In Today’s Newsletter:
Staff Champagne Picks
$50 – $100
La Fortuna’s Consistently Excellent Brunello
Staff Champagne Picks
$100 – $150
Delas: Northern Rhône Ambition
Hot Sellers Re-Arriving Friday
Stunning Wines from Southern Spain
Staff Champagne Picks
$50 – $100
One of Champagne’s best known houses for a reason
Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($69.95) $54.50 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($419.95) $312 special (that’s only $52/bottle!)
James Suckling 92 points “Fine bubbles combine nicely with the cooked apples, pie crust and lemon rind. Some biscuit, too. Full body. Layered and creamy with a crisp finish. Always delicious. Drink now.” [Reviewed July 2019]
“A blanc de noirs that focuses on subtlety and finesse rather than power”
Hugues Godmé Blanc de Noirs Grand Cru, Champagne NV 750ML ($69.95) $55 special, 21 bottles in stock now
VinopolNote: Poised and balanced with a bright pop of fruit.
Peter Liem note “…the Blanc de Noirs, comes entirely from the grand cru villages of Verzenay, Verzy and Beaumont-sur-Vesle, and like the Blanc de Blancs, it always contains a high percentage of reserve wine. A slightly larger percent of this is aged in wood, but even then, it’s a blanc de noirs that focuses on subtlety and finesse rather than power.”
Disgorged January 2018, 4.5 years en tirage.
Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($69.95) $54.50 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($419.95) $312 special (that’s only $52/bottle!)
James Suckling 92 points “Fine bubbles combine nicely with the cooked apples, pie crust and lemon rind. Some biscuit, too. Full body. Layered and creamy with a crisp finish. Always delicious. Drink now.” [Reviewed July 2019]
“A blanc de noirs that focuses on subtlety and finesse rather than power”
Hugues Godmé Blanc de Noirs Grand Cru, Champagne NV 750ML ($69.95) $55 special, 21 bottles in stock now
VinopolNote: Poised and balanced with a bright pop of fruit.
Peter Liem note “…the Blanc de Noirs, comes entirely from the grand cru villages of Verzenay, Verzy and Beaumont-sur-Vesle, and like the Blanc de Blancs, it always contains a high percentage of reserve wine. A slightly larger percent of this is aged in wood, but even then, it’s a blanc de noirs that focuses on subtlety and finesse rather than power.”
Disgorged January 2018, 4.5 years en tirage.
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Delicate, broad, balanced
Eric Rodez Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru, Champagne (2014) NV 750ML ($79.95) $59 special, 10 bottles in stock now
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 92 points “[Reviewed Apr 2019] Offering up aromas of smoky green orchard fruit, hazelnuts and waxy citrus that are delicately framed by their time in barrel, the latest rendition of Rodez’s NV Brut Blanc de Blancs is a medium to full-bodied, broad and fleshy wine with a bright spine of acidity, a frothy mousse and a long, vinous and subtly oak-inflected finish. Unsurprisingly, its Ambonnay origins and Rodez’s style mark it just as much as its cépage.”
[Review is for prior disgorgement]
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Charles Heidsieck was one of the pioneers of the Blanc de Blancs style
Charles Heidsieck Blanc de Blancs, Champagne NV 750ML ($99.95) $66 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
William Kelley – Wine Advocate 92 points “Based on the 2012 vintage, the latest rendition of Heidsieck’s NV Blanc de Blancs incorporates some 20% reserve wines, derived from younger vintages to emphasize what Cyril Brun described as the “youthful” side of Chardonnay, in contrast to the mature expression of that cépage offered by the house’s Blanc de Millénaires. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of citrus oil, white flowers, green apple and walnut oil, complemented by some of the empyreumatic nuances so typical of the base vintage, it’s a medium to full-bodied, elegantly textural and incisive wine that’s lively and inviting. It was disgorged last year with nine grams per liter dosage.”
Decanter 92 points “One of the pioneers of the blanc de blancs style, Charles Heidsieck only relaunched its 100% Chardonnay NV Champagne in 2018. Round but incisive and fresh, this has lovely balance between its creamy, woody mouthfeel and its fresh, saline acidity. A lovely food wine.”
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Pure and crystalline
R. Pouillon & Fils Solera Premier Cru Extra Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($89.95) $69 special, 11 bottles in stock now
Importer Note “The idea of this cuvée is to erase the influence of vintage and focus solely on terroir. It is 50% each chardonnay and pinot noir and all from Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. Every year, 30% is racked off for secondary fermentation and replaced with 30% new wine. Up until the 2010 vintage was added, the entire Solera was aged in steel; it is now aged in oak uprights and undergoes full malolactic.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
An unusual blend for the Champagne geek in your life
Champagne Aubry ‘Sablé ‘ Premier Cru Brut Rosé, Champagne 2014 750ML ($119.95) $79 special, 7 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2014 Rosé Sablé Nicolas François Aubry is a real pleasure to taste. It is also much more giving than the 2013 at this stage. Crushed flowers, cranberry and chalk all flesh out in a Rosé that offers terrific depth as well as energy. It is another classy, polished Champagne from the Aubry brothers.”
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 93 points “Disgorged in October 2018, Aubry’s 2014 Brut Nature Rosé Sablé Premier Cru is showing very well, wafting from the glass with a complex bouquet of oatmeal, fresh peach, woodsmoke, orange oil and dried linden blossom. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, vinous and crisply textural, with racy acids, a delicate low-pressure mousse and a long, penetrating finish. While I found the 2013 rendition—reviewed last year—a little austere, the more generous 2014 vintage is more naturally giving and inviting in the wine’s chiseled, bone-dry register. A saignée of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier gives the wine its color and amounts to some 30% of the unusual blend, complemented by fully 20% Arbanne and 25% Petit Meslier, the balance coming from Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay.”
John Gilman 90 points “The 2014 Aubry “Sablé” Rosé Brut Nature Millésime is an exotic blend of thirty percent of Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir (fermented together), ten percent Chardonnay, twenty percent Arbanne, twenty-five percent Petit Meslier, ten percent Pinot Blanc and five percent of still red wine, solely being Pinot Meunier. All of the vins clairs go through full malo. The wine was disgorged in October of 2018 and is a very pale copper color. The nose here is complex and quite unique, offering up scents of tart orange, bread dough, a good base of soil, spring flowers and fresh almond. On the palate the wine is crisp, full-bodied and nicely balanced for a non-dosé, with good depth at the core, fine focus and grip, frothy mousse, snappy acids and a long, bonedry finish. This is quite good, but really built almost exclusively (at least at this young age) for specialists in Brut Nature. For my palate, I would have welcomed at least a couple of grams of dosage, but it is quite well done in its style and should age well. 2019-2040+.”
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An insider’s pick made with some very coveted grapes
Jacques Lassaigne Millésimé Brut Nature, Champagne 2010 750ML ($149.95) $99 special, 22 bottles in stock now
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 95 points “(Reviewed Aug 2019) Due to be disgorged commercial a few weeks after I tasted it was the 2010 Brut Nature Blanc des Blancs Millésime, a vintage that Lassaigne described as characterized by “very high maturity” and which was vinified entirely in tank. Offering up aromas of lemon oil, green apple, warm bread and chalky soil tones, it’s full-bodied, ample and vinous, with chewy dry extract and a fleshy core, crisp acids and a long, saline finish. Once again, it’s a blend of Les Paluets, Le Cotet and La Grande Côte, Lassaigne commenting that it always tends to come from the same parcels.”
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La Fortuna’s Consistently Excellent Brunello
La Fortuna is one of the top producers of Brunello, having turned their small (11 hectare) estate into one of the most consistently excellent in all of Tuscany. The winery leans modern, with rich, ripe fruit and plush textures, but the wines all maintain an earthiness that keeps them grounded and allows them to age beautifully.
Despite their consistent quality La Fortuna’s wines somehow still seem to fly a bit under the radar, and as a result they represent some of the best opportunities in Brunello Di Montalcino to drink fantastic wines at below market prices. Always looking to deliver our customers the best values in fine wine, we’re thrilled to maintain an extensive selection from La Fortuna, including a number of truly standout bottles from some of Tuscany’s most celebrated recent vintages.
In stock now:
La Fortuna Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2013 750ML ($69.95) $56 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
James Suckling 93 points “Aromas of blackberry and cherry with flowers. Smoky. Hot stone. Medium to full body, firm and fresh tannins and a delicious finish. Beautiful now but needs a year or two to soften.”
Wine Spectator 92 points “Starts out with cherry, iron and tobacco flavors, before firming up, with a solid structure. A kernel of fruit holds steady as this red unfolds on the lingering finish. Best from 2022 through 2036. 2,200 cases made, 1,000 cases imported.”
Despite their consistent quality La Fortuna’s wines somehow still seem to fly a bit under the radar, and as a result they represent some of the best opportunities in Brunello Di Montalcino to drink fantastic wines at below market prices. Always looking to deliver our customers the best values in fine wine, we’re thrilled to maintain an extensive selection from La Fortuna, including a number of truly standout bottles from some of Tuscany’s most celebrated recent vintages.
In stock now:
La Fortuna Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2013 750ML ($69.95) $56 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
James Suckling 93 points “Aromas of blackberry and cherry with flowers. Smoky. Hot stone. Medium to full body, firm and fresh tannins and a delicious finish. Beautiful now but needs a year or two to soften.”
Wine Spectator 92 points “Starts out with cherry, iron and tobacco flavors, before firming up, with a solid structure. A kernel of fruit holds steady as this red unfolds on the lingering finish. Best from 2022 through 2036. 2,200 cases made, 1,000 cases imported.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
La Fortuna Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2015 750ML ($59.95) $45 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 La Fortuna Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2015 750ML ($719.95) $489 special (that’s only $40.75/bottle!)
James Suckling 95 points “The sliced plums and peaches are plentiful here on the nose. Full-bodied and dense with round and rich tannins and a long, long finish. Shows structure and intensity. Serious Brunello. Better after 2022.”
Wine Spectator 94 points “This is round and full of sweet, ripe cherry, strawberry, graphite and earth flavors. Firms up as the finish plays out, echoing an essence of fruit. Best from 2022 through 2039. —B.S.”
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La Fortuna Giobi, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 19 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 93 points “Some ash and spice undertones to the cherry and berry aromas. Medium to full body, silky tannins and a flavorful finish. Linear and focused. Better in 2020.”
La Fortuna Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG, Tuscany 2012 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 La Fortuna Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG, Tuscany 2012 750ML ($699.95) $564 special (that’s only $94/bottle!)
La Fortuna Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG, Tuscany 2012 1.5 ($259.95) $219 special, 4 magnums in stock now
La Fortuna Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG, Tuscany2012 3L ($499.95) $428 special, 3 double magnums in stock now
Wine Spectator 97 points “Perfumed, with wild herb aromas and a subtle mix of strawberry and cherry fruit. Vibrant and dense, with fine acidity driving the long finish. Though elegant, there is intensity and fine energy on the aftertaste. Best from 2022 through 2028.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
La Fortuna Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG, Tuscany 2013 750ML ($119.95) $88 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 La Fortuna Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG, Tuscany 2013 750ML ($619.95) $499 special (that’s only $83.17/bottle!)
Wine Spectator 95 points “Fluid and fruity, supported by a matrix of dense tannins, this features a fine texture and structure, offsetting the saturated flavors of cherry, red berry, leather, iron and tar. Stays focused while cruising to a lingering finish. Really youthful, intense and long. Best from 2022 through 2045. 330 cases made, 200 cases imported.”
James Suckling 95 points “Very attractive and intense aromas of ripe black cherries and plums, leading to a palate that has a quite firm tannin core and finishes with a convincing serving of rich, ripe darker plums and berries. Drink or hold.”
La Fortuna Fortunello Rosso Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2017 750ML ($17.95) $14 special, 12 bottles in stock now
VinopolNote: A fantastic value, showing pretty varietal notes of red cherries and spice. Moderately rich, savory and expressive.
Winery Note “A wine that first expresses itself through its colour; intense ruby red. Extraordinary via its intensity and absolute pleasure on the palate, vigor, length, freshness and fruity finish. A wine that will improve with age with its scents of raspberry and red berries.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
La Fortuna Rosso di Montalcino, Tuscany 2018 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Grapelive 91 points “The 2018 La Fortuna Rosso di Montalcino is ripe, textured and silky smooth with pure Sangiovese character. It goes wonderfully with simple cuisine and shows a good cut of freshness for easy youthful drinking pleasure. The 2018 vintage is less serious than 2016 in the Montalcino area, but still offers plenty of flavor and value to savvy Tuscan fans. The Rosso di Montalcino “Baby Brunello” offerings are going to be fun and there will be plenty of bargains to be found, like this La Fortuna with its polished and elegant styling. Fresh out the box the La Fortuna is smoothly rich with vine-picked tangy blackberry, wild plum, cranberry, strawberry and tart cherry fruits along with blood orange, tobacco leaf, potpourri florals, rosemary, lavender and spiced cedar notes. A richer form comes out with air and food, making it a medium to full bodied Sangiovese that has a lot of charm, especially for the price. This 100% Sangiovese Grosso (Brunello clone) was crafted with traditional care and made for early drinking with grapes coming from vineyard parcels that range from 15 to 25 years on the semi volcanic soils of the region and was fermented in temperature controlled tanks with about a 20 day maceration on the skins to give it that dark burgundy hue in the glass. After fermentation this La Fortuna Rosso di Montalcino is racked mostly to large Slovenian oak casks for six months and aged a further six months in mainly 1 and 2 times filled small French barriques, which explains the luxurious velvety mouth feel, before bottling. This estate goes back a long way with the Zannoni [family] first arriving at “La Fortuna” back in 1907 to work the farmstead and through the generations rose up to finally purchase the property and become a private winery and label with fifth generation Gioberto Zannoni now in charge at this highly regarded Brunello label. I suggest buying the 2013 and 2016 if you can still find them, but don’t overlook these tasty and graceful 2018s either.”
Winery Note “Its burgundy red colour and intriguing acidity opens to the sense of smell with strong fruity flavours; intense and fascinating, spicy, it maintains a well-constructed pleasant taste, full and plain, velvety and smooth.”
Love Brunello? We offer over 50 Brunello wines in stock now, including picks from Casanova di Neri, Il Poggione, and Stella di Campalto! Shop the entire selection on our web store.
Staff Champagne Picks
$100 – $150
A wine from a special site that delivers
Ulysse Collin ‘Les Maillons’ Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut, Champagne (2016) NV 750ML ($149.95) $119 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Peter Liem note “Beginning with the 2006 vintage, Collin introduced a second wine, a blanc de noirs from a vineyard called Les Maillons, in the village of Barbonne-Fayel. The soils in this sector are chalk mixed with heavy clay, without the silex found in Vert-Toulon, and these pinot noir vines were planted in 1971.”
Ulysse Collin ‘Les Maillons’ Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut, Champagne (2016) NV 750ML ($149.95) $119 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Peter Liem note “Beginning with the 2006 vintage, Collin introduced a second wine, a blanc de noirs from a vineyard called Les Maillons, in the village of Barbonne-Fayel. The soils in this sector are chalk mixed with heavy clay, without the silex found in Vert-Toulon, and these pinot noir vines were planted in 1971.”
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“Super-expressive and pretty”
Vilmart & Cie ‘Coeur de Cuvée’ Premier Cru Brut, Champagne 2011 750ML ($159.95) $119 special, 18 bottles in stock now
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 94 points “Disgorged in May 2018 with seven grams per liter dosage, Vilmart’s new 2011 Brut Coeur de Cuvée is showing beautifully, offering up an expressive bouquet of crisp green pear, yellow apple, dried white flowers, English walnuts and spices. Medium to full-bodied, elegantly fleshy and nicely concentrated, it’s a fine-boned, precise rendition of this cuvée, built around ripe but racy acids and complemented by a pinpoint mousse. Vilmart is the sort of grower that succeeds in vintages such as 2011, and this wine met my expectations.”
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2011 Coeur de Cuvée is gorgeous, especially within the context of the year. Translucent and airy, the 2011 is a Champagne of real elegance. Sage, mint, dried flowers, orchard fruit and lemon peel all grace this super-expressive and pretty Champagne. These 60-year-old vines handled the challenges of 2011 well. Harvest took place in August, which after 2003 and 2007, is not as freakishly unusual as it would have been a generation ago. The 2011 is undoubtedly terrific. Even so, I would not push my luck on aging given the inherent fragility of the year. Dosage is 7 grams per liter.”
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“So impeccably balanced”
Hébrart ‘Rive Gauche Rive Droite’ Grand Cru Extra Brut, Champagne 2013 750ML ($149.95) $125 special, 16 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2013 Brut Rive Gauche-Rive Droite Grand Cru is another superb wine in this range from Hébrart. Ample and creamy, the 2013 possesses tremendous depth from start to finish. The first signs of aromatic nuance are starting to appear, which makes this Brut Rive Gauche-Rive Droite Grand Cru a very complete Champagne to enjoy now and over the next handful of years. Rive Gauche-Rive Droite is a blend of equal parts Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Unlike the other wines in the range, it is vinified in oak, which adds quite a bit of texture. Dosage is 4.5 grams per liter.” [Disgorgement may not match review]
John Gilman 92 points “The 2013 “Rive Gauche-Rive Droit” Brut Millésime from Jean-Paul Hébrart is a fiftyfifty blend of pinot noir and chardonnay, with all of the grapes hailing from grand cru vineyards. The pinot noir comes from Aÿ and the chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs villages of Oiry, Avize and Chouilly. The vins clairs are barrel-fermented for this cuvée and aged in cask prior to bottling up for the secondary fermentation. The wine spent five years aging sur latte and was disgorged in April of 2019 and finished with a dosage of 4.5 grams per liter. The wine offers up a superb bouquet of white peach, apple, a fine base of soil, fresh-baked bread, a touch of oak influence and a gently smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied and very elegant in profile, with a fine core of fruit, impressive mineral drive and grip, refined mousse and a long, zesty and complex finish. This is still youthful, but is so impeccably balanced that it is already very easy to drink- though it is bound to further improve with cellaring. Fine juice. 2020-2045.”
[Disgorgement date may vary.]
“Creamy and refined”
Pommery Cuvée Louise Brut Nature, Champagne 2004 750ML ($199.95) $149 special, 23 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 97 points “A creamy and refined 2004 with a very reserved and tight palate of ultra fine tannins that lend the wine beautiful creaminess and finesse. Subtly floral, offering lightly cooked apples and lemons. Flavorful, yet always hiding behind the fine bubbles. Drink now.”
“A serious, gastronomic rosé”
Ulysse Collin ‘Les Maillons’ Rosé de Saignée Extra Brut, Champagne (2015) NV 750ML ($179.95) $149 special, 2 bottles in stock now
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 94 points “Derived entirely from the 2015 vintage, the NV Extra Brut Rosé de Saignée Les Maillons (2015) was disgorged in March 2019 after 36 months sur lattes. A serious, gastronomic rosé, this is one of the more reserved of Collin’s 2015-base releases, unwinding in the glass with scents of raspberries, pomegranate, crushed mint, spices, toasted almonds and citrus rind. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, broad and vinous, with a muscular core of fruit girdled by lively acids and fine-grained phenolics, concluding with a long and sapid finish. A wine that rewards reflection, this is another terrific cuvée from Collin, but it will need a year on cork to really show its cards.”
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When you’re ready to pick up, just park in our lot,
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Delas: Northern Rhône Ambition
Known for crafting some of the Northern Rhône’s most powerful wines, Delas is a signature producer in a region with no shortage of legendary names. It is thanks to their significant holdings throughout the region that allow Delas to not only produce some of the region’s finest expressions, including their Hermitage Les Bessards, but also some of its best values. Wines like the St Joseph François de Tournon and Chante Perdrix Cornas prove that world-class Northern Rhône wines don’t necessarily have to break the bank.
With consistently strong scores from some of the world’s most respected critics, including a perfect score on their 2015 Hermitage Les Bessards, Delas’ wines no longer fly under the radar. However, even with the recent acclaim, Delas has kept their pricing reasonable. So, for those looking to experience what ambition tastes like in the Northern Rhône today, without the sticker shock, look no further.
In stock now:
Delas Frères Cornas Chante Perdrix, Rhône 2015 750ML ($59.95) $39 special, 16 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 95 points “Hot Wine! Offers a delicious core of gently mulled blueberry, blackberry and black currant fruit that is matched by a mix of floral, mineral and singed spice notes throughout. The long chalky spine is well-buried on the finish, letting all the elements play out suavely through the finish. Best from 2021 through 2036. 1,100 cases made.”
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2015 Cornas Chante Perdrix is a blend of several parcels, vinified in concrete and aged primarily in oak. It’s dark and concentrated, although admittedly not the most muscular Cornas. Black currant and cedar notes combine along with peppery hints of Montreal smoked meat to yield a savory impression. It’s all held together by fine-grained, dusty tannins, which leave a lingering soft texture on the long, licorice-tinged finish. Already enjoyable, it should develop well for 10-12 years or more.”
Josh Raynolds 93 points “Dark purple. Expansive aromas of black and blue fruit preserves, smoky Indian spices and olive, with a suave floral nuance that gains strength with air. Deeply concentrated but energetic as well, offering palate-staining blueberry and violet pastille flavors and building spiciness. Rounded tannins add gentle grip to a strikingly long penetrating finish that clings with strong tenacity.”
With consistently strong scores from some of the world’s most respected critics, including a perfect score on their 2015 Hermitage Les Bessards, Delas’ wines no longer fly under the radar. However, even with the recent acclaim, Delas has kept their pricing reasonable. So, for those looking to experience what ambition tastes like in the Northern Rhône today, without the sticker shock, look no further.
In stock now:
Delas Frères Cornas Chante Perdrix, Rhône 2015 750ML ($59.95) $39 special, 16 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 95 points “Hot Wine! Offers a delicious core of gently mulled blueberry, blackberry and black currant fruit that is matched by a mix of floral, mineral and singed spice notes throughout. The long chalky spine is well-buried on the finish, letting all the elements play out suavely through the finish. Best from 2021 through 2036. 1,100 cases made.”
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2015 Cornas Chante Perdrix is a blend of several parcels, vinified in concrete and aged primarily in oak. It’s dark and concentrated, although admittedly not the most muscular Cornas. Black currant and cedar notes combine along with peppery hints of Montreal smoked meat to yield a savory impression. It’s all held together by fine-grained, dusty tannins, which leave a lingering soft texture on the long, licorice-tinged finish. Already enjoyable, it should develop well for 10-12 years or more.”
Josh Raynolds 93 points “Dark purple. Expansive aromas of black and blue fruit preserves, smoky Indian spices and olive, with a suave floral nuance that gains strength with air. Deeply concentrated but energetic as well, offering palate-staining blueberry and violet pastille flavors and building spiciness. Rounded tannins add gentle grip to a strikingly long penetrating finish that clings with strong tenacity.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Delas Frères Condrieu Clos Boucher, Rhône 2016 750ML ($89.95) $79 special, 11 bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 95 points “Pale green-hued yellow. Penetrating, mineral-tinged aromas of fresh citrus and pit fruits are complemented by chalky minerals, violet and fennel accents. Juicy, focused and concentrated, offering intense pear nectar, Meyer lemon and honeysuckle flavors that show outstanding clarity and minerally lift. The mineral and floral notes carry emphatically through a silky, appealingly sweet finish that hangs on with superb focus and tenacity.”
Jeb Dunnuck 95 points “A step up, the bigger, richer 2016 Condrieu Clos Boucher is blockbuster stuff, offering serious notes of crushed rock, buttered citrus, orange blossom, and a smoky, meaty, mineral character that’s hard to describe. Possessing full-bodied richness, beautiful mid-palate concentration and a seamless texture, this beauty will be even better this time next year and keep for 4-6 years.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Delas Frères Condrieu Clos Boucher, Rhône 2017 750ML ($99.95) $69 special, 10 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 96 points “Slightly deeper and richer, the 2017 Condrieu Clos Boucher offers beautiful notes of tangerine, honeyed limes, citrus, and brioche. It’s another fresher, elegant Condrieu that has bright acidity, medium body, and sensational balance. It’s as drinkable as they come and one of the gems in the vintage.”
Josh Raynolds 94 points “Pale, shimmering gold. Incisive aromas of fresh citrus and orchard fruits, ginger and violet are complemented by suggestions of chalky minerals, fennel and white pepper. Juicy and sharply focused on the palate, offering concentrated pear, melon, white peach and Meyer lemon flavors that show impressive clarity and mineral drive. The pit fruit and floral notes come back emphatically on the vibrant finish, which hangs on with excellent, mineral-driven tenacity.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Delas Frères Crozes-Hermitage Le Clos, Rhône 2013 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 7 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 93+ points “Similar to the Domaine des Grands Chemins, yet with additional structure, the inky purple/ruby colored 2013 Crozes-Hermitage le Clos has lots of minerality in its smoky, meaty, dark fruited profile. Medium to full-bodied, nicely concentrated, structured yet balanced, give it 2-4 years of cellaring and enjoy over the following decade or more.”
Delas Frères Hermitage Les Bessards, Rhône 2004 750ML ($199.95) $119 special, 10 bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 94 points “Ruby-red. Very pungent, deep aromas of tobacco- and underbrush-laced red and blackcurrant. Powerful and rich, showing impressive sweetness to its potent cassis and blackberry flavors. Really stains the palate, finishing with exceptional purity and mineral tones. Whatever tannins are here (and you know there are plenty) are completely absorbed by the sheer fruit mass.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Delas Frères Hermitage Les Bessards, Rhône 2013 750ML ($249.95) $159 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 95 points “(aged in 70% new oak for 18 months): Inky ruby. Sexy, highly perfumed aromas of ripe dark berries, cherry liqueur, peppery spices and fresh flowers, backed by a hint of olive. Supple and appealingly sweet, offering intense, deeply concentrated blackberry and violet pastille flavors and a suggestion of star anise. Finishes pure, sweet and energetic on the penetrating finish, showing outstanding focus and slow-building tannins.”
Wine Advocate 94+ points “Closed, tight and backwards, the 2013 Hermitage les Bessards is a big, full-bodied, burly wine that offers first rate purity in its black raspberry, ozone, liquid rock, and creosote-like bouquet. It has plenty of material and density, but will need 7-8 years of bottle age to become approachable. As normal, it comes all from the “Bas de Coteau” portion of the Bessards lieu-dit, was completely destemmed and saw 18 months in 30% new French oak.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average national price is $212
The average national price is $212
Delas Frères Hermitage Les Bessards, Rhône 2015 750ML ($249.95) $219 special, 25 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 100 points “The top cuvée from Delas is the 2015 Hermitage Les Bessards, and it’s always 100% Syrah from the steep, broken granite soils of the Bessards lieu-dit. Aged 18 months in 30% new barrels, its purple/plum color is followed by a huge nose of blackcurrants, graphite, toasted spice, crushed rocks and saddle leather. Powerful, massively concentrated, and tannic, it has a broad, expansive, heavenly texture, a thick mid-palate (you could almost use a fork for this beauty), and a great finish. Despite the richness level, it stays balanced and graceful on the palate, and is never over the top or heavy. It’s a perfect Hermitage that will start to shine with 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for three decades or more. Bravo!”
Wine Enthusiast 96 points “Cellar Selection! There’s a striking balance here calibrating bold, almost muscular ripeness against an invigorating granite edge. This wine is plump and full bodied, full of supple blackberry and plum flavors balanced by pert acidity and taut, penetrating tannins. It should be in peak from 2020–2035 but hold further.”
Wine Advocate 95-97 points “The top cuvée is the 2015 Hermitage les Bessards, which comes from the middle to lower portion of the steep, granite hillside known as Bessards, unquestionably one of the best terroirs for Syrah in the world. Its inky purple color is followed by a full-bodied, rich, thrillingly concentrated red that has huge tannin, bright acidity and a solid mid-palate concentration. It still tastes like it just came from the press and will need to be forgotten for a decade. As normal, it’s completely destemmed and will see 18 months in 30% new oak.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 96 points “Inky ruby. A highly aromatic bouquet evokes candied black and blue fruits, along with complicating suggestions of smoky minerals, candied flowers, olive and vanilla. Deep, chewy and expansive in the mouth, offering impressively concentrated dark berry liqueur, fruitcake and salty olive flavors that are complicated by a hint of smoky minerality and a building floral pastille note. Distinctly rich and powerful but surprisingly graceful as well, showing noteworthy clarity and mineral-driven thrust on the strikingly long finish.”
Delas Frères Saint-Joseph François de Tournon, Rhône 2015 750ML ($44.95) $31.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Delas Frères Saint-Joseph François de Tournon, Rhône 2015 750ML ($279.95) $179 special (that’s only $29.83/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 93 points “Inky and concentrated, the 2015 Saint-Joseph François de Tournon is no easy-drinking Saint-Joseph. It’s smoky, herbal and ashy all at once, yet it’s buoyed by ample black cherry fruit and vibrant acidity. This medium to full-bodied Syrah has plenty of tannins, but they’re ultimately silky and most apparent on the long, licorice-tinged finish. This is approachable now but should be even better in 3 years and should drink well for at least another 10 after that.”
Jeb Dunnuck 93 points “Both Saint Joseph releases are brilliant in 2015. The 2015 Saint Joseph François De Tournon comes vines around Tournon, Mauves, Saint-Jean-de-Muzols, and Vion, and is always destemmed and aged in 30% new barrels. This full-bodied, rounded, sexy beauty shows the power and fruit of the vintage. With classic notes of black and blue fruits, violets, incense and pepper, drink this textured, expansive, terrific Saint Joseph over the coming 10-15 years.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 92 points “Dark ruby. High-pitched red and dark berry and violet aromas show excellent focus and pick up hints of cracked pepper and sandalwood with air. Sappy and seamless in texture, offering fresh black raspberry and bitter cherry flavors and a hint of candied licorice. Turns sweeter on the penetrating, impressively long finish, which features smooth, even tannins and lingering boysenberry and floral qualities. “
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Delas Frères Saint-Joseph François de Tournon, Rhône 2016 750ML ($44.95) $33 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Delas Frères Saint-Joseph François de Tournon, Rhône 2016 750ML ($279.95) $179 special (that’s only $29.83/bottle!)
Jeb Dunnuck 94 points “The 2016 Saint Joseph François De Tournon comes from more schist and gneiss soils and spent 10-14 months in mostly used barrels, with a small part in tank to preserve more freshness. It’s another ruby/purple-colored effort from this estate and gives up lots of blackberry and blueberry fruits intermixed with earthy minerality, ground pepper, and hints of damp earth. Rich, layered, and textured, it will be better in a year or two and keep for 8-10, if not longer.”
Wine Spectator 93 points “Features a solid core of dark currant and blackberry fruit, inlaid with notes of tar, anise and warm tobacco leaf. Reveals a tug of iron through the fruit-laden finish. Best from 2020 through 2026. 1,033 cases made, 123 cases imported. — JM”
James Suckling 92-93 points “This has fragrant and floral character with wild raspberries and red plums. The peppery palate has a vibrant array of ripe, red and purple fruit. Good depth and drive here. Barrel sample.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average national price is $43
The average national price is $43
Hot Sellers Re-Arriving Friday
Drinking beautifully in its youth
Château Mangot, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru 2015 750ML ($37.95) $29 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Château Mangot, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru 2015 750ML ($419.95) $315 pre-arrival special (that’s only $26.25/bottle!)
James Suckling 93 points “A dense and rich red with driedberry and plum character. Full body, round and chewy tanninsand a flavorful finish. Lots of intensity. Drink in 2020.”
Château Mangot, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru 2015 750ML ($37.95) $29 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Château Mangot, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru 2015 750ML ($419.95) $315 pre-arrival special (that’s only $26.25/bottle!)
James Suckling 93 points “A dense and rich red with driedberry and plum character. Full body, round and chewy tanninsand a flavorful finish. Lots of intensity. Drink in 2020.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
We can’t keep this on the shelf!
Marietta Cellars ‘Christo’, California 2017 750ML ($21.95) $18 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 90-93 points “The 2017 Christo, Marietta’s Syrah/Grenache-based red, is another compelling wine in this range. Inky red/purplish berry fruit, rose petal, mint, spice and floral notes are front and center. Sumptuous and racy, the 2017 is so inviting from the very first taste.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
A cellar pick with loads of potential
Produttori del Barbaresco Asili, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2015 750ML ($89.95) $79 pre-arrival special
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 96 points “One of the protagonists in this group of nine, the Produttori del Barbaresco 2015 Barbaresco Riserva Asili (with some 13,333 bottles made) shows bright cherry fruit, dried raspberry and blood orange. The wine’s delicate aromatic layering continues with rusty iron, aniseed, tea leaf and camphor ash. Those lifted and vertical aromas contribute to the energy and vibrancy that this wine awards to the palate. The finish is extremely polished and tight, and those pretty flavors are folded neatly into the wine’s silky texture. This wine has many years, or decades, of aging built into its inner clock.
Decanter 96 points “Asili has a warmer microclimate than most of the other vineyards here. It was first produced by Produttori as a single-vineyard wine in 1967. The 2015 is tight, tannic and reserved, with some bright strawberry, raspberry, cranberry and vanilla creeping out of the glass. In the mouth it has some meaty savouriness, and gives a hint of the complexity to come, but as it stands this needs a lot more time to become approachable. Scored for its potential. 10,000 bottles produced. Drinking Window 2025 – 2040.”
Wine Enthusiast 95 points “Wild berry, violet, new leather, forest floor and eucalyptus aromas lift out of the glass. The elegant, full-bodied palate delivers dried black cherry, raspberry compote, licorice and dried mint alongside taut, polished tannins. Given the hot, dry growing season, this is a more powerful and concentrated version of Asili.”
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2015 Barbaresco Riserva Asili shows a bit more aromatic lift and freshness than it did a few months ago, which is a very good sign for its future. Sweet spice and floral notes play off a core of sweet red Asili fruit. Medium in body, silky and inviting, the Asili is another highlight in this range. Like all of these wines, it shows the riper fruit and softer contours of a warm year.”
Rich yet perfectly balanced
Bodegas San Roman, Toro 2013 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Stephen Tanzer-Vinous 93 points “(aged for two years in 75 percent French and 25 percent American oak barrels, half of them new) Inky purple. Heady cherry, dark berry, vanilla and violet pastille qualities on the oak-accented nose. At once rich and energetic; a firm spine of acidity provides lift to sweet cassis, blueberry and vanilla flavors. Closes with youthful tannic grip and impressive persistence, leaving dark berry and licorice candy notes behind.”
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2013 San Román was produced with fruit from older vineyards in Toro. In 2012 they started reducing the amount of the new oak in this wine and the change is quite noticeable. There is something leafy and floral showing elegance within the power that the place provides naturally. 2013 was quite different in Toro from Ribera del Duero, here the cooler years are a plus, as they balance the extra ripeness the place provides. In 2013 there was no rain during the harvest and the grapes were very healthy. There are some fine tannins and the profile of a more austere and transparent vintage, a mineral year. But it does have the smokey and slightly wild character of Toro. 87,000 bottles produced.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average national price is $60
The average national price is $60
Stunning Wines from Southern Spain
Jumilla, in southern Spain, is one of the top sources for rich and dense value reds. The dominant grape there, Monastrell (AKA Mourvèdre) handles the heat well, ripening slowly without becoming overly alcoholic. The resulting wines are dark, powerful and, thanks to the limestone soils, surprisingly fresh as well.
Casa Castillo manages the trick of taking that natural richness and allying it to a bright minerality—they know they’ll get plenty of fruit and power and so try to make winemaking decisions that focus on freshness and verve. The results have been spectacular and they’ve quickly become some of our favorites. The Wine Advocate has consistently scored these wines highly for good reason—they’re thrilling bottlings.
In stock now:
Casa Castillo Las Gravas, Jumilla 2017 750ML ($37.95) $33 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Casa Castillo Las Gravas, Jumilla 2017 750ML ($419.95) $369 special (that’s only $30.75/bottle!)
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2017 Las Gravas is surprisingly floral and ethereal, perfumed and elegant. Syrah has disappeared from the blend of this wine—it now has 20% Garnacha to complement the Monastrell—and they think this is going to be the blend that stays in this wine, which has seen more changes in its life than the rest of the portfolio. This is for sure the most elegant vintage for this bottling; the wine matured in 500-liter barrels and then spent four months in 5,000-liter vats after the blend was done. There are no aromas of oak whatsoever, and the wine is surprisingly fresh, as if the Garnacha helps to contain the power of Monastrell on the gravel soils, adding texture and perfume. This is beautiful. 26,500 bottles were filled in March 2019.”
Casa Castillo El Molar Tinto, Jumilla 2017 750ML ($24.95) $19.50 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Casa Castillo El Molar Tinto, Jumilla 2017 750ML ($299.95) $219 special (that’s only $18.25/bottle!)
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 94 points “There is a high-pitched red fruit note on the nose of the 2017 El Molar, and it’s a wine with a lot of light, something that is quite remarkable for a warm and Mediterranean year like 2017. This is a Garnacha that feels like a wine from a cool year, with plenty bright red fruit. I tasted it two weeks after it was bottled, and it felt completely harmonious and relaxed. As with most of the 2017s, this seems like the finest vintage for this wine. It has a lighter color and a more fragrant nose, and it’s immediately identifiable within the Casa Castillo range. 28,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in February 2019.”
Casa Castillo manages the trick of taking that natural richness and allying it to a bright minerality—they know they’ll get plenty of fruit and power and so try to make winemaking decisions that focus on freshness and verve. The results have been spectacular and they’ve quickly become some of our favorites. The Wine Advocate has consistently scored these wines highly for good reason—they’re thrilling bottlings.
In stock now:
Casa Castillo Las Gravas, Jumilla 2017 750ML ($37.95) $33 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Casa Castillo Las Gravas, Jumilla 2017 750ML ($419.95) $369 special (that’s only $30.75/bottle!)
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2017 Las Gravas is surprisingly floral and ethereal, perfumed and elegant. Syrah has disappeared from the blend of this wine—it now has 20% Garnacha to complement the Monastrell—and they think this is going to be the blend that stays in this wine, which has seen more changes in its life than the rest of the portfolio. This is for sure the most elegant vintage for this bottling; the wine matured in 500-liter barrels and then spent four months in 5,000-liter vats after the blend was done. There are no aromas of oak whatsoever, and the wine is surprisingly fresh, as if the Garnacha helps to contain the power of Monastrell on the gravel soils, adding texture and perfume. This is beautiful. 26,500 bottles were filled in March 2019.”
Casa Castillo El Molar Tinto, Jumilla 2017 750ML ($24.95) $19.50 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Casa Castillo El Molar Tinto, Jumilla 2017 750ML ($299.95) $219 special (that’s only $18.25/bottle!)
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 94 points “There is a high-pitched red fruit note on the nose of the 2017 El Molar, and it’s a wine with a lot of light, something that is quite remarkable for a warm and Mediterranean year like 2017. This is a Garnacha that feels like a wine from a cool year, with plenty bright red fruit. I tasted it two weeks after it was bottled, and it felt completely harmonious and relaxed. As with most of the 2017s, this seems like the finest vintage for this wine. It has a lighter color and a more fragrant nose, and it’s immediately identifiable within the Casa Castillo range. 28,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in February 2019.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Casa Castillo Vino de Finca, Jumilla 2017 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special
Case-12 Casa Castillo Vino de Finca, Jumilla 2017 750ML ($299.95) $219 special (that’s only $18.25/bottle!)
Luis Gutierrez 93+ points “There is a big jump in depth, complexity and nuance between the Monastrell and the 2017 Vino de Finca, which is a blend of Monastrell with almost 25% Garnacha. This comes from four plots that were selected from what was previously used for the entry-level Monastrell; they aim was to find a wine with more finesse and elegance but with the inherent power of the zone. This is only the third vintage for this cuvée, and it feels quite established and different from the rest of the range; it has less varietal character and is more about the place, getting closer to the single-vineyard bottlings where they do not search for fruit character. The idea here is to ferment at temperatures that are quite so low and to stabilize the wine in oak barrels for a long-ish time (12 months in 500-liter barrels and 5,000-liter oak foudres). They are wines of sun and limestone. This is a good reflection of it with a perfumed and floral note on the finish (elegance!) that is quite remarkable. 31,000 bottles produced in 2017. It was bottled in November 2018.”
Thanks for reading!