Vinopolis Newsletter – Friday 10/20/2023

 In This Newsletter:

New Arrivals
Kelley Fox, Brick House, Durant Vineyard, and more!
Staff Pick
Soos Creek Wines
3 French Reds Under 20 Dollars
Crowd-pleasing wines that won’t blow your budget
Close-out Sales
Great prices on Rose Wines and German Rieslings
Collector’s Corner
Piedmont and beyond: the wines of Gaja

 

 

 

“Brick House Vineyards”
 

Brick House ‘Evelyn’s’ Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2021 750ml $75 special, 12 bottles available
Jeb Dunnuck 96 Points “I love the aromatics that lift from the 2021 Pinot Noir Evelyn’s, with spice and anise, wild red berries, and dusty earth. It’s very elegant in style and offers a significant departure in its texture, with a soft, stony mouthfeel, medium to full body, a linear feel, and a more citrus-driven finish, with notes of orange oil lasting long after the wine is gone. Refined with mineral accents, this is going to benefit from time in the cellar to uncoil and should have a long arch in its evolution. Drink 2025-2040.”
 
Brick House Pinot Noir Select, Ribbon Ridge 2022 750ml $41.90 special, 12 bottles available
Not yet reviewed, 2021 reviews provided for reference
Wine Spectator 93“A wine with poise and presence, this Pinot is elegantly complex, with fresh cherry and raspberry flavors that have accents of tea and rose petal that glide on a long, polished finish.”
Jeb Dunnuck 92 Points “[2021] The 2021 Pinot Noir Select is a saturated ruby color and takes on ripe aromas of generous cherry fruit, crushed flowers, and turned earth. Medium to full-bodied, with ripe tannins, great structure, ripe savory herbs, and a bit of iron-rich earth, it offers a lot of value and is a great insight into the style of the Brick House estate. Drink 2024-2032.”
 

 
Durant Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2021 750ml $24 special, 24 bottles available
Durant Vineyards Dundee, Dundee Hills ‘Maximilian’ Pinot Gris 2022 750ml $16 special, 36 bottles available
 

Kelley Fox Pinot Noir Mirabai, McMinnville 2022 750ml $39 special, 36+ bottles available
James Suckling “Vibrant and lifted with poppy fruit, the 2022 Pinot Noir Mirabai is a brilliant ruby hue, with fresh, lifted aromas of wild red cranberry, white pepper, and fresh tangerine. Open and approachable, with medium body and soft elegant fruit as well as a supple texture and fresh acidity, it’s even-keeled and has a hint of spice on the finish. I love this wine for youthful fresh drinking.”
 
Kelley Fox Carter Vineyard Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity 2021 750ml $89 special, 12 bottles available
Jeb Dunnuck 98 Points “From 40-year-old self-rooted vines that are organically farmed, the 2021 Pinot Noir Carter Vineyard is a ripe ruby hue and offers notes of grenadine, candied roses, and cinnamon. Its tannins are ripe and fine, and it fills the palate with ripe red fruit, apricot, and notes of crushed stone along with mouthwatering salinity. Drink 2023-2038.”
 
Kelley Fox Maresh Royal Ann Block Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2021 750ml $89 special, 9 bottles available
Jeb Dunnuck 96 Points “The 2021 Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard Royal Ann Block takes on an exuberant, energetic lift of bright red cherry, incense, spiced orange zest, and delicate clove spice. Medium-bodied and taking on a touch more depth compared to the Liminal, it brings fine, ripe tannins and has a long-lasting, woodsy perfume on the finish. Drink 2024-2034.”
 

 
Vouette Et Sorbee Fidele Extra Brut (2020) NV $79 special, 16 bottles available
No reviews for the 2020 base. 2018 base review provided for reference.
Wine Advocate 94 Points “The NV Brut Nature Fidèle (R14) is a Blanc de Noirs from Pinot Noir on Kimmeridgian soils and is entirely based on the 2014 vintage. Disgorged in October 2017 the oak-fermented wine shows a golden-reddish apricot color and opens with a very delicate, floral and herbal yet intense and vinous bouquet of red fruits, with warm, dry earth and spices and just a hint of oak. Bone dry (of course), fresh and elegant on the palate, this is impressive, delicate and filigreed Champagne to be enjoyed as a still wine rather than a fizz. The finish is long, clear, dry and well-structured (even with fine tannins) and reveals discreet salinity. In fact, Fidèle drinks like a Burgundy-inspired Coteaux Champenois with very fine but not effervescent bubbles, persistent lemon juice and a touch of oaky flavors.”
 
Vouette Et Sorbee Blanc d’Argile Blanc de Blancs (2020) NV $99 special, 11 bottles available
Vouette Et Sorbee Blanc d’Argile Blanc de Blancs (2020) NV 1.5L $219 special, 2 bottles available
Importer’s Note “Mainly from a small parcel of Chardonnay in Briaunes supplemented with scattered plantings of Chardonnay in Bertrand’s other lieux-dits. Small in volume now, it will increase when the young vines in Vouette begin to come online. Mineral, nougat, salty and long– basically a Grand Cru Chablis with bubbles.”

 

 
“As someone from Kent, Washington I was immediately skeptical of a wine from Kent, Washington… I have my reasons. But as someone who also grew up bicycling and berry picking along the Soos Creek, I was willing to give these wines a shot. For my money, there is no better value to come out of Washington than these wines. There is far more nuance and texture to these red blends than one would expect to find at this price anywhere on the West Coast, period.“
 
The Soleil Red is a fantastic, sturdy and elegant Cab dominant left-bank Bordeaux style blend with Merlot and Cabernet Franc making up the balance, while the Sundance is a right-bank style Merlot-Cabernet wine with softer tannins, but great fruit focus and tertiary notes.”

 
Soos Creek Wine Cellars Soleil Columbia Valley Red 2019 750ml $24 special, 5 bottles available
Soos Creek Wine Cellars Sundance Columbia Valley Red 2019 750ml $24 special, 11 bottles available

 
Bigonneau Reuilly Rouge 2019 750ml $14 special, 29 bottles available
Bigonneau Reuilly Rouge 2019 Case of 12 750ml bottles $149 special, 3 bottles available
WHY WE LOVE IT:
“Red wines from Reuilly can only be produced with one grape varietal: Pinot Noir. This is very approachable and varietally correct Pinot Noir, sold at a fraction of the price of its Burgundian neighbors to the east.”
 
Saint Jacques De Siran Bordeaux Superior 2016 750ml $16.60 special, 18 bottles available
WHY WE LOVE IT:
“Rich Cassis and Blackberry flavors, plus a lithe tannic structure makes this the perfect wine for steak, lamb, any hearty winter fare. A great host gift for holiday parties!”
 
Saint Cosme Micro-Cosme Grenache-Pinot Noir NV 750ml $13.50 special, 36+ bottles available
WHY WE LOVE IT:
“A harmonious blend of Grenache and pinot noir from the Languedoc, this is perfect little quaffable bistro wine, that pairs great with roasted chicken, pasta, and pork dishes.”

Deeply rooted in Barbaresco since the 1850’s, Gaja is one of Piedmont’s most celebrated and groundbreaking wineries. Gaja was among the early pioneers of using french oak barrels and Bordeaux varietals in the region as well as in their choice to produce only single estate bottlings to bring a greater terroir focus to their wines.
 
 Now producing wines in Barbaresco, Barolo, and even Tuscany, several generations of forward thinking Gajas have transformed the winery from a regional innovator into a winemaking empire— and all without sacrificing quality or integrity.
 
We proudly present the wines of Gaja, including wines from several of Italy’s best regions and vintages.
 

 
Gaja Barbaresco DOCG 2001 750ml $419 special, 1 bottle available
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2001 Barbaresco is gorgeous. Sweet balsamic notes open on the bouquet, followed intense, silky layers of fruit. The 2001 is subtle, classy and elegant from start to finish. Hints of early maturity appear in the aromatics, but the wine has more than enough fruit to support at least another decade of fine drinking. Tobacco, sweet herbs and licorice add the final notes of complexity.”
 
Gaja Barbaresco DOCG 2005 750ml $419 special, 1 bottle available
Wine Advocate 94 Points “Floral aromatics give way to bright spiced red fruits, menthol and licorice as the 2005 Barbaresco opens in the glass. This is a firm, classically built wine of notable elegance. The tannins are substantial yet beautifully woven into the wine’s mid-weight frame. This is another beautiful Barbaresco from Angelo Gaja, but it will require patience as it is tightly wound today. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2030.”
 
Gaja Sori San Lorenzo Barbaresco DOCG 2017 750ml $599 special, 2 bottles available
Wine Spectator 96 Points “This tightly wound red is dense with black cherry, black currant, plum, tar and iron flavors as well as tannins. Shows a lot of power and persistence, with all the components in the right proportion, ending with a long, resonant aftertaste. Needs time. Best from 2024 through 2048. 300 cases imported.”
 

 
Gaja Conteisa Barolo DOCG 2015 750ml $249 special, 6 bottles available
James Suckling 98 Points “Extremely pure fruit on the nose here with aromas of plums and strawberries and hints of cedar and rose petals, as well as rose stems. Full body. Very tannic and structured, yet polished and refined. Dusty and stony undertones and textures. Drink after 2021.”
Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points “A big, beefy Barolo, the 2015 Barolo Conteisa comes from a site near La Morra and was first made in 1996. It takes plenty of air to come together but offers a complex bouquet of bright cherry and currant fruit interwoven with classic licorice, tar, sappy flowers, and even hints of iron. It shows a touch more minerality with time in the glass, but this is classic, full-bodied, powerful Nebbiolo with plenty of ripe tannins, a stacked mid-palate, and a blockbuster finish. Give this structured, tight 2015 upwards of a decade of cellaring, and it’s going to keep for 30 years or more.”
 
Gaja Dagromis Barolo DOCG 2019 750ml $115 special, 5 bottles available
Winemaker’s Notes “2019 Dagromis has a garnet color with violet highlights. On the nose, this wine showcases floral and fruity notes of violet, cherry, plum, sweet licorice, ginger, and marzipan. On the palate, delicate showing juicy, cherry-like mouthfeel leads to a savory, yet sweet entry with a subtle tannin structure all characteristics of the vintage. This is a classic Barolo with great aging potential.”
 

 
Gaja Santa Restituta Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2018 $99 special, 12 bottles available
Vinopolnote “The 2018 Gaja Brunello is young, but extremely lively! The red fruit and herbal notes are bright and uplifting with lithe, well integrated tannins keeping the palette on earth. Great now, but structured to age over the next decade and a half.”
 
Gaja Pieve Santa Restituta Rennina Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2018 750ml $236 special, 6 bottles available
Wine Spectator 94 Points “Harmonious and bordering on creamy in texture, this red features cherry, raspberry, plum, loam, almond and black pepper aromas and flavors. Reveals pleasant bitterness as this winds down on the lingering aftertaste. Best from 2026 through 2045.”
 

 
Gaja Darmagi Cabernet Sauvignon, Piedmont 2015 750ml $259 special, 1 bottle available
Wine Advocate 94 Points “Darmagi loves a warm vintage. The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Darmagi embraces the summer warmth like a happy sponge. This wine is faithfully true to the variety, with intensely dark fruit followed by dried cassis, exotic spice and green laurel leaf. There is a point of succulent sweetness in the mouth that is uniquely specific to this hot vintage. The wine is seamless and smooth in texture with solid structure on the close. The vines suffered from stripe disease (GLSD). This reduced the capacity of the plant’s foliar system. Gaia Gaja tells me they were able to harvest from the healthy parts of the vines to make this beautiful wine.”
 
Gaja Darmagi Cabernet Sauvignon, Piedmont 2017 750ml $249 special, 3 bottles available
Vinous 94+ Points “The 2017 Darmagi (Cabernet Sauvignon) is gorgeous. Ample, silky and voluptuous to its core, Darmagi offers tons of immediacy and sheer appeal. Today, the 2017 is all about fruit richness and texture. Readers who prefer to see a full range of Cabernet aromatics should plan on cellaring the 2017 for at least a few years. Hints of blackberry jam, mocha, licorice and spice linger, but more than anything else, the 2017 is all about flamboyance. This is an especially strong vintage.”
Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points “While a base Langhe release, the 2017 Darmagi is stunning stuff, offering a killer bouquet of ripe red and black fruits, hot asphalt, spring flowers, tobacco, and a touch of rocky, earhty minerality. With a rich, medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, a more supple, upfront style, and sweet tannins, it already offers loads of pleasure, yet its solid spine of tannins and acidity make me believe it will still be drinking nicely in 15-20 years.”
 
Gaja Sito Moresco Rosso, Langhe 2021 750ml $75 special, 6 bottles available
Winemaker’s Note “Ruby red with violet hues. The wine has primary citrus notes reminiscent of fresh blood oranges. An explosion of red cherry and herbal notes follow with ripe apricot and bell pepper. The fragrant mouthfeel matches the olfactory impressions. Juicy, vinous and fresh, with soft tannins. It is structured and balanced.”
 
Gaja Rossj Bass Chardonnay, Langhe 2019 750ml $59 special, 19 bottles available
Gaja Rossj Bass Chardonnay, Langhe 2019 Case of 6 750ml bottles $333 special, 2 6-packs available
Winemaker’s Notes “Named for Angelo Gaja’s younger daughter Rossana, this golden wine has a fine aroma of citrus fruit and flowers with a hint of honey. The elegant body has a lively acidity and a fresh, lingering finish.”