In This Newsletter:
Best Priced New Arrivals
Joseph Drouhin, Elio Grasso, and more!
Arrivals
JK Carriere, Vincent, Diebolt-Vallois, Suenen, Brovia, Saint Cosme, and more!
Re-Arrival
Evesham Wood Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
Recently Reviewed
Bodegas Muga Torre
Close-out Sales
Spanish steals and California deals
Special Collector’s Arrival
A masterpiece from Murrieta and other Spanish treasures
Newly Arrived
Joseph Drouhin Grèves, Beaune Premier Cru 2018 750ml $109 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Neal Martin-Vinous 91 points “The 2018 Beaune Grèves 1er Cru offers dark berry fruit mixed with autumn leaf and cedar aromas on the nose, veering toward an earthier style of aromatics. The medium-bodied palate delivers supple tannins and fine acidity. Very pure and caressing with a silky-smooth finish. A lovely Beaune Grèves.”
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 90-92 points “Aromas of cassis, plums, sweet soil tones and espresso roast, framed by a deft touch of new oak, introduce the 2018 Beaune 1er Cru Les Grèves, a medium to full-bodied wine with a sweet core of fruit that’s structured around fine but youthfully chewy tannins. This, too, will reward a bit of bottle age.”
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Joseph Drouhin Corton Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune 2018 750ml $219 special, 9 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 94 points “Cherry crushed-strawberry and rose aromas with notes of fresh herbs. It’s medium-to full-bodied with sleek tannins and lively acidity. Round and juicy with a bright core of fruit on the mid-palate. Fresh, with soft power and a flavorful finish. Needs two or three years to soften.”
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Castello Banfi Poggio all’Oro Riserva, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2015 750ml $119 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 96 points “The Castello Banfi 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Poggio all’Oro is the top-shelf wine and shows careful integration and well-managed intensity. It opens to tart berry fruit, cassis and sour cherry. As it reveals itself in the glass, it begins to slowly deliver more spice, smoke and tar. All these various elements come together with balance and harmony, although these 2015 Riservas remain plumper and richer compared to their counterparts from 2016. Wait a few more years before opening this bottle; it needs more time. Some 27,000 bottles were made, and this wine will be released in September 2021.”
Kerin O’Keefe-Wine Enthusiast 96 points “Forest-floor, new leather and pipe-tobacco aromas mingle with notes of violet and coffee bean. Elegantly structured, the taut, savory palate doles out ripe black cherry, blackberry jam, licorice and a hint of espresso while polished, fine-grained tannins and tangy acidity provide age-worthy support. It’s still youthfully austere so give it a few more years to come around. Drink 2024–2036.”
Jeb Dunnuck 95 points “The 2015 Poggio all’Oro Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is only produced in exceptional vintages and was aged for 30 months in 70% large French oak casks and 30% in French oak barriques. It reveals smoky aromatics of cedar, dried black cherry, and dark mineral earth and a persistent core of ripe black fruit that is cloaked with ripe, velvety tannins and notes of black tea and clove. A luxurious and contemplative wine from the historic Banfi estate, it will benefit from additional time in the cellar and keep over the next 20 years.”
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Poderi Luigi Einaudi Cannubi, Barolo DOCG 2015 750ml $99 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Vinous 93 points “The 2015 Barolo Cannubi is super-polished and elegant. Rich and ample, in the style of the year, the 2015 has quite a bit of volume, but the aromatics and silky tannins are very clearly those of Cannubi. Rose petal, sweet red cherry, blood orange, spice and mint add lovely top notes. Today, the 2015 gives the impression it will drink well early and mature at a relatively fast pace.”
Wine Advocate 93 points “In increasing order of intensity and structure, we tasted Poderi Luigi Einaudi’s Baroli from Cannubi, Costa Grimaldi (Terlo) and Bussia. This estate will soon add a new Barolo from the Monvigliero cru in Verduno, and that wine will probably come before Cannubi (at the start of the line) in terms of power when it is ready to be presented. The 2015 Barolo Cannubi is a finessed and light-bodied expression with a light and luminous personality that prizes red berry, cassis, blue flower and white licorice. The tannins are silky and tightly textured.”
Wine Spectator 93 points “Packed with sweet ripe fruit, this remains fluid and graceful, with vibrant acidity streamlining the flavors and guiding the finish. A bit firm in the end, evoking tobacco and mint notes. Best from 2023 through 2043. 1,000 cases made, 500 cases imported.”
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Elio Grasso Ginestra Vigna Casa Mate, Barolo DOCG 2018 750ml $69 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95 points “From a vineyard located across from Gavarini Chiniera, this is a slightly more robust and concentrated wine. The 2018 Barolo Ginestra Casa Maté sources its fruit from a position at a slightly lower elevation with a bigger component of clay in the soils. The south and southeast-facing hillside is also more open to the horizon. These conditions give the Ginestra Casa Maté a broad texture and rich flavors of black and purple fruits. The wine is compact with dense texture that will relax over the next 10 years of age.”
Wine Spectator 95 points “A graceful, elegant red, featuring rose, strawberry, currant and cherry aromas and flavors. Reveals an underlying mineral streak and dovetails nicely on the finish, finding harmony and length. An excellent interpretation of the vintage. Best from 2025 through 2043.”
James Suckling 94 points “Aromas of dried and fresh strawberries with some tar and cedar follow through to a medium to full body with chewy tannins that are polished and attractive. Give this three or four years to come more together, but a pretty wine for the vintage. Try after 2025.”
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Elio Grasso Gavarini Vigna Chiniera, Barolo DOCG 2017 750ml $69 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 96 points “Grasso’s 2017 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera is fabulous. In fact, the Gavarini is easily one of the wines of the vintage because it retains all of its classic signatures, which is also the sign of a first-class vineyard. Bright and vibrant in the glass, the Gavarini pulses with energy. Crushed red flowers, mint, chalk, white pepper, cinnamon and orange peel give the 2017 a super-classic Nebbiolo profile, as expressed in a relatively high-altitude site. The precision and finesse of the tannins – so hard to find in 2017- elevates the Gavarini into the realm of the sublime.”
Jeb Dunnuck 96 points “The distinctive amphitheater that is Gavarini in Monforte d’Alba is situated just north of Ginestra. The 2017 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera is nuanced with perfectly ripe cherry, cinnamon, cedar, and menthol. It delivers a high level of refinement on the palate, with super-fine tannins, orange peel, pomegranate, and dried roses. Drink 2025-2045.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95+ points “The Elio Grasso 2017 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera shows us that deft hands are able to shape good results in a challenging vintage. This wine is balanced and polished with an array of smaller and more detailed aromas that we simply don’t see in the majority of Barolo releases from this hot and dry vintage. The bouquet here cautiously unveils tiny berry fruit, underbrush, wild rose, lilac, rusty nail and crushed stone. Nuanced and precise, this is one of a handful of 2017 releases that deserves special praise.”
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Elio Grasso Gavarini Vigna Chiniera, Barolo DOCG 2018 750ml $69 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 96 points “The Gavarini Chiniera vineyard is shaped like an amphitheater with thick forests at the back (which protects from cold air currents) and sandy chalk soil at 380 meters in elevation. This is a special site, and the Elio Grasso 2018 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera is always one of Grasso’s most easily recognized wines. This vintage is exceptionally bright and vibrant with lifted tones of cherry, plum, blue flower and sweet blood orange. Those primary notes are framed by sensations of dusty white mineral. This mid-weight wine exhibits the deep elegance that was achieved in this vintage.”
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Oregon
“JK Carriere”
Lowest Listed Price on the Web
Stunning deal for white wine fans!
Want to learn more about J.K. Carriere and their wines?
Check out this interview courtesy of Linfield University
“Bow & Arrow Wines”
“Vincent Wine Company”
Champagne
“Diebolt-Vallois”
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“Aurelien Suenen”
Suenen ‘La Cocluette’ Oiry Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, Champagne 2016 750ml $219 special, 6 bottles available
No reviews for the 2016 vintage. 2015 review provided for reference.
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 93 Points “From a parcel planted in 1925, Suenen’s 2015 Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Oiry La Cocluette unwinds in the glass with aromas of citrus zest, freshly baked bread, dried white flowers and wet stones. Medium to full-bodied, ample and pillowy, with racy acids and a long, precise finish, it has turned out very well.”
California
Italy
“Brovia”
France
“Saint Cosme”
Saint Cosme Crozes Hermitage, Rhône 2021 750ml $33.50 special, 36+ bottles available
Not reviewed yet, 2020 review provided for reference
Jeb Dunnuck 90-92 Points [2020] “Leading off the red Northern Rhônes from barrel, the 2020 Crozes-Hermitage is medium to full-bodied, textured, and seamless, with classic berry, darker fruits, pepper, and violet aromatics. I love its texture.”
Crowley Helen Four Winds Vineyard Chardonnay, Willamette Valley 2021 750ml $49 pre-arrival special
Winery Note “Draper block selection will define Helen. Picked early and pressed green to match this salty and minerally material, Helen’s fermentation is long and spontaneous. To emphasize immediacy, we remove from barrel after 11 months and store in tank for the remaining 7. Color is vibrant straw and green, clarity shimmers. Nose is austere, dominated by citrus, tangerine, and lemon. Brioche richens things up as does hints of cream. Palate is clean and ripe and a mix of savory spice and oak fill out the body on the way to its supple finish. Meursault came to mind with this wine.
“Helen and Phoebe Chardonnays are an homage to my wonderful grandmothers. Each was a rich and lively person – full of kindness, empathy, and grit. They were also uniquely different from one another. So, the idea of the Helen and Phoebe Chardonnays are to both represent the differences that our amazing Four Winds Vineyards offers…blocks and clones…while also pursuing an identity in the winemaking based off the women themselves. Phoebe, classic and timeless. Helen, contemporary and cutting edge. Our creative method with the material in the winery is evolving but the results are so far stellar. -Tyson”
Crowley Sojeau Vineyard Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2021 750ml $49 pre-arrival special
Winery Note “This wine opens with bold aromas of dried raspberries and cacao powder. Dusty scents morph into graphite, sage and plum as the wine opens up. On the palate, the wine drinks surprisingly lithe and light with flavors of lingonberry, plum preserve and RC Cola. The finish is long with acidity and fine tannins supporting one another in balanced tension. This wine is young and fun to drink now, but will also benefit from a few years of cellaring.
Vineyard info “Sojeau vineyard sits at 650 feet elevation at the southwest end of the Eola-Amity AVA. The site, previously a cherry orchard, was purchased by Denny and T in 2007. They planted 15 Acres of Pinot Noir vines on the 51 acre property – Pommard, Dijon and Wadenswil. The Pommard makes up 50% of the Pinot vines, while Dijon 115 and Wadenswil make up the other 50%.”
Crowley Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2022 750ml $26 pre-arrival special
Winery Note “Eye catching clarity meets garnet edges mixed with crimson. Lucid and fresh, the nose displays crunchy aromatics, cranberry and pomegranate mixed with herb and citrus. Palate is smooth and elegant, showing an intriguing wax component combined with powdered fine grain tannins. Taut edging defines the flavors as sweetly elegant and delicate. Lithe and lively, strawberry, and warm spice carry the sweet spot while forest floor and autumn leaves bring in the earthen complexity. This wine stays upright and coiled as the phenolics are spread perfectly from start to finish.”
The Doyard family traces their winemaking roots in Champagne back to 1677 when a marriage license of Jean-Baptise Doyard showed “winegrower” as the occupation. Maurice Doyard was the first in the family to make wine in Vertus under the Doyard label in 1927, officially signifying the domaine’s foundation. In 1979, Yannick Doyard took over, turning it into a beacon for precise, vinous, mineral-etched Champagne in the Côtes des Blancs.
Doyard Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Extra Brut, Champagne 2015 750ml $149 pre-arrival special
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 94+ Points “The swan song vintage of this cuvée, Doyard’s 2015 Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru mingles aromas of citrus oil with notions of buttery pastry, dried white flowers and warm biscuits. Medium to full-bodied, layered and structured, with chalky dry extract and lively acids, it’s a taut, compact wine that will require a bit of bottle age to unwind.”
Doyard Oeil de Perdrix Grand Cru Brut Rose, Champagne 2018 750ml $169 pre-arrival special
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 95 Points “The 2018 Extra-Brut Grand Cru Millésimé Œil de Perdrix is lovely, wafting from the glass with scents of orange blossom, mirabelle plum, sweet citrus fruit and red berries. Medium to full-bodied, ample and pillowy, with a fleshy core of fruit and lively acids, it’s an elegant, charming wine that offers demonstrative drinking out of the gates.”
Doyard ‘Revolution’ Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Non-Dose, Champagne NV 750ml $87.50 pre-arrival special
No reviews for the 2023 release. Review for 2022 release provided for reference.
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 94 Points “Based on the 2016 vintage and disgorged early this year, Doyard’s NV Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Non Dosé Révolution offers up aromas of citrus oil, freshly baked bread, honeycomb, almonds and white flowers. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and incisive, it’s a taut, elegantly textural Champagne with a fine mousse and a long, saline finish. It’s another fine rendition of this immensely reliable cuvée.”
Doyard Cuvee Vendemiaire Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru Brut, Champagne NV 750ml $62.50 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 93 Points “[Reviewed 2023] A graceful Champagne, with a satiny mousse, revealing ripe apricot, mirabelle plum, preserved lemon, white blossoms and a streak of salty minerality enriched by hints of toasted hazelnut and pastry cream, all framed by well-knit, chiseled acidity on the long finish.”
Gaston Chiquet Premier Cru Brut Rose, Champagne NV 750ml $54.50 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 92 Points “The NV Brut Rosé (2020 base) is stellar. Lifted floral and savory accents meld into a core of punchy red-toned fruit. Cranberry, white pepper, mint, crushed rocks and blood orange build into the nervy, resonant finish. The Rosé is light in color and finessed, but also has tons of richness, much of that coming from the 18% still Pinot in the blend.”
Gaston Chiquet Tradition Brut, Champagne NV 750ml $43.50 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 89 Points “[Reviewed 2023] A fresh, firm Champagne, with a crunchy texture as this carries notes of green pear, wet chalk, elderflower and almond biscotti along. Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.”
Hebrart Mes Favorites Vielles Vignes Brut, Champagne NV 750ml $69 pre-arrival special
Importer note “75% Pinot Noir / 25% Chardonnay. Old vines.”
Antonio Galloni 92 Points [Review for prior disgorgement.] “The NV Brut Mes Favorites Villes Vignes is a powerful, structured Champagne. There’s plenty of old-vine intensity and bright acid driving a core of Pinot-based fruit. I would prefer to cellar this for at least another year or two, as it is clearly still coming together. It’s a wine for readers who enjoy rich, vinous Champagnes at the dinner table.”
Hebrart Premier Cru Brut Rose, Champagne NV 750ml $59 pre-arrival special
Pre-Arrival ETA November 10th
Importer note “Cépage 50% Chardonnay, 50% Pinot Noir (6% vin rouge). Anticipated assemblage: Chardonnay from 2020, Pinot Noir from 2019-2020. Village/vyd: Mareuil-Sur-Aÿ 1er Cru.”
Wine Spectator 92 Points “[Reviewed in 2023] Well-knit and minerally, with a crisp texture and flavors of ripe raspberry, poached apricot, tangerine peel and biscuit. Chalky finish. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.”
Hebrart Selection Premier Cru Brut NV 750ml $54.50 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 92 Points “[Review for previous disgorgement.] A sleek Champagne, mouthwatering and refined in texture, offering a creamy, well-meshed blend of crème de cassis, toast point, crystallized honey and lemon curd.”
Hebrart Special Club Brut Millesime, Champagne 2019 750ml $99 pre-arrival special
No reviews for the 2019. 2018 review provided for reference.
Wine Spectator 93 Points “A fresh, harmonious Champagne, with a lacy texture and a minerally underpinning, revealing ripe cherry and Gala apple fruit layered with candied ginger, toast point, oyster shell and blanched almond notes. This would be a fine aperitif, but there’s a bit more focus and depth to it, recommending it to pairing with food or cellaring. Disgorged April 2022. Drink now through 2033.”
“These are sleek, racy Champagnes, expressing a classic character of Côte des Blancs Chardonnay. They are marked by their fine acidity and prominent minerality, yet while they are always brisk and chalky, they are rarely austere. All of the wines go through malolactic, due to their naturally high acidities: “We have a lot of acidity and a lot of minerality in all our wines,” says Rodolphe Péters. “We want to build the structure of our wines around both acidity and minerality, not acidity alone.”
Pierre Peters Cuvee de Reserve Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut, Champagne NV 750ml $59.50 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 93 Points “[Reviewed 2023] Firm and minerally up front, with well-honed acidity and notes of smoke, chalk and oyster shell transitioning as they’re integrated with a creamy range of crunchy pear, ripe green apple, pink grapefruit pith and almond skin flavors, which expand through the midpalate and lightly spiced finish. Elegant, but with good complexity and focus throughout.”
Importer Note “Anticipated assemblage: 2020 base with 1988, 1990, 1993 and 1995-2019, except ‘99 and ‘03; village/vyd Le Mesnil-sur-Oger Grand Cru, Cramant Grand Cru, Avize Grand Cru and Oger Grand Cru.”
Aubry Premier Cru Brut, Champagne NV 750ml $39.50 pre-arrival special
Importer Note “Cépage 40% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir, 20% Meunier, 5% Arbanne, Petit Meslier and Fromenteau. Anticipated assemblage 60% 2020, 40% reserve wine back to 1998. Village/vyd: Jouy-lès-Reims 1er Cru, Villedommange 1er Cru, Pargny-lès-Reims 1er Cru, Coulommes-la-Montagne 1er Cru. Elevage: Mostly stainless steel with a portion of the Chardonnay aged in used barrique.”
Chartogne-Taillet Cuvee Sainte Anne Brut, Champagne NV 750ml $54.50 special, 36 bottles available
Wine Spectator 93 Points “[Reviewed 2023] This vibrant Champagne leads with an enticing floral note, opening on the raw silk–textured palate to reveal a finely meshed range of salted Marcona almond, ripe white cherry, blood orange pith and lime blossom flavors that echo through the lingering finish. Classy. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier.”
Importer Note “Cépage Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Meunier. Anticipated assemblage: 80% 2020, 20% reserve wines. Village/vyd: Merfy, Saint Thierry, Avize Grand Cru.”
Evesham Wood Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2022 750ml $24 special, 12 bottles available
Winery Notes “This vintage of the WV blend shows a bright nose with cherry, red apple, fresh flowers, and a touch of loam along with a textural creamy/silkiness component that’s balanced by juicy acid. Showing well now, watch this wine evolve over the next 8-10 years.
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Spain
Avancia Godello Nobleza VV 2020 750ml WAS $59 NOW $49 special, 9 bottles available
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 94 Points “Pale gold. Intensely perfumed pear nectar and orange zest qualities on the nose; honeysuckle and mineral notes add lift. Juicy, penetrating and sharply focused on the palate, offering concentrated citrus and orchard fruit and floral flavors along with suggestions of salty minerals and bitter quinine. Deftly melds depth and vivacity and finishes extremely long and briny, with outstanding clarity and repeating florality.”
Avancia Mencia VV 2019 750ml WAS $31.90 NOW $29 special, 14 bottles available
James Suckling 92 Points “Dark plums, blackcurrants, grilled herbs, roasted coffee and smoked meat on the nose. Medium-to full-bodied with firm, velvety tannins. Smoky, rich and concentrated. Very smooth-textured. Drink or hold.”
Bodegas Maranones 30,000 Maravedies 2016 750ml WAS $24 NOW $20.90 special, 21 bottles available
Luis Gutierrez – Wine Advocate 91+ Points “The fully developed, aromatic and open 2016 30.000 Maravedíes, with nice aromatics and a very pleasant palate. It’s fragrant and elegant, with pungent flavors and very good persistence. This is a superb showing for this bottling. 39,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2017.”
Bodegas Muga Seleccion Especial Rioja 2018 750ml WAS $44 NOW $39 special, 34 bottles available
Luis Gutierrez – Wine Advocate 94 Points “2018 was a cooler vintage, with a fairly long maturation, which made the wines somewhat fresher and less alcoholic, as showcased by the 2018 Selección Especial, a classical blend of the four red varieties from Rioja, Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano with contained ripeness (14.05% alcohol) and good freshness. It fermented in oak casks with indigenous yeasts and matured in French oak barrels, 40% of them new, for 26 months. They were not very happy with the vintage and had to sort and discard, but as they didn’t produce Prado Enea, Torre Muga or Haro, those grapes went into this wine. They are reluctant about 2018, but I think it was a vintage capable of the best and the worst, and this 2018 is floral, expressive and elegant. It’s medium to full- bodied, with very fine, chalky tannins, combining power and elegance. Amazing! 187,200 bottles produced. It was bottled in January 2021.”
Hanna Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 2020 750ml WAS $39 NOW $33 special, 21 bottles available
Wine Enthusiast 93 Points “Black pepper and black olive nuances blend with black cherries and dark chocolate in this medium- to full-bodied wine that includes 24% Malbec. An elegant feel, silky texture and nicely restrained flavors give the wine a charm all its own. Best through 2030.”
Melka Estates CJ Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 WAS $79 NOW $69 special, 9 bottles available
Wine Spectator 91 Points “Open-knit, offering a gush of steeped plum and açaí berry flavors laced with licorice and ganache hints. Lightens up just a bit through the finish, as the structure is on the modest side, but the fruit is a joy to drink.”
Postmark By Duckhorn Paso Robles Cabernet 2019 750ml WAS $18 NOW $16 special, 36+ bottles available
Wine Enthusiast 91 Points “Fresh and fruity aromas of cherry and strawberry meet with notes of French toast and light herbs on the nose of this bottling. Those juicy fruits come through on the palate as well, with a baked red-cherry flavor that is framed by cigar-box and nutmeg accents.”
Ulysses Vineyard Cabernet Oakville Napa 2018 750ml WAS $169 NOW $145 special, 16 bottles available
Jeb Dunnuck 99 Points “Just about pure perfection and the finest wine I’ve tasted from this address, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon yet includes smaller amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, all from a site just north of Dominus. This deep, inky hued beauty offers up a beautiful, full-bodied, richly textured, and incredibly concentrated style that carries ample black and blue fruit as well as notes of crushed stone, scorched earth, graphite, and lead pencil. It has the focused, structured style of the 2018 vintage and is going to benefit from 4-6 years (if not a decade) of bottle age and will be a 30+ year wine.”
Marques de Murrieta Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial, Rioja DOCa 2010 750ml $269 special, 6 bottles available
WINE SPECTATOR #1 OF TOP 100 2020
Falstaff Magazine 100 Points “[Translated] Dark ruby garnet, violet reflections, subtle brightening of the edges. Fine mint, fine black cherries, fine herbs, fresh heart cherries, mineral and inviting, a multi-faceted, young bouquet. Juicy, complex, elegant, extract-sweet texture, fine round tannins, ripe heart cherries, delicate nougat, sticks for minutes, enormous future potential. Simple calculation: buy what is possible.”
James Suckling 99 Points “Marvelous aromas of crushed berries, tobacco, cedar and mushrooms. Some dried cheese. Then turns to flowers. Very complex. Full and intense with fantastic depth and power. It goes on for minutes. It is a wine that exudes tradition but gives a sense of modernity with precise winemaking. Two years in oak, one in concrete and three or four in bottle. Drink on release and age onwards.”
Marques de Murrieta Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial, Rioja DOCa 2011 750ml $189 special, 9 bottles available
James Suckling 98 Points “Extremely well-mannered, traditional character to this, showing layer upon layer of savory complexity on the nose, with iron, dried meat, tobacco, balsamic fruit, dried red berries, orange peel, leather and dried mushrooms. A medium-to full-bodied, linear and zesty Rioja that’s full of nuanced flavors that linger through the very long, savory finish. Floral, too. Yet, it remains bright and precise. Tempranillo with 16% mazuelo.”
Wine Enthusiast 97 Points “Deep violet-red to the eye, this wine has a nose of raspberry, white chocolate and juniper berry. Still youthful on the palate, it offers ever-present tannins supporting flavors of dark plum, black cherry, caramel and violet that slowly fade into a soft cherry-pie finish. Drink through 2042.”
Clos i Terrasses Clos Erasmus, Priorat DOCa 2020 750ml $289 special, 8 bottles available
Wine Advocate 100 Points “The still young and primary 2020 Clos Erasmus feels very floral and ethereal (within Priorat and Clos Erasmus); it’s a fresher and lighter expression but without being weak. It’s still a baby that needs to burn the baby fat (there are still some lactic notes from the malolactic in barrel). The wine is always around 3.2 or 3.3 pH and has some 15% to 15.5% alcohol, but the sensation this year is of a much fresher, more balanced and elegant wine. This should make an elegant bottle of mature Priorat with a decade in bottle, and I guess it will be long lived. Glorian mentioned that a small lot that normally goes to Laurel was added to the blend of Erasmus, resulting in a lot of added freshness and a note of orange blossom, which makes sense to me with the floral character of the wines and the extra freshness I perceived. This is really beautiful. It’s a very special vintage of Erasmus that unfurls incredible complexity and tantalizing aromas with time in the glass—blood orange (talk about freshness!), curry and cassis. It has great purity, complexity, elegance and finesse… A very different Clos Erasmus. Bravo! There are some 3,600 bottles. It was bottled in May 2022.”
Clos Mogador Vi de Finca, Priorat DOCa 2012 1.5L $399 special, just 1 bottle left!
Wine Advocate 98 Points “The 2012 Clos Mogador is nothing short of spectacular. They started in 1999 with some Cariñena, and they gradually increased the Garnacha and reduced the Cabernet. 2012 is possibly the vintage of Mogador with less Cabernet, as it didn’t behave well in such warm year. René Barbier senior tells me it reminds him of the freshness of the 2000 that he generously uncorked for me to compare; they only have a handful of bottles for the old vintages! The nose of this 2012 is still little reticent but not reduced like many vintages in the past, slowly showing a great Mediterranean-Atlantic balance with notes of herbs, wet slate and graphite. The super-elegant palate offers great acidity and freshness with incredibly layered and delineated flavors that have an electric, mineral sensation with tension and really fine tannins. There are no traces of oak and no edges… rugged silk? This is a Mogador for decades. If this is always a bargain for the quality it delivers, it is even more so in 2012!”
Familia Nin-Ortiz ‘Nit de Nin’ La Coma d’en Romeu, Priorat DOCa 2017 750ml $149 special, just 2 bottles left!
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 98+ Points “The 2017 Nit de Nin La Coma d’en Romeu is from an extremely dry and early harvest that delivered just five hectoliters per hectare! That means they only produced 1,330 bottles from the 1.5 hectares of Garnacha on those slate terraces at 350 meters in altitude. It was bottled in April 2019. It has a beautiful and subtle nose that’s very spicy (cloves and cumin, curry and pink pepper) and floral, with a palate that feels light but has great depth and inner power, with pungent flavors and subtle minerality.”
R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2001 750ml $199 special, just 4 bottles left
Wine Advocate 98 Points “The 2001 Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva is the follow-up of the 1995. There is a sense of harmony and elegance, of nuance and subtleness that wasn’t quite the same in the Bosconia, as comparing both wines is inevitable. They started picking the red grapes the 15th of October, and the last grapes were picked the 29th of October with good weather. 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! 25,000 bottles produced. It was bottled after being fined with egg whites in July 2012.”
Best Priced New Arrivals
Joseph Drouhin, Elio Grasso, and more!
Arrivals
JK Carriere, Vincent, Diebolt-Vallois, Suenen, Brovia, Saint Cosme, and more!
Re-Arrival
Evesham Wood Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
Recently Reviewed
Bodegas Muga Torre
Close-out Sales
Spanish steals and California deals
Special Collector’s Arrival
A masterpiece from Murrieta and other Spanish treasures
Collector’s-Level Wines at Uber-Low Pricing
Newly Arrived
We found some of the best deals in Oregon on beloved producers from Burgundy, Chianti and Piedmont. We’re offering these wines at discounts up to over $40/bottle off the next best price on Wine Searcher!
Burgundy
Joseph Drouhin Grèves, Beaune Premier Cru 2018 750ml $109 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Neal Martin-Vinous 91 points “The 2018 Beaune Grèves 1er Cru offers dark berry fruit mixed with autumn leaf and cedar aromas on the nose, veering toward an earthier style of aromatics. The medium-bodied palate delivers supple tannins and fine acidity. Very pure and caressing with a silky-smooth finish. A lovely Beaune Grèves.”
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 90-92 points “Aromas of cassis, plums, sweet soil tones and espresso roast, framed by a deft touch of new oak, introduce the 2018 Beaune 1er Cru Les Grèves, a medium to full-bodied wine with a sweet core of fruit that’s structured around fine but youthfully chewy tannins. This, too, will reward a bit of bottle age.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $149.99
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Joseph Drouhin Corton Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune 2018 750ml $219 special, 9 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 94 points “Cherry crushed-strawberry and rose aromas with notes of fresh herbs. It’s medium-to full-bodied with sleek tannins and lively acidity. Round and juicy with a bright core of fruit on the mid-palate. Fresh, with soft power and a flavorful finish. Needs two or three years to soften.”
This is the only listing in the USA today by the bottle!
Italy
Castello Banfi Poggio all’Oro Riserva, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2015 750ml $119 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 96 points “The Castello Banfi 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Poggio all’Oro is the top-shelf wine and shows careful integration and well-managed intensity. It opens to tart berry fruit, cassis and sour cherry. As it reveals itself in the glass, it begins to slowly deliver more spice, smoke and tar. All these various elements come together with balance and harmony, although these 2015 Riservas remain plumper and richer compared to their counterparts from 2016. Wait a few more years before opening this bottle; it needs more time. Some 27,000 bottles were made, and this wine will be released in September 2021.”
Kerin O’Keefe-Wine Enthusiast 96 points “Forest-floor, new leather and pipe-tobacco aromas mingle with notes of violet and coffee bean. Elegantly structured, the taut, savory palate doles out ripe black cherry, blackberry jam, licorice and a hint of espresso while polished, fine-grained tannins and tangy acidity provide age-worthy support. It’s still youthfully austere so give it a few more years to come around. Drink 2024–2036.”
Jeb Dunnuck 95 points “The 2015 Poggio all’Oro Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is only produced in exceptional vintages and was aged for 30 months in 70% large French oak casks and 30% in French oak barriques. It reveals smoky aromatics of cedar, dried black cherry, and dark mineral earth and a persistent core of ripe black fruit that is cloaked with ripe, velvety tannins and notes of black tea and clove. A luxurious and contemplative wine from the historic Banfi estate, it will benefit from additional time in the cellar and keep over the next 20 years.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $139.95
Poderi Luigi Einaudi Cannubi, Barolo DOCG 2015 750ml $99 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Vinous 93 points “The 2015 Barolo Cannubi is super-polished and elegant. Rich and ample, in the style of the year, the 2015 has quite a bit of volume, but the aromatics and silky tannins are very clearly those of Cannubi. Rose petal, sweet red cherry, blood orange, spice and mint add lovely top notes. Today, the 2015 gives the impression it will drink well early and mature at a relatively fast pace.”
Wine Advocate 93 points “In increasing order of intensity and structure, we tasted Poderi Luigi Einaudi’s Baroli from Cannubi, Costa Grimaldi (Terlo) and Bussia. This estate will soon add a new Barolo from the Monvigliero cru in Verduno, and that wine will probably come before Cannubi (at the start of the line) in terms of power when it is ready to be presented. The 2015 Barolo Cannubi is a finessed and light-bodied expression with a light and luminous personality that prizes red berry, cassis, blue flower and white licorice. The tannins are silky and tightly textured.”
Wine Spectator 93 points “Packed with sweet ripe fruit, this remains fluid and graceful, with vibrant acidity streamlining the flavors and guiding the finish. A bit firm in the end, evoking tobacco and mint notes. Best from 2023 through 2043. 1,000 cases made, 500 cases imported.”
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Elio Grasso Ginestra Vigna Casa Mate, Barolo DOCG 2018 750ml $69 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95 points “From a vineyard located across from Gavarini Chiniera, this is a slightly more robust and concentrated wine. The 2018 Barolo Ginestra Casa Maté sources its fruit from a position at a slightly lower elevation with a bigger component of clay in the soils. The south and southeast-facing hillside is also more open to the horizon. These conditions give the Ginestra Casa Maté a broad texture and rich flavors of black and purple fruits. The wine is compact with dense texture that will relax over the next 10 years of age.”
Wine Spectator 95 points “A graceful, elegant red, featuring rose, strawberry, currant and cherry aromas and flavors. Reveals an underlying mineral streak and dovetails nicely on the finish, finding harmony and length. An excellent interpretation of the vintage. Best from 2025 through 2043.”
James Suckling 94 points “Aromas of dried and fresh strawberries with some tar and cedar follow through to a medium to full body with chewy tannins that are polished and attractive. Give this three or four years to come more together, but a pretty wine for the vintage. Try after 2025.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average listed price is $91
Elio Grasso Gavarini Vigna Chiniera, Barolo DOCG 2017 750ml $69 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 96 points “Grasso’s 2017 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera is fabulous. In fact, the Gavarini is easily one of the wines of the vintage because it retains all of its classic signatures, which is also the sign of a first-class vineyard. Bright and vibrant in the glass, the Gavarini pulses with energy. Crushed red flowers, mint, chalk, white pepper, cinnamon and orange peel give the 2017 a super-classic Nebbiolo profile, as expressed in a relatively high-altitude site. The precision and finesse of the tannins – so hard to find in 2017- elevates the Gavarini into the realm of the sublime.”
Jeb Dunnuck 96 points “The distinctive amphitheater that is Gavarini in Monforte d’Alba is situated just north of Ginestra. The 2017 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera is nuanced with perfectly ripe cherry, cinnamon, cedar, and menthol. It delivers a high level of refinement on the palate, with super-fine tannins, orange peel, pomegranate, and dried roses. Drink 2025-2045.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95+ points “The Elio Grasso 2017 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera shows us that deft hands are able to shape good results in a challenging vintage. This wine is balanced and polished with an array of smaller and more detailed aromas that we simply don’t see in the majority of Barolo releases from this hot and dry vintage. The bouquet here cautiously unveils tiny berry fruit, underbrush, wild rose, lilac, rusty nail and crushed stone. Nuanced and precise, this is one of a handful of 2017 releases that deserves special praise.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average listed price is $93
Elio Grasso Gavarini Vigna Chiniera, Barolo DOCG 2018 750ml $69 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 96 points “The Gavarini Chiniera vineyard is shaped like an amphitheater with thick forests at the back (which protects from cold air currents) and sandy chalk soil at 380 meters in elevation. This is a special site, and the Elio Grasso 2018 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera is always one of Grasso’s most easily recognized wines. This vintage is exceptionally bright and vibrant with lifted tones of cherry, plum, blue flower and sweet blood orange. Those primary notes are framed by sensations of dusty white mineral. This mid-weight wine exhibits the deep elegance that was achieved in this vintage.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average listed price is $93
New Arrivals
Oregon
“JK Carriere”
“Early pick/high acid/wild-yeast/minimal sulfur/moderate extraction/targeted kinetics/lees ageing/subterranean cellaring/18 mo/French oak/wild-malo/unfined/unfiltered.”
-Jim Prosser, owner and winemaker, on the “pretty words” that drive their winemaking and business philosophy.
-Jim Prosser, owner and winemaker, on the “pretty words” that drive their winemaking and business philosophy.
J.K. Carriere Lucidite Chardonnay, Willamette Valley 2020 750ml $33 special, 12 bottles available
Jeb Dunnuck 93 Points “The medium golden straw-colored 2020 Chardonnay Lucidite is savory and ripe with notes of chamomile, golden apple, and brothy saline. Medium-bodied, its attractive ripe orchard fruit fills the palate, with a fresh undercurrent of acidity and notes of lemon drops. It’s long on the palate, and although it’s approachable and drinking well now, it will continue to move into a more savory food-friendly realm if given another 5-7 years of aging.”
Jeb Dunnuck 93 Points “The medium golden straw-colored 2020 Chardonnay Lucidite is savory and ripe with notes of chamomile, golden apple, and brothy saline. Medium-bodied, its attractive ripe orchard fruit fills the palate, with a fresh undercurrent of acidity and notes of lemon drops. It’s long on the palate, and although it’s approachable and drinking well now, it will continue to move into a more savory food-friendly realm if given another 5-7 years of aging.”
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Stunning deal for white wine fans!
Want to learn more about J.K. Carriere and their wines?
Check out this interview courtesy of Linfield University
“Bow & Arrow Wines”
When you hear the word “value,” what is the first impression that comes to your mind? Is it positive or negative? Well, think positive about Bow & Arrow. These wines provide amazing quality for the price. We’re not sure how they do it!
Bow & Arrow Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2022 750ml $21.90 special, 24 bottles available
Bow & Arrow Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2022 750ml $21.90 special, 24 bottles available
“Vincent Wine Company”
Light, bright, but still with excellent fruit concentration, Vincent Wine Company, is certainly one of the most underrated wineries in the Willamette Valley. Winemaker Vincent Fritzsche picks his grapes just under ripe (al dente) and wine spends a good amount of time on the lees, producing a style that is full-bodied without being heavy or dense.
Vincent Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2022 750ml $24 special, 12 bottles available
Eolaamityhills.com “Owner and winemaker Vincent Fritzsche started Vincent Wine Company in 2009. Vincent produces approximately 2,000 cases a year of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Gamay, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris at a small facility on Eola Hills Road. The focus is single vineyard wines from Eola-Amity Hills sites including Temperance Hill, Zenith and Royer. All farming is at minimum sustainable certified if not organic… Winemaking is classic with native fermentations, no additions beside sulfur, and no filtering of the wines. The goal is an unimpeded and delicious expression of vintage, vineyard and grape.
Vincent Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2022 750ml $24 special, 12 bottles available
Eolaamityhills.com “Owner and winemaker Vincent Fritzsche started Vincent Wine Company in 2009. Vincent produces approximately 2,000 cases a year of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Gamay, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris at a small facility on Eola Hills Road. The focus is single vineyard wines from Eola-Amity Hills sites including Temperance Hill, Zenith and Royer. All farming is at minimum sustainable certified if not organic… Winemaking is classic with native fermentations, no additions beside sulfur, and no filtering of the wines. The goal is an unimpeded and delicious expression of vintage, vineyard and grape.
Champagne
“Diebolt-Vallois”
Diebolt-Vallois Blanc de Blancs Brut, Champagne NV 750ml $41.90 special, 11 bottles available
Wine Spectator 91 points “[Most recent review for a previous disgorgement] Rich aromas and flavors of poached apricot, melon, tangerine and hazelnut are enlivened by vibrant acidity in this well-knit Champagne, with a creamy finish of graphite and spice.”
Winery Note “The Champagne Blanc de Blancs is a non-vintage brut champagne, 100% chardonnay from the Cote des Blancs and the Coteaux d’Epernay.”
Wine Spectator 91 points “[Most recent review for a previous disgorgement] Rich aromas and flavors of poached apricot, melon, tangerine and hazelnut are enlivened by vibrant acidity in this well-knit Champagne, with a creamy finish of graphite and spice.”
Winery Note “The Champagne Blanc de Blancs is a non-vintage brut champagne, 100% chardonnay from the Cote des Blancs and the Coteaux d’Epernay.”
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“Aurelien Suenen”
Suenen ‘Le Mont-Aigu’ Chouilly Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, Champagne 2016 750ml $249 special, 6 bottles available
No reviews for the 2016 vintage. 2015 review provided for reference.
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 95 Points “The 2015 Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Chouilly Le Mont-Aigu has turned out brilliantly, unwinding in the glass with scents of citrus oil, white flowers, bread dough and almond paste. Medium to full-bodied, racy and incisive, with a pillowy pinpoint mousse and chalky structuring extract, it’s the result of yields that would be considered low even in the Côte d’Or (a mere 25 hectoliters per hectare), as the vines are infected with leaf roll virus.”
Suenen ‘Les Robarts’ Grand Cru Cramant Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, Champagne 2016 750ml $269 special, 6 bottles available
No reviews for the 2016 vintage. 2015 review provided for reference.
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 94 Points “The 2015 Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Cramant Les Robarts is brilliant, delivering complex aromas of orange oil, crisp orchard fruit and peach mingled with freshly baked bread, iodine and dried white flowers. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and layered, it’s ample and seamless, with a deep, multidimensional core of fruit and a long, saline finish.”
No reviews for the 2016 vintage. 2015 review provided for reference.
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 95 Points “The 2015 Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Chouilly Le Mont-Aigu has turned out brilliantly, unwinding in the glass with scents of citrus oil, white flowers, bread dough and almond paste. Medium to full-bodied, racy and incisive, with a pillowy pinpoint mousse and chalky structuring extract, it’s the result of yields that would be considered low even in the Côte d’Or (a mere 25 hectoliters per hectare), as the vines are infected with leaf roll virus.”
Suenen ‘Les Robarts’ Grand Cru Cramant Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, Champagne 2016 750ml $269 special, 6 bottles available
No reviews for the 2016 vintage. 2015 review provided for reference.
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 94 Points “The 2015 Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Cramant Les Robarts is brilliant, delivering complex aromas of orange oil, crisp orchard fruit and peach mingled with freshly baked bread, iodine and dried white flowers. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and layered, it’s ample and seamless, with a deep, multidimensional core of fruit and a long, saline finish.”
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Suenen ‘La Cocluette’ Oiry Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, Champagne 2016 750ml $219 special, 6 bottles available
No reviews for the 2016 vintage. 2015 review provided for reference.
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 93 Points “From a parcel planted in 1925, Suenen’s 2015 Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Oiry La Cocluette unwinds in the glass with aromas of citrus zest, freshly baked bread, dried white flowers and wet stones. Medium to full-bodied, ample and pillowy, with racy acids and a long, precise finish, it has turned out very well.”
California
Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs, North Coast 2020 750ml $39 special, 8 bottles available
Producer Notes “100% Chardonnay. County Composition: 56% Napa, 44% Sonoma. 23% barrel fermentation. The 2020 Blanc de Blancs has captivating aromas of Granny Smith apple, tangerine and lemon-lime, complemented with layers of apple custard and apple tart. Flavors of fresh grapefruit, white peach, and golden apple anchor the palate, which follows with hints of ginger and vanilla chiffon. This bottlings finish is crisp, refreshing, and mouthwatering, in the long-established Schramsberg tradition. Alcohol 12.5%.”
Italy
“Brovia”
Brovia ‘Brea Vigna Ca’ Mia’, Barolo DOCG 2019 750ml $145 special, 3 bottles available
Brovia ‘Brea Vigna Ca’ Mia’, Barolo DOCG 1.5L $319 special, just 1 magnum available
Wine Advocate 98 Points “With the cream-colored label, the 2019 Barolo Brea Vigna Ca’ Mia is another standout wine from one of the most collectible producers in the appellation. The wine from vintners Elena Brovia and Alex Sanchez is especially sharp, focused and polished. You get a lot of satisfaction here and sophistication too, with an amazing sense of clarity and depth. Wild berry, cassis, blood orange, iris and campfire ash emerge from the bouquet. There is drying mineral on the silky close. This is one of my favorite wines of the vintage.”
Brovia Rocche di Castiglione, Barolo DOCG 2019 750ml $139 special, 3 bottles available
Brovia Rocche di Castiglione, Barolo DOCG 2019 1.5L $299 special, just 1 magnum available
Wine Advocate 97 Points “Brovia hits it out of the ballpark with this set of wines from the 2019 vintage. The 2019 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione is a darker, broader expression that stands on its own thanks to that special intensity. This expression veers toward dark fruit and black cherry, and there is a lot of iron ore or rusty nail at the back. The wine is almost sanguine in character, but in a manner that enhances all the other beautiful characteristics on hand. The mouthfeel is slightly more open-knit and rich, making this a better pairing partner to hearty meat dishes. Production is 5,000 bottles.”
Brovia Villero, Barolo DOCG 2019 750ml $135 special, 5 bottles available
Brovia Villero, Barolo DOCG 2019 1.5L $289 special, just 1 magnum available
Wine Advocate 96 Points “With fruit from one of the top growing sites in Castiglione Falletto, the 2019 Barolo Villero shows a slightly ripe and soft side with cherry and dried raspberry followed by licorice, tar and rusty metal. This is an elegant expression, with a terrific sense of focus, that delivers complexity and depth, especially in this excellent vintage. Only 5,000 bottles were released.”
Brovia ‘Brea Vigna Ca’ Mia’, Barolo DOCG 1.5L $319 special, just 1 magnum available
Wine Advocate 98 Points “With the cream-colored label, the 2019 Barolo Brea Vigna Ca’ Mia is another standout wine from one of the most collectible producers in the appellation. The wine from vintners Elena Brovia and Alex Sanchez is especially sharp, focused and polished. You get a lot of satisfaction here and sophistication too, with an amazing sense of clarity and depth. Wild berry, cassis, blood orange, iris and campfire ash emerge from the bouquet. There is drying mineral on the silky close. This is one of my favorite wines of the vintage.”
Brovia Rocche di Castiglione, Barolo DOCG 2019 750ml $139 special, 3 bottles available
Brovia Rocche di Castiglione, Barolo DOCG 2019 1.5L $299 special, just 1 magnum available
Wine Advocate 97 Points “Brovia hits it out of the ballpark with this set of wines from the 2019 vintage. The 2019 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione is a darker, broader expression that stands on its own thanks to that special intensity. This expression veers toward dark fruit and black cherry, and there is a lot of iron ore or rusty nail at the back. The wine is almost sanguine in character, but in a manner that enhances all the other beautiful characteristics on hand. The mouthfeel is slightly more open-knit and rich, making this a better pairing partner to hearty meat dishes. Production is 5,000 bottles.”
Brovia Villero, Barolo DOCG 2019 750ml $135 special, 5 bottles available
Brovia Villero, Barolo DOCG 2019 1.5L $289 special, just 1 magnum available
Wine Advocate 96 Points “With fruit from one of the top growing sites in Castiglione Falletto, the 2019 Barolo Villero shows a slightly ripe and soft side with cherry and dried raspberry followed by licorice, tar and rusty metal. This is an elegant expression, with a terrific sense of focus, that delivers complexity and depth, especially in this excellent vintage. Only 5,000 bottles were released.”
France
“Saint Cosme”
Saint Cosme Cotes du Rhone 2022 750ml $14 special, 24 bottles available
Saint Cosme Cotes du Rhone 2022 Case of 12 750ml bottles $149 special, 3 bottles available
Importer Note “Saint Cosme Côtes-du-Rhône is produced from 100% Syrah and is from the stony Villafranchian terraces of the Gard. The vineyards are known for their limestone sand, red clay, and pebbles, which give a freshness and intensity to the Syrah grapes. The wine is partially destemmed, fermented with natural yeasts, and vinified in concrete vats.”
Saint Cosme Condrieu, Rhône 2021 750ml $69 special, 36+ bottles available
Not reviewed yet, 2020 Review provided for reference
Wine Spectator 94 Points [2020 vintage] “Alluring, with creamed yellow apple, mirabelle plum and white peach flavors carried by a caressing hint of elderflower and lemon curd through the finish, where a late flash of white ginger peeks in. Drink now through 2027. —J.M.”
Jeb Dunnuck 93 Points “I’m always able to taste Louis’s Northern Rhône release as well. His 2020 Condrieu is medium to full-bodied, pure, and balanced, with that unique Condrieu ability to blend richness and freshness. Some classic tangerine, white flowers, and honeysuckle notes define the nose, and it’s beautifully done. Drink it over the coming 4-6 years.”
Saint Cosme Cote Rotie, Rhône 2021 750ml $69 special, 35 bottles available
Not reviewed yet, 2020 review provided for reference
Jeb Dunnuck 94-96 Points [2020] “I loved the 2020 Côte Rôtie, which is certainly the standout from the North. Coming from both the southern and northern ends of the appellation, it’s full-bodied, ripe, and textured, yet never loses a sense of Côte Rôtie elegance. Lots of bacon fat, exotic flowers (I wrote liquid violet in my notes), and gamey blue fruits define the nose, and the balance is spot on, it has silky tannins and is just another brilliant wine.”
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 94-96 Points “Barruol’s 2020 Cote Rotie blends fruit from both ends of the appellation to create an exciting blend of violets and blueberries on the nose. It’s medium to full-bodied, but richly concentrated and silky, with a lingering, elegant finish. Terrific stuff.”
Saint Cosme Cotes du Rhone 2022 Case of 12 750ml bottles $149 special, 3 bottles available
Importer Note “Saint Cosme Côtes-du-Rhône is produced from 100% Syrah and is from the stony Villafranchian terraces of the Gard. The vineyards are known for their limestone sand, red clay, and pebbles, which give a freshness and intensity to the Syrah grapes. The wine is partially destemmed, fermented with natural yeasts, and vinified in concrete vats.”
Saint Cosme Condrieu, Rhône 2021 750ml $69 special, 36+ bottles available
Not reviewed yet, 2020 Review provided for reference
Wine Spectator 94 Points [2020 vintage] “Alluring, with creamed yellow apple, mirabelle plum and white peach flavors carried by a caressing hint of elderflower and lemon curd through the finish, where a late flash of white ginger peeks in. Drink now through 2027. —J.M.”
Jeb Dunnuck 93 Points “I’m always able to taste Louis’s Northern Rhône release as well. His 2020 Condrieu is medium to full-bodied, pure, and balanced, with that unique Condrieu ability to blend richness and freshness. Some classic tangerine, white flowers, and honeysuckle notes define the nose, and it’s beautifully done. Drink it over the coming 4-6 years.”
Saint Cosme Cote Rotie, Rhône 2021 750ml $69 special, 35 bottles available
Not reviewed yet, 2020 review provided for reference
Jeb Dunnuck 94-96 Points [2020] “I loved the 2020 Côte Rôtie, which is certainly the standout from the North. Coming from both the southern and northern ends of the appellation, it’s full-bodied, ripe, and textured, yet never loses a sense of Côte Rôtie elegance. Lots of bacon fat, exotic flowers (I wrote liquid violet in my notes), and gamey blue fruits define the nose, and the balance is spot on, it has silky tannins and is just another brilliant wine.”
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 94-96 Points “Barruol’s 2020 Cote Rotie blends fruit from both ends of the appellation to create an exciting blend of violets and blueberries on the nose. It’s medium to full-bodied, but richly concentrated and silky, with a lingering, elegant finish. Terrific stuff.”
These are the lowest listed Prices for these wines in the USA today!
Saint Cosme Crozes Hermitage, Rhône 2021 750ml $33.50 special, 36+ bottles available
Not reviewed yet, 2020 review provided for reference
Jeb Dunnuck 90-92 Points [2020] “Leading off the red Northern Rhônes from barrel, the 2020 Crozes-Hermitage is medium to full-bodied, textured, and seamless, with classic berry, darker fruits, pepper, and violet aromatics. I love its texture.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Arriving Friday
Oregon
“Crowley”
Oregon
“Crowley”
Crowley Helen Four Winds Vineyard Chardonnay, Willamette Valley 2021 750ml $49 pre-arrival special
Winery Note “Draper block selection will define Helen. Picked early and pressed green to match this salty and minerally material, Helen’s fermentation is long and spontaneous. To emphasize immediacy, we remove from barrel after 11 months and store in tank for the remaining 7. Color is vibrant straw and green, clarity shimmers. Nose is austere, dominated by citrus, tangerine, and lemon. Brioche richens things up as does hints of cream. Palate is clean and ripe and a mix of savory spice and oak fill out the body on the way to its supple finish. Meursault came to mind with this wine.
“Helen and Phoebe Chardonnays are an homage to my wonderful grandmothers. Each was a rich and lively person – full of kindness, empathy, and grit. They were also uniquely different from one another. So, the idea of the Helen and Phoebe Chardonnays are to both represent the differences that our amazing Four Winds Vineyards offers…blocks and clones…while also pursuing an identity in the winemaking based off the women themselves. Phoebe, classic and timeless. Helen, contemporary and cutting edge. Our creative method with the material in the winery is evolving but the results are so far stellar. -Tyson”
Crowley Sojeau Vineyard Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2021 750ml $49 pre-arrival special
Winery Note “This wine opens with bold aromas of dried raspberries and cacao powder. Dusty scents morph into graphite, sage and plum as the wine opens up. On the palate, the wine drinks surprisingly lithe and light with flavors of lingonberry, plum preserve and RC Cola. The finish is long with acidity and fine tannins supporting one another in balanced tension. This wine is young and fun to drink now, but will also benefit from a few years of cellaring.
Vineyard info “Sojeau vineyard sits at 650 feet elevation at the southwest end of the Eola-Amity AVA. The site, previously a cherry orchard, was purchased by Denny and T in 2007. They planted 15 Acres of Pinot Noir vines on the 51 acre property – Pommard, Dijon and Wadenswil. The Pommard makes up 50% of the Pinot vines, while Dijon 115 and Wadenswil make up the other 50%.”
Crowley Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2022 750ml $26 pre-arrival special
Winery Note “Eye catching clarity meets garnet edges mixed with crimson. Lucid and fresh, the nose displays crunchy aromatics, cranberry and pomegranate mixed with herb and citrus. Palate is smooth and elegant, showing an intriguing wax component combined with powdered fine grain tannins. Taut edging defines the flavors as sweetly elegant and delicate. Lithe and lively, strawberry, and warm spice carry the sweet spot while forest floor and autumn leaves bring in the earthen complexity. This wine stays upright and coiled as the phenolics are spread perfectly from start to finish.”
Champagne
“Doyard”
“Doyard”
The Doyard family traces their winemaking roots in Champagne back to 1677 when a marriage license of Jean-Baptise Doyard showed “winegrower” as the occupation. Maurice Doyard was the first in the family to make wine in Vertus under the Doyard label in 1927, officially signifying the domaine’s foundation. In 1979, Yannick Doyard took over, turning it into a beacon for precise, vinous, mineral-etched Champagne in the Côtes des Blancs.
Doyard Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Extra Brut, Champagne 2015 750ml $149 pre-arrival special
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 94+ Points “The swan song vintage of this cuvée, Doyard’s 2015 Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru mingles aromas of citrus oil with notions of buttery pastry, dried white flowers and warm biscuits. Medium to full-bodied, layered and structured, with chalky dry extract and lively acids, it’s a taut, compact wine that will require a bit of bottle age to unwind.”
Doyard Oeil de Perdrix Grand Cru Brut Rose, Champagne 2018 750ml $169 pre-arrival special
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 95 Points “The 2018 Extra-Brut Grand Cru Millésimé Œil de Perdrix is lovely, wafting from the glass with scents of orange blossom, mirabelle plum, sweet citrus fruit and red berries. Medium to full-bodied, ample and pillowy, with a fleshy core of fruit and lively acids, it’s an elegant, charming wine that offers demonstrative drinking out of the gates.”
Doyard ‘Revolution’ Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Non-Dose, Champagne NV 750ml $87.50 pre-arrival special
No reviews for the 2023 release. Review for 2022 release provided for reference.
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 94 Points “Based on the 2016 vintage and disgorged early this year, Doyard’s NV Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Non Dosé Révolution offers up aromas of citrus oil, freshly baked bread, honeycomb, almonds and white flowers. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and incisive, it’s a taut, elegantly textural Champagne with a fine mousse and a long, saline finish. It’s another fine rendition of this immensely reliable cuvée.”
Doyard Cuvee Vendemiaire Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru Brut, Champagne NV 750ml $62.50 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 93 Points “[Reviewed 2023] A graceful Champagne, with a satiny mousse, revealing ripe apricot, mirabelle plum, preserved lemon, white blossoms and a streak of salty minerality enriched by hints of toasted hazelnut and pastry cream, all framed by well-knit, chiseled acidity on the long finish.”
“Gaston Chiquet”
Gaston Chiquet Premier Cru Brut Rose, Champagne NV 750ml $54.50 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 92 Points “The NV Brut Rosé (2020 base) is stellar. Lifted floral and savory accents meld into a core of punchy red-toned fruit. Cranberry, white pepper, mint, crushed rocks and blood orange build into the nervy, resonant finish. The Rosé is light in color and finessed, but also has tons of richness, much of that coming from the 18% still Pinot in the blend.”
Gaston Chiquet Tradition Brut, Champagne NV 750ml $43.50 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 89 Points “[Reviewed 2023] A fresh, firm Champagne, with a crunchy texture as this carries notes of green pear, wet chalk, elderflower and almond biscotti along. Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.”
“Marc Hebrart”
Hebrart Mes Favorites Vielles Vignes Brut, Champagne NV 750ml $69 pre-arrival special
Importer note “75% Pinot Noir / 25% Chardonnay. Old vines.”
Antonio Galloni 92 Points [Review for prior disgorgement.] “The NV Brut Mes Favorites Villes Vignes is a powerful, structured Champagne. There’s plenty of old-vine intensity and bright acid driving a core of Pinot-based fruit. I would prefer to cellar this for at least another year or two, as it is clearly still coming together. It’s a wine for readers who enjoy rich, vinous Champagnes at the dinner table.”
Hebrart Premier Cru Brut Rose, Champagne NV 750ml $59 pre-arrival special
Pre-Arrival ETA November 10th
Importer note “Cépage 50% Chardonnay, 50% Pinot Noir (6% vin rouge). Anticipated assemblage: Chardonnay from 2020, Pinot Noir from 2019-2020. Village/vyd: Mareuil-Sur-Aÿ 1er Cru.”
Wine Spectator 92 Points “[Reviewed in 2023] Well-knit and minerally, with a crisp texture and flavors of ripe raspberry, poached apricot, tangerine peel and biscuit. Chalky finish. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.”
Hebrart Selection Premier Cru Brut NV 750ml $54.50 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 92 Points “[Review for previous disgorgement.] A sleek Champagne, mouthwatering and refined in texture, offering a creamy, well-meshed blend of crème de cassis, toast point, crystallized honey and lemon curd.”
Hebrart Special Club Brut Millesime, Champagne 2019 750ml $99 pre-arrival special
No reviews for the 2019. 2018 review provided for reference.
Wine Spectator 93 Points “A fresh, harmonious Champagne, with a lacy texture and a minerally underpinning, revealing ripe cherry and Gala apple fruit layered with candied ginger, toast point, oyster shell and blanched almond notes. This would be a fine aperitif, but there’s a bit more focus and depth to it, recommending it to pairing with food or cellaring. Disgorged April 2022. Drink now through 2033.”
“Pierre Peters”
“These are sleek, racy Champagnes, expressing a classic character of Côte des Blancs Chardonnay. They are marked by their fine acidity and prominent minerality, yet while they are always brisk and chalky, they are rarely austere. All of the wines go through malolactic, due to their naturally high acidities: “We have a lot of acidity and a lot of minerality in all our wines,” says Rodolphe Péters. “We want to build the structure of our wines around both acidity and minerality, not acidity alone.”
-Peter Liem, Champagneguide.net
Pierre Peters Cuvee de Reserve Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut, Champagne NV 750ml $59.50 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 93 Points “[Reviewed 2023] Firm and minerally up front, with well-honed acidity and notes of smoke, chalk and oyster shell transitioning as they’re integrated with a creamy range of crunchy pear, ripe green apple, pink grapefruit pith and almond skin flavors, which expand through the midpalate and lightly spiced finish. Elegant, but with good complexity and focus throughout.”
Importer Note “Anticipated assemblage: 2020 base with 1988, 1990, 1993 and 1995-2019, except ‘99 and ‘03; village/vyd Le Mesnil-sur-Oger Grand Cru, Cramant Grand Cru, Avize Grand Cru and Oger Grand Cru.”
“L. Aubry Fils”
Aubry Premier Cru Brut, Champagne NV 750ml $39.50 pre-arrival special
Importer Note “Cépage 40% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir, 20% Meunier, 5% Arbanne, Petit Meslier and Fromenteau. Anticipated assemblage 60% 2020, 40% reserve wine back to 1998. Village/vyd: Jouy-lès-Reims 1er Cru, Villedommange 1er Cru, Pargny-lès-Reims 1er Cru, Coulommes-la-Montagne 1er Cru. Elevage: Mostly stainless steel with a portion of the Chardonnay aged in used barrique.”
“Chartogne-Taillet”
Chartogne-Taillet Cuvee Sainte Anne Brut, Champagne NV 750ml $54.50 special, 36 bottles available
Wine Spectator 93 Points “[Reviewed 2023] This vibrant Champagne leads with an enticing floral note, opening on the raw silk–textured palate to reveal a finely meshed range of salted Marcona almond, ripe white cherry, blood orange pith and lime blossom flavors that echo through the lingering finish. Classy. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier.”
Importer Note “Cépage Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Meunier. Anticipated assemblage: 80% 2020, 20% reserve wines. Village/vyd: Merfy, Saint Thierry, Avize Grand Cru.”
Re-Arrival
Evesham Wood Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2022 750ml $24 special, 12 bottles available
Winery Notes “This vintage of the WV blend shows a bright nose with cherry, red apple, fresh flowers, and a touch of loam along with a textural creamy/silkiness component that’s balanced by juicy acid. Showing well now, watch this wine evolve over the next 8-10 years.
Recently Reviewed
Bodegas Muga Torre Muga, Rioja DOCa 2019 750ml $108.50 special, 22 bottles available
Grape Live 96 Points “The 2019 Muga “Torre Muga” is a powerful and Bordeaux like wine, made from about 75% Tempranillo, 15% Mazuelo and 10% Graciano, offering dense black fruits and structured complexity, revealing opulent layers of blackberry, mulberry, plum, currant and cherry fruits, as well as smoky cedar, vanilla, anise, sweet tobacco leaf, loam and mineral notes that fold in nicely, making for an impressive vintage. As this deeply hued Torre Muga, sourced from high elevation sites within the Rioja Alta zone, including Muga’s El Estepal, La Loma, Baltracones, La Loma Alta, and Sajazarra vineyards that are organic and see a combination of head trained and trellised old vines set on calcareous clay and alluvial soils, opens you begin to see the depth, an incense bouquet and its terroir come through. This area sees some Atlantic cooling influence and the more arid Continental climate allowing for a deep ripening, while maintaining a graceful balance and natural acidity, making for wines that can really age, and while this 2019 Torre Muga will thrill now, it has the potential to go 25 years in bottle, and as a side note I always suggest decanting these Muga Rioja offerings and be sure to take your time and have a hearty meal with them. With a warming planet, these vines planted in high altitude areas of Rioja Alta are incredibly precious sites that provide outstanding fruit to make world class Rioja(s) that have potential and promise for now and the future.”
Grape Live 96 Points “The 2019 Muga “Torre Muga” is a powerful and Bordeaux like wine, made from about 75% Tempranillo, 15% Mazuelo and 10% Graciano, offering dense black fruits and structured complexity, revealing opulent layers of blackberry, mulberry, plum, currant and cherry fruits, as well as smoky cedar, vanilla, anise, sweet tobacco leaf, loam and mineral notes that fold in nicely, making for an impressive vintage. As this deeply hued Torre Muga, sourced from high elevation sites within the Rioja Alta zone, including Muga’s El Estepal, La Loma, Baltracones, La Loma Alta, and Sajazarra vineyards that are organic and see a combination of head trained and trellised old vines set on calcareous clay and alluvial soils, opens you begin to see the depth, an incense bouquet and its terroir come through. This area sees some Atlantic cooling influence and the more arid Continental climate allowing for a deep ripening, while maintaining a graceful balance and natural acidity, making for wines that can really age, and while this 2019 Torre Muga will thrill now, it has the potential to go 25 years in bottle, and as a side note I always suggest decanting these Muga Rioja offerings and be sure to take your time and have a hearty meal with them. With a warming planet, these vines planted in high altitude areas of Rioja Alta are incredibly precious sites that provide outstanding fruit to make world class Rioja(s) that have potential and promise for now and the future.”
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Spain
Avancia Godello Nobleza VV 2020 750ml WAS $59 NOW $49 special, 9 bottles available
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 94 Points “Pale gold. Intensely perfumed pear nectar and orange zest qualities on the nose; honeysuckle and mineral notes add lift. Juicy, penetrating and sharply focused on the palate, offering concentrated citrus and orchard fruit and floral flavors along with suggestions of salty minerals and bitter quinine. Deftly melds depth and vivacity and finishes extremely long and briny, with outstanding clarity and repeating florality.”
Avancia Mencia VV 2019 750ml WAS $31.90 NOW $29 special, 14 bottles available
James Suckling 92 Points “Dark plums, blackcurrants, grilled herbs, roasted coffee and smoked meat on the nose. Medium-to full-bodied with firm, velvety tannins. Smoky, rich and concentrated. Very smooth-textured. Drink or hold.”
Bodegas Maranones 30,000 Maravedies 2016 750ml WAS $24 NOW $20.90 special, 21 bottles available
Luis Gutierrez – Wine Advocate 91+ Points “The fully developed, aromatic and open 2016 30.000 Maravedíes, with nice aromatics and a very pleasant palate. It’s fragrant and elegant, with pungent flavors and very good persistence. This is a superb showing for this bottling. 39,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2017.”
Bodegas Muga Seleccion Especial Rioja 2018 750ml WAS $44 NOW $39 special, 34 bottles available
Luis Gutierrez – Wine Advocate 94 Points “2018 was a cooler vintage, with a fairly long maturation, which made the wines somewhat fresher and less alcoholic, as showcased by the 2018 Selección Especial, a classical blend of the four red varieties from Rioja, Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano with contained ripeness (14.05% alcohol) and good freshness. It fermented in oak casks with indigenous yeasts and matured in French oak barrels, 40% of them new, for 26 months. They were not very happy with the vintage and had to sort and discard, but as they didn’t produce Prado Enea, Torre Muga or Haro, those grapes went into this wine. They are reluctant about 2018, but I think it was a vintage capable of the best and the worst, and this 2018 is floral, expressive and elegant. It’s medium to full- bodied, with very fine, chalky tannins, combining power and elegance. Amazing! 187,200 bottles produced. It was bottled in January 2021.”
California
Hanna Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 2020 750ml WAS $39 NOW $33 special, 21 bottles available
Wine Enthusiast 93 Points “Black pepper and black olive nuances blend with black cherries and dark chocolate in this medium- to full-bodied wine that includes 24% Malbec. An elegant feel, silky texture and nicely restrained flavors give the wine a charm all its own. Best through 2030.”
Melka Estates CJ Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 WAS $79 NOW $69 special, 9 bottles available
Wine Spectator 91 Points “Open-knit, offering a gush of steeped plum and açaí berry flavors laced with licorice and ganache hints. Lightens up just a bit through the finish, as the structure is on the modest side, but the fruit is a joy to drink.”
Postmark By Duckhorn Paso Robles Cabernet 2019 750ml WAS $18 NOW $16 special, 36+ bottles available
Wine Enthusiast 91 Points “Fresh and fruity aromas of cherry and strawberry meet with notes of French toast and light herbs on the nose of this bottling. Those juicy fruits come through on the palate as well, with a baked red-cherry flavor that is framed by cigar-box and nutmeg accents.”
Ulysses Vineyard Cabernet Oakville Napa 2018 750ml WAS $169 NOW $145 special, 16 bottles available
Jeb Dunnuck 99 Points “Just about pure perfection and the finest wine I’ve tasted from this address, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon yet includes smaller amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, all from a site just north of Dominus. This deep, inky hued beauty offers up a beautiful, full-bodied, richly textured, and incredibly concentrated style that carries ample black and blue fruit as well as notes of crushed stone, scorched earth, graphite, and lead pencil. It has the focused, structured style of the 2018 vintage and is going to benefit from 4-6 years (if not a decade) of bottle age and will be a 30+ year wine.”
Special Collector’s Corner Arrival
A Masterpiece from Murrieta and other Spanish Treasures
Marques de Murrieta Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial, Rioja DOCa 2010 750ml $269 special, 6 bottles available
WINE SPECTATOR #1 OF TOP 100 2020
Falstaff Magazine 100 Points “[Translated] Dark ruby garnet, violet reflections, subtle brightening of the edges. Fine mint, fine black cherries, fine herbs, fresh heart cherries, mineral and inviting, a multi-faceted, young bouquet. Juicy, complex, elegant, extract-sweet texture, fine round tannins, ripe heart cherries, delicate nougat, sticks for minutes, enormous future potential. Simple calculation: buy what is possible.”
James Suckling 99 Points “Marvelous aromas of crushed berries, tobacco, cedar and mushrooms. Some dried cheese. Then turns to flowers. Very complex. Full and intense with fantastic depth and power. It goes on for minutes. It is a wine that exudes tradition but gives a sense of modernity with precise winemaking. Two years in oak, one in concrete and three or four in bottle. Drink on release and age onwards.”
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Marques de Murrieta Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial, Rioja DOCa 2011 750ml $189 special, 9 bottles available
James Suckling 98 Points “Extremely well-mannered, traditional character to this, showing layer upon layer of savory complexity on the nose, with iron, dried meat, tobacco, balsamic fruit, dried red berries, orange peel, leather and dried mushrooms. A medium-to full-bodied, linear and zesty Rioja that’s full of nuanced flavors that linger through the very long, savory finish. Floral, too. Yet, it remains bright and precise. Tempranillo with 16% mazuelo.”
Wine Enthusiast 97 Points “Deep violet-red to the eye, this wine has a nose of raspberry, white chocolate and juniper berry. Still youthful on the palate, it offers ever-present tannins supporting flavors of dark plum, black cherry, caramel and violet that slowly fade into a soft cherry-pie finish. Drink through 2042.”
Clos i Terrasses Clos Erasmus, Priorat DOCa 2020 750ml $289 special, 8 bottles available
Wine Advocate 100 Points “The still young and primary 2020 Clos Erasmus feels very floral and ethereal (within Priorat and Clos Erasmus); it’s a fresher and lighter expression but without being weak. It’s still a baby that needs to burn the baby fat (there are still some lactic notes from the malolactic in barrel). The wine is always around 3.2 or 3.3 pH and has some 15% to 15.5% alcohol, but the sensation this year is of a much fresher, more balanced and elegant wine. This should make an elegant bottle of mature Priorat with a decade in bottle, and I guess it will be long lived. Glorian mentioned that a small lot that normally goes to Laurel was added to the blend of Erasmus, resulting in a lot of added freshness and a note of orange blossom, which makes sense to me with the floral character of the wines and the extra freshness I perceived. This is really beautiful. It’s a very special vintage of Erasmus that unfurls incredible complexity and tantalizing aromas with time in the glass—blood orange (talk about freshness!), curry and cassis. It has great purity, complexity, elegance and finesse… A very different Clos Erasmus. Bravo! There are some 3,600 bottles. It was bottled in May 2022.”
Clos Mogador Vi de Finca, Priorat DOCa 2012 1.5L $399 special, just 1 bottle left!
Wine Advocate 98 Points “The 2012 Clos Mogador is nothing short of spectacular. They started in 1999 with some Cariñena, and they gradually increased the Garnacha and reduced the Cabernet. 2012 is possibly the vintage of Mogador with less Cabernet, as it didn’t behave well in such warm year. René Barbier senior tells me it reminds him of the freshness of the 2000 that he generously uncorked for me to compare; they only have a handful of bottles for the old vintages! The nose of this 2012 is still little reticent but not reduced like many vintages in the past, slowly showing a great Mediterranean-Atlantic balance with notes of herbs, wet slate and graphite. The super-elegant palate offers great acidity and freshness with incredibly layered and delineated flavors that have an electric, mineral sensation with tension and really fine tannins. There are no traces of oak and no edges… rugged silk? This is a Mogador for decades. If this is always a bargain for the quality it delivers, it is even more so in 2012!”
Familia Nin-Ortiz ‘Nit de Nin’ La Coma d’en Romeu, Priorat DOCa 2017 750ml $149 special, just 2 bottles left!
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 98+ Points “The 2017 Nit de Nin La Coma d’en Romeu is from an extremely dry and early harvest that delivered just five hectoliters per hectare! That means they only produced 1,330 bottles from the 1.5 hectares of Garnacha on those slate terraces at 350 meters in altitude. It was bottled in April 2019. It has a beautiful and subtle nose that’s very spicy (cloves and cumin, curry and pink pepper) and floral, with a palate that feels light but has great depth and inner power, with pungent flavors and subtle minerality.”
Best listed price on the West coast today!
R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2001 750ml $199 special, just 4 bottles left
Wine Advocate 98 Points “The 2001 Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva is the follow-up of the 1995. There is a sense of harmony and elegance, of nuance and subtleness that wasn’t quite the same in the Bosconia, as comparing both wines is inevitable. They started picking the red grapes the 15th of October, and the last grapes were picked the 29th of October with good weather. 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! 25,000 bottles produced. It was bottled after being fined with egg whites in July 2012.”