VinopolPick Thursday, December 11th

Stay tuned for new 2012 Burgundy releases from Domaine Chevillon, our special highlight on mature Rieslings, and more best prices, but first:

Dom Perignon – Grand House, Grand Prices – Available Here Now

Dom Perignon Champagne Brut Plenitude P2 1998 ($399.95) $299 special, 9 bottles available
Wine Spectator 98 points “Offers precision and finely detailed form, powered by an expansive palate of flavor. The layers of ripe crushed blackberry and glazed apricot fruit complement the saline-tinged minerality and oyster shell notes, graced by hints of pastry, honeycomb and exotic spice. Mouthwatering and persistent on the zesty finish. Drink now through 2030.”
James Suckling 97 points “A P2 release indicating it has been matured to the 2nd Plenitude, the middle stage of Dom Perignon’s three-phase life as defined by Richard Geoffroy. This is a wine with some real tension between complexity and freshness that makes for incredibly engaging drinking. The nose offers up a little white peppery edge from the pinot; oyster shell saline freshness, red florals, sweet smelling woody spices and brioche, spiced biscuits and subottlee roasted coffee notes – impressively complex. The phenolics register on the palate as a discreetly mineral, saline character, there’s sorbet-like texture through the middle before finishing with comet-like line and length.”

Dom Perignon Rose 2003 ($349.95) $219 special, 4 bottles available
Wine Spectator 95 points “The whole is greater than the sum of the parts in this harmonious version. A delicate bead caresses the mouth, while flavors of currant pâte de fruit, dried apricot, pastry and pickled ginger expand on the palate. Subtly floral, with a fine frame of acidity driving this to the mouthwatering finish of smoky mineral and dried fruit. Drink now through 2030.”
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2003 Dom Pérignon Rosé is another wine that has come together quite nicely over the last few months. Given the exuberance and sheer vinosity of the 2000 and the 2002, along with the ripeness of the year, and the heft of the 2003 Blanc, I expected the 2003 Rosé to be a much bigger wine. Instead, it is surprisingly delicate and medium in body. Dried flowers, crushed raspberries and sweet herbs waft from the glass in a Rosé that is all about sensuality. With time in the glass, the richness of the fruit becomes more pronounced, while the tannin from the red grapes is also noticeable.” AG

Krug – Arriving Tomorrow, December 12th

Krug Grande Cuvee Brut NV ($219.95) $149 pre-arrival special
Krug Grande Cuvee Brut NV 1.5L ($449.95) $319 pre-arrival special
Krug Grande Cuvee Brut NV 375ML ($99.95) $79 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 97 points “This is all about balance and the integration of power and finesse, with finely honed acidity supporting flavors of quince paste, dried black cherry, spun honey and candied orange zest, while rich notes of roasted walnut, coffee liqueur and toasted cardamom resonate on the finish. Hard to stop sipping. Drink now through 2028.” WS

Domaine Robert Chevillon

While Nuits-Saint-Georges does not officially have any grand cru vineyards, we are convinced that Domaine Chevillon produces wines from the area that are firmly grand cru quality. The Chevillons have been part of the winemaking history of Nuit St Georges since Symphorien Chevillon began producing in the early 1900s. Several generations of Chevillons worked to build their vineyards, with Robert at the helm until 2003, when he passed the winemaking to his sons Denis and Bertrand. Their land consists of roughly 13 ha in Nuits, mostly Premier Cru, from which they produce a wide selection of single vineyard bottlings each year. The wines are all made in exactly the same way – only the quantity of new oak may vary between villages and 1er Crus. The domaine sticks with 30% new wood for the 1er Crus, the villages normally being brought-up in something closer to 20% new wood, the remainder a blend of 2-3 year-old barrels. There are no tricks at Chevillon: the reliance is on old vines and old fashioned winemaking, an integral part of their process is to let a vine produce for as long as it can, replacing vines individually as they age. Domaine Robert Chevillon produce yardstick Nuits-St.-Georges with care and devotion. Famous for the transparency and consistency of their winemaking–Chevillon finds a way to let the vintage and the terroir speak for itself every year.

Chevillon 2012 Wines Arriving December 23rd

Domaine Robert Chevillon Bourgogne Blanc, Burgundy 2012 ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Domaine Robert Chevillon Bourgogne Rouge, Burgundy 2012 ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Domaine Robert Chevillon Nuits-Saint-Georges Blanc 2012 ($99.95) $79 pre-arrival special

Domaine Robert Chevillon Nuits-Saint-Georges Vieilles Vignes, Cote de Nuits 2012 ($99.95) $79 pre-arrival special
“The 2012 Nuits-Saint-Georges is another wine with considerable near and medium term appeal. There is a lovely immediacy and juiciness in the glass. Hints of red stone fruits and spices inform the pliant, supple finish.”–Antonio Galloni

Domaine Robert Chevillon Les Bousselots, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2012 ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 90-92 points “Good bright, dark red. Deep aromas of black raspberry, minerals, smoke and flowers, along with notes of licorice and dark chocolate; ripe and sexy. A step up in density and finesse of texture from the Chaignots, offering good acid spine to its wild dark fruit flavors. Quite dry and uncompromising today, finishing bright and long, with serious tannins and a juicy character. A very good showing.” ST

Domaine Robert Chevillon Les Cailles, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2012 ($179.95) $149 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 93-95 points “Bright, deep red. Pungent crushed-stone minerality accents musky black cherry and red berries on the almost liqueur-like nose. Juicy, supple and energetic on the palate, communicating a sappy, youthfully imploded character and a magically light touch for such a rich wine. The tactile, slowly building finish saturates the mouth with red fruits and crushed stone. Great potential here.” ST

Domaine Robert Chevillon Aux Chaignots, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2012 ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni–Vinous 90-92 points “The 2012 Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Chaignots is one of the more supple wines in this range. As such, it won’t demand as much cellar time as many of the other Chevillon 2012s. Gently spiced notes open up in the glass, followed by sweet red berries, flowers and cinnamon. The 2012 is soft and understated, with lovely overall balance and tons of medium-term appeal. This is another gracious, totally inviting wine from Chevillon.” AG

Domaine Robert Chevillon Les Saint-Georges, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2012 ($199.95) $179 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 93-96 points “Bright, deep red. Explosive aromas of black raspberry, blueberry, espresso, mocha, licorice, minerals and sweet oak. Sappy, dense and fine-grained, with its substantial volume leavened by licorice and violet accents. The saline, classically dry, slowly mounting finish features a whiplash of fruits and minerals that leaves the taste buds quivering. Wonderfully tactile and floral on the aftertaste. This has grand cru energy and class.” ST

Domaine Robert Chevillon Les Perrieres, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2012 ($149.95) $119 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni–Vinous 92-94 points “Chevillon’s 2012 Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Perrieres is striking. Iron, smoke, dark red fruit and menthol blossom in the glass as the wine fills out beautifully. The 2012 is wonderuflly complete, with great balance of fruit and structure. Readers will have to be patient with the 2012, but it is fabulous.” AG

Domaine Robert Chevillon Les Pruliers, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2012 ($149.95) $119 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 91-94 points “Good bright, dark red. Discreet, pure, rather reticent nose offers red cherry and raspberry. Juicy, minerally and a bit youthfully imploded, offering terrific density and lift to the flavors of raspberry, strawberry and minerals. Lifted by a distinctly floral character I did not find in the last couple of samples. Solid and densely packed but juicy and light on its feet, finishing with serious but fine tannins and a saline touch. A superb showing today.” ST

Domaine Robert Chevillon Les Roncieres, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2012 ($149.95) $119 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni–Vinous 92-94 points “The 2012 Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Roncières is mesmerizing upon the first impression. Deep, rich, beautifully resonant layers of dark red/black fruit, smoke, cloves and new leather blossom in the glass. The Roncières is incredibly sumptuous for a young Nuits, but even so, there is plenty of detail in the glass. Most importantly, though, the 2012 also appears to be holding quite a bit in reserve, suggesting its best days are off somewhere in the future.” AG

Domaine Robert Chevillon Les Vaucrains, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2012 ($179.95) $149 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 94-96 points “The 2012 Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Vaucrains is the most refined of these 2012s from Chevillon. There is no shortage of intensity in the glass, but here the tannins have just a little more silkiness than some of the other wines, while the flavors are generally a touch brighter and more lifted. Sweet red berries, mint, spices and freshly cut flowers inform the dazzling, virtually seamless finish. Simply put, the Vaucrains is superb in 2012.” AG

Can’t Wait?  Chevillon Wines Available Here Now

Domaine Robert Chevillon Nuits-Saint-Georges Vieilles Vignes 2007 ($54.95) $49 special, 8 bottles available
Burghound 91 points “Elegant and beautifully expressive aromas of white fruits and flowers trimmed in noticeable wood introduce detailed, fine and mineral-infused medium weight flavors that are both sappy and precise on the impressively persistent finish. This is beautifully well-balanced though the wood is hardly restrained.”

Domaine Robert Chevillon Nuits-Saint-Georges Vieilles Vignes 2011 ($69.95) $51.90 special, 27 bottles available
Burghound 87-89 points “A discreet touch of wood sets off equally fresh and bright red berry fruit and soft earth aromas that give way to mouth coating, delicious and vibrant medium-bodied flavors that possess good mid-palate concentration, all wrapped in a seductively textured, balanced and solidly persistent finish.”BH
Domaine Robert Chevillon Les Bousselots, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2011 ($99.95) $79 special, 19 bottles available
Burghound 89-91 points “The well-layered mélange of red currant, blue berry and wet stone nuances marries seamlessly into slightly earthy, precise and energetic flavors that possess a firm but not hard tannic spine, all wrapped in a delicious and saline-infused finish. This is also quite understated yet stylish and I very much like the purity of expression.” BH

Domaine Robert Chevillon Les Cailles, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2011 ($139.95) $99 special, 3+ cases available
Burghound 92-94 points “As complex as the Pruliers is, the Les Cailles ratchets it up yet another notch with its spicy and pure blend of cassis, plum, violet and distinct iron-infused earth. There is excellent richness to the cool and equally pure medium-bodied flavors that possess excellent focus on the explosively long finish. The tannins are dense but quite fine and this offers outstanding upside development potential.” BH

Domaine Robert Chevillon Aux Chaignots, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2011 ($99.95) $79 special, 23 bottles available
Burghound 89-91 points “Here too discreet wood spice frames a pretty and cool mix of red and dark pinot fruit that is trimmed in warm earth nuances that are also reflected by the refined, pure and silky middle weight flavors. There is fine complexity and verve to the well-defined and persistent finish. A classic Chaignots of grace and harmony with no lack of aging potential.” BH

Domaine Robert Chevillon Les Perrieres, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2011 ($109.95) $89 special, 12 bottles available
Burghound 90-92 points “Here the nose just soars from the glass to reveal strikingly fresh and pure red berry fruit, wet stone and discreet earth hints. There is an equally striking sense of energy to the precise, intense and stony middle weight flavors that possess very fine balance and depth, all wrapped in a lingering and notably firm finish that suggests that this will need 10 to 12 years to reach its apogee.” BH

Domaine Robert Chevillon Les Pruliers, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2011 ($99.95) $79 special, 10 bottles available
John Gilman 93 points “The 2011 Chevillon Pruliers is a classic in the making, with its very black fruity and soildriven personality delivering a complex and very pure bouquet of black cherries, dark berries, gamebirds, fresh herb tones, woodsmoke, dark soil tones and coffee bean. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and quite broad-shouldered, with a rock solid core of fruit, excellent soil drive, ripe tannins and a very long, precise and transparent finish. Like the 2010 Pruliers, the 2011 is a very elegant young rendition of this fine wine.” JG

Domaine Robert Chevillon Les Roncieres, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2007 ($69.95) $66 special, 10 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 88-91 points “Bright, full red. Dark raspberry, spices and an element of leathery reduction on the nose. Then densely packed but youthfully imploded and a bit reduced, with a distinctly darker character to the blackberry, blueberry and violet flavors. In a fruit-driven style, but this will require a good four or five years to blossom in bottle. Finishes supple, fruity and long, with excellent intensity”ST

Domaine Robert Chevillon Les Roncieres, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2008 ($89.95) $69 special, 5 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 89-92 points “Medium-deep red. Sexy aromas of raspberry, flinty minerality and smoked meat. Sweet, bright and showy, with lovely cut and definition to its dense berry flavors. Combines brisk acidity and an impression of thorough ripeness. Very pure on the aftertaste.”ST

Domaine Robert Chevillon Les Roncieres, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2011 ($99.95) $79 special, 32 bottles available
Burghound 90-93 points “There is a trace of herbal tea that adds breadth to the otherwise exceptionally fresh and equally pure red currant and wild cherry aromas. There is really beautiful intensity to the precise flavors that are on the lighter side yet deliver that wonderful quality of power without weight. This is first rate as it’s balanced, harmonious and offers excellent depth and length.”BH

Domaine Robert Chevillon Les Vaucrains, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2007 ($109.95) $89 special, 30 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 91-93 points “Good dark red. Wilder on the nose than the Saint-Georges, offering black cherry, dark chocolate, smoke and a whiff of game. Wonderfully sweet in the mouth but youthfully closed, with a medicinal menthol note supporting the impression of power. Can’t quite match the Saint-Georges today for complexity or personality, but this is also very convincing on the back end. And this too calls for six or seven years of cellaring.”ST

Domaine Robert Chevillon Les Vaucrains, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2008 ($119.95) $99 special, 21 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 91-94 points “Deep, bright ruby-red. Black raspberry and chocolate aromas are complemented by sweet oak. Less refined than the Saint-Georges or Cailles but solidly built and quite powerful, with a youthfully medicinal character to the blast of dark fruit flavors. Extremely primary and impressively long. This may need the most patience of this excellent set of 2008s”ST

Mature Rieslings

Master of Wine, Jancis Robinson once explained a fine Riesling as almost ‘demanding’ time in the bottle.   Riesling has been underappreciated for far too long due to far too many misconceptions.   This beautiful grape has the versatility and the aging capabilities of no other, with some aging far longer then (gasp!) some of the best white Burgundies.  When talking of aged wines, most imagine heavily dusted bottles of Grand Cru’s or 1st Growths, but it’s time to revisit our wine appreciation with the single white grape that respectfully deserves some conversation.

Acid is magical, and when coming naturally (as opposed to added acid) from some of the greatest cool climate regions in the world, is a component that can show its incomparable characteristics.  Fruit and minerality are the other two components that are so exceptionally expressive and unique with age when it comes to Riesling.  Rieslings have changed over the years, and are slightly more approachable and less austere when young, due to climate change.  With ideal cellar conditions, the secondary and tertiary notes that evolve in the bottle are unparalleled.   With time and development, fruit and sugars have the ability to integrate with the acid, creating subtle yet exotic fruit characteristics, in addition to flavors of honey, petrol, toast and nuttiness.   The body becomes fuller with the marriage of these components creating a silky richness, without becoming flabby.   The acid develops an elegance, with the ability to maintain its brightness in the most graceful way.  The aging process can be extremely complex, but there are so many reasons to be patient and wait for these gems to mature into multiple layers of nuance, delicacy and length that most other white varieties struggle to express.

Mature German Rieslings – Available Here Now

Weingut Donnhoff Norheimer Dellchen Riesling Auslese, Nahe 2006 375ML ($119.95) $79 special, 2 half-bottles available
Wine Advocate 97 points “The 2006 Norheimer Dellchen Riesling Auslese seems to be following a mission for this site to display in the most elegant, delicate, and seemingly effortless way the concentrated ripeness of the vintage, in the process proving Donnhoff’s hypothesis that – like the Hermannshohle – Dellchen “has talent at all levels of residual sugar.” This Auslese puts away the botrytis as the dry Spatlese dispatched its alcohol and the sweet Spatlese its residual sugar. A cherry-nectarine liqueur redolent of distilled essences and laced with lemon generates an inner-mouth explosion of floral perfume. Deep honey and chocolate richness well-up but do not pull this masterpiece down from its orbital state. I would not pull a cork for 15 years nor be in any hurry (were I a young man) to drink it up in less than 40 years.”WS

Weingut Donnhoff Schlossbockelheimer Felsenberg Riesling Beerenauslese, Nahe 2007 375ML ($199.95) $179 special, 6 half-bottles available
Wine Advocate 99 points “The over-ripe pear and quince featured in other nobly sweet wines of this collection are very much present in Donnhoff’s 2007 Schlossbockelheimer Felsenberg Riesling Beerenauslese, along with aromas of distilled gentian, gardenia, lemon oil, freshly baked bread, and white truffle. The intensity of inner-mouth perfume here – orchard fruit, floral, and herbal distillates – is nearly beyond belief. Pear nectar, quince preserves, apple jelly, liquid gardenia, brown spices, and a certain saline and smoky suggestions of things mineral inform a finish of trance-inducing duration. This amazing elixir – harvested largely in the Turmchen section of the site – should be worthy of 40 years cellaring. When Donnhoff laughingly referred to this as the year of Felsenberg, he was not in fact kidding, nor was he referring just to the sheer number of bottlings!”WA

Hexamer Meddersheimer Rheingrafenberg Riesling Spatlese*, Nahe 2003 ($39.95) $33 special, 3+cases available
Terry Theise: “A few of you will despise this on principle because you heard somewhere that the hot 2003s were “flabby.” Ohhh-Kay. Just taste this almost virginal, superb Riesling and then tell me. Bottled under screwcap, there’s barely a tertiary note in sight, just a surmise of the beeswaxy signature of the best `03s. BUT, you do get something like adult vinosity instead of the baby-fat primary fruit of all these newborns.”

Heymann-Lowenstein Winninger Rottgen Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2007 375ML ($99.95) $89 special, 2 half-bottles available
Wine Advocate 96 points “The Heymann-Lowenstein 2007 Winninger Rottgen Riesling Auslese Gold Capsule (for the record, A.P. #4) displays aromas of ripe nectarine, white peach, orange blossom, and lily, with hints of wet stone as well as smoke. Lusciously ripe and with a haunting, wafting diversity of inner-mouth floral nuances, this uncannily creamy, buoyant, delicate Riesling elixir draws on wet stone, smoke, subtle bitterness of fruit pits, and hints of pit fruit distillate for contrast and further complexity. The long finish here preserves – for all of the wine’s creaminess and complexity – an astonishingly vivid sense of juicy, fresh fruit. This should be worth savoring over a 25 or more year period.”WA

Heymann-Lowenstein Winninger Uhlen ‘R’ Roth Lay Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2007 375ML ($99.95) $79 special, 2 half-bottles available
Wine Advocate 95 points “Lowenstein’s 2007 Winninger Uhlen Riesling Auslese Gold Capsule Roth Lay (as in the corresponding dry wines, the letter “R” is prominent on the label of this A.P.#9) benefits from counterpoint and collaboration among bright citrus, rich pit fruit essences, and the honey of botrytis. For all of its enormous sheer ripeness and concentration, this retains a striking sense of delicacy. A snappy, spicy, pungent streak – taken together with vivid, diverse pit fruits and citrus – serves for exhilaration in a finish of memorable length and energy, with a vivid impression of crushed stone one hardly expects in a wine of such sweetness and prominent botrytization. There seems to be something of a personality role reversal at work this year, because the corresponding Rottgen Auslese is cool and refined whereas this Uhlen displays more of the piquancy and (as French growers might say) nervosite that I associate with Rottgen. But then, botrytis is always something of a wild card, so that a wine like this is profoundly and unpredictably influenced by the precise microclimatic conditions for and differences in the nature of that fungus. No doubt this too will be worth following for two or more decades.”

Weingut Jos. Christoffel Jr. Christoffel-Prum Erdener Pralat Riesling Auslese***, Mosel 2004 ($49.95) $39 special, 7 bottles available
Mosel Fine Wines 90+ points “This is a nicely made wine with great balance and freshness. The remarkable thing is that a very subtle touch of botrytis smoke kicks in on the mid-palate and finish. This should develop remarkable well even if the wine may remain somewhat on the austere and structured side. 2012-2024.”

Weingut Jos. Christoffel Jr. Christoffel-Prum Erdener Pralat Riesling Auslese***, Mosel 2007 ($54.95) $33 special, 25 bottles available

Weingut Jos. Christoffel Jr. Christoffel-Prum Erdener Treppchen Riesling Auslese ***, Mosel 2001 ($49.95) $39 special, 3 bottles available

Weingut Jos. Christoffel Jr. Christoffel-Prum Erdener Treppchen Riesling Auslese ***, Mosel 2004 ($44.95) $39 special, 10 bottles available

Weingut Jos. Christoffel Jr. Christoffel-Prum Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Auslese ***, Mosel 2004 ($44.95) $39 special, 17 bottles available

Weingut Jos. Christoffel Jr. Christoffel-Prum Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Auslese, Mosel 1999 ($34.95) $29 special, 14 bottles available

Weingut Jos. Christoffel Jr. Christoffel-Prum Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2001 ($39.95) $33 special, 8 bottles available

Weingut Jos. Christoffel Jr. Christoffel-Prum Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2004 ($34.95) $33 special, 6 bottles available

Weingut Jos. Christoffel Jr. Christoffel-Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Beerenauslese, Mosel 1995 ($179.95) $149 special, 5 bottles available

Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2007 ($149.95) $119 special, 4 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 96 points “Golden yellow. Christmas fruitcake with cherry, white raisin and honeyed botrytis on the nose. Glossy, creamy and rich on the palate, with fine slate, brown spice and floral elements woven into a braid of flavors. The botrytis component adds complexity on the complex, mineral-driven finish. What an auslese!.” ST

Schloss Lieser-Thomas Haag Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2006 375ML ($39.95) $33 special, 2 half-bottles available
Wine Spectator 93 points “A well-toned white, with slightly less opulence for 2006, probably due to its lively structure. It sets an ideal stage for the honey, vanilla pastry and peach flavors. Nice, mouthwatering finish. Drink now through 2028.”WS

Meulenhof Erdener Trepp Riesling Beerenauslese, Mosel 2006 375ML ($59.95) $49 special, 3 half-bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 93 points “Golden yellow. Sumptuous aromas of overripe tropical fruits and lemon oil, along with a warm layer of spicy botrytis. Sweet and luscious on the palate, finishing with pure flavors of nougat and candied lemon. An impressive BA with excellent depth and length.”ST

Carl Schmitt-Wagner Longuicher Maximiner Herrenberg Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2003 ($24.95) $18 special, 3+ cases available
Terry Theise on Older Vintages of Schmitt-Wagner wines: “These wines are disappearing along with the generation who gave them to us. The world will be a poorer place. More entertaining for sure, but the soul doesn’t feed on entertainment. So here are a few voices from a civilized and gentle era. As I tasted them all I kept writing was the word: perfect.”

Selbach-Oster Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Beerenauslese, Mosel 2006 375ML ($109.95) $79 special, 10 half-bottles available
Wine Spectator 93 points “A racy style, sporting lime, dried apple and peach flavors. Has a glycerol texture and finishes cleanly. There’s a lot packed into the slim frame. Drink now through 2032. 140 cases made”

Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenhuhr Riesling Beerenauslese, Mosel 2005 375ML ($149.95) $99 special, 23 half-bottles available
Wine Advocate 98 points “The 2005 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Beerenauslese smells intensely honeyed, with nut paste, apple jelly, citrus oils, and a hint of molasses as well. In the mouth, this offers a most amazing combination of jellied viscosity and caramelization of fruit, a nut-brittle character of almond and hazelnut, and along with all this, the clarity and purity of a stream of fresh fruit. An intensely esterous, billowing finish carries apple, white raisin, and toasted nuts on waves of caramel, fruit jelly, and a persistently refreshing core of fresh fruit that only Riesling can deliver under circumstances this ripe and nobly rotten. It’s hard not to get carried away on these waves and with this wine.”WA

Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese, Mosel 2007 375ML ($249.95) $219 special, 2 half-bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 95 points “Rich golden yellow. Smoky bouquet features mango, lemon candy and nutty botrytis scents. Glazed apricot and honey flavors give this a glyceral texture, and yet it remains refreshing, buoyant and pure. Crisp slate accents dominate the long finish. Hats off!”

Weingut Daniel Vollenweider Wolfer Goldgrube Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2007 375ML ($109.95) $49 special, 3 half-bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 94 points “Golden yellow. Subtle aromas of bosc pear, persimmon and nut oils lifted by brown spice botrytis. Lush and velvety in texture, with ripe apricot fruit nicely framed by flinty acidity. Rich and long, with a persistently spicy finish.”ST

Weingut Daniel Vollenweider Wolfer Goldgrube Riesling Beerenauslese, Mosel 2007 375ML ($179.95) $139 special, 2 half-bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 95 points “Rich golden yellow. Intense bouquet of yellow plum, candied pineapple and spicy botrytis. The rich, dense, honey-glazed tropical fruit flavors are highlighted by a precise minerality that keeps the palate fresh in spite of the wine’s considerable depth and sweetness. The long, complex finish features a burst of slate. A n excellent beerenauslese for the vintage.”ST

Anton Zimmerman Bernkastel-Kueser Weisenstein Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2004 ($19.95) $16 special, 12 bottles available  

Mature Austrian Rieslings – Available Here Now

Familie Saahs Nikolaihof Vinothek Riesling, Wachau 1995 ($319.95) $249 special, 6 bottles available
Wine Advocate 100 points “Words nearly (!) failed when faced with Nikolaihof’s 1995 Riesling Vinothek, a Smaragd of 12.5% alcohol bottled after seventeen years in cask, and without question one of the most haunting Riesling wines of my experience. Frangipane, chamomile, freesia and rowan in the nose liquefy in a most extraordinary way on a silken palate to achieve an impression of virtually weightless floral perfume that glides all the way through to … well, can you speak of “finish” when a wine doesn’t? Piquant nut oils and peach kernel along with a shadow-like shifting of subtly stony undertones lend counterpoint, enveloping richness, and further mystery to this amazing libation, bringing it, if you will–or at least, trying to bring it–down to earth. I won’t attempt to suggest how long this might continue on its magnificent way, though the closest precedent–Nikolaihof’s 1990 ‘Vinothek’ bottling–isn’t fading. And this 1995 held up superbly for days after opening.” WA

Familie Saahs Nikolaihof Riesling vom Stein Jungfernlese, Wachau 2006 ($59.95) $49 special, 18 bottles available
Terry Theise notes: “It means the virgin-vintage, the first crop from young vines. And it’s what the Germans would call Feinherb, and it’s what any sane person would call irresistible! A potion of iris and lavender, spicy and penetrating; very long, seductively earthy, like a really profound Nahe Spätlese, almost the 5-spice and wildflower of Dönnhoff’s Felsenberg.”

Familie Saahs Nikolaihof Im Weingebirge Jungfernlese Riesling,Wachau 1999 ($109.95) $89 special, 2 bottles available      

Mature German Rieslings – Arriving Next Week

Schlossgut Diel Dorsheimer Burgberg Riesling Spatlese, Nahe 2004 ($69.95) $54.50 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer 92 points “Resplendent aromas of papaya, pineapple and oyster shell. Dense but juicy, with a finely spiced acidity that seizes one’s palate. Finishes with impressive concentration and length. One of the finest spatleses of the vintage.”

Joh. Jos. Prum Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2007 ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 94 points “Yeasty, fermentative notes to some extent shroud the true aromas of the Prums’ 2007 Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Auslese, which with patience reveals high-toned herbal essences, fresh lime, and gardenia. In the mouth this is intensely saline and lime-fruited, making for a refreshing and enervating character one seldom finds at Auslese level, and that offers dynamic counterpoint to the wine’s wafting floral notes and its rich flavors of cherry preserve and honey. As Manfred Prum is the first to point out, this Auslese is more than a little Saar-like. It also finishes straight and penetrating as an arrow, with suggestions of peat, salt, and wet stone adding a fascinating mineral dimension.” WA
Wine Spectator 94 points “Gorgeous aromas and flavors of tropical fruit salad stay vivid and etched across the finish thanks to the vibrant structure. Ethereal yet intense, with a snappy finish that makes you want more. Drink now through 2035.” WS

Joh. Jos. Prum Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2007 ($41.95) $33 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 92 points “Bearing a strong family resemblance to the corresponding Kabinett, the Prum 2007 Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spatlese is redolent of cherry, pear, lime, and mint; is satiny yet refreshing; palate-saturating yet almost weightless; and finishes with infectious fruit intensity, pungently zesty citricity, and mysterious peaty, saline, savory, faintly animal nuances. Like the other Spatlese bottlings in this collection, this should perform admirably for at least a quarter century.” WA

Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2003 ($69.95) $51.90 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 94 points: “Stunning. Very aromatic and expressive, offering rose, apricot, lime and mineral notes allied to a clear, gossamer frame. Well-balanced, though somewhat soft in structure. Forward today, the finish should pick up more intensity with age. Best from 2008 through 2028.”

Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2004 ($69.95) $51.90 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer 92 points “($60) Fine bouquet of ripe apple, vanilla and sweet herbs. The palate is rich, with a salty, resinous character complementing the undeniably sweet apricot fruit. Unctuous yet lively auslese with a long, complex finish. Needs time.” ST

Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2007 ($69.95) $56 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 94 points “Quince preserves, baked apple, lily, gardenia, and hints of caramel and vanilla mark the nose of the Prum 2007 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese. With richness yet delicacy and lift it saturates the palate with rich fruit, liquid flowers, vanilla cream, and savory, saline, shrimp shell reduction-like mineral essences. This intense, pure, subtly and truly nobly botrytized Auslese has umami with a capital “U”. WA
Wine Spectator 94 points “Pungent aromas of slate and flowers give way to peach and lime in this unevolved Riesling. The texture is supersilky, with great harmony among all the elements. Terrific length. Needs time. Best from 2014 through 2040.” WS

Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2007 ($59.95) $41.90 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 93 points “The Prum 2007 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spatlese is intriguingly- as well as gorgeously-scented with peony, narcissus, heliotrope, mint, and fresh apple. Creamy and buoyant on the palate, it caresses and seduces with suggestions of lemon chiffon and vanilla flan, but then leaves a surprisingly adamant, stony, subtly zesty finish as if to put the taster on notice that there is a lot more here than meets the palate at such a youthful juncture.” WA
Wine Spectator 93 points “Floral, peach, lime and herb aromas and flavors really sing in this elegant, silky Riesling. Beautifully integrated with the bright structure, showing intensity and length in a seamless, effortless manner. Mouthwatering finish. Drink now through 2035.” WS

Joh. Jos. Prum Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2007 ($44.95) $36 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 93 points “There could scarcely be a more dramatic contrast than that between the Prums’ 2007 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese and their Bernkasteler Badstube Spatlese. Whereas the latter-for all of its delicacy-is energetic, bright, and invigorating, this Zeltinger is a soothing, creamy essence of liquid flowers, accompanied by orchard fruit essences, vanilla, malt, and nut oils. Naturally-this being archetypal Mosel-there is something here too that one is practically compelled to describe as “stone”. If this wine doesn’t put you in a dream state, then you must suffer from genuine agitation!” WA

Weingut Alfred Merkelbach Erdener Treppchen Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2002 ($24.95) $18 pre-arrival special

Austrian Wines – Arriving Late December

Familie Saahs Nikolaihof Riesling Im Weingebirge Smaragd “Baumpresse” 2006 ($139.95) $115 pre-arrival special
Terry Theise notes: “Expensive, yes, but it’s a bottle of history, the reintroduction of the world’s largest still-functioning wooden press. The wine, in fact Im Weingebirge Smaragd, is out of this world. A swollen extravagantly ripe Riesling, ripe in age and in body; massively juicy and vinous and stocky.”

Familie Saahs Nikolaihof Steinriesler Riesling, Wachau 1998 ($84.95) $69 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer 92 points “Rich bouquet of brioche, acacia blossom, pine resin, sweet hawthorn and lime zest. On the palate, this riesling’s subtler elements are drowned in its supple, yeasty character, but its caramel fruit sweetness is leavened by understated acidity. Finishes long, with flavors of wet stone, anise and baked apple. Very unusual, but in its own way astonishing.”
Terry Theise notes: “”Riesler” is an archaic term for Riesling. Saahs wanted to see how a wine might age in cask without sulfur if it were an ordinary and not a grand wine to begin with. The first example was a glorious 1999, offered two years ago. So what do they do for an encore?Offer something even older.This is a masterpiece of time, nature and instinct. Less “humble” than that ‘99 was, and more insanely, dauntingly complex. I could detail its three paragraphs worth of nuance if I had 40 minutes to study it. Let’s just say, a perfect positive oxidation, a whole encyclopedia of wild flowers and herbs, a mélange of every possible salt, and the gentlest note of allspice and pink peppercorn.”

Familie Saahs Nikolaihof Vinothek Riesling, Wachau 1997 ($219.95) $199 pre-arrival special

Familie Saahs Nikolaihof Riesling vom Stein Federspiel, Wachau 2006 ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Terry Theise notes: “Bottled in 2014. Pure quiet profundity here, in a markedly smoky form. Very dry, adamantly leathery, charred, nettle-y; firm and austere. But not meager nor remotely punishing – just not a “nice guy.” I see it with a sorrel soup or something in an herb sauce with pea shoots, cressy micro-greens, yet there’s also this lovely smell of old leather.”

Deals, More Deals – Available Here Now

EACH of these wines listed are SOME of the many wines we offer for the LOWEST price in the country both by the BOTTLE or the CASE!  Either way – you’re getting a killer deal!

Domaine Tempier Bandol, Provence Rouge 2010 ($39.95) $36 special, 19 bottles available
Case-12 Domaine Tempier Bandol, Provence Rouge 2010 ($519.95) $349 case price special (that’s only $29.08/btl!)
Wine Spectator 90 points “Notes of sanguine and rosemary line the core of taut cherry preserves and red currant paste. A singed alder hint flitters through the finish, showing good persistence. Mourvèdre, Grenache, Cinsault and Carignan. Drink now through 2020.” WS

Antucura Cabernet Sauvignon, Vista Flores, Argentina 2012 ($19.95) $14 special, 3+ cases available
Case-12 Antucura Cabernet Sauvignon, Vista Flores, Argentina 2012 ($219.95) $159 case price special (that’s only $13.25/btl!)
Stephen Tanzer 89 points “Good deep red. Musky aromas of redcurrant, raspberry, fresh herbs and tobacco leaf. Sweet, gentle and fat with fruit; more open-knit in the middle than the malbec. Then tightens up on the back end, finishing with a more classic dryness.” ST

Bodegas Ismael Arroyo Val Sotillo Crianza, Ribera del Duero 2006 ($34.95) $18 special, 3+ cases available
Case-12 Bodegas Ismael Arroyo Val Sotillo Crianza, Ribera del Duero 2006 ($249.95) $189 case price special (that’s only $15.75/btl!)
Wine Enthusiast 91 points “Vibrant and honest, with expressive raspberry and cherry aromas and flavors accented by mint leaf, liqueur and cassis. Really hits the spot and then fades away in no hurry. A smoking-good crianza that hammers home the fact that Ismael Arroyo’s wines are still leaders in RDD. Drink now-2015” WE

Atalon Pauline’s Cuvee, Napa Valley 2010 ($29.95) $21.90 special, 3+ cases available
Case-12 Atalon Pauline’s Cuvee, Napa Valley 2010 ($359.95) $199 case price special (that’s only $16.58/btl!)
Wine Enthusiast 93 points “This Merlot-based blend is a huge success. It’s a big, tannic, tight wine, packed to bursting with black cherry liqueur, cola and spice flavors. Yet it maintains an exciting balance, with the tension between acids, tannins and oak in equilibrium. Seems like it wants 5-6 years in the cellar to let it throw some tannins and mellow.” WE

Jacopo Biondi-Santi Castello di Montepo Sassoalloro Toscana IGT 2009 ($39.95) $26.60 special, 3+ cases available
Case-12 Jacopo Biondi-Santi Castello di Montepo Sassoalloro Toscana IGT 2009 ($399.95) $289 case price special (that’s only $24.08/btl!)
Wine Advocate 91 points “A landmark wine in the landscape of Italian enology, the 2009 Sassoalloro is a pure expression of the special Sangiovese Grosso clone BBS11 that the Biondi Santi family has safeguarded in the Tuscan territories of Montalcino and Scansano respectively. The 2009 vintage still needs time to flesh out and find its footing. Red rose, dried blackberry, moist clay and button mushroom all make subtle appearances on the feminine bouquet. Firm structure is present to carry this wine forward over the years. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2022. ” WA

Chainier Quintessence Pouilly-Fume, Loire 2011 ($21.95) $11.90 special, 22 bottles available
Case-12 Chainier Quintessence Pouilly-Fume, Loire 2011 ($199.95) $119 case price special (that’s only $9.92/btl!)
Wine & Spirits 89 points “‘Years Best Buy’ It is a fragrant and refreshing aromatic wine, with white fruit and acacia flower aromas, round and slightly creamy in mouth, with a delicate ‘smoky’ note.”

Le Clos du Caillou Chateauneuf-du-Pape Les Quartz, Rhone ($109.95) $69 special, 21 bottles available
Case-12 Le Clos du Caillou Chateauneuf-du-Pape Les Quartz, Rhone ($899.95) $599 case price special (that’s only $49.92/btl!)
Robert Parker 94 points “The opaque ruby/purple-colored 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Quartz is a blend of 85% Grenache and 15% Syrah from one of the appellation’s more obscure lieu-dits. This stunning 2009 offers copious floral notes intermixed with crushed rock, wet stone, kirsch and black currant characteristics.”RP

Erath Estate Selection Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2012 ($37.95) $24 special, 3+ cases available
Case-12 Erath Estate Selection Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2012 ($419.95) $259 case price special (that’s only $21.58/btl!)
Stephen Tanzer 89 points “Ruby-red. Pungent aromas of dark berry, cola and vanilla show good depth, with allspice and fresh rose notes providing lift. Supple and open-knit, offering sweet blackberry and cherry-cola flavors that spread out on the mid-palate. Closes smooth and subtly spicy, with velvety tannins building slowly and framing the sweet dark fruit notes.” ST

Mazzoni Vermentino Chardonnay, Tuscany 2012 ($17.95) $8.50 special, 3+ cases available
Case-12 Mazzoni Vermentino Chardonnay, Tuscany 2012 ($179.95) $89 case price special (that’s only $7.42/btl!)

Bodegas Olivares Altos de la Hoya Monastrell, Jumilla 2011 ($11.95) $8.80 special, 3+ cases available
Case-12 Bodegas Olivares Altos de la Hoya Monastrell, Jumilla 2011 ($139.95) $89 case price special (that’s only $7.42/btl!)
Stephen Tanzer 91 points “Bright purple. Black raspberry and cassis aromas, with spicy mineral and floral elements gaining power with air. Powerful dark fruit flavors are sweetened by vanilla and cola nuances and lifted by juicy acidity. Impressively velvety wine, with very good finishing breadth and lingering spiciness. Plenty of bang for the buck here.” ST

Elio Perrone Tasmorcan, Barbera d’Asti ($19.95) $11.90 special, 3+ cases available
Case-12 Elio Perrone Tasmorcan, Barbera d’Asti ($179.95) $119 case price special (that’s only $9.92/btl!)
Antonio Galloni 88 points “The Barbera d’Asti Tasmorcan is a wonderfully joyous, exuberant, vinous Barbera to drink over the next few years. Sweet spices, flowers, mint and dark berries all jump from the glass in this hugely delicious, mid-weight Barbera from Perrone. 2013 – 2016” AG