled herbs along with cedar and new leather leap from the glass in this rich and unctuous wine. A seamless structure and long finish will allow this wine to age easily 15-20 years. La Mekerra Vineyard soils are rich in both volcanic ash and clay – perfectly suited for Cabernet franc and Merlot.”
 
Melka Estates La Mekerra Proprietary Red 2012 750ml $149 special, 1 bottle available
Robert Parker 98 Points “This is Philippe Melka’s Northern California version of Cheval Blanc and he has pulled it off brilliantly. A real look-alike for that great estate in St.-Emilion, this wine has beautiful mulberry, black cherry and blackcurrant fruit mixed with licorice, forest floor and incense. Terrific in texture, opulent, full-bodied mouthfeel, stunning purity, yet a freshness and liveliness that is just remarkable.”
 
Rudd Oakville Estate Red 2015 750ml $179 special, 1 bottle available
Wine Advocate 98+ Points ” …has a very deep purple-black color and is scented of freshly crushed black currants, blackberries and black cherries with touches of cedar chest, pencil lead, menthol, Chinese five spice and violets, plus a waft of sandalwood. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is very finely crafted with amazing freshness and vivacity, framed by firm, ripe, fine-grained tannins and finishing with lingering exotic spice notes.”
 
Saxum Heart Stone Vyd Paso Robles 2013 750ml $119 special, 1 bottle available
Wine Advocate 95 Points ” …shows the class and purity of the vintage in its complex, floral-laced aromas of dark fruits, spice and minerality. Full-bodied, seamless and silky, with no hard edges and terrific purity, it’s another 2013 from Smith that will open up with another year in bottle.”

Malbec: A Grill’s Best Friend
8 Great Malbecs For Your Next Cook Out

 

Astruc D’a Malbec 2019 750ml $14 special, 23 bottles available
Astruc D’a Malbec 2019 Case of 12 750ml bottles $128 special, 5 cases available
Tasting Notes  “Deep purple red with ruby tints. Powerful and complex with a quintessence of floral, plums, mocha and black current aromas with toasted notes. Aromas of clay, sweet pickling spices, and mulberries with a tangy, fruity yet dry medium body and a black cherry jam, aloe, and grilled pepper and lime accented finish with chewy tannins.”
 
Vaglio Chacra Malbec 2018 750ml $16 special, 36+ bottles available
Vaglio Chacra Malbec 2018 Case of 12 bottles $169 special, 4 cases available
James Suckling 93 Points “A dense, compact malbec with intense, blackberry and wet-earth character. Full body. Creamy texture. Tangy and delicious on the finish. Ends with green tobacco and tar. Excellent.”
 
Vaglio Temple Malbec 2018 750ml $16 special 36+ bottles available
Vaglio Temple Malbec 2018 case of 12 750ml bottles available $169 special, 4 cases available
James Suckling 93 Points “This is always a delicious red with lots of crushed-berry and walnut character. Full-bodied, dense and juicy. Lots of old-vine character. Succulent.”
 
Clos D’audhuy Les Polissons Cahors Malbec 2020 750ml $19 special, 22 bottles available
Winery Notes “Les Polissons is produced from 30-year-old vines, this is a generous and open wine that is made to be drunk young. It has broad berry fruits, supple tannins and refreshing acidity.”
 
Zorzal Eggo Tinto De Tiza 2017 750ml $24 special, 36+ bottles available
Wine Advocate 94 Points “The mouthfeel of the 2017 Eggo Tinto de Tiza was like biting into a piece of chalk (“tiza” is the Spanish word for chalk), the texture provided by the limestone-rich soils from Gualtallary, especially in the higher part of this large region. This wine is about the place, the soils, the local vegetation, the austerity and the wilderness.”
 
Peter William Malbec 2019 750ml $30.90 special, 24 bottles available
Winery Note “Our only Bordeaux Varietal, most often seen on its own from Argentina. This is a big, bold mouth-filling wine of great depth.”
 
Altos Las Hormigas Malbec Gaultallary 2019 750ml $41.90 special, 5 bottles available
Wine Advocate 97 Points “It fermented in small concrete vats with indigenous yeasts at some 26 degrees Celsius for 20 days. This is vibrant and expressive, with a complex nose and especially a lively palate with effervescent acidity and very fine-boned with elegant but firm tannins (they say “Serralunga-like” tannins). I find the recurring iron-like note of blood and fresh meat here too, intermixed with the wild flowers, herbs and spices. This has depth and complexity, and if Altamira is Barbaresco, Gualtallary is Barolo… 10,000 bottles were filled in January 2022.”
 
Vina Cobos Marchiori Estate Malbec 2018 750ml $99 special, 2 bottles available
Vinous 97 Points “The 2018 Malbec Viña Cobos Marchiori comes from vines in Perdriel. The wine was aged for 18 months in 52% new oak. A vivid violet hue in the glass. The extremely complex nose delivers rose, fresh plum, hints of black pepper and subtle notes from the aging process alongside bold, slightly balsamic aromas such as thyme and bay leaf. It’s in the mouth where it truly comes into its own: expansive but gentle with good intensity, energy and complex, delicate flavors.”
James Suckling 97 Points “Blackberry, blueberry, dark-mushroom and dark-walnut aromas follow through to a full-bodied, tight palate and a gorgeous, dark-berry center palate. Creamy and polished. Lovely finish. Violets and mushrooms. From 80-year-old vines. Hard not to drink now, but better in 2024.”