Vinopolis Tuesday Newsletter 5-18-21

In This Newsletter:

Subscriber Special
Continuum’s Proprietary Red


Staff Pick
Piedmont’s Most Charming Red?


Icons of Barolo
Top Picks $100+


New Grapelive Review
A ‘Unicorn’ GG from Willi Schaefer


Merlin’s Exquisite Northern Rhône Reds

Staff Recommended Wines from Galicia

Collector’s Corner
Fourrier’s Captivating 2018s


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Subscriber Special

Continuum’s Proprietary Red


Continuum has emerged over the last several years as one of the most important wineries in Napa Valley. With a beautiful estate vineyard located on a prime west-facing exposure on Pritchard Hill, overlooking Lake Hennessey, Tim Mondavi honors his family’s heritage while making some of the most exciting wines in the Valley. Big, bold, seductive, and hard to find, Continuum’s flagship red is sought after by collectors, enthusiasts and casual drinkers alike. Always an in-demand wine, we’re sweetening the deal by offering a 5% discount when you purchase 3-5 bottles/half-bottles or 10% when you purchase 6+ bottles/half-bottles. But the deal ends at 6PM on Friday, so don’t sleep on this limited time offer!

Buy 3-5 bottles/half-bottles of Continuum, receive a 5% discount
Buy 6+ bottles/half-bottles of Continuum, receive a 10% discount
The discount will not appear in your online shopping cart
We will apply it manually before processing your order
Offer ends Friday, May 21st at 6 PM


Arriving Friday, May 21st:

Continuum Proprietary Red, Napa Valley 2018 750ML ($299.95) $259 pre-arrival special
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate 98-100 points
“Composed of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Cabernet Franc, 9% Petit Verdot and 6% Merlot, the deep garnet-purple 2018 Proprietary Red has a fantastically fragrant nose of candied violets, red roses, Morello cherries and blackcurrant pastilles with hints of wild blueberries, red currant jelly, iron ore and forest floor, plus a waft of cinnamon stick. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is completely packed with tightly wound black and red berry layers, framed by firm, ripe, finely grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with incredibly persistent and evocative floral and mineral layers. An absolute head-turner, this 2018 is all that and then some.”
Winery note “The 2018 Continuum shows energy and verve. The wine expresses purity and precision, with high tone aromatics of red and blue fruit, deep plum and rose oil. This vintage shows an approachable nerve of the land in the refined mineral quality on the palate. The surrounding native vegetation of bay and sage is evidenced in an earthy, savory profile. This is a shimmering, silky and harmoniously integrated wine with densely packed fine grain tannins. 2018 Continuum is a wine for the ages, delicious today with a long life ahead.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!


In Stock Now:

Continuum Proprietary Red, Oakville 2017 375ML ($149.95) $128 special, 20 half-bottles in stock now
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate 97+ points
“A blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc, 9% Petit Verdot and 9% Merlot, the deep garnet-purple 2017 Proprietary Red soars out of the glass with notions of baked blueberries, plum preserves and blackcurrant cordial, backed up by nuances of chocolate mint, wild sage, violets and pencil shavings, plus an earthy hint of Chinese five spice. The rich, seductive, full-bodied palate is jam-packed with spicy black fruit preserves, framed by wonderfully plush tannins and a lively backbone, finishing long and opulent.”

This is the lowest listed half-bottle price on the West Coast today!


Love California wine? We have over 75 different options from the Golden State in stock. Shop the entire selection, including staff favorites like Arnot-Roberts, Freemark Abbey, Pax and more, on our web store now.

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Staff Pick

Piedmont’s Most Charming Red?


Grant:
Looking for a wine with the rusticity of Italy, the versatility of Pinot Noir, and priced like a Barbera? Check out our Pelavergas! Once nearly extinct, this Piedmontese rarity is found in a minuscule village called Verduno where it was historically blended with Nebbiolo. Having farmed the varietal since 1800 for the royal family of Piedmont, Burlotto gives a compelling argument for Pelaverga as a single varietal. Only a handful of producers are still working with this grape, and we happen to carry 3 in house! Burlotto represents the traditional style of the varietal, with Melognis taking a “new school”, modern approach to the winemaking and Castello with a vintage-dated sparkler!  A bright garnet color in the glass with expressive botanical aromas of Kampot peppercorn, Italian Oregano, Greek thyme and strawberry leaf that are perceptible even slightly chilled. Primary flavors of strawberry, dried cranberries and redcurrants with a medium body and slightly higher acid, this is a perfect food wine. Traditionally paired with charcuterie and mushroom based dishes, Pelaverga would also pair fantastically with blackened chicken, gumbo, pizza or cedar plank salmon. For a less than ideal weather day, this is also a wine for a hot bowl of soup like bouillabaisse, ramen or minestrone. Perfectly suited for pinot noir lovers, this would be perfect for blind tasting that one friend who thinks they can guess any and everything you put in their glass.

In Stock Now:

G.B. Burlotto Verduno Pelaverga, Piedmont 2019 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Importer note
“Pelaverga is an hierloom Piedmontese varietal. Matteo Ascheri aims to highlight the grape’s potential as a dry, still red with spicy, dark cherry and red-berry flavors. A medium bodied, fresh and bright red, the Pelaverga pairs well with a wide range of pastas, pizzas and lighter grilled meats and fish.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!


Castello di Verduno Basadone Pelaverga, Piedmont 2019 750ML ($34.95) $26.60 special, 31 bottles in stock now
Importer note
“Pelaverga is indigenous to the village of Verduno, it produces red wines that are light in color but savory and distinctive on the palate… This one is aged in stainless steel before bottling without filtration. The winery’s website cannot be improved on for a description: ‘Soft, though bright ruby red. Intense fragrant nose, showing clear spicy overtones of black pepper and nutmeg, as well as fruity sensations reminiscent of cherries in spirit and strawberries. Nicely-balanced, lingering dry flavour.'”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!


Cascina Melognis ‘Divicaroli’ Pelaverga Colline Saluzzesi, Piedmont 2018 ($29.95) $24 special, 10 bottles in stock now
Importer note
“The grapes for “Divicaroli” are sourced from 30-year-old pelaverga vines. Pelaverga (distinct from the pelaverga piccolo variety of Verduno) is characteristic of the area around Saluzzo. Here it was long a staple in blends, but its importance shrank over time, until it nearly vanished in the 1970s. Today, careful site selection and pruning are bringing about a small and welcome renaissance for the grape. Its peppery, high-toned freshness, and delicate floral and herbaceous notes are quintessentially Alpine. It is still rare to find monovarietal pelaverga from anywhere in the Piedmont, let alone the Colline Saluzzesi. This wine is macerated for ten days before undergoing spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel, where it remains for 6 months before being bottled. “Divicaroli” means “belonging to Saint Charles” in Latin and is named such because the pelaverga comes from a vineyard named after St. Charles.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!


Castello di Verduno S-Ciopet Spumante Metodo Classico Brut Rosé, Piedmont 2014 750ML ($69.95) $39 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Winery note
“S-ciopet is the dialect name of selvatic flower reported on label, The Silene Rigonfia. The choice is this because amenable to the sound of opening of sparkling bottle and it join at the line of selvatic flowers already rappresented on our label It is a brut rosè sparkling wine obtained with 100% of our favorite grape variety: the autochthon red variety of our village! Excellent wine as an aperitif or throughout the meal.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!


Love Piedmontese wine? We have over 200 different options in stock. Shop the entire selection, including staff favorites like Cantalupo, Produttori, Vajra and more, on our web store now.

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Icons of Barolo

Top Picks $119+


In Stock Now:

Wine Enthusiast Cellar Selection
Elvio Cogno Barolo Bricco Pernice, Barolo DOCG 2015 750ML ($149.95) $119 special, 10 bottles in stock now
Kerin O’keefe-Wine Enthusiast 97 points
“Cellar Selection. Enticing scents of rose, iris, perfumed berry and an earthy whiff of truffle shape the fragrant nose on this dazzling wine. The delicious, full-bodied palate boasts structure and a weightless elegance, delivering juicy Marasca cherry, cherry compote, cinnamon and star anise. Taut polished tannins and fresh acidity provide balance and an elegant structure. It’s already irresistible but will also age well for years. Drink 2022–2035.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 96 points “The Elvio Cogno 2015 Barolo Ravera Bricco Pernice delivers the depth, richness and concentration that are a hallmark of this pretty vintage. This wine is a pure expression of the productive Lampia clone of Nebbiolo. Generous layers of blackberry, wild cherry, rose hip, ferrous earth and campfire ash are neatly folded together to build the wine’s intensity. Like the other wines from this estate, the tannic management is spot-on. You are aware of the wine’s youthful structure, but it is delivered without hard edges or sharp points. A mere 4,000 bottles were produced.”


#33 on James Suckling’s Top 100 Wines of the Year
E. Pira & Figli Chiara Boschis Cannubi, Barolo DOCG 2015 750ML ($149.95) $119 special, 22 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 99 points
“Impressive roses and finely ground spices with a bright red-cherry core, as well as a fresh wild-herb thread. The sense of focus and purity here is stunning. The palate has a deeply juicy and fresh core of tightly knit tannins that carry immense power with impeccable balance. Elegantly executed wine with profound length. Try from 2025.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!


Fresh, nuanced & balanced
La Spinetta Vursu Vigneto Campe, Barolo DOCG 2015 750ML ($159.95) $119 special, 8 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 97 points
“Very distinctive nose with violets and very pure blackcurrants and blueberries, as well as leafy nuances, all of which deliver a fresh impression. The palate has impressive depth and density and the cool, blue fruit at the center sits fresh and vibrant. Smoothly resolved tannins shape a distinguished, balanced and long palate. Drink or hold.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!


“This is a true beauty”
Giuseppe Mascarello e Figlio Monprivato, Barolo DOCG 2015 750ML ($199.95) $159 special, 28 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 97+ points
“This is a true beauty. The Giuseppe Mascarello 2015 Barolo Monprivato borrows from the best of the Nebbiolo playlist. You get precision, abundance, focus and depth presented in proud and elegant fashion. Monprivato in Castiglione Falletto shows its worth as one of the best-performing sites in both 2015 and 2016. This warmer growing season presents red and purple fruit with cherry, plum and dried blackberry. A second wave of aromas washes over the senses with spice, licorice, tar and crushed limestone. The mouthfeel is stitched tightly together with interwoven layers of acidity, tannin and fleshy fruit.”


A cellar pick
Poderi Aldo Conterno Colonnello, Barolo DOCG 2016 750ML ($219.95) $179 special, 12 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 96 points
“Very fine-grained with pretty berry, spice, roasted-nut and cedar aromas and flavors. It’s full-bodied and chewy, yet polished and intense. Very, very long. Try after 2022.”
Wine Advocate 95+ points “The Poderi Aldo Conterno 2016 Barolo Bussia Colonnello shows dark fruit intensity, dried cherry, spice, licorice and tilled earth. The wine delivers its aromas in a direct and immediate manner, with menthol and balsam herb fitting into oaky aromas of sweet spice. For whatever reason, I notice the oak more in Colonnello, but this will relax with time. The wine will be ready to drink after the 10-year mark. Approximately 6,000 bottles were made.”


“In a word: Magnificent”
Vietti Lazzarito, Barolo DOCG 2016 750ML ($299.95) $199 special, 11 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 98 points
“The 2016 Barolo Lazzarito is another stunning wine in this range. The 2016 is the first vintage of the Lazzarito I can remember tasting in which intensely mineral notes accompany the more savory, earthy notes that are so typical of this site. Graphite, sage, dried flowers, crushed rocks, menthol, dried rose petal, mint, licorice and blood orange race out of the glass in a breathtaking, towering Barolo that hits all the right notes from the start to its chiseled, strikingly detailed finish. The 2016 Lazzarito is one of the most classically austere wines in this range. In a word: Magnificent.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 98 points “Drawing its fruit from Serralunga d’Alba, the Vietti 2016 Barolo Lazzarito is built like a pyramid. It is grounded by a thick base of robust fruit and power and soars upward in intensity thanks to its beautifully lifted bouquet. It reveals direct and solid lines with blackberry, plum, spice, tar, licorice, candied orange peel and truffle-infused earth. A second wave of aromas offers dark minerals and ferrous qualities such as iron ore and rust. Baroli from Serralunga d’Alba are often in a category apart thanks to their richness and sheer fruit weight. With extra aeration, Lazzarito delivers mint, balsam herb or Fernet-Branca. Production is 9,293 bottles and 300 magnums.”


“It is easily one of the highlights of the year”
Giuseppe Rinaldi Cannubi San Lorenzo – Ravera, Barolo DOCG 2009 750ML ($329.95) $279 special, 1 bottle in stock now
Antonio Galloni 95 points
“The 2009 Barolo Cannubi San Lorenzo/Ravera emerges from the glass with sweet red berries, leather, licorice, menthol and sweet spices, all supported by fine, silky tannins. I very much like the sense of energy and vibrancy Rinaldi was able to achieve in 2009, no small feat. The Cannubi San Lorenzo/Ravera has excellent color, freshness, vibrancy, and above all else superb balance. It is easily one of the highlights of the year.”


“A towering, statuesque Barolo, the 2010 dazzles from the very first taste”
Cappellano Otin Fiorin Pie Rupestris – Nebiolo, Barolo DOCG 2010 750ML ($499.95) $379 special, 8 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni – Vinous
“This third flight comes to a rousing finish with the 2010 Barolo Otin Fiorin Piè Rupestris – Nebioli. A towering, statuesque Barolo, the 2010 dazzles from the very first taste. It is, of course, too young, but is a wine I very much wanted in this tasting because I wanted Vinous readers to have a chance to experience it. When all is said and done, 2010 is the greatest young vintage I have tasted at Cappellano.”


“Utterly spellbinding in its profoundness”
G. B. Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero, Barolo DOCG 2016 750ML ($899.95) $719 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni – Vinous 100 points
“The 2016 Barolo Monvigliero is utterly spellbinding in its profoundness. In this vintage, the Monvigliero moves into shades of more blue-toned fruit. Whole clusters, always 100%, are remarkably integrated. Rose petal, lavender, mint, crushed flowers, wild red berries, blueberry, blood orange and mint are some of the many notes that grace this exceptional, silky Barolo. The 2016 was fermented with low temperatures and spent two months on the skins. With its laser-like focus and incredible cut, tension and nuance, the Monvigliero will be slow to reveal itself, but wow – what a wine.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!


Love Barolo? We have over 75 different options in stock. Shop the entire selection, including staff favorites like Castello Di Verduno, G.D. Vajra, Giacomo Fenocchio and more, on our web store now.

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New Grapelive Review

A ‘Unicorn’ GG from Willi Schaefer


“The Willi Schaefer Gaacher Himmelreich GG is a unicorn wine, maybe one of the rarest bottles you’ll see of a current release by this winery and I feel incredibly to have got one, this Dry wine from one of Germany’s great vineyards and greatest producers is a treasure. Based in Graach, Willi Schafer has a fabulous collection of vines with south-to-southwest exposition, these parcels have great sun exposure all day as well as access to a natural spring that runs through the hillside, guaranteeing good water supply even in warm vintages. This GG is deeply mineral laced and shows a tight array of tart apricot, green apple, white flowers and zesty citrus fruits, flinty spices, wet rock, a touch of lees and almond paste. This is not as expansive and generous as the Schaefer Spätlese offerings are and this wine is nervy serious, though its personality really changes as it gets air and a bit more warmth in the glass, it impresses much more with food and time to unwind. The Romans knew the benefits of Graach’s sites and cultivated vines here in ancient times helping create the reputation for quality that has stood the test of time. In the Prussian times too this area was producing some of the world’s most expressive and prized wines and their classification of the Mosel vineyards from 1816 to 1832 indeed gave Graach’s vineyards, like the Himmelreich the highest ratings. Schaefer known for their classic Prädikat wines, Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese and Beerenauslese does an ultra small batch of Trocken, with this Graacher Himmelreich VDP Großes Gewachs (Grand Cru) being the ultimate find in dry Mosel offerings, right up there with Dr. Loosen and Maximin Grunhaus, but far more limited.

According to the famed importer and Riesling guru Terry Theise, Schaefer is absolutely, without question, one of the greatest producers in Germany with Riesling that is crystalline, ethereally complex and limpidly clear, they have a quality of calm, these wines I will add are joyous and happy, you cannot be a wine lover without celebrating in them. This small family estate which dates back to 1121 and only does Riesling is a benchmark for the Mosel and are coveted not just by collectors, but by other growers. The Schafer’s plots are located on steep weathered Devonian slate (soil) slopes and consist of up to 100-year-old, ungrafted vines. Theise also notes that Himmelreich is buoyant, more floral, lighter in texture and is open from day one, all of which is hard to argue with and these qualities also make Graacher Himmelreich a superb source for Schaefer’s elite dry wine. In 2015 Christoph Schaefer took the helm of the winery from his illustrious father and together with his wife Andrea continue to run it with the highest level of quality. Christoph and Andrea met while studying oenology-and viticulture at university, the famous Geisenheim, where Germany’s top winemakers get trained. Christoph joined his father Willi back in 2002 so his experience and the transition was seamless guaranteeing that these wines remain some of the world’s most coveted, with this 2018 GG being a shinning star! I highly recommend putting this away for another 3 to 5 years and let it get some secondary elements going here, which I believe will transform this GG into a beautiful swan of a wine, patience will certainly be rewarded, in the meantime drink any and all of the Schaefer Kabinett(s) and Spätlese(s), from the Graacher Domprobst and Graacher Himmelreich you can get!” – Grapelive


In Stock Now:

Weingut Willi Schaefer Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Großes Gewächs, Mosel 2018 750ML ($79.95) $59 special, 16 bottles in stock now
Grapelive 93-95 points
“The Willi Schaefer Gaacher Himmelreich GG is a unicorn wine… [Review above]”
Mosel Fine Wines 94 points “The 2018er Himmelreich GG, as it is written on the main part of the label, comes from fruit picked in the Himmelreich and Stablay parts of the vineyard, and was fermented spontaneously and aged on its gross lees in traditional Fuder cask until June 2019. It offers a stunningly complex nose made of lemongrass, mirabelle, grapefruit, herbs, wet stone, and delicately earthy spices. The wine proves stunningly playful and balanced on the light-footed but intense palate. It leaves a superbly engaging feel of fresh fruits, minerals, and herbs pepped up a most delicate touch of tickly acidity in the long and suave finish. The after-taste is all about airiness as more fruits, minerals, and refreshing elements add depth to the experience. This is a stunning expression of airy dry Mosel Riesling. What a huge success! 2023-2033”


Other Highlights, in Stock Now:

Weingut Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese #10, Mosel 2016 750ML ($44.95) $39 special, 29 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 94 points
“The 2016 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese (AP #10) is one of three Spätlesen that were selected in 2016. The wine has a very clear and smoky bouquet of perfectly ripe, healthy Riesling berries and yellow-fleshed stone fruits. Round, lush and piquant, this is a very elegant and stimulating Spätlese with lingering, mouthwatering salinity. The wine is complex but not all too intellectual. It has a ripe but coolish-elegant character with a long, well-structured finish.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next lowest listed price is $53


Weingut Willi Schaefer Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese, Mosel 2018 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 13 bottles in stock now
John Gilman 93+ points
“The Himmelreich has produced a beautiful Spätlese as well in 2018, and this is destined to be a long-lived and superb bottle. The complex nose is vibrant and refined, offering up scents of lime, pear, a nice touch of orange zest, bee pollen, elder flowers, lovely minerality and a topnote of citrus blossoms. On the palate the wine is medium-full, pure and zesty, with lovely inner tension between its beautiful fruit tones and mineral undertow. The finish is long, focused and bouncy, with lovely lift, cut and grip. 2022-2075.”
Wine Spectator 93 points “A luscious, velvety spätlese, featuring concentrated ripe apricot, orange marmalade and graham cracker notes, balanced by intense acidity, with hints of honey and sage cream on the finish. Very giving right now, and will only get better. Best from 2021 through 2036.”


Weingut Willi Schaefer Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2015 750ML ($79.95) $59 special, 15 bottles in stock now
Mosel Fine Wines 94 points
“This “maiden wine” comes from the “new” parcel in the central part of the vineyard which was replanted after the 2011 vintage. This shows a quite smoky nose at first and only gradually reveals a fruity side driven by apricot and orange as well as mint and yellow peach. The wine is creamy and smooth on the palate, with just the right amount of acidity to keep things interesting. The unctuous feel to the finish in the finish adds to the pleasure of enjoying this deep and direct expression of Sonnenuhr Auslese. 2025-2040”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!


Love German Riesling? We have over 350 different options (not a typo!) in stock. Shop the entire selection on our web store now, including staff favorites like Kruger-Rumpf and Peter Lauer, as well as more from Willi Schaefer.

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Vinopolis Wine Shop Curbside Pick Up

Order Online / By Phone / By Email

When you’re ready to pick up, just park in our lot,
give us a call, & we’ll bring your order to your car.


(If another adult is picking up for you,
please let us know their name when placing your order.)

www.vinopoliswineshop.com

info@vinopoliswineshop.com

503-223-6002
  
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Merlin’s Exquisite Northern Rhône Reds


After studying under Rene Rostaing, François Merlin planted his first vineyard in the late 1980s. Since then, he’s been meticulously caring for his tiny acreage and making exquisite, if under-the-radar, Rhône wines. Preferring to let the grapes speak for themselves, he ages the wines in mostly neutral oak and steel. These are fresh and vibrant wines that, coming from the warm 2018 vintage, are beautiful now with grippy tannins and balanced acids indicating a long life ahead of them, particularly the Côte Rôtie and the Saint Joseph. While the IGP Syrah is a winner and a staff pick for hearty meals.

In Stock Now:

Domaine François Merlin Côte Rôtie, Rhône 2018 750ML ($79.95) $49 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Domaine François Merlin Côte Rôtie, Rhône 2018 750ML ($479.95) $279 special (that’s only $46.50/bottle!)
Decanter 93 points
“A very soft style, very ripe and juicy. Fairly tannic, but they’re ripe and yielding with flavours of black fruit coulis and touch of liquorice. It has fairly high alcohol with a saline finish – there’s freshness despite the very ripe fruit. This is a palate-coating, fairly opulent style but will be good when it’s ready – has length.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!


Domaine François Merlin Saint-Joseph, Rhône 2018 750ML ($39.95) $26 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Domaine François Merlin Saint-Joseph, Rhône 2018 750ML ($479.95) $279 special (that’s only $23.25/bottle!)
Decanter 91 points
“An approachable wine that has lifted cedar and incense on the nose. Very plush with soft fruits, slightly lacking in acidity perhaps, but it’s an authentic representation of the vintage, not overly corrected. Good natural sense to the fruit, it’s expressive, unrestrained. Not overly marked by oak spice. South-facing granite terroir, 70% of vines are 45-years-old, the rest are 15-years-old. All destemmed, 12 months in barriques and demi-muids, from 1 to 4 years-old.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!


Domaine François Merlin Brocéliande Syrah, IGP Collines Rhodaniennes 2018 750ML ($27.95) $17 special, 20 bottles in stock now
VinopolNote
“Staff pick! Shows dark fruit, spice, and warm iron on the nose. Leather and black cherries leads into gingerbread and dried cherries with air. On the palate, the wine is impactful with flavors of spice and black berries. The light astringency of the tannins and solid acidity keep everything in check. There’s an aroma of black tea, plum and dark chocolate on the finish. A fantastic wine to pair with roast meats, game, or ratatouille.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!


Love Rhône reds? We have over 150 different options in stock. Shop the entire selection, including famous names like ChapoutierClapeDelas, on our web store now.

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Staff Recommended Wines from Galicia


Coastal, northwestern Spain is one of the most exciting wine regions in the world. After decades operating in obscurity, the wine world is starting to discover the maritime climate, amazing terroirs and unique grapes of Galicia. As the world has noticed, money and technical ability have flowed in, creating the perfect environment for stunning, cool climate wines.

While it’s easy and tempting to compare these wines to something like Burgundy or the Loire, we’d like to note that these are very much their own genres—it’s just that these specific examples are more or less without peer in Spain. If ever we needed proof that the expansion of the wine world has been a good thing, these are some of the first wines we’d point towards.

Whites

In Stock Now:

Gaba Do Xil Branco Godello, Valdeorras 2018 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 19 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 90+ points
“The 2018 Gaba do Xil Godello comes from a very difficult year in Galicia when mildew decimated many vineyards. When tasted a few months after bottling, it was very balsamic with notes of bay leaf and something medicinal, quite aromatic, powerful and a little reductive at first (perhaps the recent bottling). The palate was round and soft, approachable, with pungent flavors and a clean, dry finish, with ripeness somewhere between that of the 2016 and 2018. 96,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in December 2018.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!


Bodegas Gerardo Méndez Albariño Do Ferreiro, Rías Baixas 2018 750ML ($39.95) $27 special, 17 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 93 points
“The 2018 Albariño was very expressive after some time in the glass. This is their house wine, produced with grapes from the 11 hectares and up to 164 plots they work in the Salnés up to 22 kilometers from their winery in Meaño. The wine is very elegant in 2018; it’s vibrant and tasty, with the granite sapidity and the salty finish. I tasted a bottle from the end of June 2019, when the wine had had longer time sur lie, and the year in bottle does it good. 70,000 bottles produced.”


Nanclares y Prieto ‘Alberto Nanclares’ Albariño, Rías Baixas 2019 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 10 bottles in stock now
John Gilman 93 points
“The Alberto Nanclares bottling from Nanclares y Prieto is produced from pergola-trained vines, ranging from thirty to sixty years of age, all planted on granitic soils interspersed with sand. The wine is fermented and raised for a bit more than a year, half in an old French oak tina and the other half in stainless steel, with fine lees in both vessels. The 2019 bottling is gorgeous on both the nose and palate, with the bouquet offering up a vibrant and complex blend of lemon, green apple, discreet notes of beeswax, ocean breeze, granitic minerality, gentle leesy tones and a delicate topnote of white flowers. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied and rock solid at the core, with superb mineral drive and cut, snappy acids and a very long, complex and saline finish. This is superb Albariño! 2021-2035.”
Importer note “Nanclares Albariño comes from 8 parcels in the parroquias (or parishes) of Cambados and Ribadumia.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!


Reds

In Stock Now:

Bodegas Virxen Pagos del Galir Mencía, Valdeorras 2016 750ML ($21.95) $16 special, 33 bottles in stock now
Case-12 Bodegas Virxen Pagos del Galir Mencía, Valdeorras 2016 750ML ($249.95) $169 special (that’s only $14.08/bottle!)
James Suckling 92 points
“A wine with a delicious density of fruit and dusty texture. Medium body, fresh acidity and a long and flavorful finish. New wine from Rioja’s CUNE in this appellation.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!


Gaba Do Xil Mencía Tinto, Valdeorras 2017 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 9 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 90+ points
“It was hard to beat the superb 2016, but the 2017 Gaba do Xil Mencía was also perfumed and open, expressive, with a little more ripeness, with good volume and a little more density. This fermented and matured in stainless steel and was bottled without ever touching any oak to keep the fruit profile. But it’s more than fruit; it has the austere texture of the granite soils with an expressive finish. 2017 was a short vintage because of problems with frost and they produced 22,700 bottles of it.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!


Guimaro Mencía, Ribeira Sacra 2018 750ML ($21.95) $19 special, 2 bottles in stock now
No reviews for the 2018. 2017 review provided for reference.
Decanter 92 points “Must-try red – Guímaro means ‘rebel’ in Galician and Pedro Rodriguez has taken on that mantle at this exciting estate, one of the first to join the new Ribeira Sacra DO in 1996. This is the most basic of the reds he makes, from high-altitude, old-vine Mencía blended with Caiño and Merenzão (Trousseau). It’s unashamedly pure and juicy, with crunchy, ripe, blue and purple fruit, floral perfume and a mineral tang from the slatey soil. A delicious discovery.”

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Guimaro Camiño Real, Ribeira Sacra 2017 750ML ($37.95) $24 special, 11 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 92 points
“The 2017 Camiño Real now contains all the plots that they intended to include in the initial 2016 but couldn’t because many vineyards in the Amandi zone were destroyed by a terrible hailstorm on August 15th that year. It fermented with 80% full clusters and the rest uncrushed grapes in oak vats with a maceration of 35 days and matured in those vats for seven to eight months. Half of the wine was then moved to barrique and was kept there for five months, while the rest continued maturing in the 10,000-liter vat. The wine has notes of wild berries, flowers and herbs, with good complexity and a medium-bodied palate with fine-grained tannins. It has more complexity and depth than the young, unoaked wine and the single-vineyard bottlings. It has a nice mouthfeel and is quite approachable, a round and somewhat immediate vintage. 25,000 bottles.”

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Love Spanish wines? We have 24 different whites and over 120 different reds in stock. Shop our entire selection, including famous names like Comando G, Daniel Landi, Raúl Pérez and more, on our web store now.

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Collector’s Corner

Fourrier’s Captivating 2018s


Domaine Fourrier makes some of the most captivating wines in Burgundy. To Burgophiles, this isn’t much of a claim—the wines that Jean-Marie has produced since taking over from his father have become hot tickets in the Burgundy world. If you aren’t familiar, these are wines to put on your radar. Fourrier’s style is heavily influenced by his time working under Henri Jayer and the wines show this.

When young they’re among the most impressive in Burgundy, combining succulent fruit with minerality and a complexity that’s nearly unmatched in newly released wines. They improve with age, as well, though we’ve always had a hard time keeping our hands off of the lower-tier wines in the first five years. Fourrier works exclusively with old massale vineyards (anything from vines younger than 30 years is sold off) and that sort of soul really makes it into the bottle.

We have a few remaining bottles from the much anticipated 2018 vintage, but the limited selection is unlikely to remain available much longer.

In Stock Now:

Domaine Fourrier Clos Saint-Jacques, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru 2018 750ML ($599.95) $499 special, 4 bottles in stock now
Decanter 97 points
“Every bit as good as the Grands Crus wines he bottles under his domaine and négociant labels, Jean-Marie Fourrier’s Clos St-Jacques has a classic combination of density, plushness and poise, with spicy, sappy black cherry and bramble fruit, scented 20% new wood and a fine, detailed, refreshing finish. The class of the terroir shines through here.”


Domaine Fourrier Les Cherbaudes Vieilles Vignes, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru 2018 750ML ($279.95) $219 special, 1 bottle in stock now
Decanter 96 points
“Located just below the Clos de Bèze, on very hard, rocky soils, Cherbaudes is often one of the more muscular and concentrated wines in the Fourrier line up. Dense and pretty powerful, with dark bramble and black cherry fruit, stylishly expressed 20% new wood, lots of violet perfume, layers of tannin and enough acidity and zip for balance. Ripe but harmonious.”


Domaine Fourrier Les Petits Vougeots Vieilles Vignes, Vougeot Premier Cru 2018 750ML ($299.95) $249 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Decanter 94 points
“It’s really a Chambolle-Musigny,’ says Jean-Marie Fourrier of this Premier Cru located in a hollow just below the Musigny Grand Cru. East-facing, so a little cooler, it’s a site that has produced, a fine, detailed, racy Pinot Noir in 2018, with plenty of colour, sappy bramble and black cherry flavours, fine tannins and a fresh, balanced, tapering finish.”


Other Highlights, in Stock Now:

Domaine Fourrier Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru, Côte de Nuits 2015 750ML ($399.95) $299 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Neal Martin – Wine Advocate 92-94 points
“The 2015 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru is the first release from the estate (on the negociant side). It has a slightly smudged but pure kirsch, orange blossom and strawberry-scented bouquet that gains more delineation with aeration in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, crisp red cherry and strawberry fruit with a touch of spice on the composed and elegant finish. This is a comely Charmes-Chambertin that is certain to be seductive over the next 15-20 years.”

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Domaine Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin Aux Echezeaux Vieilles Vignes, Côte de Nuits 2013 750ML ($149.95) $119 special, 5 bottles in stock now
Burghound 89-91 points
“Outstanding Top Value .An expressive nose of relatively high-toned red currant, floral and warm earth scents precedes the equally refined and delineated middle weight flavors that culminate in a balanced, complex and beautifully persistent finish. This is notably finer than the old vines cuvée if not quite a long or concentrated. Still this is lovely and also worth your consideration as it should drink reasonably well young.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!


Domaine Fourrier Les Cherbaudes Vieilles Vignes, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru 2017 750ML ($279.95) $219 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Decanter 96 points
“Cherbaudes is located just below Mazis-Bas, where Jean-Marie Fourrier’s 0.67ha parcel was planted in 1940. This has the richness and density of a grand cru, so maybe its neighbour has influenced the quality of the wine by osmosis. It’s spicy, sweet and brambly with a fine, nuanced finish.”


Domaine Fourrier Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru Vieille Vigne, Côte de Nuits 2015 750ML ($999.95) $899 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 94-96 points
“Good deep red. Dark and slightly wild on the nose but inexpressive today. Shows the added concentration and weight of the hot vintage but less of the coolness of the vineyards exposed to the Combe de Lavaut. Flavors of purple and black fruits and crushed rock hint at violet but can’t quite match the sheer floral éclat of the Clos Saint-Jacques. This wine had been racked more recently than most of the rest and was tighter as a result. Although it’s less harmonious today, its powerful spine of acids and tannins should ensure a long and graceful evolution in bottle.”

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Love the Côte de Nuits? We have over 200 different reds in stock. Shop the entire selection on our web store now, including famous names like Dujac and Montille, as well as additional options from Fourrier.

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Vinopolis is an independent wine shop in Portland that opened in 2004. Our goal has always been to offer the finest, broadest, and largest selection of wines at the best prices to our customers in Portland, in Oregon, across the West Coast, and throughout the United States.

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