In This Newsletter:
The Incomparable Gobelsburg Tradition
New Week – New Arrivals
New Arrival From Fèlsina:
A Tuscan Treasure
Napa Wines: The Best in the West
New Arrival Special Feature:
The Incomparable Gobelsburg Tradition
The Incomparable Gobelsburg Tradition
“The ‘Tradition’ wines are an ode to the winemaking style being employed at Gobelsburg in the early 19th century – specifically the years between 1800 and 1850. This period is characterised by the era of baroque, where intense aromatisation in vinfication was being practiced.” – Winery note
We wine industry nerds love to talk of wines as “hands off” in style or made “in the vineyard.” Yet these platitudes ignore that, lest the grapes be left for the birds, human intervention is required to make the liquid in your glass. Though the soil, climate, season, and vines bless us with their fruits, it is the labor of many hands that craft them into wine.
Perhaps by running away from industrial wine, we have allowed the pendulum to swing too far in the other direction. We reach back for an idyllic that never was. We reject the ulta-processed by utterly invalidating the role of the winemaker. This leaves us mired in falsehoods and fantasy, conflating taint with terroir. We need a middle way.
Michael Moosbrugger of Schloss Gobelsburg offers us a perfectly timed response to our post-industrial floundering with the greatest iteration of his Tradition wines to date. He offers us a glimpse at the Romantic era concept of wine making. This approach sees the winemaker as the teacher of the wines, whose role is to raise them to their full potential as they move from fermenation to out the cellar door. We could not ask for a finer guide than this unassuming Austrian. Those familiar with his Tradition line know that the wines are made in homage to techniques meticulously recorded over centuries by the monks. Like all great teachers, he grows along with his students, learning from his pupils just as much as from the dusty documents.
His latest releases are the 3 Years, 10 Years, and 50 Years. These wines whole-heartedly embrace the Romantic winemaking style of the past, through the knowledge Moosbrugger has honed over twenty-five years studying the ancient vines, crafting their wines, and delving into the records of the monastery:
“To create the blend, many bottles of the wine library were opened, tasted and decanted into small vessels that were then, little by little, blended into a cuvée. ‘It demands a clarity of vision and long years of experience with the wines of the Danube River region to compose a cuvée of this style… The different soils and the various grape varieties demand an understanding of their nature and their functionality in a blend, in order to create a wine like this.'” -Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate
Nothing can compare to his work, mission, or resulting wines. To paraphrase Stephan Reinhardt of the Wine Advocate, they are unlike any other. Yet these are not exceptional in funky and inscrutable ways. These are simply in a class above and apart from all others, as striking in their elegance and complexity as they are in their ability to move both your mind and soul.
“There is no wine on this planet that is similar in style.” -Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate
Newly Arrived from Gobelsburg:
Schloss Gobelsburg Tradition Heritage Cuvee 3 Year, Niederosterreich 750ml $59 special, 18 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 96 points “The NV Tradition Heritage Cuvée 3 Years Edition 850 is a multi-vintage blend based on the 2018 vintage combined with the 2016 Renner and the 2016 Gaisberg. The inaugural bottling displays a golden-yellow color along with a rich, highly refined and flinty bouquet of great complexity, intensity and charm. Nothing reductive here—this is as seductive as Tannhäuser’s Venusberg, and there is nothing but temptation due to some Traminer-like aromas. Enormously rich and refined on the palate, this is an intense and powerful yet also substantial white of great complexity, grip and tension. The texture is almost oily but mineral-vital and elegant, whereas the unity of fine mineral acidity and tannin structure develops a spectacularly long finish that intermediately made me think of a Sporen Alsace Grand Cru. This is a sustainable cuvée whose parts were racked every six months from one cask to another. Tasted at the domaine in June and again in July and August 2021.”
Schloss Gobelsburg Tradition Heritage Cuvee 10 Year, Niederosterreich 750ml $179 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 98 points “Based on 2010 Renner Grüner Veltliner, with a 5% part of Gaisberg Riesling, the intensely yellow-colored NV Tradition Heritage Cuvée 10 Years Edition 850 offers a deep, pure, intense, concentrated, beautifully aromatic, spicy-floral and Traminer-like bouquet of white and yellow stone fruits, yellow rose petals as well as cloves, wax and refreshing flinty aromas. Rich, intense and highly elegant on the beautifully balanced and aromatic palate, this is a pure, vital, finessed and salty-mineral as well as tensioned and sustainable cuvée with a young, still tannic texture and remarkable oak and nougat flavors. This finely tannic 10 Years cuvée seems to be much younger and bottled from smaller barrels than the “3 years edition” sibling. There is no wine on this planet that is similar in style. The fruit is Austrian, very charming and irresistible, but the structure and texture builds the bridge to France—or more precisely Alsace and Burgundy, regions that Michael Moosbrugger adores but never would try to copy. Tasted at the domain in June and again at home in July and August 2021.”
We wine industry nerds love to talk of wines as “hands off” in style or made “in the vineyard.” Yet these platitudes ignore that, lest the grapes be left for the birds, human intervention is required to make the liquid in your glass. Though the soil, climate, season, and vines bless us with their fruits, it is the labor of many hands that craft them into wine.
Perhaps by running away from industrial wine, we have allowed the pendulum to swing too far in the other direction. We reach back for an idyllic that never was. We reject the ulta-processed by utterly invalidating the role of the winemaker. This leaves us mired in falsehoods and fantasy, conflating taint with terroir. We need a middle way.
Michael Moosbrugger of Schloss Gobelsburg offers us a perfectly timed response to our post-industrial floundering with the greatest iteration of his Tradition wines to date. He offers us a glimpse at the Romantic era concept of wine making. This approach sees the winemaker as the teacher of the wines, whose role is to raise them to their full potential as they move from fermenation to out the cellar door. We could not ask for a finer guide than this unassuming Austrian. Those familiar with his Tradition line know that the wines are made in homage to techniques meticulously recorded over centuries by the monks. Like all great teachers, he grows along with his students, learning from his pupils just as much as from the dusty documents.
His latest releases are the 3 Years, 10 Years, and 50 Years. These wines whole-heartedly embrace the Romantic winemaking style of the past, through the knowledge Moosbrugger has honed over twenty-five years studying the ancient vines, crafting their wines, and delving into the records of the monastery:
“To create the blend, many bottles of the wine library were opened, tasted and decanted into small vessels that were then, little by little, blended into a cuvée. ‘It demands a clarity of vision and long years of experience with the wines of the Danube River region to compose a cuvée of this style… The different soils and the various grape varieties demand an understanding of their nature and their functionality in a blend, in order to create a wine like this.'” -Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate
Nothing can compare to his work, mission, or resulting wines. To paraphrase Stephan Reinhardt of the Wine Advocate, they are unlike any other. Yet these are not exceptional in funky and inscrutable ways. These are simply in a class above and apart from all others, as striking in their elegance and complexity as they are in their ability to move both your mind and soul.
“There is no wine on this planet that is similar in style.” -Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate
Newly Arrived from Gobelsburg:
Schloss Gobelsburg Tradition Heritage Cuvee 3 Year, Niederosterreich 750ml $59 special, 18 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 96 points “The NV Tradition Heritage Cuvée 3 Years Edition 850 is a multi-vintage blend based on the 2018 vintage combined with the 2016 Renner and the 2016 Gaisberg. The inaugural bottling displays a golden-yellow color along with a rich, highly refined and flinty bouquet of great complexity, intensity and charm. Nothing reductive here—this is as seductive as Tannhäuser’s Venusberg, and there is nothing but temptation due to some Traminer-like aromas. Enormously rich and refined on the palate, this is an intense and powerful yet also substantial white of great complexity, grip and tension. The texture is almost oily but mineral-vital and elegant, whereas the unity of fine mineral acidity and tannin structure develops a spectacularly long finish that intermediately made me think of a Sporen Alsace Grand Cru. This is a sustainable cuvée whose parts were racked every six months from one cask to another. Tasted at the domaine in June and again in July and August 2021.”
Schloss Gobelsburg Tradition Heritage Cuvee 10 Year, Niederosterreich 750ml $179 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 98 points “Based on 2010 Renner Grüner Veltliner, with a 5% part of Gaisberg Riesling, the intensely yellow-colored NV Tradition Heritage Cuvée 10 Years Edition 850 offers a deep, pure, intense, concentrated, beautifully aromatic, spicy-floral and Traminer-like bouquet of white and yellow stone fruits, yellow rose petals as well as cloves, wax and refreshing flinty aromas. Rich, intense and highly elegant on the beautifully balanced and aromatic palate, this is a pure, vital, finessed and salty-mineral as well as tensioned and sustainable cuvée with a young, still tannic texture and remarkable oak and nougat flavors. This finely tannic 10 Years cuvée seems to be much younger and bottled from smaller barrels than the “3 years edition” sibling. There is no wine on this planet that is similar in style. The fruit is Austrian, very charming and irresistible, but the structure and texture builds the bridge to France—or more precisely Alsace and Burgundy, regions that Michael Moosbrugger adores but never would try to copy. Tasted at the domain in June and again at home in July and August 2021.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Schloss Gobelsburg Tradition Heritage Cuvee 50 Year, Niederosterreich 1.5L $449 special, 3 magnums in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 98 points “Intensely golden-yellow in color, the NV Tradition Heritage Cuvée 50 Years Edition 850 blends several grape varieties and a wide range of vintages from the last 50 years, starting with the 1970 vintage. The nose opens precise, lean and fresh, with bright and spicy fruit and flinty notes. On the palate, this treasure is crystalline, tight, reductive and very elegant, with a long and tensioned finish. This Jubilee edition reveals remarkable finesse and grip and represents the historical spirit and substance of the castle. Due to the matured wines from the 1970s and 1980s, this is a leaner, more filigreed style than the newer assemblages that contain only barrel-stored reserve wines from the Michael Moosbrugger era. The wine is doubtlessly very impressive. To create the blend, many bottles of the wine library were opened, tasted and decanted into small vessels that were then, little by little, blended into a cuvée. ‘It demands a clarity of vision and long years of experience with the wines of the Danube River region to compose a cuvée of this style,’ says Moosbrugger. ‘The different soils and the various grape varieties demand an understanding of their nature and their functionality in a blend, in order to create a wine like this.’
“Thirty-three percent of the cuvée is from vintages of the most recent decade (2011, 2013, 2014 and 2017), 37% from 2000, 2002-2005, 2007 and 2009), 7% from the 1990s (1991, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1998, 1999), 12% from the 1980s (1980, 1981-1984, 1986, 1987, 1989) and 11% from the 1970s (1970, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1977 and 1979). As Michael Moosbrugger says, ‘The Jubilee cuvée combines 25 years of monastic culture with 25 years of modern wine culture.’ (Moosbrugger started at Schloss Gobelsburg in 1996, so exactly 25 years ago.) Grape varieties are not really important here, but to make history complete, here they are: Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, Grüner Sylvaner, Muskat Sylvaner (Sauvignon Blanc), Riesling Sylvaner (Müller-Thurgau), Welschriesling, Muskat Ottonen, Trainer and Muskateller (Muscat à petit grains). Tasted in June and September 2021.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
New Week – New Arrivals
Oregon
Ross & Bee Maloof ‘Where Ya PJ’s At’, Willamette Valley 2021 750ml $24 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Distributor note “Get into those soft pants and pour a glass! Is it orange wine? Yes. Is it pink? Also, yes. The Maloofs call it “rosé-ish.” I call it tasty-sunshine-I’m-done-for-the-day wine (it’s a mouthful, but it’s true). [Love ya, Chris!] Winemaking – 80% Skin contact Pinot Gris 15% Direct pressed, barrel fermented riesling 5% Skin contact Schönburger. All of the Pinot Gris lots were fermented in open top fermenters on the skins with daily punch downs until dry (20 days on average). About 20% of each lot of pinot gris was fermented carbonically in sealed containers, for the same length of time as the open top ferments. The two methods from each vineyard were pressed off together, and then moved into neutral french oak. Riesling was fermented and aged in neutral oak barrels. Schonbürger was fermented on the skins until dry (18 days), and then pressed and aged in neutral french oak. All of the lots were blended in the early spring, and bottled unfined and unfiltered in late March. 30ppm total added sulfur. Additional Notes: This is sort of a “rosé” for us. As you’ll see on the back of the bottle it states “rose-ish”. We wanted to have the playfulness and functionality of a rosé without actually using any red fruit. Whether you call it white wine, orange wine, or rose, Where ya PJs at?, cause this thing is a slumber party!”
Statera Cellars Chardonnay Petillant Naturel, Willamette Valley 2021 750ml $29 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Winery note “Each year we make a Chardonnay Pet Nat and it is always one of our favorites. We bottled this wine that was fermented in 50% neutral French oak and 50% tank until it was just about dry. We then racked it all into one large tank and dropped the temperature down to stop fermentation so we could bottle after harvest. Once we were ready, we raised the temperature back up and allowed the wine to kick off, finally bottling it while it was still fermenting and had 11 g/L residual sugar. The result is salty, delicious, and quaffable bubbles.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Sommelier by night and winemaker by day (wait, isn’t that supposed to be reversed?), Matty Coltson wowed us last week with his cheekily named Ramato wine from the illustrious Momtazi Vineyard. The white blend is no slouch, either, merrily marrying lush fruit with zippy acidity into a fun and friendly wine.
Colston Biblio ‘Smalls’ Early Muscat – Pinot Blanc, Willamette Valley 2020 750ml $28 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Winery note “55% Early Muscat / 45% Pinot Blanc. Smalls is inspired by time spent traveling through Alsace, eating spargel and tarte flambée, and dedicated to an old friend who helped me along my journey towards winemaking. Its perfect balance of floral aromatics, acidity, and texture make it very food-friendly but a refreshing aperitif of its own. The Early Muscat was planted on its own roots in the late ’70s and is sustainably dry-farmed with care. The Pinot Blanc comes from the legendary Momtazi Estate which is Demeter certified Bio-Dynamic.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Colston Biblio “Tomato Ramato” Momtazi Vineyard Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley 2020 750ml $29 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Winery note “A slight departure from the 2018 wine, with a complete focus on Pinot Gris, macerated on its skins as a singular variety and expression of Momtazi Vineyard. While it’s quite distinctive in its youth with its tannic structure, light body, and the savory, tea-like impression it leaves, something I learned from the 2018 vintage was that this wine truly benefits from some cellaring. A wine for food, this Ramato works with everything with a little fattiness to it. The tannins love something unctuous to squeeze its grip on to: pizza or braised meats, mushroom tart, BBQ, Toulouse sausage, and certainly duck confit. Demeter certified bio-dynamic grapes farmed by Moe Momtazi.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
White Walnut Estate Dundee Hills Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2021 750ml $44 special, 24 bottles in stock now
No reviews for the 2021 vintage. 2019 review provided for reference.
Wine Enthusiast 94 points “Sweet cherry fruit along with blood orange and raspberry jam are all highlights here. It’s front loaded, full flavored, fruity and delicious. But along with the fruit are supporting tannins and a wreath of pine needles trailing a lingering finish. -Paul Gregutt”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Italy
Azienda Vitivinicola Tiberio Trebbiano d’Abruzzo 2021 750ml $19 special, 34 bottles in stock now
Vinous 90+ points “The 2021 Trebbiano d’Abruzzo is intense yet fresh with vivid peach and young mango giving way to mint and white flowers. This washes across the palate with mineral intensity and pure orchard fruits, yet it comes across as round and soothing in feel. A salty flourish lingers, along with hints of lime, as the 2021 tapers off long and sapid. While not a wine for the ages, Cristiana Tiberio did a fabulous job dealing with the warm and dry conditions of the year. 2022 – 2025”
Azienda Vitivinicola Tiberio Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2020 750ml $19 special, 32 bottles in stock now
Vinous – Eric Guido 92+ points “The dreamy 2020 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo seduces with a classic bouquet of crushed rocks, violets, lavender, hints of blood orange and nuanced strawberry fruits. It envelopes the palate with textural, ripe wild berries that give way to a caking of minerality that creates a crunchy feel toward the close. Elegant to the very end, the 2020 finishes lightly structured with concentration, yet also dazzling floral perfumes that linger impossibly long. This is simply stunning and a perfectly complete Montepulciano.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Castello di Ama ‘Castello di Ama’ – ‘Ama’, Chianti Classico DOCG 2020 750ml $28 special, 36 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 93 points “A fresh and composed red with blackcurrant and blueberry aromas with minerals and citrus underneath. It’s medium-bodied with fine tannins and a racy, long finish. Drink or hold.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Germany
Selbach-Oster Graacher Domprobst Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Mosel 2020 750ml $45 special, 18 bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott 95 points “Expansive yet very precise, exotic-fruit nose. Powerful and concentrated, though only medium-bodied, with so many subtle mineral and exotic-fruit nuances. Very long finish. Drink or hold.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs 2019 750ml $41.90 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott 94 points “This has the mandarin and yeasty aromas from long fermentation, but with some aeration, mirabelle and quince notes develop. A powerful dry wine that retains the classic Mosel vitality and crispness. Long, intense mineral finish. Better from 2021.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Spain
CVNE Vinedos del Contino ‘Contino’ Blanco, Rioja DOCa 2017 750ml $49 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 92 points “Limpid yellow. Vibrant Anjou pear and tangerine aromas show very good clarity and pick up suggestions of buttered toast, honey and chamomile with air. Juicy and broad on the palate, offering ripe citrus and orchard fruit flavors that slowly tighten up and take on a floral nuance with aeration. A vanilla flourish sweetens the finish, which hangs on with strong, spicy tenacity.”
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 91 points “The white 2017 Blanco is one of the first wines from winemaker Jorge Navascues to see the light. It’s a blend of Viura with some 10% Garnacha Blanca that was destemmed and put through a three-hour cold soak. Only half of the wine matured in new 400- and 500-liter oak barrels, and the other half was kept in stainless steel for ten months. The wine is quite fresh and fruit-driven, with waxy apples and some aromatic herbs, with some restrain and not really exuberant, with the oak in the background. The palate is very tasty, the flavors are well-defined, and the finish is dry and a bit salty. There is brightness and freshness, and I think it should evolve nicely in bottle. 14,000 bottles and some larger formats were filled in November 2018.”
CVNE Vinedos del Contino ‘Contino’ Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2016 750ml $44.50 special, 12 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 97 points “This is so powerful and tightly wound with so much intensity and power. Full body. Crushed berries and hints of walnuts and cedar. Purity in fruit. Very subtle character, but great tension and richness. Drink after 2021”
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 94+ points “The renewed classical red 2016 Reserva was produced as a blend of 85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo. It fermented in small stainless steel and concrete vats and matured in 225-liter French (80%) and American (20%) oak barrels for 18 months. It has a very expressive nose, open, aromatic and showy, a little Rhône-ish. 2016 was a cooler year and they had a long harvest, and it seems like the fruit ripened thoroughly without excess. It’s a natural continuation of the 2015, when the wine already had more freshness and better integrated oak. It has a full body and some dusty tannins, finishing dry and tasty. It’s ready to drink. There were 281,389 bottles and 3,000 magnums produced. It was bottled in May 2019.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 93 points “Brilliant violet. Highly perfumed aromas of ripe cherry, blueberry, candied rose and incense are complemented by vanilla and woodsmoke nuances that build in the glass. Sweet and pliant on the palate, offering sappy black and blue fruit liqueur and spicecake flavors and a hint of smokiness. Lingers with strong tenacity on the finish, which features a repeating blue fruit note and steadily building tannins.”
CVNE Vinedos del Contino ‘Contino’ Gran Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2016 750ml $59 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 91 points “A graceful red, well-defined by sleek, taut tannins and bright citrus peel acidity, this is tightly meshed at first but notes of black raspberry, cherry reduction, eucalyptus, graphite and anise unfurl on the palate and linger on the finish. Tempranillo, Graciano, Grenache and Viura. Drink now through 2030. 2,147 cases made, 300 cases imported.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Greece
Kontozisis Vineyards ‘Sun’ Malagousia PGI Karditsa, Thessalia 2021 750ml $27 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Importer note “Bright yellow-green color, with an aromatic bouquet of floral notes, herbs like sage, white-flesh fruits, and mellon, and a pleasant aromatic palate with flowers and citrus, characterized by its perfect balance between its acidity and oily-texture.”
Organic certified, native yeast
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Thank you from the team at Vinopolis!
Be well & drink well.
Be well & drink well.
New Arrival From Fèlsina:
A Tuscan Treasure
A Tuscan Treasure
Situated in the province of Siena in the Chianti Classico appellation of Tuscany, the Fèlsina farm was acquired by Domenico Poggiali in the mid-1960’s. Fèlsina’s scope goes far beyond being just a wine estate as it is actually a full agricultural operation including the production of olive oil.
Domenico and his family have focused on the modernization, expansion and commercial growth of the farm and its vineyards while preserving the tradition of the estate. With their ownership of the historical Pagliarese estate, they have expanded their portfolio to include wines from iconic vineyards.
Newly Arrived from Felsina:
Felsina Berardenga Fontalloro Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2019 750ml $62.50 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
James Suckling 96 points “A fresh and crunchy Fontalloro with currants, orange peel and hints of peaches and cedar. Medium body, firm and fine tannins and a crisp and bright finish. Lots of energy and verticality to this! Drink after 2025.”
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2019 Fontalloro is terrific. In this vintage, the blend of three vineyards is a plus in giving a wine endowed with density, resonance and plenty of Sangiovese character. Dried herbs, leather, incense, tobacco and cedar open with time in the glass.”
Highlights In Stock Now:
Don’t miss the 2018s, which capture the grace and immense pleasure of the vintage (to paraphrase Antonio Galloni) with the “power and breadth” that most others lack.
Fèlsina Berardenga Rancia, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2018 750ml $49 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Fèlsina Berardenga Rancia, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2018 750ml $285 special (that’s only $47.50/bottle!)
Case-12 Fèlsina Berardenga Rancia, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2018 750ml $549 special (that’s only $45.75/bottle!)
Fèlsina Berardenga Rancia, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2018 1.5L $115 special, 10 magnums in stock now
Antonio Galloni 97 points “The 2018 Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia is an absolutely stunning wine. The archetype of Rancia in the past has been of a big, potent Chianti Classico but in 2018, Rancia is a wine of mind-blowing elegance and finesse. Silky, perfumed and indescribably finessed, the 2018 dazzles from start to finish. It’s a magical wine in every way.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2018 is an unusual vintage that shows an especially austere character. Off the bat, it must be said that the Fèlsina 2018 Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia would certainly benefit from more cellar time and a long drinking window. The Rancia is elegant and streamlined with a medium-bodied style that breaks from some of the more concentrated vintages we’ve seen in the past. The bouquet reveals a lot of dark or black character with blackcurrant, tar, resin, iron ore and a dusty hint of dry graham cracker (which reminds us of the vintage heat). Structurally, the wine offers a solid and firm footing, but it would benefit from further evolution.”
Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG, Tuscany 2018 750ml $29.50 special, 28 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 94 points “This is a very solid, full-bodied riserva with firm and chewy yet fine-grained tannins that are nicely layered and intense. Very drinkable now, but a year or two of bottle age will soften it. Drink or hold.”
Antonio Galloni 93+ points “The 2018 Chianti Classico Riserva is a powerful, brooding wine. Readers will have to be patient with the 2018, as it needs time to soften. The tannins are especially potent today. Time brings out a whole range of black cherry, plum, gravel, spice, game and leather notes. The Riserva spent 16 months in oak of various sizes.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 93 points “Sporting broad shoulders and a brawny texture, the 2018 Chianti Classico Riserva Berardenga is one of those wines that you can drink throughout the entire meal from antipasto, to pasta to the meat dish. This Riserva offers dark fruit, ripe cherry, plum and soft concentration throughout. Its ample textual fiber is loosened up and refreshed by the pretty vein of crisp acidity that is so characteristic of Sangiovese.”
Wine Spectator 93 points “Dusty tannins set the stage for this cherry and wild herb-inflected red. Boasts plenty of fruit, orange zest and iron, yet still has to reveal all its charms. Compact finish in the end, but be patient. Best from 2024 through 2042. 5,833 cases made. — BS”
Pagliarese Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG, Tuscany 2018 750ml $31.90 special, 34 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2018 Chianti Classico Riserva is another gorgeous old-school wine from Pagliarese. Black cherry, cloves, licorice, leather and woodsmoke give the 2018 its distinctive, somber feel. This dense, super-expressive Riserva certainly has tons of character. Tasting the 2018 is like stepping back in time thirty years.”
Shop all 200+ Tuscan wines in stock now on our web store now!
Domenico and his family have focused on the modernization, expansion and commercial growth of the farm and its vineyards while preserving the tradition of the estate. With their ownership of the historical Pagliarese estate, they have expanded their portfolio to include wines from iconic vineyards.
Newly Arrived from Felsina:
Felsina Berardenga Fontalloro Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2019 750ml $62.50 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
James Suckling 96 points “A fresh and crunchy Fontalloro with currants, orange peel and hints of peaches and cedar. Medium body, firm and fine tannins and a crisp and bright finish. Lots of energy and verticality to this! Drink after 2025.”
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2019 Fontalloro is terrific. In this vintage, the blend of three vineyards is a plus in giving a wine endowed with density, resonance and plenty of Sangiovese character. Dried herbs, leather, incense, tobacco and cedar open with time in the glass.”
Highlights In Stock Now:
Don’t miss the 2018s, which capture the grace and immense pleasure of the vintage (to paraphrase Antonio Galloni) with the “power and breadth” that most others lack.
Fèlsina Berardenga Rancia, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2018 750ml $49 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Fèlsina Berardenga Rancia, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2018 750ml $285 special (that’s only $47.50/bottle!)
Case-12 Fèlsina Berardenga Rancia, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2018 750ml $549 special (that’s only $45.75/bottle!)
Fèlsina Berardenga Rancia, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2018 1.5L $115 special, 10 magnums in stock now
Antonio Galloni 97 points “The 2018 Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia is an absolutely stunning wine. The archetype of Rancia in the past has been of a big, potent Chianti Classico but in 2018, Rancia is a wine of mind-blowing elegance and finesse. Silky, perfumed and indescribably finessed, the 2018 dazzles from start to finish. It’s a magical wine in every way.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2018 is an unusual vintage that shows an especially austere character. Off the bat, it must be said that the Fèlsina 2018 Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia would certainly benefit from more cellar time and a long drinking window. The Rancia is elegant and streamlined with a medium-bodied style that breaks from some of the more concentrated vintages we’ve seen in the past. The bouquet reveals a lot of dark or black character with blackcurrant, tar, resin, iron ore and a dusty hint of dry graham cracker (which reminds us of the vintage heat). Structurally, the wine offers a solid and firm footing, but it would benefit from further evolution.”
Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG, Tuscany 2018 750ml $29.50 special, 28 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 94 points “This is a very solid, full-bodied riserva with firm and chewy yet fine-grained tannins that are nicely layered and intense. Very drinkable now, but a year or two of bottle age will soften it. Drink or hold.”
Antonio Galloni 93+ points “The 2018 Chianti Classico Riserva is a powerful, brooding wine. Readers will have to be patient with the 2018, as it needs time to soften. The tannins are especially potent today. Time brings out a whole range of black cherry, plum, gravel, spice, game and leather notes. The Riserva spent 16 months in oak of various sizes.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 93 points “Sporting broad shoulders and a brawny texture, the 2018 Chianti Classico Riserva Berardenga is one of those wines that you can drink throughout the entire meal from antipasto, to pasta to the meat dish. This Riserva offers dark fruit, ripe cherry, plum and soft concentration throughout. Its ample textual fiber is loosened up and refreshed by the pretty vein of crisp acidity that is so characteristic of Sangiovese.”
Wine Spectator 93 points “Dusty tannins set the stage for this cherry and wild herb-inflected red. Boasts plenty of fruit, orange zest and iron, yet still has to reveal all its charms. Compact finish in the end, but be patient. Best from 2024 through 2042. 5,833 cases made. — BS”
Pagliarese Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG, Tuscany 2018 750ml $31.90 special, 34 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2018 Chianti Classico Riserva is another gorgeous old-school wine from Pagliarese. Black cherry, cloves, licorice, leather and woodsmoke give the 2018 its distinctive, somber feel. This dense, super-expressive Riserva certainly has tons of character. Tasting the 2018 is like stepping back in time thirty years.”
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Napa Wines: The Best in the West
Anakota Helena Montana Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Knights Valley 2018 750ml $135 special, 13 bottles in stock now
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate 97+ points “Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Montana Vineyard spent 12 months in 100% new French oak. Deep garnet-purple in color, it bursts from the glass with bold scents of fresh blackberries, black currants and mulberries plus suggestions of cedar chest, pencil lead, iron ore and truffles, with emerging wafts of crushed rocks and charcoal. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers firm, grainy, exquisitely ripe tannins and seamless freshness supporting layer upon layer of black fruits, finishing on a long-lingering fragrant earth note.”
Jeb Dunnuck 97 points “The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Montana Vineyard hails from a single vineyard in Knights Valley located at 950 feet in elevation. It has a brilliant nose of savory red and black currants, dried herbs, saddle leather, and tobacco, with a decidedly Bordeaux-like vibe in both its aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied and nicely concentrated, with ripe tannins on the palate, this is a serious, captivating, incredibly impressive Cabernet that will shine for at least two decades. You could put this beauty in a lineup of First Growth Bordeaux and it would do just fine.”
Bond Vecina, Napa Valley 2003 750ml Was $399, Now $379 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Robert Parker 96+ points (in 2013) “The vineyard closest to the great Harlan Estate is Vecina, situated in the western foothills on the Oakville Crossroad overlooking the valley. From this 11-acre site, the 2003 Vecina comes closest in style to Harlan Estate, appearing like a hypothetical blend of a St. Estephe and Pauillac. A formidable wine, it reveals plenty of new saddle leather, creme de cassis, scorched earth and volcanic-like characteristics in addition to notes of blackberries, Chinese black tea and graphite. Powerful, intense and backward, it needs 2-5 years of bottle age and should last for two decades thereafter. It is a tour de force in winemaking!”
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate 97+ points “Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Montana Vineyard spent 12 months in 100% new French oak. Deep garnet-purple in color, it bursts from the glass with bold scents of fresh blackberries, black currants and mulberries plus suggestions of cedar chest, pencil lead, iron ore and truffles, with emerging wafts of crushed rocks and charcoal. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers firm, grainy, exquisitely ripe tannins and seamless freshness supporting layer upon layer of black fruits, finishing on a long-lingering fragrant earth note.”
Jeb Dunnuck 97 points “The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Montana Vineyard hails from a single vineyard in Knights Valley located at 950 feet in elevation. It has a brilliant nose of savory red and black currants, dried herbs, saddle leather, and tobacco, with a decidedly Bordeaux-like vibe in both its aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied and nicely concentrated, with ripe tannins on the palate, this is a serious, captivating, incredibly impressive Cabernet that will shine for at least two decades. You could put this beauty in a lineup of First Growth Bordeaux and it would do just fine.”
Bond Vecina, Napa Valley 2003 750ml Was $399, Now $379 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Robert Parker 96+ points (in 2013) “The vineyard closest to the great Harlan Estate is Vecina, situated in the western foothills on the Oakville Crossroad overlooking the valley. From this 11-acre site, the 2003 Vecina comes closest in style to Harlan Estate, appearing like a hypothetical blend of a St. Estephe and Pauillac. A formidable wine, it reveals plenty of new saddle leather, creme de cassis, scorched earth and volcanic-like characteristics in addition to notes of blackberries, Chinese black tea and graphite. Powerful, intense and backward, it needs 2-5 years of bottle age and should last for two decades thereafter. It is a tour de force in winemaking!”
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Cardinale Estate Red Napa Valley 2018 750ml Was $319, Now $299 special, 4 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 98 points “The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is based on a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot that spent 22 months in 81% new French oak. It’s a wonderfully complete, borderline perfect wine that shows the class of this estate as well as the vintage, revealing a seamless, full-bodied style that carries lots of blackcurrant, graphite, lead pencil, and tobacco aromatics, a deep, layered mid-palate, ultra-fine tannins, and flawless balance. As with most of Chris’s 2018s, it’s a wine that builds slowly with time in the glass, offering a layered, singular character. It’s a gorgeous 2018 that can be drunk today with ample pleasure, but it will ideally be given 4-6 years of bottle age, at which point it should evolve gracefully for 30-40 years.”
Lisa Perrotti-Brown – Wine Advocate 98 points “Composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot, the 2018 Cardinale was aged in French oak barrels for 22 months, 81% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it prances out of the glass with gregarious notions of warm cassis, black cherries and wild blueberries, followed by emerging earth scents with a tobacco and garrigue undercurrent. Medium to full-bodied, gracefully styled and refreshing, the vibrant black and blue-fruited palate offers a wonderfully fine-grained texture and bags of energy, finishing long with a skip in its step. 5,107 cases were made.”
Wine Spectator #1 Wine of the Year 2021!
Dominus Estate Christian Moueix, Napa Valley 2018 750ml $419 special, 10 bottles in stock now
Dominus Estate Christian Moueix, Napa Valley 2018 375ml $219 special, 28 half-bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 100 points “The flagship 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon checks in as 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Petit Verdot brought up in 40% new French oak. With an essence of Cabernet-like character in its darker currants, green tobacco, cedar, graphite, and floral aromas and flavors, this gorgeous wine is full-bodied and has bright yet integrated acidity, polished tannins, and a great, great finish. It’s just gorgeously put together and a magical, flawless wine. It’s going to take a decade to hit maturity but will evolve for 40-50 years in cold cellars. It is as good as it gets in classic, age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon!”
James Suckling 100 points “This is incredible on the nose, offering hot stones, blackcurrants, iodine and wet earth. Full-bodied with a tight center palate, then it opens with a tannin structure that is weightless and spreads across the palate. Totally integrated on the palate. This is a magic-carpet wine. Really incredible. One of the reference points for the vintage. Drinkable now and please try a bottle, but it’s one for the cellar.”
Wine Advocate 99+ points “Very deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Dominus slowly emerges from the glass with profound notes of blackcurrant cordial, ripe black plums, boysenberries and Black Forest cake with hints of violets, star anise, cracked black pepper, raspberry leaves and pencil lead, plus a touch of garrigue. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers impactful black fruit layers, creating a beguiling sense of richness that is beautifully countered by invigorating freshness and great poise, framed by super ripe, plush tannins and beautiful tension, finishing on a lingering fragrant earth note and, finally, lots of mineral sparks. For all that it is at the moment, one cannot help but feel that this 2018 is holding something back. Give it a good five years in bottle, at least, and then get set for what I suspect will be a mind-blowing transformation over the next 30 years+.-LPB”
Harlan Estate, Napa Valley 2013 750ml $1,299 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Robert Parker 100 points “As I predicted last year, the 2013 Harlan Estate is one of their all-time greats, although they have had many of them, starting with the 1991, followed by 1994, 1995, 1997 (although controversial in some circles), 2001, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2010 and 2012. This great first-growth property, with aspirations to produce the finest Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine made in the New World, has given us a wine that has it all in 2013. Dense purple to the rim, with notes of espresso, white chocolate, mocha, blackberry, cassis, and cedar wood, the wine is full-bodied, opulent, but also structured, pure and incredibly long (well past a minute aftertaste). It is probably closest in personality and overall character to the compelling 2001, which is still a youthful wine at age 15. Drink it over the next 50+ years.”
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Hundred Acre ‘Kayli Morgan Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2004 750ml $519 special, 7 bottles in stock now
Robert Parker 98 points “The wild man of Napa Valley, Jayson Woodbridge, has turned out one of the superstars of 2004, with the 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Kayli Morgan. His wines always tend to be gorgeous young, offering up an impression that they’re not going to last. But his first vintage, 2000, seems to get better and better, even though it was spectacular when released. The 2004, which was harvested in September, shows an almost Pomerol-like sweet mocha, kirsch, black currant and deeply fruited mouthfeel. It is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, but the clay soils of his vineyard seem to give a sweetness of tannin and a voluptuous character to the texture. This wine oozes rich, concentrated fruit, is light on its feet and has gorgeous purity, a multidimensional mouthfeel and a stunning finish. Silky black currant, kirsch, licorice, mocha and caramelized fruit make for a stunningly full-throttle, brilliant 2004 to enjoy over the next 15 or more years.”
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Peter Michael ‘Les Pavots’ Estate Red, Knights Valley 2019 750ml $219 special, 13 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 98 points “The 2019 Les Pavots is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, and the remainder Petit Verdot. It has unfolding layers of dark minerals, with graphite, boysenberry liqueur, and fresh leather. The palate is expressive of its mountain fruit, with more gripping structure but no harsh edges. This is a remarkable wine to hold a few years and enjoy over the following two decades.”
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