Vinopolis Newsletter – Monday 12/11/2023

Special NEW Arrivals!
 
Rene Rostaing
 
Library Selections
 
“René Rostaing is one of Côte Rôtie’s most masterful growers.”
– Robert Parker

 

Across multiple vintages, The Côte Blonde proves itself one of the most tenacious lieu dits in all of Côte Rotie. The wines from this vineyard are expressive, nimble affairs, while still unmistakably Rhône.
Rene Rostaing Cote Rotie Cote Blonde, Rhone 2010 750ml $279 special, 5 bottles available
Wine Advocate 99 Points “Truly blockbuster stuff, and a wine that will compete with the ’99 when it’s at full maturity, the 2010 Côte Rôtie Côte Blonde gave up a spectacular array of sweet red and black raspberry, cassis, violets and underbrush. A full-bodied, impeccably balanced, yet concentrated and massive Côte Rôtie, it has world-class tannin quality, a stacked mid-palate and blockbuster length. It will need another decade to show some maturity, and hold nicely through 2040.”
Vinous 96 Points “Saturated ruby. A wild, intensely perfumed bouquet evokes red and dark berry liqueur, potpourri and incense, with an intense mineral overtone. Juicy, focused and deeply concentrated but light on its feet, offering palate-coating black raspberry and cherry-cola flavors that become fleshier with air. Finishes sweet and extremely long, with silky tannins, outstanding focus and a suave floral pastille quality.”
 
Rene Rostaing Cote Rotie Cote Blonde, Rhone 2011 750ml $189 special, 6 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94 Points “The 2011 Côte Rôtie Côte Blonde saw 100% stems and a small percentage of Viognier. While I liked it a tad more last year, it showed beautifully here as well, with a perfumed, forward and medium to full-bodied profile to go with classic olive, garrigue and raspberry aromas and flavors. This is Côte Rôtie at its most refined and elegant, and it should be even better in another 2-3 years and evolve nicely through 2031.”
Vinous 94 Points “Saturated ruby. Candied red and dark berries on the explosively perfumed floral, minerally nose. Stains the palate with intense blackberry and violet pastille flavors, gainingn depth and spiciness with aeration. Rich, energetic and graceful, finishing with superb clarity, power and fruit-driven persistence. One of the highlights of the vintage in the northern Rhone, with the balance to age but offering wonderful upfront appeal as well.”
 

 
Rene Rostaing Cote Rotie Cote Blonde, Rhone 2012 750ml $169 special, 6 bottles available
Wine Advocate 97 Points “I think the best wine here (at the moment anyways) is the 2012 Cote Rotie Cote Blonde. More reserved and closed initially, it has subtle, yet seductive notes of black raspberry, blackberry, toasted spice, smoke earth and cured meat that gradually open up in the glass. This is followed by a full-bodied, dense, substantial Cote Rotie that has awesome polish to its tannin, a great mid-palate and a smoking finish. It too needs short-term cellaring, but will keep for 2-3 decades.”
Vinous 94 Points “Inky ruby. An exotically perfumed bouquet displays intense aromas of red fruit liqueur, potpourri, smoky minerals and white pepper; smells like a very serious Burgundy from a ripe year. Palate-staining raspberry and floral pastille flavors are accented by an exotic jolt of blood orange. Gains weight and sweetness with air, finishing with resonating minerality and outstanding persistence. This graceful wine should enjoy a long evolution thanks to its balance.”
 

 
Rene Rostaing Cote Rotie Cote Blonde, Rhone 2015 750ml $299 special, 6 bottles available
Wine Advocate 100 Points “I give Rostaing’s 2015 Cote Rotie La Cote Blonde the slightest of edges over the La Landonne for its more aromatic, floral nose. It shows that same unfathomable depth and richness married to a sense of weightlessness and elegance that marks the La Landonne, and it also shows those wonderfully pure raspberry flavors. It’s lush, velvety and incredibly long on the finish. Collectors fortunate enough to grab some of each will have great fun comparing the two over the next 30 years or so.”
 

 
Rene Rostaing Cote Rotie Cote Blonde, Rhone 2016 750ml $249 special, 6 bottles available
Wine Advocate 98 Points “The 2016 Cote Rotie La Cote Blonde (from the lieu-dit of the same name—not a blend of sites) is a terrific effort. It blends the structure of la Viallière with the elegance of la Landonne, making it a truly complete and compelling bottle. Some mocha, black olive and meaty notes lend it a savory cast, while the palate is creamy and concentrated, firm but silky. It’s medium to full-bodied, with a fine, licorice-tinged finish that lingers a good long time. It should drink well for 20+ years.”
 
Only released in the best vintages… Ampodium is made from younger vines, but is still an exemplary wine.
Rene Rostaing Cote Rotie Ampodium 2014 750ml $79 special, 6 bottles available
Vinous 93 Points “Rostaing’s knockout Côte-Rôtie Ampodium was just as good with the duck, offering very deep, pure aromas and flavors of violet, smoked beef, black pepper and dark plums. All of Rostaing’s Côte Blonde and La Landonne fruit went into this bottling in 2014. It made for a rich, hedonistic end to a wonderful meal, and I lingered in its delightful company right up until closing, the time flying by as I took in the restaurant’s theatre-like view of Montréal life. How appropriate, given its beginnings!”
 

 

 
Rene Rostaing Condrieu La Bonnette, Rhone 2020 750ml $89 special, 1 bottle available
Jeb Dunnuck 92 Points “… Always beautiful, and a wine you don’t hear enough about, Rostaing’s 2020 Condrieu La Bonnette has vibrant notes of ripe peach, flowers, honeyed minerality … it has classic Viognier texture and length. It’s beautifully done… “
 
Rene Rostaing Condrieu La Bonnette, Rhone 2021 750ml $89 special, 2 bottles available

Rene Rostaing Vassal de Puech Noble, Languedoc 2020 750ml $28 special, 6 bottles available
Importer’s Note “In the late 1990s, René and his wife purchased a property in the Côteaux du Languedoc near Nîmes. The estate, originally named Puech Chaud, is now known as Puech Noble. Located on a small plateau, the ground is covered with galets roulés – rounded stones – very similar to those found in parts of nearby Châteauneuf-du-Pape. At 150m higher than most of Châteauneuf, however, Puech Noble is significantly cooler and offers a fresher character in its wines. The estate gave the Rostaings a chance to produce Syrah on the limestone soils so beloved by many French growers. Bolstered with small amounts of Mourvèdre, Grenache, and Rolle, Puech Noble is today producing some of the South’s most beautiful wines.

 

New Arrivals
 
 
Champagne
 
“Benoit Dehu”

 

“The style of Benoit’s low- and zero-dosage wines is intense, urgent and energetic, with beautiful tension and fine minerality. Though production is miniscule – less than 4,000 bottles – fellow vignerons and wine professional are taking note of Benoit’s work, earning him an enthusiastic underground following. He has quickly established himself as a vigneron to watch in one of France’s most dynamic and progressive wine growing regions.”

 
Benoit Dehu Cuvee de l’Orme Brut, Champagne NV (2017) 750ml $149 special. 6 bottles available
Vinous 94 Points “The NV (2017) Cuvée L’Orme is another impressive Champagne from Benoît Déhu. Aromatic and light on its feet, L’Orme shows the more delicate, nuanced side of Pinot Noir off to great effect. Kirsch, wild flowers, mint, spice and dried flowers are all nicely lifted. L’Orme is classy, understated and impossible to resist. Bright acids and veins of salinity extend the finish effortlessly. No dosage.”
Wine Notes “100% Pinot Noir from a tiny parcel previously planted with elm trees (Orme). This barrel-aged, zero dosage cuvee captures the attributes of complexity, personality and pedigree that make Déhu Champagnes so alluring.”
 
Benoit Dehu Champagne Initiation Brut, Champagne NV (2020) 750ml $79 special, 24 bottles available
Vinous 92 Points “The NV Initiation, a blend of 77% Pinot Meunier and 23% Pinot Noir from two parcels in Fossoy, is a fine entry-level offering. Dried flowers, mint, spice and ginger all grace this attractive, mid-weight Champagne. There is a bit of reduction, but it works well in this style. I especially admire the finish here. Bottled with no dosage.”
Wine Notes “Cuvée Initiation is the newest addition to the Déhu lineup. Made from Pinot Noir and his signature variety Pinot Meunier, which Benoît planted using massale selection of Pommard clone from Burgundy. Oak vinification and ageing, unfined and unfiltered, low dosage. The wine is zippy and round with a persistent finish.”
 

Benoit Dehu Champagne Initiation Rose, Champagne NV (2020) 750ml $89 special, 6 bottles available
Vinous 90 Points “The NV (2020) Extra Brut Rosé Cuvée Initiation is airy, ethereal and quite gracious in feel, consisting of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Pinot Meunier from various parcels in Fossoy (including 7% Coteaux Champenois Rouge from Rue des Noyers). Dried herbs, flowers, mint, spice and cranberry are nicely delineated. Vibrant, brisk acids round things out in style, but this comes across as a bit vegetal. This wine saw ten months of aging on its lees in 228L oak barrels. Bottled with no dosage.”
 
Benoit Dehu La Rue des Noyers Extra Brut, Champagne NV (2018) 750ml $99 special, 6 bottles available
Vinous 94 Points “The NV (2018) Cuvée La Rue des Noyers is classy, elegant and polished, all in the understated style of the year. Pear, dried flowers, chamomile and spice are all nicely layered. Soft contours wrap it all together in style. Consisting of 100% Meunier from a biodynamically farmed site in Fossoy, this was aged in barrels mostly made from trees in the surrounding forest. The 2018 is a bit lighter than some recent years, but there is plenty of subtle intensity here and a good bit of vibrancy as well. Zero dosage.”
 
Benoit Dehu Rose de Saignee, Champagne NV (2020) 750ml $132 special. 6 bottles available
Vinous 93 Points “The NV (2020) Rosé Saignée Cuvée La Rue des Noyers (100% Pinot Meunier) is terrific, especially for the year. Bright red-toned fruit, blood orange, spice, mint and dried herbs all develop in the glass. Vinified from completely de-stemmed fruit that sees no pressing, this a pretty light saignée Rosé – that is neither good nor bad, just a comment on style. The finish is redolent of savory, earthy Meunier character. Zero dosage.”
 

“Bereche et fils”
 
Bereche is Back!!!

 

“[Bérêche] is at the top of its game and producing some of the finest wines in all of Champagne.”
-John Gilman, View From the Cellar.
 
Bereche Brut Reserve, Champagne NV (2020) 750ml $65 special, 36 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 92 Points “The NV Brut Réserve is bright and finely sculpted right out of the glass. There’s terrific purity and energy running through the Brut Réserve. Crushed red berry fruit, white pepper, crushed rocks and mint all race out of the glass. This release is based on 2020, with a good bit of reserve wine (35%) that serves to create terrific balance. The 5.5 grams of dosage is not at all felt.”
 
Bereche Campania Remensis Extra Brut Rose, Champagne 2019 1.5L $249 special, 1 Magnum available
Importer’s Note: “The Bérêche rosé, Campania Remensis, uses the Roman name for the countryside around Reims. It also comes from a single terroir, the village of Ormes, just west of Reims in the Petite Montagne. It is two-thirds Pinot Noir—including a small percentage of still wine for color—with the balance Chardonnay.
 

Only magnum bottle listed in the United States:
 
“Champagne Marguet”

 
Amazing deals on Grand Cru Grower bubbles! All of the vineyards that go into a bottle of Champagne Marguet are practicing organic and bio-dynamic.
 

 
Marguet Ambonnay Grand Cru Extra Brut, Champagne 2018 750ml $69 special, 4 bottles available
James Suckling 95 Points “A generous and mellow wine with caramelized quince and orange blossom aromas, plus a tiny hint of something balsamic that makes this compelling. Powerful, but also austerely mineral, energetic and very structured, this breaks the rules in a beautiful way. Long, slightly austere baked apple finish. A cuvee of 63% pinot noir and 37% chardonnay. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Disgorged in March 2023. Drink or hold.”
 

 
Marguet Avize Grand Cru, Champagne 2018 750ml $69 special, 24 bottles available
Wine Note “Blend of 63% Pinot Noir and 37% Chardonnay”
James Suckling 94 Points “A very original interpretation of this famous terroir that has a striking nose of lime zest, but more importantly a whole field of wild flowers and wild herbs. Such chalky texture on the medium body, then a fascinating completely dry finish with dried flowers. Disgorged in February 2023. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.”
 
Marguet Ambonnay Freedom Grand Cru, Champagne 2018 750ml $69 special, 4 bottles available
Wine Notes “Certified Organic and Bio-Dynamic”
 

 

 
Andre Clouet Brut Nature Silver, Champagne NV 750ml $39 special, 36+ bottles available
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 92+ Points “[Reviewed Apr 2021] Clouet’s NV Silver Brut Nature Grand Cru is a pure Bouzy Pinot Noir that was disgorged without any dosage. This disgorgement displays a medium intense golden color and a complex and refined bouquet of ripe and pureed apples and discreet chalky as well as brioche aromas. The palate is elegant, straight and fresh, very pure and salty on the finish. This is a challenging Brut Nature that needs to be aged for two or three years to gain complexity and finesse and to smooth its current edges. The finish is mineral, limestone and salty but also a bit drying at this moment.”
 
Andre Clouet Chalky Brut, Champagne NV 750ml $54.50 special, 9 bottles available
James Suckling 93 Points “[Reviewed 2021] Brimming with fresh apple, lemon and wild-berry aromas underlined by a note of freshly baked baguette, this begins so charming, then it turns in a fascinating mineral direction with a pronounced saline quality. The excitement comes from the tension between these two sides of this very distinctive champagne. Very long, chalky finish. 100% chardonnay from the 2013 vintage. Drink now.”
 
Andre Clouet Dream Vintage 2008 750ml $85 special, 12 bottles available
James Suckling 96 Points “Such a classic Blanc de Blancs champagne with the special elegance, brilliance and minerality of the 2008 vintage. Very well structured, but without the austere acidity structure that some 2008s have. Long and very clean finish that sends you back to the glass. 100% chardonnay. Drink or hold.”
 
Andre Clouet Brut Dream Vintage 2013 750ml $53.50 special, 11 bottles available
100% Chardonnay, bottled one year after harvest. Disgorged to order for the importer.
Antonio Galloni – Vinous “André Clouet is one of my favorite small domaines in Champagne. At their best, proprietor Jean-François Clouet’s wines are distinctive and full of character.”
 

 
Pierre Peters Cuvee de Reserve Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut, Champagne NV 750ml $59.50 special, 23 bottles available
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.”
 

 
Delamotte Blanc de Blancs Vintage Brut, Champagne 2014 750ml $135 special, 5 bottles available
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 94 Points “Delamotte’s just-released 2014 Blanc de Blancs has turned out very well indeed, opening in the glass with scents of citrus zest, crisp orchard fruit, fresh bread and wet stones. Medium to full-bodied, chiseled and incisive, with excellent depth at the core, racy acids and a chalky finish, this isn’t as muscular as the 2008 or 2012, but it has real cut and persistence and should age very gracefully indeed.”
Audrey Frick-Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points “A blend of the six Grand Cru villages of the Cote de Blancs, with 6.5 grams per liter dosage, the 2014 Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut is fresh and precise, with aromas of vibrant green apple, pleasant reduction with flint, and delicate smoke, citrus blossoms, and wet stone. The transition to the palate is seamless and linear, with crisp and crunchy green fruit, and is electric with lime candy, a refined mousse, and a chalky texture. It warrants more time before opening, but it is delicious and refreshing now. Drink over 2023-2043.”
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 94 Points “The 2014 Blanc de Blancs is seriously impressive. Ample in feel, Delamotte is especially rich in 2014, and yet there is plenty of freshness to balance things out. This is an especially savory style for Delamotte, and one that works so well. Dried lemon peel, pastry, almond, dried herbs and chamomile open in a beautifully translucent Blanc des Blancs that marries power and finesse. I can’t wait to see how it ages.”
 

France
 
“Louis Jadot”

 
Jadot Clos Saint Denis Grand Cru 2021 750ml $499 special, 6 bottles available
Decanter 94 Points “Lovely ripe cherry fruit with floral and spice notes and a bit of smoke and toast introduce this marvelous wine, one of the signal successes among the Jadot reds in the 2021 vintage. The wine is one of finesse and elegance; on the palate there is vivacious fresh acidity, but enough density to be substantial and long without being imposing. The wine is produced from the 0.17-hectare parcel in the original Clos St-Denis lieu-dit owned by Domaine André Gagey and farmed under a long-term contract by Jadot.”
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 93-95 Points “Pure and elegant, the 2021 Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru (Domaine Gagey) opens in the glass with aromas of sweet red berries, cherries, rose petals, spices and raw cocoa. Full-bodied, ample and fleshy, with lively acids, powdery tannins and a long, saline finish, it has turned out beautifully.”
 

 
A second label of Bordeaux’s famed Second Growth Château Pichon Baron—this represents an outstanding value for wine lovers.
Château Pichon Baron – Les Tourelles de Longueville, Pauillac 2018 750ml $49 special, 36+ bottles available
Jeb Dunnuck 93 Points “The more Merlot-dominated 2018 Les Tourelles De Longueville (66% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot) is a rocking little Pauillac with loads of red and black currant fruits, toasted spiced, dried tobacco, and earthy goodness on the nose. Rich, medium to full-bodied, and beautifully textured, it’s well worth seeking out and is going to evolve for 10-15 years.”
Vinous 92 Points “The 2018 Les Tourelles de Longueville is loaded with character. A generous base of Merlot gives the Tourelles its flesh, while the Cabernets and Petit Verdot add aromatic savoriness to balance things out. Time in the glass brings out dark cherry, plum, spice, chocolate, dried herbs and menthol. I would give the 2018 a few years in bottle to fully come together. The Tourelles is just as inviting as it was en primeur.”
 

 
Hello seafood wine! If you’re having oysters or shellfish of any type this is your best friend.
Pepiere Muscadet Clisson 2020 750ml $28 special, 28 bottles available
Importer’s Note “The Clisson bottling comes from a 50-100-year-old section vines in Pepière’s core vineyard near the winery in the cru of Clisson. Besides vine age, the distinguishing factor is the granite de Clisson, a very hard, compact form of granite. The very poor top soils are decomposed granite de Clisson with very little clay and a lot of quartz and mica over hard mother rock of granite de Clisson. The farming is certified-biodynamic. The hand-harvested bunches are direct-pressed and the juice settled naturally overnight. It is then fermented spontaneously with natural yeasts and aged on its lees for a minimum of 2 years in underground vats. The wine is bottled without fining or filtering.”
 

 
Famille Dutraive- these wines represent the finest négociant wines the Dutraive family produces.

Famille Dutraive Saint-Amour Clos du Chapitre, Beaujolais 2021 750ml $41.90 special, 8 bottles available
Distributor’s Note “From a single parcel of very rocky old alluvial soils that is certified organic. The parcel is 50 years old on a high plateau at 260m elevation. Vinification is carbonic in concrete. Unfiltered and unfined.”
 
Famille Dutraive Chenas Les Perelles, Beaujolais 2021 750ml $39 special, 5 bottles available
 
Famille Dutraive Chiroubles, Beaujolais 2021 750ml $34.50 special, 5 bottles available
 
Grand’Cour represents wines produced from the Dutraive family’s own vineyard.
Dutraive Domaine de la Grand’Cour Fleurie Cuvee Vieilles Vignes ‘Champagne’, Beaujolais 2021 750ml $49 special, 4 bottles available
Importer’s Note “Lieu-dit Champagne is Jean-Louis Dutraive’s most alluring wine. It is a reference for the grand potential of Gamay, offering a wine that is rich and joyful with a long capacity for aging. According to Jean-Louis, the vineyard name simply means “campagne” or countryside in local dialect, and since the name predates the famous sparkling wine, the Beaujolais is granted historic authority use it on their labels.”
 
Dutraive Grand’Cour Fleurie, Beaujolais 750ml 2021 $41.90 special, 11 bottles available
Dutraive Grand’Cour Fleurie, Beaujolais 1.5L 2021 750ml $99 special, 3 bottles available
 

 
Poderi Luigi Einaudi Nei Cannubi, Barolo DOCG 2015 750ml $99 special, 24 bottles available
Kerin O’Keefe – Wine Enthusiast 95 Points “Critic tasting note: “Intensely fragrant, this offers enticing scents of iris, violet and rose that mix with perfumed berry and botanical herbs. It’s loaded with finesse and flavor, doling out raspberry compote, crushed Morello cherry, licorice and a hint of mocha while taut, fine-grained tannins provide support. Fresh acidity keeps it impeccably balanced. Drink 2023–2035. “
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.”
 
Felsina Berardenga Vin Santo Chianti Classico, Tuscany 2015 375ml $49 special, 17 bottles available
Wine Spectator 97 points “An exquisite Vin Santo, with aromas and flavors of brown butter, caramel, molasses, gingerbread and roasted walnut riding the vibrant structure. Impeccably balanced, with fine complexity and a long, resonant aftertaste. Malvasia, Trebbiano and Sangiovese. Drink now through 2040.” 
 

Germany
 
“Weingut Donnhoff”

Donnhoff Riesling Sekt Brut, Nahe 2018 750ml $56 special, 3 bottles available
Winery Note “This sparkling wine was harvested by hand and aged in old barrels. This is followed by classic bottle fermentation followed by yeast storage in the winery cellar. The Riesling comes from our Oberhausen vineyards.”
 

 
Donnhoff Norheimer Dellchen Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Nahe 2022 750ml $95 special, 3 bottles available
Stuart Pigott (Suckling) 98 Points “What an exquisite stone fruit nose this super-fine and filigree dry riesling has! Yes, it is also very concentrated, but this and the power are completely underplayed. The result is an almost weightless palate that hangs like a white cloud in the still air. Extraordinary purity and precision at the almost endless finish. From organically grown grapes with Fair’n Green certification. Drink or hold.”
 
Donnhoff ‘Felsenturmchen’ Schlossbockelheimer Felsenberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Nahe 2022 750ml $79 special, 3 bottles available
Stuart Pigott (Suckling) 95 Points “Ripe and concentrated, but also quite austere with stacks of spice and grapefruit character; everything from the juice to the pith and zest! A seriously dry riesling, but with moderate acidity. Long crushed rock finish. From organically grown grapes with Fair’n Green certification. Drink or hold.”
 
Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Nahe 2022 750ml $99 special, 3 bottles available
Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Nahe 2022 1.5L $228 special, 2 magnums available
Stuart Pigott (Suckling) 99 Points “The restrained beauty of the peachiness in the nose is hard to describe, but easy to be overwhelmed by! On the compact palate this has staggering concentration yet still manages to be very light on its feet. The finish is blade-runner sharp, but the blade also flashes in the sun. Breathtaking drive and energy for the very warm and dry vintage. Then comes the remarkable wet-stone minerality and you can’t wait for the next sip. From organically grown grapes with Fair’n Green certification. Drink or hold.”
 
Donnhoff Hollenpfad Im Muhlenberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Nahe 2022 750ml $79 special, 3 bottles available
Stuart Pigott (Suckling) 97 Points “What a dramatic wine this is, at once ripe and austere, super-stony and super-herbal with a touch of peppermint. Compact core in spite of the sleek and very focused body. Electric freshness at the vibrant finish although the acidity is anything but dominant. From organically grown grapes with Fair’n Green certification. Drink or hold.”
 
Donnhoff Kreuznacher Kahlenberg Riesling Trocken, Nahe 2022 750ml $41.90 special, 8 bottles available
Stuart Pigott (Suckling) 94 Points “For a bone-dry riesling this has a stunning juiciness that is hard to resist. The spot-on balance of fruit, moderate alcohol and lively acidity makes you want to dance for joy! Wide spectrum of stone and citrus fruits. Then comes the very long and elegant finish that pulls you back for more. From organically grown grapes with Fair’n Green certification. Drink or hold.”
Vinous 91 Points “The 2022 Riesling Kreuznacher Kahlenberg is further downstream and closer to the Rhine Valley, so this flowers and ripens earlier than the upper reaches of the Nahe. The bedrock is of Permian rhyolite overlaid with pebble and loam. A stony petrichor-like savoriness insinuates itself on the citrus fruit that almost has a flicker of bergamot. A creaminess appears later on. The palate is smooth, clear but rounded with fine, aromatic citrus. It’s charming, with a salty, spicy zestiness. The finish is a pure, long note of lemon and ripe lemon zest with a smattering of white pepper. (Bone-dry).”
 

 

 
Willi Schaefer Graacher Riesling Trocken, Mosel 2022 750ml $34.50 special, 12 bottles available
Wine Advocate 93 Points “Sourced predominantly in the Himmelreich and racked from the lees until March due to a slow fermentation of the dry and feinherb wines, the 2022 Graacher Riesling trocken opens with a clear, deep and flinty, still nicely reductive bouquet of ripe, aromatic and juicy yellow stone fruits. Bottled in late April, this is a round and elegant, mouth-filling, juicy and well-balanced Graacher with savory acidity and a stimulating, saline and citric finish. This is a gorgeous dry Riesling from Graach that didn’t suffer any heatwaves like in 2018, 2019 or 2020, although it was an extraordinarily warm and dry vintage. 11.5% stated alcohol. Screw-cap closure. Tasted in May 2023. Drink: 2023-2040. “
James Suckling 93 Points “Lovely nose of lemon blossom and lemon curd. Lovely balance of restrained creaminess and bright acidity with intense wet stone minerality. Long light-footed finish with excellent balance. Drink or hold.”
Mosel Fine Wine 92 Points “The 2022er Graacher Riesling Trocken comes mainly from the Grand Cru Himmelreich. It offers a very intense nose made of pear, citrusy elements, spices, and herbs. The wine proves superbly chiseled on the palate where a kick of tart zest adds a great sense of freshness to the underlying ripe and subtly creamy flavors. The wine is beautifully long and well balanced. The aftertaste proves deceptively shy but the finesse and elegance are truly remarkable. This stunning dry Riesling cruises far above the levels of an Estate wine! 2027-2037.”
 
Willi Schaefer Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2022 750ml $47.50 special, 6 bottles available
James Suckling 95 Points “Wonderful nose of spring meadows and ferns with delicate stone fruit aromas filling out the complex and very detailed picture. Astonishing silky elegance and a freshness that defies easy description, but makes us swoon. And in spite of the incredible depth this is so transparent and refined right through the very long finish. Drink or hold.”
Decanter 94 Points “Great elegance and focus. The aromatics of lime zest and pronounced notes of spiced pear intermingle with notes of freshly cut nectarine. The Himmelreich is all about fruit character for the Schaefer wines. The palate is a blend of cardamom, nectarine flesh and honeyed pear. Its fleshy, textured fruit balances intensity with what Christoph calls ‘a light impression.”
 
Willi Schaefer Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2022 750ml $59 special, 6 bottles available
James Suckling 96 Points “Lovely nose of white peach with just a whisker of caramel. Also a wealth of white flowers. Simultaneously succulent and super-elegant thanks to the thread of slatey minerality that runs through this sensual beauty. The considerable power is so impeccably underplayed that you barely feel it. Very long, pristine finish. Drink or hold.”
Wine Advocate 96 Points “Sourced in the same parcel as the legendary 1976 Auslese and picked rather early, the 2022 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese opens with a clear, precise and elegant nose of white fruits and flinty notes of coolish crushed slate. Intense and lush on the palate, this is mouth-filling and charming, very long and mineral/saline Spätlese that doesn’t show exceptionally high acidity but a ripe one that is completely interwoven with the mineral/phenolic structure. This is a hedonistically juicy but weightless and finessed, stimulating and saline Spätlese from the Himmelreich, which didn’t produce an Auslese in 2022. All the fully ripe and golden berries went into the Spätlese. 7.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in May 2023.”
 
Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2022 750ml $49 special, 5 bottles available
James Suckling 98 Points “The staggering nose of fresh pineapple invites you to a voyage to the tropics with their rich colors and lush vegetation. Then comes the no less amazing palate which is simultaneously extraordinary in concentration yet miraculously feather light. Great citrusy freshness, but it’s impossible to say which citrus fruit it is because it seems to flicker from Amalfi lemon to bergamot and then to pomelo, and on and on. Almost endless finish with the merest hint of unfermented grape sweetness. Drink or hold.”
Decanter 95 Points “Balances perfectly the richness of the slate terroir with fresh, zesty fruit. Aromatics show slightly reduced notes of flint, pencil lead and streaks of graphite. The palate matches this intensity with flavours of crushed stone, graphite and spice, and a zesty hint of greengage. There is an overall ethereal character that gives it so much freshness and laser focus.”
 
Willi Schaefer Graacher Riesling Feinherb, Mosel 750ml $34.50 special, 3 bottles available
James Suckling 95 Points “The freshness of spring and the fruits of fall. Astonishing finesse and slatey intensity for a village wine. Sleek and silky on the barely medium-bodied palate. Super-long and graceful finish that takes your breath away. Drink or hold. Screw cap.”
Wine Advocate 92 Points “Predominantly from the Himmelreich but from different parcels than its dry counterpart, the 2022 Graacher Riesling feinherb is bright and refined on the fresh and pure nose that reveals white peach aromas intertwined with discreetly flinty slate aromas. Round and lush on the palate, this is a quite intense and textured Graacher with ripe, elegant acidity, yet it (still?) doesn’t have the sharpness and precision of the dry Graacher. The finish is mouth-filling and fruity, though, and delicate in acidity, with good length. 10.5% stated alcohol. Screw-cap closure. Tasted in May 2023.”
 

 

 
Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo Bussia DOCG, Piedmont 2017 750ml WAS $89 NOW $79 special, only 3 bottles available!
Monica Lerner – Wine Advocate 92 Points “The Poderi Aldo Conterno 2017 Barolo Bussia shows a dark but busy quality of fruit that speaks more to the power of this hot vintage than it does the nuanced side of Nebbiolo. In this respect, the wine is quite typical of the 2017 growing season. It takes a while before the wine finds focus in the glass, but it does slowly come together to reveal broad layers of dark cherry, cassis and plum. There is some tannic tightness that leads to sour berry. A bit awkward at this young stage, it needs a few more years of cellar age to flesh out and reach balance.”
 

 
Poderi Aldo Conterno Bussia Cicala, Barolo DOCG, Piedmont 2017 750ml WAS $179 NOW $149 special, only 6 bottles available
Wine Spectator 95 Points “A solid, powerful style, this expressive red is well-marked by new oak, with plum, cherry, cigar box, menthol and sun-kissed hay flavors. Balanced and lively, with refined tannins and a long, spice-infused finish. Best from 2025 through 2042. —B.S.”
 
Poderi Aldo Conterno Colonnello, Barolo DOCG, Piedmont 2017 750ml WAS $179 NOW $149 special, 9 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94+ Points -Monica Larner “The Poderi Aldo Conterno 2017 Barolo Bussia Colonnello shows good focus, structure and a sharper character that is often the distinguishing factor in this wine. The bouquet is redolent of dark fruit and plum, but it also shows a solid framing of iron ore and dark stony mineral. These give the wine greater lift and contoured edges. This is not the first time that Colonnello is my favorite wine in this lineup, and I suspect it won’t be the last.”
 

 
Giovanni Rosso Cerretta, Barolo DOCG 2016 750ml WAS $89 NOW $79 special, 18 bottles available
Kerin O’Keefe – Wine Enthusiast 97 Points “Rose, red-berry, camphor and dark-spice aromas slowly emerge in the glass. Showing Serralunga’s hallmark of firm structure and finesse, the full-bodied, youthfully tense palate delivers juicy red cherry, raspberry compote, dried mint and licorice set against a backbone of noble tannins. Bright acidity keeps it impeccably balanced. Drink 2026–2056.”
 
Giovanni Rosso Barolo del Comune di Serralunga d’Alba DOCG, Piedmont 2016 750ml WAS $59 NOW $49 special, 14 bottles available
Wine Enthusiast 96 Points “Iris, woodland-berry and pine-forest aromas shape the nose. On the focused, vibrant palate, mint and star anise notes accent a core juicy Marasca cherry. Taut polished tannins and bright acidity provide balance and a firm lithe structure.”
 

These are best prices listed today in the United States!
 

 

 

“Arianna Occhipinti: Vini Contrada”
 

 

A Rockstar of Biodynamic viticulture and low-intervention winemaking, Arianna is a trend-setter who has inspired many other young winemakers in the Natural Wine movement and significantly amplified Vittoria, Sicily’s footprint in Italian Wine.
 
This gift set represents a survey of the three districts (Contradas) she farms and is born through “empirical observation” of her vineyard land, spotting specific parcels that produce unique expressions of terroir. Each pack contains one bottle each of the Pettineo (PT), Fossa di Lupo (FL), and Bombolieri (BB) Contradas.
 

 
Arianna Occhipinti Pettineo  (PT) Vino di Contrada Terre Siciliane IGT, Sicily 2019 750ml
Monica Lerner- Wine Advocate 93 Points “With fruit from 60-year-old vines, the Arianna Occhipinti 2019 Frappato Vino di Contrada PT (with 2,200 bottles made) reveals a bright and very lifted bouquet with dried cherry skin, wild rose, cast iron and grilled herb. The wine shows medium-weight texture and fine tannins that feel especially integrated in this wine from the Contrada Pettineo. This site has reddish sand soils with a layer of tuffaceous rock.”
Winery Notes “This historic contrada, a term used to refer a small district of the countryside, is located beyond Serra San Bartolo ridge; historically it has always produced very elegant wines thanks to a deep layer of marine sand (50-60 cm), with little presence of limestone rocks on the surface. Our Chiusa di Pettineo vines are nearly 60 years old. Originally planted in a head trained or albarello system from which the previous owner then transformed into a trellised system, now with the vines climbing between the trellises into monumental heights. The wines of the Pettineo are usually fruit-driven with a more silky tannin yet possessing quite lively acidity.”
 
Arianna Occhipinti Fossa di Lupo (FL) Vino di Contrada Terre Siciliane IGT, Sicily 2019 750ml
Monica Lerner- Wine Advocate 93 Points “One of three single-vineyard wines from Arianna Occhipinti, the 2019 Frappato Vino di Contrada FL shows sweet cherry, grilled rosemary and lingering tones of iron ore or rusty nail. This vineyard has red and dark brown soils with lots of stones. Those ferrous notes come though, and the wine closes with a clean, lean-bodied texture. Production for this organic and biodynamic wine is 2,200 bottles.”
Winery notes “Another historical contrada and backbone of my work since 2004. The soils are sandy with shades that go from red to chestnut brown and with a substantial presence of limestone rocks on the surface. After the first 40 cm of sand, we arrive at a layer of solid, hard limestone. The vines were planted in albarello: the typical training system with planting distances traditional of the Vittoria area. This contrada faces the Hyblaean Mountains at northeast; from here the wines typically originate as fruity but also austere, presenting great acidity. “
 
Arianna Occhipinti Bombolieri  (BB) Vino di Contrada Terre Siciliane IGT, Sicily 2019 750ml
Monica Lerner- Wine Advocate 94 Points “Pouring from a bottle with a red wax capsule, the Arianna Occhipinti 2019 Frappato Vino di Contrada BB opens to a fun, especially punchy and bright bouquet with wild berry and blue flowers. From a site with sandy soils and white rocks, this wine is especially botanical in character with dried herbs and lavender common to the Mediterranean basin. Freshness is a protagonist, and the wine closes with dry but mild tannins. Only 2,200 bottles were made in 2019.”
Winery Notes “Here we are situated on a point with high limestone content in the soil, facing the Serra San Bartolo. Here the lands can vary from colours of deep chestnut to white, but the surface’s layer of sand is decisively lower: only 25 cm. Just below this thin layer you will and solid limestone. In a part of this contrada you will and more clay-limestone soil, visibly different with more of a presence of white on its surface. It’s here, in the Vigna Strada that this wine is born, oral and straightforward, with highly persistent acidity.”
 

 
How would you like to drink like a King? Although first made at the behest of Tsar Alexander II for the famous “Three Emperors Dinner” of1867, Cristal Champagne was not available commercially until 1945 when it began to be known to American collectors.
 
Centuries later, this is still one of the most highly rated and regarded Champagnes in the world, with so much of that quality coming from their dedication to the highest standards of vineyard maintenance and sustainable Farming. In fact, all of the vineyards that go into Cristal have been certified organic since 2012 and
 
As Frédéric Rouzaud, Roederer’s CEO has stated “It is the belief, deeply grounded in my family for generations, that we owe everything to Nature and that when we listen to her and provide her with the attention and care she needs, she will give us the gift of a terroir at its finest expression, the source of great fine wines.”
 

Arriving Mid December:
 

This gift set includes 2 bottles each of Cristal’s 2006, 2008, and 2012 vintages, three of the most celebrated vintages in their long history, charting their growth into an organic producer and beyond. As Cristal keeps getting better and better, you could say that if you’re drinking Cristal in the modern era, you’re drinking better than a King.
Louis Roederer Cristal 6-PACK 750ml $2,799 special, 1 gift pack available
 

 
Louis Roederer Cristal Millesime Brut, Champagne 2006 750ml
Decanter 97 Points “Fantastic from the start. A colossal power of beautiful rumbling Pinot maturity. It’s like chewing on the ripest grapes from Ay and Verzenay. At the same time ultra stylish: unmistakable Cristal essence of peach and mango sweetness, pineapple, coconut, vanilla, sprightly acidity and citrus blossom. Many similarities with 2002 but with a clearer Pinot touch.”
James Suckling 96 Points “Deep maturing nose with plenty of ripe pear and apricot, plus a whiff of smoke. This is a big and powerful champagne with notes of spice and grapefruit alongside some red berry fruit from pinot noir. Long chalky finish that’s more vibrant than the first impression suggests. Tasted at the Cristal vertical tasting at the champagne house on July 6th, 2023.”
Wine Spectator 95 Points “This elegant version shows beautiful texture and a sense of finesse despite the underlying power of vibrant acidity and smoky minerality. The palate offers a finely layered mesh of blackberry, poached pear, almond pastry, lemon zest and pickled ginger flavors.”
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate 95 Points “The 2006 Cristal shows rich and ripe (tropical) fruit on the nose along with delicate brioche notes. Round and textured on the palate, this is a generous but fresh, fine and salty Cristal with a very long and greatly finessed finish. Tasted in New York, November 2018.”
Wine Enthusiast 95 Points “Although it is still young, this vintage of Cristal promises great things. There’s an impressive balance between ripe fruit and crisp acidity, rich and food friendly, but also a fine apéritif. Apricot and grapefruit flavors are round and rich, but with considerable minerality as well.”
 
Louis Roederer Cristal Millesime Brut, Champagne 2008 750ml
James Suckling 100 Points “One of the masterpieces of this exceptional vintage (the last that was this cool). Ravishing nose of Amalfi lemon and white peach with hints of white chocolate, chamomile and oyster shell. Super-elegant and tightly structured with a hint of creaminess on the mid-palate adding tension. Very long steely finish carried by the linear mineral acidity. A cuvée of 60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay, part of which (unusually for Cristal) underwent malolactic fermentation. Getting very scarce on the secondary market, partly because of the great aging potential!.
Jeb Dunnuck 100 Points “The 2008 Cristal is a perfect wine, and Champagne simple does not get any better. This incredible wine offers a beautiful perfume of clean, crisp fruits, layers of complexity in its toasted spice and white flowers, and an utterly seamless, yet powerful style on the palate. This is a rich, decadent expression of Cristal yet it’s still crystalline and elegant, with no sensation of weight, and it just glides over the palate. Haut Couture at its finest and this majestic, profound, legendary Cristal can be drunk anytime over the coming 2-3 decades.”
Wine Enthusiast 98 Points “The latest incarnation of Roederer’s iconic Champagne, this comes from a great vintage and is balanced, moving towards maturity. White stone fruit are shot through by lemon acidity. A steely edge contrasts with the underlying richness. Drink now, although the wine will age for many years.”
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate 98 Points “Disgorged in September 2017 with 7.5 grams per liter dosage, the 2008 Cristal was produced from 37 of the 45 parcels that are candidates for inclusion in this cuvée—some 40% of which were farmed organically back in 2008—and it’s a blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. The finest young Cristal in decades, the wine wafts from the glass with a pure and vibrant bouquet of crisp orchard fruit, clear honey, warm brioche, citrus zest and white flowers. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, intense and incisive, with superb concentration, racy acids and a long, searingly chalky finish. Pristinely balanced, there are some 500,000 bottles of this legend-in-the-making.”
Decanter 98 Points “Cristal 2008 is on a roll to yet higher levels of exquisite purity and precision of fruit in a paradoxical balance of weightlessness and depth of flavour, permeated with minerals and a salinity reflecting the greatest terroirs of the Roederer estate. Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon believes that 2008 is his best effort to date, and it’s easy to see why. It’s from a cooler, maritime vintage that came right in the end, with one of the longest harvests ever, running from mid-September to early October. The colour is a stylish pale gold flecked with green. Aromas of white flowers are joined by a cleansing citrus vigour and richer tones of peach and mirabelle. The palate is still quiet, but a tender creaminnes shows through, and there’s so much concentration to come if you drink if after 2021. The greatness of the wine owes everything to the influence of organic and biodynamic precepts in the field – and Lecaillon’s sleepless perfectionism in the cellar towards finer fruit and a careful brake on too much yeasty expression. The acidity is vibrant but better integrated in the 2008 than in the 1996. Magnificent. Dosage 7.7g/l. Drinking Window 2021 – 2040”
 
Louis Roederer Cristal Millesime Brut, Champagne 2012 750ml
John Gilman- View From The Cellar 98 Points “The 2012 vintage of Cristal is the first to be produced entirely from Demeter-certified, biodynamically-farmed fruit, which is a landmark for Maison Roederer. The future is now here! I have been looking forward to this release of this vintage of Cristal for a few years now, but sadly found myself not in top form to appreciate its debut, as I was so suffering from jet lag after my three weeks on the road in November that my energy level was no match for this beautiful young wine…. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and nascently complex, with a racy girdle of acidity, a rock solid core, impeccable focus and grip, refined mousse and stunning length and grip on the poised and perfectly balanced finish. This is another great vintage of Cristal in the making, but it deserves plenty of time in the cellar to blossom properly. “
Wine Enthusiast 98 Points “The first 100% biodynamic Cristal, entirely from Roederer-owned vineyards, this is an important milestone. This latest incarnation is a great Champagne with its density, elegance and poise. Still impressively young, the wine is taut, tightly wound and textured. At the same time, it has pure, ripe white and citrus fruits that are perfumed, and an important part of this wine’s long-term future. Drink at the earliest from 2023”
Wine Advocate 97+ Points “Aromas of clear honey, crisp green orchard fruit, white peach, pastry cream and dried white flowers introduce the 2012 Cristal, a full-bodied, concentrated and powerful wine that’s built for the cellar. Broader, more textural and more muscular than the 2008 Cristal, with seemingly even greater reserves of structuring dry extract, the 2012 is incisive and searingly chalky. This is the first Cristal produced exclusively from organically farmed fruit, and it marks the opening of a new chapter for Louis Roderer. The blend is 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, vinified without malolactic fermentation and disgorged with 7.5 grams per liter dosage. Chef de Caves Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon has once again excelled himself.”