Wednesday Newsletter 1-13-21

In This Newsletter:

New Arrivals & Restocks
From Goodfellow


New Champagne Reviews from John Gilman

Bucklin:
Arriving Friday


Trending

Oregon by the Dozen
Top Values In Stock Now from the Willamette Valley!


Collector’s Corner
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti


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New Arrivals & Restocks

From Goodfellow


This is always our favorite Oregon Chardonnay, and it received some well-deserved respect in the ’18 vintage.
Goodfellow Family Cellars Richard’s Cuvee Chardonnay 2018 750ML ($59.95) $51.90 special
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 95 points
“The 2018 Chardonnay Richard’s Cuvée Whistling Ridge Vineyard is slow to open, and worth the wait. It begins with crushed filberts, flint and citrus peel that give way to generous, spicy orchard fruits. The palate is stunning, with a satiny texture and ethereal quality that belies its pure fruit intensity. It has seamlessly integrated acidity and a finish that never seems to end.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Goodfellow Family Cellars Heritage #14 Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2018 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 97 points
“Medium ruby in color, the 2018 Pinot Noir Heritage No. 14 Lewman Vineyard echoes the singular perfume of the Old Vine Pommard cuvée from the same vineyard: fir leaves and chocolate, licorice and earth, with intense, savory blackberry fruits that unfold slowly on the nose. The palate is medium-bodied and surprisingly intense, flooding the mouth with detailed fruits and loads of spices, with seamless freshness and a serious, grainy frame that indicates this will age very well in the cellar. Outstanding!”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Goodfellow Family Cellars Lewman Vyd Old Vine Pommard Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2018 750ML ($59.95) $46 special
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 96 points
“The 2018 Pinot Noir Old Vine Pommard Lewman Vineyard is an incredibly singular wine! Medium ruby in color, it has an arresting perfume of prosciutto and mint leaves, milk chocolate and dusty earth, with a wealth of dark berry fruit at the core. The medium-bodied palate manages delicacy and intensity with its bright, spicy flavors, and it’s expertly framed to have a long life in the cellar. Wow!”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Goodfellow Family Cellars Heritage #11 Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2018 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 95 points
“The 2018 Pinot Noir Heritage No. 11 Durant has a haunting beauty, calling you back to the glass again and again. It has lovely scents of red and black berries laced with floral perfume plus accents of tea leaves, aniseed and tobacco. The medium-bodied palate is grainy and very fresh with loads of spices and a very long, detailed finish.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

We’re also receiving more recently reviewed Arterberry Maresh on Friday:

Arterberry Maresh Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard, Dundee Hills 2018 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 95+ points
“The 2018 Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard is an incredible wine. It opens slowly to an arresting perfume of dusty earth, dried rose petals, tea leaves, licorice and amaro with a wealth of bright red berry fruit at the core. The palate is elegant, supple and juicy, with an expansive fan of layered, spicy flavors and a very long finish. It’s hard to resist now, but it will have more to offer with time in bottle.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

This is the last of the current-release 2018 & winery-cellared 2014 Dundee Hills Pinots, so stock up now!

Arterberry Maresh Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2018 750ML ($29.95) $26 special
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 93 points
“Pale ruby-purple, the 2018 Pinot Noir Dundee Hills takes its time to open, unfolding slowly to cherries, boysenberries, floral perfume and earthy nuances. The palate is elegant with pure fruit character framed by dusty tannins and rounded acidity, finishing long and nuanced. How pretty!”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Arterberry Maresh Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2014 750ML ($29.95) $26 pre-arrival special
Winery-cellared release!
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 91 points
“Brilliant red. High-pitched raspberry and rose scents are complemented by hints of anise and allspice. Shows very good energy and depth to the red berry and floral pastille flavors, which are given lift by a spine of juicy acidity. Closes smooth, spicy and very long; fine-grained tannins frame the juicy, appealingly sweet red fruit. This wine delivers outstanding value and shows impressive nerve for a warm vintage.”
Neal Martin-Wine Advocate 90 points “The 2014 Pinot Noir Dundee Hills is a blend of Maresh, Juliard, Weber, Gehrts and Folie Hill vineyards. It has a fresh and vibrant bouquet with red cherry and wild strawberry fruit, touches of blood orange with fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin – a mixture here of red and black fruit, meaty in style with a Pommard-like finish that lingers in the mouth…”

This is the only listing in the USA today!
 
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New Champagne Reviews from John Gilman

Champagne Marguet ‘Les Crayeres’ Ambonnay Grand Cru 2015 750ML ($149.95) $99 special, 5 bottles in stock now
John Gilman 94+ points
“The 2015 vintage of Les Crayères from Benoît Marguet is composed of a blend of fifty-eight percent chardonnay and forty-two percent pinot noir. The vins clairs were aged until July of 2016 in cask, prior to bottling for secondary fermentation. The wine was disgorged in April of 2020 and was finished non-dosé this year. It delivers lovely aromatic complexity on the nose, wafting from the glass in a mix of apple, white peach, chalky minerality, sourdough bread, just a hint of buttery oak, fresh almond and a gentle floral note that suggests violets. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and racy, with a rock solid core of fruit, refined mousse, excellent mineral drive and cut and a long, complex and beautifully balanced finish. This is an outstanding vintage of Les Crayères from Monsieur Marguet. It is quite approachable today for those who fancy low dosage, but for my palate, I would prefer to let it age a few years and allow that girdle of acidity to relax just a bit more. 2023-2055+.”

Savart Bulle de Rose Premier Cru Brut Rose, Champagne NV 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 4 bottles in stock now
John Gilman 92+ points
“Frédéric Savart’s “Bulles Rosé” is one of my absolute favorite non-vintage bottlings of Rosé in all of Champagne, as year in and year out, it is exceptional in quality. The wine’s cépages is seventy-eight percent pinot noir and twenty-two percent chardonnay, with eight percent of the pinot be still red wine. It was disgorged in June of 2020 and finished with a dosage of six grams per liter. The wine is a beautiful salmon color and offers up a vivid bouquet of blood orange, pomegranate, violets, citrus peel, a gorgeous base of soil, lavender and a hint of oak. On the palate the wine is pure, precise and full, with a lovely core, excellent mineral drive and grip, elegant mousse and outstanding length and grip on the complex and still youthful finish. This wine is delicious right now, but will age impeccably well and will be an even better drink five years down the road. 2020-2045.”
[Disgorged September 2020]

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Savart L’Ouverture Blanc de Noirs Premier Cru Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($59.95) $44.50 special, 2 bottles in stock now
John Gilman 91+ points
“The l’Ouverture cuvée from Monsieur Savart is composed entirely from pinot noir grown in the village of Écueil, with half of the vins clairs barrel-fermented and raised in cask and the other in tank. Only the reserve wines that go into the blend have gone through malo for this wine, which is aged under cork, rather than crown cap prior to disgorgement. This release was disgorged in September of 2020 and finished with a dosage of seven grams per liter. It offers up a lovely nose of white peach, apple, patissière, chalky soil tones and a nice touch of orange zest in the upper register. On the palate the wine is crisp, full-bodied and complex, with a fine core, good mineral drive, frothy mousse and lovely focus and balance on the long and youthful finish. This is a lovely bottle that will be even better with a few years in the cellar. 2021-2040+.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Shop our selections from Champagne Marguet!
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Bucklin:

Arriving Friday


If you’re looking for absolutely classic, high scoring Sonoma wine with a modest price tag, you don’t have to look far beyond Bucklin.  A family owned winery that’s been making authentic wines without regard for trends or marketing, and the result is one of the most consistently superb and well-priced set of wines out there.  

Will Bucklin owns one of the oldest vineyards in Sonoma Valley, Old Hill Ranch, which was planted in the late 1800’s and is still passionately maintained (and dry farmed) today.  The original vines still produce grapes today, yielding their “Ancient” bottling.  This is a wine we’re excited to carry every year and the new release is no exception.  It’s perennially powerful, big and intense, but with enough energy to keep things in check. 

Don’t miss the entry level “Bambino” Zin and their excellent, old-school Cabernet.  From top down, they’re the epitome of classic, classy Sonoma.

Arriving Friday, January 15th:

Bucklin Old Hill Ranch Ancient Field Blend, Sonoma Valley 2016 750ML ($39.95) $36 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 94 points
“Loaded with personality and appealingly exotic, this offers a structured core, wrapped in wild berry, cracked pepper, forest floor and black licorice flavors, building richness toward refined tannins. Zinfandel, Grenache, Alicante Bouschet, Petite Sirah, Mourvèdre, Grand Noir, Syrah and Carignane. Drink now through 2030. 456 cases made.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $39

Bucklin Bambino Old Hill Ranch Zinfandel, Sonoma Valley 2017 750ML ($29.95) $24 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 91 points
“Lively and briary, with expressive raspberry, smoky tarragon and cracked pepper flavors that pick up speed toward well-groomed tannins. Drink now through 2028. 569 cases made.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $28.99

Bucklin Old Hill Ranch Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County 2016 750ML ($49.95) $41.90 pre-arrival special
Distributor note
“Established in 1852 near the town of Glen Ellen, Old Hill Ranch is one of California’s oldest vineyards. The six-acre block of Cabernet Sauvignon- a relative newcomer to the vineyard- was planted on Old Hill in 1982. This Cabernet block was planted by their neighbor Bruce Cohn, who leased the vineyard until 2004. The vines are planted in the old California style of wide spacing on a terraced hillside in what is often referred to as the ‘banana belt’ of Sonoma Valley. Aged in forty percent new French oak for twenty months.”

Love well-priced Cali reds? 

We’re bringing in more from another fan favorite estate on Friday:

Marietta

 
Chris Bilbro was one of California wine’s unsung heroes.  He founded and grew Marietta Cellars into one of the preeminent producers of excellent value, honestly made California wine.  Although his son Scot now runs the winery (Chris sadly passed away), the wines are as good as they’ve ever been—delicious, gutsy wines that deliver exceptional value at all prices.  These are fantastic wines from their sub-$20 Zinfandel and Cabernet bottlings all the way through their “Gibson Block” Syrah, which hails from a parcel of Syrah planted in the 1880’s and still producing (tiny quantities) of fruit today.

Re-Arriving Friday, January 15th:

Marietta Cellars ‘Arme’ Cabernet, North Coast 2017 750ML ($21.95) $19 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 91-93 points
“The 2017 Armé is another gorgeous wine in this range from Marietta. Inky dark blue and purplish fruit, lavender, menthol and spice all grace this sumptuous racy and inky wine with great balance. The 2017 is a super value in California Cabernet Sauvignon. Wow.”

In Stock Now from Marietta:

Marietta Cellars ‘Christo’, North Coast 2017 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 26 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 90-93 points
“The 2017 Christo, Marietta’s Syrah/Grenache-based red, is another compelling wine in this range. Inky red/purplish berry fruit, rose petal, mint, spice and floral notes are front and center. Sumptuous and racy, the 2017 is so inviting from the very first taste.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

Marietta Cellars ‘Roman’ Estate Grown Zinfandel, North Coast 2018 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 31 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 90-92 points
“The 2018 Román is bright, punchy and full of Zinfandel character. Dark red and purplish fruit, spice and mint all race out of the glass effortlessly. Dollops of Petite Sirah and Barbera bring added complexity to the field blend. The 2018 is one of the best wines readers will find for the money. Quite simply, it is a screaming value.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

Marietta Cellars ‘Game Trail’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Yorkville Highlands 2017 750ML ($41.95) $36 special, 4 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 90-93 points
“The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Game Trail is decidedly aromatic and peppery in its flavor profile, much of that a reflection of the personality of this site planted at 1400 feet. Hints of spice, licorice and chocolate add complexity to the dark-toned flavors, but the wine’s overall feel leans towards the more savory side of Cabernet.”

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Trending

The Vinopolis staff’s “house” Champagne
Andre Clouet Grande Reserve Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($39.95) $33 special
Andre Clouet Grande Reserve Brut, Champagne NV 1.5L ($99.95) $79 special
Andre Clouet Grande Reserve Brut, Champagne NV 3L ($319.95) $279 special
Andre Clouet Grande Reserve Brut, Champagne NV 6L ($599.95) $519 special, IN-STORE PICK UP ONLY
Case-6 Andre Clouet Grande Reserve Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($249.95) $189 special (that’s only $31.50/bottle!)
Case-12 Andre Clouet Grande Reserve Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($479.95) $359 special (that’s only $29.92/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 90 points
“The latest release of André Clouet’s NV Brut Grand Réserve Grand Cru is showing well, exhibiting a nicely integrated bouquet of red apple, ripe citrus fruit, honeycomb and blanched almonds, followed by a medium to full-bodied, enveloping palate with a fine mousse, ripe but racy acids and an elegant, understated profile, concluding with a well-defined finish. This is a stylish, harmonious wine that makes for a fine introduction to the Clouet portfolio.” [Reviewed April 2019] 

The average price is $43

Domaine Francois Merlin Saint-Joseph, Rhone 2018 750ML ($39.95) $29 special
Case-12 Domaine Francois Merlin Saint-Joseph, Rhone 2018 750ML ($479.95) $299 special (that’s only $24.92/bottle!)
Decanter 91 points
“An approachable wine that has lifted cedar and incense on the nose. Very plush with soft fruits, slightly lacking in acidity perhaps, but it’s an authentic representation of the vintage, not overly corrected. Good natural sense to the fruit, it’s expressive, unrestrained. Not overly marked by oak spice. South-facing granite terroir, 70% of vines are 45-years-old, the rest are 15-years-old. All destemmed, 12 months in barriques and demi-muids, from 1 to 4 years-old.”‘

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Antonio Galloni says “Don’t miss it!” while awarding it a 94-point rating—a tie for the highest ever score he’s given to the bottling. It’s got the same fantastic vineyard sources as usual (this year’s edition is based on Pora, Ovello, Montestefano, Muncagot and Rio Sordo) and the same fantastic commitment to quality, but the slightly warmer ’17 vintage allowed for even more richness and texture.  It’s a miracle that these wines are still affordable and available, especially when compared to the skyrocketing prices of Barolo.

Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco DOCG 2017 750ML ($49.95) $41.90 special
Case-12 Produttori del Barbaresco ‘Barbaresco DOCG ‘2017 2017 750ML ($599.95) $459 special (that’s only $38.25/bottle!)
Case-6 Produttori del Barbaresco ‘Barbaresco DOCG ‘2017 2017 750ML ($299.95) $239 special (that’s only $39.83/bottle!)
Antonio Galloni 94 points
“The 2017 Barbaresco shows just how appealing this vintage can be. In 2017, the warm, dry growing season gave the Barbaresco an extra kick of richness that fills out its frame and adds so much immediacy. Sweet red berry fruit, cinnamon, rose petal and mint are open in the glass, but it is the wine’s seductive radiance that wins the day. Pora, Ovello, Montestefano, Muncagota and Rio Sordo are the main vineyards used for the straight Barbaresco. The 2017 is such an inviting and expressive wine. Don’t miss it!”

“José Lovaglio, the son of famous Argentine winemaker Susana Balbo, earned his enology degree at UC Davis in 2008 and in recent years has made the Bodini and Crios de Susana Balbo wines at the Dominio del Plata winery. The objective of his own project, Vaglio, launched in 2014, is to showcase a range of different Malbec terroirs; he takes the same approach to extraction with all of these wines and, except for the limited Miperal bottling, they all carry the same gentle price tag. Lovaglio makes his wines in a refurbished dairy in El Peral in the northwest corner of Uco Valley. Thanks to his use of concrete vats and the facility’s thick walls, he is able to ferment his wines without refrigeration.” — Stephen Tanzer, Vinous Media

Vaglio Malbec Lujan de Cuyo Anchoris Temple 2018 750ml ($21.95) $18 special
Case-12 Vaglio Malbec Lujan de Cuyo Anchoris Temple 2018 750ML ($249.95) $199 special (that’s only $16.58/bottle!)
James Suckling 93 points
“This is always a delicious red with lots of crushed-berry and walnut character. Full-bodied, dense and juicy. Lots of old-vine character. Succulent. Drink now.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

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Vinopolis Wine Shop Curbside Pick Up

Order Online / By Phone / By Email

When you’re ready to pick up, just park in our lot,
give us a call, & we’ll bring your order to your car.


(If another adult is picking up for you,
please let us know their name when placing your order.)

www.vinopoliswineshop.com

info@vinopoliswineshop.com

503-223-6002

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Oregon by the Dozen

Top Values In Stock Now from the Willamette Valley!


The Oregon case buy of the year!
Biggio Hamina Claygate Vineyard Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2016 750ML ($39.95) $28 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Biggio Hamina Claygate Vineyard Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2016 750ML ($199.95) $159 special (that’s only $26.50/bottle!)
Case-12 Biggio Hamina Claygate Vineyard Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2016 750ML ($399.95) $299 special (that’s only $24.92/bottle!)
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 94 points
“Bright red. An exotically perfumed bouquet displays intense red fruit, potpourri and incense qualities. Spice and savory herb nuances build as the wine opens up. Bright and energetic in the mouth, offering densely packed and appealingly sweet raspberry liqueur, cherry and spicecake flavors that pick up a smoky mineral note on the back half. Plays power off of finesse deftly and finishes extremely long and floral, with sneaky, fine-grained tannins and a touch of exotic spices.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Deep and concentrated. This wine pulls at you. It’s no surprise that John Paul announced to us that it is his favorite wine of the vintage. He referred to it as basically the Julia bottling, but with some Clos Electrique added. Just as this site shares the vineyard material with the estate vineyard, it also includes a barrel of Clos Electrique this year…
Cameron Winery ‘Arley’s Leap’ Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2018 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Cameron Winery ‘Arley’s Leap’ Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2018 750ML ($319.95) $275 special (that’s only $44.83/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!) 
Winery Note
“Arley’s leap harkens from a block of Pinot noir planted in 1990 at Abbey Ridge Vineyard. The eponymous hero was Bill and Julia Wayne’s old dog Arley, who survived a jump from a second story balcony when startled by a cat.” 

From a favorite winery, this formerly-restaurant only bottling is a QPR winner.
Goodfellow Family Cellars Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2017 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Goodfellow Family Cellars Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2017 750ML ($129.95) $99 special (that’s only $16.50/bottle!)
Case-12 Goodfellow Family Cellars Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2017 750ML ($219.95) $189 special (that’s only $15.75/bottle!)
VinopolNote:
We can’t get enough of Marcus Goodfellow’s Willamette Valley Pinots. With restaurants only offering takeout for the foreseeable future, Marcus is letting us share his by-the-glass Pinot with you. It’s an insane value!

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Day describes their Momtazi bottling as their “our flagship Pinot Noir from one of Willamette Valley’s most prized biodynamic vineyards and our most age-worthy wine.”  It‘s normally the most expensive Pinot in the Day Wines lineup at $54, but we’re able to offer it for just $33 per bottle and $28.75 per bottle on case purchases. 
Day Wines Momtazi Vineyard Pinot Noir, McMinnville 2016 750ML ($53.95) $33 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
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 – Vinous 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.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
The average price nationally is $38

An Oregon classic
Cristom ‘Louise Vineyard’ Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2017 750ML ($79.95) $49 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Cristom ‘Louise Vineyard’ Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2017 750ML ($419.95) $279 special (that’s only $46.50/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 in the USA today!
The average price is $64

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Collector’s Corner

2017 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti


To say DRC is the finest example of Burgundy is an understatement. These are the finest wines produced in the world. Iconic and highly sought after, these are devoted followed and drunk in ecstasy. These are directly from the national importer, Wilson Daniels, through our local distributor. 

“The Domaine de la Romanée-Conti’s 2017s are showing brilliantly from bottle, and this tasting with
Bertrand de Villaine was one of the absolute high points of my two months of visits along the Côte d’Or… spending an hour or two with full glasses of wines such as these is not merely of immense professional interest but, I admit, a source of great personal pleasure… it is clear that this is a vintage that will give immense pleasure to anyone able to secure a few bottles. Hauntingly aromatic, structurally supple and pungently intense, this vintage will drink well younger than both its 2016 and 2015 predecessors, but it is much closer in quality to those two vintages than I perceived 12 months ago. At the end of our tasting, the group spent some time discussing possible analogies, and the comparison I found the most compelling is with the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti’s 1985 vintage. Indeed, I had drunk a superb 1985 Grands-Echézeaux from the domaine over dinner with a good friend a few days before my visit, and the similarities in overall balance between the two vintages were strikingly apparent as I tasted through the young 2017s. The domaine’s 2017 Montrachet also merits special comment, as it is a magical wine built for the ages.” William Kelley, Wine Advocate

In Stock Now:

Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Corton Grand Cru 2017 750ML ($1,999.95) $1,499 special, 1 bottle in stock now
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 93 points
“The 2017 Corton Grand Cru is performing beautifully from bottle, bursting from the glass with a captivating bouquet of peonies, rose hips, sweet red berries, orange rind, spices and subtle soil tones. On the palate, the wine medium to full-bodied, supple and velvety, with succulent acids, good concentration and a long, exquisitely perfumed finish. Indeed, it’s only by comparison with the domaine’s utterly suave wines from Vosne-Romanée later in the tasting that this Corton’s tannins seem comparatively coarse-grained. Picked on September 4th, it is showing appreciably better than it did when I tasted it from tank before bottling last year.”
Allen Meadows-Burghound 93 points “A ripe, fresh and layered nose combines notes of plum, spice, earth and plenty of floral influences. There is fine richness to the relatively supple middle weight flavors that possess a velvety mid-palate mouthfeel along with reasonable if not special density, all wrapped in a youthfully austere, balanced and sneaky long finish where a hints of warmth and sweetness eventually emerge. This minerally effort needs to develop better depth but the potential appears to be present for that to occur.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $1,775

Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Romanee-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru 2017 750ML ($2,999.95) $2,499 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 98 points
“A total stunner, the 2017 Romanée St. Vivant Grand Cru is the most expressive wine in the lineup today. Rich, creamy and so wonderfully textured, the RSV simply has it all. The tannins are present, but they are also matched by tremendous fruit density and pure power. Floral and savory overtones grace the lifted, saline finish. Leaving price aside, if I could only have one wine in this range, it would unquestionably be the RSV. The 2017 is a total knock-out. That’s all there is to it. This fruit was picked on September 10 and 11.”
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2017 Romanée-St-Vivant Grand Cru was also showing very well indeed, soaring from the glass with scents of cassis, violets, blood orange, cinnamon and espresso roast that are complemented by carnal nuances of smoked duck and musk. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, multidimensional and enveloping, with terrific concentration, rich and powdery structuring tannins and a long, saline finish. This is a dramatic, head-turning Romanée-St-Vivant in the making, and it is showing even better in bottle than it did from barrel.”
Neal Martin-Vinous 95 points “The 2017 Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru was picked on September 10 and 11 at 36hl/ha and bottled between April 26 and May 21. It initially has a more reticent bouquet compared to the Richebourg and requests more time in the glass. Eventually it evolves wonderful, almost pixelated scents of red berry fruit, wild hedgerow and crushed stone. Although it is less intense than the previous two vintages, I discern a touch more precision and focus than in the Richebourg. The palate is medium-bodied with lithe tannins. There is a little more body and depth than in the aforementioned Grand Cru; more energy, perhaps. A mixture of red and black fruit emerges toward the finish, the latter becoming more prominent with aeration. This is a delicious Romanée-Saint-Vivant. Beautiful. 1,693 cases produced…”

Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Richebourg Grand Cru 2017 750ML ($3,199.95) $2,399 special, 3 bottles in stock now
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 95 points
“The 2017 Richebourg Grand Cru offers up generous aromas of ripe strawberries, raspberries, cinnamon and coniferous forest floor, framed by a lavish application of creamy new oak that’s less immediately integrated than in the Domaine’s other wines at this early stage. On the palate, the Richebourg is full-bodied, rich and multidimensional, with a lavishly enveloping attack and supple structuring tannins that are almost entirely concealed by its deep core of fruit. Long and sapid, this is a spectacular wine in the making.”
Allen Meadows-Burghound 95 points “A discreet application of wood frames the even more complex and spicier nose of relatively high-toned, cool and airy aromas of red berries, violet, rose petal, orange pekoe tea and a hint of leather. The sleek, intense and sophisticated middle weight plus flavors brim with both minerality and dry extract that buffers the slightly firmer tannic spine shaping the hugely long, powerful and beautifully harmonious finale. It would be fair to observe that this isn’t the most concentrated Richebourg the Domaine has ever produced but it is one that should age effortlessly on its balance. In sum, this is a highly refined and elegant Riche with a positively gorgeous mouthfeel.”
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2017 Richebourg Grand Cru is a Burgundy of Cistercian austerity. Searing tannins give the Richebourg its trademark sense of energy and vibrancy. White pepper, mint, dried flowers and bright red berry fruit are all beautifully delineated, with underlying beams of minerality and salinity that lend dimension. Richebourg is very rarely finessed, but is more typically a wine of brawn and pure power, as it is here. A range of bright, floral/savory accents suggest a bit more elegance may lie ahead. We will see. My colleagues appreciate the Richebourg more than I do. Harvest began the afternoon of September 8, after Romanée-Conti. Rain on the 9th caused a break in picking for the day. The last of the Richebourg came in on the 10th.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $3,067

Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Richebourg Grand Cru 2002 750ML ($4,199.95) $3,799 special, 1 bottle in stock now
[Back label significantly stained]
Wine Spectator 95 points
“The most forward of the ’02s in both barrel and bottle, this floral- and cherry-scented red verges on opulent, yet remains fresh, pure and succulent. There’s a more decadent feel to this Richebourg.–Non-blind 2002 DRC tasting (February 2005). Best from 2014 through 2032.”
Burghound 95 points “(fashioned with <70% whole clusters). I had not tried the ’02 Riche in several years so it was interesting to see how it’s progressing. The expressive though very cool nose is finally beginning to display the initial hints of maturity with the classic dried rose petal and spice nuances adding both elegance and breadth to the pretty mix of red fruit and plum scents. There is a beguiling mouth feel to the intensely mineral-driven broad-shouldered flavors that are at once powerful but sleek, all wrapped in a muscular and palate staining finish. The refined palate impression is considerably enhanced by the dense but extremely fine tannins, in fact so much so that while this is still very clearly on the way up it could actually be drunk now with pleasure. That said I would still strongly advise holding this strikingly pretty effort for another 6 to 10 years first. I should note that while I have had relatively consistent notes over the years, occasionally I land on a bottle that seems herbaceous and almost vegetal; why this variation occurs isn’t clear but nonetheless it does happen.”

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