Weekend VinopolPick 3-13-20

Domaine Grand Montmirail is one of the star producers of Gigondas, with deep holdings in the eponymous district of the AOC.  Long considered to be the best part of Gigondas, Montmirail produces wines of intense concentration, power and ageworthiness.  The 2016 “Vieilles Vignes” bottling is the best the domaine has ever made and comes in at only $31.50 by the six-pack!

Just Arrived, In Stock Now:

“a wine to buy by the case.”-Jeb Dunnuck
Domaine du Grand Montmirail Gigondas Cuvee Vieilles Vignes, Rhone 2016 750ML ($39.95) $33 special
Case-6 Domaine du Grand Montmirail Gigondas Cuvee Vieilles Vignes, Rhone 2016 750ML ($249.95) $189 special (that’s only $31.50/bottle!)
Domaine du Grand Montmirail Gigondas Cuvee Vieilles Vignes, Rhone 2016 1.5L ($89.95) $69 special
Jeb Dunnuck 95 points “The finest wine ever from this estate is the 2016 Gigondas Vieilles Vignes, which is 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and 10% Mourvèdre that was destemmed and brought up in 30% new barrels. (The Grenache was brought up all in concrete.) It’s an incredibly gorgeous, full-bodied, powerful yet elegant Gigondas that has rocking notes of plums, black raspberries, kirsch, spice, and new saddle leather literally soaring from the glass. With ultra-fine tannins, a silky, seamless texture, no hard edges, and a great, great finish, it’s a wine to buy by the case.”

 

 

 

Starting with the 2010 vintage, growers in Chianti adopted a new classification, Gran Selezione. It stands a tier above Chianti Classico Riserva and intends to present the terroir of Tuscany’s lauded Chianti vineyards in its essence—and from what we’ve tasted, the new designation is working.  From Felsina’s Colonia to Castello di Ama’s Gran Selezione to this new offering from Tenuta Bibbiano, it’s becoming clear that the best wines in the region carry the designation. This new offering, fresh of a 95 point Wine Spectator score, just arrived at an especially sharp price.


In Stock Now:

Tenuta di Bibbiano ‘Montornello’, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG 2015 750ML ($39.95) $33 special
Case-6 Tenuta di Bibbiano ‘Montornello’, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG 2015 750ML ($239.95) $189 special (that’s only $31.50/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Case-12 Tenuta di Bibbiano ‘Montornello’, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG 2015 750ML ($479.95) $349 special (that’s only $29.08/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Wine Spectator 95 points “Relaxed, balanced and supported by dense tannins, this touts aromas of leather, tobacco, wood paneling, iron, woodsy spices and smoky cherry fruit, with a finish that is long and expansive. Drink now through 2040. 3,300 cases made, 500 cases imported.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
The average price nationally is $36

Felsina’s entry-level Chianti Classico has been one of our go-to wines for ages.  It’s always outrageously good and an exceptional value—and the 2017 might be the best yet.  Part of the quality this year is due to the renewed focus on the lower-tier wines at Felsina, but a lot has to do with the nature of 2017: a vintage that raised the quality floor across Tuscany.

While the top-end wines of 2016 are undoubtedly better, the warm, dry nature of the 2017 vintage produced arguably the best set of entry level bottlings in recent memory, especially in Chianti.  Felsina’s “basic” Chianti is a prime example—delicious, rich and textured now.  James Suckling, whose area of expertise is Tuscany above all, gave the wine a 95 point score.  It just arrived, with a special case-12 price, perfect to stock up on.


Just Arrived, In Stock Now:

Felsina Berardenga Chianti Classico DOCG, Tuscany, 2017 750ML ($29.95) $24 special
Case-12 Felsina Berardenga Chianti Classico DOCG, Tuscany, 2017 750ML ($359.95) $269 special (that’s only $22.42/bottle!)
James Suckling 95 points “A very fresh 2017 with  plenty of tight and linear tannins that give the wine energy and drive. Medium to full body. Racy finish. This is impressive. Fantastic texture and complexity on the palate with purple fruit and wet earth. Drink or hold.”

 

 

Andy:
In spring I find myself torn between something savory and dark, or perhaps something light and bright: it is pretty clear which wine won this round. The Betz La Serenne is a perennial favorite of mine as it rings true to some of my preferred Northern Rhone wines. There are notes of blackberry, olive, sage, lavender, and smoky fat. Everything is balanced and built to go the distance. Even the fruit, which is fully ripe and enjoyable has a cut to it that shows great quality. I love that the wine has extreme presence in the glass but isn’t overwhelming or flabby. It is indeed quite muscular, but in the way one watches a thoroughbred running a race, not a linebacker smashing through the line. The finish is wonderful; lingering and representative of everything you’d enjoyed previously, but doesn’t add heat or anything out of character. All in all, the ’15 La Serenne might be my favorite Washington State Syrah in the past 5 years. Enjoy now or hold it for another decade – it definitely has the ability to make the distance. 


In Stock Now:

Betz Family Winery La Serenne Syrah, Yakima Valley 2015 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 23 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 94 points “Coming from the Boushey Vineyard in the Yakima Valley, the 2015 Syrah La Serenne is full-bodied, fresh and elegant, with classic cooler climate Syrah notes of peppery herbs, darker berry fruits, lavender, spring flowers, and smoked earth. It has terrific complexity and glides over the palate, making for a sensational Syrah from Washington State. Drink it anytime over the coming decade.”
Wine Advocate 94 points “All from Dick Boushey’s vineyard in Yakima Valley, the 2015 Syrah La Serenne was also all destemmed and brought up in barrel. It’s a more elegant, complex and nuanced Syrah compared to the Cote Rousse and offers classic notes of blackberries, peppery herbs, lavender and spring flowers. Full-bodied, fresh and lively, drink it anytime over the coming 10-15 years.”

We’ve beat the drum pretty hard about Michel Juillot in the past and for good reason: he represents some of the best value in Burgundy.  We’re going to continue that enthusiasm today—the new releases from Juillot are stellar and proof that there is value in Burgundy if you know where to look.  That’s to say—once you venture outside the Cote d’Or there are some stunning producers making very overlooked wines, especially in Mercurey (and Givry).

Mercurey is the top village in the Cote Chalonnaise, which exists in between the Cote d’Or and the Macon.  It boasts 32 Premier Cru vineyards and one of the highest volumes of red wine production, with the wines tending to be elegant and lighter.  From better producers (ie: from better farmers) the wines put on more substance, resembling wines from the Cote de Beaune.

Michel Juillot is one of those top producers, the head of a family farming in the Cote Chalonnaise for generations (and with his son, Laurent, assuming more of the winemaking responsibilities, the tradition looks to continue).  The estate owns a number of different parcels in a dizzying number of climats, with old vines throughout.  Winemaking is pretty hands off, as well—these are wines that have polish, but not excessively so.  In 2016 and ’17 (both excellent years for the Chalonnaise), they’re extremely smart buys—someone in 10+ years is going to mistake one for a solid Volnay or Beaune 1er (blind) and you’re going to look like a genius, especially for the prices.


Arriving ETA March:

Domaine Michel Juillot Clos des Barraults Blanc, Mercurey Premier Cru 2017 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 91 points “Juillot’s finest white from Mercurey is the 2017 Mercurey 1er Cru Clos des Barraults Blanc, a medium to full-bodied, satiny and concentrated wine that’s attractively pure and precise, offering up a charming bouquet of green orchard fruit, flowers and beeswax.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Domaine Michel Juillot Les Champs Martin Blanc, Mercurey Premier Cru 2016 750ML ($49.95) $33 pre-arrival special
William Kelley-Decanter 90 points “A fresh bouquet of citrus zest, white stone fruit, and a top note of mint, precedes a concentrated, full-bodied palate with good cut and grip. This is a bit tight-knit after its recent bottling, and will really begin to shine with a few more months in the cellar.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Domaine Michel Juillot Les Champs Martin Blanc, Mercurey Premier Cru 2017 750ML ($49.95) $33 pre-arrival special
“Slightly less evident wood frames the very fresh and bright aromas of citrus, acacia blossom, apple and essence of pear nuances. There is both good intensity and vibrancy to the equally fresh middle weight flavors that exude a fine bead of minerality on the delicious and agreeably dry if mildly warm finish.”-Burghound

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Domaine Michel Juillot Mercurey Les Vignes de Maillonge Blanc, Cote Chalonnaise 2017 750ML ($47.95) $33 pre-arrival special
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 90 points “Aromas of fresh pear, musk melon and orange blossom preface the 2017 Mercurey Les Vignes de Maillonge Blanc, a medium to full-bodied, concentrated and textural wine that’s attractively satiny and elegant this year. The parcel includes some 90-year-old muscaté selections of Chardonnay.”

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Domaine Michel Juillot Clos des Barraults Rouge, Mercurey Premier Cru 2017 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 92+ points “The 2017 Mercurey 1er Cru Clos des Barraults is one of the more reserved wines in the range, unfurling in the glass with a promising bouquet of cherries, cassis, candied peel and espresso roast. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, with succulent acids, melting tannins and a pure, precise finish. As usual, it’s one of the finest wines in the range and one that possesses some upside.”
Burghound – Outstanding 90 points “A relatively airy nose speaks of both red and dark berry fruit aromas that are cut with nuances of earth, wood and a floral wisp. The caressing and impressively rich medium-bodied flavors coat the palate with dry extract on the lingering finish that isn’t quite as complex though there is no warmth.”

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Domaine Michel Juillot Mercurey Les Vignes de Maillonge, Cote Chalonnaise 2016 750ML ($39.95) $33 pre-arrival special
Tim Aktins-Decanter 89 points “Vigorous and firm with some extraction. Good fruit focus, aromatic with some reduction. Just slightly lacks fruit sweetness.”
“The 2016 Mercurey Les Vignes de Maillonge is somewhat more gourmand than the domaine’s regular Mercurey Village, offering up aromas of ripe cherries, strawberries and licorice followed by a medium to full-bodied, ample palate. Its fine structuring tannins are concealed in a generous core of fruit.” –William Kelley, Wine Advocate

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

Domaine Michel Juillot Mercurey Les Vignes de Maillonge, Cote Chalonnaise 2017 750ML ($39.95) $33 pre-arrival special
“The 2017 Mercurey Les Vignes de Maillonge is showing well, wafting from the glass with aromas of strawberries, cherries, spices and rich soil tones. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, fleshy and melting, with an ampler, livelier core of fruit than Juillot’s regular Mercurey red.”-William Kelley, Wine Advocate
“Background traces of wood can be found on the liqueur-like aromas of red cherry, earth and gentle spice nuances. There is fine volume to the punchy yet caressing and serious flavors that are shaped by slightly firmer tannins on the ever-so-mildly tangy finale.”-Burgound

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Domaine Michel Juillot Bourgogne Rouge, Burgundy 2017 750ML ($29.95) $24 pre-arrival special
“Ripe aromas include those of cassis, red and dark berry fruit along with soft earth nuances. The juicy, indeed even succulent, flavors are at once delicious and round before concluding in a mildly rustic finale. This tasty effort should drink well early on.”-Burghound

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

 

“The best Chianti Classico ever made here in living memory”
Castello di Bossi Berardo, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2015 750ML ($41.95) $36 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
James Suckling 98 points “The floral aromas are so enticing with rose petals and lavender, which follow through to a full body with beautiful density of fruit. A long and complete finish. The best Chianti Classico ever made here in living memory. Even better than the 1961. Drink or hold.”

Always a model of classicism and restraint, the ’14 Forman is in a great place right now.
Forman Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2014 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 28 bottles in stock now
Decanter 96 points ” A brooding and nuanced bouquet of red and black fruit, petroleum jelly, woodsmoke, bitter cocoa, truffle and violet leads into a supple, elegant palate with fine savoury tannins and juicy acidity. Balanced, sapid and sophisticated. (WK)  “
Antonio Galloni 94 points “Forman’s 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon offers lovely precision to match its mid-weight, gracious personality. The flavors are bright, floral and nicely focused. The 2014 is attractive, but it remains on the lighter side of things, even within the context of Ric Forman’s Cabernets. I imagine the 2014 will age well on its freshness. It will be interesting to see if the 2014 gains depth in bottle. What is clear, though, is that the 2014 has been more and more reticent each time I have tasted it. Readers will have to be patient.

This is what we want all Carneros Chard to taste like.
Arnot-Roberts Watson Ranch Chardonnay, Napa Valley 2018 750ML ($49.95) $41.90 special, 23 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 92 points ” The 2018 Chardonnay Watson Ranch is creamy, open-knit and expressive, and also the most approachable of the Chardonnays in the range. Orchard fruit, chamomile, almonds and dried flowers all meld together seamlessly. This is a very pretty Chardonnay from a cool site at the southern end of Napa Valley.”
Winery note “Our Watson Ranch Chardonnay comes from a cold and windswept hillside overlooking the San Pablo Bay in southern Napa, southeast of the Los Carneros District. The soils are composed of calcareous clay over limestone and the vineyard is meticulously tended by Salvador Ramos, who planted the vines 25 years ago. The 2018 fermented beautifully in our cellar and produced a wine with effusive aromatic lift, abundant fruit and transparent mineral structure.”

If this were from CdP instead of Ventoux, it’d be $60.
Saint Jean du Barroux Ventoux La Pierre Noire, Rhone 2015 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Importer Note “La Pierre Noire, or “the black stone,” is a cuvée made from Grenache and Syrah grown on clay limestone soils marked by abrupt appearance of black gravel. So sudden and noticeable is this change in the vineyard that Philippe has always known that this site was its own cuvée. At once more stern but contradictorily more elegant, La Pierre Noire is fermented and aged in concrete for at least 36 months before bottling and released only when Philippe feels it’s ready.”

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New score, same great stellar wine.
Goodfellow Family Cellars Richard’s Cuvee Chardonnay, Oregon 2017 750ML ($49.95) $44 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
John Gilman 92+ points “The Whistling Ridge Vineyard lies in the Ribbon Ridge AVA. It was first planted in 1990 (with these chardonnay vines going in the ground in 1995) and has a southeasterly exposition and sits high up on its ridge top, with cooling breezes coming in every afternoon and evening. The 2017 Richard’s Cuvée bottling reflects this cooler microclimate, coming in at 12.5 percent octane and offering up a lovely and quite floral bouquet of white peach, pear, fresh almond, lovely soil tones, white lilies and a touch of vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is pure, fullish and very elegant in profile, with fine soil signature, a good core of fruit, bright acids and fine focus and grip on the long and complex finish. This is lovely. 2020-2040. 92+.”
Winery Note “Subtle, nuanced, beautiful, and incredibly fine; the 2017 Richard’s Cuvée was sourced from a single 820L foudre of Chardonnay from Whistling Ridge Vineyard. The wine shows extraordinary balance and layering, with lemon curd, sea air, almond blossom and delicate smoke. Forest moss, meyer lemon, summer grasses, salt stones and wild ginger. The palate has tremendous build, yet remains essentially a reflective wine.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

What else can you ask out of Chianti? Castello di Ama always delivers.
Castello di Ama ‘San Lorenzo’, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG 2014 750ML ($59.95) $44 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Castello di Ama ‘San Lorenzo’, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG 2014 750ML ($599.95) $469 special (that’s only $39.08/bottle!)
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 93+ points “The 2014 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione San Lorenzo flaunts its importance. It boasts confidence and an outward-looking personality that comes as a refreshing surprise. Like all Gran Selezione wines, it is released 30 months after January 1st following the harvest. That means it still has a few more months to go before it hits the market. This expression of Sangiovese shows depth and power with ripe fruit tones of cherry and forest berry. Like many of the other high profile wines I preview-tasted from the difficult 2014 vintage, I am delighted and surprised by the elegant and soft nature of the mature tannins. The wine’s finish offers bright freshness with layers of dark fruit, wet earth and forest floor.”
Wine Enthusiast 93 points “Aromas of exotic spice, pipe tobacco, woodland berry and a whiff of French oak take center stage on this fragrant, elegant red. The racy, ethereal palate delivers tart red cherry, tart pomegranate, cinnamon and vanilla framed in taut fine-grained tannins and vibrant acidity. Drink 2019–2026.”
James Suckling 93 points “This is extremely tangy with plenty of chocolate and lemon character and hints of cedar, too. Medium body, bright acidity and chocolatey aftertaste. Very refined and well-crafted for a 2014. Drink now.”

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

 

In Stock Now:

Legendary bottling from a legendary year means magic.
Pol Roger Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill Brut, Champagne 2008 750ML ($299.95) $259 special, 14 bottles in stock now
#4 -Top 100 Wine Enthusiast Cellar Selections 2018
Wine Enthusiast 100 points “One of the great Champagnes both for its richness and its longevity, this latest incarnation is superb. The wine’s richness is linked to the ripe fruit and the dominance of Pinot Noir in the blend. It also shines in the perfect balance between the texture, the minerality and the integration of the fruit. It can be enjoyed now, but it will be better from 2020 and then for many years to come.”
Wine Advocate 97 points “Released in October of last year, Pol Roger’s 2008 Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill is showing brilliantly, unfurling in the glass with a complex bouquet of waxy citrus rind, dried white flowers, freshly baked bread, iodine and honeyed yellow apple. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, powerful and vinous, with a deep and multidimensional core, broad structural shoulders and considerable concentration, girdled by tangy acids and displaying a youthfully frothy but incipiently fine mousse. The finish is long and intense. This is a terrific rendition of this reliably superb cuvée and well worth seeking out.(WK)”
Wine Spectator 96 points “This lovely, elegant version is more about restraint and finesse than power, caressing the palate with a silky mousse and a finely woven range of ripe Asian pear, biscuit and star fruit flavors, accented by elderflower, ground ginger and almond skin notes. Lightly mouthwatering, expanding on the chalk-tinged finish. Drink now through 2033. 700 cases imported. — AN”

The best Bollinger RD since…’96? ’90? Older? Special stuff.
Bollinger R.D. Extra Brut, Champagne 2002 750ML ($349.95) $299 special, 10 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 99 points “Super fresh, this is striking given the 10 years in the cellars; it has a fine citrus nose – plenty of lemon, grapefruit, yellow chalky notes, some lighter floral elements too. The palate is super dry (dosage at 3-4g) and there’s a silky, sherbet-like texture, smooth, fine and long. The citrus flavours give way to the driving surging acidity, thunderous acidity, really driving and powerful. The finish twists very slowly through to light-toasted cashew fruit flavours, but lemon citrus prevails. This is thrilling Champagne. Disgorged 22nd October, 2013. Drink from 2016.”
Antonio Galloni 96 points “Bollinger’s 2002 R.D. is striking in its beauty. Silky and caressing on the palate, the 2002 impresses for its exceptional balance and harmony. In 2002 so many Champagnes are ripe and explosive in style, but the 2002 R.D. is quite restrained by comparison. Hints of apricot pit, smoke, almonds, spices and pears ring out on the super-finessed, inviting finish. The 2002 is going to be nearly impossible to resist in its youth, but it should also age impeccably. All the elements are in the right place. Dosage is 3-4 grams per liter.”
Wine Spectator 96 points “A fine example of power married to elegance, this is impeccably balanced, with a mouthwatering palate of crème de cassis, toasted brioche, fleur de sel and crystallized honey flavors. The rich, smoky underpinning is carried on a finely detailed bead.”

Magnums are we want in these trying times.
Duval-Leroy Femme de Champagne 2000 1.5L ($349.95) $299 special, 30 magnums in stock now
Wine Spectator 94 points “A rich version, with beautiful integration and mouthwatering acidity that seems to amplify the flavors of toasted raisin bread, black currant, candied orange zest and salted almond. Fresh and focused, showing hints of oyster shell and spice on the lasting finish.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Cuvee Louise is one of the hidden gems of Champagne.
Pommery Cuvee Louise Brut Millesime, Champagne 2002 750ML ($149.95) $128 special, 30 bottles in stock now
Wine Enthusiast 95 points “This well-aged wine from a top Champagne vintage is just now ready to drink after 12 years. It has a touch of toast, but it’s the rich, complex texture and fine structure that set it apart. It’s not a dry wine, it feels soft. It is so well integrated, elegant with hints of apples, a layer of minerality and still-fresh final acidity.”
James Suckling 94 points “A beautifully seductive and creamy nose with plenty of honey and clotted cream across lemon and grapefruit. Some white peach too, really alluring. The palate’s nicely orchestrated and balanced; it builds in stages and delivers pithy lemon and grapefruit flavor amid assertive driving acidity, good depth and concentration. Another great ’02. Drink now or in five or more years.”
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2002 Cuvée Louise Brut is dressed in an intense citrus colored robe and offers – as if it was a Pfalz Riesling – ripe yellow fruit aromas of pineapples, oranges and ripe peaches along with noble yeasty layers in the background. Full-bodied, rich and fresh on the palate, Madame Louise is a firm and almost mineral structured, persistent Champagne of complexity, finishing with a refreshing citric aroma as well as a stimulating salinity and purity. Good length and balance.”

De Venoge Louis XV de Venoge Extra Brut Rose Millesime, Champagne 2002 750ML ($219.95) $189 special, 11 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 93 points “Harmonious, with fine intensity, offering rich notes of spice cake, toasted almond, dried cherry, grilled plum and smoky mineral. Almost velvety in texture, with juicy acidity that brings you back for another sip. Delicious. Drink now through 2022. 54 cases made.”

This is “Salon-lite” in it’s presentation.  Great stuff and a deal for the price/quality.
Delamotte Collection Brut, Champagne 1999 750ML ($249.95) $219 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 94 points “From a very warm and generous year, the 1999 Blanc de Blancs Collection (disgorged in October 2015) offers a rich and intense bouquet of ripe Chardonnay and buttercup. Rich, super ripe and intense, but also precise on the palate, this is a full-bodied, complex, mineral and fresh Champagne. It is very well-defined and even finesse-full, with great tension. This is at perfect maturity. It is a simply a great vintage Champagne that has been produced only in the vintages of 1964, 1970, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1991, 1990, 1999, 2000 and 2002.”
Wine Spectator 93 points “Flavors of baked plum, lemon preserves, biscotti and crystallized honey are enlivened and focused by well-cut acidity that firms this harmonious Champagne. Lacy in texture and fresh, with a zesty finish of delicate spice and mineral details. Disgorged 2018. Drink now through 2024. 25 cases imported.”
Antonio Galloni 92 points “The 1999 Brut Vintage (Collection) is a gorgeous wine that will especially please readers who enjoy Champagnes with the nuance that develops with time in bottle. Apricot jam, orange peel, hazelnut, dried flowers and lightly honeyed notes all develop in a rich, burnished Champagne endowed with tons of nuance intermingled with the freshness that Chardonnay in the Côte des Blancs expresses so eloquently. Certainly, the 1999 is a bit rustic relative to recent vintages here, but it nevertheless offers fine drinking.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Arriving Friday, March 20th:

Pommery Cuvee Louise Brut Nature, Champagne 2004 750ML ($199.95) $149 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Pommery Cuvee Louise Brut Nature, Champagne 2004 750ML ($1199.95) $849 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 97 points “A creamy and refined 2004 with a very reserved and tight palate of ultra fine tannins that lend the wine beautiful creaminess and finesse. Subtly floral, offering lightly cooked apples and lemons. Flavorful, yet always hiding behind the fine bubbles. Drink now.”

Pommery Cuvee Louise Brut Rose Millesime, Champagne 2004 750ML ($299.95) $219 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Pommery Cuvee Louise Brut Rose Millesime, Champagne 2004 750ML ($1799.95) $1,199 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 95 points “The is a new release and shows wonderful finesse and beauty. You know that the moment you see the pale-amber color. It’s medium bodied with freshness and energy and a long, vivid finish. A joy to taste. Drink now.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $388

Arriving ETA April:

A great deal in vintage rosé, these magnums are the perfect size for two people—if only one person is drinking.
Louis Roederer Brut Rose Millesime, Champagne 2010 1.5L ($219.95) $159 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 95 points “The viticulture here takes its cues from Burgundy with lower yields (40hl/ha), leaf removal, ripe picking and cooling overnight and some cold soaking and skin contact. The chardonnay juice is added to bring the acidity and balance into play, but this also has attractive rose-like florals that really speak of pinot noir. There’s orange zest and some pink grapefruit and even handy nutty elements that creep in. This is every bit as terrific as the 2008. The palate has roundness, flesh and smoothly arranged phenolics. An almost saline chardonnay influence provides a vinous attraction here. Super silky, and the chardonnay finishes it fresh but with a punch. Drink now.”
Wine Spectator 93 points “A vivacious rosé, marrying a delicate palate of white raspberry, pastry, blanched almond and white cherry flavors with citrusy acidity and an airy mousse. Rich smoke and mineral notes shine on the finish. Drink now through 2025. 1,900 cases imported.”
Antonio Galloni 92 points “The pale-colored 2010 Brut Rosé is wonderfully lifted and aromatically expressive. Sweet floral notes, red berries, hard candy, mint, cranberry and chalk notes grace the palate as this airy, gracious Champagne opens up in the glass. Delicate and feminine in style the 2010 is an excellent choice for drinking now and over the next few years.”
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 92 points “…this Champagne blends truly ripe and concentrated Pinot Noir from south-facing, wind-protected plots on clay and chalk soils in Cumières with the freshness, elegance and finesse of Chardonnay from north-facing vineyards in Chouilly (Côte des Blancs). “Since we are looking for round and silky tannins, we need to have ripe fruits,” says Lécaillon. That’s why he produces his Pinot like red wine, which means high density plantings (10,000 to 12,000 mass selection vines per hectare), short pruning, leaf removal already ten days after the flowering, sorting table, cold maceration with 5-10% of the stems and a very reduced extraction. After ten days, the must is racked and blended with the juice of Chardonnay. “The idea is to ‘acidify’ our Pinot Noir, which has a ripe fruit with soft and silky tannin,s but a low acidity,” explains Lécaillon. The resulting blend (65% Pinot and 35% Chardonnay) was partly raised in large oak casks and 20% underwent malolactic fermentation. The 2010 is round, dry and elegant, with a silky texture, and ripe and intense fruit flavors. It has a fine grip and stimulating freshness in the finish. This is an excellent Rosé.”

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