Vinopolis Wednesday Newsletter 2/1/23

 In This Newsletter:

 
New Arrivals


Deal of the day


The Price is Right! –French wines on a budget


Stock up on Spanish staples


Rosé Sale Underway


Collector’s Corner

 

New Arrivals

This just in! Be the first to purchase our newly arrived wines! See our specials, priced to save you money. 

Two Hands Wines Bella’s Garden Shiraz, Barossa Valley 2018 750ml $33 special, 23 bottles in stock
Wine Spectator 92 points
“Earl Grey tea, thyme and fresh loamy notes are wonderfully dense and show off white pepper, licorice and juicy black cherry flavors at the core of this red. Terrific verve and harmony on the long finish. Drink now through 2040. 6,000 cases made, 1,500 cases imported.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Arriving this Friday, February 3rd

Villota Tinto, Rioja DOCa 2020 750ml $29 special, 60 bottles in stock 
No review yet for this vintage, 2019 review provided for reference. 
Vinous 93 points
“Deep, lurid ruby. Mineral- and smoke-accented blackberry, cherry and tobacco scents pick up floral and vanilla accents with air. Sappy, expansive black and blue fruit and violet pastille flavors open up steadily, energized by a spicy topnote. Concentrated yet lively in style, with a smoky mineral quality that adds cut to the impressively long, floral- and spice-driven finish.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Cuentavinas CDVIN Garnacha, Rioja DOCa 2020 750ml $69 special, 18 bottles in stock 
Guia Penn 94 points
“Style: taut;Colour: bright cherry; Aroma: complex, expressive, spicy, mineral, red berry notes, balsamic herbs;Flavour: elegant, full-bodied, long, great length;”
Winemaker Notes “Hundred-year-old Garnacha vineyard native to the upper Najerilla area, cultivated in clay-ferrous soil that confers the land its reddish hue. Cuentaviñas CDVIN Garnacha represents the most Atlantic interpretation of one of the areas with the highest concentration of centenary Grenache, established at the foot of the Sierrade la Demanda in which these Ferrous Clay soils balance the vegetative cycle of the plant and show that purity of fresh and meaty fruit.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
 

The Price is Right! – French wines on a budget 

Here are the best French wines money can buy without breaking the bank. From hidden gem Beaujolais, to Bordeaux classics, this list was curated for you.

Domaine Pascal Aufranc Chenas Vignes de 1939, Beaujolais 2019 750ml $16 special, 26 bottles in stock 
Vinous 93 points
“Vivid ruby. Powerful black and blue fruit aromas show sharp clarity and complementary smoky mineral and spice flourishes. Chewy and energetic in style, offering concentrated boysenberry, bitter cherry and floral pastille flavors and a touch of dark chocolate. Conveys both depth and energy and finishes with building tannins and a repeating blue fruit note.”
Wine & Spirits 91 points “Pascal Aufranc farms a parcel of ancient vines at the border of the forest in Chénas, providing a wine with intriguing earthiness, its tannins powerful and gripping against the equally intense black-raspberry fruit. It’s saturated, firm and substantial, a wine for steak or for the cellar.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Domaine Jean Masson & Fils Vieilles Vignes Traditionelle, Savoie Apremont 2020 750ml $19 special, 30 bottles in stock 
Importer note
“The VV bottling is the entry bottling, but the vines are over 60 years old, thus the VV designation. He does two bottlings and I always wait for the 2nd bottling so that the wine has more lees time. At the 2nd bottling the wine has spent 8-9 months on the lees. The wine has great texture and mouthfeel, closer to Muscadet than most Jacquere. On the palate you get citrus and herbs.”
VinopolNote: The Massons own some of the highest and oldest vines in the appellation, including some planted by Jean-Claude’s grandfather that are over 100 years old. At a whopping 450 meters above sea level, the family is always the last to harvest in the area. The resulting wines are fermented with native yeasts in stainless steel.”

Domaine Gilles Troullier Cotes du Roussillon Tandem 2015 750ml $21.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock 
Wine Advocate 92-94 points
“Another terrific looking barrel sample is the 2015 Cotes Catalanes Tandem. Based on Grenache and Syrah brought up in demi-muids, it’s loaded with notions of blueberries, plums, violets and spring flowers. Full-bodied, structured and tannic, yet with thrilling purity, give bottles 2-3 years and enjoy through 2027.” 

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Domaine Lafage ‘Tessellae’ Carignan Vieilles Vignes, IGP Cotes Catalanes 2017 750ml $16 special, 3 bottles in stock  
Jeb Dunnuck 91 points
“Moving to the reds, the 2017 Côtes Catalanes Tessellae Carignan (100% Carignan) comes from the Agly Valley and was brought up all in tank. Blackberries, leather, dried herbs, and licorice notes all emerge from this spicy, medium-bodied, silky Carignan that has terrific purity and elegance. It’s another wine from Jean-Marc that over-delivers. Drink it over the coming couple of years.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

La Colline aux Fossiles Chardonnay, Vin de France 2019 750ml $16 special, 4 bottles in stock (36 more arriving this Friday, February 3rd) 
Jeb Dunnuck 94 points
“All Chardonnay brought up in used demi-muids, the 2019 La Colline Aux Fossiles sports a medium gold hue to go with terrific stone fruits, caramelized citrus, white flowers, and honeysuckle-like aroma and flavors as well as a beautiful sense of minerality that emerges with time in the glass. Medium to full-bodied and beautifully textured, with a layered mouthfeel and a great finish, it’s another knockout Chardonnay from the team of Eric Solomon and Jean-Marc Lafage.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Chateau Clos de Bouard La Dame de Bouard, Montagne-Saint-Emilion 2016 750ml $21.90 special, 27 bottles in stock 
James Suckling 93 points
“This has very attractive violets, plums and purple fruit on offer with a very plush and elegant feel on the palate, as well as a polished and long aftertaste. Super long and elegant. Very polished. 60 per cent merlot and 40 per cent cabernet franc. Try from 2023.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
 
Deal of the day
 
Castello di Camigliano Poderuccio Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2018 750ml $16 special, 36+ bottles in stock 
Case-6 Castello di Camigliano Poderuccio Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2018 750ml $91.50 special (that’s only $15.25/bottle)
Case-12 Castello di Camigliano Poderuccio Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2018 750ml $175 special (that’s only $14.58/bottle)
James Suckling 90 points
“Lots of blackberries and tar, together with black-olive character on the nose and palate. Full-bodied and structured. A little raw, but should come around nicely with bottle age. Drink from 2020.”

The next best price listed in the USA today is $35.99!! This is an outrageous deal. We weren’t joking when we said we have competitive prices. You’re welcome.
 

Spanish staples

We are stocked up on some of our favorite Spanish producers and have the lowest prices in the country! We’re ready to pass these deals on to you. Take advantage of our competitive pricing. 

Here’s some of what we have in stock now at Vinopolis. 

Alvear 3 Miradas Vino de Pueblo, Montilla-Moriles 2019 750ml $20.90 special, 33 bottles in stock 
Case-6 Alvear 3 Miradas Vino de Pueblo, Montilla-Moriles 2019 750ml $119 special (that’s only $19.83/bottle)
Vinous 91 points
“Light gold. Vibrant, mineral-tinged Meyer lemon and quince aromas are complemented by suggestions of honeysuckle, toasted nuts and green cardamom. Taut and energetic in the mouth, offering juicy, mineral-laced citrus and orchard fruit flavors that unfurl slowly and take on a smoky aspect on the back half. Shows very good focus and minerally cut on the impressively long, salty finish, which leaves behind notes of chamomile and fennel.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Alvear Palacio Quemado La Zarcita Vino de la Tierra de Extremadura 2018 750ml $18 special, 36+ bottles in stock
Case-12 Alvear Palacio Quemado La Zarcita Vino de la Tierra de Extremadura 2018 750ml $199 special (that’s only $16.58/bottle)
Vinous 91 points
“Opaque magenta. Red and blue fruit, floral and spice qualities on the expressive nose. Supple and appealingly sweet, offering spice-accented raspberry and boysenberry flavors and a musky hint of licorice. Finishes long and juicy, with repeating florality and gentle tannins adding final grip.”
VinopolNote: A vineyard blend of the rich and dark Port grapes Trincadeira Prieta and Touriga Nacional in addition to Garnacha and Syrah. 

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

Alvear Palacio Quemado Los Acilates Vino de la Tierra de Extremadura 2016 750ml $24 special, 36+ bottles in stock 
Case-12 Alvear Palacio Quemado Los Acilates Vino de la Tierra de Extremadura 2016 $259 special (that’s only $21.58/bottle)
Vinous 93 points
“Deep, shimmering ruby. A pungent, mineral-accented bouquet evokes fresh cherry, boysenberry and exotic spices, along with a suave floral overtone. Sappy and expansive on the palate, offering appealingly sweet red and blue fruit and floral pastille flavors and a suggestion of baking spices. The impressively long, sweet, floral-tinged finish is shaped by fine-grained tannins that fold smoothly into the wine’s vibrant fruit.”
Wine Advocate 92 points “The elegant, floral and perfumed 2016 Los Acilates reflected a cooler year with a longer growing season, which resulted in higher yields that achieved perfect ripeness. The aromas and flavors are precise and pure, and there is a sense of harmony that I like very much. The spectrum of aromas is about red fruit and flowers with just a pinch of spices. The palate is very elegant, with fine-grained tannins and a dry, chalky texture that I often associate with limestone soils. Delicious! 7,000 bottles produced.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Bodegas Avancia Cuvee de O Godello, Valdeorras 2019 750ml $18 special, 36+ bottles in stock 
Case-12 Bodegas Avancia Cuvee de O Godello, Valdeorras 2019 750ml $189 special (that’s only $15.75/bottle)
Vinous 91 points
“Green-hued yellow-gold. Assertive aromas of fresh citrus and orchard fruits, along with hints of smoky lees, vanilla and melon in the background. Rich but impressively lively in the mouth, offering intense Anjou pear, white peach and Meyer lemon flavors underscored by a smoky mineral quality. Clings with strong tenacity on the penetrating finish, which leaves bitter citrus pith and floral notes behind.”
Wine Advocate 91 points “The entry-level white 2019 Cuveé de O Godello has an expressive nose of white pepper and herbs that makes me think of a Gruner Veltliner, very spicy and peppery. It’s ripe and juicy at 14.31% alcohol and has good freshness, combining volume and balance. It’s a blend of wines that matured in stainless steel and oak with the lees for nine months. 29,819 bottles produced. It was bottled in June 2020.”
Wine Spectator 90 points “A vibrant acidity cuts through the quince, tangerine and ginger flavors in this round and polished white, underscored by chive, spice and heather elements, followed by a long, mineral-laced finish. Drink now through 2024.”
Jeb Dunnuck 90 points “All Godello, the 2019 Cuvée de O Godello offers a ripe, musky, slightly tropical style in its guava, citrus, minty herb, and honeyed toast-like aromas and flavors. A richer, medium-bodied white, it has plenty of texture, good, balancing acidity, and a great finish. It’s geared for the dinner table and will keep for 2-3 years with no issues, although I see no need to delay gratification.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

Familia Nin-Ortiz ‘Planetes de Nin’, Priorat DOCa 2017 750ml $49 special, 18 bottles in stock
Case-6 Familia Nin-Ortiz ‘Planetes de Nin’, Priorat DOCa 2017 750ml $279 special (that’s only $46.50/bottle)
Case-12 Familia Nin-Ortiz ‘Planetes de Nin’, Priorat DOCa 2017 750ml $539 special (that’s only $44.91/bottle)
Wine Advocate 95 points
“The 2017 Planetes de Nin comes from the four hectares of 20-year-old Garnacha and 11-year-old Cariñena in the Planetes vineyard in Porrera at 450 meters in altitude. It’s 60% Garnacha (some of it Peluda) and the rest Cariñena, harvested early. It fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in 3,200-liter oak vats and one 1,000-liter amphora for 17 months. It has depth and harmony, and the vines are getting older and seem to be better and better balanced. This is not that different from the 2016; it feels quite stable and has its style and character, especially since the 2015 vintage.”

 
Rosé Sale Underway
 
We have the best rosé selection around! Why wait for spring? 

We’re having a huge sale on Rosé throughout the entire month of February.

Sale Began at 4pm on Friday, January 20th 
Sale Ends at 6pm on Tuesday, February 28th 
     
5% off 6-11 bottles and/or large format rosés. 

10% off 12 or more bottles and/or large formats of rosés. 


Discount will not display online, we will adjust your invoice before charging your card.
Discount does not apply to pre-arrival wines or to case discounts. 
This is first come / first served and limited to stock on hand.


Buying a case-6 unlocks an additional 5% discount on 1-5 additional bottles of rosé purchased. Buying a case-12 unlocks an additional 10% discount on all additional bottles of rosé purchased. 

This sale applies to ALL rosé wines. That’s over 85 wines and thousands of bottles discounted! Here are a few recommendations to get you started.

Ameztoi Rubentis Rosado, Getariako Txakolina 2021 750ml $21.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock 
Vinous 91 points
“Pale orange. Finely etched red berry, citrus zest and floral aromas, along with building herb and mineral flourishes. Taut and nervy in the mouth, offering sappy strawberry, cherry and tangerine flavors that show fine delineation and spicy lift. Closes firm and right, with persistent red fruit notes and a refreshingly bitter edge.”
De Maison importer note “The iconic Ameztoi Rubentis rosé is a field blend of the local, indigenous hondarrabi zuri and hondarrabi beltza varieties, grown on traditional trellises high on the slopes rising above Getaria, an ancient Basque fishing village on Spain’s rugged northern coast. In the 2000s, when almost all of the other local wineries gave up on the indigenous red hondarrabi beltza vines, the Ameztoi family retained their old vines, in turn, lending their rosé such exceptional vibrancy and complexity. Rubentis, the region’s first pink wine, was inspired by the historic claret style wines which were once produced in the area long before the current global craze made rosé famous. The backbone of the blend comes from an old hondarrabi beltza vineyard planted in 1840, preserved by the Ameztoi family for generations. Ameztoi Rubentis is an authentic original, a wine that is often imitated but never replicated.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

J. Mourat Collection Rose, Fiefs Vendeens Mareuil 2021 750ml $16 special, 35 bottles in stock 
Importer note
“Organic. 40% Pinot Noir, 20% Gamay 40% Cabernet Franc grown on a mix of schist and rhyolite. Average age of the vines is 20 years. Hand-harvested, destemmed, pressed and settled with spontaneous fermentation at cool temperatures in stainless steel. Aged 5 months in tank before bottling.”
Importer note “Bright and thirst quenching Loire rose. Bursting with aromas of crushed cherry, watermelon & herb, it is fleshy on the palate with intense flavors of cherry and raspberry.”

Peyrassol Cotes de Provence ‘Chateau Peyrassol’ Rose 2021 750ml $38 special, 36+ bottles in stock 
Vinous 92 points
“Translucent orange. White peach, strawberry, mango and a touch of honey on the highly fragrant nose. Offers fleshy red berry and pith fruit flavors, along with hints of lavender, fennel and orange zest. Closes long, smooth and gently spicy, with the peach and floral notes repeating.”
Importer note “50% Cinsault, 25% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 8% Mourvèdre, 4% Tibouren, 3% Rolle and Ugni Blanc. Very pale, lychee pink in color. The nose is fine and elegant. Complex, releasing white fleshed fruit and citrus fruits aromas, along with white floral notes. The palate is straightforward and clean. Fine and silky, it is soft, delicate and lively. The freshness of the finish is balanced with a subtle hint of saltiness.”

G. B. Burlotto Elatis Vino da Tavola Rose, Piedmont 2021 750ml $24 special, 36+ bottles in stock 
VinopolNote:
A blend of the rare Piedmont varietal Pelaverga and Nebbiolo, and our favorite pink Italian wines for the fall. This is only occasionally released and has only been reviewed once (in the 2019 vintage):
Vinous 91 points “The nose shows ripe honeydew and crushed yellow apple with sweet herbs and smoky minerals. On the palate, the 2019 Burlotto Elatis Rosato coasts with ease. It is cool-toned and riding a core of vibrant acids, minerals, and citrus-tinged fruits. The finish is long, buzzing with energy, and just begging for another sip. This is a unique and wonderfully stimulating blend of 60% Pelaverga, 35% Nebbiolo and 5% Barbera.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Collector’s Corner
 
Mighty Mags 

Chateau Angelus, Saint-Emilion 2016 1.5L $899 special, 20 bottles in stock 
Wine Enthusiast 100 points
“TOP 100 CELLAR SELECTION IN 2019. This is a rich, perfumed wine, with dense tannins and intense layers of black plum and spice. The palate is firmly built yet broadened out by plump dark-fruit tones and honed by a solid, dry core. Drink from 2025.”
Wine Advocate 98+ points “Sporting a deep garnet-purple color, the 2016 Angélus erupts from the glass with powerful notes of blackberry pie, ripe black cherries and juicy black plums with an undercurrent of star anise, rose petals, chocolate mint, pencil shavings and woodsmoke plus a waft of allspice. The palate is pure decadence. Medium to full-bodied, rich and generously fruited, this wine is by no means heavy—it positively glimmers with freshness and vivacity, lending an ethereal nature to all that richness and power, beautifully framed by velvety tannins and finishing with epic length. The generosity, layers and plushness make for an absolutely DELICIOUS drink right now, but I’d suggest waiting 3-5 more years for the fireworks to really begin.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Delas Freres Hermitage Les Bessards, Rhône 2019 1.5L $449 special, 9 bottles in stock 
Jeb Dunnuck 99 points
“My favorite release from this estate is consistently their Les Bessards Hermitage, and their 2019 is no exception. Coming from the western part and pure broken granite soils on the west side of this magical hill, it sports a dense purple hue to go with a brilliant perfume of cassis, graphite, scorched earth, burning embers, spring flowers, and peppery herbs. Incredibly complex, layered, and nuanced, with classic Hermitage characteristics, it still stays firmly planted in the ripe, sunny, sexy vintage. Full-bodied, concentrated, and structured on the palate, it has a wealth of tannins, flawless balance, and a great finish. This is pure Hermitage magic that needs to be forgotten for 4-5 years and will evolve for 20-30 years in cold cellars. Hats off to the team at Delas for another incredible wine.”
Wine Spectator 97 points “This is loaded with dark and winey plum sauce, blackberry paste and fig compote flavors that glide through over notes of warm earth, sweet tobacco and anise. A subtle singed alder hint infuses the finish, along with a flicker of violet, while the fruit takes an encore. This shows seriously hefty fruit matched with a terrific underpinning of terroir. For the cellar.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Delas Freres Hermitage Les Grandes Vignes ‘Ligne de Crete’, Rhône 2019 1.5L $619 special, 3 bottles in stock 
Vinous 96-98 points
“Powerful, highly perfumed aromas of black/blue fruit liqueur, licorice, olive and potpourri are complemented by an exotic suggestion of incense. Stains the palate with intense boysenberry, cherry, cassis and spicecake flavors that deepen steadily through the midpalate. Shows a suave blend of power and delicacy and betrays no rough edges. Youthfully chewy tannins add shape to an extremely long, mineral-driven finish that delivers outstanding clarity and floral thrust.”
Decanter 96 points “Plum, damson and blackberry coulis. Dense fruit, very fine tannins and a seamless texture. The alcohol here is quite high, but it’s a very impressive wine nonetheless, with great concentration and length, not to mention fine tannins and balanced acidity. An authentic expression of the Hill. There is some cinnamon and cola oak spice running through it and the fruit can take it, it’s well balanced. From lieu-dit Les Grandes Vignes, the highest plot on the hill of Hermitage, a new cuvée first made in 2015.”
Wine Spectator 95 points “This is very refined, with a long beam of cassis, dark cherry and boysenberry fruit flavors that cut a pure path as sleek iron, violet and red tea nuances fill in around. A subtle mineral edge and a singed alder note peek through at the very end, with the fruit keeping pace along the way.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Chateau Leoville Poyferre, Saint-Julien 2015 1.5L $249 special, 11 bottles in stock 
Jeb Dunnuck 97 points
“The 2015 Leoville Poyferre is cut from the same cloth as the 2016, yet is more sexy, rounded and opulent. Notes of cassis, licorice, crushed rocks, lead pencil shavings and graphite all emerge from this unctuous, ripe, pedal-to-the-metal beauty that’s absolutely loaded with fruit and texture. Reminding me of the 2003, yet only fresher, don’t miss this beauty. It should be drinkable in 3-4 years and last for 3-4 decades.”
Antonio Galloni 97 points “The 2015 Léoville-Poyferré is spectacular. Inky, dense and explosive, the 2015 possesses off the chart richness, with soft contours, no hard edges and exceptional balance. All the elements are simply fused together. inky blue/purplish fruit, chocolate, new leather, blueberry jam, exotic spice and violet notes are all beautifully delineated throughout. Fresh, vibrant and totally sexy, Léoville-Poyferré is one of the wines of the vintage. Don’t miss it!”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Chateau Leoville Barton, Saint-Julien 2015 1.5L $279 special, 2 bottles in stock 
Jeb Dunnuck 97 points
“I absolutely loved the 2015 Léoville Barton and this has everything you could want from a Left Bank Bordeaux. Cassis, smoked earth, graphite, tobacco leaf, and thrilling amounts of minerality all emerge from this inky colored, full-bodied, power-packed, brut of a Saint-Julien that holds everything together and stays pure, balanced and elegant on the palate. It has a lot of tannins, yet more than enough fruit. The 2015 is a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Merlot, brought up in 60% new French oak, and it needs 7-8 years of bottle age and will shine for 2-3 decades. Bravo! Drink: 2026-2056.”
Wine Enthusiast 97 points “Cellar Selection. Rich, generous and elegant, this is a very dense wine but with great black fruits to balance this structure. The elements are already coming together to create another great wine from this property. Drink from 2026.”
Antonio Galloni 96+ points “A dense, powerful wine, the 2015 Léoville-Barton is going to need quite a bit of time to come together, as it is massively tannic and structured at this stage.”
James Suckling 96 points “This is a very focused Barton with ultra-fine tannins that are so polished and chalky. It drives through the center palate with currant and berry character. Full-bodied, polished and straightforward with driving tannin. Love the texture. Class. Yes. Drink in 2021.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

Schloss Gobelsburg Tradition Heritage Cuvee 50 Year, Niederosterreich 1.5L  $449 special, 1 bottle in stock
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.’ 

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Domaine de Montille Les Malconsorts, Vosne-Romanee Premier Cru 2017 1.5L $949 special, 1 bottle in stock 
Decanter 95 points
“The de Montille Malconsorts has lightened up in 2017, which may be a vintage thing. This is less oaky and chewy than some of its predecessors. The 100% whole bunches are very well done, adding some savoury, sappy notes to the layered red and black fruits, with floral top-notes wafting above the surface. Sensitive winemaking from Brian Sieve.”
Vinous 92-94 points “The 2017 Vosne-Romanée Les Malconsorts 1er Cru is entirely whole cluster fruit matured in 50% new oak. It has a backward and reticent bouquet, yet one can tell there are coiled up black fruit here, mixed with raspberry coulis and mulberry scents. The palate is medium-bodied with dense, slightly chewy tannin at first, grippy and assertive in style. Yet it manages to retain admirable balance with an engaging, quite saline, lightly spiced finish that fans out with style. Excellent.”
Wine Advocate 93+ points “The 2017 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Malconsorts is also showing beautifully, soaring from the glass with aromas of cassis, peonies, orange rind and dark berry fruit, with little hint of the tertiary complexity to come. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, supple and fleshy, but it has real depth and concentration at the core too, despite the charm of the vintage. The finish is long and penetrating.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Domaine Hubert Lignier Clos de la Roche Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2018 1.5L $1049 special, 1 bottle in stock 
Decanter 96 points
“Laurent Lignier uses 0.8ha of his two holdings in the climats of Les Fremières and Monts Luisants to produce this refined expression of Clos de la Roche. Savoury and sweet, with 30% whole clusters adding aromatic spices and extra structure in 2018, this is graceful, subtle and concentrated with palate-caressing summer berry fruit and refreshing palate length.”
Wine Advocate 95+ points “Revisited in bottle, Lignier’s 2018 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru lives up to its fine performance in barrel, wafting from the glass with aromas of dark berries, cherries and orange rind mingled with truffle, espresso roast, loamy soil and dark chocolate. Full-bodied, concentrated and seamless, it’s layered and vibrant, with a deep core of pure fruit that largely conceals impressive reserves of fine, powdery tannins. Concluding with a long and saline finish, it will merit and reward at least a dozen years’ patience, likely hitting its stride around age 20.”
Vinous 94-96 points “The 2018 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru comprises one-third whole bunch and 30% new oak. The nose is uncharacteristically backward, though with coaxing it offers enticing dark cherries, blackberry, sous-bois and pine aromas that gain intensity with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red berry fruit and a fine bead of acidity. Taut and linear, leading to a very precise, persistent finish that is a pure joy. Divine.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

Shafer Vineyards Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap District 2018 1.5L $719 special, 3 bottles in stock 
Jeb Dunnuck 100 points
“Incredible purity and precision, as well as opulence, define the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select, and this is as good as any Cabernet Sauvignon in the world today. Revealing a deep purple hue as well as a thrilling bouquet of pure crème de cassis, black raspberries, spring flowers, lead pencil shavings, and an incredible minerality, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a deep, layered, seamless texture, ample mid-palate depth, and a great finish. This is classic 2018 Napa Valley with its purity, freshness and precision as well as sensational concentration and perfectly integrated acidity, tannins, and alcohol. It delivers pleasure today yet warrants a solid 4-5 years of bottle age and is going to be a 30- to 40-year wine.”
Wine Advocate 98+ point “Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select displays a deep garnet-purple color. It charges out of the gate with bold crème de cassis, blueberry pie and black cherry preserves notes, plus hints of smoked meats, fragrant earth and tar, with a fragrant waft of violets and Provence herbs. Full-bodied, the palate is packed with muscular black fruits, supported by a solid foundation of firm, grainy tannins and compelling freshness, finishing long with an enticing herbal lift.”
Antonio Galloni 98 points “Just as it was from barrel, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select is stunning. Bright acids give the 2018 tons of energy. This is an especially mid-weight, refined Hillside Select that is all class. Dark blue/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, mint and blood orange build in the glass. Elegant and bright, the 2018 shows all the energy of the year in spades.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!