Wednesday Newsletter 9-23-20

Vincent Paris is one of the top winemakers in the Northern Rhone.  Working primarily in Cornas, the wines have everything we love about Northern Rhone Syrah packaged in a clean, direct style.  He has the benefit of incredible vineyard material, too, as he now works the vineyards that his uncle, Robert Michel, made famous.  Stylistically, there’s definitely some of that old-school Michel rusticity, but overall, his wines are far more polished and in line with what we think of as good modern Cornas, sans new oak. There is an elegance about them that has always impressed us.

Paris makes several wines from Cornas and we’re pleased to offer you the range.  From top to bottom, these are wines that you should buy in quantity for your table and cellar. Whether you’re looking at the approachable and bistro-styled Granit 30 or the more powerful Granit 60 and La Geynale bottlings, these wines are incredible for the money.  Don’t overlook the St. Joseph, Crozes and VdP Syrah, either.  These wines are some of our favorites and historically have been yours, as well.

“Vincent Paris’s wines, which are always bottled on the relatively early side, are deceptively forward on release (except for the La Geynale) but I have had great luck holding on to them, even from generally less age-worthy vintages like 2012 and 2011. Paris described 2018 as 1more classic in style than 2017, but it was still a hot and mostly dry year, so the wines are definitely on the concentrated side and the low yields (which were exacerbated by mildew during the summer, thanks to lots of rain in June) increase that impression, but they aren’t roasted at all.’ He also pointed out that, at least in Cornas, ‘the tannins are finer than you would expect from a hot and dry year, so they have a surprising degree of elegance.’ Indeed, I found the 2018s here to show plenty of juicy, energetic berry fruit, good spines of acidity and discreet tannins that are present but well-integrated. The La Geynale, which is always made entirely with whole clusters, is, as usual, an exception. It deserves patience, for sure, and Paris advises to leave it alone ‘for at least another seven or eight years, at a minimum.’ That’s good advice that I’d take to the bank, or the cellar…” –Josh Raynolds, Vinous

“For those who don’t already know, the numbers in the names of Paris’s Cornas refer to the slope of the vineyards, not the age of the vines. His prize parcel is the Le Geynale, which includes 100-year-old vines. He likes the 2018 vintage: ‘It’s more powerful but with more freshness. And the alcohol is correct. In Cornas, we’re at 14 degrees.'” –Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate 

Arriving Friday, October 2nd from Vincent Paris:

Vincent Paris Crozes-Hermitage 2018 750ML ($29.95) $24 pre-arrival special
Josh Raynolds 91 points “Deep, glistening violet. Primary black/blue fruits, black pepper, smoked meat and a hint of licorice on the incisive nose. Juicy and energetic on the palate, offering bitter cherry, blackberry and spicecake flavors that take a sweeter turn on the back half. Shows just a hint of silky tannins on the persistent finish, which leaves zesty dark berry and spice notes behind. This wine is made from fruit that Paris sources from the river-stone laden soils of Chassis, in the southern sector of the appellation. (made with de-stemmed fruit and raised for eight months in stainless steel tanks).”

Domaine Vincent Paris Saint-Joseph Les Cotes, Rhone 2018 750ML ($37.95) $29 pre-arrival special
Jeb Dunnuck 91-93 points “The 2018 Saint Joseph Les Côtes from Paris is a beautiful, elegant wine that shines for its complexity and balance just as much as power and richness. Classy Saint Joseph blue fruits, violets, and damp rock-like minerality all define the bouquet, and it’s nicely textured, silky, and elegant on the palate. I love the balance, and while it’s going to be hard to resist on release, it should keep for over a decade, if you’re so inclined. The Les Côtes is all destemmed and brought up in a mix of used barrels and stainless-steel tanks. “
Josh Raynolds 91 points “Deep, brilliant magenta. Mineral-driven scents of blackberry, cherry, violet and cracked pepper. Shows very good clarity and spicy lift, offering vibrant dark fruit and mineral qualities as well as deeper notes of black olive and licorice. The lively, focused finish repeats the spice and floral notes and is framed by supple, even tannins.”
Wine Advocate 91 points “The 2018 Saint Joseph Les Cotes is forward, plush and silky, with oodles of ripe cherries. It’s full-bodied but does show hints of granitic restraint and a briny freshness that comes to the fore on the lengthy finish. While approachable young, it’s not just a simple fruit bomb, there’s some substance beyond the flesh.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

Domaine Vincent Paris Cornas Granit 30, Rhone 2018 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Josh Raynolds 93 points “Opaque ruby. Fresh blackberry and cherry scents, along with suggestions of baking spices, olive and pungent flowers. Appealingly sweet black and blue fruit flavors gain energy and spiciness with air while a smoky mineral element adds back-end cut. Even tannins add gentle grip to an impressively long, floral-tinged finish that leaves a spicy note behind.”
Jeb Dunnuck 92-94 points “Moving to the Cornas releases, the 2018 Cornas Granit 30 comes from slightly younger vines and vineyards further down on the slope, closer to the village. Completely destemmed and brought up in used barrels, it offers a complex bouquet of blue fruits, lavender, violets, and sweet incense as well as a medium to full-bodied, rounded, sexy style on the palate that carries lots of sweet fruit that almost hides sound underlying structure.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
The average price nationally is $44

Domaine Vincent Paris Cornas Granit 60, Rhone 2018 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special, only 24 bottles available
Wine Advocate 95-97 points “Paris’s 2018 Cornas Granit 60 boasts remarkably pure notes of cracked pepper, blueberries and raspberries. Full-bodied, lush and creamy, it perfectly captures the ripe essence of Syrah, then adds a firm grounding of crushed stone and firm tannins on the finish. It should have close to two decades of longevity.”
Josh Raynolds 94 points “Saturated violet. Spice-tinged dark berries, potpourri, olive and exotic spices on the highly perfumed nose. Juicy, focused and appealingly sweet, offering densely packed black raspberry, cherry and candied violet flavors supported by a spine of juicy acidity. Gently chewy tannins add grip to an impressively persistent, mineral- and spice-tinged finish that strongly repeats the floral note.”
Jeb Dunnuck 94-96 points “More peppery, granite, and, meaty notes emerge from the 2018 Cornas Granit 60, and it too is full-bodied, beautifully textured, and layered. It’s more focused and serious than the fruit-forward Granit 30 and is going to benefit from bottle age. Coming from 50-year-old vines, this cuvée is 70% destemmed and brought up in used barrels.”

Domaine Vincent Paris Cornas La Geynale, Rhone 2018 750ML ($79.95) $69 pre-arrival special, only 24 bottles available
Josh Raynolds 95 points “Opaque ruby. Highly aromatic aromas of ripe black and blue fruits, incense, exotic spices, violet and a hint of olive. Densely packed and lively on the palate, offering intense dark berry liqueur, floral pastille and salty olive flavors, a hint of smoky minerality and building spiciness. Finishes chewy, focused and extremely long, with mounting tannins lending shape and grip to vivid dark fruit and floral notes.”
Jeb Dunnuck 94-96+ points “The 2018 Cornas La Geynale is largely in the same style as the Granit 60, only with the gamey, bloody and meaty character (as well as tannins) turned up a notch. Black and blue fruits, rare meat, ground pepper, and wild herbs all give way to a structured, tannic wine that has beautiful purity and elegance. It’s not for those looking for instant gratification, however. This cuvée comes from a single parcel, is not destemmed, and will see 16 months in 2- to 8-year-old barrels.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $74

 

Camille and Laurent Schaller are bright, young and talented and committed to making a name for themselves in the world of Chablis.  The Schaller family has grown grapes in Chablis for generations, but it wasn’t until Camille went through enology school that they started bottling any on their own.  Initially they only made one wine (an AOC Chablis) but as grape contracts to negociants have ended they have increased the number of bottlings produced under their own label.  The results are stunning—bright, mineral and with that Chablisienne quality.  Snap up your supply before they’re discovered…

Camille & Laurent Schaller Cremant de Bourgogne NV 750ML ($29.95) $24 special
12% chardonnay, 33% aligoté, 55% pinot noir

This is the only listing in the USA today!

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Camille & Laurent Schaller Chablis Vieilles Vignes 2018 750ML ($34.95) $29.50 special
40+ year old vines, barrel-aged

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

You can tell a lot about a Brunello vintage by how early we start getting asked about it.  In the case of the 2015s, well, let’s just say this is a pretty anticipated set of wines.  ’15 was a warm year across Europe and the vintage produced Brunello di Montalcino of exceptional concentration.  Even for a region known for richer wines, these are powerful—yet they maintain an expressiveness that’s delightfully fresh to go along with their intensity. Fossacolle’s release is no exception, and will continue to impress for years to come.

Fossacolle Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2015 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Case-6 Fossacolle Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2015 750ML ($479.95) $336 special (that’s only $56/bottle!)
James Suckling 97 points “Excellent ripeness of fruit here with glazed strawberries, blood oranges, red licorice and dried spices. Superb density and focus to the centre palate, which is layered, ornate, plush but balanced. The finish goes on and on with nutmeg, tar and saffron. Wonderful length and intensity. Drink from 2024.”