In Today’s Newsletter:
Rare, Back Vintage Mugneret-Gibourg
Tuscan Showstopper
The Virtuoso of “New Spain”
A Loire Gamay With Old-School Beaujolais Pricing
#Trending
Collector’s Corner – Ne Plus Ultra Edition
Rare, Back Vintage Mugneret-Gibourg
Only one bottle available
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2013 750ML ($599.95) $549 pre-arrival special
Neal Martin-Wine Advocate 96 points “Tasted blind at the Burgfest tasting in Beaune, the 2013 Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru was showing some quality new oak on the nose that still needs to be subsumed. It is tightly coiled but it just needs time because there is freshness, definition and beguiling complexity locked in here. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, very well judged acidity and clever use of new oak lending body without compromising terroir expression. The finish feels focused and satisfying and the texture leaves you totally seduced. Class, class, class. Tasted September 2016.”
Only one bottle available
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2013 750ML ($599.95) $499 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer 95 points “Bright medium red. Lovely ineffable perfume of red cherry, raspberry, minerals and flowers, plus a darker suggestion of blackberry. Boasts great intensity to its flavors of red and black fruits and flowers, with captivating minerality and perfectly integrated acidity giving the wine outstanding inner-mouth tension without any hardness. Firm, even, late-arriving tannins frame the fruit on the rising finish of this very classy grand cru.”
Burghound 95 points “An extraordinarily complex nose is composed of pungent earth, wood toast, dark berries and a whisper of the sauvage. There is outstanding volume and richness to the broad-shouldered, concentrated, intense and overtly powerful flavors that deliver the same terrific complexity as the nose, all wrapped in a robust, serious and moderately austere finale. Like its two grands crus brethren, this impressively scaled and beautifully well-balanced effort should age effortlessly for years to come yet will probably be approachable after only 8 to 10.”
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru, Cote de Nuits 2009 750ML ($349.95) $299 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 91+ points “The 2009 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru is incredibly sensual and polished. Layers of effortless, gracious fruit caress the palate in this soft, perfumed wine. Freshly cut flowers red cherries and spices appear later, adding complexity and nuance. The 2009 comes across as a bit reticent, but with time in the glass the wine finds its minerality and focus. An energetic finish adds considerable brightness.”
Burghound 91 points “A cool, pure and quite airy nose of floral, dark berry fruit, truffle and sauvage aromas leads to mineral-inflected and vibrant middle weight flavors that are very Gevrey in character, all wrapped in a long and palate staining finish. There is subtle backend wood influence to this robust effort though there is sufficient mid-palate material present so that it shouldn’t present an issue after a few years in bottle.”
Only one bottle available
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Vosne-Romanee, Cote du Nuits 1998 750ML ($149.95) $119 pre-arrival special
Only one bottle available
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Vosne-Romanee, Cote du Nuits 2003 750ML ($219.95) $179 pre-arrival special
Only one bottle available
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Vosne-Romanee, Cote du Nuits 2005 750ML ($299.95) $249 pre-arrival special
David Schildknecht-Wine Advocate 90-91 points “The 2005 Vosne Romanee (assembled in tank at the time I tasted) displays fresh black raspberry, ginger snap, cinnamon, and fetching florality on the nose, a silken palate of winsome purity and freshness, and a finish of great refinement that mingles marrow and anise with black raspberry and brown spices. One can expect to begin enjoying this wine almost immediately but for it to take on further complexity for as long as 10-12 years.”
Stephen Tanzer 90 points “Bright ruby-red. Pungent spices lift the redcurrant and darker berry aromas, with a minerally suggestion of iodine adding nuance. Concentrated, dense, ripe and sweet; this has real stuffing and energy. Finishes long and strong, with plenty of ripe tannins. An excellent village wine.”
Only three bottles available
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Vosne-Romanee, Cote du Nuits 2008 750ML ($219.95) $179 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer 90 points “Bright medium red. Redcurrant, flowers, spices, orange zest and white pepper on the scented nose. Not a fleshy style but juicy and nicely delineated, with the orange note providing inner-palate lift. Still tight but finishes with nice subtle length. The energy of this excellent village wine really wakes up the palate. Marie-Christine Mugneret noted that the estate’s 2008s began with very high levels of malic acidity and finished with very low pHs in the 3.25 to 3.33 range. The 2009s will be pleasurable young, she went on, but the 2008s will be to drink later.”
Antonio Galloni 89 points “The 2008 Vosne-Romanee opens with a huge, deep bouquet. It is a surprisingly rich, textured wine at this level, with gorgeous harmony and plenty of textured fruit that flows through to the weightless finish. This is a fabulous villages. The Vosne-Romanee is a blend of three parcels. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2023.”
Only four bottles available
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Vosne-Romanee, Cote du Nuits 2009 750ML ($249.95) $219 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer 91 points “Bright medium red. Knockout nose combines sexy redcurrant, blackberry, flowers and perfumed gingery lift. Smooth, suave and lively, with mineral and floral elements lifting the seamless middle palate. Very generous, long village wine with a remarkably light touch for the vintage. This seems firmer in bottle than it was in barrel a year ago.”
Only four bottles available
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Vosne-Romanee, Cote du Nuits 2010 750ML ($249.95) $219 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer 91+ points “Bright medium red. Sexy, very pure aromas of raspberry, flowers and spices, lifted by a whiff of citrus peel. Sweet, spicy and very intense; really saturates the palate with savory, vibrant berry, floral and mineral flavors. This textbook village offering finishes with terrific persistence.”
Only one bottle available
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Vosne-Romanee, Cote du Nuits 2011 750ML ($199.95) $149 pre-arrival special
Neal Martin-Vinous 89 points “Tasted May 2019. The 2011 Vosne-Romanée Village has a detailed bouquet with lifted blackberry and wild strawberry scents, demonstrating fine mineralité for a village cru and it opens beautifully in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with filigree tannin. Maybe it is a little pinched compared to the Chambolle-Musigny as it does not have the same depth on the finish, but it is brimming of freshness. A little ingénue! Tasted at Flint Wines Burgundy 2011 tasting.”
Only two bottles available
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Vosne-Romanee, Cote du Nuits 2012 750ML ($219.95) $179 pre-arrival special
Neal Martin-Wine Advocate 91 points “The 2012 Vosne Romanée Villages , mainly from Champs Goudins lieu-dit, has a lovely bouquet – very pure and precise with lifted red cherries and strawberry fruit, hints of limestone underneath. This feels very natural and elegant. The palate is medium-bodied with fresh, crisp tannin and a fine sense of energy, a little edginess on the finish lending tension. This is a superb Vosne-Romanée to enjoy over the next 6 to 8 years.”
Stephen Tanzer 90 points “Bright, moderately saturated red. Scented, inviting aromas of red raspberry, flowers and spices. Concentrated, suave and sweet; in a plumper style than the young 2013 and a bit less vibrant but quite long on the aftertaste. This will need at least a few years to absorb some of its building tannins.”
Only three bottles available
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Vosne-Romanee, Cote du Nuits 2013 750ML ($199.95) $149 pre-arrival special
Neal Martin-Wine Advocate 89-91 points “From vines just behind the maison towards the Route Nationale, the 2013 Vosne Romanée has a precise bouquet, dark berries and a touch of black tea, fine delineation here and poise. The palate is medium-bodied and displays good weight in the mouth. It does not quite have the complexity of the 2012 on the finish, but still, this will be a delicious Vosne-Romanée.”
Stephen Tanzer 89 points “Good medium red. Savory red berries, spices and graphite on the nose; more complex than the 2014. Sweet but harmonious acidity is keeping this wine tight and taut in the early going. Finishes with serious but ripe tannins that will require a bit of patience.”
Only four bottles available
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Vosne-Romanee, Cote du Nuits 2014 750ML ($199.95) $149 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer 89 points “Bright ruby-red. Very expressive aromas of cherry, smoky minerals and coffee. Lovely silky, spicy, mineral-driven village wine with intense flavors of dark cherry, raspberry and chocolate, plus a hint of menthol. Still needs a couple years to absorb its dusty, slightly chocolatey tannins. Dry and classic.”
Burghound 88-91 points “A spicy and markedly floral nose blends aromas of red currant, raspberry and sandalwood. There is better underlying energy and punch to the relatively powerful and concentrated flavors that also display noticeable warmth on the detailed and mildly austere finale.”
Tuscan Showstopper
The Virtuoso of “New Spain”
Rare, Back Vintage Mugneret-Gibourg
Tuscan Showstopper
The Virtuoso of “New Spain”
A Loire Gamay With Old-School Beaujolais Pricing
#Trending
Collector’s Corner – Ne Plus Ultra Edition
Rare, Back Vintage Mugneret-Gibourg
Mugneret-Gibourg has gone from an under the radar, insider’s pick in Burgundy to a blue chip, collectible estate in a few decades. That’s a testament to the quality of the wines and, in turn, to the quality of the holdings of the family. Blessed with exceptionally old, massale selection vines in some of the premier vineyards in Burgundy, these are some of the most pure, profound expressions of Pinot on the planet.
Mugneret-Gibourg’s wines are defined by their purity and compressed intensity—these feel like the channel the soul of the vineyards they hail from. For the Grand Crus, that means grand wines—powerful, vivid bottlings that are showstoppers upon first smell. The village wines, while smaller in scale and scope, smell of Vosne and Gevrey in ways that most premier cru wines could only dream of.
They’re most famous for their Ruchottes (purchased in the same deal that brought the vineyard to Roumier and Rousseau), a vineyard that Henri Jayer described as “C’est un Chambertin vinifié à Vosne.” Theirs is a wine that combines the innate power of Chambertin with the silk and exoticism of Vosne in beautiful, captivating fashion.
Furthermore, they’re one of the few whose Clos Vougeot actually lives up to its Grand Cru designation and historical reputation—a classy wine that shows off its aristocratic pedigree. Finally, their village wines over deliver on a grand scale—aging and developing like Premier Cru bottlings from others.
We’ve worked hard to secure an array of perfectly cellared examples of Mugneret-Gibourg’s greatness, arriving on Friday. These are wines that we rarely have an opportunity to sell—the global demand is just too high and most of the wines are drunk rather than released back into the marketplace. As such, you’ll note that quantities are tiny and the wines are available first come, first served.
Arriving Friday, February 7th:
Only one bottle available
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2009 750ML ($799.95) $699 pre-arrival special
Neal Martin-Vinous 95 points “Tasted June 2018. The 2009 Ruchottes-Chambertin was 100% de-stemmed. It has a gorgeous bouquet with vivid scents of plush red cherry fruit, cassis, violets and a hint of vanilla remaining from some new oak to be subsumed. The palate is medium-bodied with an elegant, precise opening. It is embroidered with a perfect thread of acidity and gains momentum towards the finish that feels plush and sensual (not a million miles away from the 1999 stylistically). It needs three or four more years in bottle but there is great potential here. Tasted at the Ruchottes-Chambertin vertical in London.”
Mugneret-Gibourg’s wines are defined by their purity and compressed intensity—these feel like the channel the soul of the vineyards they hail from. For the Grand Crus, that means grand wines—powerful, vivid bottlings that are showstoppers upon first smell. The village wines, while smaller in scale and scope, smell of Vosne and Gevrey in ways that most premier cru wines could only dream of.
They’re most famous for their Ruchottes (purchased in the same deal that brought the vineyard to Roumier and Rousseau), a vineyard that Henri Jayer described as “C’est un Chambertin vinifié à Vosne.” Theirs is a wine that combines the innate power of Chambertin with the silk and exoticism of Vosne in beautiful, captivating fashion.
Furthermore, they’re one of the few whose Clos Vougeot actually lives up to its Grand Cru designation and historical reputation—a classy wine that shows off its aristocratic pedigree. Finally, their village wines over deliver on a grand scale—aging and developing like Premier Cru bottlings from others.
We’ve worked hard to secure an array of perfectly cellared examples of Mugneret-Gibourg’s greatness, arriving on Friday. These are wines that we rarely have an opportunity to sell—the global demand is just too high and most of the wines are drunk rather than released back into the marketplace. As such, you’ll note that quantities are tiny and the wines are available first come, first served.
Arriving Friday, February 7th:
Only one bottle available
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2009 750ML ($799.95) $699 pre-arrival special
Neal Martin-Vinous 95 points “Tasted June 2018. The 2009 Ruchottes-Chambertin was 100% de-stemmed. It has a gorgeous bouquet with vivid scents of plush red cherry fruit, cassis, violets and a hint of vanilla remaining from some new oak to be subsumed. The palate is medium-bodied with an elegant, precise opening. It is embroidered with a perfect thread of acidity and gains momentum towards the finish that feels plush and sensual (not a million miles away from the 1999 stylistically). It needs three or four more years in bottle but there is great potential here. Tasted at the Ruchottes-Chambertin vertical in London.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Only one bottle available
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2013 750ML ($599.95) $549 pre-arrival special
Neal Martin-Wine Advocate 96 points “Tasted blind at the Burgfest tasting in Beaune, the 2013 Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru was showing some quality new oak on the nose that still needs to be subsumed. It is tightly coiled but it just needs time because there is freshness, definition and beguiling complexity locked in here. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, very well judged acidity and clever use of new oak lending body without compromising terroir expression. The finish feels focused and satisfying and the texture leaves you totally seduced. Class, class, class. Tasted September 2016.”
Only one bottle available
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2013 750ML ($599.95) $499 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer 95 points “Bright medium red. Lovely ineffable perfume of red cherry, raspberry, minerals and flowers, plus a darker suggestion of blackberry. Boasts great intensity to its flavors of red and black fruits and flowers, with captivating minerality and perfectly integrated acidity giving the wine outstanding inner-mouth tension without any hardness. Firm, even, late-arriving tannins frame the fruit on the rising finish of this very classy grand cru.”
Burghound 95 points “An extraordinarily complex nose is composed of pungent earth, wood toast, dark berries and a whisper of the sauvage. There is outstanding volume and richness to the broad-shouldered, concentrated, intense and overtly powerful flavors that deliver the same terrific complexity as the nose, all wrapped in a robust, serious and moderately austere finale. Like its two grands crus brethren, this impressively scaled and beautifully well-balanced effort should age effortlessly for years to come yet will probably be approachable after only 8 to 10.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru, Cote de Nuits 2009 750ML ($349.95) $299 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 91+ points “The 2009 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru is incredibly sensual and polished. Layers of effortless, gracious fruit caress the palate in this soft, perfumed wine. Freshly cut flowers red cherries and spices appear later, adding complexity and nuance. The 2009 comes across as a bit reticent, but with time in the glass the wine finds its minerality and focus. An energetic finish adds considerable brightness.”
Burghound 91 points “A cool, pure and quite airy nose of floral, dark berry fruit, truffle and sauvage aromas leads to mineral-inflected and vibrant middle weight flavors that are very Gevrey in character, all wrapped in a long and palate staining finish. There is subtle backend wood influence to this robust effort though there is sufficient mid-palate material present so that it shouldn’t present an issue after a few years in bottle.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Only one bottle available
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Vosne-Romanee, Cote du Nuits 1998 750ML ($149.95) $119 pre-arrival special
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Only one bottle available
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Vosne-Romanee, Cote du Nuits 2003 750ML ($219.95) $179 pre-arrival special
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Only one bottle available
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Vosne-Romanee, Cote du Nuits 2005 750ML ($299.95) $249 pre-arrival special
David Schildknecht-Wine Advocate 90-91 points “The 2005 Vosne Romanee (assembled in tank at the time I tasted) displays fresh black raspberry, ginger snap, cinnamon, and fetching florality on the nose, a silken palate of winsome purity and freshness, and a finish of great refinement that mingles marrow and anise with black raspberry and brown spices. One can expect to begin enjoying this wine almost immediately but for it to take on further complexity for as long as 10-12 years.”
Stephen Tanzer 90 points “Bright ruby-red. Pungent spices lift the redcurrant and darker berry aromas, with a minerally suggestion of iodine adding nuance. Concentrated, dense, ripe and sweet; this has real stuffing and energy. Finishes long and strong, with plenty of ripe tannins. An excellent village wine.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Only three bottles available
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Vosne-Romanee, Cote du Nuits 2008 750ML ($219.95) $179 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer 90 points “Bright medium red. Redcurrant, flowers, spices, orange zest and white pepper on the scented nose. Not a fleshy style but juicy and nicely delineated, with the orange note providing inner-palate lift. Still tight but finishes with nice subtle length. The energy of this excellent village wine really wakes up the palate. Marie-Christine Mugneret noted that the estate’s 2008s began with very high levels of malic acidity and finished with very low pHs in the 3.25 to 3.33 range. The 2009s will be pleasurable young, she went on, but the 2008s will be to drink later.”
Antonio Galloni 89 points “The 2008 Vosne-Romanee opens with a huge, deep bouquet. It is a surprisingly rich, textured wine at this level, with gorgeous harmony and plenty of textured fruit that flows through to the weightless finish. This is a fabulous villages. The Vosne-Romanee is a blend of three parcels. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2023.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Only four bottles available
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Vosne-Romanee, Cote du Nuits 2009 750ML ($249.95) $219 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer 91 points “Bright medium red. Knockout nose combines sexy redcurrant, blackberry, flowers and perfumed gingery lift. Smooth, suave and lively, with mineral and floral elements lifting the seamless middle palate. Very generous, long village wine with a remarkably light touch for the vintage. This seems firmer in bottle than it was in barrel a year ago.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Only four bottles available
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Vosne-Romanee, Cote du Nuits 2010 750ML ($249.95) $219 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer 91+ points “Bright medium red. Sexy, very pure aromas of raspberry, flowers and spices, lifted by a whiff of citrus peel. Sweet, spicy and very intense; really saturates the palate with savory, vibrant berry, floral and mineral flavors. This textbook village offering finishes with terrific persistence.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Only one bottle available
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Vosne-Romanee, Cote du Nuits 2011 750ML ($199.95) $149 pre-arrival special
Neal Martin-Vinous 89 points “Tasted May 2019. The 2011 Vosne-Romanée Village has a detailed bouquet with lifted blackberry and wild strawberry scents, demonstrating fine mineralité for a village cru and it opens beautifully in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with filigree tannin. Maybe it is a little pinched compared to the Chambolle-Musigny as it does not have the same depth on the finish, but it is brimming of freshness. A little ingénue! Tasted at Flint Wines Burgundy 2011 tasting.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Only two bottles available
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Vosne-Romanee, Cote du Nuits 2012 750ML ($219.95) $179 pre-arrival special
Neal Martin-Wine Advocate 91 points “The 2012 Vosne Romanée Villages , mainly from Champs Goudins lieu-dit, has a lovely bouquet – very pure and precise with lifted red cherries and strawberry fruit, hints of limestone underneath. This feels very natural and elegant. The palate is medium-bodied with fresh, crisp tannin and a fine sense of energy, a little edginess on the finish lending tension. This is a superb Vosne-Romanée to enjoy over the next 6 to 8 years.”
Stephen Tanzer 90 points “Bright, moderately saturated red. Scented, inviting aromas of red raspberry, flowers and spices. Concentrated, suave and sweet; in a plumper style than the young 2013 and a bit less vibrant but quite long on the aftertaste. This will need at least a few years to absorb some of its building tannins.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Only three bottles available
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Vosne-Romanee, Cote du Nuits 2013 750ML ($199.95) $149 pre-arrival special
Neal Martin-Wine Advocate 89-91 points “From vines just behind the maison towards the Route Nationale, the 2013 Vosne Romanée has a precise bouquet, dark berries and a touch of black tea, fine delineation here and poise. The palate is medium-bodied and displays good weight in the mouth. It does not quite have the complexity of the 2012 on the finish, but still, this will be a delicious Vosne-Romanée.”
Stephen Tanzer 89 points “Good medium red. Savory red berries, spices and graphite on the nose; more complex than the 2014. Sweet but harmonious acidity is keeping this wine tight and taut in the early going. Finishes with serious but ripe tannins that will require a bit of patience.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Only four bottles available
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Vosne-Romanee, Cote du Nuits 2014 750ML ($199.95) $149 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer 89 points “Bright ruby-red. Very expressive aromas of cherry, smoky minerals and coffee. Lovely silky, spicy, mineral-driven village wine with intense flavors of dark cherry, raspberry and chocolate, plus a hint of menthol. Still needs a couple years to absorb its dusty, slightly chocolatey tannins. Dry and classic.”
Burghound 88-91 points “A spicy and markedly floral nose blends aromas of red currant, raspberry and sandalwood. There is better underlying energy and punch to the relatively powerful and concentrated flavors that also display noticeable warmth on the detailed and mildly austere finale.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Tuscan Showstopper
Fontodi’s Flaccianello della Pieve is one of the best, most sought after wines made in Tuscany. Flaccianello’s obvious class seems inevitable when you consider that each year it is made with only the finest fruit from Fontodi’s vineyards in Colli della Toscana Centrale. Aged for 24 months in French oak, the 2012 bottling is every bit the rival of super-premium wines from anywhere else in Tuscany.
Rich, powerful, perhaps even bombastic, Fontodi’s 100% Sangiovese, Flaccianello, is anything but shy. The 2012, in stock now, is the product of a warm, dry year in Tuscany, the wine leads with ripe red and black fruits. However, it is far from one dimensional. Herbs and spice, along with crunchy tannins, make this a great pair for hearty Italian dishes, but also a cold winter night in front of the fire.
In Stock Now:
Fontodi Flaccianello della Pieve Colli della Toscana Centrale IGT, Tuscany 2012 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 97 points “Tasted next to the 2012 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo, the Flaccianello is richer, deeper and more flamboyant. Super-ripe red stone fruit, smoke, licorice and dark spices meld together in a deep, powerful wine. The 2012 is impressive, but personally I prefer the finesse and freshness of the Sorbo. The greater influence of new French oak is also felt in the wine’s texture. Still, that is splitting hairs, as the level here is high. Very high.”
Rich, powerful, perhaps even bombastic, Fontodi’s 100% Sangiovese, Flaccianello, is anything but shy. The 2012, in stock now, is the product of a warm, dry year in Tuscany, the wine leads with ripe red and black fruits. However, it is far from one dimensional. Herbs and spice, along with crunchy tannins, make this a great pair for hearty Italian dishes, but also a cold winter night in front of the fire.
In Stock Now:
Fontodi Flaccianello della Pieve Colli della Toscana Centrale IGT, Tuscany 2012 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 97 points “Tasted next to the 2012 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo, the Flaccianello is richer, deeper and more flamboyant. Super-ripe red stone fruit, smoke, licorice and dark spices meld together in a deep, powerful wine. The 2012 is impressive, but personally I prefer the finesse and freshness of the Sorbo. The greater influence of new French oak is also felt in the wine’s texture. Still, that is splitting hairs, as the level here is high. Very high.”
The Virtuoso of “New Spain”
Raul Perez is one of the Vinopolis staffs’ favorite producers, and we’re thrilled to offer 15 different wines from this groundbreaking producer. Over the past 25 years he has, more than just about anybody, come to embody “The New Spain”. This of course is Spain’s 21st century movement, with roots in Spain’s cooler Northwest, towards fresher wines.
Today, Raul makes wine from most of northwest Spain’s most exciting regions. However, he considers Bierzo home, and he is considered the region’s benchmark producer.
Despite being at the forefront of Spain’s modern winemaking movement, Raul is old-school in that he sees himself less as a winemaker and more as a messenger for the vineyards from which his wines are sourced. This means that his wines not only offer some of the very best of “New Spain”, but also the perfect introduction to the region that he has helped to put on the map.
He makes wines under two labels: his own name and La Vizcaina, the estate he owns near his hometown of Vatuille de Abajo. Stylistically, the wines share much in common, but Vizcaina is focused on smaller parcels with more minute differences—perfect for exploring the Mencia grape as a vehicle for Burgundy-style terroir.
Check out our wide selection of Raul Perez wines from his home region of Bierzo, and take this invitation to discover for the first time, or reacquaint yourself with, one of Spain’s most exciting regions by way of the virtuoso of “New Spain”.
Highlights In Stock Now:
Raul Perez Ultreia de Valtuille, Bierzo 2015 750ML ($79.95) $49 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds 95 points “Vivid ruby. An expansive, seductively perfumed bouquet of ripe red/blue fruits, pot-pourri, exotic spices and cola, along with an intense mineral overtone. Concentrated yet vibrant in character, showing superb definition and mineral lift to the sweet raspberry, boysenberry, cola, spicecake and violet pastille flavors. Shows alluring sweetness and powerful thrust on the youthfully tannic finish, which hangs on with outstanding clarity and mineral-driven persistence. (All whole clusters and neutral French oak.) “
Today, Raul makes wine from most of northwest Spain’s most exciting regions. However, he considers Bierzo home, and he is considered the region’s benchmark producer.
Despite being at the forefront of Spain’s modern winemaking movement, Raul is old-school in that he sees himself less as a winemaker and more as a messenger for the vineyards from which his wines are sourced. This means that his wines not only offer some of the very best of “New Spain”, but also the perfect introduction to the region that he has helped to put on the map.
He makes wines under two labels: his own name and La Vizcaina, the estate he owns near his hometown of Vatuille de Abajo. Stylistically, the wines share much in common, but Vizcaina is focused on smaller parcels with more minute differences—perfect for exploring the Mencia grape as a vehicle for Burgundy-style terroir.
Check out our wide selection of Raul Perez wines from his home region of Bierzo, and take this invitation to discover for the first time, or reacquaint yourself with, one of Spain’s most exciting regions by way of the virtuoso of “New Spain”.
Highlights In Stock Now:
Raul Perez Ultreia de Valtuille, Bierzo 2015 750ML ($79.95) $49 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds 95 points “Vivid ruby. An expansive, seductively perfumed bouquet of ripe red/blue fruits, pot-pourri, exotic spices and cola, along with an intense mineral overtone. Concentrated yet vibrant in character, showing superb definition and mineral lift to the sweet raspberry, boysenberry, cola, spicecake and violet pastille flavors. Shows alluring sweetness and powerful thrust on the youthfully tannic finish, which hangs on with outstanding clarity and mineral-driven persistence. (All whole clusters and neutral French oak.) “
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Raul Perez Ultreia Rapolao, Bierzo 2014 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 13 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 95+ points “There is a new Ultreia bottling, the 2014 Ultreia El Rapolao, from a vineyard that now sees five or six different bottlings, sourced from their old vineyards that used to go to the Vizcaína bottling. This is really pretty, with intense floral aromas, spices, a touch of earth and something herbal. The palate is medium-bodied with refined tannins, great balance and a tasty, long, sapid, almost salty finish. There were some 600 bottles produced. it was bottled in January 2017. Outstanding.”
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Raul Perez Ultreia de Valtuille, Bierzo 2014 750ML ($69.95) $61.90 special, 7 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2014 Ultreia de Valtuille was very open and expressive, impressive too, with notes of freshness, blood orange, red cherries and also flowers (violets, lilies) and an earthy touch. It’s elegant and complex, with very fine tannins and a velvety sensation. As with all the reds, the oak is unnoticeable, perfectly integrated and folded into the wine.”
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La Vizcaina ‘El Rapolao’ Lomas de Valtuille, Bierzo 2016 750ML ($39.95) $33 special, 16 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 95+ points “The cool and elegant character of the El Rapolao plot seems to have been amplified by the weather conditions in the 2016 La Vizcaína El Rapolao. Pérez does not own all the vineyards, so sourcing can sometimes vary within the same vineyard, and since 2016 it comes from two old plots where the Mencía is mixed with other varieties; the wine seems to have gained in depth and complexity as a result. In 2016 he did a slightly shorter maceration and matured the wine in 500-liter oak barrels for a little over 12 months. The vineyard yields well, and the wine is always expressive, balanced and elegant. It seems like slightly higher yields suit it better, and the wines have good tension and an herbal twist that adds to the complexity and freshness. 5,000 bottles produced.”
Raul Perez ‘Las Gundinas’ Lomas de Valtuille, Bierzo 2016 750ML ($39.95) $30.90 special, 20 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2016 La Vizcaína Las Gundiñas comes from a plot with deeper soils, and the wine feels quite immediate and fruit driven. There is a bitter touch in the palate. I’ve seen some ups and downs with this wine, and Raúl Pérez confirmed that the wines are variable, but they tend to deliver in the medium term. It’s not particularly complex, but it drinks well. 4,500 bottles produced.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Previously Sold Out, Re-Arriving in February:
Raul Perez Ultreia de Paluezas, Bierzo 2016 750ML ($79.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 96 points “One of the few vineyards in Bierzo where the soils have a significant content of limestone is San Juan de Paluezas, in a different valley looking into Las Médulas goldmines. They produce three barrels of the 2016 Ultreia de Paluezas from this vineyard. This year it had a shorter élevage, only around 12 months, as they saw it was ready and was racked out of the wood. Limestone soils always deliver dry, chalk-like tannins and a special tastiness that often translates in an almost salty feeling. It has more bones than flesh; it’s austere and should develop slowly in bottle. In fact, they are now releasing the 2015, as they feel it benefits from some more time in bottle. I like the austerity here. 850 bottles produced from a small plot with very low yields.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Check out our webstore for all fifteen bottlings from Perez, in stock now and arriving soon!
A Loire Gamay With Old-School Beaujolais Pricing
We’ve secured one of the deals of the month: one of the best under $20 Gamays you’ll taste. Why? Because the wine world works like real estate—location matters. If you love Beaujolais and wish it were still priced like a Tuesday night wine, you should be looking for wines from nearby regions—in this case Domaine Serol’s killer “Eclat de Granit” from the Côte Roannaise.
If you head due west from Beaujolais you would quickly find yourself in…the Loire? Yes, the Loire. The Loire heads south after passing Orleans and eventually runs parallel with Burgundy and Beaujolais. That means that you’re on the same belt of granite soils that gives us crus like Morgon and Moulin-a-Vent, but with the value that only obscure regions bring—indeed the Côte Roannaise would be on our short list of underpriced regions in France.
Domaine Serol is one of, if not the, best estates in the Côte Roannaise—a region known for granite soils and a very unique cultivar of the Gamay grape (Gamay Saint Romain, which is to regular Gamay as Brunello’s Sangiovese Grosso is to regular Sangiovese). This granite-rich area is cooler than Beaujolais, but the wines always have the power we associate with the granitic crus like Morgon.
Serol’s Eclat de Granit is the perfect wine to start exploring this undersung region. Made from a blend of vineyards, which all have granitic soils, it’s beautifully bright fruited and peppery. There are some seriously old vines contributing to this wine—up to 80 years old and even the younger plots are made from a selection massale. That translates to real character and interest, which are immense for a wine under $20. Lovers of Beaujolais should be all over this, and quickly—we don’t expect it to stay a secret for long.
In Stock Now:
Domaine Serol Eclat de Granite Cote Roannaise, Loire 2017 750ML ($21.95) $16.50 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Grapelive 93 points “Stephane Serol is making compelling wines from his upper Loire [Valley] Cote Roannaise estate [using the] Saint Romain clone of Gamay. These are wines that defy regional landscapes and should be almost considered an iconic individual appellation or maybe a lost Cru Beaujolais on par with Morgon or Cote de Brouilly! Especially this 2017 Eclat de Granite which is plush and expressive much in the same way Dutraive, Lapierre, Sunier, Thivin, Chanrion and Thevenet are with plenty of intense Cote Roannaise mountain tannin and structure. Minerally detailed, this beautifully clear Serol Gamay has a deep sense of varietal, place and remote wildness. Stephane has captured his place in the bottle to near perfection. Vivid purple, magenta and ruby/garnet in the glass the Eclat de Granite is bursting with vibrancy and dark flavors showing flinty spices, herbs, violets and walnut complexities to go along with a core of blackberry, blue plum and bing cherry fruit, adding a touch of grenadine, straw and tart blood orange as well as a faint trace of stony/earthiness in an absolutely balanced wine that really delivers exceptional quality. One of the best vintages from Serol, it combines a lovely and graceful medium bodied palate and a flowing almost seamless stream of Gamay flavors, textural pleasure and a vivacious personality. [It’s] easy to love from start to finish. Serol, whose Domaine sits at high elevation not too far from the Loire’s source at the Massif Central, has some 80 year old vines and is the fifth generation to farm and make wine up here. He and his wife Carine have made this wild almost forgotten land a serious place to search out. Stephane employed partial whole cluster and traditional fermentation with his 2017 Eclat de Granite and raised it in a combination of neutral cask and tank, again to add live, grip and sense of place and while non carbonic it has a pop of juicy fruit and some nervy coil from the limited use of stems. This is almost impossible for Gamay lovers to resist and Burgundy fans will also grudging and maybe secretly adore this stuff as they do with producers like Foillard! Serol works all organic and is almost finished converting to full biodynamic practices in the vineyards and in the cellar uses ultra-low sulfur. Rather than [label] him as a natural winemaker, I’d say he is committed to his land and passionate in everything he does. Drink his 2017 Eclat de Granite over the next 3 to 5 years, if not longer.”
If you head due west from Beaujolais you would quickly find yourself in…the Loire? Yes, the Loire. The Loire heads south after passing Orleans and eventually runs parallel with Burgundy and Beaujolais. That means that you’re on the same belt of granite soils that gives us crus like Morgon and Moulin-a-Vent, but with the value that only obscure regions bring—indeed the Côte Roannaise would be on our short list of underpriced regions in France.
Domaine Serol is one of, if not the, best estates in the Côte Roannaise—a region known for granite soils and a very unique cultivar of the Gamay grape (Gamay Saint Romain, which is to regular Gamay as Brunello’s Sangiovese Grosso is to regular Sangiovese). This granite-rich area is cooler than Beaujolais, but the wines always have the power we associate with the granitic crus like Morgon.
Serol’s Eclat de Granit is the perfect wine to start exploring this undersung region. Made from a blend of vineyards, which all have granitic soils, it’s beautifully bright fruited and peppery. There are some seriously old vines contributing to this wine—up to 80 years old and even the younger plots are made from a selection massale. That translates to real character and interest, which are immense for a wine under $20. Lovers of Beaujolais should be all over this, and quickly—we don’t expect it to stay a secret for long.
In Stock Now:
Domaine Serol Eclat de Granite Cote Roannaise, Loire 2017 750ML ($21.95) $16.50 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Grapelive 93 points “Stephane Serol is making compelling wines from his upper Loire [Valley] Cote Roannaise estate [using the] Saint Romain clone of Gamay. These are wines that defy regional landscapes and should be almost considered an iconic individual appellation or maybe a lost Cru Beaujolais on par with Morgon or Cote de Brouilly! Especially this 2017 Eclat de Granite which is plush and expressive much in the same way Dutraive, Lapierre, Sunier, Thivin, Chanrion and Thevenet are with plenty of intense Cote Roannaise mountain tannin and structure. Minerally detailed, this beautifully clear Serol Gamay has a deep sense of varietal, place and remote wildness. Stephane has captured his place in the bottle to near perfection. Vivid purple, magenta and ruby/garnet in the glass the Eclat de Granite is bursting with vibrancy and dark flavors showing flinty spices, herbs, violets and walnut complexities to go along with a core of blackberry, blue plum and bing cherry fruit, adding a touch of grenadine, straw and tart blood orange as well as a faint trace of stony/earthiness in an absolutely balanced wine that really delivers exceptional quality. One of the best vintages from Serol, it combines a lovely and graceful medium bodied palate and a flowing almost seamless stream of Gamay flavors, textural pleasure and a vivacious personality. [It’s] easy to love from start to finish. Serol, whose Domaine sits at high elevation not too far from the Loire’s source at the Massif Central, has some 80 year old vines and is the fifth generation to farm and make wine up here. He and his wife Carine have made this wild almost forgotten land a serious place to search out. Stephane employed partial whole cluster and traditional fermentation with his 2017 Eclat de Granite and raised it in a combination of neutral cask and tank, again to add live, grip and sense of place and while non carbonic it has a pop of juicy fruit and some nervy coil from the limited use of stems. This is almost impossible for Gamay lovers to resist and Burgundy fans will also grudging and maybe secretly adore this stuff as they do with producers like Foillard! Serol works all organic and is almost finished converting to full biodynamic practices in the vineyards and in the cellar uses ultra-low sulfur. Rather than [label] him as a natural winemaker, I’d say he is committed to his land and passionate in everything he does. Drink his 2017 Eclat de Granite over the next 3 to 5 years, if not longer.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
#Trending
An amazing Pinot Noir for under $20.
Bow & Arrow Medici Vineyard Pinot Noir, Chehalem Mountains 2018 750ML ($24.95) Was $21.90, Now $18 special
Winemaker Note “[W]hile this ethos of “wine for the people” infuses the entire posture at Bow & Arrow, it’s this wine, the Willamette Valley Pinot in particular, that serves as our proof of concept. You can make, in the Willamette Valley, a Pinot Noir sourced from Biodynamic and Organic fruit that is lovingly and naturally tended to form start to finish AND sell it at a price that nearly anyone can glass pour. Assembled mainly from Johan Vineyard, Walnut Ridge and Hughes Hollow fruit, this wine was handled no differently than our single vineyard, top priced Pinot Noir. Tasted blind I imagine it would hang tough with any line-up of Oregon Pinots of any price or pedigree. (“I humbly submit” keeps getting auto-corrected to this hubristic nonsense. I’m sorry.)”
Bow & Arrow Medici Vineyard Pinot Noir, Chehalem Mountains 2018 750ML ($24.95) Was $21.90, Now $18 special
Winemaker Note “[W]hile this ethos of “wine for the people” infuses the entire posture at Bow & Arrow, it’s this wine, the Willamette Valley Pinot in particular, that serves as our proof of concept. You can make, in the Willamette Valley, a Pinot Noir sourced from Biodynamic and Organic fruit that is lovingly and naturally tended to form start to finish AND sell it at a price that nearly anyone can glass pour. Assembled mainly from Johan Vineyard, Walnut Ridge and Hughes Hollow fruit, this wine was handled no differently than our single vineyard, top priced Pinot Noir. Tasted blind I imagine it would hang tough with any line-up of Oregon Pinots of any price or pedigree. (“I humbly submit” keeps getting auto-corrected to this hubristic nonsense. I’m sorry.)”
This was the lowest listed price in the USA today,
Now it’s even lower!
Now it’s even lower!
Previously sold out, now back in stock—but probably not for long.
Weingut Keller ‘Von der Fels Riesling’ Trocken, Rheinhessen 2018 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 35 bottles in stock now
John Gilman 93 points “The 2018 von der Fels Riesling Trocken is magnificent this year and is probably the very finest bargain in the universe of dry Rieslings in all of Germany in this vintage! The wine offers up a beautifully pure and vibrant bouquet of pink grapefruit, tart orange, chalky minerality, dried flowers, citrus peel, a dollop of wild yeasts and a gently smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, precise and impressive tensile for the vintage, with a great core, superb elegance and focus, outstanding backend mineral drive and a very long, very pure and complex finish. Great juice. 2023-2060+.”
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The best value out of Barbaresco? It’s hard to think of one better.
Adriano Marco e Vittorio Basarin, Barbaresco DOCG 2016 750ML ($39.95) $33 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Adriano Marco e Vittorio Basarin, Barbaresco DOCG 2016 750ML ($479.95) $359 special (that’s only $29.92/bottle!)
#6 Wine Enthusiast Top 100 of 2019
Wine Enthusiast 96 points “Spearmint, black-skinned berry, blue flower and new leather aromas lead the way along with a whiff of menthol. Tight and taut, the elegant, structured palate delivers juicy black cherry, crushed raspberry, wild herbs and white pepper alongside assertive, close-grained tannins. Bright acidity provides balance. Best 2024–2036”
Wine Spectator 94 points “Aromas of rose, cherry, strawberry and white pepper draw you in, while vibrant acidity and a lacy texture carry the fruit flavors, adding tobacco and earth details. A solid base of tannins provides support. This should come together nicely. Best from 2022 through 2038.”
This is the lowest listed price for 12 bottles on the West Coast today!
Burgundy through a Sicilian prism—or is it the reverse?
Tenuta delle Terre Nere Guardiola Rosso Etna, Sicily 2017 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 17 bottles in stock now
Ian D’Agata-Vinous 93+ points “Luminous crimson color. Offers minty red fruit and minerals on the captivating nose. Full, dense and rich, with multilayered flavors of red cherry, minerals, exotic spices and aromatic herbs. Finishes long with building mouthcoating tannins and with some alcohol-derived heat. The nose takes longer to open up than in the other 2017 Terre Nere wines, so decant an hour ahead (at least) prior to serving. Better still, cellar it for another five to six years for maximum enjoyment.”
Wine Spectator 91 points “Dense and chewy tannins are swathed in a finely meshed range of black cherry, baked fig, loamy earth and rose hip notes in this expressive, medium- to full-bodied red. A lovely skein of warm spice unravels on the lingering finish. Best from 2021 through 2029. 400 cases made, 250 cases imported.”
Tenuta delle Terre Nere Guardiola Rosso Etna, Sicily 2017 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 17 bottles in stock now
Ian D’Agata-Vinous 93+ points “Luminous crimson color. Offers minty red fruit and minerals on the captivating nose. Full, dense and rich, with multilayered flavors of red cherry, minerals, exotic spices and aromatic herbs. Finishes long with building mouthcoating tannins and with some alcohol-derived heat. The nose takes longer to open up than in the other 2017 Terre Nere wines, so decant an hour ahead (at least) prior to serving. Better still, cellar it for another five to six years for maximum enjoyment.”
Wine Spectator 91 points “Dense and chewy tannins are swathed in a finely meshed range of black cherry, baked fig, loamy earth and rose hip notes in this expressive, medium- to full-bodied red. A lovely skein of warm spice unravels on the lingering finish. Best from 2021 through 2029. 400 cases made, 250 cases imported.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
#40 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2019
Marques de Murrieta Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2015 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Marques de Murrieta Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2015 750ML ($299.95) $235 special (that’s only $19.58/bottle—the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!)
Wine Advocate 93 points “The red blend 2015 Rioja Reserva is 80% Tempranillo with 12% Graciano, 6% Mazuelo and 2% Garnacha, a little more Graciano and Mazuelo, something logical in ripe and warm years like 2015. It’s produced with grapes from a diversity of the 30 different plots within the estate, to represent the character of if. It fermented in stainless steel and matured in American oak barrels for 18 months. It’s spicy and somewhat balsamic, with some dusty tannins. It’s a ripe and powerful vintage that only suffers next to the 2016 I tasted next to it when there’s a jump in precision and finesse.-LG”
Wine Spectator 92 points “Cedar, tobacco, dried cherry and spice flavors mingle in this red. Features a polished texture, with well-integrated tannins and orange peel acidity. Supple, harmonious and graceful. Tempranillo, Graciano, Mazuelo and Garnacha. Drink now through 2025. 100,000 cases made, 9,067 cases imported. — TM”
Collector’s Corner
Ne Plus Ultra Edition
In Stock Now:
Has Ornellaia/Masseto ever made a better wine? Three 100pt scores say no.
Tenuta Ornellaia Masseto Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2016 750ML ($849.95) $759 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 100 points “Masseto has pulled off back-to-back home runs. This is the first time that an Italian wine has earned 100 points in successive vintages. The 2016 Masseto is a thunderstorm of emotions, but it manages to keep them under perfect control. Like the 2015 Masseto before it, this vintage is a seamless wine of the highest pedigree. It represents an encore performance, continuing the string of successes that is bringing Italy to the forefront of the wine world. The first thing you’ll notice is the thickness and concentration of the fruit that makes an immediate impact on all the senses, in terms of appearance, aroma and mouthfeel. There is no overstating the sheer power and richness of this iconic vintage of Italy’s groundbreaking Merlot. Despite that considerable mass, this Masseto remains delicate and graceful. You gain better perspective as the wine opens in the glass and reveals deeper layers that were not immediately apparent on first nose: dark fruit, spice, sweet tobacco and black cherry. There is great tightness and laser focus to the fruit. I tasted the 2016 and 2015 vintages together for comparison when I scored this wine, and then I tasted this 2016 edition alone about a month later to confirm my impressions. These vintages are identical twins, two perfect wines.-ML”
Jeb Dunnuck 100 points “Not yet released, the 2016 Masseto is sensational and unquestionably one of the greatest expressions of Merlot in the world. As always, it’s 100% Merlot from a single vineyard that has a complex, diverse set of soils and expositions, causing harvest at times to be spread over as much as three weeks. Aged two years in oak, its deep purple color is followed by a powerful bouquet of black cherries, cassis, spicy oak, damp earth, green tobacco, and spring flowers. It’s full-bodied, concentrated and masculine on the palate, with serious minerality, yet it stays flawlessly balanced with magical purity of fruit. With no shortage of concentration and structure, this primordial powerhouse of a Merlot needs 4-6 years of bottle age yet should evolve for decades. Merlot, or wine for that matter, doesn’t get any better!”
James Suckling 100 points “This is so solid and powerful with incredible vertical dense that goes down and down on the palate. Compacted and thick with caressing and polished tannins that are powerful yet refined. Super concentration yet agile and energetic. This is a wine that needs time to come together and resolve all of its amazing components. Reminds me of the legendary 2001. Try after 2023.”
#1 Wine of the Year – James Suckling
Chateau Canon, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2015 750ML ($399.95) $349 special, 35 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 100 points “From the very beginning, the 2015 Canon has made an eloquent case for itself as one of the wines of the vintage. Multiple tastings from bottle only confirm what several early tastings hinted at: the 2015 Canon is simply extraordinary in every way. Sumptuous and exotic, with no hard edges and exceptional balance, the 2015 grabs hold of all the senses and never lets up. A rush of red fruit intermingled with floral notes, spice and smoke notes effortlessly runs up the wine’s vertical structure as the 2015 thrills with every twist and turn. The 2015 Canon is a rare wine that is both hedonistic and intellectual – well, maybe it is a bit more hedonistic-leaning. It doesn’t matter. Don’t miss it. This 2015 is masterpiece from General Manager Nicolas Auderbert and his team at Canon.”
Neal Martin 100 points “The 2015 Canon was a benchmark wine that seemed to revitalize this historic estate. I was crossing my fingers that it would not disappoint in bottle and I am glad to say that it delivers the goods. It has a very intense bouquet (just as it showed out of barrel) with laser-like precision offering wild strawberry, raspberry preserve, wet limestone and hints of truffle. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, clean and fresh with pure black and red fruit whose every atom appears infused with minerals. The mouth is tingling long after the wine has exited and your brain is thinking…when is the next sip coming? It is frankly heads and shoulders above almost every Saint Émilion this vintage, to reaffirm, a benchmark for this historic estate that will give pleasure to many over the coming years. Astonishing.”
James Suckling 100 points “Seductive. The nose draws you in deep: It’s like staring into a well of pristine dark cherries, dark plums, blackberries and mulberries. All the oak is perfectly subsumed. The palate’s flawless with immense depth and power and it’s so balanced as to appear to float. Immaculate fresh dark-berry and plum flavors. Silky and deep, ribbon-like finish. Perfect. Best from 2022.”
Domaine Leflaive is the most important producer of white Burgundy out there.
Domaine Leflaive Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune 2015 750ML ($799.95) $699 special, 1 bottle in stock now
Wine Spectator 96 points “An appealing mix of lemon cake, peach, citronella, floral and stone flavors, this white is light-footed, yet intense and luminescent. Beautifully integrated acidity drives the long finish, where elements of mineral, citrus and spice linger. Best from 2020 to 2032.”
Burghound 93-95 points “Don’t Miss! A pungent and more expressive nose offers up a broad assortment of aromas that include notes of matchstick, white orchard fruit and in particular white peach, exotic tea and plenty of citrus nuances. The mouth feel of the big-bodied flavors is notably more refined than usual yet the underlying power of a fine Bâtard is certainly present and especially so on the hugely long, firm and built-to-age finish. In a word, impressive.”
Cathiard’s RSV is one of the rarest wines in Burgundy—even more so in back-vintages.
Sylvain Cathiard Romanee-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2009 750ML ($2,799.95) $2,499 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Burghound 94-97 points “A dazzlingly complex, perfumed and pure nose reveals a bit of wood influence yet remains strikingly elegant with its superb scope of spicy red berry fruit aromas that are followed by ripe, seductive and beautifully intense flavors that display marvelous depth and perfect balance on the sappy and naturally sweet finish of monumental length. This is a wine of indisputable class and a model of grace and understatement that should age effortlessly for 20 to 30 years.”
Has Ornellaia/Masseto ever made a better wine? Three 100pt scores say no.
Tenuta Ornellaia Masseto Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2016 750ML ($849.95) $759 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 100 points “Masseto has pulled off back-to-back home runs. This is the first time that an Italian wine has earned 100 points in successive vintages. The 2016 Masseto is a thunderstorm of emotions, but it manages to keep them under perfect control. Like the 2015 Masseto before it, this vintage is a seamless wine of the highest pedigree. It represents an encore performance, continuing the string of successes that is bringing Italy to the forefront of the wine world. The first thing you’ll notice is the thickness and concentration of the fruit that makes an immediate impact on all the senses, in terms of appearance, aroma and mouthfeel. There is no overstating the sheer power and richness of this iconic vintage of Italy’s groundbreaking Merlot. Despite that considerable mass, this Masseto remains delicate and graceful. You gain better perspective as the wine opens in the glass and reveals deeper layers that were not immediately apparent on first nose: dark fruit, spice, sweet tobacco and black cherry. There is great tightness and laser focus to the fruit. I tasted the 2016 and 2015 vintages together for comparison when I scored this wine, and then I tasted this 2016 edition alone about a month later to confirm my impressions. These vintages are identical twins, two perfect wines.-ML”
Jeb Dunnuck 100 points “Not yet released, the 2016 Masseto is sensational and unquestionably one of the greatest expressions of Merlot in the world. As always, it’s 100% Merlot from a single vineyard that has a complex, diverse set of soils and expositions, causing harvest at times to be spread over as much as three weeks. Aged two years in oak, its deep purple color is followed by a powerful bouquet of black cherries, cassis, spicy oak, damp earth, green tobacco, and spring flowers. It’s full-bodied, concentrated and masculine on the palate, with serious minerality, yet it stays flawlessly balanced with magical purity of fruit. With no shortage of concentration and structure, this primordial powerhouse of a Merlot needs 4-6 years of bottle age yet should evolve for decades. Merlot, or wine for that matter, doesn’t get any better!”
James Suckling 100 points “This is so solid and powerful with incredible vertical dense that goes down and down on the palate. Compacted and thick with caressing and polished tannins that are powerful yet refined. Super concentration yet agile and energetic. This is a wine that needs time to come together and resolve all of its amazing components. Reminds me of the legendary 2001. Try after 2023.”
#1 Wine of the Year – James Suckling
Chateau Canon, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2015 750ML ($399.95) $349 special, 35 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 100 points “From the very beginning, the 2015 Canon has made an eloquent case for itself as one of the wines of the vintage. Multiple tastings from bottle only confirm what several early tastings hinted at: the 2015 Canon is simply extraordinary in every way. Sumptuous and exotic, with no hard edges and exceptional balance, the 2015 grabs hold of all the senses and never lets up. A rush of red fruit intermingled with floral notes, spice and smoke notes effortlessly runs up the wine’s vertical structure as the 2015 thrills with every twist and turn. The 2015 Canon is a rare wine that is both hedonistic and intellectual – well, maybe it is a bit more hedonistic-leaning. It doesn’t matter. Don’t miss it. This 2015 is masterpiece from General Manager Nicolas Auderbert and his team at Canon.”
Neal Martin 100 points “The 2015 Canon was a benchmark wine that seemed to revitalize this historic estate. I was crossing my fingers that it would not disappoint in bottle and I am glad to say that it delivers the goods. It has a very intense bouquet (just as it showed out of barrel) with laser-like precision offering wild strawberry, raspberry preserve, wet limestone and hints of truffle. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, clean and fresh with pure black and red fruit whose every atom appears infused with minerals. The mouth is tingling long after the wine has exited and your brain is thinking…when is the next sip coming? It is frankly heads and shoulders above almost every Saint Émilion this vintage, to reaffirm, a benchmark for this historic estate that will give pleasure to many over the coming years. Astonishing.”
James Suckling 100 points “Seductive. The nose draws you in deep: It’s like staring into a well of pristine dark cherries, dark plums, blackberries and mulberries. All the oak is perfectly subsumed. The palate’s flawless with immense depth and power and it’s so balanced as to appear to float. Immaculate fresh dark-berry and plum flavors. Silky and deep, ribbon-like finish. Perfect. Best from 2022.”
Domaine Leflaive is the most important producer of white Burgundy out there.
Domaine Leflaive Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune 2015 750ML ($799.95) $699 special, 1 bottle in stock now
Wine Spectator 96 points “An appealing mix of lemon cake, peach, citronella, floral and stone flavors, this white is light-footed, yet intense and luminescent. Beautifully integrated acidity drives the long finish, where elements of mineral, citrus and spice linger. Best from 2020 to 2032.”
Burghound 93-95 points “Don’t Miss! A pungent and more expressive nose offers up a broad assortment of aromas that include notes of matchstick, white orchard fruit and in particular white peach, exotic tea and plenty of citrus nuances. The mouth feel of the big-bodied flavors is notably more refined than usual yet the underlying power of a fine Bâtard is certainly present and especially so on the hugely long, firm and built-to-age finish. In a word, impressive.”
Cathiard’s RSV is one of the rarest wines in Burgundy—even more so in back-vintages.
Sylvain Cathiard Romanee-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2009 750ML ($2,799.95) $2,499 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Burghound 94-97 points “A dazzlingly complex, perfumed and pure nose reveals a bit of wood influence yet remains strikingly elegant with its superb scope of spicy red berry fruit aromas that are followed by ripe, seductive and beautifully intense flavors that display marvelous depth and perfect balance on the sappy and naturally sweet finish of monumental length. This is a wine of indisputable class and a model of grace and understatement that should age effortlessly for 20 to 30 years.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
The best Barolo from one of the best years of the decade—in magnum.
Giacomo Conterno Monfortino, Barolo Riserva DOCG 2013 1.5L ($2,999.95) $2,399 special, 1 magnum in stock now
Antonio Galloni 99 points “The 2013 Barolo Riserva Monfortino is brilliant, precise, focused and nuanced, with the classic sense of austerity it has always shown from barrel. In the 2013, readers will find a biting, vibrant Monfortino built along super-classic lines that includes vintages like 1996 and 1999, but the 2013 has more finesse that is the result of a the slight refinements and evolution that have taken place here over the last decade. In 2013, Roberto Conterno bottled the entirety of his Barolo production from Francia as Monfortino.”
Wine Spectator 99 points “Subtle aromas of cherry, wild herb and tobacco introduce this sleek, complex red. Cherry, strawberry, loam, iron and tobacco flavors build in intensity to an extended finish, but the texture and harmony are what define this superb Barolo. Silky, with a fine weave to the dense tannins. All the components come together on the lingering aftertaste. Best from 2022 through 2050.”
Wine Advocate 98 points “I have been tasting this wine from barrel for the past two years and now finally, abracadabra, the 2013 Barolo Riserva Monfortino is safely housed in bottle. The wine was bottled in June of last year and will hit the market this upcoming October. The Barolo Francia was not produced in 2013 because Roberto Conterno diverted all fruit from that vineyard to this wine. Monfortino was not produced in 2011 or 2012, meaning that this 2013 edition follows directly after the absolutely stunning 2010 vintage (which earned a perfect 100-point score). The two vintages (2010 and 2013) are very similar, strikingly so, but the 2013 vintage registers at a slightly lower structural threshold. The tannins are slightly looser, or softer in the case of this wine. With up to six years in botte, the 2010 vintage is still crunchy and super sharp, while this wine is slightly more succulent and earthy. Some 20,000 bottles, 2,500 magnums and 400 three-liter bottles were made.-ML”
James Suckling 99 points “Warm aromas of plums, rose petals and spices with hints of sandalwood. Some tar. Full body, dense center palate with glorious fruit and a fantastic finish. Very, very polished and fine tannins. Vertical and deep. A great Monfortino. Try in 2023.”
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