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In This Newsletter:
Special Arrival
Jay Christopher Somers Rides Again
New Arrivals
Champagne Agrapart, La Jota, Marc Colin, Nanclares y Prieto, and more!
Staff Pick
Arterberry-Maresh and Tan Fruit
Somewhere Over the Rhine-bow
These Fantastic Riesling reviews aren’t just a dream
Close-out Sale
Save on Snowden, Vatan, and Vaglio !
Three Day Sale
Riesling: How sweet it is… or isn’t?
Collector’s Corner
Burgundy’s Best: Noir Edition
Special Arrival Friday
Jay Christopher Somers Rides Again
“JC Somers, Dundee Hills OR”
Jay Somers is exactly where he wants to be. With over 30 years under his belt in the Oregon wine industry, the majority spent as the owner and winemaker at his first winery, the acclaimed J. Christopher, Jay knows exactly what kind of wines he wants to make. “We do not make fruit bombs. We want wines that have a fine balance of fruit, acidity and texture,” he says, “Wines that are complete.” His wines need to evolve with a minimum of intervention at their own pace. He is taking inspiration from the Old World and applying it to the terroir of Dundee, where he is most at home. Jay and his immense talents are no longer associated with the J. Christopher wines. He is pouring everything into his new winery, doing it all himself and doing it all exactly as he wants to. JC Somers Bella Vida Pinot Noir 2019 750ml $55 special 12 bottles available $55 special, 12 bottles availableVinopolnote “Blended from blocks of Pommard and Wadenswil From Bella Vida Vineyard, This flagship wine from Jay is classic Dundee Hills through and through.” JC Somers Bella Vida Wadensil Dundee Pinot Noir 2019 750ml $59 special, 12 bottles availableWinery Notes “Single clone wines, Jay Somers notes, give a “linear expression.” I take it to mean that they are more tight, more vertical, though less complete in some ways than multi-clone Pinots. Many Oregon winemakers focus on single clone expressions, and when tasting through a selection of them from the same vineyard and vintage they can be very instructive. I don’t know if Jay is doing any others, so there are no comparables here other than his other Bella Vida Pinot which uses two different clones in a blend. This is brambly with raspberry fruit, a touch of tomato leaf and peppery/minty grace notes.” JC Somers Croft Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2021 750ml $26.50 special, 24 bottles availableWine Enthusiast 94 Points – Editor’s Choice- “Winemaker Jay Somers is a Sauvignon Blanc master who has worked with this vineyard for many years. The intersection of those two facts results in a wine like this, with its electrifying acidity, and aromas of gooseberries, fresh-cut grass and a rhubarb tart. A rhubarb-strawberry combination is graced by a tart tangerine flavor. Absolute torch and twang.” -Michael Alberty” Winery Note “We have worked with this vineyard since 1999 and it consistently produces a classic style of Sauvignon Blanc with a purity of fruit, balanced acidity and a focused minerality. Truly one of the top white wine vineyard sites in the Willamette Valley.” JC Somers Joie de Chien Dundee Pinot Noir 2021 750ml $26 special, 24 bottles availableWinery Note “This is our little second label showing Aja looking at the moon. She was the greatest dog ever. Blended from the Nicholas Family and the La Colina vineyards this wine is classic Dundee Hills and the best value in Willamette Pinot Noir out there.” JC Somers La Revanache WV Chardonnay 2021 750ml $28 special, 6 bottles availableWine Enthusiast 92 Points “This wine is not for butter lovers. This is instead a wine for the adventurous, like Alice’s “Drink Me” bottle. It begins with the nutty aroma of a fino sherry, followed by tangy lemon and chalk notes. A soft texture with medium acidity awaits, with flavors like passion fruit, basil and Ligurian olive oil.” — Michael Alberty JC Somers Nouvelle Lune Dundee Pinot Noir 2021 750ml $36 special, 12 bottles availableWine Enthusiast “With enough lemony acidity to give you shivers, the Nouvelle Lune is quite the pick-me-up. Crushed boysenberry and blueberry aromas almost eclipse tiny notes of chalk and hay. Ripe Bing cherry and lemon basil flavors fill the mouth, supported by fine-grained tannins and a lightning bolt of acidity.” -Michael Alberty JC Somers Tempranillo Garnier Vineyard 2021 750ml $24 special, 6 bottles availableVinopolnote “This is a plummy and herbaceous red from Garnier Vineyards near Mosier in the Columbia Gorge AVA. The Vineyards’ soil is sandy with a light clay content, imparting a perfect mix of nutrients for growing grapes and other fruit. The vineyard’s proximity to the Columbia River and low elevation provide valuable added heat-units during the growing season and frost protection during winter.”
New Arrivals
California
La Jota Howell Mountain Merlot 2019 750ml $99 special, 18 bottles availableJames Suckling 95 Points “Lots of black olives with some conifer and mushrooms. Raspberries, too. Full-bodied with soft and round tannins. Really savory. Juicy. Drink now.” Wine Spectator 94 Points “Refined and polished yet deeply structured, with expressive red currant, dried herbs and hints of stony minerality that build tension and richness toward big but polished tannins. Drink now through 2030.” La Jota Howell Mountain Cabernet Franc 2019 750ml $119 special, 12 bottles availableWine Advocate 93 Points “Still based on Bill Smith’s original block from the 1970s, plus some additional plantings, the 2019 Cabernet Franc Howell Mountain is 100% Cabernet Franc. Gentle florals and herbal notes of bay leaf and sage appear on the nose, adding savory complexity to the black cherries and red raspberries. Medium to full-bodied, silky, fine and elegant, this is a perennial favorite, drinkable on release and for a decade or more afterward.” Mt Brave Mt Veeder Malbec 2018 750ml $79 special, 6 bottles availableWine Advocate 95 Points “Made from 100% Malbec, the 2018 Malbec Mt. Veered was aged for 22 months in oak, 34% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, the nose is flamboyantly scented of baked plums, blackberry compote and blueberry coulis with wafts of baking spices and dried Provence herbs. Full-bodied, the palate is packed with concentrated black and blue fruits, supported by firm, grainy tannins, going long, lively and with a spicy kick on the finish. 582 cases were made.” Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points “All varietal, the 2018 Malbec is terrific and well worth seeking out. Sporting a dense purple color as well as impressive notes of spiced red and blue fruits, violets, toasted bread, and herbes de Provence-like nuances, it’s medium to full-bodied, has a rounded, mouth-filling texture, and enough velvety tannins to keep it showing well for over a decade.”
Spain
“Alberto Nanclares y Prieto, Rias Baixes”
Founded by Alberto Nanclares, a former economist, after falling in love with the Albarino vines planted on his property. He was later joined by his friend Silvia Prieto, a technician and enology consultant who became an equal partner in the operation. The essence of their approach is reverence for the vineyard, from organic farming to fermentation by native yeasts: “In the winery, we respect the grapes as much as possible, we don’t use any winemaking additions besides moderate amounts of SO2.” The duo have become a phenomenon in the Spanish wine world, producing Albarinos of a quality hitherto unseen in the region, capable of aging beautifully for years. Alberto Nanclares Albarino Rias Baixas 2021 750ml $49 special, 12 bottles availableImporter’s Note “From 10 organically farmed plots, mainly in the area of Cambados, but also in Ribadumia and Portas. The vines range in age from 15 to 95 years and area all planted on decomposed granite sands. Bottled without stabilization or clarification, and with only a gentle filtration and small addition of SO2.” Alberto Nanclares Albarino A Grana 2021 750ml $54.50 special, 6 bottles availableImporter’s Note “a collaboration between Nanclares y Prieto and Adrian Guerra – the owner and Sommelier of the region’s best wine bar – Bagos. The wine comes from an old vineyard in Sanxenxo that’s planted over a rare strip of Granodiorite soil belonging to Adrian’s family. Traditionally this vineyard was always fermented and aged in old chestnut barrels, so the project began in 2016 with the purchase of a custom built 1,000L chestnut barrel intended solely for this parcel. It’s the lowest yielding of Alberto and Silvia’s sites and faces directly into the stiff ocean breezes.”
“Marques Murrieta”
Marques Murrieta Finca Ygay Reserva 2017 750ml $24 special, 36+ bottles availableMarques Murrieta Finca Ygay Reserva 2017 Case of 6 750ml bottles $138 special (you save 6 dollars per case!)James Suckling 96 Points “Incredible depth and intensity on the nose with chocolate, walnut, blackberry and wet-earth aromas. Some iodine, too. All this follows through to a full body with very silky tannins that give the wine depth and length. It’s really framed beautifully. Reserved and tight at the finish. A terrific wine for the cellar. Give this three to five years to open.”Decanter 94 Points “A great classic, with a unique Rioja character, bursting with chewy red fruits, counterpointed by minerality. Reconciling power and finesse, pleasure and style. Warm and intense. Benchmark for wines of style, high-end brands. Leaves a vibrant memory.”
Champagne
Agrapart Les 7 Crus Extra Brut NV 750ml $79 special, 6 bottles availableWine Advocate 93 Points “Based on the 2019 vintage and disgorged in April 2022, Agrapart’s NV Brut 7 Crus wafts from the glass with scents of crisp green apple, freshly baked bread, white flowers and buttery pastry. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and enveloping, it’s an ample, incisive wine, with racy acids and a saline finish. When the range begins like this, you know you’re in the presence of one of Champagne’s greatest producers.” Agrapart Terroirs Extra Brut Grand Cru NV 750ml $99 special, 6 bottles availableVinous 93 Points “The NV Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Terroirs Grand Cru is bright, punchy and full of the tension that is such an Agrapart signature. Grapefruit, mint, white pepper and crushed rocks all lend quite a bit of brilliance to this striking, sculpted Champagne. The balance and purity here is unreal, especially at this price point. The Terroirs is the hidden gem in the Agrapart range this year. Don’t miss it. Dosage is 5 grams per liter. Disgorged: May, 2021.” Agrapart Mineral Extra Brut 2015 750ml $169 special, 2 bottles availableVinous 94 points “The 2015 Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Minéral Grand Cru is bracing, taut and wiry. Crushed rocks, mint, white pepper and lemon peel drive this blend. The Minéral is especially fine in 2015. There is a bit of youthful austerity, but nothing a few years in bottle can’t take care of. The Minéral is one of the finer 2015s I have come across so far. Dosage is 3 grams per liter. Disgorged: May, 2021.”
Burgundy
Marc Colin Montrachet Grand Cru 2020 750ml $1,999 special, 2 bottles availableJasper Morris Inside Burgundy 97-99pts “Two barrels of one year old wood, racked yesterday but not sulphured. Clear noble lemon and lime. I think the racking has brought the bouquet forward: this certainly is more immediately readable than the Bâtard. Sublime, racy with such depth of character, picks out all the best bits of the preceding wines. Nothing super ripe, nothing over tense, just the correct balance at a majestic scale.” Vinous 96-98 points “The 2020 Montrachet Grand Cru, like the Bâtard-Montrachet, sees no new oak for the first time this vintage. It is strict and correct on the nose, and quite marine-driven, with oyster shells and sea spray infusing the malic fruit. The palate is beautifully composed and disarmingly harmonious, displaying a perfect line of acidity. There is real power and density on the finish, allied with wonderful freshness and tension. A supremely gifted Monty.”
Lowest Price in USA
Staff PickArterberry-Maresh and Tan Fruit
Arterberry Maresh Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard 2018 750ml $69 special, 23 bottles availableTan Fruit Oak Grove Chardonnay 2021 750ml $59 special, 24 bottles availableWe recently had the pleasure of trying some of Jim Maresh’s wines again and let me tell you, he is doing things right in the Willamette. First, the Pinot: hailing from the fifth oldest vineyard in Oregon, the 2018 Maresh Vineyard is taking on lovely savory notes of mushroom and tomato leaf underneath the luscious Cherry fruit overtones. The tannins are softening. This is already an amazing Pinot, but it will only get better from here. As good as the reds are shaping up, Jimmy’s Tan Fruit Chardonnays are blowing them out of the water right now. Starting with fruit picked slightly under-ripe (or “al dente” as he calls it) the Oak Grove Chardonnay is showing more like Cru Chablis than a new world wine. Effortless, sumptuous, and lithe, this Chardonnay features a perfect harmony of fruit, acid, and oak. The finish goes on for ages. These wines are a celebration of everything the Willamette Valley does well and are a new benchmark for the region.
Somewhere Over the Rhine-bow
Great scores from JamesSuckling.com’s resident Riesling expert Stuart Piggot!
Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Spatlese 2021 750ml $59 special, 18 bottles availableJames Suckling 99 Points “This shimmers like gold, and the succulence of this wine makes it extremely hard not to swallow, then to immediately reach for the bottle. Very dense and complex, with a level of energy that makes you wonder where it comes from and how this could be possible. Super-long finish that’s so intense and delicate. From organically grown grapes with Fair’n Green certification. Drink or hold.” -Stuart Piggot Schlossgut Diel Burgberg Riesilng GG 2020 750ml $89 special. 11 bottles availableJames Suckling 98 Points “What a beauty this 2020 dry riesling is. Nearly ideal balance of vibrant, crisp pear, yellow apple and ripe lime, together with stacks of fine tannins and elegant mineral acidity. Super-long, pristine wet-stone finish. Drink or hold.” -Stuart Piggot JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese Gold Kapsel 2020 750ml $129 special, 6 bottles availableJames Suckling 99 Points “Staggering aromatic complexity with everything from mandarin orange through fresh mint to passion fruit and mangosteen. Super-succulent yet super-refined and precise, this must be tasted to be believed. Just keeps pumping out the fruit aromas at the super-long finish, where the passion fruit freshness is totally breathtaking. Drinkable now, but best from 2023” -Stuart Pigott
Close-out Sale – Price Reductions
Domaine Du Tunnel Cornas 2018 750ml WAS $79 NOW $69 special, 31 bottles availableJeb Dunnuck 95-97 Points “Readers looking for the essence of Cornas would do well to pick up a case of the 2018 Cornas. Deep purple, with a heavenly bouquet of blueberries, raspberries, crushed violets, olives, ground pepper, and gamey meats, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a balanced, classy texture, building yet polished tannins, and a great finish. It’s a winner.” Vaglio Blanco Tupungato 2020 750ml WAS $16 NOW $14 special, 36+ bottles availableVaglio Blanco Tupungato 2020 Case of 12 750ml WAS $169 NOW $149 special, 4 bottles availableBrazos Wine Importer Note “This is a blend of 90% Chardonnay and 10% Semillon from El Peral in the Uco Valley, Mendoza. The nose is lively and bright with notes of green apple, pear, whites flowers, and a little green pea. The palate is well balanced with dense fruit and crisp acid.” Vaglio Chacra Malbec 2018 750ml WAS $16 NOW $14 special, 36+ bottles availableVaglio Chacra Malbec 2018 Case of 12 750ml bottles WAS $169 NOW $149 special, 4 bottles availableJames Suckling 93 Points “A dense, compact malbec with intense, blackberry and wet-earth character. Full body. Creamy texture. Tangy and delicious on the finish. Ends with green tobacco and tar. Excellent.” Vaglio Temple Malbec 2018 750ml WAS $16 NOW $14 special, 36+ bottles availableVaglio Temple Malbec 2018 Case of 12 750ml WAS $169 NOW $149 bottles availableJames Suckling 93 Points “This is always a delicious red with lots of crushed-berry and walnut character. Full-bodied, dense and juicy. Lots of old-vine character. Succulent.” Vatan Sancerre Clos Neore 2018 1.5L WAS $799 NOW $699 special, 3 bottles availableVinous 96 points “Clarity is a term that accurately describes the 2018 Sancerre Clos La Neore. It has a pure and intense core of fruit. But it’s not fruity. It’s a sophisticated style with a distinctive aromatic profile- chamomile tea, lemon, honey, and almond meal and an almost tonic-like edge. While showing the ripeness of the 2018 season, it retains its shape with a corset of acidity and phenolics that guide the wine on and on.” Vatan Sancerre Clos Neore 2010 750ml WAS $499 NOW $399 special, 3 bottles availableRELEASED FROM THE WINERY CELLARWine Advocate 95 Points “The Vatan 2010 Sancerre Clos la Neore is fascinatingly – indeed, almost mind-bendingly – complex, already in the nose. Musk, white truffle, citrus oils, bittersweet floral perfume, lime and tangerine, as well as fusil, chalky and maritime mineral notes associated with Kimmeridgian origins waft in a kaleidoscopically interactive array. Fresh citrus and a stony-chalky undertone take the lead on a silken-textured palate but with almost electrically charged vivacity of interaction emerging in the long, saliva-liberating finish, mirroring the wine’s remarkable aromatic show. This will be at least a twenty year keeper worthy of comparison with such memorable past vintages as 1988, 1990, or 1996, each of which has shown gloriously when tasted within the past couple of years”. Vatan Sancerre Clos Neore 2016 750ml WAS $499 NOW $389 special, 5 bottles availableVinous 98 Points “Almost Riesling-like in its firm yet fine personality, its unswerving purity and its clear translation of place … It offers exceptional concentration while being light bodied and provides a steely core of acidity, keeping the wine together and powering on.” Snowden Cabernet Brothers Vineyard Napa 2017 750ml WAS $75 NOW $66 special, 29 bottles availableVinous 93+ Points “The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Brothers Vineyard is gorgeous. In this vintage, the Brothers has a bit more tannin and overall structure than normal, but in 2017 a power outage resulted in the wine staying in tank for an extra ten days. In the end, that looks to have been a help, as the 2017 offers a terrific combination of fruit density and structure, within the mid-weight style of the year at Snowden. This is a beguiling wine that may very well turn out to be a surprise in time. Super classic, old-school, medium-bodied wine with good depth and resonance alongside notes of black cherry, leather, tobacco, licorice and gravel.”
3 Day Sale—Ends Sunday
“Riesling: How Sweet It Is… Or Isn’t?”
Auslese… Beerenauslese… Trockenbeerenauslese. If your first impulse upon hearing these words is to offer a “Gesundheit,” then you may be missing out on some of the finest and yet overlooked wines ever made. Generally speaking Auslese, Beerenauslese, and Trockenauslese which are legally required to be picked at high sugar concentrations, are sweet wines AND YET these classifications only guarantee the sugar content at picking. Some producers, such as Vinopolis favorite Markus Molitor, use different colored wine capsules to denote the dryness levels in the finished product. So even if it’s an Auslese, a White Kapsule (WK) is going to be a dry riesling with no perceptible sweetness. Green Kapsules are reserved for slightly off-dry wines and his Gold Kapsules (GK) are for truly off-dry wines with additional residual sugar and the powerful fruit flavors that accompany.
Buy any 6-11 bottles for a 5% discount
Buy any 12+ bottles for a 10% discount
Auslese or “Selected Harvest,” picked very ripe, but can be dry or sweet
JJ Prum Bernkasteler Lay Auslese LGK 2017 750ml $189 special, 4 bottles availableWine Advocate 97 Points “The 2017 Bernkasteler Lay Auslese (Long Gold Capsule), AP 18 18, is very clear, intense and generous but precise on the nose, with lots of mango, ripe peach, mirabelle and honey aromas. On the palate, this is a generously rich but refined, finessed and lush Auslese with a salty-piquant finish that is intense, complex and long. Honey-sweet but still crystalline, transparent and really kicking, this is another gorgeous 2017 Auslese from the Prüm family.” Emrich-Schonleber Halenberg Auslese Riesling 2020 750ml $66 special, 22 bottles availableJames Suckling 98 Points “Very intense, candied yellow-grapefruit nose. Super-concentrated, but the most important thing about this Auslese is the incredibly tight focus on the palate and the purity of the dried apricot and mango. Super-succulent and vibrant finish that doesn’t want to stop. Drink or hold.” Selbach-Oster Zelt Himmelreich Anrecht Auslese 2021 750ml $59 special, 12 bottles availableWine Advocate 96-97 Points “The 2021 Zeltinger Himmelreich Auslese Anrecht opens with a very clear, intense and smoky bouquet of crushed rocks with flinty and iodine notes as well as nutty and yeasty ones. Full-bodied, lush and intensely mineral on the palate, this is a pure and elegant but juicy and refined Auslese with a long, crystalline and saline, well-structured finish. Good tension, grip and length. It’s a superb Riesling of the vintage and certainly a long-distance runner.” Donnhoff Nieder Hermannshohle Auslese GK 2018 750ml $79 special, 9 bottles availableJohn Gilman 98 Points “The purity and precision of the 2018 Hermannshöhle Auslese is the stuff that legends used to be made from. The bouquet is complex and utterly refined, offering up scents of pear, white cherries, bee pollen, a touch of orange zest, lovely salinity and a mineral bath of slate. On the palate the wine is fullish, racy and utterly seamless in its balance, with great intensity of flavor, laser-like focus and truly stunning mineral drive on the backend (particularly for Auslese), with an endless and magical finish.” Molitor Ockfener Bockstein Auslese *** WK 2017 750ml $99 special, 3 bottles availableWine Advocate 98 Points “The 2017 Riesling Ockfener Bockstein Auslese *** (White Capsule) is bright, deep and elegant on the nose, with perfectly ripe white-fleshed stone fruit and pineapple scents intertwined with very fine toast aromas. This concentrated and densely textured Bockstein reveals great energy and finesse with filigreed mineral tension and lingering, mouthwatering salinity. The finish is intense and delicate at the same time. A fabulous, not really dry but dry-styled Riesling of great complexity.” Molitor Urziger Wurzgarten Auslese** WK 2017 750ml $49 special, 36+ bottles availableWine Advocate 96+ Points “Bottled with moderate 11% alcohol, the 2017 Riesling Ürziger Würzgarten Auslese ** (White Capsule) is crystalline and super precise on the clear and flinty nose that exhibits crunchy, iron-rich stone and lime zest aromas. It is lean and fresh but dense and intense on the palate, with ripe, round and concentrated Riesling fruit, some sweetness and refined acidity. This is an elegant, highly finessed and stimulating Würzgarten with a lingering, salty-piquant finish. This wine pairs its moderate alcohol level with great complexity and mineral tension. It’s a fabulous yet still very young Würzgarten of extraordinary class and style.” Molitor Urziger Wurzgarten Auslese** GK 2017 750ml $49 special, 32 bottles availableWine Advocate 97 Points “According to Markus Molitor, the 2017 Riesling Ürziger Würzgarten Auslese ** (Golden Capsule) is made from entirely healthy grapes. It displays a highly attractive bouquet of fine grapefruit and raisin aromas intermixed with flinty-crystalline slate notes. Juicy on the palate, this is a dense, sweet, intense yet piquant, highly delicate Auslese with a long, refined and salty-crunchy finish.” Molitor Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese*** WK 2019 750ml $119 special, 16 bottles availableWine Advocate 98+ Points “The 2019 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese *** (White Capsule) offers a deep, ripe and highly intense yet refined and noble bouquet of ripe (tropical) stone fruits such as mango, golden passion fruit and persimmon, finely crushed and flinty slate as well as iodine notes. This is a sustainable Sonnenuhr that I have rarely tasted with such a firm and serious structure and initial austerity. The wine has salt and tannic grip on the finish, but it has to be aged for another 8-10 years at least.” Molitor Zelt Himmelreich Auslese** Green 2016 750ml $59 special, 29 bottles availableWine Advocate 97 Points “The 2016 Riesling Zeltinger Himmelreich Auslese ** (Green Capsule) is terribly fine, pure and fresh but also perfectly ripe and rich on the nose without losing precision. Round and highly elegant on the palate, with tropical fruit flavors and just the perfect amount of sweetness, this is a great, vital Himmelreich with superb finesse, purity, mineral tension and bright fruit notes in the long and beautifully slatey finish. This is a gorgeous, exciting Riesling—very stimulating.” Molitor Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Auslese** WK 2017 750ml $66 special, 17 bottles availableWine Advocate 97 Points “From 80- to 120-year-old vines, the intensely citrus-yellow colored 2017 Riesling Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Auslese ** (White Capsule) offers an absurdly deep, highly intense, complex and concentrated bouquet with lime confit, perfectly ripe white stone fruits and flinty notes of crushed stones and lemon zest. On the palate, this is a dense, rich and powerful yet highly elegant and seamlessly textured Sonnenuhr with very fine tannins and a tightly woven structure that channels the immense power of this dry Riesling. This is one of the finest two-starred Auslesen I have tasted from Markus Molitor, and it kisses the three-star level. I can only recommend buying some cases and enjoying this beauty over the next 20 to 30 years.”
| Wine |
Price |
Bottles |
Points |
LINK |
| JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese 2020 375ml |
$41.90 |
35 |
MFW 94 |
LINK |
| JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese 2021 375ML |
$46 |
47 |
MFW 96 |
LINK |
| JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese GK 2016 375ML |
$66 |
14 |
WA 96 |
LINK |
| F Haag Juffer Sonnen Auslese Goldkapsel 2018 750ml |
$79 |
27 |
JG 96 |
LINK |
| F Haag Brauneberger Juffer Sonnen Auslese 2018 |
$49 |
27 |
JG 96+ |
LINK |
| J Christoffel Jr Erden Pralat Auslese*** 2014 750M |
$39 |
21 |
|
LINK |
| Merkelbach Kinheimer Rosenberg Auslese #12 2018 |
$29 |
27 |
JG 93+ |
LINK |
| Merkelbach Urzig Wurz Auslese #10 2018 750ml |
$39 |
22 |
JG 94 |
LINK |
| Merkelbach Urzinger Wurzgarten Auslese #7 2017 |
$33 |
25 |
MFW 93 |
LINK |
| Merkelbach Urziger Wurzgarten Auslese #8 2019 |
$36 |
21 |
MFW 94 |
LINK |
| Merkelbach Urziger Wurzgarten Auslese #9 2018 |
$39 |
33 |
JG 94+ |
LINK |
Beerenauslese or “Select Berry Harvest” – picked over-ripe, sometimes with botrytis
J Christoffel Jr Urziger Wurzgarten Beerenauslese 2005 750ml $133 special, 3 bottles availableWine Spectator 98 points “Lush, ripe Rieslings at all quality levels; acidity, though low in some, balances richness in most.” Molitor Urziger Wurzgarten Beerenauslese 2017 375ml $149 special, 8 bottles availableWine Advocate 100 Points “The 2017 Riesling Ürziger Würzgarten Beerenauslese opens with a very clear, elegant, highly aromatic and finessed bouquet of ripe tropical and domestic fruits intermixed with stony notes. On the palate, this is a lush and salty-piquant BA with great mineral vitality and lingering energy on the finish. What a filigreed, lean, finessed and light-footed sweet wine with refreshing grapefruit notes on the nose and palate. This is incredibly elegant and refined, and I can’t imagine this BA could have been done any better. It’s incredibly charming and will tickle your palate now and forever. Tasted at the domain in April 2019.” Molitor Zelt Sonnenhuhr Beerenauslese* 2018 375ml $119 special, 12 bottles availableWine Advocate 100 Points “The 2018 Riesling Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Beerenauslese * is precise, clear and highly refined on the subtle, aromatic and flinty nose that represents perfect, early botrytis. Sweet and piquant on the crystalline and salty palate, this is a pristine, perfectly round and balanced BA with great finesse and elegance. Absolutely fabulous and complete. If you like it sweet, you can already enjoy this BA, due to its finesse and balance, but I’d cellar it for 15-20 years before I’d even think of drinking it. Sold in 375-milliliter bottles. Tasted at the domain in September 2020.”
| Wine |
Price |
Bottles |
Points |
LINK |
| Crusius Schl Felsen Beerenauslese GK 2015 375ml |
$135 |
2 |
MFW 98 |
LINK |
| Molitor Kin Hubertuslay beerenauslese 2017 375ml |
$79 |
10 |
WA 99 |
LINK |
| Molitor Urzig Wurzgarten Beerenauslese 2017 375ml |
$149 |
8 |
WA 100 |
LINK |
| Molitor Zelt Sonnenhuhr Beerenauslese* 2017 375ml |
$199 |
19 |
WA 100 |
LINK |
| Molitor Zelt Sonnenhuhr Beerenauslese * 2017 750ml |
$399 |
12 |
WA 100 |
LINK |
| Selbach-Oster Schloss Beerenauslese* 2005 375ml |
$89 |
9 |
WS 98 |
LINK |
Trockenbeerenauslese- meaning “Dry Berry Selection” picked from grapes with Botrytis
Emrich-Schonleber Halenberg TBA Riesling 2018 375ml $299 special, 21 bottles availableWine Advocate 98+ Points “The 2018 Halenberg Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese is incredibly pure and aromatic on the nose where super ripe but clear peach aromas are displayed. Extremely rich and refined on the palate, this is a ripe, terribly sweet but refined, fresh and salty-piquant TBA with a stimulating finish. A fabulous wine. Tasted in July 2019.” Molitor Zelt Sonnenuhr TBA GK 2019 750ml $499 special, 12 bottles availableMolitor Zelt Sonnenuhr TBA GK 2019 375ml $249 special, 18 bottles availableWine Advocate 97 Points “The 2019 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Trockenbeerenauslese is deep, intense and flinty on the nose that exhibits clear, ripe and concentrated fruit with very fine botrytis notes intertwined with aromas of crushed slate and candied lemon rind. Round and elegant on the seamless palate, this is a rich yet finessed and elegant, super tensioned and mineral TBA with electrifying acidity and a highly stimulating finish. There are not many TBAs around that are as digestible as this one, which is really extraordinary. 6.5% alcohol. Tasted in May 2021 (AP 29 20).” Friz Haag Juffer-Sonnenuhr TBA GK 2018 375ml $419 special, 12 bottles availableJohn Gilman 95 Points “The 2018 Juffer TBA is just a bit higher in residual sugar than the Beerenauslese this year, as Oliver estimates that it is around one hundred and eighty grams per liter. This too is a gorgeous wine in the making, offering up refined bouquet of mirabelle, honey, white cherries, candied violets, citrus zest and a nice touch of saltiness from the slate. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, creamy and very long and complex, with excellent focus and grip, sound acids and a very long, pure and zesty finish. Utterly captivating and borderline criminal to spit.”
| Wine |
Price |
Bottles |
Points |
LINK |
| C.H. Berres Urziger Wurzgarten TBA 2010 375ml |
$199 |
6 |
WS 95 |
LINK |
| Karlsmuhle Lorenzhofer TBA 2007 375ml |
$99 |
23 |
WA 93+ |
LINK |
| Muller-Catoir Herzog Rieslaner TBA 2018 375ml |
$99 |
47 |
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SALE ENDS SUNDAY @6PM
Burgundy’s Best: Noir Edition
Barthod Chambolle Musigny Les Cras 2019 1.5L $879 special, 1 bottle availableWine Advocate 96 Points “The 2019 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Cras is similarly compelling, soaring from the glass with aromas of red berries, exotic spices, orange rind, musk and rose petals. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated and tightly wound, with a deep and vibrant core of fruit that’s framed by fine, powdery tannins, it concludes with a long, penetrating and intensely mineral finish. This is a magical Chambolle-Musigny worth a special effort to seek out.” Coche-Dury Hospices Cuvee Chaudron Pommard 2019 750ml $799 special, 1 bottle availableBurghound 90 points “An attractively fresh nose is comprised by notes of both red and dark currant, earth and a whiff of oak. The medium weight flavors possess reasonably good underlying tension and complexity though the finish, while reasonably persistent, is slightly drying. There are aspects to admire but it would be fair to say that the balance isn’t quite completely dialed in. In sum, this is good but not really distinguished.” Faiveley “Clos de La Roche” Grand Cru 2016 750ml $299 special, 5 bottles availableImporter’s Note “From one of the four Grands Crus of the Morey-Saint-Denis commune. 13.41 hectares (33 acres) is the total vineyard area of the Clos under production. Limestone dominates in the Clos de la Roche, where the soil is barely 30 cm. (12 inches) deep with few pebbles but with large boulders which give the climat its name.” Faiveley Mazis Chambertin 2019 750ml $419 special, 5 bottles availableWine Advocate 93-95+ Points “Wild and brooding, Faiveley’s 2019 Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru wafts from the glass with aromas of smoked meats, spices, wild berries and forest floor. Full-bodied, layered and sapid, it’s broad and muscular, with a deep core of fruit and youthfully chalky tannins. This is a serious Mazis built for the long haul.” Jean-Marc Millot Clos Vougeot “Grand Maupertuis” Grand Cru 2015 750ml $249 special, 2 bottles availableJean-Marc Millot Clos Vougeot “Grand Maupertuis” Grand Cru 2016 750ml $249 special, 2 bottles availableImporter’s Note “Jean-Marc Millot has been growing grapes and making estate bottled wines since 1992. With an amazing lineup of vineyards under his name, including 3 Grand Crus (Echezeaux, Grands Echezeaux, and Clos de Vougeot), it was clear this domaine was headed towards greatness. It wasn’t until his daughter, Alix, arrived in 2014 and took on the full grape growing and winemaking responsibilities that this greatness was achieved. The wines have that rare ability to provide immediate carnal pleasure, while having the stuffing to age for decades. This is truly one of the most exciting domaines in Burgundy.” Hubert Lignier Clos de La Roche 2018 750ml $519 special, 2 bottles availableHubert Lignier Clos de La Roche 2018 1.5L $1049 special, 1 bottles availableDecanter 96 Points “Laurent Lignier uses 0.8ha of his two holdings in the climats of Les Fremières and Monts Luisants to produce this refined expression of Clos de la Roche. Savoury and sweet, with 30% whole clusters adding aromatic spices and extra structure in 2018, this is graceful, subtle and concentrated with palate-caressing summer berry fruit and refreshing palate length. Drinking Window 2026 – 2036.” Wine Advocate 95+ Points “Revisited in bottle, Lignier’s 2018 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru lives up to its fine performance in barrel, wafting from the glass with aromas of dark berries, cherries and orange rind mingled with truffle, espresso roast, loamy soil and dark chocolate. Full-bodied, concentrated and seamless, it’s layered and vibrant, with a deep core of pure fruit that largely conceals impressive reserves of fine, powdery tannins. Concluding with a long and saline finish, it will merit and reward at least a dozen years’ patience, likely hitting its stride around age 20.” Hubert Lignier Griotte Chambertin 2017 750ml $519 special, 1 bottle availableBurghound 91-93 Points “There is much more moderate oak influence framing the cool and perfumed nose that offers up essence of various red berries and floral nuances along with a hint of the sauvage. The well-detailed and solidly concentrated flavors possess fine size and weight as well as plenty of sleek muscle and minerality on the stylish and classy finish. This is built to age yet it’s not so structured that it couldn’t be approached after a few years of bottle age.” Louis Latour Romanee St Vivant Journaux 2016 750ml $599 special, 3 bottles availableJames Suckling 100 Points “This is a grand cru that shows its intensity and complexity and greatness from the beginning. Blackberry, licorice and stone aromas. Full body and a center palate that shows ripe fruit and full richness. Then the tannins kick in. Great wine. Drink in 2024.” Montille Vosne-Romanee 1er Malconsorts 2017 1.5L $949 special, 1 bottle availableDecanter 95 Points “The de Montille Malconsorts has lightened up in 2017, which may be a vintage thing. This is less oaky and chewy than some of its predecessors. The 100% whole bunches are very well done, adding some savoury, sappy notes to the layered red and black fruits, with floral top-notes wafting above the surface.” Hudelot Noellat Vosne Romanee Beaux Monts 2019 $469 special, 5 bottles availableVinous 94-96 Points “The 2019 Vosne-Romanée Les Beaumonts 1er Cru is well defined on the nose, a mixture of red and black fruit displaying fine mineralité and tension. The palate races out of the blocks with fine structure and delineation, and again, superb mineralité; palpable tension propels it through to the finish. You can almost feel the rock that lies just 20cm under the soil of this vineyard. Outstanding.” Ponsot Clos de La Roche Vieilles Vignes 2016 750ml $799 special, 4 bottles availableWine Advocate 97 Points “The 2016 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru Cuvée Vieilles Vignes is superb, bursting from the glass with aromas of juicy cherries, peonies, blood orange, licorice, raw cocoa and espresso roast. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, deep and succulent, with a concentrated, layered mid-palate, satiny structuring tannins and vibrant underlying acidity, concluding with a long finish. Harvested on October 7 at a comparatively high yield by Ponsot’s standards of 38 hectoliters per hectare, this year seems to have been perfectly adapted to Ponsot’s style. Vibrant, elegant and expressive, the 2016 is quite different from the richer, more powerful 2015, but in the fullness of time, I wouldn’t be surprised to see it surpassing its brawnier elder sibling.” Domaine Ponsot Corton Bressandes 2013 750ml $449 special, 4 bottles availableJancis Robinson 18/20 Points “Mid crimson. Very expressive nose and savoury. Lip smacking and hugely appetising with its medium weight of red-fruit flavours – pomegranate? – and bone-dry finish. Most attractive. Great balance and very neat finish.”
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