Monday, March 2, 2015
Jump Start Sale
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelriech Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2012 750ML ($99.95) $79 special, 8 bottles available
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelriech Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2012 375ML ($59.95) $39 special, 15 half-bottles available
Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2012 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese Gold Capsule (AP #16 13) reveals a concentrated bouquet of highly delicate Riesling berry aromas along with grapefruit flavors. Rich and concentrated, but with a lots of finesse, transparency and elegance on the palate, this noble sweet Auslese is fresh, delicate and very stimulating.”
Both the 750ML and the half-bottle above are the lowest listed prices in the USA today!
Continue Reading
For many more Mosel Rieslings
newly reviewed by The Wine Advocate’s Stephan Reinhardt
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This Week’s New Arrivals
OREGON
Roco Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2012 750ML ($29.95) $26 special
Wine Spectator 92 points “Lightly papery tannins underline the loamy earth-inflected cherry and spice flavors on a lovely, sleek and open-textured frame. Shows complexity and deftness, finishing long. Drink now through 2022.” WS
WASHINGTON
Lobo Hills PGR White, Yakima Valley 2013 750ML ($19.95) $16 special
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Lobo Hills Right Bank Red Blend, Columbia Valley 2012 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Lobo Hills Spilya Vineyard Syrah, Yakima Valley 2012 750ML ($34.95) $28 special
Substance Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley 2013 750ML ($19.95) $16 special
Wine Advocate 90-93 points “Another stunner from the team at Charles Smith, the 2013 Substance is a Cabernet Sauvignon dominated blend that comes from the higher elevation vineyards of Goose Ridge and Frenchman Hills. Harvested in early November and aged in 40-50% new French oak, it sports gorgeous aromas and flavors of cassis, violets, pencil shavings and tobacco/herbs to go with a medium to full-bodied, layered, rich and beautifully balanced profile on the palate. Scheduled to be bottled in December, it tastes like a wine that taste 3-4 times what this is going for. It is a knockout value. It should be purchased by the case and consumed over the coming 7-8 years, if not longer.” WA
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Apex Cellars Merlot, Columbia Valley 2010 750ML ($31.95) $21.90 special
Case-12 Apex Cellars Merlot, Columbia Valley 2010 750ML ($319.95) $219 special (that’s only $18.25/bottle!)
Vinopolnote – lowest price anywhere! The next best listed price in the USA is $27.99/bottle!
Wine Advocate 90 points “Very classy and perfectly balanced, the outstanding 2010 Merlot (83% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon) offers impressive dark fruits, toast, chocolate and cedar-driven aromatics to go with a medium to full-bodied, beautifully textured palate that finishes with good length and ripe tannin. Already approachable and ready to go, it will deliver the goods through 2018. Drink now-2018.” WA
CALIFORNIA
Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2010 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
FRANCE-BURGUNDY
Vins Auvigue Le Moulin du Pont Macon-Fuisse 2011 750ML ($19.95) $16 special
Serafin Pere & Fils Le Fonteny, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($199.95) $149 special
Wine Advocate 91-93 points “The 2012 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Fonteny comes from 0.33-hectares of vine planted in 1965. It has a somehow more “languid” bouquet, demonstrated a touch more fruit compared to the Corbeaux, the fruit erring more to red than black. The palate is rounded and velvety smooth on the entry with vibrant cassis and blackcurrant fruit, fine tannins and impressive presence towards the finish that continues long after the wine has departed. Excellent.” WA
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $160
Serafin Pere & Fils Les Millandes, Morey-Saint-Denis Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($149.95) $119 special
Stephen Tanzer 91-93 points “Deep, spicy aromas of black cherry, violet, menthol and espresso. Densely packed and sappy, with a liqueur-like ripeness to the flavors of black cherry and mint. A rather rectilinear wine with a serious spine of dusty tannins that will require some aging. In a more structured, masculine style in 2012, like the Gevrey Vieilles Vignes and the Cazetiers.” ST
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $129/bottle
Domaine Forey Pere et Fils Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2012 750ML ($31.95) $26 special
Antonio Galloni 88-90 points “Forey’s 2012 Bourgogne is quite pretty. Red cherry pit, plum, spice and tobacco all jump from the glass. This is an especially fruit forward, absolutely delicious wine to drink now and over the next handful of years.” AG
Domaine Forey Pere et Fils Morey-Saint-Denis, Cote de Nuits 2012 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Burghound 90 points “There is noticeable wood to the discreetly spicy red berry fruit aromas that display background notes of spice, earth and underbrush. This is slightly less concentrated than the Vosne villages but with better detail as well as a lovely touch of minerality on the well-balanced and mocha-infused finish where the wood resurfaces. The tannins are well-integrated but quite firm and this will need some patience.” BH
Domaine Forey Pere et Fils Vosne-Romanee, Cote de Nuits 2012 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Antonio Galloni 90-92 points “The Vosne-Romanée is often one of the better village wines in the range, as it is once again in 2012. Wonderfully layered and voluptuous in the glass, the Vosne impresses for its volume, breadth and sheer silkiness. Sweet spices, star anise and red stone fruits flow through to the generous, resonant finish. Readers who want to experience the personality of Vosne through the lens of the 2012 vintage without spending a fortune might want to start here.” AG
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $66/bottle
Domaine Forey Pere et Fils Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2012 750ML ($199.95) $149 special
Antonio Galloni 93-95 points “The 2012 Clos Vougeot is all about tension and minerality. Crushed rocks, sweet spices, roses and dark cherry/raspberry fruit are all very much alive in the glass. A higher-toned dimension of aromas and flavors develops over time. White flowers, white pepper, citrus and floral notes add brightness on the finish. I very much like the vibrant, crystalline expression of the vintage here.” AG
Burghound 94 points “There is just enough wood influence to notice on the restrained nose of earthy and quite cool dark currant aromas that display background notes of humus and a hint of the sauvage. There is an equally restrained mouth feel to the textured, intense and delicious medium weight flavors that culminate in a moderately austere but wonderfully long, firm and built-to-age finish where once again the wood treatment reappears. This is also terrific though note that this will very definitely require plenty of patience.” BH
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $159.99
FRANCE-LOIRE
Bonnet-Huteau Chateau La Tarciere Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine Sur Lie La Levraudiere 2013 750ML ($14.95) $11.90 special
Case-12 Bonnet-Huteau Chateau La Tarciere Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine Sur Lie La Levraudiere 2013 ($179.95) $119 special (that’s only $9.92/bottle!)
Vinopolnote- classic Muscadet; at the best prices anywhere in USA
Jacky Blot Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups Vouvray Clos de La Bretonniere 2011 750ML ($31.95) $26 special
Wine Spectator 91 points “A dry, bracing style, with a nervy feel to the powdered ginger, peach skin, nectarine, quince and green apple notes. Stays chiseled and minerally through the finish. Drink now through 2018.”
FRANCE-RHONE
Jean-Louis Chave Selection Saint-Joseph Celeste Blanc 2012 750ML ($34.95) $29 special
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 91 points “Light gold. Pungent, mineral-laced aromas of dried pear, fig, honey and fennel, with a hint of jasmine in the background. Fleshy and dry on the palate, offering incisive orchard and pit fruit flavors and a touch of waxiness. Smoothly combines richness and vivacity, finishing with firm mineral bite and strong floral persistence.” JR
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Les Grands Bois Cotes du Rhone Villages Cuvee Philippine 2011 750ML ($19.95) $11.90 special
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $15.99
Domaine Paul Autard Cotes du Rhone 2013 750ML ($17.95) $14 special
Domaine le Couroulu Vacqueyras Vieilles Vignes 2010 750ML ($31.95) $26 special
Robert Parker 92-94+ points “Two spectacular Vacqueyras were also produced in 2010. Both are black as a moonless night with lots of blueberry and blackberry fruit. The 2010 Vacqueyras Vieilles Vignes (70% Grenache and 30% Syrah aged in cement) reveals off the charts blackberry and blueberry fruit notes intermixed with Provencal herbs, lavender and licorice. This sensational 2010 should drink well for 10-15+ years.” RP
Jean-Louis Chave Selection Crozes-Hermitage Silene 2012 750ML ($31.95) $28 special
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 91 points “Bright violet color. High-pitched red fruit and floral aromas are complicated by smoky minerals and white pepper. On the palate, juicy, sharply focused black raspberry and bitter cherry flavors gain flesh and weight with air. Shows excellent clarity and mineral cut on the finish, which is shaped by silky, slow-building tannins.” JR
FRANCE-OTHER
Bott Freres Pinot Gris Reserve Personelle, Alsace 2012 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Chateau de la Mar Marestel La Chapelle 2011 750ML ($34.95) $29 special
Winery Note “Vivid colour with a golden hue, hints of green and gray. Nose: Elegant and highlightened with a light oak which allows spicy scents, animal and smoke, to meet bouquetées subtle notes: hawthorn, quince, rhubarb and almonds, green tea, gingerbread and musky. Mouth : Warm, full and fat that extends a fresh and acurate minerality.”
ITALY-PIEDMONT
Villadoria Barbaresco DOCG 2010 750ML ($39.95) $19 special
Wine Enthusiast 89 points “Earthy, floral and berry aromas lead into a palate that offers up creamy cherry, white pepper, licorice and tobacco along with supple tannins. This is already enjoyable so drink soon. (5/1/2014)” WE
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $26.99
Giacomo Ascheri Barolo DOCG 2010 750ML ($41.95) $36 special
GERMANY
Weingut Josef Spreitzer Hattenheimer Wisselbrunnen Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Rheingau 2013 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Wine Advocate 94+ points “Intense citrus-colored and almost golden, the wild-fermented 2013 Hattenheimer Wisselbrunnen Riesling trocken GG is very rich and creamy on the somewhat untamed nose showing yeast and lime flavors along with earthy/mineral notes and ripe, juicy, yellow-fleshed stone fruit aromas. Full-bodied, round and elegant, this fresh and deeply structured Riesling develops a good fruit intensity and a lingering mineral finish with ripe peach and refreshing lime flavors in the aftertaste. This is a rather warm style of Riesling and, stylistically, a distant relative of the Rieslings from Kamptal’s Ludwig Hiedler.” WA
CHILE
Montes Folly Syrah, Apalta 2005 750ML ($79.95) $49 special
Wine Spectator 94 points “Dense and layered, with lots of fig, black currant paste, mocha and black licorice flavors, all supported by a muscular structure. The long, dark finish has lots of power in reserve, but shows fine harmony already. The best-balanced vintage so far of this powerful Syrah. Drink now through 2013.” WS
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $62.49
Montes Folly Syrah, Apalta 2011 750ML ($89.95) $69 special
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2011 Folly Syrah is pure Syrah from the upper slopes of the Montes vineyard in the Apalta Valley. It has a serious, somehow closed, backward nose, and it takes time to show the aromas of ripe plums, olives and raspberries as they are also covered by the notes of the wood, but the palate seems to have the stuffing to balance the wood tannins and improve in bottle. It’s quite full-bodied, with good freshness and focused varietal flavors. Give it some more time; this is a very good Syrah that requires some patience. Drink 2015-2020. ” WA
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $75.99
Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon, Colchagua Valley 2012 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
“Offers a shot of green spice to the dark cherry and roasted plum flavors. Tarragon, licorice and dark chocolate notes flood the powerfully tannic finish. Drink now through 2017.”–Wine Spectator
Just a reminder about our current shipping specials during this season:
We offer flat rate shipping on any size single order / single shipment
-to Oregon for $17,
-Washington & Idaho for $20,
-and California for $25
These rates do not apply to orders held in storage here for any reason.
Multiple orders consolidated into one shipment do not qualify for flat rate shipping.
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New Wine Advocate Reviews!
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate just released outstanding reviews for several 2012 and 2013 German Rieslings – and we have 25 of these wines in stock and available here now!
Weingut A.J. Adam Dhroner Hofberg Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2013 750ML ($39.95) $29 special, 7 bottles available
Wine Advocate 91+ points “From the cooler, late-ripening part of the Hofberg, the 8% alcohol 2013 Dhroner Hofberg Riesling Kabinett was fermented 80% in stainless steel and 20% in fuder. Bottled with approximately 50 grams of un-fermented sugar and 9.3 grams of acidity it opens lovely clear, pure and floral on the nose. Racy and lovely sweet on the palate this fascinating elegant and piquant Kabinett is a sort Scharzhofberger à la Scharzhof from the Mosel. Really stunning and persistently salty.”WA
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $32.99
Weingut A.J. Adam Dhroner Hofberg Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2013 750ML ($49.95) $41.90 special, 9 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94+ points “Even the 2013 Dhroner Hofberg Riesling Spätlese remains a mineral and flinty wine, but offers more fruit intensity and ripeness than the Kabinett. Very elegant and full of finesse this Riesling combines sweetness and intensity with salinity and piquancy and finishes as a lovely precise and persistent Spätlese with honey and grapefruit notes in the aftertaste. One of the stellar Spätlesen of the 2013 vintage in the Mosel valley!”WA
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $49.95
Joh. Jos. Prum Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2013 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 11 bottles available
Wine Advocate 93 points “Pure, fresh and lovely greenish lemon and grapefruit flavors on the nose of the filigreed but firm 2013 Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Auslese lead to a pure, lean and piquant palate with a lovely sweet juiciness and a crisp, lingering, salty minerality. Very quaffable. “WA
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $46/bottle
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelriech Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2013 750ML ($119.95) $89 special, 9 bottles available
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelriech Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2013 375ML ($59.95) $47 special, 11 half-bottles available
Wine Advocate 96 points “The pale-colored 2013 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese Gold Capsule displays a stunning pure and precise, stony-flavored bouquet with fresh white and green fruit aromas. Very clear, elegant and strikingly piquant on the palate, this is a noble sweet wine with a highly precise fruit expression and a very mineral and still stringent finish. Bottled with 7.5% of alcohol this is an extremely fine, tightly woven and lovely salty Auslese that seriously rivals the auctioned Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese this year.”WA
Both the 750ML and the half-bottle are the lowest listed prices in the USA today!
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2013 750ML ($51.95) $39 special, 3 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94 points “Very pale in color, the 8% alcohol 2013 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese offers an extremely pure and flinty aroma of wet stones, white fruits, green apples and green leaves. Less sweet and with more finesse and delicacy then the Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Auslese, this is an elegant and light-footed, leaner style of Auslese and a great terroir reflection of the Himmelreich cru. Very stimulating even (or because) it was harvested just ripe.”WA
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $46/bottle
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2013 1.5L ($149.95) $119 special, 5 magnums available
Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2013 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese offers a noble sweet, very fine aroma of wet and flinty stones intertwined with grapefruit and lemon aromas. Lovely sweet and intense, but also delicate on the palate, this medium to full-flavored 7.5% alcohol wine reveals a great elegance and finesse and finishes with delicately juicy, grapefruit aromas.”WA
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2012 375ML ($69.95) $44 special, 17 half-bottles available
Wine Advocate 96+ points “More reductive on the nose than the Himmelreich Auslese Gold Capsule, the 2012 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Gold Capsule combines its deeper mineral character with a perfect expression of highly noble botrytis. The finish is piquant and firm and also more grippy and stringent due to the reductive style. The wine lacks the finesse and elegance of the Himmelreich at the moment, but is provided with the density and complexity for a long flight over the years.”WA
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Joh. Jos. Prum Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2013 750ML ($51.95) $39 special, 12 bottles available
Wine Advocate 93 points “Under-ripe herbal and green apple flavors on the cool nose of the 2013 Zeltlinger Sonnenuhr Auslese intermix with stony, gravelly as well as lemon aromas. Sweet and well concentrated on the palate but piquant and provided with green apple flavors the 7.5% Auslese from 2013 is much less juicy and lush than in 2012 but very stimulating and mouth-cleaning. This will always be a quaffable drinking wine with a firm structure.”WA
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $39.99
Joh. Jos. Prum Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2012 750ML ($47.95) $33 special, 19 bottles available
Wine Advocate 93+ points “The 2012 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Auslese opens with delicate peach, ripe apricot and orange flavors on the nose. Quite sweet, lush and fruit intense, though still pure and delicate on the palate, this peachy flavored wine finishes with a piquant and racy acidity. Aromatically less complex at the moment compared to the Sonnenuhr from Wehlen or the Himmelreich from Graach, but this fine and pure wine just needs some years. “WA
Stephen Tanzer 92 points “($51) Pale golden yellow. Lively aromas of peach pit, honeysuckle and candied lemon. Bright and spicy, with sweet, plush papaya fruit showing a velvety texture and a note of creaminess. Herbal essences heighten the pleasing finish. Not a show reserve, but a lovely auslese.” ST
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $35.99
Weingut Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Auslese, Mosel #14 2013 750ML ($109.95) $89 special, 6 bottles available
Wine Advocate 95 points “Compared to the Domprobst Auslese #11 the 7% alcohol 2013 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Auslese #14 displays a more concentrated bouquet highlighted by a flinty slate perfume. Sweet, rich and elegant on the palate this lush and juicy Auslese is structured by its refined acidity and lingering salinity, whereas the long aftertaste displays ripe fruit aromas again and still remains piquant and stimulating. However, the wine still has baby fat and thus is not that perfectly shaped or balanced as is the Auslese #11 at the moment. It just asks for some years of bottle age to polish its edges and achieve more transparency.”WA
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $102.44
Weingut Willi Schaefer Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese #9 2012 375ML ($59.95) $44 special, 17 half-bottles available
Wine Advocate 94 points “Delicate and concentrated on the nose, the 2012 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese #09 displays pink and yellow grapefruit aromas along with honey flavors from the botrytis. On the palate this delicious wine is pure and very piquant and seems less sweet than it really is. The finish is thrilling, full of tension, salt and grip. An impressive though very delicate Riesling Auslese. “WA
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $47.95
Weingut Willi Schaefer Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese, Mosel #4 2013 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 10 bottles available
Wine Advocate 95 points “Very clear, elegant and deep on the slightly flinty and lemon-scented nose, the 2013 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese #4 fascinates with its purity, finesse and elegance, its brilliant, crystalline and mineral texture as well as its lightness.”WA
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $55.64
Weingut Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Auslese #11 2013 375ML ($49.95) $39 special, 6 half-bottles available
Wine Advocate 96 points “Flinty and fine Riesling aromas on the deep, fascinating coolish, precise and highly elegant nose of the 2013 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Auslese #11 lead to a sweet, intense, well-concentrated and juicy palate, with a beautifully piquant minerality that makes this noble wine extremely lovely to drink. Perfectly made, straightforward and very salty in the finish, this focussed Auslese is always stimulating in its sweet and salty purity.”WA
Weingut von Hovel Scharzhofberger Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2012 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special, 23 bottles available
Wine Advocate 91 points “Tasted from a small 0.375-liter bottle, the 2012 Scharzhofberger Saar Riesling Kabinett is quite sweet and creamy, but also has finesse in its structure and is nicely transparent, filigreed and salty.”WA
Mosel Fine Wines 92 points “Everything seems infused in this wine as there is nothing loud or dominating. Superbly fresh scents of anise, gooseberry, white peach, lime, mint and grass give this wine an immediate elegant feel: nothing is out of place, too dominating or screaming A remarkable feel of extract on the palate makes the wine appear almost lean in structure yet it retains a great playful side thanks to some intense zesty flavors of grapefruit. The finish is very long and pure. This is a wonderful Scharzhofberg bottling! 2017-2027.” MFW
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $23.95
Weingut von Hovel Scharzhofberger Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2012 750ML ($34.95) $29 special, 36+ bottles available
Wine Advocate 93 points “According to Maximilian von Kunow, the flinty/mineral-flavored 8.5% alcohol 2012 Scharzhofberg Saar Riesling Spätlese was made “from 60 or 70% luscious ripe and 30 or 40% noble rotten berries – not too much to keep the precision and terroir expression.” Lovely clear, piquant and very elegant on the palate, the sweetness of this very well-balanced Spätlese does not cover the site character. The aging potential is excellent.”WA
Stephen Tanzer 92 points “Aromas of white peach, ripe cherry and apple blossom. Refined and poised, with a mouthwatering juiciness and lush finish. Nice balance and a saline minerality generate an weightless quality. A persistent wine for hedonistic drinking.” ST
Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Riesling Kabinett Trocken, Mosel 2012 750ML ($24.95) $16 special 36+ bottles available
Wine Advocate 89 points “Sourced from the Himmelreich and Schlossberg crus, the 11.5% alcohol 2012 Zeltinger Riesling Kabinett trocken offers a fresh and piquant nose leading to a lovely mineral and firmly structured Mosel Riesling with character and an iron-mineral finish. Picked on October 20, you can enjoy this straight, medium to full-bodied wine now, but surely also in 5-10 years.”WA
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2012 750ML ($39.95) $24 special, 36+ bottles available
Wine Advocate 92 points “Riesling and slate flavors on the nose, the 2012 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese demonstrates the noblesse of the vineyard that too often seems to sail in the shadow of the adjacent Wehlener Sonnenuhr. Curiously, the wine seems less sweet on the palate than the Spätlese, although it contains almost 83 gram of residual sugar. However, this late harvested (November 9), 8.5% alcohol Auslese has such an intensity and complexity, precision, piquancy and a lingering salinity that the unfermented sugar is bitten away. “WA
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2012 750ML ($34.95) $24 special, 36+ bottles available
Wine Advocate 92+ points “As the dry wine, the sweet 8.5% alcohol 2012 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese is more delicate and subtle on the nose compared to the relative of the Schlossberg. Picked eight days earlier than the latter, the Sonnenuhr is very sweet on the palate as well, but reveals more finesse and raciness, more Spiel and elegance. It is a stimulating and mineral-flavored wine, which I would not serve (or drink) before 2025.”WA
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $31/bottle
Schlossgut Diel Dorsheimer Burgberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Nahe 2012 750ML ($79.95) $69 special, 7 bottles available
Wine Advocate 93 points “Located next to the Goldloch the 2012 Dorsheimer Burgberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs comes from a 3.8 ha vineyard where Diel holds 1.8 hectares. The quartzite of the soil shines through here on the nose as on the palate and makes this a really great, precise, mineral and unique Riesling with some similarities to the Schloss Johannisberg Rieslings which are also grown on quartzite. The aroma is very pure, coolish and earthy in its flintiness and there is also a refreshing dash of lime juice. The purity is also to be found on the palate which is breathtakingly elegant but also firm and leading to a stimulatingly salty and persistent finish. This is Riesling for terroir fetishists and the aging potential should be terrific here. This wine is so full of tension that I almost can’t go to the next wine…”WA
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Schlossgut Diel Dorsheimer Goldloch Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Nahe 2012 750ML ($74.95) $59 special, 9 bottles available
Wine Advocate 92 points “From the largest single vineyard of the Diel family (they hold 6.2 hectares of the total of 10.5 ha here) the 2012 Dorsheim Goldloch Riesling trocken GG is the most fruit-intense and juicy wine of the grand cru trio. Ripe peach and other yellow-fleshed stone fruit aromas along with finest mineral aromas on the nose lead to a full-bodied, rich and round palate with a stimulatingly salty finish with grip. Very long and intense in the aftertaste, this is a perfect wine with food and at least of the trio the candidate for being everybody’s darling. Impressively attractive. “WA
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Schlossgut Diel Dorsheimer Pittermannchen Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Nahe 2012 750ML ($69.95) $49 special, 8 bottles available
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2012 Dorsheimer Pittermannchen Riesling Grosses Gewachs has noble, coolish and piquant Riesling aromas with juicy pineapple flavors leading to a medium to full-bodied, very juicy and piquant Riesling with extremely animating acidity, salinity and mineral piquancy in the finish. This is a top dry Riesling from slate soils with a dancing, alive and kicking character. Just beautiful and almost ready to drink. Go for it!”WA
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $54.99
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Staff Picks
Cameron Winery Saignee of Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2013 750ML ($29.95) $24 staff pick special, 22 bottles available
“It’s fitting, given how warm it’s been in Portland that Cameron Winery just released what is our first local rosé of the year, heralding spring. This rosé is rich and deep in color, with notes of spiced berries, cinnamon and fresh plums on the nose. It is medium to full in body with flavors of blood orange juice, bubblegum and a touch of cream. Salute spring’s early arrival to Portland with a glass today! Only 100 cases made.”
-Suzy
Daniel Bouland Chiroubles, Beaujolais 2012 750ML ($29.95) $20.90 staff pick special, 14 bottles available
Daniel Bouland Chiroubles, Beaujolais 2013 750ML ($29.95) $24 staff pick special, 10 bottles available
“The most recent vintage of the Bouland Chiroubles has arrived (2013), and it is absolutely delicious and perfect for the beautiful Spring(ish) weather we have been having. We have carried the 2012 for the last year, but if you are looking for more red fruit notes of strawberry, cranberry, bing cherry and subtle spice components, then the 2013 is your pick! The 2012 is drinking beautifully right now, where the fruit is a bit juicier, the spice more prominent and the minerality really shines, with all these components having integrated well. Serve with a slight chill alongside some BBQ foods, good friends and plenty of sunshine. Cheers!”
-Lizzy
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Freshly Marked Down
Quilceda Creek Wines Available Here Now
Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 750ML ($249.95) Was $219, Now $169, 3 bottles available
Robert Parker 97 points “A smidge more evolved than the 2002, the 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc, mostly from the famed Champoux Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA. It offers a rock star bouquet of blackberry liqueur, cassis, dried licorice, spice and roasted meats to go with a full-bodied, concentrated, yet incredibly polished and elegantly textured mouthfeel. Blockbuster stuff that has everything, it is still youthful and vibrant and has another decade or more of longevity, although I see no reason to delay gratification. Drink now-2023.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 750ML ($299.95) Was $259, Now $235, 6 bottles available
Robert Parker 98 points “Almost as good as the 2003, the 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc that spent 22 months in 100% new French oak. Its youthful purple/ruby color is followed by gorgeously complex and intense aromas of wild herbs, exotic spices, caramelized beef, licorice and layers of sweet black fruits and creamy black cherry-like nuances. Full-bodied, rich and incredibly youthful, it opens up beautifully in the glass and is a total thrill ride of a Washington State Cabernet. I’d enjoy bottles over the coming decade, but it will hold longer. Drink now-2027. ”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 750ML ($249.95) Was $219, Now $169, 3 bottles available
Robert Parker 96 points “The most evolved of the lineup, with complex spice box, wild herbs, dried flowers, currants and scorched earth aromas all emerging from the glass, the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon is beautifully textured, full-bodied and seamless on the palate. Up-front and approachable, it nevertheless has the back-end richness, depth and structure to continue to evolve for another decade or more. Drink now-2023. ”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Quilceda Creek Galitzine Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain 2011 750ML ($199.95) Was $179, Now $141.90, 1 bottle available
Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Galitzine Vineyard comes all from the Golitzin’s Red Mountain vineyard and is almost all Cabernet Sauvignon. One of the richest and most concentrated wines in the vintage, it offer fabulous creme de cassis, black raspberry, graphite, toast and licorice aromas and flavors to go with a full-bodied, seamless and beautifully balanced profile on the palate. As expected, it doesn’t have the sheer wealth of material that’s present in the prior vintages, yet everything is perfectly proportioned, it has excellent mid-palate depth and notable, sweet tannin. It benefits from a decant and will have upwards of two decades of longevity.”WA
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Quilceda Creek Palengat Vineyard Red, Horse Heaven Hills 2011 750ML ($179.95) Was $149, Now $119, 3 bottles available
Wine Advocate 95 points “A blend of 61% Merlot, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc and the balance Petit Verdot, the 2011 Palengat Vineyard has a great bouquet of sweet plum liqueur, blackberry, graphite, lead pencil shavings and toast. This is followed by a full-bodied effort that has beautiful concentration (especially in the vintage), loads of texture and ripe underlying tannic structure. Reasonably approachable now, it will nevertheless evolve gracefully on its overall balance. Enjoy bottles over the coming 10-15 years.” WA
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Arriving Soon!
Arriving Friday, March 6th
Montes Alpha Syrah, Apalta, Chile 2008 750ML ($21.95) $11.90 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Montes Alpha Syrah, Apalta, Chile 2008 750ML ($249.95) $119 pre-arrival special (that’s only $9.92/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 91 points “The 2008 Alpha Syrah is purple/black in color with an alluring nose of smoke, game, mineral, underbrush, and blueberry. Medium- to full-bodied, succulent and chewy on the palate, this lengthy effort is likely to evolve for 1-2 years but can be approached now.” WA
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $12.39
The average price is $17
Arriving in June
Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc, Rhone 2012 750ML ($31.95) $269 pre-arrival special
Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc, Rhone 2012 1.5L ($699.95) $519 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 96 points “Much more open, fleshy and sexy, the 2012 Hermitage Blanc was just bottled a month prior to this tasting. Coming from l’Ermite, Les Rocoules, Maison Blanche and Peleat lieux-dits, it’s always a rough blend of 80% Marsanne and 20% Roussanne that’s aged in barrel. Loaded with notions of honeysuckle, orange marmalade, powered rock, buttered citrus and green almond, it’s full-bodied, rich, upfront and fruit loaded. While I think it will be a relatively accessible early in its life, it has the concentration to hold for two decades.” WA
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 94-96 points “Tasted in single-site components from tanks as the wine awaited blending: #1, from Peleat: Ripe pear and honey aromas, with a suave floral accent and a hint of smoky minerals. At once rich and lively, showing excellent back-end power. #2, from Rocoules: Intense, mineral-accented citrus and orchard fruit aromas, with a sexy floral nuance building with air. Bright, focused and mineral-driven, with a strong Meyer lemon quality lingering on the tangy finish. #3, also from Rocoules: Showing more emphasis on orchard fruit than the first Rocoules tank, with powerful quince and pear flavors and a touch of bitter quinine. Dusty minerals sharpen the long, sappy finish. #4, from l’Ermite: Spicy citrus zest and ginger scents along with a chalky mineral note and a hint of anise. Smoky and penetrating, with superb finishing clarity and lingering spiciness. #5, also from l’Ermite: More floral and masculine than the previous l’Ermite, with strong jasmine and orchard fruit character and a touch of bitter quinine. Bright and nervy on the finish, which doesn’t want to let up.” JR
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Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Rouge, Rhone 2012 750ML ($319.95) $269 pre-arrival special
Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Rouge, Rhone 2012 1.5L ($699.95) $519 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 94-97 points “Looking at the 2012 Hermitage, which is still resting in barrels and getting ready to be bottled, it’s a much more classic, easy to read Hermitage that has lots of ripe, sweet fruit in its full-bodied, concentrated, textured profile. It has copious sweet blackberry and cassis fruit, violet and serious granite-like minerality, superb mid-palate depth and a focused, structured finish. It’s a beautiful, classy 2012 that will have 20-25+ years of longevity.” WA
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 95-97 points “Presented as components from four different barrels: #1, from Beaume: Exotic scents of candied licorice, dark berries and smoky Indian spices. Fleshy and broad on entry, then tighter in the middle, displaying superb depth to its bitter cherry and floral pastille flavors. #2, from Peleat: Explosive red fruit and potpourri aromas, with a bright mineral overtone. Silky and sweet, offering vibrant raspberry and cherry compote flavors and a touch of bitter chocolate. The red fruit note echoes strongly on the back half. #3, from Meal: Fleshier and rounder than the first two components, offering plush dark berry and violet flavors that coat the palate. Chewy tannins build on the finish and fold smoothly into the wine’s dense fruit. #4, from Bessards: Emphatic mineral and dark berry aromas pick up a sexy floral note and a hint of cola. Sappy, penetrating and sharply focused, displaying an impressive array of red fruit and floral qualities and strong finishing spiciness. Jean-Louis Chave told me he thinks this wine will be “classic Hermitage with an emphasis on fruit, not structure, but not lacking in structure at all–just compared to, say, 2010 and 2005.” JR
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!