Vinopolpick Monday Bonus 10-19-20

In Today’s Newsletter:

Subscriber Special
Doctor Crusius’ World-Class Riesling


Arriving Friday
Huet’s Anticipated 2019s


Featured Pre-Arrival
Drappier Carte d’Or Brut


Staff Pick
A Classic Mineral-laden Grüner Veltliner


Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
Hot Deals on Cool Wines


Collector’s Corner:
Reduced & National Best Pricing on Gaja


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Subscriber Special

Doctor Crusius’ World-Class Riesling


Doctor Crusius is one of the leading producers in Germany’s Nahe growing region. Located just south of the country’s most celebrated terroirs, Nahe is a favorite amongst German wine insiders. Great values abound, however no other Nahe producer delivers world-class wines as consistently as Doctor Crusius. 

After decades of aggressively acquiring many of the region’s finest vineyards, Crusius has assembled a vineyard portfolio that is the envy of his neighbors. Celebrated growing regions like Traisen and Schloßböckelheim would be household names if located in the Mosel, but instead offer smart buying opportunities for those in the know. Today we’re thrilled to spread the good word by offering Crusius’ wines at Subscriber Special pricing, all the while knowing that converts are sure to follow.

In Stock Now:

Dr. Crusius Traiser Bastei Riesling Grosses Gewächs, Nahe 2016 750ML ($89.95) Was $69, Now $59, 3 bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott – jamessuckling.com 95 points
“Very fresh and very concentrated this is another of the top dry rieslings from the Nahe with a massive mineral finish. Drink now or hold.”
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2016 Nahe Riesling Traiser Bastei “GG” is pure, fresh and stony on the flinty nose. The attack on the palate is racy, fresh and piquant, the wine more austere and edgy than the highly elegant Schlossböckelheimer. It has a cold and smoky character that needs a bit of time to gain more sensuality. However, this is a true character with great elegance and lingering salinity. Fermented and aged in 600-liter stainless steel tanks and 300-liter oak barrels.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!


Dr. Crusius Traiser Bastei Riesling Spätlese, Nahe 2016 750ML ($49.95) Was $39, Now $33, 11 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 91 points
“The 2016 Nahe Riesling Traiser Bastei Spätlese (AP 29 17) offers a clear, intense and complex nose that is fresh and stony/mineral rather than fruity and benefits from aeration. Very elegant, precise and noble on the palate, with a lovely mineral piquancy and lingering salinity, this is a complex as well as delicate Spätlese with a stimulatingly clear and piquant finish. Delicious but not as luscious and sexy as the auctioned Felsenberg. 9% alcohol.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!


Dr. Crusius Schlossböckelheimer Felsenberg Riesling Grosses Gewächs, Nahe 2016 750ML ($69.95) Was $59, Now $49, 4 bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott – jamessuckling.com 94 points
“Another cool and minty wine from Dr. Crusius, but this has quite a bit more power and depth than the other GGs of this vintage from this producer. A crisp apple and mineral finish of considerable intensity and length. Drink now and for a few decades to come.”
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2016 Nahe Riesling Schlossböckelheimer Felsenberg “GG” is precise, fresh and intense on the nose, with very clear and perfectly ripe fruit aromas intertwined with delicate flint notes. Full-bodied, well concentrated, lush and with remarkable finesse, this is a very elegant and frisky Felsenberg with a long, intense and concentrated finish. The mineral expression is very fine and lingers. An impressive wine.”
Mosel Fine Wines 91 points “This offers an aromatic and smoky nose with plenty of fruity notes including quince, apricot blossom, apple, and a touch of banana, as well as mint and anise. The wine is beautifully balanced on the palate where it delivers presence and intensity as well as finesse and delicacy. The after-taste is full of smoke, delicately salty tartness and ginger. This is an outstanding slightly spicy dry Riesling in the making. 2021-2031”


Dr. Crusius Kupfergrube Riesling Grosses Gewächs, Nahe 2016 750ML ($69.95) Was $59, Now $49, 4 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 95 points
“Made for the first time since Crusius purchased another 0.4 hectares in this prestigious cru, the 2016 Nahe Riesling Schlossböckelheimer Kupfergrube “GG” has a very clear, intense, well-concentrated and highly elegant bouquet of ripe fruits and beautiful flinty aromas. This is a highly distinctive and refined nose. On the palate, this is a very complex, piercing, mineral and highly elegant Riesling with persistent salinity and tension. This is a blend of pure melaphyre intermixed with perfectly ripe and concentrated fruits.”
Stuart Pigott – jamessuckling.com 95 points “A super-bright, citric nose, a ton of lemony fruit on the palate and a very vibrant and complex finish make this the best ever GG from Dr. Crusius. Drink now and for many years to come.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!


Dr. Crusius Muhlberg Riesling Grosses Gewächs, Nahe 2016 750ML ($69.95) Was $59, Now $49, 11 bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott – jamessuckling.com 91 points
“A very minty cool nose, then a sleek and cool wine that’s really underplayed, but has quite some power behind it. A long, rather complex finish. Should be more open from 2018 and drink for some years beyond.”
Mosel Fine Wines 90 points “This delivers a ripe and fruit-driven nose of quince, pear, peach, gooseberry and dried mango. With airing, notes of smoke and licorice join the party. The wine is broad and juicy on the palate, and the initial feeling of fruits and smoothness is nicely balanced out by some tickly acidity as well as quite some tartness. The finish is spicy and slightly powerful. This ostentatious expression of dry Nahe Riesling will please lovers of more forceful expressions of dry Riesling.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!


Dr. Crusius Schlossbockelheimer Felsenberg Riesling Beerenauslese Goldkapsel, Nahe 2015 375ML ($179.95) Was $159, Now $135, 11 half bottles in stock now
Mosel Fine Wines 98 points
“Harvested at a full-on 153° Oechsle (i.e. sugar levels technically qualifying for TBA), this auction BA starts off on the primary and discreet side at first before rapidly exhibiting huge finesse, complexity and depth with honeyed notes of apricot, pineapple, mango, vanilla cream and other exotic fruits. The botrytis gives the wine a great exotic, luscious and unctuous texture with plenty of juice, creamy viscosity and smoothness on the palate. The wine is, of course, still very sweet at this stage (it has no less than 229 g/l of residual sugar), but the interplay with some gorgeously playful acidity makes for a superbly clean and focused feel in the long finish. The only drawback of this little masterpiece of a BA is that it is still a good decade away from maturity. Patience is required! 2030-2085.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!


Dr. Crusius Traiser Rotenfels Riesling Kabinett, Nahe 2016 750ML ($29.95) Was $26, Now $21.90, 14 bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott – jamessuckling.com 90 points
“This Kabinett may have a full grapey sweetness at the front, but the finish is very clean and almost dry thanks to the vibrant acidity and a hint of wild berries. Drink now or hold.”
Winery notes: “The Traiser Rotenfels with its steep southern slopes on the shoulder of the magnificent Rotenfels massif is the heart of our impressive vineyard location. For over 200 years, these parcels have been producing top wines from dry to noble sweet, which convey the feeling of biting into the Riesling grape with every sip. Low alcohol, lightness, fine aromas and delicate structure – these attributes make our Traiser Rotenfels Riesling Kabinett. This makes it versatile and an elegant companion for a relaxing evening.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!


Dr. Crusius Traiser Rotenfels Riesling Spätlese, Nahe 2016 750ML ($44.95) Was $33, Now $29
Wine Advocate 90 points
“The 2016 Nahe Riesling Traiser Rotenfels Spätlese has a clear, fine and elegant bouquet of ripe tropical fruits intermixed with lemon and stony flavors. Light, lush and round on the palate, with purity, stimulating salinity and ripe, textured fruit, this is an elegant and harmonious Spätlese with remarkable finesse. It is not very complex but so delicate…! 8.5% alcohol.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!


Love German Riesling? We have over 300 Rieslings (yes, you read that correctly!) currently available.
Shop our entire selection, including famous names like Donnhoff, JJ Pr üm, Markus Molitor, and more on our web store!

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Shipping Season is Here

Do you have wines on hold waiting for wine shipping weather? Please send us an email to schedule your shipment now!


www.vinopoliswineshop.com

info@vinopoliswineshop.com

503-223-6002

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Arriving Friday

Huet’s Anticipated 2019s


“Domaine Huet’ means ‘I make the best damn Chenin Blanc on the planet’ …” Mike Steinberger, Wine Diarist

Huet makes some of the most undervalued great wine in the world. Take any metric you’d use to adjudicate greatness (complexity, age-worthiness, terroir, aromatic intensity, world-wide praise, etc) and Huet’s Vouvray is on the list, at prices far below almost anything else in their class. These wines offer near-unmatched flexibility at the table, and Domaine Huet’s reputation guarantees long ageing potential. Made according to tradition and terroir, with utmost respect for nature, Huet wines can keep for over a century. 

The estate has long been ahead of its time. This is one of France’s pioneers in biodynamic viticulture. Today, horses still plough between the rows, and in the winery the recipe remains relatively simple. Fermentation takes place half in stainless steel, half in old oak, without malolactic fermentation. After only six months, the wines are bottled and then laid to age in a cellar dug from tuffeau rock, no air conditioning required. From here the Huet work is done: the rest is up to nature, and what eventually tastes like divine intervention. 

We’ve always carried a wide selection of Huet wines and are eagerly anticipating this week’s new arrivals, several bottlings from the terrific 2019 vintage. 

Pre-Arrivals ETA, Friday, October 23rd:

Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Le Mont’ Demi-Sec, Loire 2019 750ML ($59.95) $45 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 97 points
“The 2019 Vouvray Le Mont Demi-Sec is clear, fresh, deep and complex yet pure, fine, elegant and perfectly interwoven on the nose, where notes of crushed flint stones, limestones and concentrated citrus fruit aromas and even iodine notes are revealed. Very elegant and refined on the palate, this is a round, juicy, seductively fruity yet firmly structured and piquant Le Mont whose sweetness is captured by fine tannins and a sustainably dense, vital and salty finish. The 2019 Demi-Sec is a great Chenin and the finer Le Mont of the two, and it is doubtlessly a long-distance runner that should be cellared for at least a decade even though it’s hard to resist today. Impressive! 13.5% alcohol. 17,500 bottles made. Tasted in July 2020.”
Antonio Galloni – Vinous 94 points “The 2019 Demi-Sec Le Mont is a gorgeous expression of this site. In the Demi-Sec style, Le Mont naturally gains in volume and resonance, but it also has much more pronounced earthy, mineral inflections. Apricot, baked pear, marzipan, chamomile and lemon confit build into the bright, creamy finish. The 2019 is such a classy wine.”


Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Le Mont’ Sec, Loire 2019 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 94+ points
“Again, Huet’s 2019 Vouvray Le Mont Sec reflects the unique, south-facing nine-hectare vineyard with its pebbly flint (silex) and green clay soils wonderfully! Pure, fresh and flinty on the deep, intense yet also floral and herbal nose that represents a concentrated and firm white stone fruit aroma with lemon and grapefruit notes as well as fennel, anise and cumin hints. The bouquet gets darker and stonier with a lot of aeration (during days, to be honest). The leitmotif, though, remains the characteristic mix of aromatic fruit aromas with flint stone and volcanic basalt tones that, at this early stage and poured straight from the bottle, remind me of the Rieslings from Forst, Pfalz (Germany). In any case, this is like perfume on rocky stones! On the palate, Le Mont Sec is a rich, lush and round, very concentrated yet silky textured, elegant, vital and tightly structured 2019 with a powerful, intense and long finish with lingering salinity intertwined with tight, perhaps slightly dry tannins. I recommend cellaring this round yet tight and concentrated Chenin for a decade and then drinking it slowly over many years and with, hopefully, even better integrated tannins. 13.5% alcohol. 30,000 bottles made. Tasted in July 2020.”
Antonio Galloni – Vinous 94 points “The 2019 Sec Le Mont is precise and beautifully cut. A wine of laser-like focus, Le Mont dazzles with its purity. Citrus peel and floral accents are nicely lifted, but it is the wine’s energy that impresses most. Le Mont is a subtle wine that speaks softly, but what it has to say is priceless.”


Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Clos du Bourg’ Sec, Loire 2019 750M ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 97 points
“The 2019 Vouvray Clos du Bourg Sec offers a deep, rich yet pure and refined, intensely aromatic, darker-toned nose with aromas of fully ripe stone and tropical fruit intertwined with earthy, chalky and yeasty notes that make up for further finesse and complexity. Full-bodied, round and fruity on the palate, this is a deep, intense, juicy, silky-textured yet tight, chalky, very complex, sustainably structured and persistently salty-mineral Chenin from old vines that give extra concentration as well as a spectacularly expressive character. This is a great, age-worthy Vouvray with fine tannins and lingering salty tension and finesse. What a finish! The 2019 needs a while to gain finesse and even more complexity. The wine served from the bottle that I tasted nine days before was incredibly amazing! The 2019 is a duty for all Chenin aficionados! 13.5% alcohol. 30,000 bottles made. Tasted in July 2020.”
Antonio Galloni – Vinous 95 points “The 2019 Sec Clos du Bourg is a wine of stature and vertical build. There is real gravitas to the orchard fruit, spice and earthy flavors. Tasted blind, Clos du Bourg might be confused with a red wine such is its feeling of volume and structure. Far from an easygoing Vouvray, Clos du Bourg is a very serious wine. I loved it. In a word: marvelous. In three words: don’t miss it.”


Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Le Haut Lieu’ Sec, Loire 2019 750ML ($39.95) $33 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 95 points
“The deep brown clay soils of the Haut-Lieu plateau provide the typical fruitiness and freshness wonderfully in Huet’s 2019 Vouvray Le Haut-Lieu Sec. Ripe pear, tangerine and orange fruits with notes of lemon grass and green pimientos intertwined with very fine chalky and later tobacco notes give a remarkably fine, elegant and harmonious, subtly complex and simply gorgeous bouquet with floral (lime blossom!) and yeasty aromas that are immediately attractive. Delicate and linear on the palate, this is a pure, fresh, bone-dry, lean and textured, highly refined and perfectly interwoven Chenin with persistent purity, finesse, salty-mineral tension and very fine tannins. Highly finessed and so pure and vivacious! This is a chalky picture-book Haut-Lieu that can age for many years, even though it is already dangerously seductive! There was no dry Le Haut-Lieu produced in 2018, but the 2019 is possibly the finest, most delicate and elegant I’ve had in recent years, at least at this early stage. A terrific and buoyant Vouvray that any Chenin lover should try—or, better yet, cellar! 13% alcohol. 80,000 bottles made. Tasted in July 2020.”
Antonio Galloni – Vinous 92 points “The 2019 Sec Le Haut-Lieu is classy, polished and simply impeccable. Soft, silky contours wrap around a core of peach and lemon confit fruit. The first impression is all about texture. White flowers, pear and white pepper are some of the nuances that emerge over time, adding complexity, while clean, minerally notes grace the exquisite finish.”


We have 19 Domaine Huet wines in stock now.
Shop the entire selection on our web store!
 
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Featured Pre-Arrival

Drappier Carte d’Or Brut


Drappier might sound like a Grande Marque, but they’re really a grower producer at heart. They own 53 hectares of vines in the Aube (where they were the first to plant Pinot Noir) and make forward thinking wines at a very friendly price-point. A carbon-neutral house, they place as much care in the cellar as they do in the vineyards—and the wines show it.

Forbes placed the wine we’re offering today, the estate’s Carte d’Or , as the #3 “Best Champagne You’ve Never Heard Of” for good reason. Drappier makes big, flamboyantly rich Champagne that is always a crowd pleaser—at prices that mean you can actually pour it for crowds. It’s hard to find better bubbly under $36/btl, so if you’re a Champagne drinker you should stock up now.

Pre-Arrival ETA, Friday, October 23rd:

Drappier Carte d’Or Brut Champagne NV 750ML ($49.95) $36 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Drappier Carte d’Or Brut Champagne NV 750ML ($299.95) $199 pre-arrival special (that’s only $33.17/bottle!)
Wine Spectator 92 points
“[Reviewed Nov 2017] This bright and zesty Champagne is lightly juicy and appealing, offering flavors of Honeycrisp apple, ripe white cherry, biscuit and pickled ginger. Balanced and lacy in texture, with a lingering, spiced finish. Drink now through 2022. 2,200 cases imported.”
Decanter 91 points “[Reviewed Oct 2019] Described by Drappier as ‘almost a blanc de noirs’, this Pinot Noir-dominant wine sourced from the Côte des Bar is the house’s calling card. 5% of the cuvée is matured in barrels for a year for added complexity and texture, and it’s bottled unfiltered with a fairly low dosage of 7g/l. There are some melon and apple scents on the nose along with a splash of red fruits, while the palate is intense, with notes of apple, quince and grape wrapped in a red-fruit veil. It’s full-bodied and long, with a lovely texture from the red wine tannins and oak-matured portion.”
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 90 points “[Reviewed Apr 2020] Disgorged in June 2019, the latest rendition of Drappier’s NV Brut Carte d’Or is showing well, bursting with pretty aromas of peach, honeyed orchard fruit and white flowers. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, chalky and incisive, with fine depth and tension and a penetrating finish.”
[Disgorgement may vary from reviews]


Love Champagne? We have over 110 Champagnes currently available.
Shop the entire selection, including famous names like Delamotte, Laurent Perrier, Taittinger and more, on our web store!
 
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www.vinopoliswineshop.com

info@vinopoliswineshop.com

503-223-6002

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Staff Pick

A Classic Mineral-laden Grüner Veltliner


 
Andy:
I love the brisk aromas and flavors that can be found in Grüner Veltliner, and was pleasantly surprised by the Malat. In recent vintages, I was convinced that the lean elegant wines of Austria were doomed due to the lack of cool air coming down from the Alps in the evening; climate change seems to be ruining another one of my favorite regions. This wine gives me hope that there are still vintages that will produce the familiar snap of white pepper, citrus and green apple freshness. 

To be honest, the mineral note was initially overwhelming for my wife’s palate, but by the second and third night, the wine sang. Is the wine super tight due to the screw cap enclosure, or is the area around the village of Furth just that mineral laden? It will be interesting to try it again in a couple of months. A favorite staple for my white wines in winter, I will be enjoying this so long as we can keep it in stock.

In Stock Now:

Malat Grüner Veltliner, Kremstal 2018 750ML ($21.95) $19 special, 11 bottles in stock now
Falstaff Magazine 90 points
“[Translated & edited for clarity] Light yellow-green with silver reflections. Notes of delicate candied orange zest, hints of tobacco underlain with yellow tropical fruit and some pineapple. An inviting bouquet. Juicy, elegant texture, with notes of white apple. Freshly structured in an easy drinking style. This makes you want a second glass.”
James Suckling 90 points “Quite spicy and stony aromas with notes of grassy limes. The palate has a juicy and fleshy feel with limes and green papaya to close. Drink now. Screw cap.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!


Love Austrian wine? We have over 50 wines from Austria currently available.
Shop our entire selection, including famous names like FX Pichler, Gobelsburg, Nikolaihof, and more on our web store!

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Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

Hot Deals on Cool Wines


A Wine Enthusiast “Editor’s Choice”
Averaen Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2018 750ML ($24.95) $19 special
Case-12 Averaen Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2018 750ML ($249.95) $199 special (that’s only $16.58/bottle!)
Josh Raynolds 90 points
“Glistening ruby-red. Ripe red and dark berries, cherry-cola and a hint of allspice on the perfumed nose. Pliant cherry and black raspberry flavors show good energy and pick up a hint of smokiness on the back half. Plush and seamless in texture, with lingering floral and spice notes on the long, subtly tannic finish.”
Wine Enthusiast “Editor’s Choice” 90 points “Fruit sourced from six Willamette Valley AVAs and well over a dozen vineyards combines in this sweetly fruity wine. Pretty plum and marionberry flavors are enhanced with a light touch of herbs, putting a frame around the finish.”


“Intriguing stuff and it just got better and better”
Biggio Hamina Cellars Biha Pinot Noir, Van Duzer Corridor 2017 750ML ($24.95) $17 special
Grapelive 92 points
“The brilliant ruby hued Biha Van Duzer Pinot, made by Todd Hamina at Biggio Hamina Cellars, is a beautiful and racy Pinot Noir with layers of bright cherry, strawberry, pomegranate and tangy plum fruits bursting from glass along with delicate rose petal, cinnamon, orange tea and dried herbs. I hadn’t had the Biggio Hamina Cellars wines before this bottle and now I know I have been missing out. This is intriguing stuff and it just got better and better as the evening went on. Impressively it was the next day that things really got going, especially aromatically and texture wise without losing its exciting drive and vibrancy. Hamina comes with tons of Willamette experience including time at some famous places. His CV includes stints at Archery Summit, Beaux Freres, Chateau Benoit, Elk Cove, Maysara and Patton Valley! That should get your attention and his Biha should be on your radar for value. His style seems a mature approach to natural or minimalist winemaking with the use of indigenous yeasts, or as he puts it, spontaneous fermentation without inputs or additions, employing neutral French barriques and bottling without cold stabilization or filtering to allow the grapes and vineyards to show their distinctive character. The Biha line is Hamina’s and partner Caroline Biggio’s single AVA collection… This Van Duzer Pinot joins an elite set of quality bargains from Oregon along with Hundred Son’s Old Eight Cut Pinot, Love & Squalor, Bow & Arrow’s Rhinestones (a Gamay and Pinot Noir blend), Purple Hands’ basic Willamette Valley Pinot and Johan’s Farmlands Pinot to name a few, all of which are very different, but offer big bang for the buck. Hamina, like many of this newer generation is committed to more restrained use of new barrels, saying in a perfect world he’d use tons of whole cluster and no new oak. Here you can taste the merits of that formula with the whole bunch and stem inclusion crunchiness and purity of fruit, which I admit I am a huge fan of. The Biggio Hamina Biha Van Duzer 2017 has loads of exciting flavors, savory zing and a polished or satiny mouth feel with no overt French oak needed, making a Pinot that goes great with an array of cuisine. I enjoyed it with smoked salmon. As new discoveries go, this one is was incredibly pleasing and I plan to explore more of these small production hand crafted Biggio Hamina wines!”
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 91 points “Bright garnet. Spice-accented red berry and cherry aromas take on suave floral and mineral accents with air. Juicy and energetic in style, offering gently sweet raspberry and cherry flavors along with hints of allspice and cinnamon. Closes long and sappy, showing resonating red fruit character and silky, polished tannins that fade away quickly.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!


A classic wine from a classic producer
Cristom ‘Louise Vineyard’ Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2017 750ML ($79.95) $59 special
Case-6 Cristom ‘Louise Vineyard’ Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2017 750ML ($419.95) $336 special (that’s only $56/bottle!)
James Suckling 95 points
“This cuvée has a very energetic and intense feel with a wealth of fresh and attractive red cherries and raspberries, plenty of florals and subtle herbal, forest-wood and light-chocolate notes. There’s a very keenly articulated feel to the palate with a plush, very fleshy and assertively long, detailed finish. Deep fruit presence here. Drink across the next decade.”
Josh Raynolds 93 points “Vivid red. Expansive aromas of ripe red berries, candied flowers and baking spices, with a smoky mineral topnote that gains strength as the wine opens up. Coats the palate with appealing sweet raspberry and cherry liqueur flavors that tighten up and become spicier on the back half. Shows excellent clarity and floral lift on an impressively long finish that’s shaped by fine-grained, even tannins.”

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


“Powerful yet measured and all about the earth”
Cristom ‘Marjorie Vineyard’ Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2017 750ML ($79.95) $66 special
Case-6 Cristom ‘Marjorie Vineyard’ Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2017 750ML ($479.95) $376 special (that’s only $62.67/bottle!)
Josh Raynolds 95 points
“Translucent red. A wild, highly perfumed bouquet evokes ripe red fruits, exotic spices and candied flowers, with smoky mineral and incense notes that acquire strength as this youthful wine gains its footing. Stains the palate with vibrant raspberry, bitter cherry, star anise and rose pastille flavors that show a compelling blend of depth and litheness. Fine-grained tannins build slowly on a strikingly long, finely etched finish that features baking spice, floral and subtle earth notes.”
James Suckling 95 points “An earthy thread here with more savory, herbal and gently spicy notes, as well as graphite. Latent red cherries, too. The palate has a very sleek and succulent feel with evenly cast, sturdy tannins that harness great length and depth. Powerful yet measured and all about the earth. Try from 2023.”
Erin Brooks – Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2017 Pinot Noir Marjorie Vineyard was made with 51% whole clusters and aged 18 months in 75% new French oak. Medium ruby, it has a very pretty nose: nuances of crushed stone, Campari, earth and blood orange mingle over a core of red and black cherries, rhubarb and cranberry. The medium-bodied palate has lovely, nuanced, amaro-laced flavor layers with a softly chalky frame and seamless freshness, finishing long and perfumed. 384 cases produced.”


One of Oregon’s rising stars
Day Wines Momtazi Vineyard Pinot Noir, McMinnville 2016 750ML ($53.95) $33 special
Case-6 Day Wines Momtazi Vineyard Pinot Noir, McMinnville 2016 750ML ($299.95) $189 special (that’s only $31.50/bottle!)
Case-12 Day Wines Momtazi Vineyard Pinot Noir, McMinnville 2016 750ML ($599.95) $345 special (that’s only $28.75/bottle!)
John Gilman 93 points
“The 2016 Momtazi Vineyard bottling of pinot noir from Day Wines is the ripest of these 2016s, as it comes in at fourteen percent octane. It is beautifully black fruity on the nose (as all the examples from Momtazi have been that I have been fortunate enough to taste), offering up scents of black plum, sweet dark berry, black tea, balsam bough, a beautiful base of soil tones, chicory, gentle spice tones and a bit of cedar. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and beautifully balanced, with a fine core of fruit, great mineral drive and grip, ripe, well-integrated tannins and a long, tangy and promising finish. While this is the ripest of the 2016 pinots from Brianne Day, it is no less pure or precise and is a great bottle in the making. 2024-2055.”
Josh Raynolds 92 points “Limpid red. A highly aromatic bouquet evokes fresh dark berries and baking spices, along with smoky mineral and musky earth overtones. Juicy and broad on the palate, offering alluringly sweet black raspberry, cherry, rose pastille and spicecake flavors that deepen steadily with air. Delivers a suave blend of power and energy and finishes with finely woven tannins and strong, floral-driven persistence.”
Winery Note “Momtazi Vineyard is a certified biodynamic site nestled in the foothills of the Cascade Range, composed primarily of uplifted marine sedimentary loams and silts with alluvial overlays and an underlying base of basalt. One of the revered vineyards in Willamette, this is our cornerstone source for Pinot noir. We are always thrilled to work with this fruit, as it’s some of the most coveted in in the Valley. Many people wish they could get their hands on it, and we’re fortunate that we do. Easily our most intense and deeply fruited Pinot noir, the wine displays hallmark Momtazi notes of black cherry and black raspberry, both on the nose and on the palate. Additional notes of sandalwood spice and forest floor emerge with air, giving a glimpse at the complexity to come. It’s a moody, broody teenager at present, which is no surprise given the vineyard’s reputation for structure. The tannins are suave but sturdy, and the well-integrated acidity holds everything together seamlessly in an enchanting marriage of power and finesse. As flagship wines go, the 2016 Momtazi is a worthy standard-bearer.”

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


“This bottling hearkens back Oregon’s winegrowing infancy”
Evening Land ‘Seven Springs Vineyard’ Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2017 750ML ($39.95) $33 special
Erin Brooks – Wine Advocate 92 points
“Medium ruby-purple, the 2017 Pinot Noir Seven Springs Estate has aromas of crunchy cranberries, raspberries and blackberries with accents of fragrant earth, violets, peppercorn, saline and bitters. Medium-bodied and silky, it offers loads of ripe fruits tempered by earthy accents, with grainy tannins and sip-me-again acidity, finishing long. Grapes for this cuvée (Evening Land’s largest at over 3,000 cases produced annually) were mostly destemmed and come from both older and younger vines.”
Winery Note “Of all our bottlings, the Seven Springs Pinot Noir tells the story of our vineyard. Built around a core of own-rooted, Pommard and Wädenswil vines planted in 1984, this bottling hearkens back Oregon’s winegrowing infancy, when savoriness, smokiness, and nuance brought curious and adventurous Burgundy lovers to our region in droves.”


“Sexy, oak-tinged”
Left Coast Cellars Right Bank Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2015 750ML ($39.95) $29 special
Josh Raynolds 92 points
“Limpid ruby-red. Sexy, oak-tinged cherry and cassis aromas are complemented by building floral, spice and mineral nuances. Juicy and focused on the palate, offering concentrated dark berry and rose pastille flavors that deepen and turn sweeter with air. Fine-grained tannins lend shape to the finish, which hangs on with strong, floral-tinged persistence.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!


A complex and nuanced wine
Left Coast Cellars Truffle Hill Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2015 750ML ($39.95) $29 special
Josh Raynolds 92 points
“Deep brilliant red. Ripe, spice-tinged raspberry and cherry scents are complicated by hints of musky sassafras and floral and allspice nuances. Sweet and fleshy on the palate, offering juicy red and dark berry flavors, along with suggestions of cola and licorice. Closes with solid punch, rounded tannins and strong, spicy tenacity.”
Wine Enthusiast 90 points “This wine is aromatic in tones of red and black berries, cedar and tobacco. The palate brings plum and black cherry flavors, with drying tannins that leave a lingering taste of black tea.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!


Love Oregon Pinot Noir? We have over 120 Pinot Noirs from Oregon currently available.
Shop our entire selection, including local favorites like Cameron, Goodfellow, Sequitur, and more on our web store!

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Collector’s Corner:

Reduced & National Best Pricing on Gaja


Yes, you read that headline correctly. It’s not often that we reduce prices on a producer with such a pedigree. Gaja is a name that requires no context—like Latour or DRC, it’s understood which estate is meant. Although Angelo Gaja is best known for his reds, he also makes profound and age-worthy white wines from Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Today we’re excited to offer reduced and/or nationally best pricing on our entire selection Gaja wines. These are some of the most collectable bottles we sell, and are priced to move. As you’ll see several of the wines are also in short supply, so if you’re a fan of Gaja – and who isn’t, we recommend that you move quickly.

In Stock Now:

Gaja Rossj-Bass Langhe, Piedmont 2018 750ML ($119.95) $69 special
Case-6 Gaja Rossj-Bass Langhe, Piedmont 2018 750ML ($599.95) $359 special (that’s only $59.83/bottle!)
Importer Note
“The nose opens with fresh and sweet flavors consisting of white melon and white nectarine peach combined with elder and jasmine.  On the entry, this wine opens with citrus fruits and fresh hints menthol (reminiscent of pepper mint). The sharp acidity gives freshness and incredible length to a crisp, lingering finish.  This wine is produced from grapes grown in several estate-owned vineyards. The Rossj vineyard, planted in 1984, is named for Angelo Gaja’s younger daughter Rossana (Rossj). Bass is Piedmontese for the Italian basso, meaning low, a name derived from the vineyard’s position. Pheasants are featured on Rossj-Bass’ label to commemorate the beautiful birds that inhabit the forests adjacent to GAJA’s vineyards.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $87.99
The average national price is $99


Gaja Costa Russi Langhe-Barbaresco, Piedmont 2014 750ML ($499.95) Was $349, Now $299, 2 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 96 points
“Soft contours, silky tannins and sweet, perfumed fruit are some of the signatures in the 2014 Costa Russi. As always, Costa Russi is the most polished and open-knit of these wines in its youth. Succulent fruit, hard candy and lifted, perfumed aromatics give the 2014 considerable early appeal, but I expect time in bottle will work its usual magic. Today, the 2014 is showing only the barest hint of its potential. Even in the early going, though, the Costa Russi is a totally sexy wine.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2014 Barbaresco Costa Russi is a beautiful wine that delivers profound color saturation with deep ruby highlights and blackish intensity. I would describe the nose as being more horizontal rather than vertical, if that makes sense. In other words, the bouquet makes its approach with wide intensity and large-scale aromas of black fruit, spice, tar, leather and licorice. It offers fewer of the sudden high notes or moments of sharpness that you get in 2013. Despite the common perception that this was a very cool vintage, the fruit here actually tastes riper and rounder than you might expect. That’s because the vintage heat all came toward the end of the growing season, and the Gaja family left fruit on the vines to the end. In the mouth, the wine shows depth and finesse with some stubborn firmness at this young stage. It needs to flesh out further with more bottle aging.”
Wine Spectator 94 points “Tight and focused, this red features a beam of cherry, strawberry, leather, tobacco, tar and iron wrapped in the grip of dense, refined tannins. Fresh and balanced, showing plenty of energy on the resonant finish. Best from 2023 through 2040. 170 cases imported.”


Gaja Sperss Barolo, Piedmont 2014 750ML ($319.95) $179 special, 23 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 95 points
“More forward and in a more earthly realm than the dizzying heights of the Conteisa this vintage, but it’s so endearing and immediately delights. The aromas range from elderberries and black cherries to brambleberries and Chinese spices. Full-bodied and structured with powerful tannins that encase bright and forthright blue fruit, which is polished over by a sheen of glimmering acidity. Long finish. Delicious now, but better in 2022.”
Wine Enthusiast 95 points “Underbrush, tobacco, toasted hazelnut, menthol and grilled herb aromas slowly take shape on this focused red. On the structured elegant palate, taut refined tannins and fresh acidity provide an ageworthy framework for raspberry compote, juicy Marasca cherry, orange zest, white pepper and star anise. It already has layers of depth and loads of finesse, but hold for even more complexity. Drink 2022–2030.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 94 points “This is a slightly more subdued vintage of this legendary wine, albeit just as sophisticated as past editions. The 2014 Barolo Sperss opens to gorgeous aromas of dark fruit, wet earth and white truffle. The vineyards in Serralunga d’Alba produced much less fruit than average and suffered from bouts of downy mildew during the rainy seasons. But Serralunga d’Alba fruit is also harvested late, and that extra time was important for achieving grape ripeness targets. The wine presents depth and complexity within the context of a thinner vintage. Having said that, the bouquet is spectacular.”
Decanter 94 points “Sperss comes from two crus in Serralunga, and like Gaja’s Barbarescos it’s aged in a combination of barriques and large barrels. As so often is the case, it’s a wine that combines power and finesse. It has a subdued cherry nose with a touch of oak, leading to a palate which is rich, powerful and tannic, but not too assertive. It’s well balanced and fleshy, with lots of velvety texture and grain, and there’s still an underlying freshness and finesse. Very long finish.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $225
The average national price is $294


Gaja Alteni di Brassica Langhe, Piedmont 2015 750ML ($149.95) $79 special, 13 bottles in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 91 points
“The delightful 2015 Langhe Alteni di Brassica is a pure expression of Sauvignon Blanc. This is the only white wine in Angelo Gaja’s line that does not complete malolactic fermentation. The bouquet is exuberant and bright with green notes of salvia, wild oregano and white pepper. Those sharper tones are followed by bright layers of tropical fruit and zesty citrus. Drying mineral notes give sharp contours to the overall effect.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $139


Gaja Sori San Lorenzo Barbaresco, Piedmont 2014 750ML ($499.95) Was $319, Now $299, 13 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 97+ points
“The 2014 Barbaresco Sorì San Lorenzo is the most virile and explosive of Gaja’s Barbarescos. Dark, brooding and powerful, with a huge spine of tannin, the San Lorenzo is utterly regal in the glass. Gravel, smoke, menthol, tar, licorice and a host of sepia-toned fruits build into a crescendo of aromas and flavors that is truly compelling. What a gorgeous wine this is.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95 points “Gaja’s 2014 Barbaresco Sorì San Lorenzo is clearly at the beginning of a long and promising aging trajectory. At its core, it shows a pinch of nervous energy and inner tightness that will surely unravel and soften as this beautiful wine continues along its magical journey in time. Angelo Gaja and his family present spectacular results in this controversial 2014 vintage. They have risen far above most of their peers and have shown a keen ability to understand their site and the versatility of their cherished Nebbiolo grape. The variety sings with a loud and exuberant voice, first offering plenty of primary fruit like blackberry and dried cherry. It then follows up with savory earth and spice. This is a bright and youthful wine that is set steady for a long aging future. “
Wine Spectator 95 points “Earthy notes lead off, followed by cherry, plum, graphite and tobacco flavors. Starts out broad and muscular, with a thick layer of tannins for support, yet gains elegance with aeration. A tad austere on the finish, but stays vibrant and long. Best from 2021 through 2036. 170 cases imported.”


Gaja Sori San Lorenzo Langhe-Barbaresco, Piedmont 2011 750ML ($499.95) Was $399, Now $349, 9 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 97+ points
“The 2011 Sorì San Lorenzo boasts massive depth, intensity and power. Black fruit, smoke, tar, licorice, savory herbs and leather are some of the many notes that emerge from the glass. Regardless of the year, the personality of Sorì San Lorenzo always comes through, which is why this is one of the great sites in Barbaresco, Piedmont and Italy. In 2011 the contours are a bit softer, which gives the wine a level of accessibility that is quite rare in Sorì San Lorenzos when the wines are young. Why is Sorì San Lorenzo one of the world’s most profound vineyards? Because its personality simply can’t be denied.”
Wine Advocate 96 points “The exciting 2011 Sori San Lorenzo is a wine of enormous beauty and grace. Gaia Gaja classifies her three single vineyard Langhe Nebbiolo wines as follows: Costa Russi is “flowers;” Sori Tildin is “fruit;” and San Lorenzo is “plant” (with more structure and a more compact feel). San Lorenzo does indeed boast a strong mineral component of pencil shavings and crushed granite, followed by red cherry and soft spice. The wine’s tannins start off harder than the other wines, but soften with time. Drink: 2018-2040.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
The average national price is $457


Gaja Sori Tildin Langhe-Barbaresco, Piedmont 2014 750ML ($499.95) Was $319, Now $279, 1 bottle in stock now
James Suckling 96 points
“The nose has it all here with fresh cranberry character, brambleberries and lavender intermingled with darker, more complex notes of cedar, nutmeg and cinnamon. Full body, so much vibrant acidity, tangy fruit, expansive yet tight tannins and a long, savory finish. Profound minerality. Delicious now but better in 2020.”

The average national price is $436


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Thanks for reading!